Disclaimer: I am not making a dime off of this.
A/N: This chapter is a reposted version of one I put up earlier today. It has been doctored by my lovely new beta whoopsydaisy, if you have already read it the plot is not affected but it is a little more clear.
Life For Rent
Chapter 3
Hermione sat at David's kitchen table pushing the food around her dinner plate in circles. David was telling her about his day but she was only half listening. She had spent the last few weeks contemplating what she was going to do about her relationship with him. There was only eight weeks left before the Ministry would contact her so they could find her a match using their own matchmaking methods. Hermione decided the best approach would be to explain the situation to David. If he agreed they could make things work for any magical children they might have then that would be great. If not, well she would cross that bridge when she got there. Unfortunately, she couldn't put it off any longer. It wasn't fair to either of them. So while he was rambling on about how one of his student's wrote an essay explaining that Shakespeare was responsible for the murder of Ben Jonson and blah, blah, blah, Hermione was thinking about the London Bridge trying to decide if she would rather cross it, or just jump off halfway through.
"Hermione. Hermione!" Hermione snapped her head up at David's raised voice.
"Are you alright? You haven't eaten a thing and I know you aren't listening to me." He said matter-of-factly.
Hermione dropped her fork on her plate and pushed it away from her. Might as well get it over with, she thought, just rip it off like a band aid.
"David we really need to talk about us and our future." She blurted. David looked at her dumbstruck.
"Our future? I thought things were good between us. I know we had our rough patches with me finding out you were a witch, but…" David trailed off at the look on her face. This was bigger than that and he could tell.
"David, the Ministry of Magic has passed a marriage act that is making it incredibly difficult for all witches and wizards. You see, the magical population in Britain has been steadily declining and with two wars in twenty years it has seen a sharp drop. Pureblooded wizards are tending to give birth to squibs, which is essentially a genetic defect caused by a little too much inbreeding. Therefore Purebloods are being strongly encouraged to marry people with less than pure blood, just as muggle-borns, such as me, are being encouraged to marry wizards who are not in order to increase the likelihood that their children will be magical." Hermione paused so David could absorb what she had just said. She had told him enough about magical bloodlines for him to understand, at least vaguely, what she was trying to say.
"So, what are trying to say? What is the Ministry going to do if you don't marry a wizard?" David asked. He didn't even want to talk marriage with her yet, let alone in these circumstances, and he certainly wasn't ready to consider children. He was a teacher; he got enough of them at school already. But that didn't mean he was ready to lose Hermione.
"Basically what they are doing is charging exorbitant tuition fees to students who are born in non-Ministry approved partnerships to attend Hogwarts. They are also implementing several other deterrents and employing reward systems for those who follow the new law. For example, children born in approved relationships will go to Hogwarts for free. There are other things as well, but that is the gist." Hermione was beginning to get fidgety. They were getting closer to the meat of the discussion and she wasn't sure David was ready for it.
"Well, I don't understand what that has to do with us just yet." David actually thought he might know but he wasn't ready to admit it just in case he was wrong.
"If we were to stay together and have children there is a good chance that one or all of them would be magical. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would want to raise them in the magical world, and it would be very expensive." Okay, so the facts were out. Good Hermione, keep it objective, keep feelings out of it.
"What about me though? I never even said I wanted children, even if I do, I'm not sure I want to raise them in a magical world." David was right; he had seen where this conversation was going. He was perfectly happy with Hermione. His family knew she was a book buyer but they thought she was a muggle book buyer. Having kids in a magical world would be impossible for him. Not thinking about a family was one way he was able to stay with Hermione without worrying about her secret being exposed to his family.
"I was afraid of that, and I understand. It's just that I can't give up my magic and if I had a magical child I would definitely want them raised in the magical world. It is just too important to me. It is the only place I have ever really fit in." Hermione said feeling the beginning of break up despair creep into her gut.
David stood quickly and slammed his chair against the table. "What the fuck Hermione! What happens to you if you don't obey the law? You're willing to give up what we have for it?"
Hermione stood up too, getting angry as well.
"If I don't submit my marriage plans they will find me a husband they believe will be best suited for me if I want to remain in the magical world. Since I am twenty-one I am not exempt from the law. And as far as what we have I am glad to know where you stand on the children issue. I love you very much but I have to give up half of my life and who I am to be with you. I have not regretted it so far, but I would regret it if I had to give it up entirely. I won't be a book buyer forever. I would like to teach at Hogwarts and I want kids, and I want those kids to go there and I don't want to lie to my mother-in-law about what I do!" Hermione had begun pacing across the kitchen as she ranted on.
"I need to know what you want out of this relationship." She finished sitting back in her chair and putting her head in her hands.
"I'm not ready to make that kind of commitment, especially considering our special circumstances." David said quickly, a little too quickly for Hermione's taste. "I'm sorry, but I just can't."
Hermione got up again and started making a pile of her things that had gathered there over the last two years. Tears filled her eyes as she shrunk pieces of their life together so she could carry them all in one bag. Three years with this person she loved was all over because of one stupid marriage law. But she had to make a choice and her time was running out.
"So it's over then? Just like that? You are choosing magic." David heaved himself into a chair. He wasn't ready to commit but it was a blow seeing Hermione pack up gather all of the things she had strewed about. He did love her. She was beautiful and intelligent and so full of life and promise, but he couldn't see himself being associated with the magical world forever, or having kids anytime soon.
"Yes I'm choosing magic. It's in my blood. It's who I am and it will always be there even when you aren't." Hermione snapped. Then after a paused she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed wearily. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's just you can't assume this choice was easy for me."
David sighed in resignation. It was over with Hermione. "Well what's going to happen? Do you have someone else waiting to marry you in case I decided not to?"
"No, David, of course not. But if I can't be with you I really don't care who I'm with right now. The ministry has magical methods of finding the best match for me. They have ways of playing matchmaker that prevent incompatible couples from being forced together, so whoever I end up with will probably be someone I can at least get along with." She said more to convince herself than to convince him.
"So, you aren't even going to try to find someone on your own? That's really screwed up Hermione. I can't believe you would want to stay in a world that would put you through that."
"It doesn't even matter. Even if the marriage law didn't exist we wouldn't work out because we are from two different worlds and we want different things. It's just a good thing we had this catalyst to see that." Hermione dashed away the tears pouring out of her eyes quickly. "It's been great David, but this is good bye."
Hermione gave him a quick hug and picked up her bag. Before he could say or do anything she apparated herself into her own bedroom at her parent's house. Once there, she flopped on the bed and cried herself to sleep, something she hadn't done since Ron abandoned her and Harry while they were hunting for Horcruxes. Something had broken in her that day, and something else entirely had broken in her when she lost David. Her life was officially not her own anymore. She would owl the Ministry and set up an appointment so they could evaluate her for her best matches. If she couldn't be with David she didn't care who she ended up with. She would learn to live with it later when the loss didn't hurt so much anymore.
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Severus Snape had lost his damn mind. He had allowed Narcissa Malfoy to fix his botched attempts to straighten his teeth and cut his hair. He agreed that he had improved from relatively unattractive to somewhat decent but that was not what led him to believe he was going insane. No, the reason Severus Snape would willingly allow someone to put him in St. Mungos with a case of addled brains because he had agreed to go out on not one, not two, but three blind dates all set up by Lucius and Narcissa.
The first two women were purebloods with lots of old money that the Malfoy's thought he would actually like. Lucius was convinced that their money would attract him while Narcissa thought that he would be seduced by their perfectly coiffed hair, slim bodies, and designer clothes. The wrapping never really appealed to Severus. He was more likely to appreciate the gift underneath; i.e. the brain. Neither of those first two women had one and he was more than willing to pass.
The third date, the one he was currently on was with the none other than Rita Skeeter. He never had been able to stand that woman. She was shrewd, yes that was good, cunning, good as well, but she was also a right nasty bitch that was eyeing him like he was some sort of piece of meat. She had spent the whole of the evening chewing on the end of her quick quotes quill ready to jot down anything he might possibly say that would be juicy news. He had resolutely spent the evening staring her down in stony silence. That didn't stop the relentless stream of questions.
"So, Severus how has your relationship with Harry Potter changed now that he knows how close you were to his mother?" She asked unabashed. She was either a moronic imbecile or she had no, er no, no nothing else, she was just an imbecile.
"I don't see how that is any of your business." He replied icily. The truth was that he and Harry had exchanged a few letters and were slowly getting on good terms. Harry had explained via post that although he thoroughly expected him to reject his requests of information on his mother that Severus was the only person still alive who really knew her. He had agreed that yes, he did have useful information about her that Harry would like to know but it was taking time. Severus was still in love with Lily and he was decidedly uncomfortable revealing more of that part of himself than he already had. Of course he wasn't going to breathe a word of that to the bimbo in front of him. He was going to kill Narcissa.
Rita was undeterred. "Oh Severus, why so tense? We are supposed to be getting to know one another aren't we?"
"Why are you here? You aren't interested in being with me any more than I am with you." Severus sneered at her. "Wait, don't answer that. I know why you are here. You want an exclusive. Well, here is an exclusive for you. Not a chance. But since you like exclusives so much, I will leave you exclusively with the check."
With that he left a stunned Rita Skeeter staring after him as he exited the restaurant and apparated right on the spot. He would probably read about that in the Prophet and Witch Weekly. But he didn't care. He appeared right in front of the Malfoy Manor and banged on the door. One of the house-elves opened the door and Severus brushed right past ignoring him heading straight to the parlor where Narcissa would undoubtedly be.
He walked into the room to see Narcissa and Lucius locked in a passionate embrace but he really did not care what he was interrupting.
"What on earth were you thinking setting me up with that harridan?" Severus demanded as he helped himself to some of Lucius's finest brandy from the mini-bar.
Narcissa and Lucius both jumped around at his voice. Straightening her robes, Narcissa looked at her friend indignantly. "She is an unpleasant woman, you are an unpleasant man. I thought it might work out."
Lucius let out a loud chuckle. Severus stared at Narcissa for a moment before finally letting laughter escape from his lips as well. Narcissa was teasing him. The whole evening had been a set up for his friends' amusement. It was a good one. Severus wasn't angry and Narcissa knew from the get go that it would never work out. He really did need to get out more. But dating was not his idea of fun.
"Seriously though Sev, what are you going to do? You only have eight weeks left before the ministry takes action." Narcissa said patting him on the hand.
Lucius looked on with concern. Despite the rough patch during the war when Severus was favored over Lucius by Voldemort, Lucius had always been somewhat of a big brother to him. Lucius was many things sinister but he was a devoted family man and he did care about people. He wanted Severus to enjoy the same familial comforts he did.
"What about Draco, Lucius? Did he make an offer to Cho Chang? They have been together for awhile and I believe she is a half-blood, and a Ravenclaw so you know their kids will at least be intelligent." Severus said trying to divert the attention away from him.
"Yes he did make her an offer. They will be having an engagement party in month's time, just as soon as they return from Asia." Draco and Cho were off touring Asia and visiting some of her relatives. "But don't try to change the subject. What are you going to do?" Lucius said.
"Well, I might never be as lucky as Draco. I am a wholly unpleasant person to be around and there is no point in trying to seek out someone I am compatible with on my own. The matchmaking process the Ministry undertakes is very thorough and efficient. I will set up an appointment and hope for the best. I imagine that it will be difficult but with luck I will end up with someone who is just as uninterested in being married and only doing it to be allowed to stay in England and the magical world." Severus said resignedly. There was little point in delaying the inevitable. No one would ever be able to replace Lily in his opinion so he might as well get used to the idea of merely tolerating someone else. As long as that someone wasn't Delores Umbridge or Rita Skeeter, he could probably survive, though it would be nice to avoid Sybill Trelawney as well. Any of those women would surely drive him to an early grave and he was pretty convinced he harbored zero latent attraction for any of them. Unfortunately for Severus, attraction was indeed necessary for an match to be successful.
"That just sounds so terribly sad Severus." Narcissa said refilling her glass.
Severus stared at his glass for a moment swirling the liquid around inside of it. After a minute or so had passed he downed it in one shot and stood up. "Such is life Narcissa. I have learned to live with it. I will trespass on your hospitality no longer. Good evening to you both." Severus said regally bowing himself out. He apparated once more for the evening, this time directly into the living room of Spinner's End.
Severus walked around the house for a short while examining it. The house was very old and kind of small. Every square inch of the room was covered in books as was the library, his study, and his bedroom. Whoever he ended up with would probably want to remodel the old house. It was clean but dingy and he couldn't imagine any witch being happy there. His books however, were not going anywhere. He would rather build an addition for them than see a single volume leave his property. He would just have to make sure that his love of reading played through heavily when the Ministry evaluated him for a match.
Severus lay in bed for several hours that night racking his brain trying to picture every witch he could from around his year at Hogwarts. He couldn't remember all of them, the ones he could were either no longer alive, or had ceased being single a long time ago. It was no matter though. Severus had very little confidence that he would find true happiness and he was used to his life alone. Obeying this law was just another way of selling his soul to someone else and he was very good at that. He would give up a lot to keep his magic and to stay in his beloved England. And truth be told, when he had walked in on Narcissa and Lucius in a warm embrace after all those years together, he had felt a pang of what could only be jealousy at the fact that he had never had the opportunity to be with his true love.
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A/N: Thanks to all who sent reviews to my first two chapters. This one is closer to the length of chapter that I will normally be writing. Please review and let me know what you think!
