Unexpected Marriage

idea by 'potter' on aff.net

Zenia Wulfe

I shouldn't have many more mistakes. As the other three chapters

I was writing from my notepad without looking at the screen or

keyboard.

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Hermione sat rigidly in silence as she ate her supper. She completely

ignored everyone at the table. Luckily Ron had at least enough sense

to not mention the contract at all.

Hermione kept stealing glances at the Head Table... at Snape and his

mother. She was really mad that she had been tricked. Did Snape know that

she had signed the paper? Well, he must! She was going straight to

Dumbledore's office as soon as dinner was over.

Polishing off her supper and drinking the dregs of her pumpkin juice she

leapt up from the table and made her way to the Headmaster's office,

hoping to get there before he did. As it turned out, she arrived a few

seconds before the old professor.

"Miss Granger, may I help you with something?" he asked, pushing his

spectacles up on his nose.

"Yes, sir. Could we please go up to your office?" Dumbledore spoke his

password and the staircase swung around. They climbed the twisting steps

and each took a seat at Dumbledore's large desk.

"What is is you need to talk to me about, dear?" Dumbledore asked.

"Did you send Mrs. Snape along to me with a parchment to sign this evening?"

she asked.

"No I didn't, Miss Granger."

"Then it is true." Hermione said slowly. At Dumbledore's questioning look

she continued, "Mrs. Snape came by this evening just before dinner with a

beige parchment that she said you sent her with. Apparently you needed my

signature on this form that said that I was being moved away from Gryffindor

Tower with my permission. I signed the parchment and it flashed gold and

turned a purpleish color. Then she left. After that Ron said that the parchment

was a... a..." she trailed off.

"A marriage contract. Mr. Weasley was correct Miss Granger."

A look of shock overtook Hermione's face. She took a few frantic breaths, "But,

it... it can't be legally binding!" she cried. "I didn't know!"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I am sorry Miss Granger, but if you signed the

contract of your own free will, regardless whether or not you knew what it said,

it is legally binding." Hermione made to protest again, "However, this type of

marriage lasts only a year at a time. Some Witches and Wizards decide to have a

trial marriage this way, as once they get married the traditional Wizarding way,

they must remain married... Even if they can not stand one another."

Hermione's lower lip trembled and she put her hands over her face trying to hide

the tears that were threatening to spill from her dark brown eyes. "This isn't

fair. He cannot do this to me! It isn't fair. I am not ready to be married. Why

did he do this?" she sobbed.

"I assure you Miss Granger," a voice behind her sounded, "I didn't know that my

mother would be so devious as to trick someone into signing that contract. Also,

I did not know that she would be selecting a student."

Hermione turned around to face Snape, wet trails running down her cheeks.

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meh... there aren't any errors this time eh?

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Thanks Reviewers! Between ff.net, aff.net and wiktt.gryffindor.nu i have never

recieved so many reviews!

snapeslove: technically hermione DID sign the parchment giving her permission

even if she didn't know what was on it.

all who mentioned my spelling XD

i hope it is better from now on. now that i don't have a book to stare at while

i am typing, i am either looking at the keyboard or the screen, so i should be

better from now on ^_^