I hope you all enjoy the fic. I am not an English speaker, so please be patient with me. If you wish to help me, please send me a message. I will be grateful for your help.

Guest: I meant with the summary that nobody told him no because of his bitter personality that intimidates everyone. But I changed the summary to avoid any issue.

HexPhoenix: Thank you! Here is more.

Chapter 2: Assessing the damage

Hermione sat on the windowsill of her small London flat, gazing out at the city skyline, processing that now her name was listed as one of the most coveted prizes ever seen. She knew she should be grateful for having survived when so many others had not, but there were still unanswered questions lingering in her mind.

As the sun set, casting rose and yellow hues across the sky, Hermione found her thoughts drifting towards a man who had sacrificed everything for the greater good: Severus Snape. She had never been close with him during her time at Hogwarts, and his demeanor had always been cold and distant. It was hard to believe that the same man had played such a crucial role in their victory as a double agent.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione closed her eyes and reflected on what she knew about Severus Snape's life. Growing up in an unhappy home had shaped his bitterness and resentment toward the world, yet he had managed to find solace in his love for Lily Evans. His bravery in joining Dumbledore's side was a testament to his character - proof that people could change and make amends for their past actions, even if his personality remained the same. An owl arrived at her window, carrying a letter sealed with an intricate "S."

She hesitantly opened it and began to read.

"Miss Granger, I understand how strange it is to receive correspondence from me, considering our history and my less-than-admirable behavior during the war.

There is a matter of great importance that I wish to discuss with you. I would like to invite you to visit my current residence, a cottage hidden deep within the Forbidden Forest moors, where we can speak privately about your safety and future. It would be prudent for us to meet on 28th June at noon.

Severus Snape."

Hermione's curiosity was piqued, so warily she decided to visit Snape as he had requested. When the day arrived, Hermione Granger stood at the edge of the dense Forbidden Forest, steeling herself for the task ahead. The war may have been over, but danger still lingered in every corner. As usual, she had a plan - one that would take her to Severus Snape's hidden cottage deep within the woods. She knew it was risky, almost foolish even, with her name appearing in the Daily Prophet as a potential candidate for marriage. This only succeeded in putting her in danger with all the Death Eaters who needed to marry to avoid Azkaban. But Hermione was determined and unwavering.

With her wand at the ready, she ventured forward through the twisted trees and overgrown foliage until she reached Snape's secluded home, murmuring "Revelio" as she stood there. Hermione stood in awe as she stared at the hidden cottage in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. The surrounding trees and the mist that enveloped them added a mysterious aura to the place.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione knocked on the door that had been etched into the living wood of a mighty oak. The door creaked open and there stood Severus Snape, his face betraying a hint of surprise as he took in Hermione's presence. "Miss Granger, I take it you had no trouble following my instructions," he acknowledged curtly, his dark eyes full of an emotion she couldn't quite decipher. For a moment, tension filled the air between them, then Snape stepped aside and gestured for Hermione to enter his home. Once inside, they sat down in his dimly lit but warm living room by a small fireplace.

"So you're hiding in the deepest parts of the Forbidden Forest?" she asked as Severus simply shrugged. "Tea?" he asked and Hermione nodded.

He began hesitantly, "I believe you have read The Daily Prophet by now and understand how dangerous your situation is. You could be subject to unwanted advances from Death Eaters seeking power and revenge since the end of the war."

Hermione sighed but said nothing, silently urging him to continue.

"I propose," Snape said slowly, "that we marry – in name only – so that these individuals see you as unattainable. As a former Death Eater would serve as an unspoken warning to would-be suitors that if they crossed me, they would face consequences."

Hermione was taken aback, her mind racing as she attempted to process the implications of his proposition.

"I... I understand your intentions, Professor. But marriage is a serious commitment. We would have to truly trust one another," she said cautiously.

Snape looked down at his hands, his grip tightening on his teacup as he spoke. "Miss Granger, I have not forgotten your efforts to help, despite our acrimonious past. I only wish to help too."

The weight of the decision lay heavily on Hermione's shoulders. This union could protect her and offer some semblance of stability amidst the chaos of the post-war world. As Severus Snape held his breath, waiting for an answer, Hermione took a deep breath and considered the man before her - a man who had once been her enemy but was now offering her protection in their uncertain future.

Sipping on a cup of tea as she stared out of one the windows of the cottage , lost in thought, now holding another enigma within its walls – Severus Snape. Seemingly back from the dead and with the Ministry questioning his every move, Hermione couldn't shake the nagging question in her mind. Snape stared at her with his characteristic scowl. The resemblance to a bat was more evident than ever, as the black robe draped over his thin frame.

Hermione mustered up her courage, knowing that she could no longer let this crucial question go unanswered. "Professor, how did the Ministry discover that you are alive?" she blurted out. "Nobody even knew you had survived until this last month I believe."

"Ah," he sighed deeply, visibly conflicted about revealing any details. "It seems that I have some explaining to do." Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat before beginning his tale.

"After I had been bitten by Nagini," he said quietly, looking down at his hands, "I barely managed to counteract the magic with a last-ditch potion I had managed to create before I departed from Hogwarts." As he recounted his story, Hermione marveled at his resourcefulness and bravery. "I lived as a recluse for several days," Snape continued, "hiding deep within Knockturn Alley under an assumed identity. However, I remained vigilant and secretly aided those attempting to cleanse our society from the remaining dregs of Death Eaters."

Hermione's curiosity was piqued, and she leaned in closer. "But how did you eventually come to light? How did they find you?"

"A minor slip-up, Miss Granger," he admitted, his scowl deepening. "During an honorable event in my name at the Ministry of Magic, they tried to erect a statue in my name as a fallen hero. Of course, it didn't work out as they had initially wanted. It couldn't move because there was no body to be remembered. They never found me anyways." He sighed before continuing. "They listed my name in the Daily Prophet, expecting me to simply show myself to them."

Hermione felt a surge of empathy for the complicated man who had given up so much for the sake of others.

XXX

The Burrow was bathed in a warm glow from the setting sun as Hermione approached the familiar home of the Weasley family. The scent of Molly's home-cooked meal wafted through the air, welcoming her back to the place that held so many fond memories. As she stepped into the cozy living room, she found Harry, Ron, Ginny, Arthur, and Molly gathered around flickering photographs filled with laughter and joy. Hermione smiled as she joined them, examining the pictures from their school vacations at the Burrow. There they were—Fred and George attempting to toss Dobby high into the air using brooms while Ron hovered beneath, ready to catch him; Hermione sitting beside Mr. Weasley as he enthusiastically pointed out all the Muggle objects he had collected over the years; Ginny and Harry sharing an innocent kiss after winning a hard-fought game of Quidditch in their sprawling garden.

"We've been through so much," said Ginny softly as Hermione gently trace her fingers over the "Mudblood" tattoo Bellatrix Lestrange had carved into her arm. "But it's those memories that remind us of what we fought for."

"Going to Hogwarts made a big difference," Harry said. "But spending our vacations here, with all of you—" his gaze swept over each one of them—"that's when we felt at home."

The warm light of the fireplace flickered in the dimly lit living room of the Burrow. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Harry had decided to gather and catch up on things when Hermione revealed a piece of the Daily Prophet that she had been nervously clutching. With a shaky hand, she slid it across the table towards her friends.

"We need to talk about this," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the crackling of the fire.

Ginny glanced down at the headline which read: "Daily Prophet Announces Marriage Candidates" A list included names of unmarried witches and wizards, and to their horror, they saw their names written in bold among them.

"Merlin's beard! Even Death Eaters!?" Ron exclaimed loudly.

Harry clenched his fists as he read through the chilling article. He could imagine how remnants of Death Eater sympathizers could plan on forcing young witches and wizards into marriage as a way to further consolidate power in the magical community. The four friends quickly huddled together in a corner of the Burrow to devise a plan.

"What kind of sick people would do this?" Ginny asked, her voice raw with emotion.

Ron's face grew red with anger. "And they call themselves purebloods. It's sickening that they would even consider something so twisted."

"We don't have much time," Hermione said urgently. "We need a plan."

They discussed their options for hours, trying to come up with a solution. Harry suggested going into hiding or even changing their identities for a while. Ginny, on the other hand, insisted that they fight back and expose these twisted individuals.

"What if we pretend we're already engaged? That might keep them away," Ginny suggested.

Hermione blushed; Ron and she had kissed before. She wrung her hands nervously. "There's something I need to tell all of you," she began, her brow furrowed with concern.

Ron eyed her suspiciously, crossing his arms over his chest. "What is it?" he asked cautiously.

Hermione took a deep breath before revealing the heavy truth weighing on her shoulders. "Snape has proposed to me," she managed to admit, bracing herself for the shocked expressions on the faces of her friends.

Silence filled the room as they processed the unexpected information. Harry was the first to speak up. "Why would Snape have proposed to you?" he questioned cautiously.

Ginny chimed in incredulously, "Merlin's beard!"

Hermione hesitated briefly before continuing. "He did it to protect me from the Death Eaters," she explained softly. "My name appeared alongside Snape's in the Daily Prophet's list of marriage candidates, as you already know, which could potentially be targeted by Voldemort's followers." The tension among them was palpable as they struggled to comprehend Hermione's predicament. A heavy silence hung over The Burrow, as everyone absorbed this shocking news.

The tension among them was palpable. Ron felt his heart drop like a stone into his stomach as he prepared himself for proposing to Hermione that night. Trying to contain his jealousy and disappointment, he forced himself to mutter in a grim voice: "And obviously you refused, right?"