AN: Yep, two chapters in one day. I don't know how or why I did it but I did and now I present it to you. By they way, both Come On Eileen and Iris are from the nineties so I'm actually evening time range specific with the music ^_^ I'm proud of myself. Well, without further ado, the chapter!
Chapter 55: Snape's Resolution
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We will put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
~Unknown~
"So what's your New Year's Resolution?" They were about 10 minutes away from midnight and were relaxing in the Weasley's living room, two small glasses of firewhiskey in hand.
"I don't do resolutions."
Hermione smiled and shook her head. "Now Severus, humor me."
"You know I'm not in the habit of humoring people."
She looked away from him and say down her drink, smoothing her dress out. "I'm not people. I'm Hermione Jean Snape." She settled her gaze upon him and smiled and the side of his lip quirked up slightly as he said,
"Yes, you are."
"So humor me?"
"Why don't you answer your own question first?"
Hermione stretched out and answered. "Make a name for myself other than 'Brains of the Golden Trio' and 'Best Friend to the Chosen One.' Also...to travel more."
Severus regarded her with a nod. She certainly had a point about making a name on her own. He knew she could do so, maybe not easily but with the usual Gryffindor gusto and know-it-all knowledge he knew her for.
"The first I understand but to travel more? Wasn't your last year travel enough?"
Hermione laughed and took a sip of firewhiskey before saying, "I mean travel on a plane, maybe to America or France. By muggle means. Apparition and flying on a broom aren't exactly the most fun ways to get from point A to point B." She took another sip and gestured toward him with her glass. "Now it's your turn."
"Fine, I resolve to...wear more black. Oh wait, already accomplished."
She rolled her eyes. "Give a real answer or dance with me."
"To the Weird Sisters? I think not."
"No Weird Sisters. Muggle music."
Not one to get personal, and with no idea what he'd resolve, he took a look at his wife, hair tousled and beautiful, with a dress that called to him like veela magic, stood up, and held out his hand to Hermione.
She raised an eyebrow and took his hand, following the dark eyed wizard through the kitchen and out under the tent and onto the makeshift dance floor as Molly, Arthur, and others swayed to the muggle music Hermione had earlier charmed on.
"And I'd give up forever to touch you/'Cause I know that you feel me somehow -"
As her husband spun her into position, she watched the expression of her honorary family, the shock of most with the exception of Ginny, George, and surprisingly, Luna as she stood next to a gaping fuming Ron.
"- When sooner or later it's over/ I just don't wanna miss you tonight -"
She was not expecting to be swept off her feet by Severus...at least no more-so than before. But it was hard not to be when he was...was that a smile? Hermione flushed. There was something about that smile that was causing her stomach to do flips and her heart to flutter. No to mention the turns and swirls he already had her doing.
"And I don't want the world to see me/ 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand/ When everything's made to be broken/ I just want you to know who I am"
Severus took a deep breath in, and held his hand against her back a little more firmly. He was relishing the glares from the youngest Mr. Weasley but most of all, you could feel the weight of Hermione's eyes on his face those whole dance.
"When everything's made to be broken/ I just want you to know who I am -"
The song was cut short when a call came up from Percy, "One minute to midnight!"
They all gathered outside of the tent, huddled in a mass to keep warm, all watching their watches, snuggling close together with wands to the sky.
"Fifty-seven"
"Fifty-six"
"Fifty-five"
"Fifty-four"
Hermione and Severus were still pressed close together as the shouting went on around them.
"Forty-five"
"Forty-four"
"Forty-three"
"Forty-two"
"Forty-one"
"So Severus, any last minute New Years Resolutions?" She smiled up at him, arms around his shoulders, heart pounding. His hands were firmly planted on her waist although he was acutely aware of the large group amassed around them. That is, until his very warm and snuggly wife pressed flush against him.
"Twenty"
"Nineteen"
"Eighteen"
"Seventeen"
"Sixteen"
A gust of wind caught a loose tendril of her hair, whipping it across her face. He brushed her hair behind her ear, his face calm while his heart sped like a race horse.
"Eleven"
"Ten"
"Nine"
'Am I really going to do this? Surrounded by Gryffindors?'
"Five"
"Four"
"Three"
He leaned down, a breath away.
"Two"
He couldn't back out now, he wasn't a Slytherin for nothing.
"One"
As the Weasley clan and friends shot sparks from their wands high into the sky, Severus and Hermione Snape openly and public rang in the New Year wrapped up in each other's arms, lips melding and meeting again and again. And it was a least a tad bit of time before the outraged Ronald Weasley began to fume, only calmed when Luna pulled him in, talking of nargles and wackspurts. Around 12:02 they pulled back and Hermione laughed, throwing back her head.
"That's one way to ring in the New Year!"
"My New Year's Resolution is to do that far more often."
Okay so this story has taken on a whole new life and now I'm not entirely sure of what to do. I'm trying to get it back on track and then there's days like today when I crank out two new chapters. :O oh goodness. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Remember, review my pretties!
~Lilly Rae~
