Insufferable Attraction

SeverusxHermione

Rated NC-17

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Author's Note: I couldn't find much information about Daphne and her family, not even the possible names of her parents or her middle name. Therefore, I have given names to them. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and stayed tuned for more to come. Also, I'm thinking of having Severus and Hermione having a date night in the next chapter or two. If you all have any ideas for them, let me know and I'll try to incorporate it. Love, SehunsBae37.

Insufferable Attraction

Chapter 12

Hermione dressed herself in a lovely royal purple dress with a boat neckline that hugged her body and accented the curves of her torso, the skirt flowing down to right below her knees. On her feet she wore nude heels and her hair was styled in a half-up style. She tied a beige belt around her waist to compliment her outfit before deeming herself presentable. Looking at herself in the mirror, she took in her appearance before nodding and leaving the bedroom.

Today was Harry's Ministry wedding to Daphne, and Hermione did not want to be late for it. Harry supported her during he wedding last week, and she was going to support him in his. Walking down the hallway slightly, she stopped by a closed door and gently knocked on it.

"Severus?" Hermione called. "Severus, are you ready?"

There was a moment of silence before the door opened and Severus stepped out dressed in black slacks and dark grey dress shirt with black shoes on his feet. He looked down at the brunette, taking in her appearance and finding her to look rather lovely. Though her ensemble was simple, he thought Hermione looked…pretty. Finished with his assessment of her, Severus nodded and said, "Yes."

Hermione, seeing the almost intense way her husband was looking at her, blushed slightly and nodded before turning to head downstairs, Severus following behind her. They descended the stairs of Severus' Spinner's End home and to the front door, stopping to grab their cloaks and put them on. Once they were ready and had their wands tucked away, they stepped out of the home and Severus locked it up, then walked down the street to a nearby alleyway. Making sure no Muggle was around or looking, Severus grabbed hold of Hermione's shoulder—Hermione taking note of how gentle his touch was—before Disapparating them away.

Soon their feet hit the cobblestone road of Diagon Alley, and the two of them headed towards the library. Along the way, Hermione began to realize that many witches and wizards were staring at them, some even whispering and pointing at them. Remembering that her marriage to Severus had been in the Daily Prophet and many people had read it, Hermione suddenly found herself feeling rather self-conscious. Before she could even begin to try and hide herself, a large hand took a hold of her smaller one, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Looking up at Severus, she saw him glaring at the people openly staring at them before looking down at her.

"Just ignore them," Severus told her. "Besides, it isn't you they are judging anyway; it's me."

Hermione frowned, thinking it not fair that Severus could not seem to catch a break from the public judging him, even after being pardoned of his crimes. And now they had something else to hold against him, and that was his marriage to her. Even though it was Ministry arranged, the public would probably ignore that fact and believe that he had coerced her into a marriage with him. She found that it hurt to know that everyone would never really accept Severus. It probably didn't bother him as he had years to get used to it, but Hermione found it wrong to hold so much over him that he had payed for or had no choice in the matter. It absolutely wasn't fair.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the Ministry of Magic. They walked inside of the building and onto Level 1, heading to the Minister of Magic's office. When they reached it, Hermione gave the door a knock before being instructed to step inside. As she and Severus stepped inside of office, they saw before them Kingsley sitting behind his desk with the four representatives of the Bloodline Restoration Act standing next to him, two on either side. There was also the same reporter from the Daily Prophet that had been present last time with his camera and notepad. Harry was standing in front of the desk dressed in his formal dress robes, with Draco and Luna talking quietly with him. There was another man in the office with light brown hair and blue eyes, one Hermione did not recognize.

Seeing that Hermione and Severus were inside, Harry walked over to them and gave Hermione a hug before giving Severus a nod. Smiling at them he said, "Thank you for coming."

"I wouldn't miss it, Harry," Hermione said in return. "I'll support you no matter what."

"Thanks Hermione. I must say that I am rather nervous."

"Just don't faint like your friend here," Severus said, his tone having an almost imperceptible joking tone to it.

Hermione blushed at the reminder that she had indeed fainted after the bonding, but only because she had been severely overwhelmed with not only having gotten married but given the news of needing to consummate in three days. Harry gave her a sympathetic smile before pointing at the unknown man waiting silently. In a low voice he said, "That's Mr. Greengrass, Daphne's father."

Severus glanced at him briefly before saying, "Phillip Greengrass."

"You know him?" Hermione asked.

"Not well, he was a Year ahead of me and I did not speak to him while in school. He very much believes in Pureblood supremacy and his family is a part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, one of the oldest and "truest". It isn't hard to believe he expected his daughters to marry into other Pureblood families, which can be seen accomplished with the engagement of Draco and his youngest Astoria."

Harry suddenly looked worried. "I know my marriage to Daphne is arranged and can't be helped, but will he accept ours? I mean, I'm not a Pureblood by any means."

Severus thought for a moment before saying, "Well, he may not like that fact that you are a Halfblood, but the Potter family have been pure for a long time before your parents' marriage. That, and the Potters were very wealthy, so with you being entitled to that fortune, as well as having the Black family vaults, Phillip will be pleased to at least know his daughter is marrying into money, and a lot of it."

"That's rather sad to know," Hermione said. "Doesn't he care that Harry will be able to take care of Daphne?"

"Even if he did, he wouldn't say so. It is how old Purebloods think."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, wondering how his marriage to Daphne would be once they were wed. Before long, the door opened and Daphne walked in wearing a very lovely and form-fitting wedding gown, her blonde hair pinned up with plenty of curls. Following her was her mother and sister Astoria. Astoria went to stand next to Draco, the two of them acting as witnesses to Daphne. Harry moved to stand in front of Kingsley's desk as Hermione moved to stand next to him, Severus and Luna standing with her to be his witnesses. Daphne moved to stand next to Harry and smiled at him, telling him he looked smashing. Harry looked in wonder at his bride-to-be, finding her to be very beautiful before returning her compliment.

Kingsley moved around his desk to stand before the affianced couple. He looked at them before asking, "Are you two ready?"

At their nods, Kingsley began the bonding ceremony for Harry and Daphne, the very same one done for Hermione and Severus. Now that she wasn't the one having it done to and overwhelmed by it all, Hermione could pay close attention to what was happening. She watched as Kingsley waved his wand over their joined left hands, pink and gold sparks emitting from it and forming a ribbon around their hands.

"Do you Harry James Potter, take Daphne Angelica Greengrass as your wife and bonded partner, with the promise to protect and cherish her, as well as commit no infidelity for as long as you both shall live?" Kingsley asked.

Harry nodded and said, "I, Harry James Potter, promise to these terms to Daphne Angelica Greengrass."

Kingsley turned to Daphne. "Do you Daphne Angelica Greengrass, take Harry James Potter as your husband and bonded partner, with the promise to protect and cherish him, as well as commit no infidelity for as long as you both shall live?"

"I, Daphne Angelica Greengrass, promise to these terms to Harry James Potter."

Hermione watched in awe at how the swirling pink and gold ribbon around Harry and Daphne's hands, taking in how the colors sunk into their hands and moved to wrap around their ring fingers before settling into the skin there. Remembering how the magic had done the same at hers and Severus' bonding ceremony, she looked down at her own left hand to peer at her ring finger. The imprint of the ring on her finger was still there, indicating that the bonding had really happened and that she was now bonded to Severus. She looked over at Severus' hand to see the same imprint, a little brighter on his pale hand. That showed, just like with her, that he was tied to her forever. Feeling her heart begin to beat a bit faster at the thought, Hermione turned her attention back to Harry and Daphne's ceremony, knowing it was about to finish.

Kingsley looked at the newly bonded couple and said in authority, "By the power of I, Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, I now pronounce you bonded and married in the law of the Ministry and in the eye of Merlin. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Harry James Potter."

Hermione clapped along with Luna, Astoria, Mrs. Greengrass, Draco, and the B.R.A. representatives, smiling at how Daphne hugged Harry and gave him a kiss on his cheek, causing her best friend to blush in surprise. Hermione walked over to hug Harry as well saying, "Congratulations."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry said.

When Hermione let go of him, she turned to hug Daphne and said in a soft voice, "You be sure to take care of him. He's been through so much and I want him to have some happiness in this world."

Daphne felt tears begin to prick at her eyes and she blinked her eyes to keep them at bay before whispering, "I will, I promise." She then pulled away from Hermione and kept a hold of her hands. "And you do the same for Snape, as well. Merlin knows he could do with some happiness, whether he acknowledges it or not. Can you promise me to try to be happy and make him happy, Hermione?"

Hermione looked into her blue-green eyes and saw how earnest she was in what she said. She really wanted and believed that she could make their former professor happy despite their situation. Giving the blonde's hands a squeeze Hermione said, "I promise."

Daphne smiled at the brunette and kissed her on each of her cheeks before being pulled to the side by her parents, Astoria stepping up to Harry who was speaking with Draco. Luna bid everyone 'goodbye' before leaving, and Severus and Hermione decided to quietly make their leave. However, they were stopped by one of the representatives of the Bloodline Restoration Act before they could even exit the Minister's office.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Snape. I hope everything has been going well for the two of you since your bonding," the wizard said, a fake yet friendly smile plastered on his face.

Severus scowled at the other man, still very much ticked off about them being alerted to the fact that he and Hermione had consummated their vows. He wasn't the only one, as Hermione too was openly glaring at the man, but not to the extent her husband was. In a curt voice he said, "We're fine."

"Good, good, that's wonderful to hear. We would also like to inquire if you have moved into your ancestral home as of yet. Or is it that you are still living at Spinner's End? And will we be expecting any possible children soon?"

"If you must know, no we haven't moved yet. And there won't be any children."

Hermione frowned slightly at Severus' words before schooling her expression. She could understand him though, as children were something she hadn't thought about either and also didn't see herself with any quite yet. She was only twenty after all, though some would say this was a good time for child-bearing. Deciding to add to the conversation, she spoke up saying, "But we are making plans to go there soon. And just so you know, it is Lord Prince now, not Mr. Snape."

Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione announcing his Lordship, but couldn't help but smirk at the representative's look of surprise, even more so at seeing Phillip Greengrass's eyebrows reach his hairline at having overheard. He then turned back to the B.R.A. representative and said, "But be rest assured the moment we move into my family home, you won't be notified where it is. We Princes do enjoy our privacy and don't want unwanted guests, after all."

The couple couldn't help but find enjoyment in the man's bewildered look before excusing themselves. They quietly left the office and the Ministry altogether, making their way back to Diagon Alley. As they walked Severus said, "I'm surprised you revealed my change in status."

Suddenly wondering if she had overstepped her boundaries, Hermione asked, "You're not mad, are you?"

"No, I could care less if people knew about it or not. But I certainly enjoyed the look on Phillip Greengrass's face when he heard."

"Does that put you on an even status with him?"

"In a way, yes."

Hermione giggled before an idea struck her. Turning to Severus she grabbed his hand, stopping him in his stride. Black eyes looked down at her in confusion for a moment before she said, "Let's go do something fun."

Severus' eyebrows furrowed. "Fun? Like what?"

"I don't know, but something. All that happens is us sitting at your house barely talking, me reading and you doing the same or busy brewing. Let's do something else instead."

Hermione could see the reluctance in Severus' stature. Deciding to try her puppy look, Hermione widened her eyes like does and pouted her lip a bit before softly saying, "Please."

Severus had seen this look plenty of times during his years as a professor, and he had thought all of the female students to pull it to get what they wanted looked ridiculous. Hermione however, he found that she looked rather endearing with her large brown eyes, cute pout, and pretty face. Wow, did I just really think that? Severus wondered to himself.

Before he knew it, the man found himself nodding and giving in, saying, "Alright."

Grinning brightly, Hermione began to walk again, tugging her husband behind her as she babbled on about what they could possibly do to shake up their usual routine. And Severus found that despite not liking touch in any sort of way and hating the brunette's constant talking, he for once found that he didn't mind it so much. That, and he found that he couldn't help the small smile on his face as he allowed her to pull him along.