A Year to Remember

By Ange de Socrates

Disclaimer: I have not, in the period of my long absence, bought the rights to Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling. They are still hers, and my fantasies and plots are still mine.

Chapter Eleven – Some People Live with the Fear of a Touch


IT FELT LIKE IT had been so long since Remus had left her alone to drown in her tears, and so Hermione wasted no time in catching up on all of the activities they had missed – holding each other by the fire, talking over a cup of coffee early in the morning, and, Hermione's personal favorite, learning every inch of each other's skin all over again.

Hermione sighed contentedly against Remus' chest one night as he stroked her hair softly, humming to himself. She couldn't believe she had survived a minute without her lover – it had seemed like weeks, when it reality it had only been a few short hours that she had been separated from the wizard.

"The Yule Ball is coming," Hermione murmured, reluctant to break the comfortable silence between them.

"Indeed," Remus replied, taking a strand of her hair and twirling it around his finger, and then releasing it to bounce back. He found it strangely amusing and continued to coil and spring her locks until she playfully smacked his hand away, laughing.

"You goober!" Hermione teased, stretching up to kiss him. She rolled on top of him and straddled his hips, resting her face on his chest to stare into his eyes. "So, what are we going to do about the ball?"

"I plan to dance every dance with you, and perhaps save one or two for Harry and Ron. Maybe Sirius. Though I'm considering remaining a selfish bastard of a werewolf and keeping you to myself for the night with the occasional break for some corridor canoodling."

Hermione laughed heartily. "Pervert."

"But a sweet pervert," Remus defended himself, grinning. "A sweet pervert who loves you very much."

"True." Hermione smiled wistfully. "But really, do you think we should?"

Remus bit his lip and blinked thoughtfully. "Even though we have Albus' approval, we'd best not push our luck with the other professors and students. I plan to shout my love for you at graduation, but until then, I believe we should keep it low-key."

Yet another reason why I love him. He's always logical, even in the face of a completely emotional situation. Hermione licked her chapped lips. Blasted winter. "I think that's a great plan. But you'll save at least one dance for me?" she added hopefully.

Remus beamed down at his lover. "I'll even save two or three, if I'm able to, without making a scene."

Hermione had a sudden thought. "Can I give you your Christmas present now?" she asked excitedly.

"If you'd like," Remus said, placing a loving kiss on her cheek. "But you're not getting yours until after the ball!"

"That's fine. I just really, really want to give you yours now." Hermione grabbed her wand and summoned a box off her dressing table. She handed it to Remus with a smile. "It's for when you want to be with me, but can't."

Remus opened the gold box and was shocked to see a beautiful, antique gold stopwatch lying in the cushioned case. It was engraved with his initials and had a long linked chain attached. He picked it up with a grin.

"My dad had one of these when I was a kid!" he remembered, tracing the engraving. "It's absolutely beautiful!"

"Turn it over."

Remus did, and found that the back side of the watch was a mirror. He looked at his lover for an explanation.

"When you want to see me, anytime at all, just tap it with your wand and you'll see me." She demonstrated with her own wand, and Remus saw an image of himself and Hermione lying together on the bed. He looked at her with loving eyes.

"This is the greatest gift you could ever give me," he whispered, kissing her tenderly. "I've wished a thousand times I could be with you at all times, and now you've granted it." He held Hermione tightly, loving her with so much intensity that he wasn't sure his heart could take it. The witch sighed, pleased that her gift had been a success.

In the fireplace, the embers finally burnt out and the ashes sizzled and crumbled into charred piles. Hermione noticed with a ominous sentiment that they looked eerily like small gray skeletons in the gaping darkness of the empty hearth. She shivered at the sudden cold.

"Let's warm up, shall we?" she suggested, slipping on a robe and walking to the bathroom to draw a warm bath.

"That sounds like the best idea I've heard today," Remus replied, not bothering with a robe. Hermione couldn't help but leer at the gorgeous man walking toward her.

"I thought my hot fudge idea was the best one," she protested impishly, dropping her robe as she bent over seductively to turn on the tap.

"But we weren't able to act on that one," Remus laughed, becoming extremely aroused as he visually caressed Hermione's soft curves. "The house elves would have had a fit if they had caught us."

Watching him standing there, his muscles rippling subtly under his scarred skin, Hermione was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of affection and was so grateful to have him in her life and in her arms. She wrapped her hands around his waist, pressing the small of his back to draw him nearer, and held him as close as she could.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" she whispered, nuzzling him affectionately.

"Every day," Remus whispered back, his heart fluttering happily.

Hermione smiled in his embrace. "I could never tell you enough."


GINNY INSISTED UPON helping Hermione prepare for the ball and vice versa. The redhead wandered around Hermione's room in a black lace bra, panties, and stockings complete with a garter belt, searching desperately for her mascara.

"Bloody makeup," she muttered, crawling around on the floor as she looked for the offending item. "Never stays in your hand or on your face."

Hermione flicked her wand casually and said, "Accio mascara." The tube zipped out from under the bed and inserted itself into her hand. "Here Gin," she called, tossing the mascara to her friend.

"Genius," Ginny laughed. "Quite a dolt, aren't I?"

Hermione giggled. "No, not at all. It's easy to forget the simple things." She flicked her wand around in her mess of hair, attempting to style it into loose curls in a half up-do. Her undergarments matched Ginny's, though she wore white with nude stockings.

A knock on the door startled them both. "Who is it?" Hermione called.

"The slimy git who lives next door."

Hermione rolled her eyes and tossed on a white robe while Ginny simply sat down at the vanity, not bothering to cover up as she began to do her makeup.

She could hardly believe her eyes at the sight before her. "Draco?" she said, stunned.

Indeed, the young man looked rather handsome. He wore a black tuxedo with silver trim and an emerald bow tie, and he had darkened his hair to a light brown and styled it with finesse.

"Good evening, Granger. Mind if I have a word?"

"Not at all," Hermione stammered, throwing a glance over at Ginny, who waved her off. Hermione followed Draco out into the hallway and shut the door. She had managed to avoid the younger Malfoy for the last couple of weeks, but she'd known she would have to face him for their Yule Ball appearance.

"Let's get down to business, yeah?" Draco started out suddenly. "I haven't properly apologized for my asshole father's mysterious appearance in my room."

Hermione shook her head. "You don't have to, Malfoy. Dumbledore's assured me that everything is fine. I'd rather not…"

"I'd rather," he interrupted firmly. "Truth is, the little conscience I have left has been nagging me like an old maid to tell you what happened. My father gave me only a few minutes' notice that he was coming. He decided to pop in for tea and biscuits and enquire as to what was happening in your sunny little life. I refused to divulge anything, and so I got a proper beating out of it." He pushed back his sleeves and revealed an enormous yellow and green bruise.

"But it's been weeks since…"

"Wand bruises are bloody hard to heal," he muttered, pushing his sleeve down. "I've got three more, but in places I'd rather not flaunt, thank you very much."

Hermione smiled. "Apology accepted. But you're still an asshole."

"And you're still a Mudblood."

There was an awkward moment of silence, and finally Hermione stepped forward and gave the other boy a hug. He grunted, but slowly patted her on the back.

"I'd best be off. Decorations to see to and such." He looked rather uncomfortable, and seemed grateful when Hermione let him go.

"What was that all about?" Ginny asked when Hermione returned.

"Nothing. He's finally apologized for being himself," Hermione said, gently brushing on her bronzer and blush. She smiled to herself and continued to work on her outfit, hoping to look stunning for her incognito date with a certain special someone later that evening.


REMUS STOOD at the front of the Great Hall anxiously, scanning the room for his lover. What was taking so long? Was she in trouble?

Even the decorations couldn't keep Remus' mind off his "date." Snowflakes fell from the enchanted ceiling, seemingly dissolving inches above the heads of the ball-goers. Flitwick had charmed an enormous crystal chandelier to hang without support in the center of the room. A low, shimmering fog drifted through the room, and the floor was lit where students and teachers alike got their groove on. The band played both Muggle and wizard hits as people chatted with one another or gathered near the punch bowl, which had inevitably been spiked by now.

Severus stood next to the man, hands behind his back, calmly surveying the room of pulsating, hormonal teenagers with a keen eye.

"Calm down, man. You look as if the apocalypse is coming."

Remus shot Severus a quick glare before turning back to look for Hermione through the thick crowd.

Severus merely smirked. "She will come." He turned and walked over to break up a pair that was dancing "like a set of monkeys in heat."

The doors opened, and Remus looked hopefully up. Much to his despair, he found himself staring intensely at an unfamiliar Ravenclaw couple that quickly vanished into the foggy masses.

The werewolf sighed and switched his drink from hand to hand, trying to calm himself. She'll be here. She'll be here. She'll

Once more the doors sprang reluctantly to life, and the most enchanting creature Remus had ever laid eyes upon glided in on the arm of Draco Malfoy. He stood, mouth agape, at the sight before him. It must be an angel.

She wore a silk, ivory-colored dress, strapless, with cream-colored flowers shimmering in the fabric. Her hair was pulled up with a few loose curls tumbling down to dangle by her ears and neck. Her makeup showed off her cheekbones and plush lips, with a few sparkles glimmering by her eyes, whose deep chocolate shade was the focus of her face. No one except Remus could quite figure out what that special something was that filled her aura – it was the glow of a woman who was deeply in love.

Draco had the good taste to escort her into the hall with a noble arm rather than a sly hand inappropriately placed on her lower hip, as he tended to do with his – Remus flinched at the word – dates. Students whispered as they went by much as they had in fourth year, and Remus noted with a flood of adoration that Hermione was blushing, her head slightly, modestly bowed at the unusual attention she now received from her classmates.

Hermione looked behind her to Ginny, who reassured her with a small nod and smile. Hermione couldn't help but be slightly jealous of the athletic-framed girl's lean look in her emerald dress as she walked with Harry to a side table.

Draco steered Hermione to the front of the room, where they greeted the headmaster and professors, then went to the floor for the traditional, if slightly delayed, formal first dance.

Remus wistfully watched the two waltzing and barely took notice when Sirius appeared beside him.

"You look like a man in love," Sirius said, grinning and toasting Remus with a glass of punch that he had spiked with a mysterious clear liquid from a small flask.

Remus nodded, patting his friend affectionately on the shoulder. "Very much so."

He had been in love once. Tonks had been the only woman he though could understand him. But she had been a better friend than a lover, he found, and though they remained close friends, he knew he could never love her as he now loved Hermione.

Yes; here was the woman he knew he could love and be loved by in return for the rest of their days. And she was dancing with a Malfoy.

It seemed like eons before Dumbledore announced the staff-student dances. While several students groaned in true or feigned disgust and others looked delighted to show up their professors, Remus refrained from sprinting over to Hermione and instead walked over casually, offering a hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Hermione smiled and accepted wordlessly.

The dance was another waltz, this time to the music of "Moon River."

Hermione sighed, living the music rather than dancing to it. "One of my favorites."

"Mine as well," Remus agreed. He reminded himself not to hold her too close; they were already drawing far too much attention, what with the way her dress hugged her every beautiful curve in a way that made him jealous of the fabric as well as his status as resident werewolf.

Sirius cut in for the next dance, a quickstep. Remus couldn't help sneaking peeks at them as he whirled Ginny around the floor, who was giggling madly at her partner's antics. He thought he might have heard her say "loony Moony in love" at one point, but he wasn't certain, nor was he certain that he entirely cared that his love for Hermione was showing through his weakened façade.

Finally, for the last dance, Severus bowed solemnly as Hermione curtseyed. A tango struck up, and Severus surprised Hermione with a spin. He yanked her back, subtly flashing her a sadistic smirk as Hermione came crashing toward him with a surprised "oh!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow in challenge and began to dance, refusing to be led.

"So, the bat can dance," she murmured as they promenaded. Students scattered left and right to avoid ruining the dreaded Potion Master's groove.

"Indeed. As can the bookworm."

They jerked to a halt, stared each other down, and continued their promenade.

"I would have thought those chemicals had ruined your coordination," Hermione commented as she tossed a leg over his hip and spun from side to side.

Severus dipped her suddenly, leaning in closer to her. "And I would have thought your shagging a werewolf would have remarkably altered your ability to move," he mumbled.

"You bas– "

He snapped her up again with an unusually playful glint in his eye, cutting off the scathing remark that had nearly escaped from her glossy lips.

Hermione glared at him as they spun around the floor. "So why are we dancing?"

Severus shrugged. "Curiosity." He raised an eyebrow. "Two people who share such a passion, even a passionate animosity, tend to be the best dance partners."

The witch reflected on his insight while he dipped her once more. She hated to admit it, but there was a great deal of wisdom in his words. As he brought her back up, the music came to an end, and Hermione found herself wishing the band would keep playing.

"Plus," Severus added, bowing, "You look divine tonight."

Hermione stared, completely forgetting to curtsey as Severus disappeared into the crowd of awed watchers.

Remus weaved his way through to his lover, anxious to somehow mark his territory after Snape's incredibly suave performance. "Might I have a moment outside?"

She nodded. "Of course. I could use some air." They walked cordially through the crowd as normal dancing resumed.

It was chilly outside. Clouds were gathering in the distance, a sure sign that tomorrow's grounds would be covered in a blanket of snow. Remus cast a warming spell on his lover and then on himself, and they continued to walk toward the lake.

The last-quarter moon shone down upon the two as they stood looking out over the grounds. Hermione leaned into Remus and breathed out a contented sigh as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin on the top of her head. It was uncanny how well their bodies fit together; she belonged in his arms – and in his heart.

"Hermione," he whispered.

"Yes?"

Remus smiled peacefully. "I love you."

He could sense a grin on her beautiful porcelain face. "I love you, too. So, so much."

"Will you always love me?"

Hermione turned to face him, a sentimental gleam in her eye and a soft smile on her lips. "Forever and a day." Her soul was so light she was sure she would float away; that "honeymoon" feeling had never subsided, despite everyone's assurances that it would eventually fade and be replaced with boredom. It was quite the opposite – the two never ran out of things to say or do.

Remus pursed his lips happily, blinked, and met her eyes once more.

"Then…I don't see why…" He stopped and inhaled deeply, gaining his composure. "I'd never known a person could have a second half until I fell in love with you," he told her. "You're my soul, Hermione." He touched her hand where he knew she had on her ring, charmed with clever invisibility.

He watched her emotions dance across her face – confusion, elation, worry…love. That was it. After all, love encompassed all three of those feelings.

"I made you a promise. I intend to keep it, as well as every other promise I'll ever make to you in our long lives. All I want to do, even if I never do anything else, is make you the happiest woman in the world. Hermione, I want to give you all your dreams." He knelt and withdrew a scarlet, velvet box from his robes and opened it, taking his lover's hand. She choked back a sob.

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

Hermione sniffled, beaming. "Yes! Oh, yes!"

She took the promise ring and placed it on her right hand, leaving her left ring finger free for him to slip on the intricately-carved white gold band with three sparkling diamonds.

"To our past memories, our present happiness, and our future together," he whispered, letting a tear run down his own cheek. They pulled each other close in a tight embrace, swaying to the music that played in the distance.


THE NEXT MORNING brought a castle covered in snow and full of students and staff recovering from a bowl of punch that had, indeed, been spiked. Hermione walked the corridors, toying with her engagement ring, a goofy grin between her ears.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Disappearing Act."

Hermione didn't even look up as the footsteps joined hers. "Good morning, Mister Tango from Hell."

"Ouch. Truly, I'm hurt."

Severus and Hermione walked together for a few paces before she realized he hadn't gone off to mind his own business.

"Might I ask why you're stalking me?" she inquired as politely as she could muster. The witch was still reeling from the older wizard's display of incredible prowess on the dance floor, but was absolutely determined not to admit what an amazing time she'd had in his arms. Quite honestly, she wanted a round two, if only to prove that she could hold her own when she wasn't off her guard.

"Oh, just going to deliver a package to your furry friend," Severus replied. "I trust you…slept well?"

Hermione winked at him, which resulted in a rather unbecoming blush on the Potion Master's pale cheeks. "Better than ever. And from what I heard, you had a rather lovely evening sleeping yourself."

He blanched, choking on his own breath, but quickly shifted his face into his normal stoic position and adjusted a sleeve out of habit. "Is that so."

"I heard that you spent the evening with a bottle of Firewhisky and one Lara Torres, Gryffindor House."

She found herself giggling maniacally, unable to prevent herself from sealing her doom, as she was shoved against a wall by a fierce-looking, flustered professor.

"And who, might I ask, told you such dribble?"

"No one," she said mockingly, trying with all her might to flabbergast the man. Now that he had become open with her, or as open as he would ever be with the dreaded bookworm, she couldn't help but take advantage of it. Years of his torturing her made her believe that it was completely warranted, and should even be expected.

He glared at her, his face inches from hers. "My patience is not a never-ending river of pink ponies and flowers, Miss Granger," he growled. "In contrast, it is a very short, very steep cliff off of which I delight in kicking those who try it."

"I heard it firsthand from the source, who happened to be in a drunken haze," she finally admitted. "But I made sure she didn't tell anyone else and that she was sound asleep before I left."

"Repeating such nonsense will result in your untimely, unplanned disappearance from Hogwarts," Severus snarled, though a glimmer of humor twinkled in his black eyes.

"Certainly, Professor," Hermione laughed. "I won't tell a soul."

"Good." Severus released her and dusted himself off, trying to regain composure. "And I won't tell a soul about that enormous rock on your hand."

Hermione's eyes widened and she wisely kept her mouth shut as they continued along their journey to her fiancé's quarters.

She knocked on the door and was met by her lover, who wore boxers and a red bathrobe. He placed a loving kiss on her lips. Hermione cleared her throat and jerked her head toward the figure leaning on the opposite wall with a wry grin on his face.

"That was much more than I needed to see." He managed to put on a convincing mask of disgust, but somehow Hermione knew that it amused him and perhaps, somewhere in his icy heart, made him feel a bit warmer.

"Then get lost," Remus told him, laughing.

"Fine, fine. Take this." He thrust the package toward Remus and left, mumbling something about "ungrateful animals."

As soon as he had gone, Remus proceeded to pull his fiancée into his room and do what Severus would call "unmentionable things" to her for the duration of the day against a wall, on the desk, and, finally, on the bed.


WHEN REMUS AWOKE the next morning, Hermione was gone. He yawned, stretched, and read the note that told him she had gone to watch Harry's Quidditch practice.

Remus took a quick shower, smelling Hermione's cocoa butter soap and vanilla conditioner that lingered from her earlier shower. He toweled himself off, wrapped the towel around his waist, and went to rummage through his bureau for clothes. "Good morning Sirius," he called over his shoulder to his friend, who had made quite a valiant attempt to be sneaky and failed miserably.

"Morning," the other man said disappointedly. "Just thought I'd pop in for tea and biscuits. I ran into Hermione on the way over. She looked tired," he added with a grin.

"Mind your own business, lecher."

"I'm just making sure you're taking good care of her, that's all!" Sirius teased.

Remus sighed and stared at the wall, then turned to face his best friend. "Congratulations! You're the hundredth person to look into Hermione's well being. Would you like your prize money in cash, or will a check do?"

Sirius wrinkled his nose, knowing better than to take offense at the werewolf's tense tone. "Very clever."

"Bite me."

"No thanks, you'll bite back." However, Sirius looked as if he might really enjoy some biting.

"Only during the full moon, mate," Remus shot back, smiling. He licked his lips, cursing the dry winter air. "We're getting married," he said softly.

Sirius shook his head and grinned, then rose to his feet. "I knew it would happen one of these days. Congratulations Moony!" he said heartily, embracing his friend. "You're marrying one hell of a witch."

Remus hugged him close. Sirius was as close to a brother as he could get, and if he had his brother's approval, nothing could stop him from marrying this woman – after all, brothers look after each other through thick and thin.


IT SEEMED AS IF the next few weeks were an absolute blur. Winter break drew to a close and classes resumed. Hermione became so immersed in her studying for the NEWTs that she forgot all about a man named Malfoy – at least, until she was summoned to the headmaster's office one evening in late January on very short notice.

Hermione spoke the password to the gargoyle ("Gumdrop buttons") and climbed up the spiraling staircase to Dumbledore's study. She knocked twice and soon heard the old wizard's voice call out for her to enter. She obeyed quickly, shutting the door a bit too loudly in her nervousness at the impromptu meeting.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster," she greeted warmly, trying not to seem anxious.

"The same to you, Miss Granger," he replied. "I'm sorry for the abruptness of this gathering, but I'm afraid I am unable to postpone this unhappy occasion for much longer." He flicked his wand at a tea kettle, which poured each of them a glass of the hot, amber liquid.

Hermione frowned. "Sir?"

Dumbledore sighed, the lines on his face becoming suddenly more pronounced. "Miss Granger, the trial of Lucius Malfoy is set for February 1 and you have been summoned to testify."

The floor dropped from beneath Hermione's feet and she fell – hundreds, thousands of feet into the pit of hell. In actuality, it was only her stomach that gave her bladder a nasty fright and her heart that raced up to bunk with her esophagus.

"Oh dear… I believe I need… chair?" Hermione stuttered. The headmaster quickly flicked his wand and one of his overstuffed armchairs obligingly scooted up as she fell into it.

"I am so sorry to have to interrupt your studies and trouble you so," Dumbledore continued, walking around to press one of the warm cups of tea into her hands, "but I am afraid this is a very necessary evil that you must confront."

"Why me?" she whispered, staring at a menacing face that glared out from the surface of her tea. She set it down promptly and rubbed her temples, willing the world to stop spinning.

Dumbledore smiled sympathetically. "Miss Granger, modest though you are, you cannot completely disregard your stellar academic record and your well-known traits of honesty, bravery, and heroism. With the aid of your testimony, Lucius Malfoy will be put away for the rest of his life without the luxury of a soul." He looked down on her with warm, kind eyes. "I realize you are firmly against the Dementor's Kiss, but in this case, the Ministry is unwilling to compromise. If Lucius Malfoy is convicted, which will almost definitely be the case, the only punishment they see fit for his crimes is the taking of his soul."

Hermione nodded and contemplated his words for a few minutes as the older wizard paced his study. The logic was undeniable, and she respected Dumbledore for that. With her testimony, Malfoy would be sent away and would never harm another soul again. She would have to face her fear of the wizard at some time or another, and as the saying went, if not now, when? It simply had to be done. Malfoy believed her to be weak, and it was about time she showed him just how solid her strength truly was.

She took a sip of her tea to rewet her suddenly hoarse throat and then set it down, the glass clinking delicately on Dumbledore's desk.

"All right," she said, her voice unwavering. "I'll do it."


New A/N: Snape cracks me up – I love writing a "tender" side of him! If only I could dance a tango with that man…

I think I have to stop for tonight. I'm absolutely exhausted, and I don't want to do a shoddy job of editing a chapter simply because I want to do another one. You guys deserve much better!

Love again to my readers and reviewers! Remember, every time you review a story, Snape gives you an orgasm. ;-) Damn. Wouldn't that be nice.


Old A/N: I loved this chapter. Not my best one, I know, but it's a kind of happy, warm-fuzzies chapter. Until the end, that is. But I can't help but get teary-eyed when someone proposes to the love of his life. And the Severus/Hermione dance sequence was one of my favorite scenes in the story; they're so entertaining when they're arguing!

Work has been taking its toll on me – I've had just about no time to write anything, let alone read. I feel absolutely terrible for making you all wait this long, and I hope you guys don't hold it against me. Much.

Now that the lazy summer months are drawing near, I have a feeling that I'll have much more time to write. And the next chapter is going to kick ass – I can guarantee that. Though I fear some nightmares may result…it's a very emotional chapter, but I'm going to do my best to make it as well-written as in the original.

Once again, I love you all for sticking with me, and I sincerely apologize for the horrible delay. I promise I will never abandon you all. These stories need to be finished and sequeled!

Much love,

:Katie:

Ange de Socrates