The Hogwarts library was one of the most sacred places in the world for Hermione Granger. She loved the tranquility and the order in which it was kept in by the constant vigilance of Madam Pince. She followed the rules invited by the library Matron with complete carefulness. But on this day, the head girl had broken all the rules. She was currently deep in the dusty shelves, carefully slicing away pages from a thick ministry book. There already was a pile of fallen pages beside her and it was rapidly increasing as sweat dripped down her face. But her concentration was broken as soft steps sounded behind her. She didn't even bother to turn around, had it been someone that wished her ill, her wards would have stopped the person from approaching. The boys never dared to enter the library while she was inside in fear that she would force them to revise, only that lately they were just avoiding her; this only left the possibility of Ginny Weasly seeking her out.
"Hermione, it's time for dinner," announced Ginny. Of course it was natural Ginny with her motherly instincts to come fetch her to eat, Hermione thought.
"Really, I lost track of time." Hermione replied cautiously. She didn't want Ginny thinking that she had planned to skip dinner once again. "Well it is dinner time, and I also heard the elves have outdone themselves today, the theme for dinner is rumored to be French food..." Ginny replied enthusiastically. "Alright, wait just a moment." Hermione replied. She knew that she had to hurry up and finish taking the pages on Magical marriages before Madam Pince decided to grace them with her presence. It was certain that if Madam Pince found them, the discovery of her butchered books would lead to bloody murder.
"The boys are worried that you're not taking care of yourself. You should try to spend more time with them," said Ginny trying but failing to scold the head girl. Hermione sighted "Ginny, the boys are too busy with their girlfriends and Quidditch. They don't have time to spend with me as they once did. I understand that, and therefore try to focus myself with other things."
"Do you spend your entire time "focusing" in finding a way to escape the marriage law?" Ginny asked airily. Hermione glared at Ginny, She knew the pureblood girl was convinced that the marriage law was one of the best things the ministry could have done in the aftermath of the war. "I don't agree with taking the free will of others away. I understand the predicament of the population, but that doesn't give the government the right to force people to marry," Hermione finished with an hhmp of disagreement.
"Now, now, Hermione. You will find the perfect guy, someone that is intelligent and ambitious. Nothing is impossible, there has to be a guy with those attributes somewhere. Don't give up in marriage because you haven't found the groom yet." replied Ginny. Hermione looked seriously at her friend, "Ginny the probability of finding a guy like that is one in a million. The possibility of such a person liking me is impossible. Oh not to mention the finding of such person before the law takes effect," said Hermione as she and Ginny made their way out of the library, Hermione with stolen pages safely hidden beside her transfiguration homework. Hermione squared her shoulders and prepared to face the boys and their pitying looks.
Hermione reached the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Neville and smiled at him. Both Harry and Ron looked shocked to see her; in fact it looked like they were hoping she wasn't there, Hermione thought. "Hello Hermione." Neville happily greeted her. "Hey, Neville. How's Luna?" Hermione asked the kind boy. Hermione saw Harry and Ron exchange a look between them at her mention of Neville's girlfriend. "She's a bit sick at the moment, but she's ready to start planning the wedding." Neville answered smiling. "That's fantastic, Neville," Hermione replied after turning to dig into her salad.
Hermione was hoping that her best friends would talk to her instead of avoiding her. But she continued to eat while everyone else conversed around her, and she was tired of being ignored. Just as Hermione was opeing her mouth to talk, Professor Snape suddenly stood up from the head table in a rush and almost ran out of the room with his cloak billowing behind him, causing Hermione's mouth to snap shut. Hermione thought that he looked like the devil was after him. But was curious enough after Headmaster Dumbledore called after him "Severus, consider the option. Always is not always, and forever is not infinite."
"What do you think bit that greasy bat?" Harry asked looking around the great hall hoping that he'll see the cause of Snape's discomfort. "The same thing, which bit Hermione here." replied Ron with a wave of his hand toward Hermione. After his comment most of the table shifted uneasily waiting for the fighting to start. Hermione shook her head and leaned towards Ginny, "Never ask me to come again. They will always be boys and will be idiots for all infinity." With that Hermione gathered her stuff and with dignity she could manage continued to walk out of the great hall.
Hermione decided to take a walk before going back to the Head Girl dormitory. The corridors were deserted and quiet, and dark since most of the Hogwarts population was eating at the time. This gave Hermione the time to think about her decisions regarding her future without any interruptions.
Hermione had limited options; it was between marrying an old man and getting her wand snapped and getting an obliviate by the Ministry Auror. In reality Hermione didn't want either of those options. All her male friends were already taken, and her other choice would have been Victor Krum. But unfortunately Victor Krum wasn't British and she couldn't marry him. Hermione sighted, there was nothing she could do but wait out for the decision to be made for her. I guess she was in the same position that Professor Snape was stuck in. She stared intensely into the shadows, as she contemplated. If Professor Snape one of the most knowledgeable men in the Wizarding world hadn't found a way to get out of the marriage law, what made her think that she would?
"You are correct Miss Granger, but you're always correct aren't you?" was the response she received in form of a drawl from the shadows. Hermione moved back as she was startled out of her thoughts, "Professor, I wasn't aware of your presence." She stuttered out. "Obviously." "Now, it appears that we have something in common, and we both need a solution to our problems." Hermione waited to see if he would add anything else before asking "Professor, are you asking me to help you attack the ministry and our idiotic minister?"
Hermione was surprised as she heard a rich laugh coming from the shadows, "No Miss Granger, as tempting as that sounds, it would be unwise. I'm asking you to marry me, in order to help the world avoid the disgrace of losing your brilliance."
Hermione was shocked and grateful at his question. "Professor, I'm sure that you will be able to find someone more capable of being your wife. I wouldn't want to bring dishonor and shame to your family name. As for the loss of my brilliance, I'm sure the world will survive without me." She promptly answered before making her quick exit. But as she was turning, Professor Snape grabbed her wrist and held on. "You avoided giving me an answer." He accused, looking at her straight in the eyes. Hermione yanked her wrist from his grasp as she replied, "Maybe you should consider your unexpected question before you ask for an answer, sir." When she received no answer, she nodded and walked calmly away from the scene. Although her heart was beating in her chest as she realized that she still had hope. Delusional hope, that she would become insane enough to agree to marry Snape.
Hermione made her way into the Head girls dormitory, pondering how her potions professor had asked matrimony out of her, to the fact that their "relationship" so far consisted of Snape demanding, not asking her to write 12 inches of parchment every week on potion lessons and ignoring her raised hand in every class. That surely wasn't the start for a healthy relationship, Hermione was sure that Severus Snape wasn't likely to be a man who committed to relationships or friendships.
To Hermione's knowledge, Severus Snape hated her and despised the very air she breathed, not only for the fact that her personality and ego demanded praises from teachers and students alike, but hated her rather strongly for the fact that she was a part of the golden trio.. Hermione shook her head, the thought and hope on Snape to save her was hopeless and all dooming, not to mention insanely delusional.
Hermione made her way into the Head girls dormitory, unlocking the door by pressing the password into the keyboard. One of the best things that Hermione loved about being Head girl was the fact that she got certain benefits. Such benefits were the privacy of not having a portrait to keep tabs on her.
Hermione was eternally grateful for the war funds that gave the money in order for Hogwarts to be rebuilt with electricity and modern technology. Hermione guessed that it was because of the school governors trying to get muggleborn students to inhibit school feeling more respected and in-somewhat comfortable surroundings.
Hermione entered into her dark dormitory and went up the stairs into the second floor landing where her bedroom and connecting bathroom were located. She struggled out of her school robe and hung it on the doorknob for easy access; she then kicked of her shoes and began undressing. After throwing her dirty clothes into the laundry basket, Hermione walked into her bathroom and began to wash her teeth completely nude. She stared critically into the mirror looking for imperfections while finishing washing her teeth.
Hermione made her way into the shower, and turned the hot water on; the almost boiling water relaxed her muscles and gave her the feeling of warmth. After washing herself thoroughly, and washing and conditioning her hair, she got out of the shower.
After getting out the shower she cleaned the steam off the mirror and looked expectantly at her hair, a few seconds later her hair began to self-dry. After her hair was semi-dry, she began to dry her body with a towel. She completely hated the feeling of clothes clinging to her wet skin; after her skin was completely dried she began to braid her hair. After braiding her hair, and guaranteeing her hair not to be frizzy and tangled in the morning she walked out of bathroom into her bedroom and stopped dead on her tracks.
On her bed was no one else but Professor Snape, staring at her nude body with a sneer on his face. He raised an eyebrow and looked expectantly at her. Hermione was shocked but even more madder at his obvious trespassing on her private domain. "Professor, I must ask you to remove yourself from my quarters. It is completely inappropriate for you to be here, I fear that this trespassing will have to be known by my head of my house." She stated hands at her bare hips. She met his gaze and lifted her shin proudly at him, Hermione hope that he didn't have any delusions of her cowering in fear at his presence just because she was completely naked.
"Come here, Hermione. Sit with me." Hermione shifted her weight, as she pondered on what to do. "Professor, I hardly think this is appropriate," Hermione whispered anxiously, wringing her hands together. Professor Snape smiled at her; Hermione decided that this particular smile was equal to that of a cat that ate the canary. "Come. Sit." He snarled at her.
Hermione started defiantly at him, "No thank you, Professor." Snape rose from her bed and took a step closer to her, as she took one back. "Hermione... Don't be difficult child, accept what I offer you and thank me."
"Why should I, sir?" Hermione replied. "You have no reason to marry me, other than escaping punishment from the law." Snape clenched his jaw, "Miss Granger, there is a few different reasons unto why I will marry you. Yes, I will marry you. Even if I have to sedate you and imperio you to say "I do", the first reason is that you are exquisite" He whispered as he ran a fingertip between her breasts, Hermione tried to get away but found that she was frozen still. Her eyes widen in surprise, she hadn't even realized that he had cursed her wandlessly.
"The second reason is that I will not marry a brainless bint. The third reason is that I have no plans on procreating more dunderheads, I'm quite sure that you will be an excellent mother and more of an excellent teacher to our children. The fourth and last reason is that I want you, and you will be mine." He finished as leaned in closer and placed a kiss near the corners of her mouth. Hermione closed her eyes briefly as she felt his presence withdraw from her. By the time she reopened her eyes, expecting to see him, he was long gone.