Promises of a Heart
Chapter 1
"Please leave." Severus spoke slowly without taking a glance at her.
"But, Severus…I" Hermione started to protest…"Please!" …but Severus has had enough of her torturing.
"Severus, I love you!" Hermione was at trying to bite back the tears that were threatening to fall.
"No, you do not! Now if you please, I am a very busy mean as I am sure you are as well. I'll show you at the door." Severus made his way past Hermione to reach for the door but Hermione held her hand up to him.
"No, I can show myself out." This time, she didn't hesitate to let the tears fall.
"Congratulations on the wedding." stated Severus stiffly.
"Hermione!" Ginny yelled, waking Hermione from her thoughts. Her thoughts of the night before.
"Oh!" was all Hermione could come up with. Not expecting the sudden visit from the maid of honor and the best man at the last minute.
"The wedding is about to…wow…you look…wow…" Harry couldn't get his words straight that his wife had to do shake him off of his fantasy.
"Harry, quit gawking at her, would you? Or else there'd be nothing left for her soon-to-be-husband to gawk at!" Ginny swatted him playfully in the arm.
Hermione just giggled softly at both of them and started to remember the days when she and Severus were like that. Happy and uncaring of the world that they live in. Once again, Ginny shook her from her thoughts and reminded her once again that her wedding was about to start.
"Go on ahead, I'll catch up. I just need to memorize my vows, that's all."
"Well you better hurry it up then if you don't want to be late on your own wedding, now would you?" Ginny tugged at Harry's hand and the two of them left Hermione on her own. Leaving her once again to have peace of mind.
How could she ever go through this day without choking her conscience? She knew all this to be her fault in the first place. Although Severus didn't go mad like she expected him to be upon bringing him the news of her arranged marriage, actions certainly speak louder than words in Severus' case. The two months that Severus spent trying to avoid her, simply did tell her everything she needed to know how much he must have loathed her.
Severus recalled the week before Hermione's wedding day when she was discussing the details about her soon-to-be-husband with Ginny while on his way to the Great Hall. Severus was slowly following behind them as they were on their way to the Great Hall as well. He would have wanted to turn the other way around and come back to have breakfast later as soon as she was done with hers. But he reasoned with himself and thought it would make him look rather childish to do something such as that. So instead, he kept walking. He couldn't help but stare at those soft curls that he longed to reach and caress. Quickly realizing his current situation, he made a mental note to himself that everything between him and Hermione was over. He was back facing the real, cruel world he once knew.
While on their way, and although he hadn't meant it, he was able to hear parts of their conversation. And was surprised at what he heard. Apparently, Hermione's betrothed was also a mudblood like her but with a high rank in muggle society. His name was Leopold Van Garret. He chuckled inwardly as he heard Ginny Weasley's childish whining of how gallant her fiancé was.
Well, at least I know she'll be marrying someone much more deserving of her than I am.
Throughout the whole conversation, Severus learned a lot from Hermione's new love. But he didn't take everything that he heard seriously, he knew Hermione knew he was right behind them. And just before the two women entered the Great Hall, Hermione stopped for a moment and stared into Severus' ebony eyes and he punched himself mentally for being caught off guard.