Chapter 17: Gryffindor Meddling

{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...

Narrowed eyes of the coldest obsidian were fixed on the helpful young witch with the most unruly bushy brown hair and irritating sense of herself that made the cold and meticulous Potions Professor want nothing more than to draw his wand and hex her to oblivion. It only served to sicken him all the more in noting that this brainless Gryffindor chit was supposed to be his wife. He had not even wanted to get married. His experiences in matters that did little but increase his growing aggravation only served to make him even more enraged as he looked upon her.

"Must I have to endure your presence even before the blasted nuptials have taken place?" muttered Snape still annoyed at having to take part in a farce of a wedding.

"Professor, I believe Headmaster Dumbledore made his position on your opinion of our impending marriage very clear, and at the moment I am merely offering assistance due to your less than savory habit of binge drinking." she replied narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you always drunk when you teach such a dangerous class or is this a recent occurrence?"

"Are you always so bloody insufferable or is it a recent occurrence?" asked Snape mocking her in the process.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Potions Professor. He didn't seem the least bothered by her anger at his words.

"As a matter of fact, I happen to be appreciated a great deal by those who value actual intellect." she replied turning her attention back to looking for the potion to get her soon to be husband back on his feet.

Snape watched the girl struggle to grab the potion from the top shelf of on his office and got to his feet. He quickly grabbed the potion and managed to catch the witch as she slipped from one of her attempts to get it and tumbled into his chest.

"I...thank you for catching me Professor." she said with her cheeks a bit red as she turned her attention back to him.

It was all together stranger to have her body once more pressed against the ebony clad wizard's in such a close stance. Snape said nothing as he uncorked the much needed restorative potion and downed it in front of the rather concerned young witch.

"As you can see, I've taken the potion...your services are no longer required." said Snape in his usual icy tone. "You may get out of my sight now."

Hermione resisted the urge to hex the less than thrilled Potions Professor and turned her attention toward getting back to her house tower before anyone came looking for her and by anyone she meant Harry and Ron, possibly looking to get themselves into trouble with the Potions Professor.

"Have a good rest of the day Professor Snape." she said before taking her leave of him.

Snape resisted the urge to fire off a hex at her and turned his attention to the lessening effects of the hangover he was suffering from. As much as he hated to admit it, the insufferable know it all ha]d the right idea when it came to getting him to take the potion before the full effects of his drinking got the better of him.

Still reeling from the effects of the firewhiskey, Snape was about to make his way back toward the desk when he noticed a lone glass of water sitting on the edge seemingly waiting for him. Rolling his eyes he dared not give the Gryffindor chit the satisfaction of being correct in her assumption about his apparent onset of thirst and conjured a glass via his own magic.

Given the level of dryness his particularly parched throat suffered, it wasn't enough and against his better judgement he downed the water glass the witch had left for him as well. Snape made is way back to his seat just in time to hear a soft rapping against his office door.

It didn't surprise him in the least when one of the younger Slytherins dared to venture into his office for an audience with their Head of House.

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The Common Room, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Hermione had been aptly worried about the Potions Professor but kept her concerns to herself Professor Snape was still her best chance to survive the marriage law and it only made her more interested in keeping him in one piece as it were. With a sigh, the young witch pushed down thoughts of her impending marriage and entered the Gryffindor common room pleased to see both Harry and Ron had managed to keep themselves out of trouble during her absence.

"Where have you been Mione?" asked Harry with an arched brow.

"Yeah me and Harry looked every where for you." replied Ron munching on an apple he had brought with him from The Great Hall. "We got word you were in the dungeons with Snape."

"I've was asking Professor Snape about a future assignment." replied Hermione evenly.

"Which one?" asked Harry with an arched brow.

"It's hard to recall." replied Hermione thoughtfully. "He wasn't in the mood to speak much let alone give me more information on the upcoming assignment."

"I just hope it's not another pop quiz." whined Ron. "I can barely recall enough for the known quizzes."

"You can barely recall anything aside from wizard's chess and what's on the menu for your consumption." said the amber eyed witch.

"At least wizard's chess is fun." said the red head wizard in defense of himself from Hermione's words. "And who doesn't want to know what's going to be on the menu when it comes time to eat?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned her attention toward an empty chair near the fireplace and grabbed a book from the nearby desk to settle into reading. She had a lot on her mind as of her up coming birthday and future marriage and she needed a bit of light reading to take the edge off.

Harry Potter couldn't quite place why he felt it, but he knew there was something strange going on with his best friend. He kept his suspicions to himself and proceeded to do a bit of reading himself, in the form of a comic book. It did little to distract his mind from the fact that Hermione had been acting strange ever since they returned to Hogwarts from 12 Grimmauld Place.