The Wedding Planner
Chapter Two
"You must be insane!" she yelled.
This perked the attention of the slouching Ex-Death Eater, who now allowed himself to look at her.
Flushed in anger wouldn't adequately describe the expression that graced her face. He'd only ever seen that particular expression on one other countenance before, and then only when in the process of cleaning up after a particularly dark revel. This was beyond anger, it was bordering on psychosis.
This couldn't be allowed, he was the only one allowed to get that angry and he saw no reason to change it. Still, as tempting as it was to say something to the little chit, he also knew deep in his bones that if he uttered a sound she would turn her wrath on him. He really wasn't in the mood for that. Better to let Albus cope with the new Miss Granger as it was his stupid idea anyway.
"Calm yourself, Miss Granger," Albus was saying as he waved a calming hand. Using his best placating tone he continued. "Please sit down and listen to me."
Severus winced at the new flush that stole across her face and he thought that if she had been a cat, her ears would be laying flat against her head.
"CALM MYSELF!" she shouted causing both men to wince. "CALM MYSELF! You actually expect me to consider marrying this-this Ohhhhhh! Damn it all!"
With an exasperated sigh she flopped into her chair again, folded her arms and slouched. "I can't believe that you would even consider the idea!" she said in a sulking tone. "I mean really Headmaster, he's – and no offense Professor Snape—old!"
"Don't forget ugly, Miss Granger," he hissed insulted at her declaration.
"Professor Snape I didn't mean-"
"Or a git" he continued over her.
"Sir! I –"
"No that would be Greasy Git, in capital letters."
"Professor Snape, sir. I was merely-"
"Oh shut up you silly little chit!" he huffed.
She looked at him through narrow eyes. "You left out Overgrown Bat, Prat, Bastard and then there's my favorite-"
"You've quite made your point, Miss Granger!" he hissed at her.
"If you both are finished acting like children?" Albus said finally sounding as fed up as he was feeling. Ignoring both of their glares he continued, "Good. Now Miss Granger surely you understand that you simply cannot be allowed to marry Draco Malfoy. Voldemort may be dead, but Malfoy and other Death Eaters are still very upset by the matter. And Severus, you know very well that Miss Granger in the hands of the Malfoy's would be a horrible thing for her."
"But Albus," Snape said in a tone that bordered on whining.
"Do not interrupt me anymore Severus!" he snapped. Turning his head to the sulking Hermione he continued. "Miss Granger, and I am saying the following not to insult you but to make you aware of the seriousness of the situation, you will not get any other offers."
This was offensive to her and she huffed "Well sir! I realize that I'm not the prettiest girl in the world but I-"
"I was not saying that Miss Granger," he interrupted. "I am saying that you must think properly about this. Malfoy is still Powerful at the Ministry. He will know of any other offers you may receive and he will not allow those to even reach you."
'What about Ron? Can't he offer?"
"No, Miss Granger. He cannot. He isn't strong enough a wizard to withstand The Malfoy's."
Even Snape couldn't believe what he has just heard.
"Really!" she huffed. "were you even paying attention to the final battle? Remember it was me and RON and Harry there! Oh and Professor Snape of course. Ron is-"
"Not an option, Miss Granger and you know the reason why as does –"
It took a moment for the word to make sense to Severus, but when the meaning crystallized he let out a whoop of laughter startling Hermione. "You mean to tell me that Ronald Weasley is a –"
"Yes Severus," he interrupted.
Severus Snape burst into laughter and if Hermione hadn't been so insulted over the fact that he was laughing at the expense of her friend she may have enjoyed the rich baritone of his voice.
"Well I'm so glad that you find this funny, Professor!" she growled. "You insensitive little wanker!" Turning to the Headmaster, she glared at him and continued, "You had to go and say something didn't you! Now it's going to be all over the school!"
Albus shot a warning glance at his hysterical Potions master and said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, "I am sure that Professor Snape will be discrete. Won't you Severus."
Under the angry gaze of his best student (chit she was but still his best) and his (for all intents and purposes) boss, Severus stopped his laughter and wiped the tears from his eyes. He nodded solemnly and said, "Of course sir. Mr. Weasley's secret can stay in the closet as far as I'm concerned."
Hermione shot a withering glare at him, but held her tongue.
Satisfied that the yelling had finally abated, happy that the two were doing nothing but glaring at one another, and confident that they would refrain from murder, he said. "Well then. I think that you two should at least talk about this."
"I have nothing to say to him," Hermione said in a determined tone.
"Nor I to her." Snape added in agreement.
"Never the less, I insist that you both at least ponder this. There really is no other way."
Knowing that they were now excused, they both rose and walked to the door. Hermione reached it first and instinctually Severus reached for the knob to open it for her. Instead she stepped back and folded her arms. With the door open he stepped back to allow her to step out ahead of him, but the young woman merely glared at him and made no move toward the door.
"Oh for fucks sake, Miss Granger!" he hissed and strode away as fast as he could. The daggers her eyes were throwing at his back pierced deeply.
'Unfucking believable!' she thought to herself as she flopped down onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow. Some choice! Draco the ferret faced bastard Malfoy and Severus the overgrown greasy git bastard Snape.
Anger welled up in her soul and burst forth in a primal scream. She grabbed the nearest solid object, in this case a pillow, and chunked across the room. With a howl of protest she heard the scratch of Crookshanks feet as he shot across the room and under the protection of her bed.
"Sorry Crooks," she muttered as she flopped back into a pillow. When had it all come to this. Bloody Marriage Laws! All because Pure Bloods were a bunch of inbred bigots! She would never be able to show her face in The Great Hall again, for she was sure that Malfoy had spread the word around school about his father's offer. She vaguely wondered how the boys would react when they heard the news.
Her question abruptly was answered by the pounding on her door. Knowing that they wouldn't leave until she answered, she trudged to the door and flung it open.
"We've just finished beating the Ferret to a bloody pulp Hermione!" Ron announced proudly as he burst through the door. "He says that his father has petitioned for your hand."
"Hey, Mione." Harry said planting a kiss on her cheek as he followed the red head through.
"Hey Harry. Ron." Walking past them she flopped back on the bed. "You really shouldn't have beaten Malfoy up Ron. You could get into so much trouble."
"Yea, well he deserved it Hermione. I mean he was lying wasn't he?"
Silence fell.
"Well wasn't he?"
"No, Ron. He wasn't, Malfoy Senior had indeed petitioned for my hand on behalf of the Ferret."
"Oh shit Mione!" Harry said quietly.
"Oh but wait, it gets worse!" she answered. "I've had another proposal of sorts."
"Well that can't be all that bad. Who could be worse than Malfoy?" Ron squeaked.
She couldn't find the words, and she had nothing to stuff her ears with. But there was no avoiding the answer judging by the expectant looks on her friend's faces. With a sigh she said,
"Snape."
Chapter Two
"You must be insane!" she yelled.
This perked the attention of the slouching Ex-Death Eater, who now allowed himself to look at her.
Flushed in anger wouldn't adequately describe the expression that graced her face. He'd only ever seen that particular expression on one other countenance before, and then only when in the process of cleaning up after a particularly dark revel. This was beyond anger, it was bordering on psychosis.
This couldn't be allowed, he was the only one allowed to get that angry and he saw no reason to change it. Still, as tempting as it was to say something to the little chit, he also knew deep in his bones that if he uttered a sound she would turn her wrath on him. He really wasn't in the mood for that. Better to let Albus cope with the new Miss Granger as it was his stupid idea anyway.
"Calm yourself, Miss Granger," Albus was saying as he waved a calming hand. Using his best placating tone he continued. "Please sit down and listen to me."
Severus winced at the new flush that stole across her face and he thought that if she had been a cat, her ears would be laying flat against her head.
"CALM MYSELF!" she shouted causing both men to wince. "CALM MYSELF! You actually expect me to consider marrying this-this Ohhhhhh! Damn it all!"
With an exasperated sigh she flopped into her chair again, folded her arms and slouched. "I can't believe that you would even consider the idea!" she said in a sulking tone. "I mean really Headmaster, he's – and no offense Professor Snape—old!"
"Don't forget ugly, Miss Granger," he hissed insulted at her declaration.
"Professor Snape I didn't mean-"
"Or a git" he continued over her.
"Sir! I –"
"No that would be Greasy Git, in capital letters."
"Professor Snape, sir. I was merely-"
"Oh shut up you silly little chit!" he huffed.
She looked at him through narrow eyes. "You left out Overgrown Bat, Prat, Bastard and then there's my favorite-"
"You've quite made your point, Miss Granger!" he hissed at her.
"If you both are finished acting like children?" Albus said finally sounding as fed up as he was feeling. Ignoring both of their glares he continued, "Good. Now Miss Granger surely you understand that you simply cannot be allowed to marry Draco Malfoy. Voldemort may be dead, but Malfoy and other Death Eaters are still very upset by the matter. And Severus, you know very well that Miss Granger in the hands of the Malfoy's would be a horrible thing for her."
"But Albus," Snape said in a tone that bordered on whining.
"Do not interrupt me anymore Severus!" he snapped. Turning his head to the sulking Hermione he continued. "Miss Granger, and I am saying the following not to insult you but to make you aware of the seriousness of the situation, you will not get any other offers."
This was offensive to her and she huffed "Well sir! I realize that I'm not the prettiest girl in the world but I-"
"I was not saying that Miss Granger," he interrupted. "I am saying that you must think properly about this. Malfoy is still Powerful at the Ministry. He will know of any other offers you may receive and he will not allow those to even reach you."
'What about Ron? Can't he offer?"
"No, Miss Granger. He cannot. He isn't strong enough a wizard to withstand The Malfoy's."
Even Snape couldn't believe what he has just heard.
"Really!" she huffed. "were you even paying attention to the final battle? Remember it was me and RON and Harry there! Oh and Professor Snape of course. Ron is-"
"Not an option, Miss Granger and you know the reason why as does –"
It took a moment for the word to make sense to Severus, but when the meaning crystallized he let out a whoop of laughter startling Hermione. "You mean to tell me that Ronald Weasley is a –"
"Yes Severus," he interrupted.
Severus Snape burst into laughter and if Hermione hadn't been so insulted over the fact that he was laughing at the expense of her friend she may have enjoyed the rich baritone of his voice.
"Well I'm so glad that you find this funny, Professor!" she growled. "You insensitive little wanker!" Turning to the Headmaster, she glared at him and continued, "You had to go and say something didn't you! Now it's going to be all over the school!"
Albus shot a warning glance at his hysterical Potions master and said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, "I am sure that Professor Snape will be discrete. Won't you Severus."
Under the angry gaze of his best student (chit she was but still his best) and his (for all intents and purposes) boss, Severus stopped his laughter and wiped the tears from his eyes. He nodded solemnly and said, "Of course sir. Mr. Weasley's secret can stay in the closet as far as I'm concerned."
Hermione shot a withering glare at him, but held her tongue.
Satisfied that the yelling had finally abated, happy that the two were doing nothing but glaring at one another, and confident that they would refrain from murder, he said. "Well then. I think that you two should at least talk about this."
"I have nothing to say to him," Hermione said in a determined tone.
"Nor I to her." Snape added in agreement.
"Never the less, I insist that you both at least ponder this. There really is no other way."
Knowing that they were now excused, they both rose and walked to the door. Hermione reached it first and instinctually Severus reached for the knob to open it for her. Instead she stepped back and folded her arms. With the door open he stepped back to allow her to step out ahead of him, but the young woman merely glared at him and made no move toward the door.
"Oh for fucks sake, Miss Granger!" he hissed and strode away as fast as he could. The daggers her eyes were throwing at his back pierced deeply.
'Unfucking believable!' she thought to herself as she flopped down onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow. Some choice! Draco the ferret faced bastard Malfoy and Severus the overgrown greasy git bastard Snape.
Anger welled up in her soul and burst forth in a primal scream. She grabbed the nearest solid object, in this case a pillow, and chunked across the room. With a howl of protest she heard the scratch of Crookshanks feet as he shot across the room and under the protection of her bed.
"Sorry Crooks," she muttered as she flopped back into a pillow. When had it all come to this. Bloody Marriage Laws! All because Pure Bloods were a bunch of inbred bigots! She would never be able to show her face in The Great Hall again, for she was sure that Malfoy had spread the word around school about his father's offer. She vaguely wondered how the boys would react when they heard the news.
Her question abruptly was answered by the pounding on her door. Knowing that they wouldn't leave until she answered, she trudged to the door and flung it open.
"We've just finished beating the Ferret to a bloody pulp Hermione!" Ron announced proudly as he burst through the door. "He says that his father has petitioned for your hand."
"Hey, Mione." Harry said planting a kiss on her cheek as he followed the red head through.
"Hey Harry. Ron." Walking past them she flopped back on the bed. "You really shouldn't have beaten Malfoy up Ron. You could get into so much trouble."
"Yea, well he deserved it Hermione. I mean he was lying wasn't he?"
Silence fell.
"Well wasn't he?"
"No, Ron. He wasn't, Malfoy Senior had indeed petitioned for my hand on behalf of the Ferret."
"Oh shit Mione!" Harry said quietly.
"Oh but wait, it gets worse!" she answered. "I've had another proposal of sorts."
"Well that can't be all that bad. Who could be worse than Malfoy?" Ron squeaked.
She couldn't find the words, and she had nothing to stuff her ears with. But there was no avoiding the answer judging by the expectant looks on her friend's faces. With a sigh she said,
"Snape."