Hermione and ron held hands at the breakfast table. They were well aware of the eyes on them, but they weren't letting go, not until they absolutely have to. Mr. Weasley was taking in Hermione granger for tracing today. She was scared and nervous, but most importantly, she was angry.
Shortly after eight, hermione and Mr. Weasley walked just a bit further than the burrow's anti-apparition wards and, with a turn and a squeezing sensation, arrived at the ministry. Mr. Weasley lead
Her through some winding corridors, down the lift, and into a small cubicle, where a shock of pink greeted her.
"Hello, Ms. Granger," a sadistically sweet voice greeted her.
"Oh, Prof—Ms. Umbridge, I'm glad the centaurs weren't too rough with you, your mental faculties seem to be in tact again," Hermione looked to her name plate, "Then again, maybe not, head of Muggleborn tracing and registration, now is that a promotion from Madame Undersecretary?"
Umbridge seethed quietly, but pulled out a small sack of papers, and a blood quill. Hermione flinched at the sight of it, remembering the words etched onto the back of her friends hand.
"Oh, Ms. Granger, you look ever so scared. There's nothing to worry about. Being married to a pure-blood, or even a half-blood, is too good for the likes of you, filthy mudblood."
Hermione grabbed the stacks of paper, sat down and started shuffling through them.
"You will sign this contract, it disables you from leaving the country without being in a three mile radius of your designated spouse. It is a blood trace, so there is no hope of escaping, as they are painfully accurate. There is also a fidelity clause—"
"How barbaric!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed.
Umbridge glared at the man, Hermione was sure she caught the words 'blood traitor' escape from her lips. The toad-like woman clean her throat and continued on.
"The fidelity clause includes all romantic interaction, and any sort of such interaction will result in excruciating pain, which I've heard is comparable to the cruciatis curse. I hope you finished up any dalliance before coming here."
Hermione signed the contracts hurriedly, wanting to be out of her presence. After Mr. Weasley her escorted out of the ministry, kissed her on the cheek, and walked back inside to start his job, Hermione broke into tears. Muggles on the street looked at her with concern, but no one stopped to comfort the poor woman.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man in dark clothing coming towards her. Her instincts kicked into gear and she broke out into a full fledged run, finding the closest abandoned ally way available, and disaparating with a turn of her heal.
The burrow was about 300 yards away, but Hermione only made in into the wards before she collapsed, allowing her grief to consume her. She heard the rustling of the grass and the stamping of feet as several people ran towards her. She was pulled onto her feet and into a hug by Ginny, followed by ron and harry. They stood there, embracing for what seemed like forever. Finally Ginny and Harry left, leaving hermione with Ron.
"My poor love," he said, and kissed her.
Immediately a pain that was like a thousand daggers pierced through her. She let out a scream, her throat tearing. He stopped and pulled back.
"Hermione?"
He looked so worried and worse than that, he looked hurt. She recovered and still panting from the pain, she told him about the fidelity clause.
"Can I still hold your hand?" He asked.
Hermione grabbed his hand, and once no pain came, she nodded. He lead her inside and up to the attic once again, where harry was waiting.
"Are you ok? I heard you scream." Harry said.
Hermione nodded and sat down, never letting go of Ron's hand.
"So what is your guys' plan?" She asked.
"We're going to leave, after your wedding. We know the ministry and Voldemort will be after us, so it's wise to leave as soon as possible. We're going to start at Grimmauld Place, I'm sure I saw Slytherin's locket there. From there, who knows?"
"Here," Hermione grabbed her beaded bag and handed it to Harry, "It's got everything you could need, potions, books, extra clothes, a tent. Just accio it, it'll be faster than rummaging around."
Harry carefully took the bag and placed it in the dresser drawer. He thanked Hermione.
"Here."
Hermione handed each of them a Gallion.
"Are these from the DA?" Ron asked.
"I made these for us. Instead of date and time, they do messages. I also made a biochemical component so the message will appear only if you touch it and only you can see it."
"You never cease to amaze us hermione," Harry appraised.
After they pocketed their Gallions, they moved on from the serious talk into the mundane. Hermione knew it was for her sake, but she didn't mind. Reminiscing of her school days distracted her from thinking about her marriage, and pondering on which death eater she would be matched to.
July 7th dawned gray, rainy and grim. Hermione was not happy about this. This meant the post might be delayed and she absolutely could not wait. She wasn't excited, no, but the absolute dread had made her life miserable the last four days. She could not eat, she barely slept, and she couldn't go anywhere without being treated as fragile, except for ron, who was being out of characterarily tactful around her.
The post came around noon. Hermione had beeen at the table since six in the morning, too nauseous to move, or even think really. An elegant tawny owl flew through the window and dropped the letter in front of her before doing an acrobatic flip and heading straight back out the window.
The letter sat on the table. She looked at it, but couldn't bring herself to touch it.
"Oh Hermione dear," Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room, "Did the post come?"
She nodded, words not being able to form.
"Do you want me to go get Harry and Ron?"
"Yes please," car a hoarse whisper.
Mrs. Weasley looked pityingly on the poor girl and went to fetch the boys.
Hermione picked up the envelope, turned it over in her hands and ripped the ministry seal open.
Ms. Hermione Granger:
We would like to congratulate your upcoming Nuptials to Severus Snape, to be had by the 31st of July. An outline of the law will be attached and full copies of the law will be available upon request.
Best Wishes,
Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione didn't even bother reading the law. She dropped her letter as she heard the boys approaching. They picked it up, read it, turned to hermione.
"Snape?!" Ron shouted.
"I'm so sorry," Harry whispered.
For what felt like the thousandth time that week, hermione began to cry.
Ms. Granger:
Meet me at the corner of Spinner's End at six o'clock this evening. We have matters to discuss.
SS
Hermione read and re-read the note, trying to read some deeper meaning but found none. She looked at the picture attached, but it was just an empty plot of land. Kingsley had briefed her, the day before, about Draco Malfoy's mission and Snape's involvement in it. When hermione question Kingsley about why the whole order didn't know this, he responded cryptically. Hermione felt that Snape didn't want anyone to know.
"I can't believe they're going to marry you off to that traitor," Ron hissed.
Now that hermione knew the truth, she wanted to jump to his defense. But she knew even if she told them, they weren't likely to believe her anyways. So hermione just shrugged, condemned to her fate at the hands of a death eater spy.
"Better the evil you know," she stated.
"I wish that there was some way to figh—"
"But there isn't ron, they have a blood trace. It's accurate within six inches. Not to mention that even if I don't die, I'll be with Snape for the rest of my life."
"I'll kill him."
"No you wont ron," She said, an edge in her voice.
"I will, when the war is over, and we have won, I will kill that murderer so you can be free of him."
Hermione didn't know how to respond to this, so she simply smiled sadly at the red head who was so devoted to her.
Six o'clock came far too soon for hermione's liking. She focused intently on the corner in the picture, and hoping to not pinch herself, she aparated.
It was cold, on the corner of this grassy plot, and she hoped Snape wouldn't be too long. It wasn't even a minute later that Snape appeared out of no where. He didn't great her, but showed her a piece of paper with words on it. She looked to the corner again and standing there was a dilapidated house.
He ushered her quickly inside, sat her down at a table and looked disapprovingly at her.
"Ms. Granger," He trailed off.
"Headmaster," She acknowledged, filling the silence.
"We find ourselves in an awkward situation, but one with which we must comply. It is come to my unfortunate understanding that I have to trust you, given the circumstance," He paused, "I'm sure Kingsley has briefed you on the previous headmaster's demise."
Hermione nodded.
"Good. And know this, just because I am on the right side of the war does not make me a good man."
There was a knock on the door.