There will be an epilogue, and then that's all, folks! Thanks for reading and commenting. I am so happy that I took the time to finish this fic at last, and I hope you enjoy it.
~bccaw
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Truth Will Out
Hermione's twenty-first birthday had come and passed, with a simple celebration at the burrow with most of the Weasleys, Harry, Neville, and Luna. Hermione had received a birthday card and a letter from Tracey, who was now living in London with Greg, working for St. Mungo's producing and researching healing potions for the hospital. Hermione had attended her wedding the previous year at the end of September.
Ron and Padma had been married for over a year now, and Harry and Ginny's would be the second weekend in October. They had been engaged since the previous Halloween, and had been living together in Grimmauld Place since Christmas. Hermione had gotten her own little flat on muggle street, where she and Severus had enjoyed many evenings together. However, her favorite place to be was the house in Hogsmeade. She only wished they could take leisurely walks together through the quaint village and surrounding paths.
Hermione was not jealous of her friends, who for the most part were either married, engaged, or seemed to be headed in that direction. She was happy for them, but honestly puzzled that they all seemed ready to settle into married life and would probably start families within a year or two. Ernie had just proposed to Hannah Abbot. Even Neville and Luna were contemplating the commitment, or at least Neville was, if Harry was to be believed.
It was strange to both Hermione and her parents that so many magical folk seemed to marry quite young. Hermione chalked the phenomenon up to decades of political turmoil and war, and a brief period of peace to allow for the building of families in between the fighting.
Margaret had another explanation for the large number of witches and wizards that married before their twentieth birthdays. It was thought that even though magic in one's blood caused a slower rate of aging, this was only true after entering adulthood. Magical blood also tended to speed the rate of maturation in children, which is why they were deemed ready for advanced magical instruction at the tender young age of eleven, and why they were considered full adults by the age of seventeen. From the start of puberty, usually by ten or eleven, until around sixteen or seventeen, witches and wizards generally looked older than their muggle counterparts. Once reaching maturity, though, they seemed to stay suspended in their twenties, keeping a youthful appearance and vitality that muggles could only dream of for decades. It was Margaret's opinion that most magical young folk were not as prone to the immaturity and youthful inconsistencies of young muggles.
Hermione was not sure she shared Margaret's views, knowing how immature some of her friends had been while at Hogwarts, but she had to admit that by the time they had returned to Hogwarts to belatedly complete their seventh year, everyone had settled down quite a bit. Even Lavender Brown had morphed into a more sedate version of herself by second term. Hermione had assumed it was due to the sobering aftermath of fighting and surviving a war, but perhaps Margaret's conventional wisdom was correct. The older witch had spent significantly more time around young muggles than Hermione, after all.
Hermione did not know if it was her upbringing, or the allure of her many ambitious academic pursuits, but she was nowhere close to wanting a mundane married life or children to occupy her time. Perhaps one day she would feel some kind of maternal ache, but that day was yet far off in her future.
While she had no doubts now that she and Severus were in it for the long haul, she did not require a proposal to feel secure in the relationship. After all, she knew his mind as no other witch could know a lover's.
Furthermore, a wizard's marriage frankly scared Hermione. Marriage in the magical world invoked ancient love rituals, and though they did not use blood magic anymore, the ceremony was not to be taken lightly. The rate of divorce in the magical world was practically nonexistent, possibly since ceremonial magic encouraged couples to smooth over differences and become more likely to compromise. Depending on how the vows were recited, one partner might end up doing most of the compromising. Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that often the so-called compromise was really just overlooking infidelity, neglect, or even abuse. She was ambivalent about magical marriage on principal, not because she worried that Severus would take advantage of the magical vows.
Hermione would be content to be with Severus for the foreseeable future without ever taking formal vows. The past year had proven to her that she had not made a mistake when she chose to act on her feelings for him. The voice of reason in the back of her mind had tried to tell her that she was just a foolish, infatuated school girl, and would likely regret pursuing her former professor. It had insisted that if he did indeed accept her advances, she should immediately run in the opposite direction. It was the advice Hermione would have given to any other young witch in the same situation, but in her particular case it would have been bad advice. She was quite happy with Severus.
Over a year had passed since their secret affair began, and it had passed quickly. Hermione never would have imagined that a relationship could be so easy and uncomplicated. Perhaps, superficially so, since they did not yet have to deal with any of the repercussions that would surface when friends and family learned the truth.
Hermione was torn between enjoying the privacy and wishing to end the charade. Severus might be happy to keep it a secret forever. He was not interested in the attention it would garner, the questions that would be raised, or the misguided concern that would surely be heaped upon both of them for their choice of partner. Hermione had agreed with him for most of the year, but as the months marched on she found herself wishing she could just tell someone the truth – or at least, part of it. Obviously, what she knew about his past she would never share with another soul, but she wished she could let someone know that he was not the callous, bitter recluse he let almost everyone believe he was.
Severus was far from callous, and no longer a bitter man, whatever he may have been in the past. She often marveled that he had survived the war in his role as a spy and second-hand man to both his masters without losing his sanity. It nothing short of miraculous, but Hermione could share that revelation with no one. He would be mortified if anyone but Hermione knew that he was truly a sensitive, thoughtful person underneath his aloof exterior.
He hid his heart in layers of sarcastic wit and barbed observations of the world around him. To all but Hermione and a few select friends, he was closed off and distrustful. Even with her, he rarely spoke his heart aloud, choosing instead to flood her thoughts with his true feelings if the moment called for it.
She and Severus had returned to Australia the evening of her twenty-first birthday to celebrate with her parents before Severus took her out to dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in the wizarding part of Rockhampton. They stayed up late with her parents, then apparated back to Hogsmeade to finish the night properly, and got very little sleep.
Hermione had never stayed up so many late nights in her life, but she did not miss the sleep. In the scope of her limited intimate experiences, Severus was by far the most sensual and skilled. Ron had been sweet, a bit nervous, and cautious the first time, before they had discovered the necessity and thrill of doing the deed fast and furiously on the sly.
Will had been quite fun, but he was all laughter and playful banter. It had been enjoyable, to be sure, but was nothing compared to the thorough and uninhibitedly erotic attention she received now, and happily returned.
Hermione had not felt so much as a hint of attraction to Severus until after the war when she first became acquainted with his mind, and began to appreciate the nuances of his mannerisms: the sure, graceful, and precise movements of his hands; his calm, commanding way of walking into a room; and the small gestures and expressions that communicated volumes when he spoke.
Now, one look from his piercing dark eyes could melt her body into a boneless puddle in seconds. His voice and the tone of his thoughts could easily make her drunk with desire, ambushing her poor mind even in the middle of mundane conversations.
She loved the way he towered over her, all long limbs and calloused hands, his often unkempt raven hair tickling her when he leaned down for a kiss. She loved every part of him, even his penchant for dramatic black robes that swept after him over the stone floors of Hogwarts and picked up dust on the streets of Hogsmeade.
Waking late the morning after her birthday, Hermione realized that she was alone in the large, comfortable bed loaded down with a thick warm comforter, numerous pillows, and a deep green throw wrapped around her feet, where Crookshanks slept.
It was a Monday, so of course Severus was already back at the castle. He must have gotten only a few hours of sleep if he had gone to breakfast in the great hall.
Hermione went downstairs to see what she could scrounge up for breakfast, grateful that foresight had persuaded her to take a vacation day. Entering the kitchen, she smiled at the sight of a hot breakfast sitting underneath a stasis charm bubble.
She and Crookshanks had breakfast and settled down in the large comfy chair in the library with a cup of tea and a book. After a while, she noticed that the morning rain showers had subsided and the sun was peeking through the clouds. She went out to sit on the back porch, carrying her book with her.
It was not long before Nettie appeared. She always seemed to know when Crookshanks was in Hogsmeade. The two kneazles rolled around in the grass playfully and caught insects while Hermione became engrossed in her book and time slipped away. She did look up when Nettie suddenly jumped from where she lay with Crookshanks on the porch and bounded away, off into the forest. Crookshanks yowled in protest, but was ultimately too lazy to do more than roll over and drift off into sleep once again. Nettie would return soon enough, as she always did.
Eventually, a loud call and the flapping of wings brought Hermione's eyes up to gaze at the large black raven perched on the porch railing. It had cocked its head to study her with large, almond-shaped black eyes that shone with intelligence. Its shiny black plumage boasted a greenish sheen in the bright daylight, and it gripped the wooden rail with exceptionally long-taloned feet at the end of long spindly legs.
"Back already?" she asked, smiling. The raven hopped down to the porch near her feet and soon its overlarge beak disappeared, replaced by the large, distinguished, and familiar nose on the face of her lover. She had convinced Severus to find his animagus form, and led him through the transformation. Most people still did not know he was now able to become a rather large raven at a whim – perhaps only Minerva, Margaret, and Alan were aware of the fact.
"Already?" Severus asked, rebuking her with a look, "It is well past lunch, which I assume you have forgotten to eat?"
Hermione waved her hand dismissively.
"I wasn't hungry. I didn't expect you back until this evening."
"Shall I go, then, and leave you to your book? I would hate to be an interruption..."
Hermione shook her head, and stood, reaching out to touch him.
"You know very well you are a most welcome interruption."
She tugged at his black school robe, willing his face down to hers.
"Now, kiss me."
He obliged, and Hermione was soon lost in the amorous connection of their minds, floating away on the blissful waves of thought and emotion between them.
A sudden yowl from Crookshanks alerted them to a commotion coming from the back edge of the lawn. Bodies still entwined, they turned their heads to see a large black streak fly out of the woods, heralded by the snapping and crashing of brush and hoarse bellowing.
"Nettie! Net- bloody hell! Come back here! Nettie..."
Hagrid's voice trailed off as he emerged into the clearing of the back yard, and froze.
"Hermione? What're yeh... doin' here?"
Surprisingly, Severus had not let go of her. He pressed a hand into her back and walked down the steps with her out onto the lawn.
"Good afternoon, Hagrid," he said. A silence followed as Hagrid, looking confused, wiped his brow with his sleeve.
" 'Afternoon, Professor Snape," he said, shuffling his feet a bit, "I, ah... was tryin' to figure out where Nettie's been gettin' off to lately."
The three of them stared at the space on the grass between them where Nettie and Crookshanks were rubbing against one another in a happy greeting.
"I noticed she was headin' off toward the village a lot, but neither me nor anybody else ever sees her there. She hadn't been in the castle, either."
Hagrid cleared his throat, and took another step forward.
"So... I suppose I know where she's been gettin' to... she took a real strong likin' to Hermione's critter when she was here at the castle."
Severus' hand seemed to burn itself into her back as Hermione stood mortified, listening to Hagrid put it all together.
"Well... I suppose I'll be goin' then," said Hagrid, "Good to see yeh, Hermione. Ah, next time yer in, perhaps we can get a drink in the village?"
Hermione smiled.
"I'd like that, Hagrid."
Hagrid wrung his hands a bit, looking at Severus.
"And, uh... perhaps you would'd like to join as well, Professor?"
Hermione felt Severus' thumb rub a circle on the small of her back.
"That could be arranged."
Hagrid eventually made his exit, bidding them to watch after Nettie for him. As soon as he was gone, Hermione turned to Severus.
"What was that?"
A smirk was her only answer for a moment, and he wrapped his arm around her waist again.
"Would you be content to keep me a secret, forever?" he asked, leading her back toward the house.
"No..." she trailed off, searching his profile, "You realize that Hagrid will have told someone within the week, despite his good intentions to the contrary? The things he accidentally let slip to Harry, Ron, and I all these years... well, let's just say I love Hagrid, but I'd never trust him with a secret."
"Indeed," said Severus, "I suggest you quickly figure out how you would like to break the news to your friends, before Hagrid does it for you."
"Perhaps we should have a talk with Hagrid, though... you, know, so that he at least tries to keep it quiet around the school and Hogsmeade."
They agreed on that point, and also that Harry, Ginny, Minerva, Alan, and Margaret would be the only other people to be officially told and sworn to secrecy for the time being.
It came as no surprise to Alan, Margaret, and Minerva that Hermione and Severus were more than friends. If they had any reservations about the relationship, they did not say anything in the couples' presence.
Harry and Ginny, however, were quite a bit more critical of Hermione's revelation. Severus had been adamant about not being present for the initial conversation. So, Hermione went to Grimmauld Place one weekend when Harry was out with Ron, and broke the news to Ginny first over pints of ice cream from the corner store one evening.
"So, Gin..." she said, after they had caught up and a short silence stretched on between them.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"You know how I told you I wasn't bringing anyone to your wedding?"
Ginny took a large bite of ice cream while studying Hermione.
"You've got a new guy?" she asked.
"Er, yes, I have."
Ginny scraped the last bit of ice cream from her bowl and ate it before putting aside.
"Merlin, Hermione! That's fantastic! Tell me who it is, you sly fox, and I want details! Of course you can bring him, I hated that you were coming alone with the rest of us paired off, and Will bringing Lilah."
Ginny made a face of disgust as she said the name of Will's latest fling. Lilah reminded Hermione a bit of Lavender, and the witch had hated Hermione from the moment they had met at the Charlie's birthday party.
With Ginny staring at her expectantly, Hermione involuntarily cringed with the knowledge that what she was about to say would not be well received.
"Ah, well... it's actually someone you know or... er, knew."
Ginny simply raised her eyebrows and waited.
"It's..." Hermione faltered, feeling her hands go clammy and the rest of her break out in a sweat out of sudden nervousness. This was going to be real and messy and awkward and difficult, and there was no going back to the secrecy of the past year because Hagrid already knew, so...
"Bloody hell, Hermione!" barked Ginny impatiently.
"It's Severus Snape!" said Hermione quickly, gasping for a breath, "I'm seeing Professor Snape. I have been for a while now."
A long pause followed, during which Ginny's eyebrows stayed stuck halfway up her forehead, then slowly lowered into a scowl at she peered at Hermione through narrowed eyes.
"You want," she whispered, "to bring Professor Snape to my wedding? Because you have been dating him?! Hermione... please tell me this is some kind of joke."
"It's not a joke."
"Hermione."
"Ginny."
"Hermione!"
Ginny leaned closer to study Hermione's serious face. She burst out laughing.
"Are you crazy? Snape. Snape? How?"
Hermione giggled.
"Honestly! How did this happen?"
She gripped Hermione's shoulders, nearly toppling them off the sofa.
"I need answers!"
"All right!"
Righting themselves, Ginny made herself comfortable facing Hermione, hugging a pillow in her lap.
"So, Snape. How long has this been going on?"
"Well, it sort of started our last year at school..."
"While you were working on your potions project?!" gasped Ginny.
"That's when I realized how much we had in common," said Hermione, "but I suppose I might have fancied him since sometime after we were cursed in the battle... I would not admit it then, of course."
"But...how did it happen? Did you ask him out? Seduce him one night in the potions room? Did you and Snape do stuff down there?"
"No, we didn't...do...anything while I was at Hogwarts."
"But you wanted to..."
"Well... I certainly did. He, ah, may have noticed."
Ginny shook her head solemnly.
"I thought I knew you, Hermione Granger... but I suppose if anyone was going to fancy a professor, it would be you."
Hermione laughed.
"What is that supposed to mean, exactly?"
"You're too smart for wizards your own age," shrugged Ginny, "and you love learning, and love most all your teachers already. How long have you been seeing him?"
"Just after school started last year."
Hermione and Severus had agreed that they should not tell quite the whole truth of the matter, even to close friends.
"How did it happen?"
"Well..."
Hermione struggled to find a way to explain without actually lying.
"Margaret and Alan often invited me to have lunch with them over the summer... and Severus was usually there, too."
Ginny could not help giggling a little when Hermione said his name.
"And when I was still working in the apothecary a few days a week, he would stop in to see Alan... or at least that was his excuse."
Hermione cleared her throat.
"Then, he asked me to dinner on my birthday."
Ginny's eyes widened.
"So that's why you insisted on having no party, and disappeared all evening... you weren't really with your parents!"
Hermione only smiled. They actually had been in Australia for her twentieth birthday.
"Where did he take you?"
"To his house," Hermione said, as Ginny's eyebrows shot up.
"We couldn't very well go out together without causing a scene if someone saw us. He made me dinner."
"He did not."
"He did!"
"Snape made you dinner. For your birthday."
"Yes."
"Wow."
Ginny stared at her.
"I just... can't imagine that actually happening. Snape cooks?"
"Mmm, very well."
"Wow."
Ginny fell silent for a few moments.
"Everyone is going to lose their minds when they find out... are you sure you're ready to, uh, go public?"
Hermione laughed.
"Actually, no... as much as I would like to bring someone to your wedding, we're not ready for the attention, and I wouldn't do that to you on your wedding day. Mostly, I'm not ready to listen to your mum try to talk me out of it!"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Oh, she would surely try, since it's Snape, he's your former professor, she thinks he's odd and rude, and... he's old."
"He is not that old!"
"Well, he's a lot older than us..."
Hermione smiled.
"Ginny, you grew up as a witch. You know just as well as I do that most magical folk wouldn't blink twice at the age difference."
"Well, no, not older folk, but people our age will."
Hermione shrugged.
"It doesn't bother me."
Ginny sat back against the couch and shook her head.
"This is... really weird, Hermione."
"Yeah. Believe me, when I first realized that I fancied Professor Snape, I was... sort of horrified."
Ginny laughed.
"I thought I sometimes caught you staring at him. I just never would never would have imagined that he might be interested in you."
"Oh, thanks a lot!"
"Hermione, you know what I mean!"
It was Hermione's turn to shake her head.
"It's all right, I felt the same way, though I suspect for slightly different reasons."
Another silence, and Ginny turned to her again.
"What's he like?"
"He's... the same person you know from our seventh year, only more... romantic. He once took me out to in the middle of the forest, played some music, and asked me to dance."
Ginny gave her an incredulous look.
"Well that's... surprising. But I meant, what's he like.."
"Oh, you mean, as a lover? He's brilliant. His age and, ah, experience, are not a problem in that area."
Ginny coughed and choked, laughing again.
"I didn't know it could be so amazing. Obviously, he's good with his hands... and his mouth... and, er, other parts..."
Ginny gasped for air.
"Hermione... stop... I'm sorry I asked!"
Hermione simply smiled and waited until Ginny had overcome her fit and was able to meet her eyes with a more serious expression.
"Ginny, we aren't going to hide it forever, but promise me you won't tell anyone. I'm going to tell Harry, of course, but that's it for now."
"Of course, Hermione."
Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment.
"You know, you could still bring him to the wedding... and just act as if you're both there alone. I will just tell mum that Harry decided he really wanted Snape to be there. McGonagall, Hagrid, and Slughorn are coming, so it would not be so odd for Snape to attend as well. It would work well, I think."
"I'll ask him if he's agreeable to that plan," said Hermione. She hoped that he would come.
When Harry returned, Hermione convinced him to go for a walk. He was astonished, to say the least, when Hermione told him about Severus, and that he would be coming to the wedding.
"But... but it's Snape! How could you- why would you... he was in the same year as my parents, Hermione! Are you mental?"
"Harry."
"I don't even care about him coming to the wedding! I would have invited him already, if I had thought there was any chance of him actually coming... but, bloody hell, Hermione, there's loads of great blokes your own age in London who'd love to ask you out. Half of Willie Beck's friends, for one, and even Charlie has been talking about you a lot lately..."
"All of them are also quite a bit older than me," Hermione pointed out.
"Well, yeah, but they're a lot closer to our age than Snape!"
"Harry."
He sighed, and looked at her.
"Yes, it's Snape. No, you won't be able to talk sense into me. I... I love him."
Harry stared at her.
"It's not just some affair with a professor. I can't imagine being with anyone else."
"Does he feel the same way?" Harry demanded, doubtful.
"Yes."
Hermione answered confidently, and gazed at Harry, daring him to challenge her.
"Merlin, this is weird..."
Hermione continued staring at Harry calmly.
"Okay. Fine. So you're with Snape. You don't want anyone to know yet. He's coming to my wedding. Got it. I won't tell anyone, Hermione. They wouldn't believe me anyway..."
"Thanks."
They walked in silence for a block on their way back to the house.
"I suppose Snape wasn't so bad our last year at Hogwarts," said Harry after a while.
Hermione smiled.
"You can go ahead and admit that you like him too," she said, now grinning, "I won't tell anyone."
So it happened that Hermione and Severus both attended the Weasley-Potter wedding. They arrived and were seated apart, but after the reception was well underway, Hermione made her way over to where Severus sat with Minerva, Hagrid, Slughorn, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. As soon as Shacklebolt had taken his date off to the dance floor, Hermione borrowed the seat next to Hagrid.
"Hello, Professors," she said, looking around the table.
"Ah, Miss Granger! How lovely of you to come chat with your old professors, when there are so many handsome young wizards here. Might I add, you look very beautiful this evening."
Hermione, Severus, and Minerva shared a conspiratorial look, and Hagrid looked away conspicuously. Minerva, Margaret, and Alan had been dropping hints to Severus that he need not hide whatever was going on between himself and Hermione; they had all realized there was something between them ages ago.
"Thank you. How are you, Professor Slughorn?" she asked.
"Very well," he said, sipping his wine, "I like nothing better than celebrating with my former students, especially when they start marrying one another. Yes, this is the wedding of the year, I'm sure... ah, if you'll excuse me, there's the happy couple now! I must go congratulate them..."
He bobbled off, in great spirits. Hermione turned to Severus.
"He seems quite happy to be here," she observed.
"I believe Horace is of the opinion that his little social club was responsible for this marriage," said Severus.
Minerva smiled and raised her goblet to her lips.
"I rather like you in green," said Hermione, commenting on the dress robes of darkest green that Severus had worn, the same ones which had sat forgotten in his closet for years prior.
You already know what I think of your attire, he thought, as they shared a long look.
Hagrid coughed and stood, mumbling an excuse to leave. Minerva regarded them with interest, but refrained from commenting for the moment.
Hermione was wearing the pale gold gown that Ginny had picked for her, of which Severus approved. It had sleeves that came down just past her elbows, a high neckline, and a low, draped back that came to about the mid-point of her spine. Harry and Ginny had chosen to decorate with Gryffindor colors, which went well with the autumn leaves adorning the trees outside the church in Godric's Hollow where Harry's parents had been married, and where the ceremony had taken place.
A tall, dashing older wizard appeared and swept Minerva off to dance. Hermione thought she recognized him as a retired Ministry official, but could not quite place him or recall his name.
Now alone at the table, Hermione gazed at her raven-haired lover, who had fixed her with a look that made her consider apparating away with him to someplace they could be alone.
"Let's dance," she said impulsively, as the band started playing a lovely slow tune. His brow shot up.
"In the current company, which happens to include nearly every Gryffindor Hogwarts has seen since Arthur Weasley attended there, the entire Weasley clan itself, international quidditch players, and half the Ministry?"
Hermione sighed.
"It's just a dance. It doesn't have to mean anything to anyone who doesn't already know. Just one, and then you can go steal Minerva from her partner to throw them off the scent."
He stood and offered his hand.
"Miss Granger, would you care to dance?"
She smiled merrily.
"I should love to."
He withdrew his hand.
"Unless, you think such a thing inappropriate between us."
His eyes mocked her.
"Oh, shut up and dance with me!" she laughed, taking his hand.
They entered the dance floor in the vicinity of mostly strangers – Weasley cousins and friends of family who had not attended Hogwarts and did not immediately recognize the famous and unlikely dance pair in their midst. Soon, however, other guests caught sight of them, and Hermione noted many double takes and stares cast in their direction.
Choosing to ignore the attention, she lost herself in the cadence of their graceful movements. She felt Severus' hand move until his fingertips brushed the exposed skin of her mid-back and pressed lightly into her flesh, sending a tingle down her spine.
"Careful, now," she said, "or people will get the wrong... er, right... idea about us."
He pressed her almost imperceptibly closer.
"Then you must try harder not to look like you're enjoying yourself, Miss Granger," he whispered, "If I can see the desire in your eyes, someone else might well take notice."
"I suppose we could have a row, to take care of that," she said, "speaking of which, we still need to finish our discussion about my parents."
"I see no reason to tell them more than they need to know."
"They need to know the truth! I don't like lying to them."
"It is too soon."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.
"It's been more than a year since they met you, and you get on brilliantly with them. What are we waiting for?"
Severus leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"For your mother to ask me when I plan to propose."
Hermione laughed.
"Oh, is that it? What if she never does?"
"She will," he said simply.
Hermione smiled at his confident assessment of her mother's nosiness.
"And how will you answer her?"
"That we will marry if and when you desire it."
"Oh. So... you have no opinion on the matter?"
"A ceremony and title matter little to me," he said, "but I acknowledge that an official union has its benefits in wizarding society."
Hermione would have answered that she felt much the same, but their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the flash of a camera. She turned to glare at none other than Will Beck's former assistant photographer, Miranda, who grinned at them before scampering away.
"Brilliant," she said wearily, trying to pull away to go after the witch, "Why the bloody hell are there reporters here?!"
Severus kept his grip on her.
"Potter gets married in Godric's Hollow and invites half the Ministry, and you did not think there might be a few photographers that would crash the party?"
"I'm going to go find her and make her sorry she ever dared!"
"Let her go," said Severus calmly, earning himself a questioning look from Hermione.
"If we are to eventually allow our relationship to become public knowledge, we must have some basis for when it started, and the truth will hardly do," he replied in answer to her searching eyes.
"You mean, we should let everyone think it all began when you asked me to dance at Harry's wedding?"
"Precisely."
Hermione smiled at the thought that for all most people in attendance would ever know, this very moment was the beginning of her relationship with Severus Snape. She became acutely conscious of the eyes that followed them that evening.
They played their parts well, acting interested in one another, yet not overly familiar. A few days later, their photograph did indeed appear in the paper alongside other candids from the wedding featuring Ministry officials and notable Hogwarts alumni. There was also a formal shot of Harry and Ginny, and another of them making their exit from the ceremony.
Hermione sat with Severus eating breakfast at the house in Hogsmeade, admiring the photograph. The two of them swept through the frame gently, looking quite serious, their long robes flowing around them in a mix of dark green and gold hues, dappled in the evening light and torches that had surrounded them.
"Did you see our photo?" she asked, turning it around to show him.
"I rather like it," she said, watching his face. He studied it for a few moments, with little reaction.
"As do I," he finally agreed.
"The rumors will have already started," she said warily, but he did not seem bothered by the fact.
"Indeed."
As she prepared to apparate to work, Severus stopped her.
"Shall we have lunch in Diagon Alley?"
"Just the two of us?"
"That is the idea."
Rising to her tiptoes, she kissed him goodbye.
"Of course."
