Disclaimer: Harry Potter and affiliated characters are not mine. "The Loveless" lyrics belong to Better Than Ezra.
A/N: Lyrics in italics. Songfic written for The Hideaway Holiday Challenge – Someone proposes for Christmas; song of author's choosing.
I like reviews and concrit, just not flames. No pressure though.
I. Christmas Wishes
If asked, he could have listed several reasons why he went. The first was that she asked, which was also the most important reason in his decision making process. The second reason was that he had been invited. And since he had nothing and no one else, the third was that going to the Weasleys' for Christmas was better than spending the holidays alone.
Of course, had he known what was going to happen, Snape may never have shown up. Everyone was cordial enough. Potter gave him a few wary looks now and then, but both men had agreed to a truce in light of war events. At any rate, Snape's name was in good standing in the wizarding world and he was no longer public enemy number one.
The problem was that the situation devolved quickly as soon as everyone finished Christmas dinner and the settings were cleared away.
Tell me I'm wrong.
You sense a little bit of change.
You knew all along, there'd come a day you'd have to face.
Ron stood up. "I, um. We've all exchanged our presents, but I, um. I have one last." He turned to Hermione with a goofy smile on his face. "Hermione," Ron said. He lowered himself to one knee. All eyes were on him, but once he started, he knew he could not stop. "I love you with all I am and, in front of our family and friends; I wanted to know if you would be my wife. Marry me, Hermione?" He pulled the ring box out of his pants pocket. It caught then fell to the floor. Ron quickly picked it up, righted himself, and presented it to Hermione.
Hermione smiled. "Wow, Ron. I." She stopped, suddenly speechless, the proposal having taken her by surprise.
I hear a loud voice in my head,
full of the things I never said.
Snape took advantage of the silence, quickly rising to his feet. His fist slammed into the table as he rose drawing everyone's attention his direction. Wordlessly, Snape turned and strode out of the Burrow.
Hermione turned back to Ron. "I," she swallowed. "Give me a minute, please." She ran out after her employer.
Snape did not know why he did not just apparate away then and there. Maybe it was so that she could find him.
"Severus, stop."
Snape stopped but did not turn to face her. Hermione had been in his employ ever since she completed her Hogwarts coursework. He brewed potions and she sold them. Together they had found the world of Potions could not only be profitable, but also helpful. With Hermione's help, Snape was providing all the major wizarding hospitals in the United Kingdom with special order brews to help the worst cases of post Voldemort Stress Disorder. In a way, he felt it was his penance, but the money was good and he was doing something he loved.
"I have nothing to say to you," he said as she came to a stop directly behind him.
So tell me who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless when you're gone?
"I think you do." Hermione pulled on his arm forcing Snape to face her. She had come to respect him a whole lot more in recent years not only because she worked with him, but because every day she witnessed the man he had always taken great pains to cover up during her Hogwarts years. Hermione just did not know the depths of his feelings until Ron proposed. She knew the look on Snape's face all too well.
"I can't make decisions in your life, Hermione. It's better for all of us if I storm out now than doing something dramatic on your wedding day."
"My wedding? Severus, I haven't said 'yes' yet."
"You're going to," he said then turned away again.
"Is this another shot at me being a bad liar," she said.
"Hermione," Snape said with a heavy sigh.
"If you knew for so long, how come you didn't say?" She was angry with him. She knew he knew it and knew she was justified in it.
What can I say? You pick this wreck up off the ground.
Your melody chased away all of the noise that kept us down.
Snape turned back to her. "Because no one should be shackled to a man like me. Now go marry your fairy tale, Granger." His tone was somewhere between annoyed and resignation.
"You honestly think so little of yourself?" Snape did not reply, just looked down on her. Hermione crossed her arms. "You know what? I will marry my fairy tale. Don't expect me in to work next week. I refuse to work for someone with no backbone. I quit."
I think you'll find they might've found,
when you're in need, no one's around.
Snape's mouth opened and closed a few times. His eyes burned into hers. No longer able to stand being in her presence, he apparated away.
Hermione stared at the space her former employer vacated. With resignation, she hurried back to the Burrow. How had she let Snape of all people complicate her life so much?
---
II. Wedding Un-Bliss
The fact everything leading up to the ceremony went better than expected led Hermione to believe that something was bound to go wrong during her wedding. She was right. As soon as the minister asked if anyone objected to the Weasley-Granger union, there he was, practically as promised.
Hermione groaned. Snape had yet to say a word, but his mere presence alone drew everyone's gaze. He always knew how to make an entrance.
"I thought you said you didn't invite him," Ron whispered to Hermione.
"I didn't," Hermione hissed back. "I could kill him."
So tell me who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless when you're gone?
The minister shuffled uncomfortably. He cleared his throat then said, "Do you object, sir?"
Snape nodded once, the movement slow and liquid. "I do," he said. He never took his eyes off Hermione, a sight to behold as a blushing bride. Though she seemed to be blushing more from anger than anything else in that moment.
A few gasps came from the guests, but most remained silent, riveted to their seats waiting to find out what would happen next. Many were hoping for a duel between either the bride or groom and Snape.
"May I ask on what grounds?" the minister said.
"She's not in love with the groom."
Hermione hiked up her dress and marched to Snape. Ron could only watch in amazement. Her hand shot up and, open palm, slapped him as hard as she could. Snape's head turned violently from the blow, but his expression remained stony. "How dare you!" Hermione said.
"Prove me wrong," Snape said. He glared at her, daring her to do something worse then and there.
If you wanna be in love,
if you wanna get free,
if you wanna get something for nothing then talk to me.
"You've ruined everything," she said so only Snape could hear. Hermione's voice cracked with emotion. She looked away, and, hiking up her dress once more, ran off.
Snape shrugged at all those staring at him. Ron moved to run after Hermione but Snape stopped him with a hand to the chest. "Don't."
"Hermione!" Ron yelled when he found his way blocked. "Hermione, I love you!"
"She is not in love with you."
"You bastard," Ron said. He reached for his wand, but it was not there. He had been so nervous that he forgot to put it in his dress robes.
Snape let go of Ron who flopped helplessly into a chair. Then Snape traced Hermione's path.
Her makeup was smeared when Snape found her. She had been crying. "Why?" she yelled tearfully at him.
"You know why."
She refused to look at him. Regaining herself with much effort, Hermione said. "How did you know about the wedding?"
"I have many connections, Hermione. And you're practically celebrities. Still." Snape joined Hermione on the bench. "I need you back."
She barked out a laugh. "I thought I was clear, Severus. We're done."
"Business isn't the same without you, Granger."
"Stop," she said suddenly feeling very somber. Hermione stood up and paced before making up her mind to get away. She was trying very hard not to think about the mess she would be returning to. Even if Ron wanted to continue with the ceremony, her heart was not in it. She would dismiss everyone as best she could and then sit Ron down to talk about their future, together and apart.
If you wanna get love,
if you wanna get free
if you wanna be something to someone then come to me.
Snape caught her just as she was about to run. "Hermione," he said. His eyes softened considerably as he said her name. "Please."
She turned to him and, for the briefest moment, held his gaze. She looked away, turning her head, but did not fight his hold on her. Snape's hands lightly held her shoulders. His right hand hooked her chin, tilting her face to his.
"Severus," Hermione said quietly as if pleading for him not to do what he was about to do. But her body and mind were not in synch and any mental protest was only half-assed. Part of her was curious enough to want it to happen.
So tell me who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless when you're gone?
His lips met hers lightly and were gone almost as soon as they touched hers. Snape brushed away the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry it had to be this way, Hermione." He backed away and left her, once again, staring at the space he vacated.
Hermione screamed in frustration then took a good long while in returning to her wedding guests. The only thing she was certain about was that she would not longer be marrying Ronald Weasley.
---
III. Worthwhile Endeavors
After being out of school for so may years, Hermione found the process of studying to be more difficult than she remembered. She enjoyed school just as much as before, but her courses were hard work and sometimes her heart, like her head, was not in it. She could go to Snape and beg for her old job back, something she had thought about it once or twice, but not seriously. Hermione wanted the university degree, later in life than planned though it may be.
(if you wanna get free)
A knock sounded from her dorm room door. Hermione stretched her neck and back. All the hunching was not good for her posture. "Coming," she said. Hermione opened the door. She slammed it a second later. The knocking sounded again. She opened the door a crack. "I have nothing to say to you."
"Then let me do the talking. We can walk the quad," Snape said.
Hermione reluctantly agreed. He, at least, had chosen somewhere public. She said nothing as she found her coat and followed Snape into the snowy night. Christmas was only a week away and it looked to be a very white one.
Snape watched as her breath clouded the air directly in front of her face. He could see the new lines in her face; the one's caused by the stress of completely revamping her life in the last year. He fully felt the guilt for that and was about to apologize but quickly decided against it.
I said who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless,
who's gonna love the loveless when you're gone?
"How are you?" Snape said. She looked at him wordlessly. "I've had five different assistants since you left. None lasted more than four months," he said to change the topic.
"Maybe if you weren't so demanding."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Granger, not all of my misfortune is my fault."
"But you did bring much of it on yourself."
He couldn't argue against that. Snape stopped by the fountain in the center of the quad and sat on the ledge. The ice patterned intricately behind him. "I don't need you reminding me of my many years of misery. That's not why I've come."
Hermione doubled back to where Snape sat and plopped own next to him. "Then you did it to make me miserable."
(when you need someone)
Quietly, Snape said, "I was hoping for the opposite. You should thank me for saving you from a loveless marriage to Ronald Weasley." His words were sincere, if not delicately said.
"Severus, I do love Ron."
"But you're not in love with him."
Hermione paused a moment. "I was. Once."
Hands firmly in his pockets, Snape turned to her. "What changed?"
She knew perfectly well he did not need to ask that question. Snape had been telling her exactly the way of things from the start. Working with him had been enlightening. Snape was more than just the sullen, overly stern Potions Master at Hogwarts. He was brilliant and funny in a sarcastic way. She knew he was capable of loving others and even if he was not public in his affections, Snape stuck by those people through the worst. Maybe Hermione did not know when, exactly, her feelings toward Ron changed, but she knew how and why.
If you wanna be in love,
Snape stood then dropped to one knee in front of her. Hermione was about to protest, but his other knee met the ground. Snape sat back on his heels for a moment, his eyes focused on the snowy ground directly in front of him and his hands wresting on his knees. His thoughts collected, Snape straightened so that he was kneeling in front of Hermione.
if you wanna get free,
Hermione inhaled sharply. Her thoughts were every direction at once. She loved him, but was she in love with him? What about school? Would he let her finish her university course work or would he demand that she return to his employ? Could she even see herself becoming Mrs. Severus Snape? Her head hurt, but not as much as her heart.
Snape, meanwhile, knew this was is last chance. If he did not do this now, he would never be able to face her again. He had been lonely for too long and there was only one remedy to the situation.
if you wanna get something for nothing then talk to me.
He watched the emotions flit across her face. Once she was able to meet his obsidian eyes with her chocolate ones, he spoke. "Hermione Granger, can you find it in your heart to marry me?" Snape wanted to look away. But he could not show weakness in this moment. He was never a coward, except with Lily. Never again would he make that mistake. Hermione taught him to love again, and he refused to pass that up for another second.
She reached her hands out to him, unable to find her voice. Snape took her smaller hands in his larger ones. She smiled at him, tears threatening, and nodded.
"Granger," he said, his voice thick with emotion that only she could ever draw out of him, "I need you."
"I need you too, Severus."
He pulled her up as he rose to his feet and engulfed her with his arms. She tilted her head and allowed herself to get lost in his kiss.
Whose gonna love the loveless when you're gone.
Snape pulled back a moment. "Would it be remiss of me to propose again at Christmas?"
Hermione laughed at him. "You mean you didn't have a ring in your pocket?"
"Quite frankly, Hermione, I hadn't planned that far ahead. Now shut up and kiss me."
And kiss him she did.
Fin