Hermione had never felt so hungover in her life, despite the fact that she hadn't touched so much as a drop of alcohol. She was emotionally burnt out. Her mind felt like it was full of wool. She couldn't concentrate enough to form a conherent thought. She wasn't even able to pinpoint exact feelings anymore. They all felt like dull blows, to which she was unable to defend. 

Her date with Draco yesterday had been unexpected. 

It was undeniable. Hermione's whole opinion of Draco Malfoy had shifted after just two dates. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning, chastising herself for her weak constitution. Was she truly this naive and forgiving? After everything he had done to her? Why did she not fight this? Was she really such a doe-eyed school girl, as to blush and coo at the first man that paid her a compliment? Hermione was furious with her own traitorous disposition. All of her protests had been for nothing, she realised. Hermione was slowly falling into the same trap that every other gullable young woman had, since the passing of the Marriage Law. 

Hermione wondered if Draco felt the same. Was he tearing himself apart? Or was he smug in the knowledge that a coupling meant that he was nearing the end of this Merlin-forsaken programme? 

Hermione desperately tried to reassure herself. She was certain that she was not in love with him. Maybe it was his silver tongue, or his undeniable charm, she was unsure. She was insistent that this new development was not entirely as a result of the Ministry's interference. She had known Draco for the past 9 years (albeit, not as intimatley as she knew him now), surely their shared past had made it easier for them both to make a connection. Although their history was filled to the brim with turmoil,  Hermione had to admit that opinion of Draco had soared over the past 3 weeks.

He had all but proposed to her yesterday. She had actually considered it. 

She was not in love with Draco Malfoy, Hermione repeated. But, would it really be so difficult to marry him?

Elligible Bachelor #4 would have to make an impeccable impression today, if he wanted to stay in the running. As she stepped into the small room with the opaque glass Hermione wondered what exactly this man would have to do, to top Draco Malfoy. 

A small realisation hit her. It didn't matter if the date with Bachelor #4 went well, She already had a match. 

____

"Hello?" His silken voice called from behind the divider. 

Hermione smiled, wearily. "Hi."

"If I may be frank, you sound tired." Mystery Man #4 said. 

"I'm a little tired. It's been a long process, and there's still a long way to go." She said. Hermione settled herself down into the sofa, allowing herself to relax more than she had done on her previous dates. She curled her legs underneath her, slouching back into the cushions and letting them take her weight. 

"Perhaps you hadn't noticed. The true tragedy is that the horrors don't end with a marriage proposal. We will all spend the rest of our lives trying to navigate our relationships, clinging onto the threads of these shoddy arranged marriages." He said. 

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Well that's a cheerful outlook." She said, sarcastically.

"I am simply being realistic." He stated. "The Ministry seems oblivious to the fact that their revolutionary population management scheme is identical to The Dark Lord's plan to protect the magical bloodlines." 

She rubbed her forhead morosely. "You're not the first person who's said that to me this week." 

He gave a low growl. "It would seem that I'm not the only Ex-Death Eater whom you've interacted with. The Dark Lord's plan never made it out of his inner circle." 

"Perhaps not." Hermione said. She tried to play it cool, as she mentally reeled off a list of Death Eaters she knew were both alive and roaming free. Her list was painfully short. "You were involved in the war?" 

"Of course I was." He said, divulging no further. "I sense that you are getting disturbingly close to uncovering my identity. Unless you have already come to a conclusion?" 

Hermione frowned. "No, I haven't. I have a few ideas, each as unlikely as the next." 

"Like I said last time, I will give you no clues." He purred. "You'll have to get to know me better."

Hermione was as tired of asking questions as much as she was fed up of answering them. She was sick of uncovering every small detail about her life. She had been on a lot of dates over a very short period of time, and honestly, if she ever had to go on a date again, it would be too soon. Hermione wished there was some kind of textbook or cheat sheet that she could read to gather all of the information necessary to make her decision. 

Regardless of whether or not she enjoyed it, Hermione realised that she was stuck in his damned charade for another week. While she knew the identity of one of her suitors, she was yet to know the other. It was to be a challenge. She tried to steer her brain away from Draco Malfoy and force it to think rationally again. She would uncover his identity whether she was interested in persuing him or not, Hermione decided with determination. 

Elligible Bachelor #4 was a Half-Blooded Wizard with an affinity for Potions. He was older than her. He was an Ex-Death Eater who had been involved in the war. Her answer was glaringly obvious, even a first-year could have deciphered the clues. Hermione was not horrified, but unnerved. 

In truth, Hermione had felt sorry for Snape, when the truth had emerged about his allegiance, his love for Lily and the brutal abuse he had received from Lord Voldemort. After his acquittal, he had made a short public statement to The Daily Prophet, stating that he wished to live out the rest of his life in peace, and vanished. 

There was a still a loud voice inside of her that berated her for being stupid. There was no way that Snape was the man behind the screen. Hermione searched desperatley for an alternative answer in her continued interrogation.

"Do you want children?" Hermione asked. If he was indeed Severus Snape, Hermione was sure that the man before her would not want to produce children. 

The man paused, as though she had spoken in a foreign language and he needed time to decipher her meaning. "Should we meet, I imagine you should regret that question immediately." 

Hermione sounded concerned. "Why would you say that?" 

"I have a reputation." The man said, as though attempting to avoid the question. "I never considered that there would be a woman willing to offer to bear my child. No. I've never wanted children. However, if a child was unexpectedly created, no doubt I would endeavour to be the best father I could." 

"You don't think you would be a good father?" Hermione asked. 

He cleared his throat. "My own father was an arsehole. I didn't exactly have the best childhood, but I do believe it's given me some inclination as to how not to raise a child."

Sensing his pain, Hermione dared not delve deeper about the man's father. "What about your mother?"

He sighed. "My father treated my mother worse than he treated me. She died while I was still in Hogwarts." 

"I'm sorry to hear that." 

Elligible Bachelor seemed indifferent. "While I appreciate your concern, I didn't intend to invoke your sympathies. I wish to win you over with honesty, not pity." 

Hermione wasn't entirely sure what to say. The man's obvious rejection of her concern was likely due to the fact that so little condolence had been offered to him, during the most difficult parts of his life. It would explain his self-depreciating comments, blunt manner of speaking and often monotonous disposition. This was a man who didn't think he was important enough to be heard. 

"How many children do you plan on having?" He said, after a short period of silence. 

Hermione stumbled, hearing his inflection. "You say that as though I'm going to force you into having a child with me in spite of your opinion. I would like to have children. I would value your thoughts and opinions on the matter though."

"Does it not bother you, to know your child will have parents with a significant age gap?" He asked. 

"Not really." Hermione said. "Magical folk live far longer than muggles. It's likely to be an insignificant difference."

"Like I said, I have a reputation. You ought to be prepared." The man reinforced. "Our relationship, and any children we may share, would constantly be the subject of gossip."

Hermione pushed forward. "I'm afraid that I too, am often in the public eye. I'm sure that the writers at The Daily Prophet would have much to say if we were to announce our intentions to marry."

The man gave a humourless laugh. "You have no idea. In fact, I'm willing to wager that you'll back out, as soon as you discover my identity." 

Hermione ignored him. "I'm over it. I don't much care what they write about me. Although, I can't imagine that being involved in a scandal would do your Potions business any good."

"In all honesty, I hadn't considered that." He said. "I am secure enough in my funds that I could weather the gossip-storm until it all blows over. My business could handle it. Perhaps it would even benefit me." 

"That's certainly a very cunning outlook." Hermione said.  

"Of course, you're aware that our children will most assuredly be placed in Slytherin House?" The man said in his rumbling voice. 

She laughed. "I think that it's far more likely that our children will be Gryffindor's. You've already pointed out that I have strong traits." 

The man seemed entertained. "Perhaps mine are stronger?" 

"And if our child were to be placed in Hufflepuff?" Hermione asked. "What then?" 

"I would be having words with the Headmistress about the efficacy of that blasted hat." He said. 

The headmistress. Not, Minerva? Hermione thought. It was a rather interesting tidbit of information that Mystery Man #4 had just let slip. The man whom she had suspected of being behind the screen addressed Minerva by her given name, not by her title. Perhaps Severus Snape was not the name of the man who sat before her. Hermione cringed. He was undoubtedly Slytherin, not to mention a liar and a sneak. Hermione smirked, was he lying to dissuade her?

"We've established that you're older than me. How old are you?" She said, boldy.

"I'm twice your age. Literally." 

"Does it bother you, the thought of marrying a woman who is significantly younger than you are?" Hermione asked, mirroring his previous question.  

Mystery Man #4 paused, as if wondering how to phrase his answer. "While there is some concern about compatibility, I think you are very mature for your age. We appear to have shared interests, which eliminates another worry. There is to be no question about sexual attraction, there are plenty of older men who seek younger women-"

"Yourself included?" Hermione asked, quickly before he changed the subject. 

"Yes. I cannot deny, that the thought of sharing a bed with someone who is potentially less experienced than me is appealing. Youth suggests innocence. I would greatly enjoy corrupting your innocence should I be given the chance." He said, in his silky voice. 

Well that had certainly changed the course of the conversation. Forgotten was her determination to discover his identity. 

Hermione felt her mouth go dry. Her mind was suddenly flooded (as were her knickers) with all of the ways he might corrupt her. In particular, she pictured a faceless mature man, bent over her soft naked body, thrusting into her as he whispered filthy words into her ear with his velvet voice. Hermione pressed a hand against her clothed breast, applying a slight pressure as she imagined his calloused, weathered hands in place of her own. She shuffled uncomfortably in her seat, thanking Merlin that her companion remained oblivious to her thoughts. 

"Bold of you to assume I have innocence?" Hermione stated, trying to sound defiant in order to mask the effect that his words were having on her. 

"Not particularly, given the incompetence of most boys your age. I wouldn't be surprised if he had trouble locating the correct entrance." He sneered.

She cringed, recalling how Ron had stared at her female anatomy, confused as to why she would need two holes, before Hermione had explained with a huff. She knew that sexual education was non-existant in the Wizarding World, but it seemed that neither Ron's mum nor his older brother's had bothered to have "the talk " with him.

"Has a man ever brought you to orgasm?" He asked, daringly.

Hermione went silent. 

He chuckled. "It sounds like you are in desperate need of corruption." 

"You believe that you are the man for the job?" Hermione countered. 

"Should you choose to marry me. Yes." Bachelor #4 assured her. "I would be honored. Provided that it is consensual, of course."

Hermione bit her lip. "You have no idea." 

"Trust me, I am not so old and deaf that I cannot hear you rubbing your thighs together as we talk." He said, catching Hermione out entirely. She dropped her hand from her breast and shuffled in her seat.

Her cheeks heated in embarrassment. "Do you enjoy making people squirm?" 

"Well that's a poor turn of phrase if I ever heard one." He said, with a dull laugh. "Have I enjoyed making you aroused? Yes. Do I enjoy making people uncomfortable by exposing their flaws? To some degree. I like to think I know when it is appropriate to stop. For example, now is not the time for bedroom talk. Hopefully you can recover from your excitement to continue our conversation?" 

"Of course." Hermione shuffled in her seat one final time. "I believe we were talking about our age difference." 

"As we have determined, it will be of no consequence on my behalf. Although there is the possibility that there will be no physical attraction from your point of view. I would completely understand if that were the case-"

"Stop." Hermione said. "Stop assuming that I will reject you at first sight. I am able to decide for myself whether I find you attractive. I would appreciate it if you could keep those comments to yourself." She instructed. 

She was begining to get emotional whiplash from this man. One minute he was kind and amenable (and daring), the next he was dark and guarded. Hermione was finding it difficult to keep up. It was obvious that Mystery man #4 had issues. Didn't they all? Perhaps his perception of himself was worse than what others thought of him? 

A Gryffindor-like brazenness was beginning to overtake Hermione. She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice and she said. "You keep hinting that i'll run away once I find out who you really are. Why?"

Much like Hermione, the man seemed to control himself. He didn't raise the volume of his voice, but the sharpness increased. It reminded Hermione once more of her Ex-Potions Professor. "It doesn't matter."

"It does! How can you expect me to agree to marry you without knowing the true details?" Hermione insisted.

The man grumbled something in a low, quiet voice. Hermione struggled to hear him. Mercifully, he spoke up. "From experience, most people do flee when they realise who I am."

"Why?" The words fell out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop them.

"I did something during the War that received a very poor reception from the general public. Even though the truth about my actions has now come to light, people still tend to avoid me." The man said as though it pained him physically. 

Hermione was afraid that if she continued to ask questions, he would flee. She struggled to contain her curiosity. He sounded strained. "Like I told you, once you learn my name, you will understand."

"You have given me no reason to hate you." She said. "I have my suspicions about what it is you're hiding from me. If I am indeed correct, you have nothing to fear."

He was genuinely stunned. "Silly witch."

"You are remorseful. You clearly have a lot of things to deal with, and I imagine that trying to find a wife is the last thing you want." Hermione dared say. "Yet you have not been unkind. You have been honest about your... difficulties." 

"If you truly aren't bothered about love, then I think we are well matched. If you can deal with the publicity that our bonding will bring, as you have said, then we will have no issues. If you're happy to have our relationship, and your reputation, darkened by the stains of my past then I shall offer you my hand." The Mystery Man said. 

"If you promise to be honest, the next time we meet, about what it is you are concealing, then perhaps I shall take it." Hermione said, in a quiet voice. "I deserve to know the truth about the man that I might marry." 

He mummered unintelligibly. 

"I have been entirely honest with you. I have not lied or purposely withheld information." She said.

Silence. Hermione's pleas were met with a roaring silence that did nothing to settle the anxiety in her stomach. 

"Your history aside, Do you have any further concerns, or requirements that I ought to know about before I make this decision?" She asked. 

He seemed to think it through. 

"I have no requirements. I'm not going to pretend that I am any better than your other suitors. I'll admit that while I have withheld the truth, my promises have been in earnest. I plan to allow you to nurture your career, and I am more than willing to father any children we may share. If you are agreeable, your hunger will be satisfied. We will live in comfort and privacy, and I shall endeavour to protect your social standing to the best of my ability. 

"I'm not going to stoop so low as to beg you to marry me. I leave the decision to you." He said.