TWO: TANGERINE

"Fruit Loops." His voice was a flat tone as he spoke.

"Albus is moving to muggle cereal now?" He looked at her, eyebrow rising.

"If that is what it has come to, I hate to think about what he will offer us when we enter his office." The staircase opened completely.

"Most likely the same thing as always, lemon drops or sherbet lemons." They arrived at the door. His arms around her tightened, the cloak around her was gripped harder.

"There is no time like the present." And they entered. The room was warm, smelling of peppermint and spice. Albus sat behind his desk, looking at the two of them with a look neither could name. It was a look between relief and concern. As they sat on the couch by the fire, Albus came and poured two cups of tea.

"Hermione, I am glad to see you here in good health I hope?" His eyes had no twinkle as he handed her a cup. She took it gently, keeping her eyes downcast and not letting go of Severus' hand.

"Albus, this is serious. She is pregnant and I'm the father. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Hermione winced as he spoke, Severus' arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her closer to him.

"That does mean something Severus, but what other choice did any of us have. Voldemort would have killed both of you had the Order come. I couldn't allow that to happen." Albus looked his age as he spoke, falling into his seat as if giving up.

"The Dark Lord wishes to see her once every month to make sure she is coming along with this pregnancy. And there is also the question of her schooling. How will she finish her seventh year with child? She is, was nothing more than a child herself before this happened, and now she must vanquish all her dreams because the Dark Lord was fed up with me. She didn't deserve this and you know it. I would have taken the blame for the Order rescuing her if you hadn't found her expendable. You should be ashamed to have even thought of sacrificing this girl, I do. I will never forgive myself for what I have done to her, willing or not." Her eyes finally looked up, gazing upon the man who held her as if he were someone she didn't know.

"Severus…" Her voice was soft, barely escaping her lips.

"Don't try and tell me differently Hermione. I let it slip that you and Mister Weasley would be outside the castle." Her eyes grew in size. "He is fine, I assure you, you were the target after all. He never knew anything happened until Albus came to retrieve him and Potter." Albus watched the two. They already were used to one another. How much of the past week had they spent together?

"I want this child." Both men looked surprised. Severus recovered first.

"Even if I am the father? Even if you were not willing? Even though you must marry me now because of wizarding law?" As he spoke, he knelt before, holding her hands in his. This was behaviour completely out of character for Severus, but it seemed second-nature to the onlooker.

"Yes, you aren't the person everyone says you are. I was willing, because I realized that I had no other choice, but I am happy it was you I was kidnapped for. And if I must marry you now because of our child, then marry you I will. I've never been liked that way by anyone, and now I have a family of my own thrust in my face. If you'll let me, I would like to keep it." She kissed him on each cheek. Holding his face in her hands, she kissed him on the lips.

"Alright Hermione. If you are sure in your convictions, I will not deny you your dream." He smiled.

"Thank you Severus. I will be a good wife, I promise." She helped him to his feet.

"I don't doubt that. Albus?" The old wizard looked at them.

"Yes?"

"Please owl her parents and ask them to come here. I would like to tell them the situation myself."

"Of course Severus. You two go and rest."

"I'm taking her to my quarters. If she is to be my wife, she will be living with me."

"I understand." And they left.

Severus' quarters were as sparsely decorated as the room she was held in. But it was cozy, unlike the Riddle Manor, which was cold no matter what room you were in. Severus liked it. The décor was simple, and it suited her.

"I don't suppose you are open to sharing a bed just yet?" His voice cut her thoughts. She hadn't noticed that he was nude before her, the coverlet pulled back.

"I am as open as you most likely, but we should acclimatize to a married lifestyle, should we not?" She seemed to be returning to her old self again.

"If you feel that way, I suppose you are right." He slipped his feet under the coverlet, patting the mattress beside him invitingly. She smiled, walking over and stripping herself of clothes. Once the same as he, she slipped under in the warmth. He made no move toward her, allowing her to become comfortable. He didn't expect her comfort to come from him, yet she sought out his body to hold onto, like a lifeline. He couldn't deny her that, or anything else. Severus felt responsible for her predicament, and serviced himself by doing whatever she wanted him to, to make up for causing this. Soon they both drifted to sleep.

"You have to WHAT?" Ron screamed, standing up from his seat and making Hermione's shoulders hunch even more.

"Its Wizarding law Ron, since I'm pregnant with his child I must marry him by the end of the first trimester. I know you don't like him, but he has saved my life by doing this." She dropped her head, hoping he would calm down.

"From what Dumbledore says, he told Voldemort you would be outside the castle Hermione. How is that saving you?" Harry said quietly from his chair, his gaze set on the fire.

"He was about to be killed, from what I saw in his Pensieve. And I would still be in Riddle Manor had I not conceived this child. You both should be glad I agreed to this whole thing, or I might be dead right now! Can't you get over yourselves for one minute! Severus knows he made a mistake; he's trying to make up for it."

"Just think of what he has done to us." Ron sat beside her, throwing his arm over her shoulders.

"None of that matters in war Ron." Harry finally looked at her, smiling. "We are in times of war. I support Hermione's decision, no matter what that means. If it means that Snape is a part of our family, then so be it. And we are a family, aren't we Ron?"

"I suppose Harry. But why him Hermione?"

"Ask Voldemort. He chose me for Severus, and now I am going to have this child whether I like it or not because now I must see him once every month. You have to understand guys, I didn't want it to happen this way. But it has, and I'm not going to let this child go. I shall have it willingly, just as a conceived it."

"You let Snape touch you like that? You had sex with him willingly?" Ron voice rose with every word, as did his body. She sighed heavily.

"Ron, there is nothing I can say that you'll agree with, so I'm giving up. Harry, thank you for understanding, you really are a great person. Severus says you can come to my rooms to visit if you wish; you just have to be nice to him and obey his rules. I'm going back now; see you two in classes okay." And with that Hermione left.

"Harry?"

"Yeah Ron?"

"Did that just happen?"

"It did."

"And Hermione left us?"

"No, she hasn't. She just is embracing her destiny."

"Harry, you are beginning to sound like Trelawney…"

"She's an idiot. This was meant to happen Ron, and Hermione knows that. She is not yet used to her new life, but this is what it was meant to be. Believe me when I say this Ron, she is fulfilling her destiny, and you shouldn't stand in the way of that. I've embraced mine, and so is Hermione. Shouldn't you embrace your own?"

"Harry, when did you become so all-knowing?"

"I'm not. This is just something I realized over the summer. Blame the Fates, not me, or anyone else. Unless you want to blame Voldemort."

Hermione walked into her new chambers to find Severus sitting by the fire, much like Harry when she went to retrieve her things. He looked at her as she entered and motioned for her to come to him. She walked slowly, wondering what he had planned. He had promised her that he would be a suitable husband, even if they were forced into this marriage. He told her that she would feel loved by him if it killed him. She didn't understand why he felt the need to be so noble, but she knew he cared about her before all this. He had to. Or else he wouldn't feel that her situation was his fault. As she sat in the chair beside him, he started to talk.

"Your parents will be here tomorrow. I hope you will allow me to tell them everything, since it is my fault and all. I suppose if I am to marry you now I must give you a ring, but I was hoping you would pick that out. I have not an eye for jewelry."

"My mother always wanted to pick out my wedding ring."

"Then she shall. And your father is he a forgiving man?"

"Severus, if you are afraid they will not approve of you, I will make them see you as I do. You saved me, even if you put me in that situation, you proved yourself a proud man can even falter."

"I'm glad you speak so highly of me. I could never do that."

"Is that why you were so persecuted as a child?"

"Yes. I never saw myself as a good person. I blame my father for that. You, however, have always stood up for me. Why is that Hermione?"

"I see you as a good man Severus. I always will." He looked at her, his eyes darker than ever before, a serious gaze in them.

"What exactly are your feelings toward me Hermione?" She was lost in his eyes, but he wasn't trying to read her thoughts. If anything he was trying to see the truth in her own eyes.

"I have always held you in high esteem. You have been a favourite teacher of mine and now I have the chance to know who you really are. I thought I should tell you that I had a crush on you in the summer before fifth year, but it passed I suppose. I care about you. I have always wanted to be your friend, and I hope I can be still." He sighed, sitting right in his chair and gazing at the fire again.

"I feel the same, truly I do. Did you know that I saw myself in you, the way you would always have to be perfect, and always had to be correct, I always wanted to be your friend but then you found Potter and Weasley, and well I was happy for you, but I still wanted your friendship," he said looking down to the fire as he begun to poke at it with a stick.

"I suppose that is what our marriage could be then? A friendship." She said a smile crossed her small face. A surprised crossed his face for a moment before he smiled.

"That would be wonderful. Thank you Hermione," his eyes met hers, as he begun to see her in a different light he said with a half imp-like grin, "for becoming my friend."