Loosen The Knot

Chapter One ~ Expectations

"Severus, she's a lovely woman. Talented, articulate, young, and attractive," said Dumbledore as he scanned the list of available females.

"She's arrogant, overly chatty, and an insufferable know it all. I'm not doing this Albus!" Severus said through gritted teeth with his arms folded.

He knew this day would come. A Marriage Law was now in place and all available witches and wizards were to be married. Hermione was the only one that he knew deep down would somehow be a match for him but he refused to back down without a fight. Fortunately, she was no longer a student but instead a newly qualified teacher of twenty three that thought his methods were out of date.

"I am not giving you the choice Severus. You will be married next week on Monday. There will be no arguments. Now, you do understand the marriage law requirements?" The older wizard looked over his half moon glasses at a still scowling Severus.

He nodded his head. He remembered reading quite clearly three nights ago. The Marriage Law consisted of three main rules which were, to produce offspring within the year, regular intercourse at least once a week with an exception if the female is on her period, and to share equally what the couple has. He grimaced at the thought. If he refused to adhere to the law he would be banished to Azkaban for his foreseeable future.

"Right. That is that. A registrar from the Ministry will be here next week. Congratulations Severus," said Dumbledore as he scratched his signature on the parchment and passed the quill to Severus who forced his best signature and left the grand office.

XxX

Hermione looked at the paper in front of her and her eyes filled with tears. She was to be married to Severus Snape on Monday afternoon in the Great Hall by a registrar from The Ministry. The same Ministry that implemented the Marriage Law to try and save the population of her world after the war.

She had hoped it would be someone else. However, her future had now been decided and it was either marriage, Azkaban, or death.
Hermione was not one to be easily defeated but considering suicide as an option showed how desperate she had become. It wasn't the thought of sharing her life with Severus but more so sleeping with him and regular intercourse, both of which she had no experience.
She had spent most of her life studying and had no time for male company apart from her male friends. She knew that Ron had a crush on her but she was relieved when he focused his attentions on Lavender.  At the present moment she now wished she was already with Ron.
At least he would have been more bearable than Severus, she thought as a tear meandered down her cheek.

She picked up a quill and anxiously signed the document before sending it out via an owl. There was no turning back now that she had literally signed her life away.

XxX

Severus sat on his cracked leather chair with a half filled tumbler in one hand and an almost empty bottle in the other. He downed what remained in the tumbler and threw the glass into the open fire causing shards to bounce off the stone surround and the fire to hiss. The fire whisky may of numbed his throat momentarily but it didn't numb his mind.

In a few days time he would have a wife who would be a thorn in his side and the product of what they would produce running around his private quarters in later months. He put his hand to his head and sighed deeply, the thought of spending his life with Hermione Granger would no doubt drive him to insanity. His eyes caught the glinting of the shattered glass to which he waved his wand and removed them. He stared at the flickering flames before hearing a knock at his door which he silently opened.