A/N: Hello! So, this story is being rewritten and finished. I have reread it and know that I can write this much better, so I am planning on doing so. Please be patient with me, I do have two jobs plus doing my undergrad work while being the ripe age of 30, so time is limited, but I do plan on finishing this! It's something that I've thought about over the past few years and just haven't had time/drive to finish. But, I'm in a better mental state now, and I want to be able to mark this as complete! Reviews are always lovely and welcome! If you want to complain about my writing style or how I develop my characters, go read something else. I don't really care, I'm not doing this for money or notoriety, but because I've had this idea in my head and I want to get it on paper and share it with others who may want to read it.

I'll try and upload a chapter once a week, but I may not be able to at times, so bear with me.

Lots of love,

Mikena

As always, none of the noticeable characters are mine.

Albus Dumbledore looked at the younger man opposite his desk. He had just finished explaining the new marriage law coming out, which he heard about from his dealings with the Ministry, and he tried to talk sense into Fudge, but to no avail. He knew this was Tom Riddle's influence, but now, the Ministry is fully set to enforce this marriage law with a pregnancy clause at the end of July, a mere two months from now.

So many muggle-born witches will be forced to marry, but one certain muggle-born had both men worried.

"Miss Granger is the obvious target here. With her connection to Potter, he wants her to shut away somewhere as a bloody broodmare." Severus stated, falling silent as the fact set in. Voicing something aloud can make things absolute. Such a waste of a brilliant mind.

"Do you know who Tom plans on pairing her with?" Albus asked him, though he was sure it was the younger Malfoy.

"I can imagine Draco, seeing he's her age. Though I do believe that the Dark Lord is aware that Draco may not be willingly loyal to him, as he handles him with an air of caution. That would mean that the next in line for Miss Granger's hand in marriage would be," a look of disgust on his face, "Greyback." He knew that Greyback would break not only her body and spirit but also her mind. Such a bloody waste.

Severus stayed silent for a few minutes while those facts were digested by both men. He looked at the elder man opposite him with tired eyes, "We can't hide her away, and unless she marries someone quickly, someone who can protect her, and who can protect themselves as well, this may lose us the war. If she's married before the law comes out, then she won't be succumbed to the pregnancy clause, as long as there is evidence of the relationship being genuine." He said, not seeing a way out of this whole mess.

Albus was silent as he regarded the younger man with his twinkling eyes. "And you know no one who can be that protector, Severus? No one at all?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Severus looked up at Albus, "Who—?" then it clicked as he saw the twinkle in the headmaster's eyes, "No! No, Albus! Absolutely not! I will not marry my student!" He stood up, pacing the space next to his chair. "Isn't that against school regulation anyway?" shaking his head in anger and confusion. He didn't know if it was or wasn't part of the regulation, but he knew if Albus had even suggested it then it wasn't.

"Ah, my dear boy, though it hasn't been exercised in a few centuries, as long as the headmaster approves said union, the student is of age and the student either gets a separate tutor for the class the spouse teaches, or just takes his/her NEWTs early, then it isn't an issue. Seeing how I'm suggesting the union, indicating that I approve of it, how Miss Granger is of age, thanks to the time-turner in her third year, and I'm sure she could easily sit her NEWTs now and pass with flying colors, it seems that this ticks all boxes quite neatly, don't you agree?" Albus popped a sherbet lemon in his mouth and looked up at his Potions Master innocently.

Watching his potions professor turn an impressive shade of red and purple, (Ah! Rurple! A new color! He should get new robes in that color) He thought about how certain he was that they could be very happy together…eventually at least. He knew they were both hard-headed, and stubborn, but he also knew that both were loyal and could learn to love each other.

"Albus," Severus said as calmly as he could, "Did you not hear me? There needs to be evidence of a genuine relationship, especially this close to the law coming out! There is no way we can make up a real relationship between her and me in a matter of weeks! There must be someone else. Anyone else! What about one of the Weasley boys? Someone closer to her age would be easier to mask, not her professor who is old enough to be her fucking father!" He thought desperately, even though he knew deep down that they couldn't possibly hold their own against death eaters. "Just talk it over with her first, will you? Before you decide? Maybe her brain can come up with some other answers to this fucking problem." At that, he stood and stormed out the door.

Albus sighed, knowing that he was right about needing to talk with Hermione before anythingwas decided. But he knew that this was the best course to go, and he was sure he can get her to see reason as well. She had a rather remarkably logical mind.

Severus fumed his way down to the dungeons, robes billowed angrily behind him. How could Albus think that he should marry that little chit of a girl? He was old enough to be her father, for Merlin's sake!

Growling the password to his quarters, he swept in, headed straight for his liquor cabinet and pulled out his firewhiskey and poured himself a tall glass, collapsing into his armchair. He glared at the fire roaring in his fireplace while taking a deep slug from his glass, and after a moment he sighed, placing the glass on the table next to his chair, running his hand over his face. He also knew that the girl wasn't a girl anymore. He knew that she had grown up, that she was competent in herself. He also knew that he was the most logical choice, especially given his status in the Dark Lord's inner circle. At that thought, his right hand subconsciously rubbed his left forearm, where that cursed Dark Mark was.

What life, though, was it for a young woman to be bound for life to an old, nasty, Death Eater? Even if they were to win this war, she would be a pariah in their society. He knew his reputation wasn't the best, as he made sure of it due to the demands of his lifestyle. He had no family, his parents both dead; and her parents, how would they react to this insane situation? They would need to go into hiding.

He sighed, trying to think of any way that this situation could turn out in any way good, for contrary to popular belief, he didn't hate his students. He does care about how they turn out, just his accursed position forces him to act a certain way. True, they annoyed him to no end, especially when they refused to listen to simple instructions, but that didn't mean he wanted them hurt in any manner.

He knew that Albus would talk to her tomorrow, as the law was coming out in a couple of months. They would need to marry, as well as create a relationship out of thin air. Magic can do many things, but creating an entire relationship, something to fool the masses is something that just wasn't possible.

He sighed, finishing off his whiskey, he cast one last thoughtful look into the fire then got up and went to bed. His life, as well as hers, was going to change completely. Hopefully, he can bring her out of this war as whole as possible. She was still an innocent girl, after all, a girl who was about to be forced into womanhood. With a shake of his head, as if to rid it of the unpleasant thoughts, he went to bed.