Thanks to Marajade179 for beta-ing this chapter and for the idea to create it.

To be honest I would have simply continued with Hermione coming back to school.

Hermione's summer

Or

Chapter 10

Mrs. Zahra Patil was a nice middle aged lady with a long dark brown hair that she wore in a bun. She loved Hermione like her own child and was absolutely horrified when that absurd law was passed. The witch just hoped that the Headmaster will find her adoptive daughter a good match. Her good opinion of the old wizard didn't last long unfortunately. This moment she was sitting in her cozy kitchen with her two girls and Hermione.

"Wait dear. Did I get that right? The Headmaster wanted you to marry the Weasley boy, but you choice your professor? I understand why you pick the man dear, but why in the name of Circe did the old man suggested that boy. I remember that Parvati wrote what he thinks about women's place in the family. Is he mad!" Hermione smiled at the older witch. She could see where Parvati and Padma got their fiery tempers.

"I don't know and I don't care. I am just glad that Severus is letting me to stay here for the summer." She rubbed the ring on her finger. Zahra Patil noticed the movement, and smiled.

"That's a very nice ring Hermione dear, and don't you worry, sometimes the things are not as bad as it looks. Just have fun this summer and relax." Zahra put her hand on top of Hermione's and patted it in motherly fashion.

"Don't worry Hermione it's going to be ok, you'll see. Now let's go unpack our trunks and get some rest. I feel beaten after the ride." Padma smiled warmly at the Hermione and Parvati.

"I need a shower." Parvati spoke up, as she took her friend's hand. "And so do you. I bet you will feel better after it."

"Off you go then girls. I still have to make you a dinner."

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The next day Hermione received a short note from her husband and the money for her summer and books for this year. In her opinion the amount of galleons was obviously too big but couldn't do anything about it if she didn't want to anger her other half.

"Oh and dear, you probably should owl Mrs. Westwind and tell that you won't be able to look after her mother in law." Mrs. Patil was reading her Daily Prophet and slowly eating toasts along with the girls.

"Yes, I probably should. Its pity that…"

Knock…. Knock

Zahra was confused. "Strange. Who could that be this early in the morning?" she rose and opened the door. "Lady Westwind! What a surprise." Parvati and Hermione choked on their toasts and Padma on her morning coffee. 'The hag is here!' a minute later Mrs. Patil shoved up in the kitchen with an old woman. The Hag Westwind as everybody called her was a small old woman, but surprisingly for her age fast and witty. She could give Snape the run for his money in the department of sarcasm and insults.

Padma was still coughing and Hermione with Parvati were gaping at the guest.

"Girls, must I say that it's extremely impolite to stair, and Zahra, are you going to offer me a seat finally?" the occupants of the room blushed.

"Of course Lady Westwind, how rude of me. Please sit down." Zahra was running around the hag, making her tea and getting the biscuits.

"So Hermione, dear, how was school this year?" the hag looked honestly interested. The Gryffindor had to grab the side of the table not to fall from the chair she was sitting in. The Patil twins were doing the same.

"…um…Thank you Lady Westwind, it was ok. I guess." 'Is it a dream?'

Lady Westwind narrowed her piercing blue eyes at the girl and Hermione gulped.

"What is wrong child? You were dying to be back at school the last time I saw you." A crash was heard behind her, Zahra dropped a cup from surprise, but the hag didn't even flinch. "Well?"

Hermione studied the old woman before her, and decided that beating around the bush with the hag from hell, wouldn't work. She took a deep breath.

"Thanks to the Marriage Law that have been passed recently… I am married now."

The Hag didn't look impressed. "Women get married all the time. I don't see what the big deal is."

"He is my Professor, 20 years my senior and Ex-death eater." The girl smirked with pleasure as the hag opened and closed her mouth few times before finally regaining the gift of speech.

"This is outrages! What was the Minister thinking? I girl like you should at least have a choice!"

"I did have a choice. There were two others who wanted to marry me. His offer was the best one."

"Really? What were the other choices that you picked him? Lucifer and Voldemort?"

"Close, it was Lucius Malfoy and Percy Weasley." Hermione expected the woman to inquire why she didn't pick Percy but the hag surprised her.

"Oh, my. Mr. The-sun-shines-out-of-my-arse-becouse-i-am-a-pureblood and The young Mr. I-live-to-kiss-Fudge's-boots. Lovely." The Patil's were silent; they have never heard the Lady Westwind talk so much without insulting the person she was talking to. The witch looked thoughtful. "A professor you say? Oh! Let me see the ring dear. .. " Hermione gave the woman her left hand. "Snape. So you married Severus Snape. Not bad. I have heard he is a bit of a bastard…"

For some reason Hermione felt offended. "He is not a bastard!" the four women cocked their eyebrows. "Well … most of the time." She muttered

"Where were you the last six years during the potions? For some odd reason I though you were attending it with me." Parvati finally managed to operate her vocal cords.

"Ok, Ok! He is a bit of a bastard. But I can speak back to him so it doesn't bother me."

"He didn't deduct points from you for that?" Now Padma voice it out her surprise.

"If he had, the Gryffindor would be in a negative total of points, Oh…for about …a decade."

"You will have to tell me later what you said. Maybe I will get away with saying that the next time he will pick on Ravenclaws." Padma was curious.

"Somehow I doubt that you will get away with offering to stick his wand up his a..h ha ha." Hermione laughed nervously suddenly realizing in whose presence she was.

"Good for you dear. A woman that can say that to her husband won't have a problem in dealing with his temper." The lady Westwind looked satisfied.

"How very Gryffindor of you Mya. As a Ravenclaw I wouldn't have the guts for that." Padma shook her head with a smile.

"You failed to mention that to us." Parvati was grinning at her friend.

"I did? Sorry, umm…must have slipped my mind."

"Ladies! You will be able to talk about it later. Now I want to know will you be willing to look after me this summer?"

"I'm afraid not, Lady Westwind. Severus asked…well more like ordered me not to work or he will make me stay in Hogwarts for the summer."

"I see. Well in that case would you mind to helping me reorganize that old library of mine? If you want your friends can help. I would be very grateful if you did and I refuse to be indebted over them." Hermione Granger smiled. 'I guess it's as close to a asking for a favor as it can be with her.'

"I don't see a problem with that. What do you say girls?"

"Sure." "Love to."

"Then I will take my leave. How about you three join me for tea tomorrow at four?"

"Love to, lady Westwind." Hermione smiled at the old witch and got one in return.

"Oh and Hermione, you can call me Estella. Have a good day Zahra." And she disappeared with a loud pop.

"Pinch me, I'm dreaming. Ow! I was just kidding Padma!" Hermione was scowling at her friend and rubbing her arm.

"Who was that, and what did you do to the real Hag Westwind?" Zahra was gapping at Hermione.

"Call me Estella? When was the last time she allowed someone to call her by her given name? When Merlin was young and was learning to control his magic?"

"Oh give me a break! She is not that bad when you know her a little better. Come on let's get moving, we have a dignoming to do."

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As the end of the summer was nearing its end, Parvati and Padma were invited to their cousin's party.

"Oh, come on Hermione! It's going to be fun! You don't have to flirt with anyone, just speak! Please come with us!" Padma Patil was a very skilled person when it came to persuasion. "It's a party not some date and you are coming with us. Pleeeaaase!"

"Padma, corrected me if I am wrong. Weren't you sorted into Ravenclaw?"

"You perfectly well know that I was." The Ravenclaw was puzzled.

"Good, so follow along. Now at your cousins party there will mostly be purebloods. Riiiiight?"

"Mostly, I guess."

"You are aware that between purebloods gossips travel faster than the speed of light? Right? Right! And Severus is a pureblood. I hope you catch my thought, my dear Ravenclaw friend. No? Let me explain. If a guy even looks my way, somebody will report to Severus that I was shagging in a middle of an orgy with at least two men! Is that enough of a reason for you to give me a break?"

"No. Go get dressed or we will be late."

"I hate you."

"Sure. Let me put the makeup on for you."

Hermione shook her head and looked at Padma who cracked a smile.

"You look lovely in this dress robe. Deep burgundy suits you Mya." The Ravenclaw was right; she did look good in her new burgundy robe. The Gryffindor's hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with a few loose strands were framing her face. A smoky eye shadow and a little pink lip gloss was Parvati's idea. Hermione usually didn't wear any.

Five minutes later they flooed over to the party. The first thing that Hermione noticed was that it was obviously an adult-free zone. A few wizards and witches were smoking and sipping fire whiskey. The Gryffindor wasn't a prude, but she had enough common sense to understand that later this evening the place would be full of drunken teenagers and lots of free rooms. She sighed. 'I better keep an eye on Padma and Parvati.'

Like most teenage parties it was full of laugh, smoke, and alcohol. A most potent mix for an explosion.

Their host was a pretty teen witch, named Cassandra. She kept everyone generously supplied with drinks. Till about midnight Hermione was having fun.

When the smoke started getting to her, the Gryffindor went to the deserted balcony on the second floor to have some fresh air. The night was cool and sky was full of stars. Hermione was looking at the constellation of the big bear when she felt somebody kissing her neck. She gasped and swirled around. Right behind her was standing a wizard with dark blue eyes. And Hermione had a sinking feeling that the nature wasn't the only reason that his eyes were so dark. She tried to walk past him but he trapped her between the rail of the balcony and himself.

"I have been watching you tonight, Hermione." His low and husky voice and the fact that he knew her name were meant to make an impression on her. 'Only when the angels start flying out of your arse, pretty boy.'

"Good for you. If you'll excuse me I have to find my friends." He smirked and prevented her from passing again.

"The twins? Oh don't worry about it, they are having a good time with my friends and don't miss you. By the way my name is Derek." Something in his voice when he was saying having a good time made her stomach drop.

"Please to met you Derek, but I better be going." He caught her in his embrace and she wasn't able to reach for her wand that she was keeping in her left sleeve.

"Let go of me."

"Why don't we go have some fun?" and tried to kiss her. Hermione could smell brandy in his breath.

"Let go of me. Or you will be very, very sorry."

"What are you going to do? Scream? I put silencio on this balcony, so relax and enjoy the ride." Now she could clearly feel his erection against her stomach. She started to panic.

"I am married." Hermione blurted out. He laughed.

"Like I would fall for that. Nice try. And who is your husband? An impotent old man that can't keep his woman at home? Don't make me laugh! A married woman's place is in the house everyone knows that. So you can't be married."

That struck a nerve in the Gryffindor. Suddenly she imagined that it was Percy the Sod and she kneed him in the family jewels. He doubled from pain.

"Listen here, you mistake of nature. I am married. Maybe I should introduce myself to you, you punk? The name is Hermione Snape. If you breathe a word along the lines of 'I seduced her' or something equally perverse, I will sick my husband on you. You are of coarse, aware that Severus Snape is an ex-death eater?" He paled like somebody sucked the blood out of his face. "Good. Oh, and one more thing before I go." This time her knee connected with his nose and after sickening crouch he passed out.

Hermione did a very fast search spell and found that her friends were merely two rooms down the hall. She thanked the Merlin for the first time, that she was of age so she could do magic during the holidays.

She barged into the room without knocking.

"Hey shouldn't you be with Derek?" There were four wizards that looked around twenty and four witches, two of whom were her friends.

"Derek is taking a nap now. Girls I think it's about time to go home." Parvati and Padma rose taking the other two girls with them.

"You are going nowhere." One of the wizards protested. He obviously didn't want to loose his planed fun for tonight. Hermione decided that it was time to pull out the heavy artillery and head home.

"Boys are you all purebloods?"

"Yes. So?"

Hermione smiled evilly at them and showed them the ring; they paled like the dark lord himself was standing in front of them. "Oh nothing. Now let the witches thru or dear husband of mine will be notified about your behavior. You wouldn't like that to happen, would you?" The men before her parted like the red sea before Moses. When they were at the nearest fireplace Hermione turned to them. "Oh, I almost forgot, Derek is out cold in the balcony." and with a smirk she flooed away.

To say the least Parvati and Padma were very grateful that Hermione took them home by a mutual understanding the party wasn't mentioned for the rest of the summer which was uneventful.