Title: Hermione's Helping Hand

Remus's Wedding

Hermione led Severus out of courtroom and Remus took him into a room so that he could change. While they waited Harry congratulated Hermione on what she had done.

" I was amazed that you were able to speak in front of all those people," Harry said.

Hermione went pink.

" Well no one can say that Hermione doesn't stand up for what she believes in!" Tonks commented, grinning at her.

" Well I think that Snape should have been sent to Azkaban," Moody said.

They all looked at him and he shut up.

" I wonder who's going to be given the job of watching over him?" Ron said.

The courtroom door opened and a tall wizard appeared. He looked around, then spotting Hermione, went over to her and handed her a piece of parchment. He tipped her and then disappeared back inside.

" What does it say, Hermione?" Harry asked.

Hermione unfolded the note and read, her eyes skimming over the words.

" Well?"

" It says that I'm to watch over him for six months," Hermione said. " They also said that due to the fact that we never completed our final year, we have to return to Hogwarts and complete it."

Ron snorted at that.

" Well they do have a point!" Tonks said. " Hermione can't do the job the Ministry gives her unless she's at Hogwarts and Harry wanted to become an Auror. He needs his N.E.W.T's!"

" I know that!" Harry said. " I just didn't expect to be forced to return."

" So what happens after the six months is over?" Ron asked her.

" It doesn't say," Hermione answered. " I guess he gets to go on his own."

" You know what I want to know," Mr. Weasley asked, speaking for the first time. " How is Hermione supposed to watch over him?"

None of them could answer that one.

Ten minutes later Remus and Severus returned, this time, he was dressed in a simple blue robe with matching cloak. The shoes that Azkaban had given him were still on his feet, and he didn't look like he was in the mood to change them.

" I managed to remove them, but he still wants to wear them," Remus said. " Lets get him out of here before someone decides to ask him loads of questions."

" Second that motion!" Harry exclaimed.

They managed to leave the Ministry without anyone asking him any questions. It seemed that they were more interested in those that actually went to Azkaban or died, then someone that had just been given six months of probation. They took the Knight Bus back to Hogwarts, which gave them the chance to finally talk with Stan Shunpike, the driver that had been arrested two years ago.

" They gave me some flashy paper telling me that I was cleared," he told them, not using the same kind of vocabulary that he generally used. " Fat chance that made me feel better!"

They could tell that he was still bitter about what the Ministry had done and Hermione didn't blame him one bit.

Once the Knight Bus did arrive, Ron and Harry chatted about the upcoming Quidditch season, Hermione asked Remus if she thought she would be made Head Girl, Remus told her about Professor Point, a witch that like Severus and all the others, hadn't lasted a year, and what they were going to do to make Severus feel like he was useful.

" I think he needs something to occupy his mind," Hermione suggested. " He can't teach, the letter said so."

Severus however had another idea in mind, something that up until now he didn't dare talk about. All he needed was time alone.

Fortunately for Severus, he had plenty of that. Hermione dropped him off in his old quarters, which had been emptied of everything that was connected to his teaching. His books were still there and all his old furniture. A Ministry official was waiting on them and told him that the only thing that he could read was on positive magic, that he wasn't allowed in the restricted section, and that he could think. He left him, closing the door behind him.

" I hope he's not going to go insane in there," Minerva said, when Remus joined her.

" It's going to take a lot to make that man go insane!" Remus pointed out. " Oh, me and Tonks are getting married next week and we were wondering if we could use the castle for the wedding?"

Minerva stopped and looked at him, a smile over her face.

" That would be wonderful! So on what day are you having it?"

" Sunday!" Remus said. " Tonks has a beautiful white dress and everything."

Minerva smiled even more and they walked on.

" So did you hear that Remus and Tonks are getting married?" Harry said to Ron and Hermione a few hours later.

Hermione and Ron looked up at him.

" What!"

Harry nodded.

" One of the paintings told me," he explained. " I'm very excited about all this and it would be a chance to get Severus out of that room he's in."

Hermione thought about it.

" I'll ask him about it," Hermione said.

" Well let me know," Harry said, turning to leave. " I need to make sure that Remus knows exactly how many are coming."

Hermione gave him an odd look.

" And I thought that all you did was hear it from a painting?"

" I did!" Harry said, without looking at her.

Hermione went downstairs and entered his quarters without knocking. As his watcher, she had the right to enter without permission, something that still got on Severus's nerves. He glared at her, even though he was thankful for what she had done.

" Remus is getting married!" she told him.

" I heard!" Severus growled.

Hermione looked at him.

" And-"

" One of the paintings told me," Severus said, cutting her off. " And I don't want to go."

Hermione crossed her arms.

" And why?"

" I rather you find out the hard way," he suggested. " However, if you make me go, then I've got no choice. That paper that you got binds me to go with you, even if I rather get drunk and forget that I'm stuck with you for six months."

Hermione hissed at him.

" Well your going!" she stated. " It's next Sunday!"

" Yes, Master," he said.

She hissed again, then turned and left.

Later that night, after the elves had delivered Severus his dinner, the ghost of Dumbledore visited him. Fawks had come to visit as well, which didn't help Severus mood. He poured him a glass of Whiskey, trying to forget that he was being forced to be around other people.

" Well Severus, I'm glad that you're not in Azkaban," Dumbledore said.

Severus took a drink, and then said, " I thought you told me that I would be cleared."

Dumbledore sighed.

" The hearts of men are not as open as I usually thought," Dumbledore said. " They don't want to believe that anyone that use to be evil, could be good. I must say that this vow that you took ruined your second chance."

Severus took another drink.

" And now I've got to go to every function that Miss Granger attends. Remus's wedding is something that I could live without attending."

Dumbledore looked at him.

" And why is that the case?"

" Because that arrangement is enchanted and Granger is to filled with lovely images of weddings and white dresses to even notice."

Dumbledore chuckled, which irritated Severus to no end.

" Do you want me to tell her?"

" No, let her find out on her own!"

Dumbledore chuckled again.

" Whatever you say, Severus."

And he zoomed out, taking Fawks with him.

Over the next several days, Severus got use to the idea that he no longer had to worry about being in Azkaban. Even though everyone thought he was a rotten wizard, his potion did get notice and word came down to him that despite the fact that he was under probation, his potion would be added to next years potions book. Severus seemed pleased by this, but didn't expect any prize for his trouble. He also got to work on his project, something that would be checked over by those in the Ministry.

However what made his imprisonment harder was the fact that Draco Malfoy, who had left Hogwarts, had come to visit, to gloat most likely. His ability to block his mind from a Ministry official like Draco was removed as part of his probation. Draco entered and at once pulled his wand out. He was just about to utter the incantation that would open Severus mind, when Hermione and Remus entered. It took ten seconds to realize what was happening.

" What in the devil are you doing here?" Hermione hissed.

" Nothing!" Draco lied.

Hermione pulled Severus wand out and showed it to Remus.

" Oh I know what you're doing," Remus told him, glaring at him with pure hate. " You're trying to attack an unarmed man. This would look very good with the Ministry."

Draco snorted with laughter.

" I work for Umbridge and she has bared Severus from attending the wedding or doing anything that might make him money. We got word that Severus is planning on writing a book. He is prohibited from publishing it."

Hermione and Remus both stared at Draco in shock.

" I'm the Watcher!" Hermione hissed, her whole body filled with rage. " I told him that he could go, and that's where he's going."

" Unless your married to him, he can't go," Draco said. " Anyway, who would want to be around a murderer?"

And he turned and left. Hermione slammed the door, causing it to almost get knocked off its hinges.

" Ooh that boy makes me so mad!" Hermione growled. " He can't come to the wedding, he's to stay in his room at all times!"

Remus thought over what Draco had said, and figured that Umbridge was only doing this to get back at Severus for giving her a fake truth potion. However, if the Ministry said that he could go as long as she was with him, then turned around and said that he couldn't, and then Umbridge was influencing the Ministry in more ways the one.

" Is there any chance that we could sneak him in," Remus asked.

" There might be a way!" Hermione stated. " I remember brewing the Polyjuice Potion in my second year. The magical guards that inform the Ministry if Severus will be near that wedding can be fooled as long as Severus looks like someone else."

Severus looked at her.

" And your willing to break the law so that I can be punished further," Severus said.

Hermione looked at him.

" No, I'm willing to break wizarding law so that you don't go insane in here," Hermione corrected.

Hermione left Severus quarters and went into the Potions Master's office and took the ingredients that she would need. She at once discovered that Slughorn had made a batch of the potion, which he would use for his first class of the term. She poured some into a bottle and then got a sample of Charlie Weasley's hair.

" No need to take any chances," Hermione said. " Just hope that Mrs. Weasley doesn't hug you."

Remus laughed.

" That would really make her faint!" he said.

Hermione grinned.

On Sunday Hermione went with Harry and Ron to Remus and Tonks's wedding. Severus would arrive near the end so that at least he could say hello to several people and have an hour of fun. Even though Severus was against this wedding, the idea that he could put one over Umbridge and Draco was to good to resist. He drank the potion and then joined the wedding down in the Great Hall. Severus was lucky, Mrs. Weasley had gotten sick, and couldn't make it.

Tonks threw the banquet up in the air and to everyone's delight, Hermione caught it. The same went with the garter, and Severus was amazed that he had caught it. Both were having to good of a time to realize that the spell had been placed on both, causing them to fall under the same spell, the spell that made them married.

The next morning when Severus woke up and went to take his breakfast, he got a letter from the Ministry. He noticed that it was from a department that he didn't even know existed.

Dear Mr. Snape,

A wedding spell was activated at 12:31pm on Sunday June 12. You are hereby married to Hermione Jane Granger.

Sincerely and with much luck,

Lee Jordan.

" WHAT!" Severus roared.

He was sure that Lee was laughing somewhere in the background.

A/N: Well that was something that no one expected. Next chapter: Lee comes to visit and has something to give to Severus.