CHAPTER 7


She had expected those words from him but she thought at least they would have a discussion, just not as blunt as this.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Miss. Granger. Please go and sleep with someone."

"Why on earth should it be me? You can go and sleep with someone."

"Because you were the one who started this mess."

Dobby entered, "Mr and Mrs Snape. Breakfasts are readys."

"NOT NOW" Both of them shouted jerking the poor elf who disappeared almost immediately.

Hermione turned her attention to her supposedly husband, "Sorry, professor. I have no intentions of sleeping with anyone."

"You have to. You have to get us out of this mess."

She didn't know what got into her when she replied next. Even she was taken back with her statement, "You know what? I don't have a problem with this marriage. In fact, I want to be Mrs. Snape. If you want to, go and sleep with anyone." And she left to her room.

Snape blinked twice before everything registered on his mind. Did she just say she wanted to be Mrs. Snape?

And before he could react, she came out of her room, "So, who all do you want to invite to the ceremony? Or are you sleeping with anyone?" she asked in challenge and walked her way to the library.


LIBRARY

Snape followed her in, "Miss. Granger, what do you think you are doing?"

Hermione tried best not to smile. This was fun.

"I'm sending out invitations. We can have the ceremony in the Manor itself. It is spacious enough. We can go shopping and have the decorations put up by the evening. So by tomorrow we would be able to have the ceremony."

With the swipe of her wand the invitations were ready.

"This is not funny."

It kind of was. She turned away so that he couldn't see her smile.

"It looks like you don't want to invite anyone. Don't worry, all the guests will be from my side." And with another swipe the invitations were gone before Snape could say anything.

"What in hell's name do you think you are doing?"

"Where do you want to shop? Diagon Alley? Knockturn Alley? Hogesmeade?"

"WHAT?"

"Good choice. Diagon Alley it is."


DIAGON ALLEY

Before he could say anything, she apparated them to Diagon Alley. They landed in front of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

She entered the shop followed by a baffled Snape.

"How can we help you?"

"Wedding robes please."

"This way please."

"Miss. Granger, what are you doing? How did you even know the apparition password?"

"You know what I love about wizard weddings? We don't need white gowns. We can wear any color. So what do you think? Red or Peach?" She held out two dresses looking utterly gorgeous.

He looked at them giving it a considerate thought, he answered, "Peach." Surprising both of them, "I…uhm…Miss. Granger, are you going to answer me?"

Hermione was lost for words, "I…" she cleared her throat, "Dobby gave me the password."

The saleswomen came, "Excellent choice. The matching groom's robe will also be packed. How are you paying?"

She took out her card and handed it to her.


BACK HOME

By the time they were home Snape had come to the terms that Hermione was really not giving up. Thankfully, she was a quick shopper.

Now the important question was how in Merlin's name was he going to make his supposedly wife into agreeing to sleep with someone else?

He looked up from his chair in the dining room. The hall was visible. It was a pretty big hall with staircase on either side leading upstairs. His attention went to the petite woman who was giving orders to the Fred, George and house elves with the decoration. Did she really have to have decorations from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?

When the two red-heads had come home, they had had a huge argument with Hermione. Snape was fortunate enough to not hear any of it by going to his room for a shower. When he returned and saw them laughing and enjoying what they were doing, he understood that they had come to terms with his wife.

He put his hands on his head. Why was she still in his house? Since when had he become so mellow? This was it. She was getting out of got up rather angrily and walked towards her. She was on a stool trying to hang something.

"Miss. Grang…"

She turned to look at him, in the process losing her footings and falling. Hermione closed her eyes waiting for the painful impact. She opened her eyes to look into the deep eyes of a certain professor, his arms looped over her waist, her arms tight around his neck.

She regained her posture. She saw Fred and George looking at them. She turned to Snape and in a daringly soft voice said, "Thanks honey."

That did it. That struck the last chord. She was playing a dangerous game. It was time for him to roll the dice in this game and he was going to win. He was a Slytherin after all.

He put on one of his best smiles and in an equally daring soft voice he said, "Be careful, darling." He caught himself placing a nervous kiss on her cheek. Hermione's heart raced as she pulled back, full realization hitting her hard. To say she was stunned was an understatement. She looked as if she had just got a dementor's kiss and then she saw the smirk on his face which explained his kiss. She put on her cutest smile, tilting her head to look at him. She was going to make him realize that he was playing with fire. She was a Gryffindor after all.

"I will, Sev."

Two can play that game.

(TO BE CONTINUED)