Assignment 12 Potions: Cauldrons

Task #2: Write about something old-fashioned.

365 Drabbles 76. Daughter

Word count: 682

Betaed by Sam. Thank you.

Severus Snape was a proper gentleman, of that Hermione was certain of. He treated her like she was a princes.

He was always polite and addressed her with respect. It was hard to believe from the outside that the same man who made the first years cry and terrified them could be so sweet and caring. And nobody could believe that Severus Snape, the Death Eater, was so, so... proper with her.

He had charmed her parents right away, he who had been a nervous wreck the whole time since finding out that they were going to visit them up until her father had told him to stop worrying.

If he was asked who she was to him, Severus always answered 'my intended'. Or 'my everything, the love of my life'. And by doing so, he made her blush; nobody had ever talked about her in the way he did, like she was the most precious thing in the world to him.

Also, it made her feel guilty. She didn't know what to call him. 'My intended' sounded so old fashioned and … it didn't feel right on her tongue. But neither did boyfriend. It was too juvenile for him. He was the man who had been courting her for almost three years now for goodness sake! Courting her! Courting!

And now he was going to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. He was going to ask her father before asking her! Because that was the proper way!

Hermione didn't particularly like it. She didn't need her parents' approval to marry him. Having it was a bonus. Asking them for the right to ask her wasn't very proper anymore, but Severus was stubborn. He wanted to ask her parents and he was going to ask them. No discussions on her part.

It wasn't like they were going to refuse. They absolutely loved him. True, at the beginning they had been sceptical; after all, he had been her professor and not a very nice one. But he had won them over in no time with his charming attitude. The end of the war had also brought down the mask he had had to put on.

So even if she didn't like it, she was accepting it. It made him happy.

"Hermione, are you alright?" asked her mother concerned.

And Hermione didn't blame her. She had been lost in thought throughout the dinner and Severus was again a nervous wreck.

"I'm alright, Mum. I'm going to check on the cake, I'll be back shortly," she said and took off to the kitchen.

Still, she could hear Severus clearing his throat.

"Jason, Miranda, I would like to ask you something." "Sure," her father said, "Go ahead. "

Severus stood up. "I would like to ask you for your daughter's hand in marriage. I love her. She is my everything. My life. Without her, I wouldn't be here alive. She doesn't like the fact that I asked you, but I want and need your permission. Your blessing. It's good if a couple has the parents' blessing before marrying. This was my mother's last bit of advice before dying and I believe it to be true even if it's an old practice. Nobody asks for the daughter's hand from her parents anymore, I know that. But I don't ask for her hand to stop her liberty, her independence as a human being. Or as a woman. Hermione is one of the most independent people I know. So she says no, that will be it no, but I…"

Hermione couldn't take it any longer. Cake forgotten, she strode over to him and promptly kissed him on the lips. "Did you really think I would say no? You're my everything too, you know. Otherwise, the whole courting thing and asking for my hand in marriage; it would have never happened. Old fashioned it may be, but you were so sweet about it, so ...you. How do you think I could ever say no? I am in love you, Severus Snape. And I cannot wait to be your wife."