You guys might go to war over these two and their fights! I am scared! Just let me get out of the way first - don't kill me! People are upset and messaging me that Severus didn't say that to Lily, but she kind of said it for him and I don't take Severus for a man who has much to say when he's exposed in that way - "You felt you had a debt, but you cannot truly believe that is the only reason you helped my son."
Before they reached the last turn toward the entrance, She cut Severus off and stopped him in his tracks.
"Severus, so your picture of that moment is a little more clear... When Hermione, a muggleborn and the lover of his traitor, approached Voldemort, she was covered in your blood. From head to toe. Covered. In. Your. Blood. Those of us that saw you on that floor, losing that amount of blood, though we were seeing you die. When she said that, she was afraid, afraid that you died, that you may die yet, that you could die while everyone hated you, you, the man she loves more than anything. Was she right? No. It wasn't the necessary parts to do what she wanted to do, but damn it, Severus, she stood up to the most dangerous wizard to ever walk the Earth, covered in your blood and uncertain of your fate, and called him a fool!"
Severus took a step back and looked away from her. Hermione. Hermione. Oh, no.
"She did not do anything malicious at your expense. She is not out to get you. Now, no more of this," She said and continued walking, "Come."
He followed her, having just been successfully reprimanded like a school boy, and his cloak billowed awkwardly behind him as it was only looked through one arm.
The four House Heads walked ahead of him and he was lost in his thoughts. If he had really done what he thought he had, he'd done a terrible disservice to his relationship with Hermione. He was communicating with her in a way that would have worked for him, but that didn't necessarily mean it was a way that worked for her. Clearly, it didn't.
'She was covered in your blood.'
He shuddered at the thought. The loneliness he had been staving off washed over him like a wave. Hermione. It had been so long since he had held her, or touched her, or kissed her. His whole body sagged under the weight of her absence.
"Severus, c'mon, you'll want to catch up. We'e about to be through the barrier, my boy," Slughorn said cheerfully, "Where is Miss Granger?"
Severus took longer strides to insert himself into the middle of the group, "I am afraid I have made a bit of an ass of myself," Severus said in a transparency that made McGonagall stumbled.
"Oh. Well. These things happen, Severus. Yes, yes, but, Shakespeare said 'all is fair in love and war,'" Slughorn chuckled, "Smart girl, that Miss Granger."
All is fair in love and war? Codswallop.
He said nothing because they had crossed into the barrier. Severus attempted to blend in with the group, but he was as tall as Slughorn and the group was distinctly recognizable. The photographers scrambled to them, the flashbulbs went off like fireworks and he kept his eyes on the ground.
One photographer squeezed in between the professors despite their best effort, and stood before Severus and cowered slightly.
"You loved Lily Potter and that's why you're with us, but you're with Hermione Granger. Conflicting stories. Bit odd?"
"Not particularly," He snarled, "I am 38. Well old enough to have navigated two relationships."
"Severus, keep moving, we're almost there," Pomona said and put her hand on his back to move him forward.
Snape stared down the man in front of him, "You are neither intelligent nor sneaky. You are trying to provoke me and I assure you, I am not a man you want to provoke. However, your intrusion into my personal space is most opportune - for me," Severus spoke lowly and the four professors in front of him held off the rest of the media, and kept looking back at him with a sense of urgency.
"You will write what you want, your lot always seems to anyway, but you will get one exact quote down and print it. You will not alter it or put it in different context. Should you do that, it will be most unpleasant. Am I clear?"
The photographer said, "Yes," and opened his mouth to ask a question, but Severus silenced him with a glare.
"I am speaking. This is not an interview. I will say what I wish to say, what you will print, and then I will leave," He summoned his own Quick-Quotes Quill and parchment and began speaking, 'While I find myself at the center of far too much attention and criticism, there is only one issue circulating I wish to address and it has to do with my relationship with Miss Hermione Granger: I am unequivocally hers as long for as she'll have me. To insinuate otherwise, that imply that perhaps I might be pulled in two directions, would be a gross miscarriage of facts and slanderous.' Now, that should do it." He took the parchment, sent the quill off, and read the statement.
"Lovely," He sneered and shoved the parchment into the man's chest, who grasped at it desperately, "Remember our agreement. I am not a man to provoke," His voice was threatening.
"Blimey, Severus," Pomona whispered to him as they made their way forward again, "You're sure about that?"
"Not entirely," He said, "Yet, at the same time, I find myself more certain that I ever have been."
Minerva hissed at him, "Boy, you should have spoken with her first. It is admirable, a step in the right direction, but Lord have mercy, Severus."
His heart sank, "Bloody hell," and his face drained of all color.
"You are such a talented man, in so many things, but this..." She sighed, "You'd better speak with her."
They stepped into the Three Broomsticks and Severus headed upstairs to an empty room. He checked it for any listening devices and then focused on the feel of Hermione's shields in his head.
Hermione, I should like very much to speak with you now. I am in the second room on the left at the top of the staircase.
Why are you asking me to meet you there?
Circumstances currently prevent me from going anywhere else at present. Will you come?
This seems...
I assure you that it is safe, and that I am genuine.
Yeah.
He felt the disconnection and his heart broke at it a little bit. Perhaps that 'yeah' means no.
She will come. She always had before, and he believed she would.
He took several deep breaths and ran the words over in his mind that he intended to say.
I love you.
I should like to marry you if you'd have me someday.
You are my first and only priority.
I will do anything to make this work.
I forgive you.
I am sorry for running, for being angry for so long.
I love you.
I love you.
I miss you.
I need you.
I want you.
I love you.
She appeared before him looking rather tired. He took one look at her face and blurted out, "Marry me!"
She took a step back, "What in the hell are you playing at?"
"Oh, fuck," He said and put his hand over his mouth, "It was not supposed to come out like that. I am so sorry. That wasn't how it was supposed to be phrased, I assure you. I had a whole list of things to say in my head and then I saw you, and that's what I said," He was both horrified and baffled at his own slip-up, at his nervousness. Fuck. Fuck. Severus Snape learned long ago to hold his tongue. He just often didn't choose to hold it. On this occasion, in an attempt to win back Hermione's affection and declare his commitment to her and only her, his tongue had betrayed him. Betrayed. The irony.
She was looking at him incredulously, "Great. Go on, then."
Fucking hell. Open mouth. Insert foot. I really am horrendous at this.