Author's Notes: So sorry for the delay everyone, but I've finally got the chapter up. Before I continue I just want to say, there WILL be homosexuality in this story. Although it is not the main pairing or main part of the plot it will have something to do with the story. If you have a problem with homosexuality (no it will not be graphic or smutty) please stop reading and don't flame.
And on that note, thank you to my reviewers, ON WITH THE STORY!!
"Please repeat that statement." Professor Snape said sitting down at his oaken desk, "I'm positive I misheard you."
"We want you to marry those two." Blaise said, making a lazy gesture with his hand.
Hermione glanced around the office nervously. She felt like a mouse thrown into a nest of snakes. The only problem was she was supposed to be a lion.
"It wouldn't be a real wedding sir." Draco informed. "Believe me, I have no erm—actual interest in the mud—erm…Her—I mean that is to say, I don't actually fancy Miss Granger."
"And I certainly don't have any sort of romantic interest in Draco." Hermione supplied, glancing at him discreetly.
Severus resisted the urge to massage his aching temples… he wasn't blind, nor was he a full. He had spent too many years teaching hormonally charged adolescents to not be able to see such obvious signs.
The process of procreating was an easy one. Boy meet girl, boy like girl, boy woo girl, girl put out for boy. He knew by the very smug air Draco held as he had stood next to the head girl, and the numerous discreet looks of something other than hatred that Miss Granger kept on sending the Malfoy that the two obviously fancied each other.
But marriage? Wasn't that taking the whole teenage hormone thing a bit far?
"Allow me to try and comprehend what is being said." Severus muttered glancing at the trio, "You want to be married? But you don't actually want to be married?"
"Um yes sir." Draco said glancing at the other two.
"Oh that doesn't make any sense." Hermione said glaring at the two boys. "Draco and I don't want to be married sir, we just want to make the illusion that we are an extremely serious couple trying to hide our relationship."
"And your motive for the following is…?" Severus said glancing at his favorite student.
"They," Blaise said, making it very clear that none of this was his idea, "want to make Slytherin and Gryffindor get along."
For a few tense moments the office grew silence. Apprehension filled the air, and the three teens kept sending each other nervous glances. A thousand different reactions were pending in the air, but the one they received was the last one they expected.
Snape was laughing.
It was not a chuckle, nor a sneer, but it was a full blown belly laugh that rang throughout the air.
Ron, Hermione duly noted, would never believe it.
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"Minerva." Remus said approaching the stern professor that very same afternoon.
"Remus!" Professor McGonagall said upon seeing him enter her office, "Won't you sit down for some tea?"
"I'd love some, thanks." He replied making himself comfortable in a burgundy armchair.
The older woman quickly conjured up a pot of and summoned her favorite flowered tea cups, and took the seat across from him. "Now tell me my boy," Minerva said, "What's on your mind?"
Remus wasn't sure exactly how well this plan was going to work. It hadn't been long in the making so he could only hope and pray.
"It's Severus," he said with a heavy sigh.
The Transfiguration teacher visibly stiffened. "Yes?" she asked curtly, "What about him?"
"Lately," Remus said delicately, "I've been finding myself…hmm..How should I say this?…undeniably attracted to him."
Thankfully for Minerva at this moment she wasn't yet drinking her tea, and therefore had none to spew over poor Remus.
"Severus?" she choked, "Severus Snape?"
"Yes." Said Remus with a breathy sigh.
"But," Minerva said staring at him in shock, "Merlin's Balls Remus, why?"
"I don't know." He said resting his face on the palm of his hand, "but there is something so sexy about his broody anti-social behavior."
Minerva simply stared at him.
"Weren't you seeing someone…oh I forget his name…that person from the ministry?" she finally asked.
"Yes, but you know how it is he found out about the whole werewolf thing and how my last serious relationship was with a supposed serial killer and the whole thing went down the tubes." He sighed.
"Oh you poor dear." Minerva said, "but your on the rebound dear. Surely you don't want to pursue a relationship with Severus? He's so very Slytherin."
"I just don't know anymore Min. If I can't have Severus, maybe I'll just put off sex altogether. I think I may be in love with him." Remus said sadly.
The L word was all it took. Remus had been extremely reluctant to use it, considering Minerva's weakness for it, but he knew after having broached the subject with her for several minutes that it was the only thing he could do. It was a nauseating thing to do, considering the fact that he hardly even fancied Snape, but he knew that he had to get through to the severe witch somehow. Someway he had to make her realize that Slytherins weren't all that bad.
And match making was the only thing that broke through Minerva McGonagall's icy exterior.
"Oh Remus!" Minerva said reaching into her desk drawer for a handkerchief, "I must say, these past two years I have been worried for you. Simply going from meaningless relationship from meaningless relationship without any sense of purpose. Oh you have no idea how glad I am that you've finally found someone you can love again, even if it is Severus Snape!" she sighed dramatically.
"Thank you Min." he said enveloping his mentor into a hug, "You've no idea what you're support means to me!"
Especially since something told him it would be a very, very long year.
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Hermione was not very fond of the Headmaster, simply because he was unpredictable. Well that and the fact that you know, he kept sending teenagers to fight evil dictators while he was safely tucked away in a castle and all, but that really wasn't the point. She had no idea how she and Draco, and Blaise for that matter would be received.
In one scenario his eyes twinkled away as he agreed to let them do whatever they wished.
In the next his eyes twinkled away as he told them that they would have to wait until Christmas
Obviously any normal person could see that there would be much blue eyes twinkling going on, but what Dumbledore would actually say was the greater mystery.
The trio quickly entered the office and stood before the aging Headmaster whom was preoccupied with feeding his phoenix some anchovies strait from the can.
Hermione eyed the tiny dead fish with distaste, and Draco couldn't stop his subconscious from commenting on how cute she looked when she wrinkled her nose.
After a few moments of ignoring them entirely, Dumbledore looked up from his tin of fish and realized he was not alone in his spacious office.
"Hello, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini. This dare I hope, is not yet an0other complain about Mr. Zabini's hygienic habits is it?" he asked jovially.
"No," Hermione replied smiling slightly, "it isn't."
"Won't you sit down?" He asked gesturing to a small cushiony love seat and comfortable armchair that seemingly appeared from thin air.
"Um, yes thank you sir." Said Draco looking apprehensive about the seats.
Blaise immediately snatched up the armchair and sat down on it Indian style, allowing himself to get comfortable. This left Draco and Hermione to the loveseat. Both blushed awkwardly and each sat, scooting as far away from each other as possible.
Dumbledore did his best to conceal his smirk.
"So," he asked looking over his moon spectacles at the three teens, "what are you hear to talk about?"
"Draco and I" Hermione said glancing at the blonde Malfoy heir, "have been thinking diligently about the problem with inter-house cooperation."
"I'm very glad to hear it." Commented Dumbledore.
"And we," Draco said giving Hermione a meaningful glance, "have come up with a few ideas to help people from opposing houses mingle."
"Really?" Dumbledore asked, raising a solitary brow. "Such as."
"We were wondering, "said Hermione, "if we could possibly throw a masquerade ball this Halloween, for all the years."
"I think that's a delightful idea." Said the Headmaster.
There was silence.
"Um thank you sir," Draco finally said giving the other two an awkward glance.
"Your welcome." Replied Dumbledore. "Now why don't you all run along?" he asked.
They did as they were told. As the teens left Dumbledore couldn't help but smile and pop a lemon drop in his mouth as he thought of how Draco and Hermione had kept subconsciously scooting together until Hermione was practically in the boy's lap.
Things were going just swimmingly.
Author's Notes: Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and continue to read the future chapters. Hopefully the next xhapter will be up in a week or two.
A review makes my day! (smiles)