A/N: Hello. Just a quick word. Remember the WIKTT Marriage Law Challenge was posed before the release of the Half-blood Prince when Snape's lineage was thought to be pure-blood. This story follows under that premise. Enjoy!

P.S. The next chapter is mostly written, so if you are eager to have me post it, send me encouragement in the form of your lovely reviews. I cherish every one.


Chapter Three: Decisions Made

That evening after speaking privately with Professor Snape, Hermione slept fitfully, her conversation with the odious man playing and replaying through her mind. She had informed Professor Snape that she would accept his petition and the conditions which he had set forth. Though she wished it were otherwise, she could see no other choice but to accept his offer, unless she wanted to forsake the magical blood that coursed through her veins and hide under a rock somewhere.

She hated to admit it, but she had briefly entertained that very idea – to simply run and hide, but she decided that nothing short of having her life put in imminent danger could cause her to flee. She reasoned that if she couldn't muster the courage to face whatever fate her beloved magical world dealt her then she would prove herself a poor Gryffindor, even if that meant marrying the likes of Professor Snape.

The fact was, she belonged in the magical world, and although his offer promised her little more than his protection, that was enough. Accepting him would allow her to stay with her loved ones and continue her education – two things that meant the world to her, and it would also allow her to stay and help Harry in the fight to defeat He-Who-Would-Not-Be-Named – something she had promised herself she would see through to it's completion.

Still, she had the aching sensation of being crushed by a rock into a hard place, and it made a poor bedfellow. When sleep finally did claim her, she dreamt of cobwebs, bats, and being chased through the dark corridors of the dungeons by a faceless Death Eater. It was horrible – and horribly close to her waking reality.

The next morning, Hermione went down to breakfast and sat at the Gryffindor table, pushing her food around her plate distractedly. She had no appetite, and it took all her effort to keep herself from sneaking a look behind her toward the Slytherin table from where she could feel Draco's eyes burning into her back.

Draco had tried on several occasions the day before to corner her. After witnessing the conspicuous arrival of her second petition with all the other occupants of the Great Hall, she had no doubt that if he had managed to get her alone he would have pressed her for the identity of it's sender – either that or he simply wanted to taunt her again. Either way, she had managed to elude him. In fact, she had been avoiding everyone, including her housemates. When she had finished her classes yesterday, she had staved off her Prefect's duties by feigning illness and sequestered herself in her room, drawing her bed curtains for the evening.

As a result, this morning she was surrounded by the curious expressions of her friends who were obviously as anxious as Draco to ask about her second petition, but her weary and sullen countenance gave them pause. Judging by her demeanor, her latest offer of marriage had obviously not been something to celebrate. Deciding it was best to avoid the subject for now, they simply carried on with talk about Quidditch and class work like it was any other normal day, and she was grateful for that small favor. After the way things went down when they learned of Draco's offer, she wasn't eager to mention Professor Snape's proposal. How they would react – she could only imagine, but she knew it wouldn't be favorably, especially when they learned she planned to accept it.

"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said from behind her, startling Hermione from her musings by placing her hand on her shoulder for the third morning in a row. "Please follow me."

"But, the post hasn't been delivered yet," she replied – not that she had been anticipating any more petitions, but after the past two days she simply couldn't fathom another reason for her to be once more escorted from the Great Hall.

"You have guests," her Head of House replied, then turned and headed toward the exit. "Come."

Hermione rose, grabbed her satchel, and did as she was bid under the watchful gazes of both her concerned friends and an increasingly frustrated Slytherin sitting a few tables away.

Upon entering the Headmaster's office for the third time in as many days, Hermione was met by the presence of not only Professors Dumbledore and Snape, but also two very unexpected but extremely welcome guests – Robert and Margaret Granger.

As her parents rose from their seats across from the Headmaster and turned toward her, Hermione became overwhelmed with emotion. Being an only child, she had always had a close relationship with her parents, and it hurt her immensely that their involvement in her life had been limited by her transition into the magical community, especially when Voldemort's return made it necessary to hide from them how dangerous the wizarding world had truly become.

Now, with all the stresses she had been dealing with these last two days – aggravated by the fact that she didn't seem to have anyone she could confide in about them, she had been struggling and feeling so alone that the mere sight of her parents caused the tenuous hold on her emotions to snap. For the first time in days, she burst into tears of relief and happiness instead of despair.

Dropping her satchel and racing toward her parents, Hermione flung herself into their awaiting arms like she had done so many times as a small child when she needed comfort. But, unlike all those times when she had scraped her knees or had a bad dream, the danger she was facing now was perilous and the easement of her fears only fleeting.

From his vantage point next to the window, Professor Snape watched the Granger trio's emotional reunion. His natural aversion to anything sentimental rendering him nauseous at their tender display, but, regardless, he was unable to look away. He told himself it was the spy in him that was want to observe their interactions and shelf the knowledge for future use since he would soon have to navigate the treacherous waters of familial relations with them, but really it was the way they clung to each other and how the girl's parents offered her unconditional support that drew and held his attention. It both intrigued and confounded him. It simply didn't make sense. He certainly had never experienced it for himself – had never actually thought it truly existed. Yet, there it was in front of him – a loving family. And when the repulsion of their sticky sweet reunion faded, he felt an unexpected and mildly disturbing emotion – an envy that burned dangerously close to longing.

Severus didn't know why he was so affected. He was no longer a child in need of parental nurturing. He hadn't desired the attention of his own parents since he boarded the train for Hogwarts that first time so many years ago. He had learned early on that the only one he could rely on was himself and being away from his parents had been a welcome reprieve from the abuse and neglect he suffered at their hands. He certainly never looked forward to seeing them over school breaks, and when he was of age he never bothered to return home at all. So, why did he begrudge the girl her succor? It was irrational, and Severus deemed himself nothing if not rational.

"Dr.'s Granger, Hermione," Professor Dumbledore regretfully interrupted their reunion and Severus' thoughts. "We have things to discuss if you wouldn't mind taking a seat."

The Grangers broke their embrace, the ladies wiping their tears as they seated themselves across from the Headmaster with Hermione situated protectively in the middle.

"Hermione," Professor Dumbledore addressed her directly, "as you may have surmised by their attendance, I have informed your parents of your situation." She nodded and glanced from side to side at her mother and father, gratitude for their presence clearly etched on her tear stained face. "I have also informed them of Severus' offer, and they agree that, although it is not ideal, this is the best option we have for keeping you safe." She nodded again, glancing quickly at her DADA professor, who was watching her intently with an unreadable expression from his vantage point across the room, then straightened her shoulders in brave resignation as the Headmaster continued to speak.

"Professor Snape and I have discussed it, and we both feel that the hand-fasting should be conducted as quickly and quietly as possible. Lucius Malfoy will want to secure Hermione before other Dark wizards realize her potential and make bids of their own. He may already be aware through Draco that a second petition arrived for her yesterday, but luckily we have an order member in the Ministry, Arthur Weasley, who has been thus far able to hide Severus' identity. If Lucius has informants at the Ministry – which I have no doubt that he does, they won't know of it yet. Any arrangements he has made to interfere with the possibility of Hermione accepting another petition cannot come to fruition without that knowledge.

"Arthur has also informed me that the Ministry is overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork required to process all the petitions and betrothal contracts coming through this past week, not to mention the requests for Ministry officials to preside at the subsequent hand-fasting ceremonies. I think we can use this information to our advantage, as well."

"How so?" Robert asked.

"Our plan is to request a Ministry official come to Hogwarts on Friday of this week to oversee several weddings at once. We have three seventh year couples who have already signed betrothal contracts, making it possible for us to slip Hermione and Severus' nuptials in undetected."

"But I'll have to sign the contract and register it before the wedding can take place, right?" Hermione asked. "Won't the Malfoy's find out about Professor Snape when it's registered at the Ministry?"

"We'll have you wait till Friday to send your signed contract to the Ministry," Professor Dumbledore replied. "That way, by the time Lucius learns of it you will already be married."

"It's all happening so fast," Robert said.

"That's only two days," Margaret added, looking panicked. "How will we be ready in two days? She doesn't even have a dress … or rings … or anything." She and her husband were obviously upset by the hasty sequence of events. "I'd always hoped to share in the planning of her wedding … I didn't anticipate …"

"And so you shall." Professor McGonagall came forward from behind the Grangers where she had been silently observing the proceedings to assure the distraught woman. "Don't forget – we have magic on our side. We can do wonders in a small amount of time."

"That's hardly necessary," Professor Snape interjected, dismissing the Granger's concerns.

Severus had felt discomposed since the moment the girl had entered the room. Robert's and Margaret's relationships with each other and their daughter affected him oddly, bringing back the long buried desires of a struggling adolescent, and he felt the need to reestablish his authority in this situation – even if it was over the trivial matter of the ceremony itself. He wasn't a simple accessory to Albus' manipulations or the romantic fancies of this strangely enchanting Muggle family, and it was time he demonstrated as such.

"A simple exchange of vows is all that's required," he said. "I will take care of the rings myself and the Headmaster will officiate. She needn't even bother with a new dress – her school robes will suffice."

Judging by the horrified expressions Minerva, Margaret, and Hermione gave him, Severus assumed he had just said something terribly wrong. Robert even seemed insulted, a deep frown marring his face as it turned an angry shade of red. He saw no reason for any of them to take offense. He had merely stated a fact – an elaborate ceremony wasn't required for this farce of a wedding. In fact, he had never understood why anyone would waste their time or galleons celebrating an antiquated ritual dedicated to the fallacy of love. This arrangement was a union of necessity, not emotion, even if they were to be joined for the remainder of their natural born lives.

"That's a wonderful idea Severus," Professor Dumbledore interceded before anyone else could form a reply, then he stood and ushered Severus toward the door with a kind smile. He was keenly aware that he had to keep things between Severus and the Grangers amicable if his plan to save the girl were to work. He knew Severus hadn't intended to offend, but also recognized the backhanded insult for what it was to the Grangers – a declaration of his blatant disregard for the worth of their daughter. "I think you can leave us to iron out the details while you take care of the rings."

The next thing Severus knew he was standing on the other side of a firmly shut door, having been summarily ejected from the Headmaster's office and the arrangements for his own nuptials.


After Professor Snape had left the Headmaster's office, it was decided that Hermione's parents would be safer staying at Hogwarts until after the wedding. Professor Dumbledore feared Lucius or another Death Eater would harm them in an attempt to sway Hermione's decision in regards to accepting his petition, and Professor McGonagall was adamant that their presence was needed for the planning of the wedding ceremony. A guest suite was to be provided for them in the Gryffindor tower, making it possible for them to be close to Hermione until the wedding, for which Hermione was infinitely grateful. Their safety, as well as their emotional support, were both welcome.

The rest of the day flew by for Hermione. Between her studies, her prefect's duties, and being run ragged with dress fittings and other wedding preparations by her mother and Professor McGonagall, she barely had time to worry about anything else. Although, if she were to be honest with herself, she had quite a bit to worry about – not the least of which was how to tell her friends that she was marrying Professor Snape.

Deciding there was no use putting it off, she returned late that night to the Gryffindor common room after being wrapped and tucked into yards and yards of white satin by an opinionated house elf wielding a measuring tape and some very sharp pins to find Harry and Ron in there usual spot, sequestered away at a small table playing chess. She approached them hesitantly.

"Do you have a minute?" she asked.

Although they had agreed to wait up for her return, anxiously curious for details about her situation and feeling the loss of her companionship these last few days, they were both concentrating on the game so earnestly that they were startled by her soft voice.

"Oh. Of course," Harry said, quickly pushing back his chair and standing.

"Yeah. No problem," Ron said simultaneously, also rising, his demeanor toward her cautious. He was obviously keenly aware of her displeasure with him since his overreaction the night before last.

Hermione turned and both the boys followed her to one of the couches in the corner. Sitting on either side of her just like they had the day before last, she had a strange feeling of deja vu. She only hoped this conversation would end better than the previous one had.

"What's going on Hermione?" Harry asked, concerned.

She huffed out a breath, deciding to just let the information fly and see where it landed. "I'm getting married," she said, matter-of-factly.

"We figured," Ron commented, looking at Harry, who nodded.

She supposed it was a forgone conclusion with the implementation of the Marriage Law that she would marry, but until she had just spoken it aloud to them it hadn't seemed real to her. The fact that her friends had already accepted it was surreal, but hopefully it would make the next bit of information a tad easier for them to accept as well.

She took a deep breath.

"Well, I obviously couldn't accept Draco's petition," she stated, trying to ease into divulging her groom's identity. "So, the Order had to come up with an alternative. They had to choose someone of pure-blood who was powerful enough to protect me, but preferably closely situated so I could remain at Hogwarts and complete my studies. That didn't leave very many options." She cleared her throat nervously. "Imagine trying to find an unmarried pure-blood, of the right age and abilities – someone trusted implicitly by Professor Dumbledore…" Hermione's voice trailed off, her courage seeming to fail as the dawning of realization flickered across Harry's face. There was only one such wizard at Hogwarts.

"Snape?" he asked incredulously, his eyes boring into Hermione's looking for a denial but finding none.

Hermione looked down ashamedly at her hands and nodded. "Snape," she confirmed softly.

Ron looked at his two best mates with his mouth hanging open in slack-jawed astonishment, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Hermione," Harry said with a pleading, determined voice, "you're not seriously considering accepting his petition, are you? No matter what Dumbledore thinks, he can't be trusted. He's a Deatheater. I know it."

"Not to mention – vile," Ron interjected, finally catching up with the conversation. "That's just disgusting! You can't have sex with that greasy bat. That's just … gross!" Ron shivered as if to emphasize how revolting he found the notion.

"Ron!" Harry snapped, his eyes sharp with reprimand. "You're not helping."

"Well, it's true," he defended.

Hermione took another deep breath, as if to regain her patience and ignored Ron all together – slightly hurt that he put her safety second to his concern for Professor Snape's lack of hygiene and appearance, but truly not surprised by his juvenile comment and inability to see what was truly important. She had expected as much from him. It was Harry that worried her.

Over the last few days she had been surprised at how it was Harry's friendship and opinion that weighed most heavily on her heart instead of Ron's – the boy she had until recently hoped to share her future with. Instead, she wondered if she married Professor Snape, would Harry see it as the ultimate betrayal? After all, Professor Snape had tormented him at every opportunity since his arrival at Hogwarts, and his loyalty to Dumbledore had always been suspect in his eyes. But more recently, Harry had repeatedly voiced his suspicion of Snape's reverence for the Dark magic he was teaching them to defend themselves against and had seen him conversing with Draco, his nemesis, at unusual times and places – as if they were conspiring to do no good. She understood his concerns, but still she wanted and needed his support.

"What choice do I have?" she asked in response to Harry, her tone equally desperate for his understanding – if not his approval. "There is no one else. And if there were, I'd have to leave Hogwarts to marry him. At least here I'm safe and under the Headmaster's watchful eye where I can come to you for help if I need it. Don't you see? I don't really have a choice."

"I don't know, Hermione," Harry said, his disappointment and uncertainty obvious. "I thought maybe Kingsley or another Auror…"

"There's no safer place for me than here at Hogwarts," she reiterated, "and he is the only wizard that can keep me here. I have to."

Harry didn't reply. He simply shook his head in disbelief, having no words that could express his inner turmoil. He loved her – not in a romantic way, but she was precious to him, and he would do anything to keep her safe. Unfortunately, he had to admit to himself that she was right. Under the circumstances, she was safest here at Hogwarts with them. And, although his hatred of Snape almost overshadowed his ability to see reason, he had to concede that Snape was the only option to keep her here with him where he could watch over her.

He slumped back into the couch and stared off vacantly across the room. "I don't like it," he said, stating the obvious.

"Neither do I," she replied.

"I don't believe this," Ron stated, appalled. "We're just supposed to let her marry that greasy bat? Well, I won't."

"Listen, Ronald," she said sternly. "You don't get to let me do anything. It's my decision. Of course, I want the support of my friends." She looked at Harry and then back to Ron. "But you need to grow up." With that, she stood and bid them both a terse good night before heading up to the girl's dormitory.

Harry and Ron sat quietly on the over-stuffed, red couch where she had left them for several minutes before Ron finally spoke. "Mental, that one," he commented. "Has to be to even consider doing the deed with Snape."

"Ron," Harry replied. "You do understand what's happening here, don't you?"

Ron just stared at him blankly, as if Harry was asking a trick question that he couldn't figure the answer to.

Harry sighed, defeated. "If she doesn't marry Snape, she dies," he explained in the simplest of terms so than Ron would understand.

"Oh," was the only response Ron could come up with as the gravity of the situation finally began to sink in.

Another quiet minute past between them as they sat, lost in their own thoughts.

"There's nothing we can do?" Ron suddenly asked, his tone and demeanor finally sounding appropriately concerned.

"No," Harry replied sullenly. "It would appear there isn't. Our Hermione is going to marry Snape."


From his hiding place in an alcove down the hall from the entrance to the Headmaster's office, Draco Malfoy watched his own Head of House descend from the spiral staircase and stalk briskly away, his posture and expression furious. Not half an hour before, he had followed Professor McGonagall and the Mudblood from the Great Hall, curious as to what was going on with his potential bride. As a result, Draco was becoming more and more agitated by the events of the last few days.

It had all begun on Sunday morning when he received a correspondence from his father. It had informed him that, should everything go as planned, he would have an opportunity to claim the little Mudblood, Hermione Granger, for his own to do with as he wished. The letter then apprised him of the Marriage Law and it's true intention, and his father expressed his pride in Draco at taking on the Dark Lord's charge. As a reward, he was bestowing the girl to him. His only responsibility was to charm the girl into accepting his petition before another clever Death Eater realized her value to the Dark Lord and claimed the girl first, though Draco thought that was unlikely. Even from Azkaban, the other Death Eaters feared Lucius' retaliation.

Secure in the false notion that the Mudblood would have no other offers and be forced to accept his petition, he had disregarded his father's edict to flatter and cajole the Gryffindor. Instead, he had taken sport in harassing her. Now, he was worried.

At first, Draco had been ecstatic with the notion of defiling the little mudblood. Five years worth of her snotty, know-it-all condescension had worn him raw with loathing for her. She had bested him at every opportunity, with her Mudblood status laying insult to everything he had been taught about his place in wizarding society. He wanted to get the better of her for once, and if he could get his rocks off with the blessing of the Law and right under Harry's nose to boot, then why not? Wouldn't that be a kick? After all, it hadn't escaped his notice that the girl had filled out over the last year. Her oblivious friends might not have noticed, but Draco had observed her closely and noted her development. She tried to hide it behind ill-fitting robes and baggy jumpers, but the mudblood was stacked, and he wouldn't mind having a taste of that.

Only now, she had received another petition, and his father couldn't acquire the sender's identity. It would seem he had been given another task for which he was doomed to failure. And as he hid outside the Headmaster's office, wondering what was being decided behind closed doors, and how his own Head of House was involved, he hated the Mudblood all the more for it. If she thwarted him and married another, he would make her sorry.

Yes, he would make her pay.