Unwelcome News

AN: Thanks to amsev for betaing this fic. I should apologize for putting romance as a sub-genre. This will mostly be an angst fest, and though there will be talk of love, the only romance will be decidedly twisted. So, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: as always, not mine.

Chapter 1: Unwelcome News

Tuesday evening (several weeks later)

Hermione looked at Professor McGonagall's stern face as they headed towards the headmaster's office. She barely kept up with McGonagall's long strides as she observed the older witch. McGonagall's lips were almost nonexistent, so tightly were they compressed, and her eyes were locked in a half open state, as though opening them would send hellfire rushing through the school. Her nostrils were flaring and if there had been any loose strands flowing from her tight bun, Hermione would have been convinced that the Gryffindor lion had taken human form in Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, why -"

"The Headmaster needs to speak with you about the... the..." McGonagall seemed to be on the verge of losing all semblance of control as she spluttered and finally stopped speaking altogether.

"Is this about the yelling match in the great hall this morning, Professor? If it is, Harry and I are-"

"No, it has nothing to do with that," she cut Hermione off crisply. "You will find out soon enough. String mints!" she barked the password to the gargoyle, and it leapt away from the door as if in danger of losing a limb if it dared to dawdle.

They took the spiral staircase up in tense silence, Hermione wondering what she could possibly have done to make her head of house so angry. She hadn't seen McGonagall so incensed since the final battle at Christmastime. As they reached the Headmaster's door they both could hear many voices in heated discussion filtering out to the foyer. Hermione looked up at McGonagall and was startled to see the witch looking down at her with a pitying expression, all anger having evaporated.

"Come on, dear. We'd best get this over with."

And with that cryptic remark, she opened the door and led Hermione through to Dumbledore's office.

Hermione was taken aback at how crowded it was. Some of the faces she recognized, including the Weasley twins, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Blaise Zabini, then she noticed that with the exception of herself and Professor McGonagall, there wasn't another female in the office. There were more than a dozen men in the room, but few looked happy to be there.

"Ah, Miss Granger. I'm glad to see you've made it here so quickly." Dumbledore looked as if he was under a great deal of stress at the moment, and seeing as several of the men in his office were openly glaring at him, she guessed that his stress was from the current situation.

"Professor Dumbledore, why am I here?" Hermione greeted him warily.

"My dear, it seems that there have been some developments over at the Ministry."

"Developments, sir?"

Professor Snape, who was trying his best to stand apart from everyone else in the crowded room, snorted. Hermione started; she hadn't seen him lurking behind the door when she came in. She looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows in surprise, never having thought he'd do anything so undignified.

"Yes, Miss Granger," Dumbledore continued. "It seems as though the law will be passed in short order. It has also come to our attention that you are a prime target of certain unsavory persons, and therefore we have-" He got no further, as Hermione realized exactly what was going on.

"They're seriously considering passing that law? But it's, it's..."

"Stupid? Idiotic? Puerile?" Snape's scathing tone fixed everyone's attention upon him. Seemingly unaware of the attention, he took a breath, and continued his tirade. "Brainless, imbecilic, obtuse? Insensate, simple-minded, shortsighted?" He began to walk in a small circle his pacing rhythmically emphasizing the words. Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head minutely, as if trying to clear her thoughts. Not pausing at her movement, the professor continued his catalog of insulting adjectives. "Half-witted, doltish, ludicrously asinine, imbecilic, and moronic? Dippy, preposterous, laughable, witless? Illogical, foolish, unintelligent, inane, unthinking and chuckleheaded? Is that what you were trying to express, Miss Granger?" Snape cut in, bitterness evident in his features.

Hermione gaped at him. Her mouth opened and closed as she groped for words, her eyes wide open and staring. Suddenly, feeling as though she must look like a fish to all the observers in the office, she shut her mouth and blinked, "I think you said imbecilic twice, Professor, but yes, that is pretty much what I was thinking." The shock of Snape saying the word 'dippy' derailed her thoughts momentarily, but her anger at the lawmakers was returning quickly. "So what now?" she said, returning her focus to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and answered, "We cannot allow you to be forced into a marriage with someone who wishes you harm, Miss Granger. We know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself in most cases, but last night they added another clause to the law."

With a sinking feeling, Hermione asked, "What did they do now?"

Snape answered again, his smirk belying his fury. "It seems that in the infinite wisdom of the Ministry, probably due to its low coffers and the patrons who so diligently and dutifully donate, they feel that, quote, 'the lesser party of the union shall be stripped of their powers and privileges until such time that the union has produced the desired result, to ensure an expedition of the process.'"

He looked at Hermione pointedly to make sure she understood. Again, she felt compelled to gape, although this time she started spluttering before a coherent thought came to mind.

"And this law is suppose to PASS?" The volume of her voice rose with each word. "They're crazy! The Ministry has gone bloody CRAZY!" this last word uttered in a shriek that made the knickknacks on Dumbledore's desk rattle. She paused for a breath and continued, her tone only slightly less intense, "How do they expect most Muggle-borns to survive in a forced marriage without magic?" She looked wildly at Dumbledore, who looked back at her and nodded gravely.

"We suspect a number of the more reasonable members have been placed under the Imperius Curse, but we have been unable to prove it as yet. Until such proof is gathered, we have the urgent matter of protecting those who will be most immediately affected. Which brings us back to you, my dear."

"Why am I a target? I would think that most wizards have enough sense to not want to try dealing with me."

"Ah," Snape sneered, "but think how many would like to get their hands on you when you are powerless to retaliate. You wouldn't last a week Miss Granger."

Hermione shuddered at the word "hands" knowing full well what she'd go through before she was killed. It made suicide look like a really good option.

"That's the point, isn't it?" she asked, continuing her thought aloud. "This is a great way to rid the wizarding community of their dreaded Mudbloods. Either they'll die by marriage or commit suicide to avoid the humiliation and probable pain."

"I'm afraid that will be the result." Dumbledore agreed. "The binding clause makes fleeing ineffective at best, leaving the Muggle-borns little choice."

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to shut out the situation, but also to stop the tears that refused to stay at bay. Even so, a thin stream was making its way down her cheeks. The room became completely still, as though it were empty. Finally, after a bitter inner struggle for control, Hermione choked out, "Well then, what now?"

Dumbledore sighed, taking off his half moon spectacles to rub his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "After reading the document very carefully, it seems the law applies only to single Muggle-borns and purebloods. If you were to marry before the law takes effect, then you may retain both your powers and rights as a witch. It also negates the compulsion for producing children."

Hermione looked around, everything clicking into place. Her eyes roamed over each face in the room, and privately catalogued those who were there to give up their independence to save her, no matter how unwillingly.

"I don't want to force anyone to marry me against his will. That would be as bad as what the Ministry is doing."

Dumbledore smiled and gestured at the men present, "Those who are here are willing, Miss Granger."

A snort from Snape's section of the room caused Dumbledore to amend: "No one here wants to see you subjected to this law."

Hermione sighed. "Be that as it may, Professor, I need to ask that only those who are truly willing to sacrifice themselves for my sake to stay. I don't want any kind of coercion on your part, sir." Hermione said, expecting the room to clear out in seconds flat. Instead she heard a couple of chuckles.

"You make it sound as though it would be an Unforgivable Curse to be married to you, Hermione," Remus Lupin's welcome voice spoke up.

"Yeah, 'Mione." Fred cut in, "A real sacrifice."

"We're all martyrs at heart, you know." George continued, teasingly. "Merlin knows we didn't suffer enough in the war."

Hermione granted them a small smile before looking down at her feet, chewing on her lower lip. She needed time to think this through, but time was what she was probably short on.

"How soon do I have to make a decision, Professor?" she asked Dumbledore

"We expect the bill to pass in the next month, although it may be sooner than that. I would suggest you have a final decision by the end of the week, at the latest."

The end of the week. That gave her three days. How was she supposed to choose a life partner in three days?

"I would suggest you not aim for marital bliss, Miss Granger." Snape's sneering voice cut through her thoughts. "It seems a highly unlikely ideal for you to achieve in any circumstance, but especially under duress." Hearing him answer her own thoughts startled her enough to loosen her tongue.

"I would think that would be obvious, Professor Snape, if you are among the candidates."

"And what makes you think I am among the candidates, Miss Granger?" Snape shot back, though there seemed to be a slight increase of color in his face.

"You're in this room, aren't you?"

"Yes, but so are Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore. Don't tell me you're foolish enough to consider either of them to be candidates?" He smirked.

"Oh, so you're not eligible because you're either way too old or a woman? You hide your secrets very well, Professor. I never would have guessed," she snarked. "Oh, and no offense, Professor Dumbledore," she added hastily.

"None taken, child. You are quite correct on that count." He seemed to be having a difficult time not smiling at Snape's expense. Others in the room weren't as generous, as snickering could be heard.

Snape was not taking the situation well. "You know very well what I mean, Miss Granger. I am here merely as a counsel, of sorts. As your teacher I am ineligible to be a candidate, even if it were my dearest dream, not my worst nightmare."

"On the contrary, Severus," Dumbledore cut in merrily. "The school by-laws have no objection to a teacher-student relationship if the student is of age and marriage is the end result. You are quite, quite eligible in this situation." The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes increased exponentially with each degree of Snape's discomfiture.

Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or cry at sight of Snape. His face became, if possible, even paler and his lips disappeared with rage and chagrin, as the situation became clear to him. She decided neither reaction would get her anywhere, so she took a few deep breaths, counted to ten a couple of times, and looked around the room.

"So all of you, with the notable exceptions, are willing to be married to me?" she asked with a bit of disbelief. While she was arguing with Professor Snape, a few of the men had discretely removed themselves clearly scared off by her temper or her tongue, but there were still a fair few left. They all nodded, some more enthusiastically than others. That left her nonplused.

"Er, okay. I guess I need to interview you all individually, then. But first I really need to prepare for the interviews, so I know that it'll be thorough. Are all of you available tomorrow?" They all agreed. Dumbledore volunteered to coordinate and schedule the appointments, and excuse Hermione from her classes the next day.

The only bright spot in that, she thought, was that she wouldn't have to endure Snape's sneers in class.