Chapter 1

Laws And Shocks

So here it is the next instalment of Loving Madam Snape. Enjoy and please review i'd love to here what you think thus far. Phoenix XX

Hermione yawned and half heartedly waved good morning to Charlie as she passed him on the way to a chair.

'Morning Hermione' He laughed, she only nodded in reply, Yawning once more.

She slumped herself down into a seat at the kitchen table ignoring Ron as he sniggered at her state of dress. Despite it being June Hermione was wearing thick winter pyjamas and a big fluffy house coat. She was always cold at night and first thing in the morning, no matter the weather.

"Anything on that stupid Law, Bill?" she asked pouring herself a mug of steaming Hot coffee, which was sure to have her warmed up in no time. She smiled in pleasure as her hands wrapped round the steaming mug.

"Not today Hermione, maybe it was all just hearsay" He said with a shrug. He really hoped that the talk over the last month of a marriage law was just rumour. He couldn't even begin to imagine what sort of chaos such a law would bring to the wizarding community, who for the most part had long since given up on arranged marriages and birth clauses in marriage contracts.

"Maybe" Hermione said with a thoughtful frown. She didn't like the idea of a marriage law but she could see the theory behind it. Forbid pureblood's from marrying pureblood's and the next generation will have little or no supremacy in it, thus less followers for Voldemort. And less risk of a future dark lord, if Voldemort was ever defeated. Really though, she felt the whole thing was barbaric; forcing people to marry and have children, it was simply ridiculous.

Ginny, the youngest Weasley, came bounding down to breakfast wearing nothing but a quidditch shirt, with the name Potter etched in gold on the back.

"Ginny Weasley! Go and put some cloths on Girl!" Molly snapped, appalled at her daughter's state of dress.

"But it's hot, and I have shorts on" she said pulling up the hem of the shirt to revel she did in fact have on a pair of skin tight black shorts.

Molly rolled her eyes and waved her hand for the girl to sit down. It would appear the Weasley Matriarch was in no mood to fight that particular battle before her morning cup of tea. If only she'd been more specific about where Ginny was to sit, fore the girl chose to sit right on Harry's lap, giving him an affectionate peck on the cheek as she did so.

Harry flicked his eyes down at his Girlfriend's attire and smiled somewhat cheekily.

"Ginny" Arthur sighed, looking at her from over the top of the paper that Bill had just passed to him. The grin slid of Harry's face quicker than he could say quidditch and he returned to eating his cereal, his eyes never leaving the plate, as his girlfriend grabbed herself a bit of toast.

Hermione couldn't help the snigger that escaped her lips and hid it quickly with a gulp of coffee.

Molly sighed and picked up two letters from the counter.

"Harry, Hermione, these came for you this morning" Molly said as she handed each of them their letter, with the Ministry seal on it. Hermione's stomach dropped, there was no way they would actually put such a law in place. Would they? No it was something else she assured herself. As she opened the wax seal.

She looked over at Harry and saw his eyes go wide. "Harry?" She asked, her hand shaking as she held her own letter. More than a little scared to pull the parchment from its envelope now.

"What does it say mate?" Ron asked, with a frown as his best friend went pale.

"Dear Mr Potter,

We are writing to inform you that as of today the Marriage and birth act of 1999 will be put into action. The act states that any half-blood or Muggle born of the ages seventeen to fifty must marry a Pure-blood of the ages seventeen to fifty within three months' time. Once married you and your spouse have 24 months to birth child. If you do not have a child within the 24 months' time frame, without acceptable reasons, such as infertility or mis-gender match, you will spend a term of 36 months in Azkaban, your marriage will be dissolved and upon your release you will be re married, in a Ministry approved match, and expected to comply with the law.

You have two weeks to find a suitable partner or the Ministry will provide you with a match.

Good day and we wish you a long and happy marriage.

Cornelius Fudge

Minister of Magic." Harry read out and Molly gasped, Ginny had tears in her eyes and the boys were sitting stunned.

They had actually gone through with it. Hermione could bring herself to believe what she was hearing. They had actually put a Marriage law in place.

"I'm not eighteen" Ginny muttered softly and Harry closed his eyes, in what appeared to be pain. Hermione reached over and took her friends hand, she knew how much Harry cared about Ginny, he had planned to propose to her as soon as the threat of Voldemort was gone. There would be little chance of that now, she thought glumly.

"I'm Sorry" Harry said over the lump that had formed in his throat. Ginny shook her head and stood, the tears streaming freely now, before running up the stairs. Harry stared after her for a moment before standing up and as calmly as he could and followed her.

Molly made to stop him but Arthur's soft words stopped his wife in her tracks. "Molly let him go, they need this" she nodded sadly and slumped herself into Harry's now empty seat.

Hermione, looked at her own letter and opened it, expecting it to say the same if not similar to Harry's, her hand shaking as she unfolded the parchment.

Dear Madam Snape,

Due to your recent marriage on the 24th of April 1999, you are not required to Comply with the Marriage Part of the Marriage and Birth Act of 1999. You will still be required to comply with the Birth portion of the law. You and your husband are required to produce not one but two children. You have been Granted a 36-month time frame as opposed to the 24 months, to accommodate these changes. I wish you and your husband a long and happy Marriage.

P.s As Your Marriage was within the three months prior to the Passing of the Marriage and Birth Law 1999. The Ministry will be sending a monthly inquisitor to ensure that your Marriage, is in fact genuine union.

Cornilius Fudge

Minister for Magic

Hermione blinked, Madam Snape? This letter wasn't for her. It was rare that an owl got an address wrong. She picked up the envelope and what she saw made her heart stop.

Madam Hermione Snape

The Burrow

England

Surely the owl had gotten it wrong. She wasn't married, let alone married to Snape, her Potions Professor.

She felt her chest tighten and the familiar breathlessness of a panic attack over take her. "Snape" she breath, crumpling the letter in her hand, as her chest became ever tighter and getting a breath became harder.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Molly asked noticing the girl's distress.

"Yea Mione, it's fine, you don't need to worry about the Law. I'll Marry you" Ron said with a smile, making to take her hand, but she pulled away shaking her head.

"Snape" she breathed again.

"You want to Marry Snape?" Fred asked with surprise etched on his face. She struggled to take in another breath and shook her head again, when had the air became so heavy?

"Get Snape" she breathed, wincing as breathing became painful, now. She needed to calm down, she focused on taking long slow breaths, her eyes locked on the table in front of her.

"Gorge, Flew the Professor, tell him he's needed" Molly said, standing up to stand beside the now panicking girl.

"It's Okay dear, Don't you worry, The Professor's on his way" Molly soothed as Arthur handed her a glass of water. The Weasley Matriarch's words seemed to calm her as her breathing became easier, and as she took a sip of water the tightness in her chest lessened.

She was relatively calm again. When a voice made her Panic turn to seething anger.

"What mess have you gotten yourself into that you need my assistance Miss Granger?"