Hello everyone. This is my first ever fan fiction so please bear with me. I am not sure just how long this is going to be, but it may be quite long. I will try to remain faithful to canon but deviations will be made given the nature of this fic.
This takes place during the summer of Hermione's sixth year making her of age. All characters belong to JK Rowling, I am just borrowing them.
Chapter Two: My Blood Is Boiling
Hermione noticed that her former defense professor seemed quieter than usual the next morning. He greeted her with a smile that she could only describe as sheepish and avoided her eyes throughout breakfast. He didn't even bat at an eye at Kreacher who greeted them with his usual malice. Hermione wondered exactly had happened last night at the order meeting.
She hadn't heard anyone's voice other than Dumbledore's and Kingsley's but it seemed like everyone had been upset. She had never seen everyone on edge like that before. But then again she had never spent an entire summer in Grimmauld Place before, for all she knew it could have been a common occurrence. They were in the middle of a war and war came with all sorts of problems, arguments were the least of them. It was a wonder three of her professors were even able to teach while trying to help run the order. It dawned on her that Dumbledore kept her away from the meetings for more reasons than her age. The burden of war was something that no one should have to bear. Even though she wished she could make Dumbledore see that she was capable of handling herself in the order, she knew she would have to back off.
She watched as the tired werewolf excused himself from the table and slunk off to the library as usual. His face looked more tired than it was before and he had cleared his throat a little louder than necessary. She bit her lip thoughtfully before rising to follow him to the duty, book filled room. "Professor," her voice was low and slightly timid.
Lupin's head snapped up from the book he was reading. "Yes, Hermione?" He sounded a bit nervous. Hermione steeled herself for a letdown.
"Sir, I was just wondering. About last night, things seemed….Erm, well. They didn't exactly seem friendly," her voice trailed off as she rose her eyes to meet the professor's.
"You heard?" Lupin could barely contain the surprise in his voice. The young witch nodded. "Well, I couldn't make out anything exactly but I heard lots of shouting," and saw a murderous professor, but Lupin didn't need to know that she was sticking her nose where it didn't belong.
Lupin visibly relaxed and his fingers began playing with the edges of the pages that he was reading. His eyes danced about the words but it was obvious he wasn't focusing.
"Is something wrong? Is Voldemort planning to strike?" Suddenly a more sinister thought crept into her mind. What if her parents were in danger? Even worse, what if they were dead? She felt panic creep into her throat Her parents couldn't be dead, no way. The order could protect them right?
Lupin shook his head slightly. "No, no. Everything's fi—um. Well, no plans of world domination quite yet," he gave a small smile and Hermione couldn't help but smile back at his dry humor.
She thanked him and turned when Lupin piped up again, "Dumbledore wanted to see you" Hermione stopped, her hand on the doorknob and turned to face Lupin.
"When?" Her voice was laced with hopefulness but her eyes were nervous. "Soon. Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. It all depends on when Sn-" The werewolf bit his tongue deciding it was best not to say anything more.
"On what? What does it depend on, Professor? Does it have to do with Professor Snape? It DOES have to do with Voldemort doesn't it?" Her mind began moving a mile a minute as she wondered why Snape had been so angry a few nights ago.
Lupin shook his head, more forcefully this time, and decided not to say anymore. "Dumbledore will be here soon, don't worry we'll fill you in soon enough." Hermione took note of the way her former professor's face flushed at his own statement and nodded before retreating to her room.
Hermione spent the rest of her day in her room studying her new textbooks. She was finally trying to work out what she wanted to do with her life when she graduated and looking over her transfiguration textbook she suddenly decided that might want to go into education. If the wizarding world could really be so dangerous than she would protect the students to the best of her ability while giving them the best weapon she could, knowledge. If she didn't her only other choice would have been healing. She wasn't a fighter like Harry and Ron, she didn't want to try and become an Auror. As much as she respected Mad Eye and Tonks they were impulsive and acted before thinking, she could not work in an environment like that. She truly wanted to help, not fight fire with even more fire. When Kreacher walked by her open door to announce that he would have dinner ready in no less than an hour she closed her textbooks and made her way to the bathroom.
Grimmauld Place was not graced with shampoos and conditioners when she first arrived. Lupin had told her that he and Sirius had washed their hair with a bar of soap since they were in school, they couldn't be bothered with trying to find nice smelling and over priced concoctions. Hair tonics and potions may have been more common in the wizarding world, but apparently men felt just as clean using regular body soap. She didn't doubt that but she didn't understanding how they could stand to dry out their hair like that. Her own hair was already impossible to manage. So Lupin had sent out for some nice lavender scented hair potions that not only smelled even more amazing than her normal hair product, but left it feeling much more manageable. She had never thanked Lupin for the improved condition of her hair, but there was no doubt that he noticed her constantly running her fingers through it.
Once she got out of the shower and started to towel herself off she heard voices. She couldn't make them out, but her heart began to pound faster as she desperately hoped it was Dumbledore and the order. She cursed to herself softly as she realized that she left her clothes in her room out of habit and wrapped a towel around herself. It would have to do for the moment. She slipped out of the bathroom as quietly as she could and made a mad dash for her room so that she could slip into some clothing. She almost decided to put her jeans back on, after all, could the headmaster take her seriously if she appeared in her pajamas, but it was evening and she didn't own anything salacious so she decided to slip on her cotton muggle football t-shirt and her silk bottoms. She did forgo the frog covered sleeping robe and stepped into her plain blue slippers.
She hadn't even made it halfway down the stair case when the headmaster's booming voice greeted her. "Miss Granger! What a pleasure to see you as always," she ducked to see the old wizard with his arms held out in a warm greeting.
"Likewise Headmaster," she responded, her voice betraying the nervousness she felt in her stomach. His voice was nothing like the fierce shouting she heard several nights ago and there was not a hint of anger on his face. Her eyes slipped past him however, and noted that Severus Snape looked a little paler than usual and was staring intently on a spot on the rug. Her stomach sunk, knowing that her potion's professor never wore such a look on his face. There was something very wrong here if he wasn't greeting her with a sneer.
"There's something that we must discuss with you, Kingsley should be here with us but he has some obligations he needs to handle tonight," the headmaster explained. The raven haired man next to him snorted, but his eyes did not leave the spot of carpet, that Hermione feared would catch fire under his gaze.
Lupin motioned for everyone to enter the dining room and he even pulled out a chair for Hermione which she accepted, before taking a seat next her, his body language uncharacteristically tense. Dumbledore crossed to the opposite side of the table and sat directly opposite of his young pupil while Professor Snape opted to stand with his back facing all of them. He was beginning to startle Hermione at this point. She had never seen Snape in such a reclusive state before. He usually commanded the attention of everyone in the room, now his head hanging low, hair masking his face made her worry. It was as if he was trying to make himself appear small, non threatening, as if he wanted to disappear. She felt her throat tighten.
"Kingsley informed us of a new law that was rumored to come into play, several weeks ago," Dumbledore began. Hermione leaned forward to listen to what Dumbledore had to say. "He told us about it immediately so we were prepared for it in case there was any truth to the ridiculous rumor that was going around." Lupin piped up for a moment, "It really seemed like a horrible idea. None of us thought it was going to happen." Dumbledore simply held up a hand to stop the old werewolf.
"Last week Kingsley told us that the rumors were true and that the law was going to go into effect in two weeks, at the same time, Severus was called to a meeting by he-who-must-not-be-named," Hermione watched as the black clad back of her professor shivered. "It would seem that he himself had his spies in the ministry put the law through in an effort to get to you, Hermione."
The young witch blinked and opened her mouth to speak, "To me? A law? Professor, what kind of law are you talking about?" Surely he hadn't managed to finally ban muggle born witches and wizards! She shivered at the thought.
"It would appear that the law forces muggle born witches to take the hand of a pure blood or half-blood wizard." Before he could even finish, Hermione interjected. "Only witches! How sexist! So we are to become trophy wives! That is absolutely absurd Headmaster, surely you-"Dumbledore silenced her with a pointed look.
"My dear, I'm afraid it gets much worse than that. Severus was informed that the dark lord does not intend to lose you at the hands of some common wizard. His men at the ministry are going to make sure that you can only marry one of his Death Eaters," he paused to allow Hermione a moment to look appalled "there is no way that you will be able to marry a Weasley as Molly so kindly suggested, or anyone else for that matter."
"If I even were to consent to this ludicrous law who does he think I would marry? I hardly keep the company of Death Eaters! Aren't half of them married off anyway?" Dumbledore nodded gently.
"Originally he wanted you to marry Draco Malfoy, Lucius had some objections it seemed, and suggested that he put Severus to use and convince me that you marry him." Hermione's face contorted with anger.
"Oh right, because I would marry my bloody potion's professor. You couldn't even allow such a thing could you? That's so incredibly stupid, not to mention selfish, of Lucius bloody Malfoy. Shouldn't he be able to sacrifice his son for a simple bleeding task like marriage?" Dumbledore looked at her carefully over his half moon glasses.
"You would rather marry ?" Hermione's eyes widened.
"No of course not, I'm not marrying anyone for crying out loud! I just think that it's ridiculous that Voldemort thinks Professor Snape can drop his professionalism and beg you to marry his student!" The headmaster coughed uncomfortably and Professor Snape shifted slightly, a low and irritated noise coming from him.
"Miss Granger, you do know that we have no choice. If you do not comply then your wand will be confiscated and you will be obliviated and sent to a muggle care facility, once the authorities realize that you are a young woman with no memory sense the age of ten and no family on record." Dumbledore's tone was low but firm.
Hermione let out a breath of air and slumped backwards into her chair. "Surely you haven't agreed to this crazy plan. There has to be some way out!" Dumbledore's face was solemn as Lupin rose to grab the newspaper off of the stove. He handed it to Hermione. Her eyes scanned the page and saw that the Ministry had a big announcement coming soon. She let out a groan.
"But…but…There can't…We can't…" Hermione could not find any words to express how she felt. She was shocked and appalled on principle but one part of her was slightly confused. She had harbored a crush on her potion's professor since her first year but the man was made of stone, even if she liked him enough to agree to marry him there was no doubt that he would make her life a frozen hell.
"Hermione, at some point the law will get reversed; once the war is won we can think about that. But for now we all have to make sacrifices. I know that this isn't exactly the greatest situation in the world, but there's nothing we can do for now. Please do not be too upset with myself or Severus, there's nothing we can do unless you want to be obliviated or killed." Dumbledore reached across the table and grasped her hands in his own in an effort to show sympathy.
Professor Snape finally turned to face them, his hair falling away from his face as he snapped his head at her. "Do not dare mentioning this to any of your friends. No one is to know about this. Molly has promised to keep it a secret from her children and if that old witch can bit her tongue than surely you will be able to fight your foolish impulse to open your mouth for once in your life." His tone was dangerously low and Hermione felt a chill wash over her.
"Of course," she almost sounded offended.
He titled his chin up slightly, in an effort to appear dignified. "Word may get out eventually. Draco has been becoming more and more defiant of Lucius and myself. If word does get out, you will maintain some dignity about it. You will not acknowledge gossip and you will speak nothing of our personal life." She nodded.
"Legally you will be , in the classroom you are still Miss Granger, do not forget that. Any legal documents that you need to sign you will keep to yourself. I do not advise signing for anything in the great hall and I would recommend not letting your friends read mail over your shoulder," his voice was getting lower and lower as he spoke.
"Your head of house is already making the proper alibis for your sudden housing change," Hermione blinked. "The ministry will be keeping close tabs on our marriage, if they see that you are not sleeping with me there will be legal ramifications Miss Granger." She wanted to crawl under a very large rock at this point.
"Can't, can't Voldemort you know…give us a pass because I'm a student?" She was finding it quite hard to speak any louder than a mouse right now.
Professor Snape scoffed and shook his head. "You are not a child, and it is my job as a death eater to break you down. He expects us to become intimate on many different levels to get you to swear loyalty to me. He expects us to share a bed nightly, unless of course I am called away." She wanted to give Voldemort a piece of her mind right about now.
Dumbledore let go of Hermione's hands and rose from the table. "We must be going Severus, Miss Granger we will put through the proper paperwork. Once that is done Severus will take you to the ministry to be married. Once that is done you two will have to make living arrangements." She could do nothing but nod at the headmaster as the two of them left.
Lupin coughed uncomfortably as the front door slammed shut and Hermione let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding…