The Lesser Of Two Evils

The Lesser Of Two Evils

Written in response to "The Marriage Law" Challenge on WIKTT.

Chapter Three - Awkward Conversations

That day, and for the very first time since Severus had Apparated into her parents' flat, Hermione didn't feel at all unhappy. They had gone down into the laboratory, where he had agreed to explain to her what exactly he was researching. She had been mildly surprised to learn he was attempting to create a modified version of Veritaserum, one that would go unnoticed by the drinker not only during the ingestion but also during the questioning process itself; if the investigator was skilled enough, it could even be done at a party and the drinker would never suspect what had caused him to answer truthfully to the questions he had been asked. Well, that was the pretty theory, at least. The truth of the matter was the blasted formula kept needing readjustments and refused to work properly. Severus had been working on it for nearly three years, which only made her appreciate more the time he had been willing to waste on 'her' library.

When they had decided to have lunch she had cooked for them both while Severus had set the table, and then he had cleaned with but a flick of his wand. It was the most pleasant meal she had had in his house, and Hermione smiled more in that day alone than in the three weeks preceding it.

Their pleasant companionship lasted undisturbed for another five weeks, until Severus saw fit to drop a bomb on her.

"Hermione," he said while adding a single joberknoll feather to the concoction, "I was expecting you to bring up this subject yourself, but since it's already been two months since we got married, I feel we shouldn't postpone this any longer. I believe we should pay a visit to your parents."

---

It came as no surprise to the young witch that her husband's mind, once made, was impossible to change. She herself didn't know why she was so keen on postponing the visit to her parents, although she suspected that having left the house leaving only a note on the fridge and no contact number might have something to do with her reluctance. Still, her logical side agreed with Severus, and the sooner the better.

And now here she was, her husband at her side, ringing the doorbell on her parents' house at dinner time. Her mother came to the door and only had time to exclaim 'Hermione!' before pulling her into her arms.

"Hermione, love, what happened? We've been worried sick, your father and I, we even sent that owl you gave us for Christmas to your old school, the headmaster told us not to worry - not to worry! What happened dear?"

Hermione should have known that, having passed a day, a month or a decade, the news would still be hard to break.

"I... got married, mom. I'm sorry I didn't have the time to explain

"Yes, we know that much, but... why?"

"It's... complicated. Can we come in? This is my husband, Severus."

Hermione's mother offered a stiff hand. "How do you do?"

"Mrs. Granger. A pleasure, I'm sure."

"Likewise. Well, come in, darling, we can't wait to hear what really happened. Your father has been making all kinds of assumptions."

As he followed the two women into the house, Severus couldn't help feeling a sense of foreboding. Whatever he had expected certainly did not include the realisation that his wife's mother - his mother-in-law - seemed younger than himself. If she wasn't, then they were the same age, but she was certainly not older. And any hopes he might have harboured about the possibility of her father being older vanished instantly when he walked into the living room. The living room where, incidentally, he had informed Hermione that she was to marry him.

"Father! Oh, dad, how are you?"

"Well, frankly, Hermione, a lot worst than if I hadn't arrived home to a note on the fridge and a daughter who decided not to show up for two months. What happened?"

"Dad... this is Severus, my husband."

She saw her father's eyes widening and knew it couldn't be good.

"This... man is your husband?"

"Yes."

"And what possessed you to get married? And to... such a man, no less?"

Hermione still tried to answer, but Severus beat her to it. She knew his ice-cold tone would do nothing to improve their current predicament.

"Mr. Granger, I would appreciate it if you refrained from speaking of me as if I were not present. If there is any doubt on your mind, let me assure you, I have not lost the use of my hearing."

"Well, then, you may as well explain to me why my daughter, who has been nothing but sensible and responsible all these years, suddenly decided to marry you. And on such short notice, at that. Or should you just explain to me how you got her to take an interest in you long enough to get her pregnant?"

Hermione saw Severus blanch deeply.

"Pregnant? And how, may I ask, did you arrive to such a brilliant conclusion?"

"Well, isn't she? Why else would she do this?"

The Potions Master lost what was left of his restraint at that point. His voice was low and menacing.

"Probably because she had no pressing desire to become a bloodied corpse before the age of twenty."

His father-in-law turned scarlet. "Did you come to my house to have the nerve to announce to me that you threatened my daughter into marrying you?? Why, you-"

"FATHER!" Hermione's shout managed to temporarily stun both men into silence. "He did nothing of the kind! He saved me, that's what he did. The Ministry of Magic, they have a law now that allows pureblooded wizards to marry muggleborn witches - with or without their consent. And I was going to be chosen for Draco Malfoy, who would love nothing better than to kill me - after he'd had his good, long fun. This was the best we could do. I'm sorry if you disagree dad, but my only other option was to leave the wizarding world for good. I don't know if you'll understand this, dad, mom, but being a witch is as much a part of me as being a woman. I cannot give that up. I will not give that up. If you love me like I always thought you did then you should be thanking him, not grilling him. He saved your only daughter's life. Now, you know I love you both very much, but I think it's best if we go, at least for now. I'll try to come back for a visit in a week or two, when everyone has managed to cool off. Just mail the letters to me, the owl will find them. And it's 'Hermione Granger Snape' now. I love you mom, dad. Bye." And she Apparated home, leaving an astonished Severus to follow in her wake with a mumbled 'Mr. and Mrs. Granger' as way of goodbye.

---

Severus could hardly believe what had just happened when he Apparated after her. Of course he would have been perfectly capable of defending himself, but to see her choose to do that... and to her parents no less... it gave him a feeling of acceptance he couldn't remember ever having felt before. And her words had sounded so genuine, so heartfelt... He needed to speak with her, to know how she was feeling, to offer what little help he could. She deserved that from him.

But she wasn't in the library. And she wasn't in the laboratory. And somehow Severus already knew he wouldn't find her in the kitchen. Which could only mean she had gone straight into the bedroom, that sacred place he had vowed never to trespass. It was with some trepidation that he knocked on the door.

"Hermione. Are you in there? I would like to talk to you."

---

After her burst of fury Hermione had Apparated into the bedroom, close to tears. How could her father have assumed she would get married in less than a day because she had gotten pregnant? Didn't he know that that would never be reason enough to make her marry anyone? How could he?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Severus.

"Hermione. Are you in there? I would like to talk to you."

He didn't sound angry or menacing, hardly like someone who was coming to tell her he was quite capable of defending himself, thank you very much, but she still didn't want to talk to him. Not because it was him, but because she still didn't feel like talking to anyone at that point.

"Not now, Severus. Tomorrow, maybe."

"Hermione, I... really believe it would be best if we spoke now..."

"Go away, damn it! I said I didn't want to talk! Just leave me alone!"

On the other side of the door Severus stiffened. Of course. How idiotic could he be? She had no use for either his concern or his sympathy. He had been a fool for coming here when he should have known he had nothing to offer. His voice turned distant.

"My apologies. You are absolutely correct, I should not have come to bother you. Enjoy the rest of your evening, I will bother you no further."

Hermione heard his footsteps walking away and cursed herself. Her usually 'oh-so-cold' husband had come knocking on her door with nothing but good intentions and a concern-filled voice, and she had driven him away. Now maybe she had managed to ruin their tentative friendship for good. She did break down and cry then, for a very long time. Then she wiped her eyes and made a decision.

---

Severus had gone straight to the living room but found he couldn't sleep. He could not remember ever having tried to reach out to another human being before, and having been rejected like that on his first attempt had hurt more than just his pride. He vowed to never again give anyone the opportunity to reject him again. Then he heard the knock.

"Severus? I'm sorry. Can... can we talk now?"

"I believe there is nothing to talk about. You yourself made it quite clear just a while ago."

"Oh, Gods! I really blew it, didn't I? I'm so sorry, Severus... so sorry... If I could take back what I said I would, I swear to you, but I can't... Please, forgive me..."

She sounded almost broken. The Potions Master tried to recall his earlier resolution, but all he could remember was how fiercely she had defended him. And a treacherous little voice, that kept telling him she had just been feeling sad and hurt, and had not necessarily been rejecting his comfort, refused to be silenced. He could dig up one of his legendary derisive comments easily, but at what cost? At the cost of having them hurt each other indefinitely? He went to the door.

After his last words Hermione had certainly not expected him to open the door for her. She looked at him through tear-stained eyes and, all of a sudden, he did the most amazing thing: he smiled. He smiled, and there was no hint of malice or scorn in his smile. She found his arms and fell into them gratefully, leaning her head on his bare hairless chest.

"It's alright, Hermione, it is," he said soothingly. "You didn't blow anything, you were just upset. It's alright."

"Oh, Severus, I'm so sorry. I was so stupid, I know you were only trying to help, and I just lashed out at you... I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry, Hermione. I know. Would you..." He paused, not quite knowing how to voice it. "...care to get in?"

"If... if it's not too late..."

Severus couldn't tell if she meant too late at night or too late for them to still be friends but, whichever it was, it was most definitely not too late. He led her inside to sit on the single armchair he had in the living room.

"Better?"

She nodded and took a deep breath, covering her face with her hands and speaking through her fingers.

"Thank you. What did you want to talk about? I mean," she continued, lifting a hand up to silence him, "I know what, but what exactly?"

"It was nothing that important, Hermione. I was merely trying to access how you were, and if you needed anything from me. Obviously what you needed was your privacy and, instead of understanding that, I overreacted. I'm not the most skilled person in human relations I've ever encountered, I must confess."

She laughed a little at that. "Well, as you can see, neither am I. And it would have been far more intelligent of me to open that door for you than to try and keep everything bottled in. I'm sorry, Severus, I guess I'm more used to listening than to being listened to."

He considered that. Yes, with her two Quidditch-crazed best friends that made absolute sense. He came a little closer and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her.

"Well, Hermione, if you want to talk, I'll be more than willing to listen. And, if you don't, I will understand."

She gestured helplessly for a while, then made a noise of frustration.

"Sweet Merlin, I do want to talk, I... I just don't know how to begin!"

Severus refrained, through sheer effort of will, to point out that the beginning was usually a good place for that. Finally she looked at him in the half-light his candles provided.

"I guess I just blew up tonight. It's been a nightmare, not being able to go out whenever I want to, or meet whoever I want to without having to think if it's a possible kidnapper, it's been Hell to be cooped up in that bedroom, but then I tell myself it's just so that I can survive and be allowed to be a witch, and that's reason enough for me. But you..." She shook her head as if to clear it. "You have absolutely nothing to gain from this situation. It's not a matter of survival to you, it's... it's simple sacrifice. I couldn't just stand there, listening to my father accusing you of everything that happened since World War II and do nothing. You've been so different from what I'd expected, and I know I didn't even thank you as I should have, and you gave me your bedroom, and now you're sleeping in that horrible sofa, and you are just sacrificing so much, and I... I can do nothing to repay you, and I keep crying and making a tremendous burden of myself instead-"

Severus had been listening to her seemingly-endless tirade, astonished. He had not expected her to attempt to understand his situation when her own was so unbearable. Forced into a marriage she didn't want, at eighteen, to a man she... but she didn't despise him anymore, did she? She had left that clear enough. They were friends now, this amazing young woman and himself. He felt an inexplicable urge to touch her, to just reach out and touch her, and to comfort her by it, but he didn't know how, so he spoke instead.

"Hermione, you are not making yourself a burden! You have been helping me with my research, which is far more that I had expected, and you have managed not to question me into insanity, for which I am ever grateful. I find you easy to live with. Please do not stress yourself over me, I am far better than what I had expected. I can only imagine what my life would have become were I to marry someone like, for instance, Miss Brown."

He shuddered dramatically, which earned him another little laugh.

"Well, I'm certainly pleased to know I'm preferable to Lavender!" Her expression turned serious again. "But you gave up so much to help me..."