Disclaimer: You know bla bla, Rowling is a god among mortals, and we're just the pathetic little humans who scramble around, attempting to be as good as her, blablabla

Tina: You are the coolest reviewer in the world. I love you so much. Thanx. I'll talk about the law more specifically in the next chapter. You probably get enough to understand it in this one, but... ya. THANX

June: No, I stated that she was going home for the weekend. She's always ready to leave for an order emergency. When she went to her parents, she already had clothes there, so she didn't have to bring anything. It's her birthday weekend so she didn't bring any homework either because, who does homework on their birthday. Okay, well she might, but that's besides the point. Also, you'll have to keep reading to find out about Draco. All in due time. (Smiles Wickedly) Thanks for reviewing.

Rebelgal4ever: patience, my dear rebelgal, patience. I give you a hefty chapter now... enjoy!

Evee: good to know you're waiting... so... thanx

Kail Ceannai: Decent says you, hmmm, maybe, maybe not. Hehe, jk, thanx for reviewing; I'm glad you like the twist and don't worry, I'll be making it hard on Hermione... smiles wickedly. Have you read Rules of Engagement, because it's really good. You should go look at it if you haven't. Thanx for reviewing.

Thanks to my reviewers! I love you all!

"BLOODY FUCKING HELL! WHY IS THIS PILE FILLED WITH PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN KNOW!" Hermione shouted, as she went through the pile.

"Just set aside the ones you don't know, Hermione," Albus said, calmly smiling at her. Ron gave a proud smile at Hermione's words. For a flashing second, Severus looked proud too, but it was fleeting. Oliver looked pleasantly surprised and a smile came to his face.

"Hermione didn't just set them aside. She tore them in half and threw them on the ground. She stopped when she read one from Seamus Finnigan and frowned, setting it to the side. She remembered that he had the same birthday and had qualified the same day she did. She set it in a pile that now only included the ones she had called with her wand from her house with a rather tricky charm. She set it, gently beside Oliver and Draco's; she then decided the rip the other two and throw them on the ground.

The anger, all the men in the room had to admit, made her look cute. Even Albus admitted, vocally that she looked cute when she was all flushed and angry, earning him a deadly glare as she ripped up a petition violently. Ron and Oliver had chuckled, but Severus just pondered watching her, closely.

She opened the next one and it was from "Charlie Weasley, then the next was from "Bill Weasley," and the next was from Fred Weasley," then "George Weasley."

"RONALD WEASLEY!" she shouted. "Did your whole bloody family send me one?"

"Harry's in there too," Ron stated, casually.

"I will explain that later, dear. Just finish sorting. You only have four left," Albus said, his eyes darkening.

She opened the next which was indeed Harry and she set beside the others, carefully. She opened the next and was not shocked to see Lucius Malfoy sitting there. At that point she was beyond angry. She stood, and stalked to the fire and ripped it up into little miniscule pieces and threw them in, watching them burn until they were gone.

"If he thinks he can even..." Hermione trailed off as the minister of magic himself stormed it.

"What do you think you're doing!? You can't just go around destroying petitions!" he screeched. "You c- where did you get all these. They're only supposed to be sent to the person whom they are petitioned to.

"Cornelius I'm surprised that you didn't know that Miss Granger was indeed sent over thirty petitions," Albus said, amusedly.

"What?" Fudge's jaw dropped.

"Saving not only Harry's but Snape's ass as well made her quite the hero, obviously, partly in thanks to the Daily Prophets portrayal of her. As the petitions on the floor are from people she doesn't even know and the one in the fire is from Lucius, she has all the right in the world to do with them what she wishes," Severus stated, dryly.

"But... no one thought one girl would get even more than two petitions," Fudge said.

"Really, well I guess you were wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, your bloody law is forcing me to decide my future while I'm still in Hogwarts. If you would please shut up, I'd like to go back to it," Hermione said, bitingly. Fudge did not leave, but stepped aside, watching.

Hermione lifted the next carefully and opened it. The words she saw on it however made her scream. She threw it away from herself and ran to Albus, hiding behind him, as if she were a small child. Severus strode forward and picked it up. His face became more angry than even Ron had seen in his entire time at Gryffendor , and he crushed the paper in his fist. "Very clever, Lord Voldemort," he growled. Fudge and Albus both lunged forward after the letter, Albus getting to it first, and ripping it from Severus' hands.

Oliver stood rigid, his temper flaring and his fists clenching.

Ron went from his regular skin color to stark white in seconds. Severus went to Hermione and tried to get her to move, but she was frozen to her spot. "He said he'd kill anyone I chose, if it were not Lucius," Hermione whispered.

"Damn it," Severus cursed. He pushed the last petition into her hands, and stalked out of the room, resolutely.

Oliver went to Hermione and gave her a hug, releasing her when Ron came to her. He sat on the couch where there was only a small pile of Petitions, of the people she knew.

"You knew Lucius was going to do something. You knew this was more important than just a pile of petitions, Professor," Hermione whispered.

"I had suspected that Lucius wanted you and Draco Malfoy owled me to confirm it.

"You must immediately take Ron, Harry, Fred, George, and Seamus out of that pile. They aren't even fully-educated wizards yet," Oliver said rationally.

"Trying to cut down the odds are you, Oliver?" Ron said, bitingly.

"I was only looking to help, Ron. I thought you at least would know that I am not that way. I am as fair as they come. What would you do if Voldemort came to your door looking for Hermione?" Oliver glared.

Albus handed the paper to the eager Fudge, who immediately set out to leave the castle. "Ron, Oliver, I'd like to speak to Miss Granger alone now," Albus stated.

"But sir, you don't expect me just to leave her here?" Ron said, incredulously.

"Mr. Weasley, I assure you I am capable of her and I do not see any signs that she's about to have a break down. Miss Granger is a strong young woman; she will be fine here while I talk to her."

With a huff, Ron followed Oliver out of the room, after glancing back at Hermione who had taken the seat in front of Albus' desk, unconsciously twisting the corners of the unopened paper. She was watching her feet quite intently however.

"Hermoine, open the paper. There was a reason it was at the bottom of the pile. I did want you to open it last," Albus said. "There are many questions it will most definitely raise.

Hermione looked up at him questioningly, but he just flicked his eyes from hers to the paper and back. She slowly opened it, and skipped the all-familiar notice to the bold lettered name.

Severus Snape

"What does...? Why did Snape...?" Hermione stuttered.

"Now, is the time I shall explain this whole situations to you," Albus said, getting comfortable in his chair."

"I did not deny that I thought that Lucius would prove to ask of the Dark Lord to threaten you like this. They are both very capable of acting on these threats of killing anyone who would try marry you," Albus sighed. "I would much rather it not be anyone that you chose who could not handle the threat."

"Draco Malfoy was an obvious choice, not that we made it for him. His father would not kill his own son. Then, young Mr. Malfoy is not so sure and he said he would prefer someone more powerful than he to take care of you, someone very well knew his way around the dark arts or at least defense against them," Albus said.

"Oliver has just finished his career at a wizarding university, majoring in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which is why I was finally convinced to let him send the petition. One must, however, have a great understanding of the Dark Arts, which Oliver does not have.

"The Weasleys however," Albus chuckled. "Ron sent out a distress to all Weasleys. He said it was the Weasley Bat Sign, which is odd, because I didn't think Mr. Weasley knew what Batman was," Albus smiled, pondering.

"What am I supposed to do though?" Hermione demanded.

"You have to figure that out yourself. Your first course of action would be taking out the wizards who are not fully qualified to protect you from Lucius Malfoy," Albus said.

"I don't need to be protected from that..." Hermione didn't want to say her chosen words in front of the Headmaster.

Albus chuckled, humorlessly. "My dear, Miss Granger, you do not know what Lucius Malfoy is capable of. He could kill whomever you choose in many ways. Do you think Harry is capable of the stress of that, on top of the threat of Voldemort? Do you think Ron or the twins could handle that?" Albus asked.

"No..." Hermione mumbled after a long silence. She picked up the four petitions from the couch and set them, atop the pile of ripped ones, but she did not rip them.

"Now, you should probably take young Mr. Malfoys as a last choice as he has stated explicitly that he wants you to choose someone else," Albus stated. Hermione nodded, and moved Draco to a pile of his own.

"Who is left now?" Albus asked.

"Charlie, Bill, Oliver, and... Professor Snape," Hermione said, softly.

"Think about those four, now... carefully," Albus said. "This is not only to save their life, but you'd have to live with them for the rest of yours and you've read the petition, you know it well," Albus said.

Hermione knew what part of the law he was talking about. "The married couple, must become pregnant by the end of the year or the wedding is annulled," Hermione muttered.

"You could, of course, just wait out the year, but I do not know if this threat will end by then," Albus said.

"Charlie works with dragons, doesn't he? He wouldn't know much about protecting himself against dark magics, would he?" Hermoine muttered.

"No, probably not," Albus said, softly. Hermione set Charlie's beside Ron's and the others.

"Hermione, as much as it is important that you choose someone you can... stand," Albus said, reluctantly, his eyes on Severus' petition.

Hermione chuckled, slightly. "You think I can't stand Professor Snape?" she asked, softly. "I know you do not want me to take him out of the choices, Professor; it's obvious in your eyes."

"Well, I think he'd be the best choice to protect you from Death Eaters. He knows how they think, how they work," Albus stated.

"I realized," Hermione muttered.

"Well, Oliver has his education in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Bill is very good with Protection Charms, having worked with Gringotts for so long, and Severus has his..." Albus trailed off.

"His Snapish senses," Hermione joked, dryly.

Albus genuinely chuckled at that.

"Am I interrupting," said an arrogant voice that Hermione knew all too well.

"Malfoy," Hermione stated, coldly. It didn't matter that he was trying to help her; he still was a bastard to she and her friends.

"Granger," Malfoy said, his voice equally cool.

"Come for any particular reason, Mr. Malfoy," Albus asked.

"Making sure she got enough petitions to stay away from me," Draco said.

"Didn't need you after all, Malfoy," Hermione said, snidely. "Thank you, though," she added in a very quiet, sincere voice, catching his eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, nodding before turning and stalking off, looking much like his father.

"Now, back to business," Albus stated. "You have until November First to make your final decision. I got the time extended for you. You should have enough time to decide."

"Of course, a month and a half. How very fortunate for me," Hermione muttered.

"It's better than it was, Hermione. That's as much as I could get you. I am sorry," Albus said, truly sounding it.

"I'm sorry, Albus. I'm just under a lot of stress," Hermione apologized.

"I know, dear, now go get some rest. You look exhausted," Albus smiled. He waved his wand and the petitions disappeared. "The ones you're considering are on the desk in your room."

Hermione nodded and stood, turning towards the door. It was opened just as she reached it. She leapt back, immediately grabbing her wand.

"Dear Hermione, so hostile," said a cold voice.

"Lucius," Hermione glared, not lowering her wand, while her hand shook, her wand pointed at his chest.

Read and Review guys and chikas!!!