AN: This is my take on the Marriage Law challenge, and how things may not always turn out like expected. Severus is a caustic person, and Hermione is bossy, not a good combination to say the very least, but what will they do once their roles in the war are over and the life of marriage is given a reality check?

Chapter I: The Beginning

It's been five years…five dreadful years of marriage to that bushy headed twit. The war was over, Potter got his glory, Dumbledore his peace, and Severus…Severus was due for a life of undue torture and the incessant natterings of his wife.

They had married at the end of her sixth year, right before the deed with Dumbledore had been done. The Marriage Law act had been passed by the Ministry stating that purebloods, halfbloods, and muggleborns were required to marry someone of different blood (i.e. halfbloods and muggleborns could marry purebloods, but purebloods could not marry purebloods, and muggleborns could not marry muggleborns and etc.) The Ministry had provided "magical compatibility" tests to each eligible witch or wizard and matches were made. Of course, to Miss Granger's surprise, she had received one, stating that she was seven months and twenty-eight days older than she claimed to be from her time-turner use in her third year.

The Ministry provided three names on each test, to show the three most compatible matches out of everyone who had tested. Much to Miss Granger's disappointment, none of her friends were able to take the test and thus her matches were, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and Percy Weasley.

When her name showed up on Severus Snape's test, he had nearly choked on his morning tea.

"Headmaster, I need to speak with you immediately," he had said in a low tone at the head table.

"Why Severus, surely it can wait until breakfast is over," was his reply as he sipped his overly sweetened tea and continued his conversation with Minerva.

"I believe it's a matter of some urgency."

"Well then, why didn't you say so? My office then," he smiled and Severus wanted to choke him until he turned as purple as his ostentatious robes. Still, he followed him to his office, away from prying eyes and ears.

Severus had the misfortune of having turned up three highly distasteful names on the wretched parchment. Albus looked at the list carefully and then up at the look of disgust on Severus' face.

"Well, just whose name were you expecting? Lily Evans?" he had asked incredulously. Snape nearly boiled over in rage.

"Certainly not, but none of these witches are certainly advantageous to our current situation Headmaster! And that was low, even for you," he seethed. The names on his parchment happened to be Penelope Clearwater, Luna Lovegood, and of course Hermione Granger.

"They are all students Headmaster! Surely the Ministry was mistaken! Have they not taken into account that I am their teacher!?" his face was contorted in rage and disbelief.

"Perhaps the match with Miss Granger would prove to be in our benefit Severus." Severus didn't answer for a moment, not sure if he had heard the Headmaster correctly. The silence that followed; however, showed that he clearly had.

"Are you insane? Have you completely taken leave of your senses?"

"I believe my senses, while old, are still intact. This situation is clearly not what we had anticipated, but we must move forward, and we must make accommodations. Miss Granger is a member of the Order, and a close friend of Mr. Potter, surely you can convince Tom who married her in order for you to have a contact so close to him. I'm almost positive that he will not let you surpass an opportunity that would allow him to be that much closer to Harry."

"She is but a child Albus, and how is she supposed to react to the Dark Lord's prying if this came to be. If my excuse is to get closer to Potter, then he will need to see her and she needs to convince him that she is useful. I cannot convince him for her."

"Of course, so we would need to tell her everything. She would have to be privy of our plans Severus."

"I think that is most unwise and puts myself at greater risk of being exposed."

"I think it would be quite the opposite. She has an innate ability to learn, and you could teach her Occlumency, should she ever have to be brought before Tom."

"That is not a guarantee. I would not put my role in this war in the hands of some girl."

"Ah, but she is not just any girl, she's Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age. I don't think you should underestimate her abilities. I will call her in at once, and we will start our planning immediately." Severus merely glowered in Albus' direction.

"I'm sorry my boy, but you know there is no choice in the matter."

"And what of Miss Granger's choices?"

The Headmaster simply went on and summoned Miss Granger as if he never heard Snape. Clearly, Miss Granger didn't have a choice in the matter either, but of course Albus would make her believe that she has, and that she has an opportunity to help save the wizarding world, appeal to her Gryffindor tendencies…how utterly disgusting.

Getting Granger to marry him was relatively easy, and convincing Potter and Weasley that Albus had somehow pulled strings within the Ministry to prevent Miss Granger from marrying was even easier. Any respect Severus may've had for the girl was lost when she decided to marry him. One might say she was loyal, brave, self-sacrificing, but Severus saw her for what she was…an incredibly stupid girl who had the wool pulled over her eyes by a meddling old man.

It took months of planning and teaching the girl to make everything fall into place. She knew of Dumbledore's impending death and what she must do to keep Severus' cover intact while still being able to contact him and receive information from each other. Dumbledore managed to keep their marriage a secret from the public eye, convincing the Ministry that a marriage between a teacher and student should be kept under wraps whilst the student is still in school, to which they thankfully agreed.

The consummation was awkward to say the least, as neither were particularly attracted to another. By law, they were required to do it once a week, a time neither looked forward to. The next two years were difficult for the both of them. Despite everything, Severus supposed he had loved the girl in a begrudgingly respectful way.

She kept out of his way, she was helpful whenever he needed her, and she never gave him away, even when times were bleak. They had a growing attachment to each other, and most importantly, they had faith in one another.

By all rights and purposes, she performed beautifully and much better than he ever expected. They managed to help Potter bring the Dark Lord down, and Severus was very pleased with her…that is, up until the very end. She committed him a grave error, a travesty, something he would never ever forgive her for…she had saved his life.