Chapter Twelve: The only way out

Hermione felt his cold lips touch hers and it made her flinch. He was forcing his tongue into his mouth, but she refused to let him do this to her. She would rather receive an 'Avada Kedavra' to the chest than to kiss her Professor.

Snape was kissing her very forcefully now, only to try and prove to his audience, that it was real and he would do whatever it took to make that mudblood his. If Voldemort knew he didn't mean it or if he backed down...it would be the end of the both of them.

Snape was not enjoying it and neither was Hermione, but it was the only thing Snape could to until he thought of something better. The Dark Lord and his followers did this to their prisoners all the time, it was what they did for fun, but Snape usually just sat in the back and never participated. He'd gotten himself into a situation now. He would have never done this to her, but if he hadn't, another death eater would have and she would have been killed afterwards.

There was clapping now, and whistling. It sounded as though they were in at a Quidditch Match and they were merely tossing the quaffle around.

"Severus...you can do better than that.." said Lucius.

At those words, Snape began to try and grope his way up Hermione's robe. He was tenderly feeling around her chest, and it made Hermione feel physically sick. When was he going to stop?

Snape now pushed her onto the floor and began kissing her even harder, forcing her to do it back.

"Enough!" Said Voldemort... "This is making me bored...Lucius...You take over and finish her off when you're done." He said with no remorse.

"Of course Master..." Said Lucius. He was now pushing Severus aside and climbing on top of Hermione.

"NO!" screamed Snape. "I need to speak!"

"What is it Severus?" asked Voldemort.'

He froze up. He hadn't thought of anything to delay, but he needed to fast. In a matter of minutes, Hermione would be dead...and there was only one way to stop that from happening.

"I wish to wed this mudblood, master, and have her bound to me." He said while his face drained of all color.

"You what? I think I misheard my most loyal death eater..." said Voldemort.

"No master. I wish to wed this young woman." Snape repeated. He didn't know what he was saying, be it was the only way he could get her out of there without her being killed.

"Indeed...finally chosen one, have you Severus. But she is a filthy mudblood..." Voldemort said with a half smile on his face.

"But she is very wise...we could use her knowledge for ourselves, and I think I could have more fun with her if I tried..." Snape said, trying not reveal his horrified face. What had he just done?

"What kind of knowledge Severus?" Interrupted Luicus.

"She is Potters best friend Master...surely this could be very useful..." Snape hinted casually. He looked down at Hermione whose face was now tear stained.

"Of course Severus! This is very wise. But, are you sure? She IS a mudblood..." he asked again.

"I'm sure, Master." He said with false confidence.

"How old are you mudblood?" Said Voldemort, directing his question down at Hermione.

"S-Seventeen." She said, scared out of her mind.

Snape had forgotten she was seventeen, but McGonnagall had mentioned that she had used a time-turner in her third year.

Voldemort was walking over to Hermione now...and he placed his hand on her stomach. She shuddered at his touch and he realized, because he let out a chuckle.

"Cannot bear my touch can you...most who are inferior to me cannot..." he started, and then said. "She is very fertile Severus, she will bear many children."

Hermione winced. The thought of tiny little kids with bushy hair and large pale noses made her sick.

"When is your birthday?" Voldemort asked quickly.

"Se-September 19th..." she said, trying to hold back tears.

"She is underage to legally be bound to you Severus..." Voldemort noted.

"Yes but in five months she will be eighteen master." He suggested.

What were they going on about?! 'I wish to wed this mudblood...IS he CRAZY! He has got to kidding...yes...that's it...he's just joking...or buying some time is all.

"Very well Severus, If you choose this one...In five months you shall wed her...or else. If I find this is some falsehood of yours to save your little student...you will pay, and so will the little mudblood." The Dark Lord said. "You may leave."

Before Hermione knew what had happened, she was in a dungeon corridor at Hogwart's. She knew that what had just happened had to be a complete joke...yet...she wasn't laughing, and neither was Snape.

"Miss Granger, we need to see Dumbledore immediately." He proclaimed. His face was paler than usual, and he looked frightened, a look not seen very often on his face.

"What happened back there? You weren't....serious?" she said while forcing out a meek giggle.

"Granger, you have to understand, you would have died if I had not saved you." He retorted.

"You weren't serious though?" Hermione asked again.

"This is very much serious Granger. I had no other plan in mind to save you and if I hadn't suggested what I had, you would be the play toy to several death eaters and killed by them moments later. If you had a plan why didn't you suggest it then Miss Granger?" He snapped, but seeing the look on her face told him she did indeed, have no plan. "Seems you don't know everything? How startling. Now, I have told the Dark Lord that we are to be married, but we have five months to think of a better plan. So, if you don't mind...we should be making our way up to Dumbledore's immediately." And without waiting for an answer, he was dragging her by the wrist with his cold clammy hands, but she resisted.

"I can't believe you." She said.

"What did you intend I do Miss Granger?" Snape said dropping his DeathEater robes, which Hermione just noticed he was wearing. There was a silver dark mark on the right sleeve. "Let them have their way with you and then kill you? I have certain obligations."

"So instead I have to marry you?" Hermione barked.

"Honestly Miss Granger." Snape said darkly, "We've five months to think of something better or..."

"I can't marry you." Hermione screeched as she rubbed her temples, looking haggard and exasperated.

"All I have done and she's throwing it in my face. I should have left her to Voldemort and his amorous henchmen. And she's still talking!" Snape thought to himself.

"I still have a year of school!" She exclaimed, trying to think of every reason to get out of the horrible situation she was anchored in at the moment.
"I'm well aware Miss Granger." Snape said crossly, "And if forced, you shall do so whilst being my wife or hand both our lives over to Voldemort."
Hermione was teary now, sniffling and rubbing her eyes angrily as she muttered to herself. "I'll never live this down. Never..."
"You won't live this down?" Snape roared, "A Slytherin marrying a Gryffindor? Me, of all people? It's my name at stake little girl, not yours!"
"I am not a little girl." Hermione said in a small voice, looking terrified into the eyes of Professor Snape, her heart racing as he stalked away from her, fuming. He didn't answer her comment, only looked around the corridor in disbelief.

"To the headmaster's office Granger, NOW!" Snape roared. He wasn't going to take anymore of her ranting. He needed to explain what had happened to Dumbledore and even thought it was all he could think of, he knew he would be in for it.

Snape grabbed her by the arm again, and carted her off to Dumbledore's.

When Snape and Hermione were at his door, Severus' sharp knocks on the door made Hermione's head pound with pain. The past few hours were flooding through her brain, and she was trying terribly hard not to cry. And before she knew it, she was right in front of Dumbledore's desk and staring into his warm, twinkling eyes.

Everything is all right now. He'll know what to do...

"Severus, I trust everything went all right?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Yes headmaster, Granger is back and safe..." he said, without mentioning their engagement.

"Miss Granger, Severus. And no one was hurt, everyone is safe I assume?" he said with a smile.

"Yes, Headmaster, everything is completely fine and under control." He lied, becoming completely annoyed with Dumbledore.

Maybe he doesn't even have to know...If we think of a better plan in five months, Dumbledore will never have to know. Snape said in his mind. He knew if he told Dumbledore what had happened, he would be in serious trouble...

"If that is all Headmaster, I should be going..." Snape hinted calmly.

"If there is nothing else you wish to tell me, then you may indeed be on your way Severus." Said Dumbledore.

With that, Snape turned sharply around and left the office quietly, hoping to not raise suspicions.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to Hermione, who looked pale and sickly. Tears were hanging on her eyelashes and her jaw was shaking.

"Miss Granger, something tells me there is more to the story than Professor Snape has informed me of...is there something you wish to tell me?" He asked softly.

But before Hermione could answer, his office door swung open with a blast and Harry, Ron, and McGonagall entered with boisterous shouting.

"HERMIONE!" Harry shouted. McGonagall was the one that informed the boys she was gone, and to be honest with them, they didn't have much hope when they found out Snape was to be her "knight in shining armour."

Ron and Harry both wrapped their arms around Hermione in a warm embrace, while Dumbledore and McGonagall stood off to the sides, smiling like idiots, and wondering why Snape was so quick to leave.

"I'm so glad your okay..." Harry said brushing hair off of her sweaty face. He was looking at her oddly...But she didn't care. Tears were streaming down her face, overjoyed to see her two best friends. The only ones who could make her forget what awful things she had been through in such a short time.

"Tell us what happened Mione," Ron said while taking a seat next to her.

And with that, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harry all sat down and were anxiously waiting on the edge of their seats to hear about what happened that awful night.

Hermione began telling them what happened. When Drew had showed up to give her lessons, and when he had taken her up to her bedroom and tied her up. She told them how Drew had set up a portkey to take her straight into Voldemort's clutches and what she felt when Death Eaters began showering around her. But when she reached the part of the story when Snape showed up, she stopped.

"What is it Hermione?" Ron asked, looking worried at her terrified face.

"S-Snape..." she said trying to spit out the words between sobs.

Ron and Harry exchanged looks of fear, as did Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"What about him Hermione?" said Harry looking dumbfounded.

Hermione looked to her old friends in fear of their reactions. Would she lose all companionship with them once she confessed? Why would they want to be friends with her after they found out what happened. One look into each of their eyes assured her, and she shakily spoke as McGonagall and Dumbledore listened from across the room.

"We're to be married..." she said extremely quietly.

"WHAT Miss Granger? Are you serious?" Yelped McGonagall, whose face was now drained of all color.

"Y-Yes..." she trailed off. Hermione didn't want it to be true, but that was beyond her aid now.
"SEVERUS!" Dumbledore screamed.

Amazingly, Snape must've heard because within five minutes, Snape was back in the headmasters office, looking even paler than usual.

"Headmaster?" he said innocently.

"Just what have you done?" Albus roared. Snape heaved a heavy sigh and sat down in the nearest chair.
Albus stood by Snape's chair, the sweat now glistening on his aged forehead, shining through the thin mass of hair that engulfed his head. He was rubbing his beard absently and then forcing himself to look at Snape, and then finally calmed himself enough to talk to Severus again.

"I have heard most interesting information from Miss Granger."
"Oh have you." He replied in a snotty tone.
Snape was now standing across from Albus with his arms crossed and a calm, serene look about his face with flickers of shadow stealing across it as the fire cracked a few feet away, setting the mood for this most unpleasant meeting.
"Yes. She's come up with the strange notion that oddly enough, you two are to be married, or something like that. You know Miss Granger, always making things up...." He said sarcastically. At this Albus' lips turned into a grim smirk, praying internally that Hermione was just dazed from her encounter with the Dark Lord.
"Honestly, We've five months to think of a better plan. I don't see what the fuss is about..." Snape said evenly, glancing at his fingernails, feigning boredom, he moved to pour a glass of red wine into a cup as he continued speaking to Albus who stood in mute horror. "It was merely a plan that will ensure our safety, otherwise what Miss Granger says is true. Drink, Headmaster?"

For the first time in a while, Albus found himself unable to find the words to say. He was completely shocked at this news. He just stood there; sweat dripping off of his face, staring at Snape. After a few tense moments in which Snape was sure he was going to be fired, Dumbledore found himself able to speak again.

"May I ask how this all came about Severus?" Albus asked trying not to kill Severus.

"Certainly." Snape said with a false smirk on his face. After that, Snape delved into his story. "And when I arrived there, I was informed by the Dark Lord that Granger was to be the evenings 'festivities' and surely I couldn't let that happen...so then I blurted out the first idea that came to me, which was my newfound engagement to Granger." He finished, taking in a deep breath.

And then, there was silence. An unbearable, intolerable, uneasy silence. Hermione was not even trying to hold in her crying any longer. Tears were silently dripping down her cold cheeks. She was terrified.

"Why engagement?" Dumbledore asked looking depressed.

"There was nothing else I could do to stop them form torturing her. It was all I could think of headmaster!" said a very shaky Severus.

"Of course. Minerva, would you be so kind as to escort Miss Granger and the boys next door?" Albus said very kindly.

"Yes, Headmaster." McGonagall replied sweetly.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron followed her to a painting of a surly looking Headmaster on the wall, and with the words 'Vanilla Billywig' they were into a room they didn't know existed. Through the door they could see a cozy room with a large grande fireplace, two comfy sofas, and some velvet armchairs. There was a desk in the far corner and next to it, a shelf filled with what looked like lemon drops. Harry giggled because he knew those were Dumbledore's favorite muggle candies. All over the walls were several more paintings of famous witches and wizards, and a large tapestry of the Hogwart's crest lay over the mantle of the fireplace.

Exhausted, Hermione went to lay down on the nearest sofa and just let herself bawl. She didn't care anymore. As far as she was concerned, her life was over. Harry and Ron both knelt by her and were trying their best to comfort her. Professor McGonagall gave them a reassuring look and then left the room, closing the concealed door behind her.

Harry and Ron didn't know what to say to her. What did you say to your best friend, not even graduated from school, forcefully engaged to her least favorite git of a professor? They had no idea. They just gently held her hand and told her it was going to be okay.

"Its all right Mione," Ron said.

"Yeah, if you end up having to marry him.." Harry started...

"I BLOODY WELL CAN'T MARRY HIM!" Hermione screeched as more tears began pouring from her eyes. She was kicking and screaming and Ron and Harry were trying with all their might to hold her down.

"I cant marry him...." She said softer now, but her face was red, puffy, and splotchy.

And for the first time, Harry and Ron, as well as Hermione, registered the fact that if they didn't think of a better plan in five months, she would have to marry the 'git of a professor.'

"Oh no..." Ron whispered.

"I know..." Harry answered.

"Now, now boys. We wont let that be happening so perk up..." said the steady voice of Albus Dumbledore. They hadn't even noticed that McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore had entered the room. They all looked a little more reassured and calm, except for Snape. Who looked like he was about to hurl.

"Headmaster..." Hermione said meekly.

"Yes Miss Granger, everything is going to be fine and we will figure a way out of this predicament. In the meantime, I would like you two..." he said looking at herself and Snape, "to meet me in my office every Friday to discuss any progress we might have made." Dumbledore proclaimed.

"Yes Headmaster." Said Hermione and Snape in chorus.

With that, Dumbledore nodded to them all and followed Professor Snape back into his office.

"Miss Granger, the headmaster would like you to stay here with Potter and Weasley for a little while until you calm down. Also, he stressed the matter that you tell no one what has happened. Is that understood?" Professor McGonagall asked seriously.

"Of course Professor, we won't tell anyone." Harry assured her.

And with a courteous nod, she was gone, and Hermione was back in tears. No one had the courage to talk anymore. Harry just started at her with pity, wishing he could do something. Ron however, blurted something pathetic out.

"So...you wont have to...sleep with him or anything right?" he said looking disgusted.

"RON!" Harry shouted. Ron felt stupid after what he had said, and Harry was starting at him with a 'what did you say that for?' look on his face.

"What? I was just wondering?" he said innocently enough.

But to their surprise, Hermione started to giggle. Harry and Ron looked confused while she started hiccupping during her giggles.

"Erm...Hermione? Are you all right?" Harry asked questionably.

Hermione found enough strength to break free of the giggles and turn on her side to face Ron.

"I needed that more than you know, Ron, a good laugh. Sleeping...with that git?" She laughed a bit more as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a thankful hug.

"Um...sure Mione. Anything to make you laugh." He said confidently, even though he had no idea what he had done. But Hermione couldn't have been more thankful. She was dwelling on this impossible situation until Ron had said something so stupid, that it made Hermione realize that it would surely never happen. She would never marry Snape because Dumbledore always had a plan to get out of things.

Harry looked a bit taken aback after she hugged Ron. He was sure his idiotic comment would have upset her, but it had done just the opposite. Nevertheless, Harry was a little upset.

"Oh don't look so sullen Harry! I love you too!" Hermione said as she gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. Harry blushed while Ron went into a fit of giggles himself.

So, after Hermione wiped off her still wet cheeks, Ron and Harry escorted her back to the common room so she could get some rest.

As Hermione pulled on her pajamas and climbed underneath her warm sheets, she wasn't at all a bit worried. She knew Dumbledore would find a way out of this as he was always so good at. Moments ago, she was terrified of the situation, but now, now she found it all too hilarious as she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.