A Dish Served Cold

A/N - I swear that by next chapter they will get out of Dumbledore\'s office - no, really! I promise! Why don\'t you believe me? Sigh. thanks to my favorite Kate, who puts up with me and my prolific output with only a few woebegone sighs. :) She is the best beta ever!

I have neglected you all terribly so here is a catch-up:

Thanks to: Solitary Aries, CMW, WriterLady1031, Kristy, Rilla, ancientgirl, Redone, Deb!, Lady Vixwn, IrishRavenX, Deeble!, Kim, SAH, Bambu, pyewacket, GothicTemptress!, beeky63 KareKaren/dedanaan (I have a particular fondness for elves)

WhiteLilac - I can\'t seem to keep myself from writing, so don\'t worry. :P
Buttercup - How do I do it? I don\'t sleep or eat, that\'s how.
michelline - :::blush:::awwwww Well, shucks, ma\'am.
Susa - Papa Snape is a bastard 24/7
MamaWeasley - :) I so loved your marriage law fic! It was totally fantastic!
Sinj - Oh its a really BIG snake pit!
jeannette - At last! My true evil is recognized ! Mwa ha ha ha ha!
excessivlyperky - Perkala, bubbe!
Raija - Me too.


Chapter 4 – Announcements

Albus determined that it would be best to remove Miss Granger from Potions class. It would be too much like nepotism if he had her as his student. Severus felt a wave of relief over that. If he had to bed the girl he doubted he could perform with any real skill if he knew he would have to face her over a cauldron the next day. He had never been one to fantasize about his students, the warty little brats held no appeal for him.

“But how will I complete my N.E.W.T.s?” Miss Granger asked in surprise.

“I will teach you during those class hours.” Albus responded and Miss Granger perked up at the news. Severus gave a nod. Albus’ years as an Alchemist made him a close second to the Potions Master; she would get nearly as good an education from Albus as she would from Severus.

“What are we to do about Lucius Malfoy?” Minerva asked suddenly.

“As soon as this news gets out, I shall be summoned. I will deal with it then.” Severus’ mind was already busy as he thought over the things he would have to do to keep her safe. “I must see to it that she does not attend a revel, too dangerous.” He muttered out loud and watched as Miss Granger began to tremble.

“Why would they want me there?” She asked in a fair approximation of calm. Thank God he wasn’t stuck with a Hufflepuff; at least the girl was brave enough.

“You are Mr. Potter’s best friend, you have been instrumental in thwarting quite a number of Voldemort’s plans and you are about to marry his spy in Hogwarts.” He les exs expression convey his inner amusement at that thought. “He will want to see you.” She was shaken by that, even he could see that.

“She must begin Occlumency training at once, just in case.” Albus’ words struck a spark in him. Albus’ ability to calculate odds was a great asset but this was one area where Severus was adamant.

“There will be no reason for her to use it; I will not allow her to be put into that sort of situation.” He watched the war on Hermione’s face as she went from being offended by his protectiveness to being relieved at not havio fao face Voldemort on his own turf. “She is a Muggle-born and will not have even the rudimentary protection of her birth to shield her. Even as my…wife, she will still lack ranking among the other wives.” He had stumbled over the wordne, ne, how would he make it through a ceremony? Damn.

“Ranking? Will that be part of the longer lecture?” Miss Granger asked him with a small sigh. He shot her a look of amusement.

“Yes, the ways and habits of the Purebloods will be part of your lecture and may even require some training.” A solution, at least a temporary one, came to him. “That can be my excuse, at least for a while, to keep you away from the others: you are unmannered and might embarrass me.” Her eyes flashed and he could tell he had pricked her ego.

“I have perfectly good manners!” She retorted.

“For a Muggle, yes.” He sneered and watched in interest as her cheeks flushed with anger. Her temper was hot but she had good control, she hadn’t lashed out at him; interesting.

“I am afraid that Severus has a point, Miss Granger; Pureblood politics is an elaborate game and even Machiavelli would be dismayed by the cut-throat tactics.” Albus’ gentle words calmed the girl and Severus tucked the information away to ponder. She was not offended by the truth just by the thought that she wouldn’t be up to snuff.

“I will have to find a dance instructor.” Severus groaned and wished for a quick and painless death.
The momentary quiet followed by Minerva’s swift intake of breath let him know when they figured it out.

“They will not ask her to perform!” Minerva insisted and Severus snorted in reply.

“They will seek to humiliate you at every opportunity.” He informed Miss Granger, who was looking bewildered. “I will see to it you get all the proper training and I have several books on etiquette for you to read.” Her face brightened at the word “books” and he was relieved that if he had to train anyone, at least it was the Granger girl who absorbed knowledge like a sponge.

“This will not be easy on anyone. Thankfully Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley already know a Sev Severus’ spying activities, so they will require fewer explanations, but the other students will be more difficult about this.” Albus brought yet another set of complications into the equation. Severus wished for that swift, painless death to come in the next ten minutes or so. He was out of his depth in so many ways. One look at his child-bride made him guess that she felt precisely the same way.

Her parents, Harry, Ron, Ginny and the rest of the school were enough to deal with but the idea of having tea with Death Eaters, or whatever she would be expected to do, was almost more than she could handle thinking about. Then there was Snape. She glanced at his sour expression and even knowing that he was thinking furiously of ways to keep her safe, she felt as though she would simply be one huge burden to him.

She would be his wife and she knew enough about Wizarding marriage law to know that was a huge magical obligation. There were bindings on the couple for fidelity, for financial support and to keep them from being able to hex each other, but thers nos nothing that stopped them from hitting, raping or otherwise abusing each other and there was no such thing as divorce.

This was the man she would be spending the rest of her life with, a thought that was simply too big to wrap her mind around. Back eyes glanced at her, catching her study of him and he looked uncomfortable. She gave him a tiny smile and he nodded back at her in acknowledgement. It was a very tiny gesture but some of her fear dissolved away with it. He would not harm her. He would try to make her comfortable. After all he was willing to let her continue her studies. Maybe in time, they could reach a comfortable stage with each other. Perhaps they could even be friends.

In her heart, she still carried an image of her parents’ marriage, the warmth, love and laughter of it, the thing she had so desperately wanted for herself. She regretfully folded up that picture and tucked it away into the mental trousseau she had constructed for herself. It was an impossible dream now.

The bitter, unpleasant man beside her was no woman’s romantic ideal nor was he likely to be a hearts and flowers type. She could expect no impassioned declarations or roses on her birthday. There would be none of the things a young girl dreams of; the things she saw with Ron and Harry and her other friends as they paired off were not to be hers. It was as though a pane of glass had been placed between her and the future she had envisioned. She could see it clearly but she was forever cut off from i
“M
“Miss Granger?” Snape’s voice cut into her thoughts and looking up she realized that they were alone. The two other teachers had left at some point and there was just the two of them, sitting amongst the whirring gadgets and portraits of past Headmasters and Headmistresses.

“Professor Snape.” She replied and something in her voice must have alerted him to her thoughts.

“This is not what either of us would have wished but I will not stand in the way of your seeking whatever haess ess you can find.” She looked up and saw a light of compassion in his eyes. That was what finally broke her; she was being pitied by Snape, of all people. The tears exploded out of her and the huge wracking sobs shook her as the reality hit her like the center divider of a motorway at high speed.

He remained quiet as she sobbed and when she had finally collected herself, handed her a handkerchief for her face.

“Did that help?” He asked and she was offended at first until she saw the glint of concern he was trying hard to mask. She paused and considered his question and realized that she did feel better -- her mind was clearer and her heart didn’t hurt quite so much.

“Yes, sir, it did.” She answered him and he nodded, accepting the handkerchief back from her. A quick charm and it was clean and dry. He tucked it away in his voluminous robes and waited, watching her.

“I know you won’t intentionally cause me harm, sir, but I did hope to marry for love someday. My parents have such a great marriage.” She tried to explain her outburst; in a way, it must have been insulting to have her in hysterics over marrying him.

“Perfectly understandable, Miss Granger.” He replied with no discernable snark and she knew that he was equally upset at the circumstances.

“Is there any way to hex your father bto tto the Stone Age?” She muttered, crossing her arms and feeling a surge of anger at the situation.

“Consider that you could have ended up with Malfoy, or worse Crabbe and Goyle -- they share everything.” He pointed out, but the snark was back and she was relieved; she wasn’t sure how to handle a compassionate Snape.

“True, sir.” She acknowledged; the image of a threesome with Draco’s bodyguards made her ill. His lips thinned as some thought occurred to him and she wondered wthe the physical aspects of the marriage would be like. Her mother had been frank with her when she had finally figured out that boys were indeed different and somewhat intriguing as well. The conversation had revolved around love and tenderness, though. With Snape, she knew love was conspicuously absent and as for tenderness…who knew?

“The other suitors will attempt to accost you in the halls Miss Granger.” The ironic twist he gave the word “suitors” made her lips curve upwards just a bit. “You must not wander about alone.” She bristled at his words.

“I don’t wander about, sir.” She insisted and he frowned.

“Give me your word that you will not be alone anywhere but Gryffindor Tower.” He insisted and she was tempted to tell him where to go but held back. His eyes were serious and he did know a lot more about the situation than she did. She took a deep breath -- many of her previous freedoms would be gone soon, she would bmarrmarried woman and she had best get used to it.

“I give you my word, sir.” He relaxed fractionally at her acquiescence. There was a clattering on the staircase and Ron and Harry’s voices along with Madam Pomfrey’s came rising up to her. Snape stiffened again and she couldn’t blame him for his reaction, though it saddened her. “Can I keep my friendships?” she asked softly. She knew of plenty of Pureblood wizards who dictated such things for their wives.

“I have said I will not interfin yin your life and I meant it.” He retorted and she gave him the first genuine smile that she could ever remember bestowing on her least liked Professor. He retreated to a corner of the room and watched as Harry and Ron entered through one door and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore entered from the other.

Taking himself out of the crossfire, she thought to herself; how Slytherin of him. She fervently wished she could join him.

“Hermione? Everything okay?” Harry askwiftwiftly, his eyes noting the tearstains on her face no doubt.

“I’m fine, Harry, just a little surprised.” She played down her utter shock and disappointment and watched Harry and Ron relaxing at her words. It occurred to her that they must have thought something had happened to her parents as well.

“Please be seated, gentlemen.” Albus was speaking to them as adults and they looked surprised but gratified. Snape remained as far from the rest of the group as possible in the tioom,oom, almost as though he were afraid to get too near to them. Of course, when Harry and Ron found out that he would be marrying Hermione, the urge to hex would be great. Maybe he was just being prudent.

“As you will no doubt soon discover, the Ministry has made an amendment to the inter-marriage law.” The boys glanced at each other and then at Hermione in confusion. “They have lowered the age of eligibility to sixteen from eighteen.”

“Ginny!” Ron burst out in alarm. Hermione wanted to kick herself for not realizing that Ginny had turned sixteen in July. She looked at Snape in horror and he sighed.

“Miss Granger, I can only marry one woman at a time.” His comment made Harry bolt from his chair in a rage as he saw the blush on her cheeks, but Hermione placed her self bodily between him and Snaphe Hhe Headmaster and Transfigurations teacher both cried out in protest to Harry, but he seemed oblivious to them.

“Harry! He had no choice, his father arranged it without telling him.” She shouted and Harry backed down still giving Snape dirty looks. “It was either marrying Professor Snape or I had the delightful prospect of choosing between Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle or Nott.” Harry’s face lost all color and he sat down abruptly in hisir. ir.

“Hermione.” He was looking at her as though she had bchoschosen to be the virgin sacrifice on the altar of duty and anger scorched her.

“Couldn’t we just send her away somewhere?” Ron asked weakly.

“Where would you send her, Mr. Weasley?” Snape asked with a sarcastic sneer.

“Well, Beauxbatons is a good school…” Ron began.

“Oh yes, the Malfoy Summer Estate is right nearby as well, exent ent choice. Let us send Miss Granger away from the protections that Hogwarts affords her, away from the Ordeose ose secrets she knows and see what happens to her.” Hermione shivered at the images that soft, bitter voice conjured and Ron looked equally ued.ued.

“We have all considered the options very carefully, Mr. Weasley. This is hardly a snap decision.” McGonagall scolded him gently. Of course to a certain degree it was a snap decision, Hermione mused.

A glance at Snape from the corner of her eye caugim gim glaring angrily at a spot on the carpet. Somehow she doubted it was the Aubusson that was making him angry. He looked so fierce and awful when he was angry, how could she be … intimate with him and have children -- oh dear, what kind of father would he be? So many questions; she should have had months of dating, courtship, long discussions, and walks on the beach during which to get to know some young man and ask those questions of him while they were gazing into each others’ eyes over dinner.

She tried isuaisualize Snape with his trousers rolled up, walkin tin the surf or doing any of the things one saw in adverts and her imagination failed her. He was not the romantic hero type, more of a Byron type if you went only from the sweeping black robes and the tendency to lurk in shadows. She realized she had been ignoringle cle chunks of discussion and that Ron, Harry and Dumbledore were arguing about something.

“We need to get her out of it, she can’t marry Snape!” Harry’s adamant declaration nudged her irtiontion into fury.

“I chose him, it was my decision! I have thought about this situation for five months while you were sneaking off to Hogsmeade to get more chocolate! I have studied every aspect of this law, considered every possibility and I chose the Professor! What makes you think that in ten minutes you can come up with something better than all the rest o can can come up with in months of thinkabouabout it?” Her rage at the situation, at Snape’s father and at his assumption that Snape was a fate worth than death all combined to knock Harry back into the far corner of his chair from the force of her tirade.

Snape was looking at her with something akin to respect, Ron was looking a little shocked and Harry was staring at her as though she had grown a new head.

“He was just upset, ’Mione. He didn’t mean it that way.” Ron’s voice was gentle and Hermione deflated.

“Sorry, Harry, the situation isn’t easy on me either.” Harry nodded at her apology and then glancing between her and Snape took ep bep breath.

“You are my friend, Hermione, nothing will ever change that.” Hermione felt the tightness in her chest releasing at his words and kept herself froyingying again with effort. She looked at Ron and saw him nodding as well.

The two boys stood and wrapped her up in their arms and she basked in their love and friendship. They stood that way for a long moment and Hermione wished she could stay there forever, with her two best friends and not move forward into the uncertain future.