an unlikely match...

Staying away from one Severus Snape at first didn\'t seem like much of a challenge. At first it had been alright, after that horribly confusing and terribly awkward conversation during her dress fitting, she had gone a good six days without having to put up with his scowling, miserable face.

He was barely around, he didn\'t eat at the table with the rest of them, and if she did see him in hal halls passing to her room she merely looked away, her dark eyes finding something else to gaze at. Often she felt his own watching wash over her, but she refused to succumb to it.

She felt Lady Snape\'s change in disposition as well. At first the woman had been kind, cordial and now she a b a bit more false, withdrawn. Hermione really couldn\'t understand it at all. The dreams had stopped as well, which was a relief...and a bit of a disappointment, (not that she\'d tell anyone.)

Austere had been acting a bit strangely as well...

On the night in question she lay on her back, looking up at the ceiling thinking and frowning. She found she was doing that a lot lately. Thinking and frowning.

Austere was to meet her, another late night rendezvous. She just wasn\'t much into it, to be honest. The mere thought of deceiving him again was too much. Having sex with Austere wasn\'t the same reckless passion anymore...she now thought him to be too quick at times, only interested in fulfilling his own needs.

She was angry at this, angry that she only thought of this because of Snape. After that night, she hadn\'t been the same. Thinking of Severus as her own fiancee drove her to pleasure...but would he have if Snape hadn\'t been burned into her mind?

That was a question best left unanswered.

Soon she heard him creak the door open, shutting it lightly behind him. She could almost see Severus, striding over to the bed and coveting her mouth wit-

No. Austere.

Austere would come striding..no, more just walking over to her. Give her a kiss. Then of course sex, not much foreplay. Just full sex. How...expected.

It was strange now that she had someone actually questioning her affections that she saw how many faults Austere had. Souldouldn\'t fool heself into thinking she was perfect but...Austere certainly wasn\'t the man she thought he was.

He called her name then in the darkness, a name that sounded so less enticing coming from his lips when she had the pleasure of hearing it upon the elder brother. Severusss...the name hissed in her mind, never letting her rest.

Merlot and a heavy, sugary scent surrounded her as he grew nearer, calling her name softly and reaching for her, groping on the covers. He was closer, and she wasn\'t even the least bit interested. Finally a hand found her thigh, crawling onto the bed and under the covers.

She sighed, feeling as his hands traveled up her thighs, moving towards her stomach and then her breasts. He was very much a breast man, sadly.

The sugary smell swept around them in another wave, almost choking them in the suffocating room. She really should crack a window. The perfume was faintly familiar, though not enough to really recall...perhaps he had knocked one of her own perfume bottles over as he clumsily made his way into her room.

She wished he\'d go away, she was so confused about everything at the moment, and him groping her like a fourth year Hufflepuff was doing nothing to soothe her.

She didn\'t really know what to do, he was kissing her neck and groping her breasts through the fabric of her nightgown as she lay motionless under him. Undaunted he groaned, trying to burrow between her legs as she felt utterly repulsed.

You\'re going to be married to him soon Hermione.


Still, she felt uneasy. He was muttering something in her ear again, and she felt her stomach turn. She couldn\'t confront him about her feelings towards Severus... Austere had a terrible temper sometimes. Especially when he\'d been drinking.

\"Let\'s not.\" she said softly, pushing him as gently and offeoffensively as she could muster. He gave her a sloppy kiss, and turned on his side, his back to her as he fell into a deep slumber. The perfume still lingered, keeping her awake.

Perfume, that was not her own.

* * *

It was the next morning that things really began to fall into fact. Hermione and Austere still had caterers, waiters, florists, and all that weddings entail. (no Muggles mind you.)

She was to be married. Concrete. No going back.

Although Austere didn\'t believe in wizarding practices, his mother had insisted that since Hermione was indeed a witch they go through with the traditional Snape wedding ceremony. Which later would entail that divorce was not an option.

She was to be married to Austere in less than three days now, and she felt the familiar flip of panic hit her stomach. She was to be Hermione Snape. No...Hermione Austere Snape. Oh God...

Hmmm...thought of a certain ex Professor soon pushed forth the barrier of resentment and blocking that she had put up.. No. No more. She had resolved not to even think about him when her thoughts became muddled. It would do her no good to torture herself. She was to marry Austere Snape, they would live happily ever aftehe ehe end.

Hermione was making her way into the kitchen with Ginny at her side, yammering about plans and trying to get Hermione as excited as she felt.

Ginny had been splendid, and told Hermione that Ron and Harry had indeed been working on Austere\'s infamous bachelor party. In seeing Hermione grimace a bit at this she had laughed and patted her old friend on the shoulder.

\"Trust me Hermione, I made him promise nothing too dodgy.\"

Relief fell over Hermione\ace,ace, although to be perfectly honest she wasn\'t thinking about Austere at all. It was Snape she had been focused upon. She didn\'t really like the thought of Austere being surrounded by dodgy women all evening but Snape...that just seemed even more wrong.

She wasn\'t in charge of Snape, she had nothing over him. They had been nothing but aquaintences. Funny, the book that had burned into her mind before was slowly starting to fade, she couldn\'t even really recall the inscription anymore.

Amongst the wedding plans and all, she wasn\'t even bothered by it. One less thing to worry about.

Hours later, she made her way up to her room where she would try on the dress one last time. (And fix it via magic if it didn\'t fit) Fanny had been tolerable for her last two fittings, not mentioning her infamous faux pas with her and Severus.

She make a horrible irreparable mistake though the last day fitting. She had given Hermione the dress and gazed into the girl\'s dark eyes, the light catching her own in such a way that Hermione felt compelled to stare back.

\"That older brother. The one who you were with the other night.\" Fanny said lowly, for they were alone in the hall again. \"You care for him deeply. I can see it in your eyes...eyes that have almost a veil over them... I can see your compassion towards each other in your aura\'s.\"

\"I don\'t believe in aura\'s.\" Hermione had scowled, taking the dress from Fanny and scoffed at her. \"I believe you\'re mistaken again. I care for the younger brother. Austere. My fiancee.\"

\"You love the protection he can give you.\" Fanny said darkly, \"You love that he bears the same name as the brother you truly love.\"

Hermione was speechless, glowering at the woman and trying to appear taller than she really was. \"I do NOT love Severus Snape, I love Austere.\"

Fanny had tried to calm the shaking Hermione, but only seconds after her pudgy hand fell upon Hermione\'s shoulder the younger girl slapped it away, rushing to her room.

The spy behind the portrait drummed their hands absently on the wall, thinking that perhaps their plan should not go undaunted after all. Hermione had to know the truth.

Now Hermione was halfway to her room, and viewed as a tall, dark figure made his way from his own room, shutting it and locking it behind him.

Oh please.... Hermione internally sighed, Please...don\'t make me talk to him.

\"Miss Granger.\"

Hermione ventured a gaze to him, he was walking down the hall in his traditional robes, looking to her intensely. She nodded to him a bit, trying not to look as terrified as she felt. She wished he\'d go away, all those looks and tones in his voice were sending her off, and she didn\'t know why. Why did he have to ruin everything? Her one chance at happiness? Did he hate her and Austere that much?

\"I haven\'t seen you at meals.\" she finally sputtered, and he gave her a calculating look. He strode nearer to her, she felt the brick against her back as he drew even nearer, his breathing above her.

She longed to kiss him then, like she had done in all of those dreams. Seeing those lips of his were doing nothing for her sanity, and she wondered if he looked this seductive on purpose.

\"I felt it would be prudent if I stayed away from you a bit.\" his low, rumbling answer surprised her, and in his eyes she saw him release a sort of tender look at her before going stoic once more.

She parted her lips to speak, and he looked to her as if he would cling on to every word she said when a syrupy voice interrupted them, accompanied by a tinkling little laugh.

\"Dinner is ready.\" Charlotte offered, giving a small smile at Snape and a nod at Hermione. Hermione looked to Snape who was still intently staring at her, and flushing a bit she turned to follow Charlotte.

Halfway down the hall she realized he wasn\'t following, that he had gone back into his rooms. It was also about that time that Hermione noticed that familiar sugary scent from the night before.

Charlotte. Austere.

Hermione nearly tripped in the middle of the hallway, Charlotte\'s golden ringlets bouncing around her head as she cast Hermione a false and sickening smile.

Hermione could have gagged. Not only on her phoniness, but that horribly familiar perfume.

It wasn\'t only her husband\'s supposed infidelity that truly hurt her, it was that he had indeed be cavorting about with this whore for a long while and still had the horrible tact and conscience to crawl back into bed witr tir time and time again. Only as of late he\'d grown sloppy.

True, she had often said that if she ever had a husband that cheated on her she\'d leave him instantly. But this was different, they had wedding plans...and she really hadn\'t any concrete proof.

Perhaps this is just a mistake. Hermione\'s mind reasoned, not wanting to admit that her fiancée may be a cad, and that Severus of all people may be right.

She was truly convinced that this might have been a mistake; perhaps Austere had just been spending too much time drinking with Charlotte there to wait on him. Hermione fully expected that anyone who stayed around with Charlotte for long enough would reek of her cheap scent.

The other part didn\'t care mainly that Austere may have cheated, more to the fact that if Severus ever found out, she would be mortified. He would have won.

That\'s what it seemed to be, an eternal game that Hermione needed to have the upper hand on. She needed to prove Snape wrong, for whatever reason. Perhaps it lay in her childhood and his cruel tendencies, but for whatever reason she wasn\'t going to confess anything to anyone. The walls seemed to have ears.

* * *

\"Have you seen my son?\"

Hermione shot a look to her friend\'s across the table before shooting a small glance towards the older woman that had just spoken.

\"Austere?\"

\"No I know where Austere is. He won\'t be here for dinner.\" she shook her graying head, \"I was referring to Severus.\"

There was a hushed silence, and Ron glanced at Hermione curiously. She almost felt his penetrating gaze as she ate her soup quietly and refused to look up as she spoke.

\"I believe he\'s in his room.\"

Lady Snape sniffed nodding, and then gazing at the young Hermione a moment spoke again.

\"I wish Severus had found someone like you Hermione.\"

The spoon in Hermione\'s hand felt from her trembling grasp at these words and clattered on the table, causing everyone to look at her in surprise. Why was she always saying that? Was she getting senile?

Ron was looking the most interested and shot her a wary smile before smirking in delight. \"Why do you say that Lady Snape?\"

Lady Snape stiffened as he addressed her, it was common knowledge that she hated Quidditch players. Ron was Hermione\'s friend though, and so she felt obligated to be civil with him.

\"Because,\" she sipped her drink, \"Austere is younger, he has the disposition for woman...Severus is usually so lonely, been alone for far too long.\"

No wonder he hates you so much, Hermione thought irritably, Always telling strangers how lonesome he is...no wonder the poor man has a comp

Lady Snape was still talking, and what she said actually pertained and interested the curious Hermione. Lady Snape winked at the flustered young girl with coy knowledge.

\"You see, Hermione\'s the only woman he can stand. It seems that she would have complimented him.\"

\"Really.\" Ron drawled, looking dramatically to Harry as they both exchanged surrtioutious looks of disgust. Snape and Hermione? Ugh...it was bad enough she was going to be stuck with Austere.

\"What do you mean I\'m the only woman he can stand?\" Hermione was near laughing at this, \"You\'ve seen us together, we can\'t even hold a civil conversation.\"

Lady Snape was about to speak again when Severus himself strolled into the room, glaring at his ex students, and letting his gaze fall on a flushed and ignoring Hermione Granger.

He knew they had been talking about him, that much was evident by the way that they had hushed the moment he had appeared at the doorway.

His eyes lifted and settled on his mother who gave him a knowing wink. He frowned and took the only seat available, next to Hermione.

She shifted in her seat, suddenly wishing that she had rushed from the table before he had even come into the room. Now she had to suffer, hearing his voice was exquisite torture.

\"Pass the bread.\" he ordered to a trembling Ginny who did so with a scornful look at Hermione. Hermione was too busy buttering her bread to take notice, not even seeing as Snape shot her a look out of the corner of his eyes.

\"Merlot?\"

Oh God no...

Charlotte came over, her voice tinkling as Hermione suppressed a groan. The mere scent of that perfume was making her sick, and she wanted nothing more than to bolt from her seat...but then they\'d get the wrong idea.

What am I going to do? I\'m going to go mad in this house...crazy mother-in-law\'s, horribly trashy maids...no proof on that one, but still...all evidence pointed to it.

Then there was the matter of Snape sitting next to her, breathing and talking to Harry in that voice of his. He was trying to be civil at least, not mentioning Harry and Ginny\'s young love.

Snape nodded, not paying attention to Charlotte but more immersed himself in his dinner, shoveling potatoes into his down turned mouth. Hermione was breathing shallowly, the room was starting to spin. Charlotte backed away, not so intent on impressing the elder Snape.

And why should she? She\'s got yours...

The food tasted rubbery to her as she cut into it, the smell of the chicken intermingling with that horrid perfume was beginning to make her sick. What had Charlotte done, bathed in it?

Harry was still chatting with Snape, trying to be polite as Ron and Ginny whispered to one another, looking from Hermione to Snape and nodding.

Hermione knew none of this, the world becoming groggy as she felt. She was being played. Austere, her fiancée. He had slept with Charlotte of all people. She knew it. She had seen the signs...why hadn\'t she done something to intervene? Why didn\'t she care enough?

Snape\'s arm brushed her own as he reached for his wine glass and she shifted her arm closer to her, protecting herself as he openly looked to her and then away once more. He was watching her.

\"Are you quite alright Miss Granger?\" came the velvety voice at her right, causing her to stir a bit. \"You look quite ill.\"

Hermione struggled to stand, the people and world before her spinning. She knocked over her chair in the process and didn\'t notice as Snape was preparing to stand.

\"I...I don\'t feel very well.\" she stammered, finally standing fully and feeling the room start to spin. She felt her head grow tight as it were, and her knees felt like jelly. His dark eyes were the only thing she could focus upon, and soon she couldn\'t even make those out as it was all becoming a spinning blob. She was about to cry out for Harry to catch her when it all went black.

Moments later she was being talked to, her eyelids fluttering with each syllable. Smooth and velvety was the voice. She needn\'t open her eyes to see who it was. She felt the covers of her bed underneath her and she grasped them to make sure this wasn\'t a horrible nightmare.

Sudden a heavy hand was upon her shoulder, gently shaking her as he spoke lowly, her eyelids finally darting open to see Snape looking down at her over his long nose, eyes narrowed. Fear suddenly clutched her as she darted up on her elbows, blinking and feeling disoriented.

\"You haven\'t been reading my mind have you?\" she blurted out in the quiet bedroom, not seeing the hurt that resided in those darkening eyes of his.

\"No.\" his voice was stern and steady. \"I was a bit preoccupied in catching you before you fainted and cracked your head on the hardwood floor downstairs.\"

Hermione\'s breathing hitched, Snape had held her against him? He had carried her upstairs? She was feeling faint again, and she put a hand to her forehead, leaning back onto the pillow not meeting his inquisitive eyes.

\"I don\'t know why I fainted.\"

He didn\'t answer this, only gave a short not that proved he had heard her. She noticed now, her eyes getting used to the dim candlelight that they were indeed in her room. He was sitting on the edge of her spacious bed, closer than needed.

\"Thank you for catching me.\"

Again no words were spoken, but his nod gave her all the words she needed. A small smile of thanks was upon her lips before leaving with thoughts of Austere and Charlotte. She frowned as he spoke.

\"Miss Granger,\" Snape suddenly said darkly, his voice low and quite frightening in the darl \"I- I think it would be best if you and I didn\'t converse anymore. At all.\"

Hermione looked to him in confusion, she didn\'t know why but these words angered and saddened her, although she knew that this was the most practical thing. The way she was starting to feel around Snape wasn\'t healthy, not for a woman about to marry his brother anyway.

\"Whatever for?\"

\"For your best interest.\" He looked paler than usual, his eyes blinking rapidly a moment before stopping and his words spilling from his full lips. \"I don\'t need a reason. Just obey my words and all will be fine. I promise.\"

He stood then, preparing to go to the door with Hermione sputtering about on the bed. When she finally saw his hands on the doorknob she shakilrew rew her legs over the side of the bed and made her way over to him.

\"Enough of this cryptic bullshit!\" she winced as the latter word escaped her mouth, a word she rarely said and never in front of an old Professor. He whirled around, peering at her, his lips thinning and twitching a bit.

\"Excuse me?\"

Hermione had gone too far to back down now, and she felt her words tumble from her lips before her mind had a chance to catch up.

\"I said enough.\" Hermione\'s eyes were flashing. \"I want to know why you\'re being like this. Why I\'m having these dream-.\"

\"Dreams?\" his voice was scarcely above a whisper, and she felt her stomach bottom out.

\"Yes dreams.\"

He paled even more, clutching the knob to the door and looking to her severely. He looked away from her momentarily, looking to the door and muttering under his breath something like; \"This is completely unacceptable.\"

Hermione sighed, looking up to him and really seeing him. The years at Hogwarts hadn\'t done much to change him, same hair, same scowl but in his eyes there was something more.

He was so close to her in was almost suffocating, and all that was heard was their breathing in the cold room. He hadn\'t made a motion to move from her presence, and she didn\'t want him to. She was so terribly confused; everything was changing...except Snape. He was always crass, always miserable...always the same.

Thoughts of Austere and Charlotte soon filtered into her mind, and perhaps that\'s what made her do what she did next.

Snape was still standing, gazing at her, his pale hand carelessly on the doorknob not really preparing to open it. Hermione felt her stomach bottoming out, her body trembling with something that wasn\'t quite pleasure or fear.

His lips weren\'t too far, and in a sudden confused motion she had stood on tip toes and pressed her mouth against Snape\'s. She went tumbling into him as she leaned into the kiss, her fists against his chest as she felt his lips tighten a moment before he responded, pulling her to him as if it were habit.

She was against him softly, his arms around her waist and shoulders. This was nothing like kissing Austere, it was if her own lips had been perfectly molded to his. She moaned as his tongue slid through her parted lips expertly, his kiss deepening as he ran his hands down her side, rubbing his pelvis against her own in the darkened bedroom.

He had been waiting a long time for this. No. No he hadn\'t. This was wrong. Even though these thoughts rang through his head, he continued kissing her, clinging to her for dear life. Her nipples hardened and pressed against the fabric of her shirt as she was pressed up against him, a stray hand found one. She felt as he tasted her mouth, her arms suddenly around his neck as she tried to keep up with his masterful tongue and soft yet commanding lips.

His hands were up her skirt, slowly moving up her thighs until he felt her heat as she nudged him upward, moving her hips a bit as her hands moved to his belt buckle.

This was wrong.

\"No.\" he suddenly murmured, pushing her away slightly as she gulped and ran her tongue over her lips a moment. She took a few steps back, her face reddening as she looked to him.

\"This- this was never to be.\"

What was he on about?

\"Never to be?\" she asked breathlessly, squinting at him in the darkness and concealing a small whimper. \"What are you talking about?\"

She had wanted him right there by the door, she wanted him, not Austere. This couldn\'t just be cold feet…this was full out lust for a man that prior to five minutes ago despised her and told her he didn\'t want to converse with her anymore.

But she gladly would have gone to bed with him. Oh God...where did these thoughts and yearnings come from? Why did she long for him so? Why did it feel so bloody right?

\"Remember what I said about keeping distances.\" he finally muttered, pulling to the door and giving her one last longing look. His stance stiffened, his eyes colder. \"And just forget everything.\"

She hadn\'t time to question his uncharacteristic confession for he had already shut her door quietly behind him, leaving her alone in the room, confused and hearbroken.

* * *

\"You look lovely.\"

\"Thank you.\"

Hermione stood in front of the mirror, twirling femininely about in her dress and trying to enjoy the way it sparkled. It was hard. This wedding was turning into a disaster.

Although she hadn\'t proof that Austere and Charlotte had been up to anything, she wasn\'t going to completely turn a blind eye. It hurt her, deeply.

He\'s the best thing that\'s happened to you...don\'t blow it on suspicion and cold feet.

Perhaps she had just grown so dependent upon Austere that she was afraid to be alone. Harry and Ginny had each other, Ron had...well his legion of fan girls and she...she would be alone. She had considered herself lucky to have a man as intelligent and as handsome as Austere could love her.

\"I\'ve got to go downstairs for er...something.\" Austere said, rising from her bed and giving her a smacking kiss against the cheek as she nodded, smiling faintly.

Austere had been up in her bedroom, seeing if she was all right for he had gotten wind of the fainting spell. He hadn\'t noticed the flushed complexion to Hermione, he didn\'t seem to notice much lately.

He had asked to see the dress, explaining he wanted to envision her in it tonight. Their wedding was to be in less than two days. 48 hours at the most. She looked to him and nodded, smiling a little broader at him.

\"No problem luv.\"

He gave her a small smile and wink and headed out the door, not even looking behind him as he shut the door, leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts.

She\'d gone and kissed Severus, Austere\'s brother for God\'s sake! He\'d never forgive her...he mustn’t find out. A knock from behind her on the door suddenly stirred her from her thoughts and her heart nearly stopped.

\"Come in.\"

She held her breath, waiting for Severus to stroll in and yell at her...for whatever reason. She assumed he\'d have one. Her relief was immediate when it was Harry that waltzed in, looking at her with tender emotion.

Hermione, not used to such attention from Harry looked down at her dress, thinking there must be a snag or such. She looked up to those brilliant green eyes once more, blinking rapidly.

\"Is there something wrong?\"

Harry chuckled, shaking his head and making his way over to her bed, lying on it and watching the women about to be married, in reality the closest thing he\'d had to a Mother and a Sister combined. Always had his best interest at heart, willing to do anything for hi
\
\"No \'Mione...You look beautiful.\"

Hermione blushed humbly, thanking him softly and turning back to the mirror to check her hair. \"Should I wear it up or down?\"

Harry shrugged, as most men would at such a question. \"Erm...I-\"

Hermione rolled her eyes good naturedly, \"Don\'t worry about it.\" she paused, turning to face him. \"What\'s the problem? Why are you here? Not that I don\'t love the company...\"

Harry smirked, his hair ruffling a bit as he shrugged, yawning a bit. \"A chat I suppose.\"

\"Mmmm..what about?\"

He grew solemn then, a rare thing for Harry lately. His eyes almost seemed to dim as he threw a scrupulous look at the soon to be Mrs. Snape.

\"Erm...Hermione, do you really, truly love Austere?\"

Don\'t forget about Charlotte Hermione...

The words finally came, choked and false sounding.

\"Of course I do.\"

\"I don\'t see it.\"

Hermione sighed heavily, \"He\'s the best thing to happen to me Harry. And as one of my best friend\'s I need you to know and accept that. I love him Harry...I do.\"

Harry nodded, leaning back and rocking a bit before speaking again, looking to his childhood friend with large eyes imploring.

\"You\'re sure about this?\"

\"Yes Harry. I am.\"

Harry was silent again, his lips in a curvature of a small frown. He spoke, changing the subject instantly as he viewed Hermione\'s nervous wringing of her hands.

\"Are you nervous \'Mione?\"

Hermione stiffened at this for some reason, turning and raising a quizzical eyebrow at Harry. He broke into a fit of laughter before speaking again.

\"God...don\'t do that. You look just like Professor Snape.\"

Hermione laughed a bit at that, wondering why it sounded so forced. Truth be told, thinking about him at all sent her out of sorts...especially after tonight\'s little make-out session. He really was gifted with that tongue of his.

\"The insult of all insults.\"

She choked out as Harry\'s smile lessened, his eyes still trained on Hermione. She felt the need to speak again, the silence growing deafening in her own ears.

\"I\'m just glad I never had a detention with him.\"

Hermione smirked, fixing the hem of the dress once more. When Harry didn\'t laugh back she looked into the mirror, she caught Harry\'s befuddled expression and turned to look at him.

\"What is it Harry?\"

He looked puzzled, almost angry at his confusion. He parted his lips to speak, then slammed them shut again. Then suddenly he spoke, dim confconfused.

\"But Hermione, you had detentions with him all the time.\"