After 20 years of marriage I am still honoured to call you my wife. You have been there for me on a number of occasions and have put up with me, as only a Gryffindor could, on plenty more. What you ever saw in your old grumpy Potions Master is beyond me; the so-called courage you believe I have doesn't allow me to say what I am saying to you now face-to-face. I could never do that for fear that I would not be able to get out properly what I so desperately need to and want to say.
I cannot believe that I was the one that called you to me as opposed to you calling me to you but miracles will still happen. And your little comment about having some Gryffindor in me, well, let's just say I'll let that one slide. Knowing myself, I quite possibly would have made some crack of a similar nature if the roles were reversed.
Which brings me to my point – I could not and certainly did not imagine that life with you would be as joyous as the last 20 years has been. Needless to say that if there was anyone I could have lived my life with, it was you, as I believe I said in my first letter to you. I only hope that I have been able to provide you with fond memories like you have for me.
I will never forget the time when you made me visit that horrid Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris. Senseless art, in my opinion but you insisted I come along. You still remember how furious I was that you were able to mute me before I had a change to counter-curse it and that because I didn't know my way around the Museum, I had to follow you to every exhibition before you undid the curse. It was for my own benefit, you kept saying, to see what sort of art Muggles partake in. It would be 'enlightening'. It certainly was enlightening; I learned better in that moment than in any other not to go against your wishes.
Or the time when you dragged me to your cousin's wedding. Well, I don't believe I had ever experienced a night like that one, nor do I believe I have ever passed a night in such a blur as that one. Once again, you surprised me.
But the fondest memory I have of you is when I fell ill with the 'bout' and you stayed by my bedside every moment you could, despite the children calling on you and the fact that one of us still needed to work to keep money flowing into the household. I don't believe you ever slept during those months. You were my light during that dark period and for that, I am eternally grateful.
The children made an effort to stay at friends' places for this night. They knew how important it was for me to have this night alone with you to allow me to tell you exactly what you've meant to me.
Happy Anniversary, Hermione.
Severus.
Comments:
The "bout" is a major illness, I figured the wizarding world wouldn't have a cure for cancer yet and so Severus had to put up with a serious spell of the Wizarding equivalent to chemo to get over it.
Yes, I added another chapter. I had always wanted to just I guess finish it up, I think Hermione might need to add one part as well, but I couldn't add a bit with it straight after what happened. Once again, something to do with the simplicity of the piece. So I hope this doesn't disappoint, I feel it kind of adds something else to it, at least to give the reader a background as to how things were throughout the years. I might add a POV from Hermione but don't hold your breath. It will happen when it happens.