Engagement

The first thing Hermione did after class let out was write a letter to the Ministry, entreating them to choose another wizard to be her husband. Once she had finished, she attached the letter to the leg of a brown owl and watched it swoop away and disappear over the dark trees of the Forbidden Forest. She thought grimly that it was at least worth a try.

She didn't tell Ginny or anyone else what had transpired in McGonagall's office that morning. In fact, she hardly spoke to anyone that evening, choosing instead to shut herself up in the dormitory with her homework and her thoughts. She didn't think she could bear the horrified look she knew would appear on Ginny's face the moment she told her the news. As for Harry and Ron... Hermione didn't even want to imagine what they would say when they found out.

She felt nauseated whenever she thought about the spell that had paired her up with the Hogwarts Potions teacher. There must be a very dark, twisted part of herself she didn't know about, she decided, if Snape was her soul mate. No, there had to be a mistake... or maybe they had both been spares, and the Ministry hadn't been able to find a proper match for either of them, so they were thrust together? Hermione didn't know which was worse: being paired up with Snape, or the possibility that she didn't have a soul mate at all... On second thought, as the face of Professor Snape floated across her mind, she knew which was worse.

Giving up on her homework for the night, Hermione put her half-finished Herbology homework in her bag and dressed for bed. As she climbed onto the four-poster and collapsed against the pillows, she realized with a jolt that she had Potions the very next day....

XXXXX

Hermione spent the next morning and lunchtime dreading that afternoon's Double Potions. The last thing she wanted was to face Snape again after what had occurred in McGonagall's office, but she knew she couldn't just skip the class. She needed to perform exceptionally well after her abysmal performance on Monday if she had any hope of keeping her marks up. And Hermione was not one to let her perfect record suffer over a trifling matter like being forced to marry her teacher.

So, when the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, Hermione made her way down to the dungeons and waited outside with the rest of the N.E.W.T. class. A few minutes later, the door to the classroom swung open, and Snape called for them to enter. Hermione took her usual seat at the back of the classroom and took out her things, Ginny doing the same beside her.

Snape began his usual surveillance of the students' work, and Hermione noticed that he walked past her without even looking into her cauldron, as if she weren't there at all. Undeterred, she continued adding her ingredients and stirring feverishly, determined to make the best Memory-Freshening Potion Snape had ever seen.

By the end of the double period, she was reasonably pleased with her work as she corked a full flask of bright blue potion. The bell signalling the end of the lesson sounded just as she made her way up to Snape's desk to deliver the sample.

"Stay after," Snape muttered when she set the flask down. His lips barely moved, as if he didn't want anyone to know he'd spoken to her, and he didn't even look up from the essay he was marking.

Hermione wondered what he could possibly want with her, but she retreated back to her work station and put away her supplies slowly and with exaggerated care, letting the rest of the class leave ahead of her. When only she and Snape remained, she swung her bag over her shoulder and returned to his desk again.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked politely, secretly wishing Peeves would come along and shove him headfirst into the desk.

Snape looked around, as if making sure they were indeed alone. Folding his hands together and propping his elbows on the desk, he traced his mouth with one finger and regarded her with his steady black gaze.

"It seems we are without any other options, Granger. As unpleasant as the idea is for the both of us, we have no choice but to... marry." He said the last word with distaste.

Hermione stiffened and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Maybe I'd rather not," she said, chin tilted upward in defiance.

"Don't be ridiculous," Snape sneered. "You are quite fond of showing off your brain; now is a good time to use it!"

"I'm not sure I want to marry someone who speaks to me like that, sir." Hermione's jaw was set as she glared down at the Potions master. She'd never spoken to Snape like this before yesterday, and now she'd done it at least twice. The flash of anger in his black eyes reminded her of just why she'd never crossed him: he could be quite scary when in a temper.

"You are still my student, and I do not appreciate backtalk," he said, voice cold as ice. "And as you well know, you have no choice."

Hermione raised her chin still further. "Of course I have. I could just take whatever the curse gives me."

"I do not think you want to face that curse any more than I do," Snape said dryly. "So spare me the empty threats."

Hermione faltered; she couldn't pretend that wasn't true. As much as she would have liked to turn Snape down, she knew she couldn't.

"Maybe I don't," she conceded, "but I also don't want..."

Snape stood suddenly, and Hermione became very aware of just how much taller than her he was. He came around the desk to stand in front of her. She took a quick step back, casting him a nervous look.

"Stop wasting my time, Granger. It is either yes or no," he said impatiently. "It's either marry me or risk both our lives."

Hermione looked up at him, and grudgingly replied. "Yes, then."

Snape stared at her for a moment, and Hermione rather thought she'd surprised him; perhaps he had expected her to turn him down. But before she could discern the expression on his face, he was turning away and sitting down behind his desk again.

"Very well. I'll give you the details of the... happy occasion when they've been finalized." He didn't look up at her again as he returned to the half-graded essay. "You may go."

Hermione hesitated for a moment, then said, "You know, since we're going to be stuck together, maybe this would be a bit easier for both of us if you'd at least try being a little kinder to me." And with that, she hurried away from him and out of the classroom before he could open his mouth to dock House points.

XXXXX

After his last class of the day ended, Snape went up to McGonagall's office to tell her she had gotten her way and he would marry the Granger girl. She was on her way out when he arrived, but told him to wait in her office and she would be back in ten minutes.

When she was gone, he stood in the middle of the circular room, arms folded over his chest as he observed the many contraptions on the tables. He'd always told Dumbledore the old man had far too many possessions; the headmaster had always replied by saying Snape had too few.

At this thought, Snape looked up at the portrait hanging behind the headmistress's desk. While the rest of the portraits were pretending to be sound asleep, this one was wide awake and watching him with curiosity.

"Good evening, Severus," said the all-too-familiar voice. "Is something bothering you?"

Snape's lip curled. "You know very well what's bothering me."

The painted Dumbledore looked over the top of his half-moon spectacles, his blue eyes cutting right through the younger man, just as the real Dumbledore's had.

"Miss Granger?" he ventured.

With an affirmative jerk of his head, Snape began to pace the office. "This is ridiculous," he hissed.

"Unprecedented. Perhaps even unwanted. But certainly not ridiculous. This is a most serious situation."

"I am aware of that." Snape paused in front of the window. The sun was already starting to sink into the dark tops of the Forbidden Forest, the sky stained crimson and gold. "But she is incredibly unsuited to me, Dumbledore."

"Have you considered that perhaps you aren't looking for any similarities between yourself and Miss Granger? That you are determined not to see them?"

Snape turned around and scowled at the portrait. "She is nothing like me," he stated emphatically. "She is inexcusably impertinent. This very afternoon she dared to tell me to 'be kinder' to her, as if consenting to marry her isn't kind enough!"

There was a beat of silence, then the portrait's eyebrows rose.

"Well?" Dumbledore said.

"Well what?" Snape snapped.

"Severus, there is no point in pretending you have ever been kind to Harry or his friends." Dumbledore's stern gaze was piercing him again. "Considering the circumstances you both find yourselves in, I believe Miss Granger may be right. Kindness would go far in this situation. Further, perhaps, than you could even dream."

Snape didn't understand what that was supposed to mean, but was spared having to respond when the door opened and McGonagall returned.

"Make this quick, Severus. I have a meeting with the Minister in five minutes," she said as she crossed to her desk and sat down.

"I only came to inform you that Miss Granger and I have come to a... compromise."

"Excellent!" The headmistress looked immensely relieved. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear of it. I have quite enough on my plate without worrying about you two. I have to arrange no less than twenty rooms for recently wed students, in order to comply with the cohabitation law. I assume Miss Granger will stay in your chambers?"

"Is there any other option?" Snape asked bitterly. "Seeing as how the Dark Lord's decree requires it?"

McGonagall shot him a look. "Do try not to make her life miserable, Severus. This is no more her fault than it is yours."

Thoroughly tired of being told how to treat his future wife, Snape turned to go.

"I have arrangements to make," he said, dread twisting in the pit of his stomach at the very thought of the impending wedding.

"Good luck," McGonagall called after him. When the door had shut behind him, the headmistress sighed and turned in her chair to face Dumbledore's portrait. "I certainly hope you're right, Albus. Frankly, I can't see the two getting along at all. I don't suppose the caster of the Amans Revelare could have made a mistake?"

"No, no, I'm sure there was no mistake." Dumbledore smiled sadly. "No need to worry, Minerva. They will figure it out in due time."