Venice, Drama and Love;
A Hermione Granger and Severus Snape fanfic;
By emilyjasmine;
Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot
Hi everyone, I've had half of this written for a very long time and then got busy and started other projects but now I've practically finished my glee story, I decided to come back to it. I'm planning on leaving it as a one-shot but if I get enough interest in it, I'll think about adding more chapters. Thanks for reading, Emss x
It was around Christmas time for the students in Hogwarts. There were many decorations hanging all around the school, which included many sprigs of magical mistletoe to trick unfortunate first years. However, for the few eighth years, who had chosen to redo their seventh year because of the war, they were able to sneak around the castle using the many short cuts. But due to the newness of the castle, there were many more secret passage ways to confuse everyone.
The Dark Lord had finally been defeated by Harry Potter and everyone was finally back to being themselves. Many things had happened during the first few months of the New Year. Professor McGonagall was the new head teacher, Remus Lupin had returned as the DADA teacher, with his wife, Nymphadora Lupin, as the new Transfiguration teacher, taking over Professor McGonagall. Professor Slughorn had gone back into retirement but he was finally able to live in a permanent address and had finally got all of his contacts back.
Most importantly, Professor Severus Snape had recovered his fatal snake bite with the help of Hermione Granger. She had stayed by his side during his recovery and it was no shock that she had finally started dating the man, not that anyone knew. They'd been dating for a couple of months, but Severus always had his doubts about her friendships with Ron and Harry, despite Hermione's constant reassurances that nothing was going on between them. He was now back to teaching potions, DADA wasn't actually as thrilling as he thought it was going to be.
It was 2 weeks before the school went on break for the Christmas Holidays and Ron and Hermione were the only ones in the common room whilst most of the others were at dinner.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, nudging her slightly to get her attention.
Hermione sighed, marked her page in her book and looked at Ron, "What's up?"
"Where have you been sneaking off to at night?" He asked as he looked through his DADA essay to avoid eye contact.
"What do you mean?" Hermione retorted looking up at Ron. She was uncomfortable with the conversation, and slightly pissed off as Ron had interrupted her reading a potion book she'd borrowed from Professor Snape.
"Lavender told me that you keep disappearing in the middle of the night," replied Ron as he shrugged.
"I've been having trouble sleeping, I walk around sometimes, it helps," Hermione replied, trying to make sure that her answer didn't sound memorized, which it was.
Before Ron could replied, Lavender herself walked through the portrait hole with Parvati at her side, Ginny wasn't far behind walking with Harry, both were giggling.
"Hermione, Professor Snape would like a word with you in his office tonight at seven," Ginny said.
"Oh," Hermione gasped and looked at her watch. It was currently six thirty, so she decided to get some dinner before going down to the dungeons. "Well I'd better get some dinner before going. See you guys later." With that she rushed off to the Great Hall.
She didn't take long with her meal and before she knew it, she was standing outside the Potion Master's office after knocking on the door.
"Enter," his baritone voice called from the office. "Ah, Hermione." He smiled as he saw her walk through the door. She wasted no time in crossing the room and making her way over to the desk where Severus was sitting. He pulled his chair back slightly, so there was enough room for Hermione to sit on his knee. She slipped her hands around his neck and pulled him forward for a sweet kiss.
"I've missed this," she admitted as she stroked his hair out of his eyes.
"I have also," Severus replied, nuzzling his head into Hermione's neck.
"Ron was trying to get me to reveal where I've been sneaking off at night," She revealed.
"I wondered where you were at dinner, I got suspicious. That's why I asked Ginevra to tell you to come to my office. If you didn't come, I would have guessed you were too busy with Weasley in a manner I don't want to imagine," Severus told her honestly.
"Only you," Hermione whispered before leading him into his chambers.
oOoOo
When Severus woke up the next morning he realised that Hermione was no longer in the bed beside him. He sighed sadly but got up to do what was needed, finish marking the papers that he didn't get chance to last night. Hermione had distracted him.
As Severus got into his shower he started to wonder what Hermione really saw in him. Not only was he practically 20 years her senior but he was also an ex Death Eater. He also considered himself to be extremely boring with no appetite for fun. When he looked over his relationship with Hermione, he realised that all he did was read with her, make her dinner and sleep with her. He's never once properly thanked her for healing him. It was then, as he rinsed his hair, that he decided he was going to take her on a proper date and make thank her fully for everything she did and possibly take their relationship further. All he needed now was Ginny's help.
oOoOo
Ginny had been monitoring Hermione's behaviour ever since the war. Obviously everyone had been acting differently but yet Hermione seemed to be the one that was always preoccupied. She barely stayed at The Burrow with all the Weasleys, Fred and George kept winding Ron up saying that she was cheating on him, though they technically weren't together. Ginny made it her job to continue watching Hermione when she returned to school.
She realised that she kept sneaking out at night and she started adding everything up. When Professor Snape had asked her to tell Hermione to go to his office, she finally realised what it was. Ginny was the only one the Hermione trusted fully and when Ginny realised that Hermione had kept something so vital from her she was hurt. However, she couldn't prove if her suspicions were correct. So, after Hermione went to dinner, she asked Harry to borrow his cloak with the excuse that she needed the restricted section of the library later that night. Harry, as he was so completely in love with her, let her have the cloak, despite the fact that Ginny was a Prefect, meaning she could be in the restricted section whenever she wanted.
Ginny snuck down to the Great Hall, whilst wearing the cloak, just as Hermione was leaving. She then followed her best friend down to the dungeons and managed to sneak into the office before the door shut properly.
She witnessed how comfortable the couple was together and how much they really did love each other. However, she was glad when they decided to continue in the bedroom so Ginny had the chance to escape unnoticed. Well, that's what she thought anyway.
When she went down to breakfast the next day, she was shocked to receive a letter from one of the school owls, with a scarily familiar writing, however, this writing was usually a letter at the top of her potion essays. She took a deep breath and opened the letter.
Dear Ginevra,
I have something to discuss with you and it is of importance. If you could spare an hour or so later today at around 10am, I could use your assistance. Please meet me in the entrance chamber.
I would appreciate it if you didn't tell Potter about this letter or Hermione for that fact. Just tell them that you have a one off potions lesson because you aren't being challenged enough.
Yours,
Professor S. Snape
"I knew it!" Ginny cried causing those around her to look at her strangely. The people around her included her brother, Harry, Hermione and Lavender.
"You knew what?" Hermione asked trying to see the letter. Ginny quickly hid the letter in her cloak pocket and answered, "That the Chudley Cannons were going to lose yet another match." Ginny looked round quickly and caught the eye of Professor Snape who seemed to laugh slightly at the situation.
"Everyone knew that Gin, it's not a surprise," Harry replied to his girlfriend kissing her on the cheek.
With that everyone started eating again and everything was forgotten. Ginny then looked back up to the head table and caught the eye of Professor Snape again and nodded slyly. He gave her a short nod before getting up from the table and taking the back exist from the hall.
oOoOo
Hermione always regretted having to leave Severus in a morning but they both knew it was a must. They had checked the rule book for Hogwarts and they weren't breaking the rules. If you were of age then you were able to date a professor. Technically, the eighth years weren't students but the castle had created dorms in the relative houses for them and they were in lessons, so everyone classed them as students.
The couple hadn't even spoken about revealing their relationship, but Hermione always had a quiet thought that Severus didn't want them to be in the public but she didn't know the intention. It was either because he wanted her all to herself, or the more probable, he thought she would be embarrassed to be with him. However, neither of them were the case. She just happened to love the man. She had always had great respect for him; he was her favourite teacher after all. It wasn't until her fifth year, when she realised that he was fighting on her side that she actually started to develop feelings for him. It wasn't his looks or how fun he was; it was his intelligence and love for the same things she did.
It was all of this that made her run back to the shrieking shack with her medicine bag that she took on the camping trip. She applied many different potions, most of her own creation, to try and make him regain consciousness. It was only after the 5th blood replenishing potion when he started stirring. With pure joy Hermione kissed him and they've never looked back.
Something was bugging her though; Severus hadn't been himself in a couple of weeks. He'd stopped asking her to come down to his office all the time but she usually went down anyway. He seemed slightly distant too. She was going to have to speak with him.
oOoOo
It was 9:50 when Ginny got down to the entrance chamber and waited at the side for the professor wondering what he wanted. She told the others what Severus had said and they seemed to swallow it up, all except Hermione, how raised her eye brow slightly.
"Ah, Ginevra, I'm glad you could meet me," Severus said as he approached his girlfriend's best friend.
"It's not a problem, Sir. Why did you want me to meet you here?" She asked. She had been wondering this all morning.
"I know you are aware of my relationship with Hermione," Severus whispered knowingly, at this Ginny blushed. "As her best friend, you know what she likes and dislikes. I would like you to choose a dress and a ring for our date tonight."
"Hermione hasn't mentioned anything for tonight," Ginny told him.
"It is a surprise." Severus smiled and indicated that Ginny should follow him. He didn't miss her shocked look with him smiling.
oOoOo
Half an hour and three dress shops later, Ginny had found the perfect dress for her best friend. It was a short, strapless, baby blue dress. It had a large ribbon tied under the breast tied in a bow underneath. The top section covered in crystals. The skirt rippled down to just above the knees.
Ginny and Severus now found themselves in a ring shop.
"Why don't you get a ring to match the dress?" Ginny suggested.
"Why do you think that?" Severus asked.
"Because I've found the perfect one," She pointed to a white gold ring that had small crystals surrounding the blue diamond in the centre.
"I think it's perfect," Severus muttered and called the assistant over to buy the ring.
oOoOo
Hermione had just got back to her room when she saw an envelope on her bed in the familiar writing on top of a large box.
Dear my darling Hermione,
I would like to invite you to dinner tonight. There is a dress in the box underneath this envelope. I hope you will wear it. Don't worry my darling, I didn't pick it out, I asked Ginevra to. She knows about us, she figured it out (finally there is a clever Weasley). Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes at this.
I would be delighted if you could meet me in the entrance camber at 7 tonight.
Forever yours,
Severus.
Hermione literally squealed in delight and quickly wrote a reply containing one single word before tapping it with her wand. She and Severus had developed a spell that would send letters to one another without having to use an owl as it was pointless walking to the owlery to attach it to an owl to deliver it when it was easier to just walk to the potions office.
When the letter was sent, Hermione opened the box on her bed and saw the dress for the first time. She put down her wand and picked up the dress and held it against her across from the full length mirror that lived in the corner of her dorm room. Sighing slightly, Hermione noticed that it was the perfect shade for her skin but then she thought of a problem. She couldn't think how to style her hair and makeup! It was obviously going to be a big night otherwise Severus wouldn't have gone into all this detail but Hermione didn't want to get her hopes up too much. Knowing Severus, he'd have just planned an early Christmas meal for her before they broke up for the holidays and she went back to The Burrow.
Hermione then put the dress back in the box and practically skipped down the stairs to the common room and spotted her favourite ginger sitting by the fire with her second favourite ginger on her lap. Crookshanks was the first to notice Hermione and he jumped off of Ginny's lap and walked over to his owner and wrapped himself around her legs before going back to the fire. (During the war, Crookshanks had stayed at The Burrow).
"Hey, Mia!" Ginny called when she spotted her best friend.
"Hey, Ginny," Hermione replied smiling at the fake curiosity on Ginny's face. "Fancy following me to my dorm?"
"Um, Mia, I don't swing that way," Ginny said winking at Hermione. They both knew that was slightly untrue. They had experimented a year or so back…with each other but knew their hearts were with boys. "But sure, I'll come up."
When the two entered the dormitory, Hermione just came out with her request.
"Will you do my hair and makeup for tonight?" She asked.
"Why where are you going?"
"Like you don't know." Hermione pushed Ginny slightly on their shoulder and the ginger girl immediately started planning what they were going to do.
oOoOo
A couple of hours later, Hermione was ready for her date. Her hair was straighten and her makeup was sophisticated with natural eyes but red lips. Hermione had decided to match her dress with her sparkling silver heels and Ginny looked proudly at her work.
"You look fabulous," Ginny said in awe, "Not that I want to think about it, but if he doesn't want to fuck you against the wall when he sees you, it's time you found someone new."
"Thanks, Gin?" Hermione replied uncertainly before draping her cloak around her dress so no one would see it. If people saw her, they wouldn't question it due to the freezing weather outside.
"I'll be right back," Ginny murmured and Hermione nodded.
They realised part way through the makeover that everyone was going to suspect something when Hermione walked through the common room looking so dolled up. This is why Ginny was going to check the common room first. If it was empty, Hermione could just walk through. If there were a few people, Ginny would distract them but if there were many people, Ginny was going to steal her boyfriend's cloak again.
Ginny soon returned with a bright grin. "There's no one there," she said. "Everyone must be at dinner so I'm gonna walk you down and then go to dinner myself as I am STARVED!"
Hermione nodded and the two of them got on their way. It was only now that Hermione regretted being in Gryffindor due to the amount of stairs that they had to climb down.
"Better down than up," Ginny said in regard to the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms but before they knew it, they were in the entrance hall bang on time as Severus was stood by the bottom of the stairs. "I'll leave you two to it," Ginny murmured and headed to the Great Hall.
"Hi," Hermione said and blushed slightly at the loving gaze Severus had in his eyes.
"Hi," he replied. "You ready to go?" He then offered his arm.
Hermione nodded and took Severus arm and the two of them walked down towards the gates of Hogwarts. Severus was slightly amused at his silent girlfriend; usually Hermione would constantly be asking him questions but he guessed that she could feel how special the night was going to be.
When they got to the gate, Severus murmured, "hold on tighter," before Apparating. "Welcome to Venice," he said once they'd steadied on their feet.
"Venice?" Hermione cried and Severus laughed slightly before nodding and leading her to a gondola that was waiting just in front of them. "Severus what have you planned?"
"You soon find out."
And find out she did. The spent an hour floating around the city before they stopped outside a beautiful restaurant. There was a man in a neat suite waiting at the side and helped Hermione and then Severus out of the boat and then led them into the restaurant. Severus had pre-ordered the meal and all they had to do, was wait for the meals to be served.
"How did you now that I would want pasta carbonara?" Hermione asked.
"My darling, we have been together long enough for me to know your favourite meals," Severus replied with humour laced into his voice.
Once their meal was over, Severus took her back to the gondola so they could return to where they had commenced but the journey was different part way through. Severus let go of Hermione who was neatly tucked under his arm and got down on one knee in front of her. The gondolier noticed this and slowed the gondola down in order to not let Severus tip to the side as that would really ruin the moment.
"Hermione, I cannot wait any longer," Severus started, "I was going to wait until we were back in our rooms to ask this but the mood, the food and this city have made me far too excited to wait. Hermione Jean Granger, you are the love of my life and you brought me back to life, quite literally, and there is no one else who I want to be with. I love every minute that I spend with you and I want to spend eternity with you. Will you marry me?"
There was a pause as Severus put his hand in his pocked at fetched out the box containing the ring. He opened the box and Hermione saw the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen and she couldn't keep the love of her life waiting any longer.
"Yes," she replied and smiled.
"Yes?" Severus echoed slightly in shock that she had answered quite quickly and sounded so sure.
"Of course I will marry you, Severus," Hermione said laughing slightly. "I love you more than anything." To prove her point, she leant forward and kissed him passionately. Once they broke apart, Severus pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. "Let's go home."
oOoOo
Severus woke up the next morning to find that Hermione was still in the bed beside him. He checked the clock and saw that it was nine thirty in the morning. Panic shot through his body before he remembered that it was Sunday and therefore had no lessons. He looked back over at Hermione and saw the addition to her left hand and smiled brightly. Instead of getting up like he usually did, he slipped back down beside his fiancée and fell back a sleep.
Less than an hour later, Hermione woke up and checked the clocked. She sighed sadly knowing that Ron and Harry would get suspicious if she didn't join them for breakfast soon and she knew that Ginny would kill her if she didn't tell her everything. Deciding quickly, Hermione leant down and kissed Severus awake.
"I need to go to breakfast," she said quietly as her fiancé came round. "Harry and Ron will panic."
"Let them panic," Severus grumbled and pulled tightly around Hermione's waist so that she couldn't get out of the bed.
"Severus," she groaned. "I won't put out for a month if you don't let go."
"Like you could go without sex for a month," he said laughing.
"That's what my wand is for."
Severus immediately let Hermione go and she jumped out of bed before he grabbed her again. She walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth before she re-entered the bedroom. She picked her wand up off of the side and pointed it to her body and her usual tank top and jeans combo appeared. She tied her hair up before walking round to the other side of the bed to kiss Severus goodbye.
"Just so you know, if you're not in the Great Hall soon, Minerva will probably come down here to check if you're alive," Hermione warned.
"Let her come," Severus muttered before turning over.
"I don't think she'll want to see the state you are in, darling."
Severus suddenly shot up at the thought of his boss walking in on him in the nude. He groaned before he stalked off to the shower. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she made her way up to the Great Hall. She got many funny looks from Slytherins as she walked past but only one smiled at her knowingly and that was Draco. Trust Severus to have told his godson about them.
When Hermione finally made it to the Great Hall, she saw her best friends sitting together along with Lavender who was dating Ron again.
"Morning sleepy head," Ron greeted Hermione easily.
"I don't know what you mean by sleepy head," Lavender said slightly confused. "She didn't come back to the dorm last night and what is that ring on your finger!?"
Hermione inwardly cursed at how silly she had been with not taking the ring off before she joined her friends. Adding to the scene, Severus had just walked into the Great Hall and took his seat next to Minerva.
"And would you look at that, Snape has only just arrived too," Lavender commented. "Have you been screwing him behind our backs?"
"No I haven't been screwing him!" Hermione cried loudly. "I'm in love with him and yesterday he took me on the most wonderful date and asked me to marry him and I said yes. You can mock me all you want but I've found my soul mate and you're cheating on Ron with half of the boys in this school!"
After this, Hermione stormed out of the Great Hall followed by Ron, Ginny and Harry. Lavender was too in shock to follow her boyfriend and deny everything Hermione had just said but she couldn't because Hermione was right. Severus sneakily slipped out of the Great Hall noticed by none but Tonks who was sat next to him and went to the entrance hall where Hermione was stood with her friends.
"It went well then," Ginny said grinning.
"You knew?" Harry and Ron asked at the same time.
"Who do you think helped Severus pick out the ring?" Ginny asked with a roll of her eyes.
"You've got good taste, babe," Harry said before pulling Ginny into a hug and kissing her cheek.
"Ron, I'm so sorry," Hermione muttered when she turned round and saw that the ginger boy was slumped against the wall. "I didn't want to tell you because you looked so happy and I knew you'd questioned me on how I knew."
"You saw her when you were sneaking to his quarters," Ron said sadly. "I always knew we weren't meant to be but I didn't think she'd cheat."
"I've always said you deserve someone better mate," Harry said with a pat on Ron's shoulder. "Try Luna, she's crushed on you for ages."
Ron laughed at Harry's words but his laughter ceased when Severus walked up to the group.
"Are you okay, Hermione?" He asked after she'd thrown herself into his arms.
"I'm fine," she replied quickly. "I'm just sorry about Ron."
"Miss Brown is currently in the presence of the headmistress and will serve detention for being rude," Severus said. "Also Mr Weasley, Miss Lovegood was looking for you."
Ron nodded and walked back into the Great Hall. Harry looked between his best friend and his old enemy. Sure, Harry and Severus had put their past behind them when Harry found out the truth but it didn't mean that he was friends with the ex-Death Eater. However, all Harry could see in teacher's eyes when he looked at Hermione was love.
"Do you love her," he asked to make sure.
"More than anything and anyone," Severus replied honestly.
Harry nodded before taking Ginny's hand and leading her away from the couple as he could sense that they wanted to talk. Severus gestured towards the stairs that led to his chambers and Hermione nodded in agreement.
"That probably wasn't the way you wanted everyone to find out," Hermione muttered as they walked. "I'm sorry."
"It matters not to me, Hermione," Severus replied. "No one really seemed that shocked anyway."
"It still wasn't the best…" Hermione started but Severus continued.
"I do not care what people say about us as long as our friends are behind us and that you love me. Remus and Minerva are happy for us and as you saw, Ginevra, Potter and Weasley are. You're the only thing I truly care about, Hermione."
"It's a good job I said yes then isn't it."