I own nothing. J.K. Rowling is a boss. These are her characters. I just like to play with them:)

Chapter 1. MINISTRY SAY WHA-?

The wind rattled the window. That's all she could think about. Creak. Creak. Creak. She turned over to her other side restlessly, yet still it persisted. She groaned in frustration, her face pressed into her pillow. Her legs tangled in the sheets, her forehead was beaded with sweat, and that damn window was driving her mad. Hermione threaded her fingers into the sheets, clutching and releasing the material over and over again. She had never been able to have a good night's sleep. Not since she was very young. There was just so much to do.

She rolled onto her back once more and stared up at the ceiling. The moon cast a faint light through the window that fell on the foot of her bed. She watched the air stirring in that beam of light. She tried to ignore the feeling that was causing this night's bout of insomnia. Still it throbbed in her breast, angry and ready. She closed her eyes against it. The loneliness.

She had ended her relationship with Ron a week prior, and though she had broken it off, she couldn't help but feel the loss. It just hadn't worked between them, she knew it never would. He was into quidditch and displayed his emotions so readily. She was reserved and thoughtful and preferred the company of a good book to an actual person.

Oh yes, she used to be bossy and loud, but the years had changed her so much. She wasn't as quick to laugh and often spent time alone. The combined stress of school and the upcoming battle was taking its toll on everyone. Ron had tried to make an effort, had brought her flowers and kissed her so sweetly. But Hermione couldn't help but feel it was wrong, all wrong, and often turned away from his kisses and grew stiff in his embraces. Ron was like a brother to her, one of her oldest friends, for she did not have many friends at all before Hogwarts. He had been sad and angry when she suggested they break it off, but had come around a couple of days later. He was so forgiving. It tore her up inside.

The dull ache in her heart continued to assault her and she took a deep steadying breath, surprised when the breath felt so tight in her throat and sounded so choked to her ears. She focused on the sound of her roomates' breathing. They could sleep soundly, have peaceful dreams. They weren't best friends with The-Boy-Who-Lived. They hadn't just broken their best friend's heart. They weren't so lonely that it ached. She nuzzled her face into her pillow and calmed her breathing.

Lavender's rather ugly snore drifted over to Hermione and she smiled faintly. You can't have everything Dear, she thought. She closed her eyes and imagined someone who could make her feel whole and safe, someone she could speak to intellectually, and banter about Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions with. She didn't know who was this perfect, and her mind wouldn't supply her with a face, but she found that she didn't mind much, as she drifted to sleep. And when she dreampt, she dreampt of him.

xxx

"Miss Granger! Are you deaf? How many times have I told you not to assist him!" Professor Snape slammed his hand down on her table, his big, dark eyes leveled at her in frustration.

She blushed furiously, her eyes looking anywhere but at him, "I'm sorry, sir."

Snape sneered at her. "Sorry is no longer good enough, Miss Granger. It seems you are incapable of minding your own bloody business. Are you aware, Miss Granger, that everytime you hiss your assistance into his ear that you are cheating?"

Hermione's mouth fell open in horror. "Professor-I didn't mean-"

He snarled at her, "Silence, girl!" Professor Snape turned away from her with a flick of his cloak, his way of dismissal. "Are you aware of Hogwarts' cheating policy, Miss Granger? Surely you've read all about it."

She could practically hear him smirking, though she could not see his face with his back turned to her. She raised her chin defiantly, "Yes, sir."

He swirled around to meet her gaze, his cloak billowing around him madly. "Ah, so how many detentions do you think you deserve? Think hard now, you've been cheating for more than six years."

Anger bubbled hot and untamed in her veins, and she practically snarled, "I've been saving us from disaster for six years. He'd have ruined more cauldrons than all of the school possesses."

He was in her face in a moment, his ebony eyes glaring at her beneath his impossibly long lashes. "You'll want to be very careful how you speak to me, Granger." His voice was so soft it was a near whisper, and as smooth as silk, yet as dangerous as a blade to her throat.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest, her fingers were numb with adrenaline and fear, her breath quickened and she did not speak, for fear that her voice would falter.

The potion's master finally seemed to take mercy on her, for he backed away from her slowly, as all her classmates stared aghast that THE Hermione Granger would ever speak to a teacher in such a way and that the bat of the dungeons would ever allow it without taking house points.

Finally, Snape spoke, "You will be in this classroom immediately after dinner for your detention. I do not tolerate tardiness, Miss Granger. Class Dismissed."

Everyone rose from their benches, bottling their potions and leaving them on his desk for grading. Once they had exited, Harry and Ron turned to her and simultaneously shouted, "Bloody hell, Hermione!"

She scowled at them and kept walking, still they continued. "What were you thinking? Since when do you let the Greasy Git get to you?" Ron asked as he shared a startled glance with Harry over her head. "I can't imagine what he'll have you doing in detention after that little stunt. He seemed very angry, Hermione. No one has ever stood up to him before."

Harry looked down at her, his green eyes full of concern. He said quietly, "Are you all right Hermione? Have you been sleeping?"

Harry always sees too much, she thought miserably. She looked up at him, giving him a faint smile, "I'll be fine, Harry. It's nothing to worry about."

He still looked worried but chose not to address it. He looped an arm around her shoulder and said, "You'll tell us if theirs anything we can do, okay?" Ron slung an arm around her as well and ruffled her hair affectionately, "Yeah, 'Mione. You're important to us you know. Where would we ever find a brainy, mad-haired, midget to replace you? You must think of others sometimes, dear, it's not all about you." He sniffed haughtily, his nose upturned put his eyes that peeked down at her were full of mischief.

She glared up at him, "First of all, I am NOT a midget, you insensitive bit of-"

He cut her off with an incredulous look. "Oh please, you're like five feet thats hardly normal-"

"Five feet and two inches, thank you very much. It's not my bloody fault you two are giants!"

Ron and Harry shared an amused look above her head and she scowled at the pair of them. This is why she hated being between the two of them.

"Mione," Harry asked sweetly, "Haven't you ever noticed how large everything is? It's because you're quite small, not that size matters at all, dear..."

She looked up at him just as kindly, "Is that what you tell yourself, Harry?"

She heard Ron splutter above her and Harry flinched, clutching his heart in mock pain, "You wound me, my midgety friend."

She growled at him and pressed forward, stalking into the Charms classroom with a huff. Ron shared an amused glance with Harry, "I think we've had a bad influence on her." Ron chuckled. Harry grinned at him as they followed their friend inside.

xxx

She pushed her food around her plate nervously, trying not to look at the staff table. "Are you actually going to eat any of that?" Ron asked sarcastically.

She gave him a dirty look. "Why? Not enough on your plate?" She eyed his mountain portion of chicken that he was devouring with a disturbing amount of gusto.

Ron looked mildly offended, while Harry just shrugged at him, "Don't mind her, mate. She's just in a snit because she has to spend the night with Snape."

Ron nearly choked on his food and Hermione gave Harry a disgusted look. "Not like that! Merlin! I meant detention!" Harry blushed and cringed. Hermione just shook her head and pushed her plate away.

Standing up, she gathered her things and cast a quick glance at the staff table. Not only was Snape there, but he was glaring at her over his goblet. She turned away hastily and made her way to the doors, casting her goodbyes over her shoulder to her friends. She made her way down to the dungeons and stopped in front of his door. She leaned carefully against the wall opposite and sighed, closing her eyes.

She knew she had done wrong by helping Neville and by speaking to Snape in such a way, but it didn't lessen her frustration all. She remained that way, eyes closed and thoughtful, and was quite lost to the world until she heard his velvety tones in front of her, "Tired, Miss Granger? Should we reschedule, then?"

She opened amber eyes to meet his coal ones, startled at their close proximity. She shrunk back into the stone, away from their searching depths. "No, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

He sneered and turned away from her, taking down his wards and opening the classroom door with a flick of his hand. She watched him, impressed. She never knew he could do wandless magic. But then, there were probably many things she didn't know about her taciturn professor. She followed him inside and when he sat at his desk, she stood uncertainly in front of it, awaiting instruction. He looked at her, his gaze calculating and assessing at the same time. She wanted to squirm and fidget under that gaze, but remained defiantly still because she knew her discomfort pleased him.

He steepled his fingers together and told her quietly,"Miss Granger, tonight you will be sorting through my store cupboard. You will pull anything that has expired and you will clean every inch of that storeroom. You will not leave until I am satisfied. Is that clear?"

She met his gaze without expression, "Yes sir" Yet internally she was miserable. That task would take hours, hours that she could spend studying-

"I trust you are quite familiar with the storeroom?" He asked, and his voice held a challenge. He knew. He knew she had stolen from his stores, but she'd be damned if she gave him any sort of clue. She merely nodded her head and walked to the storeroom. She looked patiently back at him, and he was still watching her carefully, daring her to do anything that would prompt his anger.

"Will you remove the wards, sir?" she asked.

He sneered at her, " Surely you remember how you managed it last time?"

She smiled at him pleasantly. " The wards are much stronger this time, sir. It could take nearly five minutes. Am I to assume you want me to waste time doing what will take you mere seconds?"

He snarled at her and waved his hand, dismanteling the wards, and the door swung open. "Five minutes" he scoffed. "Insufferable chit." He began to grade papers rather savagely, his bottle of red ink amusingly low.

She grinned to herself and ducked inside. He watched her honey-colored curls whip out of his sight and called out to her back furiously, "Break anything and you'll regret it, girl." She just smiled wider and started to work.

xxx

Hermione scarfed down her eggs with a ferocity that would make Ron proud. She hadn't eaten much at all the night before and so was starving the next morning. Harry grinned at her over his juice, while Ron shoveled his food into his mouth, seemingly in a competition with Hermione.

The Daily Prophet landed with a clatter on her plate and she glared at the delivery bird before paying it and unrolling the paper leisurely. And promptly dropped it after a reading the first article. She stared unseeing ahead of her. Harry tried to get her attention, and when failing to do so, snatched up the paper and read the headline. "Blimey.." he breathed.

All around the Great Hall were sounds of dismay and outrage as news reached all. "Marriage Law Enacted: All Muggleborns Of Age To Be Married!"

xxx

Hermione attended classes that day in a daze. Get married? She was only seventeen!Well, actually about twenty because of her liberal use of the time-turner in third year but still...She couldn't get married right now! She had to finish her education!She wanted to go to University for Merlin's sake! How could Dumbledore let this happen? Didn't he have some sort of sway in these matters?

At dinner, she didn't even notice when an official looking envelope was dropped in front of her, nor did she notice identical ones being dropped all over the hall. Harry shook her roughly and thrust the letter into her hands, urging her to open it.

With shaking fingers, she did, and stared down at the words numbly.

Dear Miss Hermione Granger,

We are pleased to announce the enactment of the marriage law which you will have a requirement to participate in. These are the following candidates that have been chosen for you based on your magical talent and the likelihood of such a union producing magical offspring. The candidates are as follows:

Mr. William Herald Bloxam: Aged 27; Location: London, England; Profession: Spells Master; Match percentage: 68%

Mr. Victor Maxwell Hareward: Aged 45; Location: Edinburgh, Scotland; Profession: Vice President for Hogwarts Board of Governors; Match Percentage: 73%

And the list went on. Men she didn't know. Men who had been chosen for her. Men she was expected to have children with. And then her heart nearly stopped as she finally recognized a name.

Mr. Severus Tobias Snape:Aged 36; Location: Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Scotland; Profession: Potion's Master; Potion's Professor; Private Business Owner; Match Percentage: 97%

Snape! They had matched her with Snape? Were they insane? They would murder each other within hours! Ninety-seven percent? What were they playing at? She swallowed and continued to scan for anyone she knew. She stifled a groan when her eyes met the last name on the list.

Mr. George Weasley: Aged 20; Location: London, England; Profession: Private Business Owner; Match Percentage: 75%

Congratulations, and remember, you must choose a partner within thirty days or a formal hearing will be required.

Sincerely,

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic

Hermione was shaking visably as she stuffed the letter into her bag as quickly as possible. She was deaf to her friends calls as her eyes found the man the ministry claimed was her magical equal. He was looking at her too, his letter hanging limply from his fingertips. His black eyes pierced her, his anger was tangible and she found she could not look at him any longer. Her eyes downcast, she fled the Great Hall.

xxx

Hermione sniffed miserably. She couldn't marry a stranger. What if he was horrible? She couldn't stand the thought of a stranger with express privilige to dive between her thighs whenever the urge hit him.

She couldn't marry George. He was like a big brother. She could not, would not wed a Weasley.

And Snape...he was so cruel. But he was a powerful wizard and he could keep her safe.

She wiped her eyes hurredly on her robes. Speaking of Snape, she had another detention with him tonight. She groaned. She couldn't face him, not this soon. Not while that ninety-seven percent was so fresh in her mind. She would just have to suck it up.

She dashed out of Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom and down the hallways until she reached his classroom. She raised her fist to knock but the door was yanked open to reveal the surly professor glaring down at her.

"You're late" he remarked.

She looked him in the eyes boldly, "Sorry, sir. I've had quite a horrid day."

He scowled down at her, "Haven't we all..." He stood aside to let her pass into the room and shut the door behind her.

She went straight to the bench at the front of the class and plopped down gracelessly, uncaring of the repercussions. He hardly spared her a glance, but sat down at his desk and stared down at the dark wood as if it held the answers to the universe. If only, Professor she thought sadly.

After several minutes of this she finally spoke. "Who will you choose, Professor" she asked cautiously. But when his eyes met hers, they looked as lost as she felt.

Surprisingly, he answered. "I do not know, Miss Granger. All of my match percentages were dismally low, women I have never met, accept one..."he trailed off, his eyes meeting hers briefly, before scowling and examining the desk once more.

"I had similar results," she told him, "Accept one..."

His eyes snapped to hers and the tension in the room was palpable. "It's inappropriate", he said immediately.

She gazed at him thoughtfully, "The Ministry doesn't seem to think so."

He snarled and stood abruptly, "What are you insinuating, Miss Granger?"

She stood as well and walked up to him calmly. "I'm not insinuating anything, Professor. Merely wondering when you will ask."

His eyes widened. "Ask? Ask what, Granger?" He thundered.

"Ask to marry me of course." Outwardly Hermione was haughty and sure, but inside she quaked, I just asked my teacher to propose to me! She continued on however. "It seems the most logical option really. We know one another, so we won't be marrying strangers. In a year I will be gone to University and you'll hardly see me at all, accept at night. I can continue my education and you will be able to continue teaching. Besides, ninety-seven percent is quite a telling sign, is it not?"

He was speechless. Severus Snape, bastard extrordonaire,bat of the dungeons, THE greasy git was speechless. Then he raised his arm and whispered a faint spell. A small box zoomed into his palm. He sank to his knees in front of her and she thought she might actually die from shock.

He glared at her as he flipped open the small box to reveal a large emerald with a silver band which surface was engraved with small slithering serpents. He looked at her with his big ebony eyes and she was struck at how long his eyelashes were. "Hermione Granger" He said in his most velvety tones,"Will you marry me?"

Hermione couldn't breath. When she'd come to detention that night, she'd had no idea what would happen. But her heart stirred and that ache in her breast throbbed while her blood sang. She looked at his ink black hair, the sharp jaw, and large, proud nose, the mouth that was pressed into a thin line. And his eyes. She could not reject those eyes. Those eyes and that body would protect her. The rest would come and she would be ready. "Yes" she breathed at him.

He took her hand in his large one. How silly they looked together. His calloused, long, and angel white. Hers small, lightly freckled, and delicate. He slid the ring on to her finger. Perfect fit, she thought absently.

He stood and grasped her chin between his fingers, pulling her face so he could see it. His eyes were like open pools of ink. She'd never seen him look so vulnerable. "I hope you know what you're getting into, Granger."

She looked back at him, fear and uncertainty swimming in her copper eyes."Not a clue" she breathed.

xxx

SNAPE POV

Dear Mr. Severus Snape,

We are pleased to announce the enactment of the marriage law which you will have a requirement to participate in. These are the following candidates that have been chosen for you based on your magical talent and the likelihood of such a union producing magical offspring. The candidates are as follows:

Severus scanned the names on the list with cold fury. He could feel his magic racing through his veins, singing and snarling in tangent. He scowled blackly as he saw the match percentages ranging anywhere from fifty to sixty-five. Why couldn't the Ministry find a different wizard to use for the marriage law? His chances at siring with one of these females was laughably low. The muggleborns were required to participate, but the rest were either chosen randomly or picked based on magical ability. Should he be flattered? He growled out loud.

Then, he stopped breathing, his heart clenched painfully in his chest, and his magic reacted violently, a spark leaping from his skin to sizzle on his half eaten steak. He couldn't blink, he just kept staring at that entry, the one that made his blood sear in his veins.

Miss Hermione Jean Granger: Aged 17; Location: Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Scotland; Profession: None; Match Percentage: 97%

Drunk. Whoever had figured these percentages had been drunk. Because there was no possible way that the Gryffindorr princess was a ninety-seven percent match for him. How could they expect him to wed and bed one of his students?

He sat there shocked for several minutes until he felt a heavy stare on him. He glanced up to see Granger looking at him. Those wide amber eyes fixed and filled with confusion and fear. Then, mercifully, she looked away and practically flew from the Great Hall, heedless of her friends calls.

He stood up abruptly, ignoring Albus's concerned "Severus", and stalked from the hall as well and into the safety of his dungeons. As he walked, he remembered with a pang that he had ordered her to attend several more detentions with him.Damn.

He burst open his classroom door and headed to his potion's stores. After downing a claming draught, he sat with surly impatience at his desk, waiting for her to arrive, wondering if she would even show up.

Then, he felt it. It was a pulsing feeling deep in his gut. He could feel her, her essence, and she was close. He stalked to his door and threw it open. She stood there, her fist raised to knock, her face was flushed and her eyes shining. He noted that she had been crying. Her hair was a riot of butterscotch curls, touseled, yet shiny. Her full pink lips quivered slightly at the sight of him, but she quickly bit down on her bottom one, and clenched her hands spasmondically into her jumper.

"You're late" he sneered.

She looked up at him, and he vaguely registered that she had the smallest brush of freckles on her small, delicate nose. "Sorry, sir. I've had quite a horrid day."

Oh, poor you, he thought viciously but outwordly he just scowled and said, "Haven't we all..." He moved aside to let her pass into the room and shut the door behind her. She strolled into the room as if she owned the place and thumped into one of the desks at the front. He returned to his desk and stared down at the wood, noting distractedly that the patterns and swirls of it were oddly soothing.

After a while Granger finally said, "Who will you choose, Professor?"

He met her eyes and swallowed thickly, hoping she wouldn't notice. "I do not know, Miss Granger. All of my match percentages were dismally low, women I have never met, accept one..."he let his voice trail off. He looked up to see her reaction and when he encountered her pity filled eyes he scowled blackly at her.

"I had similar results," she told him, "Accept one..."

He met her eyes again and Severus could feel his magic stirring, begging him to get closer to her. Her magic called to him. It made him sneer just thinking about it. "It's inappropriate" He told her instantly.

She looked at him evenly, her coffee colored eyes disecting him bit by bit. Her gaze nearly made him shiver. "The Ministry doesn't seem to think so," she replied.

He snarled and stood up, taking a step toward her, his magic responding to this advancement with unrestrained glee. "What are you insinuating, Miss Granger?"

She rose from the bench, her small body trembling slightly, but that damn Gryffindor courage had her answering with a calm voice, "I'm not insinuating anything, Professor. Merely wondering when you will ask."

Surely she can't be expecting- "Ask? Ask what, Granger?" He almost shouted.

"Ask to marry me of course." He seemed to go boneless in that instant. Did she just- "It seems the most logical option really. We know one another, so we won't be marrying strangers. In a year I will be gone to University and you'll hardly see me at all, accept at night. I can continue my education and you will be able to continue teaching. Besides, ninety-seven percent is quite a telling sign, is it not?"

He didn't know what to do. He wanted to tell her she was insufferable, insane, a silly little girl. He wanted to remind her that they would have to fuck. That he would part those small, slim legs and-

But he didn't do any of those things. He stood staring at this girl. This girl that stood so close to him now he could feel her magic pushing and pulling at him. He could smell her. She smelt of ink and parchment, but under that was sweet, salty, and just Granger. And in that moment he knew the choice wasn't up to him.

It had been decided when she had looked at him in the Great Hall. Her eyes had been so lost, and her soul, yes her fucking soul, had spilled forth across the expanse of students between them, and he could swear he felt it, still felt it. He could not deny her. He did the only thing he could do.

He summoned his grandmother's ring. And when it flew into his palm, he dropped to one knee in front of her. Even knelt as he was, his eyes were level with hers. Such a small little thing, my future wife he thought.

He searched her eyes for what felt like eternity, but was only mere seconds. Finally, he asked her, and it nearly choked him. He was punishing her. He was the selfish one. She was making the sacrifice. How could she ever choose him? "Hermione Granger" Her name tasted rich on his tongue,"Will you marry me?"

She seemed surprised, and that made him hate himself more. I take it back, he wanted to take it back so much. To let her go free, unscathed by his darkness. His pleas went unanswered however as she looked down at him and let out a breathy "Yes".

His body shuddering slightly with his riotess magic, he reached for her hand, and held it in his palm. It was a pretty little thing. Its digits slender, with long nails. A smattering of freckles graced the top, identical to the ones on her nose. He slid the ring on to her finger.

He stood to his full height and grabbed her chin, tilting it upwards, he repressed the urge to brush away the tear that escaped down her cheek. She seemed unaware of it, and it stood glistening on her smooth cheekbone. He dared not remove it. "I hope you know what you're getting into, Granger."

Unconsciously she lifted her hand to rest on his where it gripped her."Not a clue" she answered.

You like? I'm so nervous!

xxx Sapphire Lune