J.K. Rowling is awesome-sauce. Harry Potter is her creation. I only wish I had written it.

AN: Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed my first chapter. I had no idea it would be so well received. I reposted chapter one because there were some really big flaws that were driving me crazy. Plus, some words got lost in the transition from computer to website! GASP! I'll do better this time, promise!

Danica: Thanks so much! I seriously considered doing that, but some things I wanted to add in Snape's POV really wouldn't mix well. However, I'm totally going to try to do that in the later chapters. I just have to figure out how!

Yeddi: I totally thought I could sort of change things around a bit but you're right, so I fixed it. Thanks for telling me!

Bluefirefly5: Thank you! I was really hoping I could draw you guys in with a solid first chapter:)

Chapter 2: No Congratulations For You

It was a bright sunny Saturday at Hogwarts and nearly everyone was at the quidditch pitch watching the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw game. Everyone except Hermione Granger. Hermione sat under a big oak by the Black Lake, her fingers picking mindlessly at the grass below her, staining her fingers green. Her head was bowed, her bangs obscuring her eyes. She stared down at the hand on her knee; the hand that was now sporting her new engagement ring. She couldn't get over her friend's reactions when they'd seen it.

"Are you mad! What'd you go and do that for, Hermione?"

"It wasn't like that, Ron. You don't understand! This isn't happening to you!"

"Good thing too! Imagine being engaged to Snape!"

"Oh, grow up, Ronald! Would you rather me have picked George and ruined his life? Or perhaps a complete stranger?"

"Either one of those options sound better than the Greasy Git!"

"I refuse to have this argument with you. Just butt out, will you!"

She had turned away from him then, after making a huge seen in the corridor. Ron wasn't giving up that easily though. He grabbed at her wrist, spinning her back toward him. She struggled against him, the other students stopping to look on curiously.

"Let go! You're hurting me!"

He released her slowly, his eyes still furious, his mouth in a tight line. "I won't do it again. Please explain this to me. You can't just spring this on me, and expect me not to react."

"React? Yes. Scream at me and assault my person? Not so much!"

She glared at him a few moments, though when he said nothing, she sighed and grabbed his arm, hauling him away from their ogling peers.

She led him up to the Gryffindor common room and over to the corner where Harry and Ginny were studying. Her heart felt tight as she looked at them together. They would look up at each other at the same time without fail, smile as if they shared a secret, then continue their work. She would never have that kind of love now.

Ron broke away from her and stood next to Harry's chair, his arms crossed and pouting with a vicious, "Tell them, then!"

She sighed, cutting her eyes at Harry and Ginny, who had twin expressions of bewilderment on their faces. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in and muttered, "I'm going to marry Professor Snape."

Harry looked gobsmacked, "Come again?", he asked incredulously

Ginny's eyes darted from Hermione's face, to her newly acquired ring, to the boys, and back again to Hermione. Harry meanwhile, stood up and grabbed Hermione's hand. He peered down at the ring and then up at her face, "Is this a joke? If it is, it's not funny."

She snatched her hand back, suddenly feeling the need to wipe her sweaty palms on her robes. "I'm not exactly singing show tunes over here, Harry! I'm just as upset as the rest of you. More so, as I'm the one getting married at seventeen." This is why she didn't want to tell them. Ron was looking like he had inhaled powdered dragon scales, Harry looked murderous, like he wanted to beat Snape to death with his Firebolt. She grimaced at that mental image. And Ginny... Merlin, Ginny looked just like her mother.

Ginny stood up finally, gently pushing Harry back from Hermione. Taking his place, she asked sternly, "Did he make you accept Hermione? We'll tell Dumbledore. He'll have it sorted out in no time."

Hermione shook her head furiously, "He did no such thing. I prompted him to ask me. Mostly because...well it seems the best route really." She couldn't tell them about the match percentage. They'd march right up to the Ministry and demand an audience with Fudge.

Nearly as bad, Harry piped up, "I'll write a letter. Bloody Ministry thinks they can just wreck people's lives. Pompous, slow minded, bigot-headed idiots, the lot of them. Where's my parchment?" Harry rummaged through his school bag like a maniac while Ron clutched the chair back, egging him on.

"A quill! Get me a quill! Merlin's dingy underpants, I'm out of ink! Ginny, where's your ink that changes color to suit your mood? Hurry now, before I have time to calm down!"

Ginny wearily huffed out "Prats." and brought her attention back to Hermione. "Ignore those gits."she nodded to Harry and Ron. "Is there anything I can do, 'Mione?"

Hermione shook her head sadly. "No, Ginny. I just wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else. I think... I believe I'll just go rest in the dorm."

Ginny nodded sympathetically, then turned to slap both boys in the back of the head. Ron was gesturing wildly over Harry's shoulder, giving him pointers, while Harry scratched at the parchment with his quill, ripping holes in the letter as he vented his anger via hate mail. They both looked up however, when Ginny's palm popped harshly against their skulls. "You can't send that, you dopes! I doubt the Minister of Magic is going to respond kindly to someone who calls him a pansy-assed, wanking, son-of-a-bowtruckle." Hermione left them as they were, her head throbbing with exhaustion and hurt. She couldn't be around her friends right now.

888

"Really Albus! You cannot expect me to stand idly by as he ruins the life of our most promising student!" Minerva McGonagall's Scottish accent rose to an alarmingly high octave.

"Come now, Minerva. Stop being unreasonable. She has to marry someone. I'm just relieved it's only Severus. Miss Granger is an intelligent young woman who can handle herself. If she wants to choose Severus, that is her call. And as I said, Minerva, we're lucky Severus was an option. Also, Miss Granger already knows he is a spy, so we don't have to worry about an uninformed party compromising his cover. Imagine having to explain to some unknown woman where he goes when he is called- "

"Yes, yes, that's quite-fortunate and she could do worse, I suppose but-"

Severus scowled at her, "Care to rephrase, Minerva? After all, I am right beside you and can hear every word you're saying."

Minerva had the decency to look sheepish, "You know I meant nothing by it, Severus."

"Do I?" he scathed bad-naturedly.

Albus held up his hands to cease their argument, "Enough, both of you." He turned to look at Severus, "I hope this doesn't inconvenience you too much, my boy? Having a teenage witch in your personal space? But I'm sure you must have something in common. You might even learn to tolerate her. Perhaps become friends? Or something more?" He twinkled at him.

"Oh, that's spectacular. Really damn spiffing. Merlin knows you've been trying to play match-maker for years, Albus-"

"Well I had rather hoped for someone older, but I suppose Miss Granger is rather suited to you. Don't you think?"Albus paused for a moment, twiddling his thumbs and looked at Severus with a hint of mischief, "She's quite pretty is she not, Severus?"

He didn't grace Albus with an answer. Only a loud slam of his door as he took his leave from the office, Minerva looking thunderstruck, while Albus hid his smile behind his clasped fingers.

888

Severus stalked angrily away from the castle, Meddling old bastard, he thought. He had gone to Albus to be yelled at, to be shamed, and given a way out. He should have known better than to believe the old man would be anything but thrilled. It was rather disturbing. The outside air was calming him. Everyone was at the quidditch pitch, but he knew that being in a crowd would only make his mood blacker. He headed off towards the lake, maybe there would be some more potion's ingredients he could collect. The squid was known to shed a tentacle now and then-

He was torn from his internal thoughts by the sight of a golden mass of curls shining merrily in the sun. The owner of the tresses however, was curled in on herself awkwardly, ripping up the grass, and giving off a specific aura of discontent. I suppose I'm to blame. His magic begin to stir like a child awakening from a nap. He felt the pull to her stronger than he'd ever had. Before he had proposed to the little chit, the feeling had been a mere background noise. But ever since then, he had become hyper aware of her presence when in close proximity.

He could feel many witches and wizards magic, but hers had been strange from the beginning. It was disorienting at first, the eleven-year-old girl waving her hand around like a lunatic, nearly putting out her classmate's eye, while her magic exploded against his skin chaotically. Her magic had a rather bursting quality about it. Particularly when she had just solved a problem or found an answer. He had been out of sorts the entire first lesson. Not to mention Potter and his very loud magic. He despised the boy for more than just his father.

Before he could stop them, his thoughts turned to Lily. Lily had betrayed him by marrying James Potter. He had betrayed her by unwittingly handing the Dark Lord her death sentence. So many years had passed, but he still felt the loss like a burning ache in his throat. And of course every time he saw Potter's spawn, with Potter Senior's face but with Lily's eyes, it was like he was sliced open all over again, his blood pouring from the old wound in his heart. Severus had loved no one since Lily. He didn't believe he could. He couldn't give that much of himself to another person, only to get hurt again.

He sighed heavily and made his way over. She didn't even look up from her task when he came to stand over her and he had to call her name several times before she responded. She looked up suddenly, blinking as the glare from the sun caught her eyes. She was shocked to see him there, that was for certain.

"Professor" she acknowledged, "Why aren't you at the match?" she asked.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and replied waspishly, "That's none of your concern, Miss Granger." He sniffed at her with disdain, "Why are you not at the match?"

She gave him a rather ugly look that made him want to take off house points. He just barely restrained himself. She turned her head away from him, her cheeks reddening slightly. "I just couldn't be around all of those people. It's like a center of concentrated joy. I would rather be angsty today." she mumbled into her shoulder.

"You're doing quite a good job." he said nastily.

"Please don't be that way." she said suddenly, looking up at him with all the earnest of a Hufflepuff. He sneered.

"What way, Granger?" A bastard? he supplied to himself.

"You pretend to be so cruel but you would not have sacrificed everything and agreed to marry me-"

"Sacrifice? Granger, are you really that naïve? What am I sacrificing? I'm gaining a woman to warm my bed, I hardly think that's sacrifice-"

"You know it's so much more than that! This farce of a marriage will have everyone believing you're some sort of lecher. You're giving up your honor, Professor!"

"Oh, spare me your Gryffindor theatrics. I've no scrap of honor left. That died many years ago."

Granger shook her head frantically, "You're a hero, sir. You risk your life every time you go to him."

"I'm no hero, girl. Yes, I risk my life for the Order, but thankfully all but a few know I'm a spy. So what does that look like to you, Granger? If you knew nothing of my activities as a double agent? If you knew me only as 'Severus Snape: Ex-Deatheater'?"

"But Dumbledore testified! He proved that you changed sides!"

Snape looked at her as if she were a blast-ended skrewt, "You will find, Miss Granger, that not everyone holds Dumbledore's word in as much regard as you do." When she just looked stunned he said. "There is a world outside of Hogwarts, Miss Granger. It's best you get used to the idea, for you'll soon be joining it."

He turned to go from her, but couldn't help but hear her small voice tremble, "You can't make me hate you. Not after what you've done for me."

He looked back at her. Her knees to her chest, her shining hair falling wildly over her shoulders, and her eyes that looked so certain, as though he'd asked her how to spell her name.

He looked at her coldly. He wanted to punish her just as much as himself. "I need not make you, much less try at all. It will come naturally to you, just like with everyone else."

She set her chin stubbornly, but her lower lip trembled. He had the urge to smooth his thumb across it.

She stood up then, raising up to her full, rather diminutive, height. Her eyes sparkled with a fire he had yet to encounter with the most fearsome of wizards. She looked powerful in that moment, and her magic began to beat at him like a drum, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"I won't fear you, Severus Snape, and I will not hate you." The command in her voice would make a first year tremble. But he was a grown man, and a dangerous one at that, so he just looked down at her, and with a voice like a hot knife slicing into warm butter, he said , "Then you are a fool."

888

Hermione sat quietly at dinner, absorbed in her thoughts and not touching anything on her plate. Ron and Harry kept glancing at her nervously, as if afraid of what they affectionately called a 'Mione Meltdown'. She looked at neither one of them, but instead stared down at the emerald Snape had given her, twisting it from side to side and watching the tiny facets jump and gleam. She couldn't get his voice out of her head, Then you are a fool. No one had ever called her that before.

She looked up at the high table and was surprised to see Dumbledore twinkling down at her. She quickly averted her eyes. What was that about?

Suddenly, a large, official looking owl dropped a letter in front of her. Oh no, not another one, she thought miserably. She picked it up and opened it with trepid fingers.

Dear Miss Hermione Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that your candidate choice has been processed and validated. Your wedding is scheduled to take place on the twenty-sixth of October at a venue of your choosing. Financial aid will be provided if required. Please reply with venue choice and financial request(if needed) no later than the twenty-third. We await your owl.

Wanda Merriweather

Magic Relations and Unions Office

Ministry Of Magic

Hermione swallowed thickly. The twenty-sixth? She didn't even get to choose her wedding day? She only had a week-seven bloody days!- to prepare for her wedding.

She couldn't breath. She was crumpling the letter, but she couldn't stop herself, her fingers kept flexing against the paper. She felt this shock at the base of her spine. This was fear. She didn't hate him. She hated the Ministry. Then you are a fool. She closed her eyes , trying to block out all of the people around her.

Then, she started and looked for him. He was watching her, his own letter lay forgotten by his plate. His sable eyes were like endless tunnels with no way out. Looking at him then, she felt despair. How could they believe they could have any sort of control over this? I'm a fool. We are fools.

888

Severus tossed and turned that night, his body slicked with sweat. Finally, he growled and sat up, the green silk covers falling away. He rose from the bed, dressed in nothing but black pajama bottoms, and crossed the chilly stone floor to the enchanted window. He had transfigured a stretch of wall into an image of the outside as it was a story above him. A clever bit of wand-work, something he had learned from Albus of all people. He gazed out over the grounds, the moon cast an eerie light on the trees, and he could barely make out the restless surface of the Black Lake. He stood framed against the window, looking but not seeing. His head throbbed as his thoughts swirled around his head madly. He slumped against the cold glass and closed his eyes wearily, only to see Granger's coppery eyes. He saw the helpless fear of a beautiful youth. The innocence stolen so suddenly it knocked your feet out from under you. He saw his mother the first time he witnessed his father's temper. Her blood on the carpet, her lip split, and the fear in her eyes as she suddenly saw his father clearly. He saw his father cold and angry-always angry- smelling of liquor and other women. The torment continued to flow and he punished himself again and again. How could he have brought Granger into this desolate life he lived? He could've said no. He could've demanded she leave and never come back. But he had seen her life, her goodness, her innocence, and had grasped it. Grabbed it and consumed it like a dying man. For this he could not forgive himself. He added it to his many sins and reveled in the pain it brought. This was all he deserved. For his mother. For Lily. For Hermione.

OH MAN! Things just got super real super fast!;) Poor Snape! That man needs a hug:(

xxx Sapphire Lune