Chapter 16: A Forward Push
{A/N: Here's another update...It's been a while for this one...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Snape's Office, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Having done away with the constant throbbing in his head, Severus Snape turned his attention to the stack of parchments on his desk. It looked to be another long morning as he began to sift through them not at all in a hurry to grade them. There was an unwanted knock at the large oak door that had closed this space off from the rest of Hogwarts and cemented his privacy. With a sigh, he turned his attention to it, knowing all too well that whomever was on the other side of it, they were not in the business of bringing good news.
"Enter." he said turning his attention back to the parchments.
The large oak door opened and a very cheerful looking Albus Dumbledore made his way inside.
"Good morning, Severus." he said with a pleasant smile.
"I can hardly see what's good about it if you are here." muttered Snape not looking up from his desk.
Dumbledore didn't seem to take offense to the snide comment. Most of the time the younger Potions Professor wondered if the old goat had it in him to actually be offended by anything given his lifestyle, yet it didn't stop him from indulging in his own favorite pass time riddling the old man with snide comments and sarcasm.
"What brings you by Headmaster?" asked Snape at last meeting the elder wizard's eyes.
"I've come to inform you that the arrangements for your wedding to Miss Granger have been made." said the elder wizard with an unnerving twinkle behind his blue eyes. "Once she comes of age...you are to be wed indefinitely."
"Tell me something I don't know." replied Snape bitterly turning his attention back to the parchments.
"You are aware that there can be no use of contraceptives wizarding or muggle world wise." said Dumbledore in a rather serious tone.
"I am well aware of the rules regarding the new decree." replied Snape still embittered about the upcoming wedding.
"Very well." said Dumbledore. "I do not suppose I need to warn you as to the dangers you will face once the dark lord knows of your intentions toward Miss Granger."
The Potions Master had known all too well that once the dark lord and the other death eaters found out about his involvement with Hermione Granger, he was as good as fodder for target practice.
"I am." he replied still embittered. "If the dark lord sees fit to end my miserable life for this no doubt ridiculous stunt so be it."
The Headmaster sighed taking pity upon the younger wizard.
"Let us hope that it doesn't come to that." he said.
Snape rolled his eyes.
As far as he was concerned it didn't matter which side he worked for, both the despot and the old fool were one in the same when it came to forcing their collective wills upon others in the wake of their own selfish ambitions.
"Anything else?" asked Snape wishing to cut this conversation short, he had only so much time to himself before the Granger girl would be invading what remained of his miserable life and he wished to have it while he could.
"I would like a full report on your next meeting with the dark lord." replied Dumbledore. "I have reason to believe you should be summoned in the coming days."
"Am I to be surprised that you quite possibly leaked false information that could get me killed or am I to come to expect it by now?" asked Snape narrowing his obsidian gaze at the elder wizard.
"Both I suppose." replied Dumbledore not at all phased by his own antics regarding the younger wizard's duties as spy for the Order of Phoenix.
"So be it." replied Snape in an emotionless tone.
Having said all he needed to for the moment, The Headmaster took his leave of The Potions Professor.
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The Corridors, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Hermione Granger had managed to get out of another round of watching Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter practice on the Quidditch field. She had been all for the support of her closest friends, but she absolutely loathed the sport and all it's aspects. The young witch had been amazed to find that Professor Snape had been making his way down the same corridor again only this time he reeked of firewhiskey and his eyes were low and reddened.
"P-Professor Snape?" she asked confused as to why he had been so reckless on school grounds.
The harsh expression on the dour man's face was intensified as he noted her presence.
"What do you want?" he hissed rather angrily.
"S-Should you be indulging so much on school grounds at this time of day Sir?" asked Hermione not making it a secret that she knew he had been drinking.
"Shouldn't you be minding your own business." growled the drunken Professor as he leaned against the stone wall after losing his balance in his display of annoyance toward her.
"Sir." said Hermione growing tired of his antics already and the day had not even been over.
"Leave me the fuck alone." growled Snape stepping away from her in a fit of anger only to stumble backwards and fall flat on his back along the cold stone ground.
"L-Let me help you." she urged.
Snape swatted her hand away as soon as she extended it.
"I said get the fuck away from me." he growled once more. "Isn't it enough I have to be married to you in the coming days must you invade my privacy even now!?"
"Being fallen down drunk is not a matter of privacy." said Hermione narrowing her amber eyes at her future husband. "Especially when you are out in the corridors making a fool of yourself for the public."
"What the fuck do you know about being a fool?" he asked bitterly. "There isn't any aspect of this place that hasn't bore witness to my humiliation at some point."
"You need to sleep this off." she said. "I don't understand why you decided the middle of a school day was a good time to get drunk."
"It's not meant for you to understand." hissed Snape harshly. "Did you ever stop to think that perhaps you should simply go on and leave well enough alone?"
"You aren't well enough to be left alone." countered Hermione. "And besides...you and I are officially each other's responsibility...and given the impending wedding it's in my best interest to see that you make it there in one piece."
"Fuck you." hissed Snape crawling toward a part of the wall to lean against in a bid to stand on his own.
"Not until our wedding night dear." she countered with a bit of wit of her own.
Snape rolled his eyes, of all the times for her to get a sense of humor this was by far the worst. Against his wishes, Hermione escorted the angry wizard toward his office in search of a potion to get him sober before his afternoon classes. It seemed she wouldn't have to endure the annoyance of Quidditch this afternoon after all.