Marriage of Inconvenience ***COMPLETED***

14 Broken Hearts

Severus was miserable.  It was the week before his marriage and he felt totally wretched. When Minerva had, last week, casually dropped into conversation that Hermione had gone from the school, he felt his whole world implode.

"Gone? Gone where?" He demanded, slamming his hands down on her desk, clearly distraught, his temper getting the better of him. Minerva raised her eyebrow and gave him her best Headteacher glare.

"That's enough!" She snapped back, speaking to him as if he were one of her errant students "Do not come in here barking at me! Just calm down Severus."

Severus certainly had no wish to 'calm down' and stood quietly seething in front of her, offering one of his darkest scowls.

"Professor Granger has gone on holiday.  She has told me she will return in early September for the start of the new term.  I'm afraid she didn't tell me where she was going and...." she gave him a frown to match his own "...quite frankly even if she had I would not have been inclined to tell you." She then sighed a little.  "Go and get ready for your wedding Severus.  I'm sure you have a hundred and one tasks that Miss Dillington has set you before next week.  Go and attend to them and.... and forget about Hermione."

Severus said nothing but, still with his face full of ire he turned and swept from her office leaving her to shake her head a little.  She did feel sorry for him, yet this whole sorry situation was brought about by his own carelessness.  He must have known if he played with fire he was going to get burnt. Sadly, she thought, helping herself to a chocolate biscuit and dunking it absentmindedly in her tea, you reap what you sow.

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Harry Potter sat at the breakfast table, reading the latest issue of The Quibbler, interspersed with eating some toast. He'd turned to the Sport Pages and was reading about his best friend Ron's latest Quidditch exploits when he was startled by a loud rap on the door of his Grimauld Place home.

Young James Potter who was sat on the settee skimming through a book entitled 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' looked up.

"Who's that dad?" He asked Harry who wiped his jammy hands on his napkin and was walking towards the door.

Harry shrugged. 

"Dunno son." He walked to the door, opened up and was surprised to see Severus stood in front of him, his face indicating it wasn't a social call.

"Severus." Said Harry "How lovely to see...."

His words were cut off by Jimmy who had launched himself at his now favourite 'uncle'.

"Uncle Seberuts!" He squealed and hugged Severus tight. As down as the wizard was feeling, he couldn't help but hug the young boy back.

"Hello young man" he said releasing him, his face softening. He then turned to Harry.

"Where's Hermione?" He asked, "Is she here? I've looked everywhere for her this past week, but no one knows where she is."

"Hermione? No she's not here. I've not seen her since we came to find Jimmy."

"And you don't know where she is?"

Harry shook his head. 

"No idea" he said "Hang on I'll ask Gin - she may have heard from her."  He walked towards the staircase and shouted up.  "GIN! DO YOU KNOW WHERE HERMIONE IS?"

"GRAN CANARIA! She shouted back "PUERTO DEL AZUL! IT'S A WIZARDING AND MUGGLE VILLAGE ON THE EAST OF THE ISLAND.  SHE OWLED ME TO LET ME KNOW SHE COULDN'T COPE WITH SEVERUS GETTING MARRIED SO HAS GONE AWAY BUT WE'RE NOT TO TELL SEVERUS WHERE.... Oh hello Severus" she walked down the stairs, into the lounge, turning the colour of beetroot and immediately could've kicked herself.