Chapter 20: Duty And Contempt

{A/N: Here's another update...}

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

Severus Snape's Office, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Severus Snape's obsidian eyes were ablaze with rage as he tried his best to keep from hexing the little chit known as Hermione Jean Granger for her audacity in placing herself in aspects of his life that were of no concern to her. She had been silent during their walk, a small boon despite his fury in her overstepping her bounds. He had already been forced to wed the silly girl and now she believed she had a right to interfere in his personal affairs.

The two of them continued the long trek toward his office in silence. Snape had been none too kind when he slammed the door behind him warding it heavily as his obsidian gaze fell upon the young witch whom had taken it upon herself to rush over and hug him once he had finished.

"Miss Granger...just because I am duty bound to be wed to you it does not give you the right to meddle in my personal affairs." he growled in annoyance.

"You were hurt and bleeding all over the place was I suppose to walk by and let you die?" she asked as he removed her from him.

She didn't understand what had been so bad about her offering him assistance there was no possible way he could have made the trip to the infirmary without it.

"Next time mind your own damn business." hissed Snape narrowing his eyes at the witch before him. "My job is hard enough without your Gryffindor sentiment getting in the way."

"I wasn't aware that common decency was a mere Gryffindor trait Professor." said Hermione narrowing her amber eyes at him in return. "Like it or not, you and I are going to become husband and wife and I'd like to at least maintain a bit of civility between us."

Snape slammed his fists on the desk knocking off a few parchments in his brief fit or rage.

"I fucking loathe you and everything about you." he growled. "I'd rather let the dark lord beat me to death than share a bed with you...a positively clueless girl who knows nothing about life and spends most of her time day dreaming about a world of that doesn't exist for the sake of pretending she's morally superior to those around her."

"Well you're no prize either." replied Hermione feeling her own rage as she glared at her Potions Professor. "A manic depressant git that takes his problems out on everyone in his path...you really are a contemptible git."

"And yet you foolishly petition to be wed to me." said Snape still very much annoyed by the entire ordeal.

"Yes." replied Hermione with a roll of her eyes. "Because as much as you are a git you take your duty seriously and have for as long as I've known you...why wouldn't I want the best man possible to stave off the other death eaters in a bid to keep from being killed?"

Snape sighed.

He knew already that there was no undoing their soon to be nuptials and sooner or later they'd have to progress the parameters of their so called relationship from the mutual understanding in the world of academics to the inevitable aspect of enduring sexual interaction.

"In the future, Miss Granger until I have no choice but to put up with your accused meddling steer clear of my personal affairs." growled Snape in annoyance. "I have enough to deal with, without you drawing unnecessary attention to yourself and myself in general."

Hermione sighed this time understanding at least in some small portion that Snape's reaction to being forced into something he wanted no part in only made his job that much more difficult.

"Fine." she said folding her arms across her chest. "Anything else?"

"Due to your apparent insolence you will be serving a week's detention for your cheek." said Snape leaning back in his chair.

Hermione further resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she reigned in her quite volatile temper. For the first time since the incident in first year, she had to fight to resist urge to set the contemptible wizard's cloak on fire.

"Is that all?" asked Hermione determined not to let the dour wizard get the better of her even in this little exchange.

"You are dismissed." replied Snape apparently satisfied that he had won the round against his most insufferable student.

Hermione turned her attention toward the door when it suddenly burst open and she found herself standing before Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Headmaster?" she said in confusion as the aged wizard's blue eyes fell upon her.

"Quickly Miss Granger, you and Severus must follow me immediately." said the elder wizard.

Snape got to his feet not at all liking the urgency of this apparent matter.

"What is going on?" he asked not truly wanting to know the answer if it involved Hermione Granger.

"There's been a change of plans." said Dumbledore. "More due a gross miscalculation on my part."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione with an arched brow as she and Snape both followed Dumbledore from his office and into the corridor.

"I'm afraid that special project that requires both of your attention has been advanced." replied The Headmaster clearly speaking in code due to being in the Slytherin dungeons.

Snape understood almost immediately and rolled his eyes.

The day he was dreading was finally upon them and he had not any time to take it in.

"What does that mean?" asked Hermione still a bit slow on the uptake.

"It means Miss Granger, that we are now confined to each other's orbit." replied Snape in annoyance.

"What?" she asked in disbelief after catching on. "How is this possible?"

She hardly had time to process it either.

"As I've said." replied Dumbledore. "There was a gross miscalculation on my part and if we are to ensure no one else discovers this the project must proceed as soon as possible."

Snape's eyes widened as did Hermione's.

They were to be wed sooner than either of them would have liked and it appeared it couldn't be helped.

Dumbledore lead the two of them toward the corridor where the room of requirement had been last located. Hermione Granger's stomach had been a bundle of nerves as she and Snape both were hot on the aged Headmaster's heels.

"I believe we were advised to wait until she was of age." said Snape in protest despite it being a feeble one.

"Unfortunately for you Severus, that time has come sooner than either one of us expected." replied Dumbledore. "Now we have not a moment to lose into the room both of you."

Snape's obsidian eyes flickered with further annoyance as he had been forced to come to terms with the fact that he was to be wed to the insufferable know it all and it had been sooner than he anticipated.

Hermione noted his annoyance and sighed.

This was the wizard she would be bound to by wizarding law and he knew nothing but the feeling of contempt for her. Gathering her courage as any good Gryffindor worth their salt would do, she stepped into the room of requirement as Dumbledore had instructed trusting his judgement in this situation.

Snape rolled his eyes and followed behind her not at all pleased with this new development.