Chapter 14

The next morning Severus and Hermione found themselves having breakfast in Minerva's office.

"I'm so excited for you two; I never knew that Severus could be so romantic!" Minerva exclaimed to the pacing back of Severus Snape as Hermione mused over the matter as she silently drank her tea.

"I'm glad that we have your approval since I want to use the new hall for the ceremony the night before the term starts."

"Oh Severus," Minerva's face visibly fell. "You can't marry before term, according to the Ministry she's still a student. You don't know how much trouble they gave me last night after you left. I convince them that a relationship is allowed since she is of age but they don't want her to marry until she's finished university. I personally think that they think we are trying to marry her into the school so she won't go off working for the Ministry, and Ronald Weasely isn't being much help claiming that you've bewitch her. We thought that we had it all under control with the Order members working in the Ministry and all, but during the few weeks that Mr. Weasely was away from Hogwarts he did a great deal of damaged behind everyone's back. We weren't expecting all the commotion he did, we were able to counter everything we knew about, but what we weren't told about we couldn't stop. The Ministry thinks that he is on to something and they are doing and inquiry. I've spoken to a few Ministry officials last night to see what we could do about it and we are working at it now."

"Is that why you invited us to breakfast this morning Minerva?" Severus asked his irritation showing through.

"That and to offer my felicitations."

"Your felicitations are much appreciated; however, I do not appreciate having the entire wizarding world interfering in my personal affairs."

"That's rich coming from someone who purposed in front of everyone last night. Anyways, Severus it could not be helped. Everyone is curious about the spell that hit Hermione, so everyone's poking their noses where they don't belong. The best I could do is let you marry her for the winter holidays, then she'll be a University student and my apprentice, so they can't give you too much trouble then."

"I don't see how that it would be any different since I'll still have her in my classes and she'll be my apprentice as we-" he paused realizing what Minerva was telling him.

"If she marries me for winter holidays she won't be able to take University Potions nor apply for apprenticeship under me."

"That's something that you and Miss Granger must decide between yourselves, the Ministry won't let you teach her claiming that you'll play favouritism."

"Can't we fight it" Severus and Hermione said in unison.

"You could try but right now we can only hope that you can perfect the potion to buy Hermione as much time as much time as she can get in order to show that you two can keep your relationship discreet. If we can show the Ministry that it won't be a problem then they may let you take the classes, but only time will tell."

Both Severus and Hermione nodded absently thinking about how to perfect the potion.

"Can't I try talk to Ron?" Hermione asked, "Maybe he'll come to his senses and drop the inquiry?"

"I highly doubt it dear." Severus answered with a frown.

"It's still worth a try."

"Very well, dear, at lunch see if you can arrange something with Harry. You can take the potion as soon as you finish eating and you'll have two hours to speak to Harry and Weasley."

"Where will you be?" Hermione asked worried.

"I will give you your space during that time. I will be in my lab working on the potion, but if you need me you can call me and I will come."

Hermione nodded and took a gulp of her tea. Last time she and Harry were with Ron he hadn't mention any of the inquiries that he was pressing against Severus that weren't known to the public. They were supposed to be friends and they never kept secrets from each other –well up until now it seems.

"Wow! It feels great to have just the three of us again just like old times." Ron supplied cheerfully as they walked down to the Quidditch pitched.

"Yeah it's nice to just hang out with you guys."

"You call watching us playing around on the Quidditch pitch hanging out?" Harry asked. He knew Hermione's intention of pacifying Ron of getting him to cry off the inquiry but they were pressed for time and they couldn't waste time having her waste time pretending to be marvelled at Ron's so called outstanding quidditch skills.

"Of course, anytime with you two is time well spent." Hermione answered giving him a meaningful look.

"I don't see your great bat looming over you Mione. You must have made a miraculous recovery to be able to get away from him for the afternoon. But wait, in a few hours you'll be bored with us and decide to take up your whoring again and return to your story of being under a spell. Tell me, is it his spell your under, Voldemort's or are you under any spell at all?"

Hermione stop dead in her spot. She felt the blood drain completely from her body, she never felt so humiliated in her life. What was happening, Ron was supposed to be her friends? Did his jealousy run so deep?

"You…" She gasp. The air was coming short for her, there was not enough air she thought, it was becoming difficult for her to breath.

"Hermione ignore him" Harry said trying to pull her away but she wouldn't move.

'Hermione?' she heard Severus called her. She couldn't answer, she couldn't think.

"You…You…"

'Hermione what's wrong?' Severus asked her telepathically. She still wasn't able to answer him. 'Stay right there, I'm coming.' He quickly said noticing that something was defiantly wrong.

"You what?" Ron asked her with a bemused look on his face.

"Ignore him Hermione" Harry said firmly.

"You Monster!" She screamed, "You are the most-"

"Hermione!"

The Hermione and Harry turned to see Severus standing behind them Severus taking Hermione, who was shaking from head to toe, from Harry's arms.

"Thank Merlin" Harry whispered when Severus took her, "I thought you'd never come and get her, why didn't she call you through her link?"

"I don't think she can concentrate when she feels threatened. Yet, when she does I can feel it that's how I knew to com-"

Severus grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him down as he pulled Hermione down with him to the ground. Ron had shot a curse at them while they were speaking; the way they were positioned, if Severus wouldn't have moved them he would have hit either Harry or Hermione.

"What on earth is your problem boy? You could have hurt your friends!" he shouted getting to his feet.

"Friends?" Ron asked him in a mocking voice. "If they would be my friends they wouldn't be betraying me and associating with scumbags like you!"

"When you will grow up boy, nobody asked for things to happen the way they did but they just did. Now it is about time that you woke up and faced reality and faced life head on instead of mopping around in your misery trying to make everyone else around as miserable as you."

"I'm miserable because I lost my girl."

"You want a girl; get yourself a bloody girlfriend for Merlin's sakes." Severus answered exasperated his patience coming to an end. "Now excuse us, we have lots to do."

Severus swiftly swept down and lifted Hermione into his arms and motioned Harry to follow as he made his way back to the castle.

"Oh I'll get a girl alright, you'll see, I'll get a girl."

He was too far to hear Ron's remark but little did he know how much it would affect him in the weeks to come.