Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing about these characters or the world of Harry Potter. I do, however, enjoy playing with the game pieces. Thank you so much if you have reviewed this story! If you have been reading along, but not reviewed yet, please drop a comment! I would love to hear what you think!
"This is going to be horrendous." Severus muttered as they stood a small walk away from the Burrow. Formerly serving as the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, the location had powerful protection spells. Visitors were warned to apparate at least 100 feet away and approach on foot.
"Oh lighten up, it won't be all that bad." Hermione said, trying to brighten the mood. His eyebrows arched and tilted his head towards her as if to say "yeah, right". But, of course, Severus Snape did not say such things aloud.
"Alright, point taken. It's going to be a shit show." Hermione admitted. Snape laughed at that. Actually… laughed. As they walked, apprehension filled her about what awaited them inside, but she was also floored to have caused a break in his formal demeanor.
They walked the hundred or so feet to the front door and were immediately greeted by Molly and Arthur; with hugs for Hermione and stiff handshakes for Snape. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ushered them inside to a house full of people, most of whom Hermione knew and Severus didn't. She noticed the subtle shake of his shoulders as he brushed off his discomfort and steeled himself for social duties. Was he expecting them to disapprove even though they were paired by magical science and law?
Making their way through the crowd inside the house and out to the back yard, they found a looser group of people had convened with glasses of lemonade. In the center of the yard were several wooden picnic tables. Sitting there were her best friends and their paramours, Harry with Ginny and Ron with Lavender Brown. Little James was no doubt being passed around by the relatives like a child's game of hot potato.
Molly whispered to Hermione, "I'm sorry for the crowd, love. I know it is a bit much, but James' first birthday is this weekend and the family have already started to arrive. After all, there is much to celebrate!" Mrs. Weasley turned and addressed the ensemble gathered outside, "Today we celebrate the engagement of Ron and Lavender," a smattering of applause ensued, "and the union of Severus and Hermione." Dead silence except for a cat call from Ginny.
Hermione broke the awkward tension in the area by sitting down next to Harry and hugging him around the shoulders. Severus took a seat at the end of the table next to her. Before speaking, Hermione gave Ron the once over to deduce if he was going to be polite. Harry and Ginny must have given Ron the rundown on the situation so he could get all his freaking out done by Thursday, because he looked relatively calm though a bit pale at the actual sight of Snape arriving with her.
"So, Ron, you and Lavender haven't gotten married yet?" Lavender looked at Ron with adoration.
"Not yet, Mum wants to plan an actual wedding here at the Burrow, so we are waiting until the end of our month, next week." Ron said, smiling back at Lavender's endearing face. He glanced warily at Snape and added, "You're both invited, of course." Ron was talking like he had been coached. Sure enough, she spared a peek at Ginny giving Ron the sisterly approving eye . Giggling with joy at being engaged, Lavender hooked her arm around Ron's and gave him a quick kiss. Then she turned and focused her attention on Hermione and Snape.
"Sooooo," she said suggestively, "speaking of wedding arrangements, what was your hurry? From what Ronald has told me it sounds like you two got hitched the moment you got your letters!" Lavender clapped her hands together like the situation was sooo romantic. The implication made Ron grimace. Poor Ron, he was trying. Hermione found the girl a bit insipid, but she made Ron happy, so Hermione would be pleasant to her. After all, she had seen Lavender grit-faced and fierce as she fought back the feared Fenrir Greyback in the final battle. Maybe there was something to the woman beyond her flighty exterior.
"Well, the crux of the matter is that I didn't see the point in waiting around for what I knew would be the result. Our pairing was the only one we received, and I felt it was our best option." She hated to sound so clinical, especially when she was beginning to like the man, but the truth often sounded less romantic than it was.
"We both agreed on the matter." Severus interjected in her defense. "Hermione made some good points, but I am afraid I wore her down in the end."
What was he saying? He knows the entire rushed ordeal was my idea.
In response to her confusion, he honest to Merlin winked at her. His face said it all. He was trying to save her from being a figure of pity to her friends. Acting the beau and all. She was a bit impressed. Harry and Ginny looked knowingly at one another. They knew more about the situation and saw through it. Ron, Lavender, and the eavesdroppers feigning small talk around them seemed appeased by Snape's comment.
"Oh my," breathed Lavender, "only one pairing letter? How daunting! I received three over 90% letters on that day that Ronald and I were paired. And he got five!" Hermione tried not to be annoyed. The girl was clearly interested in getting to know her genuinely as Ron's future wife and not as a gossip. Hermione faked a smile.
"How ever did you choose?" asked Hermione, trying not to sound sarcastic.
"Well Ron's came first, so of course I hardly looked at the other two. And with our history, he reached out to me before any of the others, and we just clicked." She snapped her fingers as she said it. "Just like the good old days, except I wouldn't dare call him Won Won now. I was a bit revolting as a teenager." Lavender admitted. At least she was aware.
Ron addressed Severus, "Your situation came as a… surprise, but Hermione seems alright, so I guess it's all good." Hermione could see he was struggling to act casual. Ron continued, "Can't say I won't be keeping an eye on you though. And I was a bit miffed not to be invited to the wedding. How come you invited Harry and Ginny, but not me?" This last question he directed to Hermione. She looked back at him apologetically.
"Getting married at the Ministry first thing Monday morning was a bit of a rash decision, I will admit, but I'm glad we did it. Based on how the press reacted, I can't imagine what could have been if other people had prior notice of the event. And Harry literally stumbled into attending." Harry chuckled.
"Regardless." Ron glared, "I would think with everything we've been through you would have told me yourself. Instead of my hearing through these two."
"Ron, it was so rushed that we hadn't planned to speak to anyone about it until we were married."
"Yet the moment you saw Harry, you had no problem asking him to attend. Would you have done the same if I was the one you ran into?" Ron's eyebrows were practically melded with his hairline.
Hermione paused before answering. Of course she would have, but he wouldn't have reacted well then, either..
"Ron, I am sorry. Of course I would have asked you to attend had you been there instead of Harry. I should have made a better effort to try to reach out. But… you can understand my hesitancy to not invite anyone, right?"
Ron grunted his acceptance of her apology and turned to his fiance, the matter finished.
Severus sat back as the Golden Trio caught up on other events and basically acted as though he were not there. Ginny tried to involve him in the conversation, but he didn't know enough about the topic to join.
Needing a stronger refreshment than lemonade, he stood and made his way into the house. His spy skills served him well as he slunk past the mania of red-headed relatives and evaded the paths of countless children racing on toy brooms. Severus found the door open to the study and hoped the party was not likely to spill into that particular room. To his surprise, Blaise and his lovely fiance Malverna were seated by the bookshelves across from none other than Neville and Luna Longbottom. Blaise saw him in the door right away and smirked, so there was no escaping. At least it was people he knew. He stepped in the door, said hello to Blaise and Malverna, and nodded to Longbottom.
Neville Longbottom now ran the Hogwarts greenhouses, and there were a few select herbs for his potions that grew better at the school gardens and greenhouse than anywhere else, as Severus knew from his years living at the school. Some believed that Helga Hufflepuff may have instilled certain abilities to the school grounds when Hogwarts was founded. Due to this, Longbottom was an annual supplier to Sertain Solutions, harvesting in the summer months.
They were not friends of any sort, but Severus had at least explained to the boy why he had heartlessly berated him for years. If only Voldemort had gone after Neville as the subject of the prophecy and not Harry, then Lily's life would have been spared that night. It was the ugly truth, but Severus could never admit it to the boy or get over it until the Dark Lord was truly gone once and for all. There was a mutual grudging respect now between Hogwarts' former potions master and its current Herbologist. Seeing Luna, Severus thought through his limited experience with the former Miss Lovegood. At least she never looked at him with disdain, which is more than can be said for the majority of his students from her graduating class.
Malverna rose upon seeing him, and guided him by arm to a chair by the fireplace. Her French adolescence made her more prone to touch others than the brits.
"Master Snape, what a pleasure! We were sure you would be drowning in questions and well-wishers for at least an hour." He sat between the couples and discovered that he did not feel entirely uncomfortable. Whether it was the smaller group or his prior knowledge of the people, he did not know.
"I managed to escape for a reprieve. Hermione was engrossed in conversation."
"Ah yes, you and Hermione are together as I'd hoped. Your fire and ice aura matches her water and air," Luna offered in her dreamy soft tone, "I sensed you two would make a lovely pair" Everyone in the room looked curiously at Luna. Severus was certain that no one in the wizarding world would have paired him and Hermione before the potion did. There was no way to respond to her bizarre admission, so Severus turned his attention to Malverna.
"How exactly do you all know each other? I will admit that I am surprised to see you here, Apprentice."
Blaise opened his mouth to answer, but Malverna beat him to it.
"Oh, Luna runs the most darling editorial called the Quibbler. I have been a subscriber for years, and I am proud to model for many of their advertisements. Dare to be different I say! The Quibbler is widely read in Paris these days since they added fashion spreads."
Luna looked dazed as always, but she gleamed a bit from Malverna's praise for her work.
"Yes, we are excited about expanding to new viewers and spreading awareness of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."
Blaise interjected, "And we were invited by Mrs. Weasley actually. Apparently she bugged Ginny for any acquaintances of yours she could invite so that you would have some back up." Severus glowered at his apprentice, knowing that doing so only made Blaise enjoy teasing him all the more. I have had a bad influence on him. He is relentless and increasingly sarcastic.
"Yes, the fabulous Ginevra asked Neville if we knew anyone connected to you, and here we are!" Malverna said with a flourish of her hands. "And now I must meet your lovely bride! Where is she?"
"In the back yard with Potter and Weasley. Well, several Weasleys by now, I would bet."
"Come, Blaise. Let us go, so you can introduce me." Blaise led her out holding her hand while she balanced a glass of red wine in the other.
Neville offered a glass to Severus, which he gladly accepted.
"We brought the bottle for you and Hermione as a gift, but Malverna convinced us to open it right away. She can be quite persuasive." said Neville.
"Apparently."
Luna excused herself to go find some food. Neville and Severus walked out behind her and stood in the corner of the crowded open kitchen.
"Do you mind one personal question, sir?"
"That depends on the question, Longbottom."
"This thing with Hermione. Any chance it could turn out to be the real deal?"
"Just what do you mean by that?"
Neville kept his gaze on the festivities, and lowered his voice so only Severus could hear him. "Look, I know it must have come as a surprise to you both, and I was shocked too. But then I remembered Luna mentioned a few years ago that she thought the two of you would be good together, and she has a pretty reliable sense for these things. I just want Hermione to be happy. I know that you will treat her with respect, but if there's even the slightest chance that you have actual feelings for her then please go for it. If I know Hermione, and I think I do, she will probably stay with you for the rest of your life just out of principle and integrity. Even if she's unhappy. That's just who she is."
Severus pondered this silently.
"I know I've already said much more than I planned, but I had to say something. Hermione is special, and I hope you find something special together, sir."
The young Herbologist stood and followed after Luna before Severus could say anything. Many times in his formative years, Severus had wondered why Longbottom was sorted into Gryffindor. Moments like these showed his bravery popped up in ways that others didn't notice. He might not barge into a dragon-filled tower to save a damsel, but he was brave enough to advise the dreaded Severus Snape about his own love life. Though he loathed to admit it, Longbottom's soliloquy had made an impression on him. He now understood that Hermione would probably stay with him unless he forced an end to it or treated her ill. A plain, companionable marriage she would endure with him for the sake of her own virtuosity and compassion. But she deserved more. He would try to give that to her if he could.
When they arrived back at the cottage, Hermione went straight upstairs to change for bed, out of words and ready to rest. Severus wordlessly went to the sitting room for his nightcap of whiskey. He had certainly earned it. He pondered on the evening's event. All in all, it could have gone much worse. He should be grateful that they were accepted as a couple and that no one had hexed him upon sight. Instead, his introverted self was worn out from all the socialization, and he just wanted a glass of whiskey and a good night's sleep before tomorrow's adventures. After his talk with Longbottom, Hermione found him and paraded him around to meet more of the guests. He did his best to be polite and answer their questions. But now, he was tired.
Hermione likely felt the same way. He figured she might fall asleep so thoroughly that she would not wake to switch rooms tonight. He pondered actually asking her to sleep the whole night with him in their room. Severus was determined that the moniker "their" would eventually apply to the master bedroom. The last few nights hinted that their marriage need not be a farce unless they let it plateau in these early days. As he drained the last drops of his pear-shaped glass, he wondered if he could muster the courage to ask her. Setting his glass aside, he started up the stairs. Asking her to his bed could so easily come off the wrong way. Even though their first few days of marriage were somewhat intimate considering his expectations, Severus could not escape the concern of being seen as a lecherous old man.
Whether by fate or coincidence, he approached the top of the stairs just as Hermione was leaving the guest bathroom, having completed her nightly ablutions. She seemed startled by their sudden simultaneous meeting as well. Severus had not yet seen her in her nightclothes in the light. She wore the same light satin collared top and matching shorts as she had the last few nights, but now he could truly appreciate her features. They were not what would be considered appropriate attire for a cold Autumn night in England, but he knew from the previous nights that she slept hot. Her face was clean and free of makeup or enhancement charms (not that he knew if she wore any, but most witches did nowadays), and her hair was tousled into a messy bun at the top of her head. Her satin pajamas were far more revealing than anything else she had worn in his presence, and he was momentarily struck dumb by the sight. It was a sight only a husband or a roommate would get to see.
"Umm, hey. Thanks again for going with me tonight."
"Of course. It is expected to socialize with the spouse's family and friends."
"Yes, but I'm guessing it strains you." She really did understand him, didn't she?
"Not beyond what I can bear, but I'm glad you are aware."
"I still have no idea where we are going tomorrow, but I am packed and ready."
"Very good. We leave at eight."
"Alright then. Goodnight, Severus." She turned the knob on the guest room door.
"Wait –" he said. Hermione looked back at him.
Unnerved by his own vulnerability, he spoke in a near whisper, "Stay with me."
The words were clearly meant as a question even though he had not inflected them as such. Slowly she nodded and followed him into their room.
Author's Notes: Hope y'all enjoyed the long chapter. Part of me wanted a big blow up at the party but when I sat down to write it, that didn't come out, so there you go. Hermione and Snape are slowly making progress. I have a feeeeeling that being alone on their honeymoon will help them along. Any guesses as to where they are going? (It's where I went on my honeymoon so I can write because of experience and because I just want to)