Chapter 5

Hermione heard voices in the distance and than somebody was shaking her.

"Mya! Wake up! It's almost 10 o'clock. It's breakfast time! " On the weekends breakfast was served late. You were able to eat at the Hall almost all day.

She moaned. Her head was going to explode from the noise. Her sight was unfocused.

"Shut the Hell up, Patil!"

"Gee, Mya, you sound like Lavender, when she has a really bad hangover. But you weren't drinking that much before you left for your detention."

"Maybe she drank with Snape after she recovered from fainting."

Words penetrated thru the fog that surrounded her brain.

Snape… detention… drink… faint … Suddenly last night events crashed on her like an avalanche. She sat strait up in her bed.

"Merlin's Balls!" she started hyperventilating. 'Oh sweet mother of mercy, I'm engaged to Snape. Don't panic, don't panic Hermione.' She went pale.

"Lavender! Get her a glass of water, quick! Hermione, relax girl." Instead of giving her the water Parvati poured it on her head.

An ice-cold water helped Hermione to get over her shock.

"AAAAAAhHHHHHHHHH! CCCCOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLDDDDDDDD!"

"Better?" Lavender asked her with a smirk, which earned her a death glare in return.

"Your reaction was to Snape or that stupid Law?" Asked Parvati while performing a drying spell on her.

"Both. He found a way for me to stay at school. I won't have to marry Percy or Malfoy. You were right, Lav, I had a drink with him yesterday." She started massaging her throbbing temples.

"It's great Mya! I'm happy for you." Patil gave her a hug. Lavender on the other hand went slightly green when the realization dawned on her.

"You're not serious. No way are you…"

"Yes, Lav, I am. I still can't believe it or imagine it, but I am. It's the best offer I can get under these circumstances."

Parvati looked puzzled at the two. "What you two are talking about? Well never mind. I got something interesting. Dobby came earlier and left you a package. He said he was not allowed to tell who sent him. Strange. I checked there are no curses on it. Here is your package Mya."

"What's inside, Parvati?"

"I don't know. It's not for me, you know."

"You mean you couldn't open it." Parvati had the decency to look guilty.

Hermione opened the box at her first try. There was a vial of anti-hangover potion and a note. She drank the potion before reading and her head cleared in second.

Hermione,

You will receive the document, with the late morning post. We can discus our plans today by dinner. Seven o'clock at my chambers.

SS

Shit. So it wasn't some kind of weird dream. And he wants to talk about their plans. Merlin she really didn't want to think about it. There will be time to think about the fact that she is marring the most hated professor in school. The Gryffindor groaned. Or that he is the Head of Slytherin. She whimpered. Or that he is 20 years her senior. Ex-death eater.

'Ok, I have to look for the good side. He will let me to continue my studies, and get a job later. Good. I already have 6 years experience dealing with his temper, and last night proved that I could deal with it. A fat plus. I will never believe he is into woman abuse. Living with two biggest gossip ladies I would have known about it by now. No boy in school has the guts to hit on Snape's wife.'

She snickered. If God gives you a lemon, make lemonade. She was going to use all the advantages of this situation. It helped to forget the disadvantages.

Those who knew her will understand and the rest can drop dead.

Lavender's voice startled her "It's from him, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Here."

"Hermione, why does Snape sends you documents and what plans you two have together?" Parvati was still confused looking at the note, than she put two and two together. She went sheet white and fainted.

Apart from the morning incident the day was more or less uneventful. Hermione left her room only to receive the petition and went back immediately. The Gryffindor thanked Merlin that it was a Hogsmead weekend along with the last in school, so the common room was disserted.

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When the evening neared Hermione's friends picked an outfit out for her. It was a forest deep green robe.

…………………………………………..

The Gryffindor lioness managed to avoid insincere concern by hiding in her room, and Lavender or Parvati fended off all the girls that came to check on their friend. Until…

"I want to talk to Hermione, Brown, and you have no right to stop me!" Just what she needed. Ginevra Weasley to talk to. One of the back stabber's. Great.

"Get lost Ginevra, Hermione is resting. She had a terrible day."

"Well, so did I. I found out I m going to have her as my sister in law. She's not even married to my brother and she is already telling lies about him!"

"Ever considered them to be true, Weaslette?"

"How dare you! We all know she is a lying wen…" before Ginny could finish she had Levander's wand at her throat.

"Get out bitch, before I send you to the hospital wing for the summer." Ginny sneered but left.

"Mya, do you know what she was talking about?"

"My little chitchat with the headmaster. I bet McGonagall dutifully reported to Ron and then the word spread, I guess."

"Bitch. Anyhow, you should better get going if you don't want to be late for your first date."

"Lavender Brown, you are walking on thin ice here." Her only answer was a snicker.

"You should pack your trunk Lav, we are leaving tomorrow. I am going to miss you."

"Don't worry I'll crash at Patil's place in a week. And get moving, bat charming is waiting."

"OK, OK, put the Distracto charm on me, I have no wish to deal with the harpy today. And tell Parvati that Snape is not going to lock me in the dungeons."

After slipping thru the common room she went to the dungeons.