And it's M now for very naughty words. Also there's a bit of Ron bashing, because, sorry, I've never really liked him…

And I'm glad people didn't run away from my complete left plot turn *grin* Thanks for the encouraging reviews!

"You said 'we'?" Snape glared at Kingsley. "Who else should I be hexing?"

Hermione fought to pay attention. This was important, but all that ran around her mind was Snape and sex. Was she supposed to deny him? Or –and her heart pounded- satisfy him? Any thought of breaking their binding had left her head. All magic was tied into their union. To annul their marriage wiped away everything.

"Why didn't you just ask us?" The question came out quiet, almost broken. She looked up, strength finding her spine. "It's not as if we haven't fought for our world." Her gaze moved to Snape. "Sacrificed almost everything."

"It was felt—"

"You didn't trust me." Snape sat back in his chair and a sneer fixed on his face. "You didn't believe that I would agree to her."

Kingsley looked down to the surface of the table. "Your preferences were known to us."

"Minerva." Snape's voice cut around the woman's name, sharp and angry. "She reported to you in my first week out of hospital. And she was desperate to save her little cub."

Kingsley rubbed a hand across his jaw. "We wanted to offer Hermione a choice. When she unexpectedly chose you she fixed the binding. With your touch, it was complete."

"You offer her a choice. But not me."

The fury emanating from Snape was almost palpable. And she completely understood why. They'd fixed him in another impossible situation with no regard for his feelings, or making it his own decision.

Hermione took a steadying breath. "You said we were caught under the law. What does that mean? Why can't I see the exact wording?"

"Some of the clauses will not apply. We felt that it would cause undue distress." Snape snorted at that. Kingsley's calm delivery continued. Hermione was happily hating him. "Your union will not be monitored as the official ones are—"

"Monitored?" The word leapt from her. The ultimate aim was to produce babies… Hermione swore under her breath. She couldn't fight for these women, as it would expose her own marriage. She had to pretend to fall in line. "The ministry will know when and where and how often?" Her face was hot but she ignored it. "That's a disgrace!"

Another part clanked into place and her stomach turned over. "Are we –am I- expected to have a child?"

Snape stiffened beside her and she couldn't look at him. A binding and sex were one thing, but a child trapped with them? Caught in a marriage without love, without any sort of affection or understanding between its parents? It was wrong. Completely wrong. A disaster.

Hermione couldn't fight the sudden ache in her chest as Kingsley refused to hold her gaze. "I assume there's some sort of schedule?"

"There is a exemption clause concerning education."

"I want a copy of the law, in full, Kingsley." Hermione bit out the request. "I'm sure I'll cope with it now." Her hair felt light and the quick scent of metal filled the air. She was sparking. Her hands tightened into bloodless fists against her thighs. "I'm sure I'll not be too distressed now."

"What else are we supposed to know? What does…being what I am, do to my magical core?" Snape straightened in his chair. He wanted to leave. Escape. It was there in the tightness of his jaw, the vein ticking at his temple. He wanted to run…and destroy something. Hell, she was right behind him there.

"The basics." Kingsley was clipped now. He wanted to get away too. Preferably without being Snape's target. "You must appear to comply with all the marriage law edicts. Which includes fidelity."

Snape growled at him, whether at the limitation or the suggestion that he would betray his binding, Hermione didn't know. And couldn't clarify.

"You are to reveal your status to no one. To avoid conception clauses, I suggest finding apprenticeships, Hermione." He ran a slow hand over his scalp. "As to your magic, Severus, it's now tied to the seasons."

Snape swore. "Winter makes me a bloody squib? And a Scottish winter? I'll never see magic again."

"No." Kingsley shook his head. "No. Each incarnation is different. They've reported various drops and increases in their magical ability." He pushed out his chair and stood. Hermione wondered could he apparate in his own office. Snape would no doubt test his speed. "Your magic is bound to the other, Hermione's tempering yours."

"My gaoler," Snape murmured and Hermione closed her eyes.

Kingsley conjured two copies of the marriage law scroll, bound with red ribbon and stamped with the thick Ministry seal. "I'm sorry this fell the way it did. For both of you." And with a crack he was gone.

"Did you get him?"

Snape lifted his eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that I non-verbally and wandlessly hexed the Minister for Magic, Miss Granger?"

"Did you?"

He smiled, something wry and wicked and Hermione's mouth dried again. Was this his influence on her now? An ache low in her belly that he would no doubt satisfy…except she wasn't the type of woman he preferred. It shouldn't bother her. But still, it did.

She looked to the table and snatched up the scroll. "What happens now?"

"We begin the charade." He rose from the table, all lithe elegance. "Return to Grimmauld Place. Come to Hogwarts as you normally would. I will…make arrangements…for your new accommodations."

A stone dropped into her belly. "I'm to live with you?" She pressed the heel of her hands into her eyes, the pressure breaking the panic. "Professor McGonagall tried. She did. She believed that spell would work."

"You can't escape your fate." His mouth thinned. "Mine is always to be bound to something or someone."

"I'm sorry. I wanted you to be free."

"I have found that I very rarely ever get what I want." He ran this fingers through his hair. For a long moment, he closed his eyes before his dark gaze found her again. Something had changed within him and Hermione's heart twisted. The shine she had witnessed in McGonagall's office was gone. He was once again…contained. "We are not suited, but I promise I will be faithful to you. Always. And I will support you and honour you."

A tear leaked from her eye, chasing down her cheek, and her throat was tight. She sniffed and swallowed and no doubt looked young and gauche. "I make the same promises. And may the bonds that hold you be as thin as cobwebs." She forced a smile. "Not acromantula webs, obviously…"

His lips twitched. "Come, I'm needed at Hogwarts. You can return to Grimmauld Place."

She followed him to the great doors and he pulled them open, allowing her to precede him. Percy had vanished from his desk and even the ministers were missing from their frames. Word travelled quickly.

Hermione dug into the pot of floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. Declaring 'Grimmauld Place' she cast a quick smile at an impassive Snape and stepped into the flames.

She spun through the network until she stumbled out into the familiar library. Waving her hand over herself, she removed soot and returned her clothes to their original shapes. With a sigh, she cast a tempus charm…and groaned. It wasn't even noon. How had she crammed so much into so little time?

She trudged down to the kitchen. Kreacher scuttled up to her. His gleaming eyes narrowed and he briefly bowed his head, before twisting his fingers together and asking what mistress would like for lunch. He'd seen it. Whatever it was that had changed with her binding to Snape.

"Surprise me, please. Though I would like something chocolate for pudding."

Kreacher bobbed his head and scuttled off. Hermione slouched, her forehead touching the smooth wood of the table. She resisted the very real need to bang it repeatedly.

"Hermione?"

She groaned. Though at least it wasn't Ron. She still had that fun time to come. "Hello, Harry. Still in one piece?" She rolled her head and focused on him. "Still have all your bits?"

He snorted and flopped down beside her. He poked the pile of letters left on the table from the owl inundation. "You haven't opened your post."

"Anything obviously red?"

"What have you done now?"

Hermione didn't answer and forced herself to sit up. "Is Molly okay? It doesn't look like there's a mark on you. That, or you have fast reflexes."

Harry smiled. "I am very fast." He sighed. "There was screaming. Things exploded in my general direction. And now my mother-in-law is in bed with something suspiciously herbal to calm her." He shrugged. "We still leave for Hogwarts in the morning. So," he narrowed his eyes, "what about your news?"

Hermione thanked Kreacher as he slipped a pile of her favourite roast chicken sandwiches before her. A thick and shiny slice of chocolate tort with raspberries and cream joined it. "My news," she murmured.

Harry snaffled one of her sandwiches and took a deep bite. If he touched her chocolate, he'd lose a hand. "You're back and your letters aren't. Professor McGonagall solved it?"

Her smile was bitter. Yes, McGonagall had solved it. Hermione wanted to blame her Head of House, but in truth, the older woman had tried. She thought the Heart's Desire spell could pull her away from Snape. And instead it threw her at him. With force.

"There was no solving it. Like you, I'm now married."

Harry choked. She slapped him on the back and Kreacher offered a glass of water. "Married? Who to? I thought that you'd have time to think. To plan." He stared at her hand. "You're not wearing a ring."

Rings. Yes, they would probably need those to maintain the pretence. Pretence. As if they weren't completely and utterly married. "It was very quick. I don't think the Wizengamot is much on ostentation."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "They're not. With the robes, and the gold chains, and the whole mysterious vibe thing?" He sipped his water. "Where's Ron? I thought you'd at least be sitting with your husband, or have you already had a fight?"

She drew in a breath. Time to break his world. "It isn't Ron."

"Not…?" Harry stared at her. Then he gaped. "Not," his voice dropped to a whisper, "Ron?"

"It's complicated, Harry, but in reality I only had one choice." She closed her eyes. "I married Professor Snape."

"You what?"

Ron's screech burst over her and she groaned. Fuck. Seriously. Fuck. "Ron…"

Harry simply stared at her. "Snape?"

"That's why you wanted nothing to do with me. You were already screwing him. Did you wait for him to come out of his coma? Or did you sit on his dick right then?"

Spittle burst from his lips and his face was beetroot. Hermione dug her fingers into her loose hair and let his horrid words roll over her. It was ironic. Severus Snape had every right to scream and shout at her…and yet he'd hardly raised his voice. And in Kingsley's office, his softly said words had broken her heart.

"You don't want a man. You want to fuck a corpse."

"Ron!" Harry slammed his hand down on the table.

Ron swore under his breath and angered tremors ran through his hands. "Nothing to say?"

She straightened and pushed her tangled hair back. Her chin lifted. Damn him. "You are being petty and cruel. I had no choice. None. This whole summer you have griped or sulked, or stamped your feet like a child. I am sorry for your loss. I am. I miss Fred. And it's so much more worse for you. I understand that. But I am not here to take the brunt of your pain."

He opened his mouth and she flung a silencio at him. It was her turn to share.

"I found my parents in the days after the Battle. Restored their memories. And they disowned me. Did you support me? No. You whinged at me because I'd missed your Chudley Cannons try out.

"And when have I been out fucking corpses, exactly, Ronald? I've been in this house, trying to be here for you and to pull myself together to begin the rest of my life. Thinking –insanely- that you would be a part of it. Now you're not. And frankly, I find myself relieved."

She flicked her wand at him and cancelled the spell keeping him silent.

"Are you done?" His words were raw and low.

"Yes."

"Then never speak to me again." He turned and left the kitchen.

Hermione winced. "That went well."

As ever, let me know what you think!