Pleased with her compliance, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall praised Hermione for her dedication to the cause. Professor Dumbledore pulled a prepared scroll from one of his desk drawers and laid it out on the desk. Before she signed it, Hermione had one more question.
"What will we tell people? How would they believe that we just decided to get together?"
Luckily, Minerva had thought of that.
"Only the order and the Dark Lord's ranks will know that this was predetermined. Everyone else can simply think that the ministry paired you together."
That was good enough for Hermione. Professor Dumbledore reached for Hermione and Professor Snape's right hands and guided them together to grasp each other's forearms. Professor McGonagall cast a spell that created a gold shimmering cord that wrapped around their intertwined arms. It glowed and then disappeared. Hermione glanced at the scroll and saw that it was completed. She was officially engaged to Professor Snape.
The scroll was filed away and the group returned to their seats. Hermione shifted uncomfortably. It seemed like they still had something to tell her, but they hadn't spoken since the contract had been completed. Hermione spoke.
"Am I dismissed?"
Professor Snape sighed.
"I wish we could let you go for the evening, Miss Granger, but there are a few more things that you should know before tomorrow."
His gaze returned to Albus, and she saw that his look encouraged Albus to say what needed to be said in order for him to be rid of her for the evening. Professor Dumbledore started speaking.
"I have been the headmaster here at Hogwarts for many years. Some might say too long. Actually, many say too long. The order has decided that it is time for me to retire my post at Hogwarts solely to dedicate my time to preparing for the inevitable confrontation with the Dark Lord. It is time that Hogwarts transitions leaders."
Hermione looked at Professor McGonagall. She shook her head and her gaze moved to Severus who remained rather quiet in all of this. He spoke.
"I will be announced as the new headmaster of Hogwarts tomorrow morning, effective immediately."
Hermione nodded her head in understanding. She wouldn't just be a professor's wife, now. She would be the first lady of Hogwarts.
Minerva smiled at Hermione reassuringly.
"At least you won't have to move into the dungeons."
Professor Snape chuckled at that, and Hermione felt herself smile a little. He was a human just like her.
Professor Dumbledore stood and started speaking.
"You and Severus will wed on Friday evening. There will be a ceremony and reception appropriate for the nuptials of the headmaster of Hogwarts."
Hermione nodded, accepting the information. She had forgotten something important, and she almost flinched at the sudden thought.
"I will need to see my parents before then. I want to tell them in person, and they'll want to be at my wedding."
Her voice almost broke on the last words. She was feeling nervous about telling her parents that she was marrying someone just a few years younger than them. She was actually pretty sure that her mother and Professor Snape were the same age.
Professor Snape answered her.
"I could go with you tomorrow night if you wish…if you think they would like to meet me before the ceremony."
Hermione nodded, still trying to hold herself together.
"That would be good, I think. I worry about how my father is going to react to the news. He didn't like when I went to the ball with Viktor Krum because he was three years older."
Professor Snape made a displeasured face. At the time, he had also had some thoughts about the seventeen-year-old boy pursuing a fourteen year old Hogwarts student. He forced a neutral expression and spoke.
"I think I shall walk you back to Gryffindor Tower now, Miss Granger. We have finished our business for the evening."
Hermione barely had time to say goodnight to Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall as she rushed her steps to catch up with Professor Snape. He stood before the threshold of the rotating staircase, allowing her to step in first. She did, and he stood directly behind her. In a spiral staircase this small, she felt his body heat in the close proximity. She inhaled, savoring the smoky, herbal scent that seemed to cling to the potions master. After they reached the bottom of the staircase, the two walked silently from the headmaster's officer towards Gryffindor Tower. About halfway through their trek, Professor Snape cast a Muffliato started speaking softly.
"The news of our engagement will break tomorrow morning. There was one thing I wished to speak to you privately about. Minerva and Albus did not address because it because it is considered standard in all marriage contracts. That is, the matter of a fidelity charm."
Hermione looked up at him, and he betrayed no feeling on the matter. Hermione spoke.
"I understand if you already have someone who you…do that with. We don't need to have one if it would change things for you."
He looked sharply down at her.
"I meant that perhaps we should omit it on your account. I try very hard to ignore student chatter, but even I know that there is something going on between you and the Weasley boy."
Hermione chuckled.
"Ronald hasn't noticed that I am a girl in the five years that I have known him."
Professor Snape snorted.
"In that case, I would like to add a strong fidelity charm to the ceremony. In the past, I have been obliged to take part in revels for the Dark Lord, and a fidelity charm would excuse me."
Hermione nodded. She hadn't even thought about Professor Snape being one of the death eaters that raped and tortured muggles. It made her stomach turn. She trusted that he wasn't a death eater by true belief, but he was one in every other way. They came upon the Fat Lady's portrait, and she looked unamused to see the head of Slytherin. She spoke in a falsetto voice.
"It's been a long time, Severus. The last time you escorted a young lady back to my tower this late at night, the year was 1975. I thought you were done rolling around with my cubs."
A scowl fixed it way onto Snape's face, and he turned red. He glanced at Hermione who had an amused expression on her face. She quickly schooled her features, though. Professor Snape sighed and spoke.
"You should get some rest. Tomorrow's announcements will take place at the beginning of breakfast, and you should be there for them."
Hermione nodded, smiling. She felt a warm blush rise to her cheeks.
"Thank you for protecting me, sir. I know I would not be your first choice."
Professor Snape cut her off before she could say more.
"Nor would I be yours, but we must do what needs to be done. Good night, Miss Granger."
"Good night, professor."
Hermione whispered the password and the portrait swung open, obscuring the Fat Lady's view for a moment. As Hermione disappeared into the common room, the portrait closed on its own. Professor Snape stood standing still for a moment.
"It's after curfew, you know.", the portrait said authoritatively.
Snape scowled and snarked, "For what I believe is the thousandth time, I work here!"
Professor Snape stormed away.
Hermione made her way through the common room up towards the sixth year Gryffindor girls' room. She shared the room with two other girls, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. There were times that she took part in their girlish giggling at night, but she felt rather disconnected from them most of the time.
I won't be living here after Friday Hermione thought to herself.
As she walked through the door, she heard Lavender and Parvati's giggling. She made out the tail end of one of Lavender's poetic musings about one of the boys in their year.
"-and we could have ginger babies. They would be so cute."
Lavender broke off her next thought and the room fell awkwardly silent when they saw Hermione. Hermione smiled and greeted her roommates.
"Good evening"
She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled off her shoes. They still didn't continue their conversation. Hermione looked at them, confused.
"Don't stop on my account!"
They looked at her silently. Hermione thought it odd that they were acting so guilty. Talking about wanting some bloke's ginger babies wasn't the most scandalous thing Lavender had said in one of these chats by far. She wasn't sure why she was getting so squeamish about it. Hermione thought for a minute, and it suddenly dawned on her. She started speaking casually.
"You know, Lavender, I think your ginger babies would be very cute."
Lavender looked confused and stared at Hermione for a minute. Hermione continued.
"Me personally, I would love my own children if they turned out ginger by chance, but I'm not really into ginger men."
Lavender's face lit up as she understood. She ran over and hugged Hermione.
"Oh, you are so sweet for that, Hermione."
Hermione staggered at the impact. She laughed.
"It really is fine, Lavender. I was never interested in the first place."
Lavender and Parvati looked at each other smiling. Parvati motioned Hermione over to join them on her bed. She started speaking in that crooning voice that had annoyed Hermione at first, but she had come to appreciate it more over time.
"So Hermione, if you don't fancy Ron Weasley, who are you after? Another Gryffindor? A Slytherin?"
The words dripped off her tongue, and Hermione laughed.
"There really isn't anyone right now."
Lavender wiggled her eyebrows and taunted Hermione.
"Well if not a student, perhaps a professor?"
Hermione's usually pale face turned blotchy as her cheeks reddened. Parvati and Lavender squealed in delight. They were joking now, Hermione could tell as they started listing the male professors at Hogwarts, starting with Binns.
"He's a ghost!", Hermione exclaimed, not able to contain giggles with her roommates.
Parvati winked and quipped, "He could go right through you."
Hermione busted out laughing.
"That's horrible"
Lavender continued listing male professors, including Flitwick, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Slughorn. By the end, they were all chuckling at the absurdity of the thought. Parvati suddenly became more serious as she whispered.
"We left out one male professor. Snape."
Lavender swooned.
"He's not very handsome, but he's so sexy. I think I could get off just from his voice."
Parvati started speaking in a pretty good imitation of Professor Snape.
"I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses…"
Hermione smiled. She had often complained about living with two teenage girls who she felt so much more mature then, but she found herself wishing she had appreciated her teenage years a little more. She would be married on Friday, and she would never go back to sharing this room with Lavender and Parvati. She spoke to the two.
"I think I'm going to go to bed now. It's late, and I have a big day tomorrow."