And so the attraction begins in earnest! In this re-read I am picking up some of the nuances I had missed before. The attraction had been there from almost the beginning but was masked by their denial (hence the title of the story?) Anyway, loving it all over again!

It seems that both  weddings went off with out a hitch. Loved Severus's reaction to her dress.  It seems they have formed a truce with each other, time will tell.  Poor Neville I hope is happy with Hannah.  

Cher Petite Aimee,I'm new to your story and I'm very glad you are reposting it. I apprectiate the depth of the characters, as well as the subtlety of the plot. It has a 'Daniel Deronda' meets 'Jane Eyre' feel to it. I await your update with veiled impatience.Yours, ect.

This is so awful -- terrible, stupid law!  I feel so terribly bad for Hermione, she's going to have to practically saw herself in half to get out of this travesty when the marriage belly up.  Many more tears to come, I fear.  At least she's got a great gown, lol!Maybe there's a silver lining with Theo missing the 'law' class, something that Hermione can use later on without him suspecting anything.  Oh, angst, angst and more angst!  Couldn't we just have the wedding and later that week kill Theo and his mom off in a bizarre shopping accident???  Guess not, huh?  Well, there's no harm in trying...  Excellent chapter!!!  :D

She was willing to live in France to go to university and work, and was ready to flee to the America if she was forced to marry someone she didn't want to only a couple of weeks ago. She's allowed to be sad about giving up her girlhood and dreams. Now comes time to be a grown up. From what I've seen, I can vouch for the fact that "life's a bitch..." One year to go around the world isn't very long in the scope of things. How many women would trade places with her? I am trying to be sympathetic. I really am. With this much misgiving she is probably having second thoughts about the wedding they have chosen. I would be. But to have told him "no" would have seemed churlish. I don't think I could have said "no" under the circumstances. Even queens have arranged marriages to men they have never met and leave their families to bind countries together. Only peasants get to marry for love. Then, the women have babies until their uteruses fallout. Then, with the man she loves, they get to starve together and grieve together over those of their children that don't survive. The unremarkable people in the middle, who have medium expectations and enough money to live simply but comfortably may get almost what they hope for as long as none of their children grow up to become criminals. Gees!!!! The more I try to rescue the review and make it sound more positive the more cynical I sound. That must be me. The sour old lady who relinquished her dreams to preserve her marriage. There are lots of us out there. 

First, Severus and Cordelia: I think Severus is being cockold and knows it. He is willing to go along with it as long as Cordelia is discrete. It doesn't seem like him really, but this is a marriage of convenience. Next, Theo and Hermione: Hermione could really do worse. As an old lady, I can tell you that no one really gets exactly what they want in life. No man is Prince Charming and no woman gets to be Cinderella. As a girl who was barely 18 when she got married, I cried many a tear over that epiphany.  She is going to have to make some compromises to make this work. Maybe as an Unspeakable she could get portkeys so that Theo and she can travel and she can work as well. If Theo wanted a woman who isn't a silly dolt, he is also going to have to make compromises as well. It leaves to be seen if he will, but it appears he is able to compromise with the one year trip instead of a two year trip. And, also as an old lady I can tell you that even a 2 year trip is nothing in the course of Hermione's life. It's a mere comma in the book of her life. I'm still baffled regarding Severus and Hermione. He clearly has some regard for her. He admires her intelligence. He feels like he owes her and that's never good for a relationship of any kind, including friendship. I can see a plot where his regard for her increases as he gets to know who she really is. But I imagine the only thing that would cause Hermione to ever fall in love with him in the future would perhaps be if he became her champion in the Nott family, helping her fight for her career. I was the girl who married whose career goals were crushed by marrying someone she hadn't realized didn't really want what she did out of life. The signs were there for someone with more experience. But I was a 16 when I got engaged, and if Severus Snape had told me my future husband was a dreamer but had no true ambition or drive, I wouldn't have believed him either.Theo has no aspirations to have a career and knows he doesn't need to. He gets to live an aristocratic gentleman's life. In another age, Hermione would be considered the luckiest of women. The plain fact of the matter, however, is she either marries Theodore Nott or Micheal Corner. She isn't being given any other choices if she doesn't want to go to the U.S.  Granted, she should have tried to find out something more about Micheal Corner so that she could have made a more informed choice. She was the only girl in that group who had the opportunity to choose between courters. But, she made the choice to go away to France. Now the pool of husbands is much smaller than it was. She is acting her age. She is caught up in the excitement of her silly friends.  At 53, I would have started a background check on all of the men I had to choose from on the first day I got the list of names.  Having to be at the house all the time doesn't give her much time and opportunity, but I'm sure she could have sent an owl or two to Minerva, Kingsley, Mr. Weasely and even Ginny. Ginny at least knew that Severus is Theo's step dad. 

'Otherwise engage.'  So that's what they're calling it now.  Why Draco!  You ol' dog.  I'm so tickled for him and Susan... no matter what her parents thought.

Hermione was livid. Theo had promised he wouldn’t miss any of the classes during their final week, but he hadn’t turned up for Family Law. When she left the classroom, she found him leaning casually against the wall opposite, waiting for her.  I had a feeling that Theo wouldn't show up for class... but then he had the temerity to arrange for them to fly out right after their wedding.  Bless Hermione's heart... she's going to have to get used to having Theo break his promises.  Apparently he has no qualms about saying whatever will get him what he wants and then deciding not to keep his word.  I realize Hermione doesn't have a lot of choices because of the Marriage Law, but this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, isn't it?  My heart is breaking for her.Beth

She gave him a mock glare. “You’re going to be a very bad influence on me – I can tell.”  This is the first real example of Theo's penchant for getting his own way.  He is very smooth and unassuming about the way he slightly changes the subject when he doesn't like the direction the conversation is going.  "Come on, Hermione. It’s a beautiful day. We’ll make a picnic at my house and go to Hyde Park.”As soon as he mentioned his house, Hermione’s resolve began to weaken. Finally getting to meet Moe and Lancelot has made my day.  I love them both dearly!  The sound of Uncle Lance thumping the floor with his cane to get their attention cracked me up.  It seems that the bride and groom will have a year to travel before Hermione will start her training as an Unspeakable.  She must have done and exceptional job during the interview and the testing that followed.Now that their wedding is being planned for a date sooner than Mr and Mrs Granger (or Severus, for that matter) had planned on, I wonder what their reaction will be?  And Severus really seems to be bothered by the kiss that Theo and Hermione shared on the front steps of Number 18 Kensington Square.Now they just have to get through dinner at the Grangers tomorrow night... and break the news that they will be getting married sooner rather than later.. and that Cordelia is planning the festivities.What an excellent chapter this is!Beth

Let's see:  •Theo's great, great, great-uncle was THE John Stuart Mill, one of Britain's foremost philosophers of his time.  *iz impressed*•Theo lives across the street from his mother and Severus.•Hermione wants to accept the job at the Ministry of Magic.•Something tells me that this "job" news is not going to go down well with the groom-to-be.Do I see storm clouds on the horizon?  Is that thunder, do you think?  I'm playing catch up this weekend, and I'm off to find out what's next.Beth

Great update. Draco's note was a hoot, and you can see the start of the turning tide -- the first bit of hine coming off of Theo. Wonder if Hermione cn really see it, or if it's marriage in general that's scaring her? I get the feeling that those two bous of tears were for very different reasons.

I don't think Hermione realizes how controlling he is.  The first promise he makes he breaks and then makes light of it.  The rings, oh dear lord.  Again, it is a way of controlling her.  I am not fond of the way he does things and I think it will not take Hermione that long to understand how manipulative he really is.   Cordelia has already shown her that she can persuade her easily, like mother like son.   Severus I am sure knows all of this and knows that Hermione is not one to sit in the corner but to stand up for herself.  I think it is going to be a huge issue in the marriage.   The Gown sounds lovely and I was thrilled that her Mom suggested the cape.  Best of both worlds.   Draco's note was adorable, I really like him here.    I still can't imagine how you are going to turn this to a HG/SS.   But it Sure keeps me reading  :)

Hmmm. She's given way at every point and given up all that is important to her. She really is in denial.

I hope we will be seeing more of uncle Lance and Moe, in upcoming chapters. I'm begining to think, that Severus doesn't want Hermione to make the same mistake, that he made.

I keep getting annoyed with her that she is mad at him but then always gets swept away in his romantic gestures.  But, she is so young and so wants to have a real marriage, that of course she lets herself get carried away.  Still, crying yourself to sleep on the night before your wedding can't be a good omen, can it?

It bodes well for your writing that I have read this before, but regardless, I find myself charmed by Theo.And Lance ... I am glad to be reacquanited with him.  He is one of my favorite OCs ever.No time to dawdle, there is another chapter waiting for me.

Wonder why he's so keen on the fidelity rings. :)

Reality is sinking in.  I hope every thing goes well for them.  I do not like Cordelia one bit , she is cold and snobish.   They should have done the second choice of vows, I think Hermione will wish she didone day. I do not really like Theo that much he wants to much controle,  but Hermione really had very little choice in thisd group.    

It's funny -- I find myself almost wishing Theo and Hermione will work out. LOL But a jealous Severus is always interesting. ;)

Dracos prank was very funny it really did do what he intended it to do.  Severus realy has conflicting feelings about Hermionie.  On the one hand he is his own person now but still he is alone.  So Theo and Hermionie finally see each other as a person. 

Poor Neville, he feels worse about this situation than Hermione does.  I hope you give him a happy ending in this story.  (Sorry to say I can't remember what happens to Neville...)

That was a lovely beginning.  I'm sure Snape hates having a life debt to Hermione.  It's hard to imagine them ever getting together at this point.

Ah, an opportunity to reread and re-review this fic -- Hooray!It's hard to believe that the wizarding world has allowed this law to continue for, what 4 or 5 years?  But the Ministry seems to have really taken control over the population's lives.  Both Hermione and Snape are compelled by duty into something they don't want to do... again.

I could totally identify with the girl's list of marriage expectations, and I do believe Draco was behind the "full Swedish massages."  That sounds just like Draco, doesn't it?  I always thought he would have had a great sense of humor.

I feel so sorry for Neville.  Luna is nowhere to be found, and he can't leave his parents.  Hermione is wise enough to realize what was behind his offer for marriage, and I'm glad he understood her reason for refusal. 

Hermione's meeting with Snape went just as badly this week as last week's had gone.  Her memory of the day she saved his life brought back to me the horrors that all of them had experienced.  I think he has a few issues relating to that time that he still needs to work through. 

And then there's the matter of this mysterious dark haired man who never comes to the Common Room... Does anyone have a crystal ball handy?  Can't wait till next week!Beth

“Hello, Granger,” he said, a wolfish grin on his face.  I love your Draco.  Both of them are making the best of a difficult situation, and the tit for tat he and Hermione shared in the Common Room made me laugh out loud.

Ah, Severus... why does Hermione Granger irk you so?  I think Miss Granger has changed a bit since her Hogwarts days–  “I’d rather work for a mountain troll than work for you. And you might be a little more grateful, seeing as I saved your goddamn life.”  What we have here is a failure to communicate.   Perhaps next Tuesday's meeting will go better for both of them.  Right after two hours of Magical Cookery.  *grins*Beth

The whole situation is bad, really.  Snape and Hermione are both harboring negative feelings toward the night she saved him (although she could let hers go if he would).  The girl Neville wants ins't an option, and neither is going after her.  None of them really want to be there.  At least Hermione had the sense to talk to Neville, rather than just formally decline, and that he understood her reasoning.There is a part of me wanting this story to hurry up and post so I can devour it as quickly as possible.  The other part wants to take the time to savor every moment.  Still loving this!