Another chapter in less than 24 hours? Woo! I'm on a roll!
Don't ask why I pushed this one out so quickly. I just had to write it while I had the chance.
And considering that I'm writing it in the school library, I think it turned out pretty well. Leave me a review and let me know what you think! I'll need a smile while I'm in class all afternoon! Please and thank you! You guys are the best!
I don't own Harry Potter.
Both of the men heard her gulp loudly. "Married?" Her mouth felt surprisingly dry. "You're kidding, right?"
Severus shrugged, a very uncharacteristic movement for him. "I'm not. It would shake the community, seeing as how it's rather serious. Currently, they're seeing us a wild, lustful fling. It might stir them up for quite a bit but, eventually, they would have to calm down."
Her brown eyes wouldn't get any smaller. She couldn't believe what he was saying so he looked to her Headmaster for help. However, her stomach dropped when she saw that he was smiling gently and nodding his head. "You can't possible agree with him?" Voice slightly hysterical, she yelped the sentence more than spoke it.
Albus chuckled deeply, as though he was sharing some secret with the Potions Master. "Severus has a point. Why are you so distressed? You can't be afraid of the commitment."
She sputtered, angry now. "I've been with him for a month! Not even that! Talking about marriage," she said the word with venom, "is hardly appropriate!"
"I could argue that." His gray-blue eyes were warm with mirth. "Growing up in my time, that sort of thing was quite acceptable; normal even. As a matter of fact, more marriages from my time stayed together than the marriages do today."
"If it bothers you that much, we could marry for show only. Quell the public. After all, it's what our relationship is to us that matters; everyone else is irrelevant." Severus spoke in a calm and easy manner and it made Hermione's blood simmer just underneath the surface of her skin.
How can he be so rational about such a thing?
Feeling oddly defeated, she sank into a chair as far away from them as possible and sulked, thoughts running freely through her mind. A week ago, Severus was unable to feel any emotion at all, and now he suggests marriage? He must be coming unhinged! But then, why is Professor Dumbledore agreeing with him? They can't be serious! I must be missing something here.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir, may I ask you a question?" Her brown eyes tentatively met his blue.
"Of course, Miss Granger. You just did. However, because I'm in a pleasant mood, I will allow you to ask another." The smile behind his beard was obvious.
"Did you tell Rita Skeeter? Was this planned?"
Snape scoffed and the old man chuckled. "Hardly. I'm quite oblivious as to who alerted the masses, I can assure you."
She folded her arms, feeling defensive. Suddenly, she wanted to be back in the main part of the castle. Being confronted by angry parents and confused students was suddenly a more-appealing prospect than sitting in this office, considering things as absurd as marriage.
As though he could read her mind, her lover spoke up, looking towards Albus. "I think that you should give the students their mail. I think that we'll be quite alright to face them. It may take some getting used to but I'm resilient."
The old man nodded in understanding and flicked his wand without an incantation.
They were dismissed from the office.
Out in the corridor, Hermione was trying her best not to panic. Severus was little help, smiling slightly to himself.
As they walked along, no one stopped them but the looks on the students' faces said it all. They read the Daily Prophet. They knew why they moved together. "So…" He grinned down at her, white teeth dazzling her for a moment. She had to remind herself that she was angry with him. "You haven't given me an answer yet."
She shot him a look that said Don't even try it. He laughed, deep in his chest, planted a kiss on her forehead then moved towards the dungeons.
Hermione left the scene quickly with burning cheeks. The stares were incredulous. "Take a picture!" She snapped to a group of second years. "It will last longer."
A loud click sounded to her left and she saw Colin Creevey, holding up a camera. He shrugged sheepishly. "You gave me permission, didn't you?"
"ARGH!" She broke into a sprint towards her dormitory before she could curse him and anyone else in the area. Head down, she couldn't see where she was going and she ran headlong into Draco Malfoy.
The two went flying to the ground, books scattering, and they both cursed loudly.
"Granger! Watch where you're going, you stupid prat!" He pulled himself up quickly and Hermione followed suit. She could hear the annoying clicking of Colin's camera from the other end of the hall.
"What's the matter?" She sneered. "You haven't got your two cronies to carry you so you need help walking? Piss off! I don't have time to deal with you!"
Waving her wand, she sent her books to her room and left the blonde-haired Slytherin smirking after her and she continued on her way.
She yelled the password to the Fat Lady, and climbed inside the portrait hole as quickly as she could. The common room was virtually deserted with classes going on so she ran for the stairs.
Here, however, she didn't pay enough attention and she ran into another warm body.
Before she could get a look at who it was, the two fell in a heap down the stairs.
Dazed, Hermione didn't move at first, cursing herself for her attraction to collisions today.
"Blimey, Hermione… I didn't think that you would skip class, of all people." Her eyes snapped open and she was staring at Harry's bewildered face. With a snapping sound, she shut her mouth and stood up.
"Yeah, well, if there was ever a better time…"
He nodded, looking up at her. "So… have you heard?"
"Heard what?" She snapped, yet again, attempting to smooth her gentle curls back into place.
"That you're cheating on me with Snape, of course. It's in all the papers. After that stunt that Dumbledore pulled at breakfast, everyone was eager to read what he was trying to hide."