Peck peck. Peck peck. Hermione opened her eyes. She could barely see the owl that was illuminated by the moonlight. Bloody hell, who would be sending me mail at this time of night? Certainly not Harry, she thought as she remembered when he tried towake her up at two o'clock in the morning during a summer they both stayed at the Burrow. Harry was not expecting that Bat Bogey Hex she gave him.
She opened her bedroom window letting the gray owl in. It dropped a white parchment in her outstretched hand. Hermione paid it a Knut and closed her window as soon as it flew away. Her heart sank as she turned over the letter seeing it was from the Ministry of Magic. With bated breath, she opened it hoping it wasn't what she thought it was.
By the Order of the Ministry of Magic; all Muggle-born wizards and witches of age must, within the space of four weeks, marry a fully qualified pureblood wizard or witch of opposite gender for the purposes of establishing an appropriate bloodline. All forms of contraception are outlawed from these marriages. All those refusing to adhere to these laws shall be banished from the wizarding world.
Signed,
Cornelius Fugde, Minister of Magic
"What in the-" Hermione had been worried about the Marriage Law ever since she saw the debate it was causing in the Daily Prophet. She had even asked Arthur Weasley about it that morning-she was staying a Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for the summer. She never thought that Fudge would consider the Wizarding community's sudden burst of producing Squibs (because the purebloods were inbreeding) more important than Voldemort being destroyed. Well, then again this was Fudge. When did he take action against anything important?
Suddenly, Hermione understood what was being said. "I have to get married in four weeks or I can't be a witch anymore," she whispered. "And to a pureblood." With my luck it will probably be a Deatheater, she unhappily thought.
Well, I'm sure I could talk Ron into marrying me...Ugh...
While it was true she liked Ron, they had even gone out, she had never thought about marrying him. And, she blushed to think about it, produce heirs. Hermione had always wanted to marry someone tall, dark, and handsome. Someone whose intellect matched hers. That was definetely not Ron.
No use staying in here. And with this thought she went downstairs to the kitchen to make hot chocolate.
She found the kitchen occupied by Tonks and Molly Weasley.
"Wotcher Hermione," Tonks said, giving Hermione her customary gretting. "Why so glum?"
Hermione sighed, plopped down in a chair, and threw the horrible letter at Tonks. "This is why!"
The two women dreaded what they expected to read. This topic had been brought up several times in the last month during the Order meetings. They turned to Hermione with sorrowful expressions on their faces. They knew something she didn't.
"Oh dear, oh dear," Molly said breathlessly.
At the same time Tonks whispered," Bloody hell, Molly! Do you think Dumbledore will go through with the plan?"
At this Hermione started bawling. "I-I always thought I would fall in love and get married. Not get...forced into a marriage. I don't want to get married! I'm only seventeen!"
Hermione's outburst of tears had tonks worried. Hermione didn't even know the whole story yet. It was a good thing Molly had a bit of composure left. She just scooted her chair closer to Hermione and rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Now, now, dearie. Everything will be fine, you'll see. It's going to be alright. Shh." She whispered over Hermione's head, "Get Severus and tell him to bring a Draught of Dreamless Sleep."
Severus was dreaming of Neville Longbottem screwing up yet another potion when he was woke up by loud thumps in his room at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. As soon as he realized that the sound was someone knocking urgently at his door and not Neville's potion blowing up, he knew it had to be about Hermione Granger. she had been on his mind for days now. Ever since Dumbledore had made-no, rather forced him to agree with his plan.
"Severus, get your arse out of bed right this instant."
He recognized the voice as Nymphadora Tonks. She was a Metamorphamagus, and a skilled Auror. A very, clumsy Auror, to be exact.
"Coming," he whispered as he put his black robe on. He opened the door. "Is is about Hermione?"
"I wouldn't be here it it wasn't, would I?" was Tonks sarcastic reply. "Bring some Dreamless Sleep with you. Believe me, she needs it."
Snape grabbed the needed potion. They ran downstairs as Tonks filled him in.
"She was owled about the Marriage Law not to long ago. Molly is in the kitchen with her now. We haven't told her about...well, you know what I'm talking about."
"Dumbledore's brilliant plan," he filled in sarcasticly.
Tonks continued. "We decided earlier that Dumbledore should tell her his plan. We are going to Floo her to a more," she paused, as if searching for the right words.
"Private place," Snape suggested.
She smiled, grateful. "Well, yes. It is hard to have a bit of privacy here." She was recalling the number of times various Order members had walked in on her and Remus snogging.
They entered the kitchen in time to hear Hermione's fresh outburst of sobs. "I'm too young to get married, Molly! What if he won't let me finish my schooling? What if he's a Deatheater? What if he has children already? What if it's Ron? Or Harry?"
Well, Snape bitterly thought, one of her what if's might come true.
Hermione chose this moment to look up from the table. "P-professor S-snape, I didn't know y-you were here," she started to hastily dry her eyes.
"I'm only here at Dumbledore's request, Miss Granger."
Snape's heart went out to the poor girl. It was odd seeing Hermione cry. It was true he had reduced a number of students to tears in his Potions class, herself included, but seeing Hermione cry over something non-school related was...heartbreaking.
Stop, he commanded himself. Next thing you know, you'll have feelings for the insufferable know-it-all. You're going soft.
"Here's the potion, Molly." Snape handed it to her.
"Thanks Severus," she nodded in his direction. "Hermione, I need to to drink this for me, okay?"
Hermione nodded and drank the Draught of Dreamless Sleep. She was out in seconds. The three of them stood there staring under Molly hurrumphed and ordered Severus to carry Hermione up to her bed.
Snape started to protest, but even he knew better than to cross Molly Weasley when one of her babies were upset, and Hermione was basically a Wealey, with all the time she spent at the Burrow. He gently picked her up, noting how light she felt. He looked at her tear-stained face, thinking how beautiful she looked.
What am I thinking? Just because I have to go along with Dumbledore's plan doesn't mean I have to like her! She's just a child, he thought. Not that Dumbledore cares, a small voice in the back of his head replied.
He reached the room Hermione shared with Ginny, desperately hoping Hermione's roomie was asleep. He was in luck. Ginny was sleeping with a teddy bear, muttering under her breath about Harry and snogging and snogging Harry.
Snape smirked as he softly put Hermione down on the bed. He pulled the covers up to her chest and lightly kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight...Hermione." He did not believe it. He, Severus Snape, the most feared Potions master at Hogwarts, was falling for a certain bushy-haired know-it-all.