**A/N** Is this what you guys wanted? I hope so-I really tried for you!
Just one other thing-do you want an epilogue? It's not coming unless you
request it! Enjoy this! REVIEW!
Hermione felt eyes following them as Snape led her outside, but tried to ignore them as usual. She worried she'd never get used to everyone's sudden interest in her personal affairs. Dismissing the thought, Hermione concentrated on where Severus was leading her and wondered what was on his mind. It was a warm night, but not oppressively so. Aromas from many various flowers mingled to sweeten the air, and Hermione breathed deeply as she wondered what it was that Severus wanted to say to her.
There was tension in the elegant but strong hand that led her, even though his grip was gentle. In fact, every muscle in Snape's body was tense. Hermione could literally feel his nervousness, and it worried her. Was something wrong? Was he upset with her?
Severus led her to a relatively secluded area, one she knew that no students might be putting to use. One stone bench was placed among the flowers, partially obscured from view. Apparently he really did need to speak with her alone. Hermione searched his face. Why wouldn't he look at her? He seemed so... afraid. Before she could continue her train of thought, he quietly asked her to sit down, his voice quavering uncharacteristically. Shakily, he sat next to her.
Hermione watched him silently. He was so nervous he looked as though it pained him. Frowning, Hermione reached out and took his hand, simply waiting for him to speak. This seemed like one of those things that couldn't be pushed--he tensed even more in response to her touch instead of relaxing into it as usual. The longer his silence lasted, the more worried Hermione got. What on earth could get him so riled up? An eternity later, he drew in a shaky breath and looked at her.
"I've been thinking, Hermione." He paused after saying this, and she met his gaze. It held the same quiet intensity he with which he normally regarded her, yet it seemed magnified many times over. Suddenly Hermione wasn't so nervous anymore, although she didn't let Severus know it. It was all she could do not to smile at him. With intense effort, she kept her expression solemn and concerned. He seemed to gather what was left of his courage, and then spoke again.
"I never thought I'd say this to anyone, but I cannot help myself. Hermione, I love you and I want nothing so much as to be able to tell you so every day for the rest of my life." He reached into a pocket in his robes and pulled out a small black box, and as he opened it to reveal an exquisite diamond ring, looking up to meet her eyes, he choked out, "Hermione, will you marry me?"
Forseeing the nature of this conversation was one thing, but actually hearing the words was another. At first Hermione could only look at Severus, who looked more nervous than she'd ever imagined he could. His eyes held hers, blazing with passion. Happiness overwhelmed her. Before she could speak, she felt tears in her eyes. None fell, but Severus saw them and his nervousness threatened to turn to despair.
Just as his face began to fall, Hermione threw her arms around him and cried, "Yes, Severus, of course I'll marry you!" He half-sobbed with relief, and held her close. Grinning, Hermione pulled back and allowed him to place the ring on her finger, where it glittered brightly. Severus looked at Hermione's hand, then back into her eyes. "It was my mother's. She always hoped I'd give it to the woman I loved." He looked so relieved and so serious that Hermione couldn't help but laugh. She only laughed harder when he looked somewhat shy and embarrassed.
"Severus, I love you so much!" she grinned, and kissed him passionately. They may never have separated, if someone hadn't cleared his throat nearby. Startled, Hermione and Severus broke apart and looked up into the beaming face of Albus Dumbledore--flanked by Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, and most of the Hogwarts staff. Hagrid was sniffling, and even McGonagall beamed at the Potions Master and her most promising student. Ginny had tears in her eyes and the boys were grinning.
"I think that was the most adorable thing I've ever seen!" McGonagall finally sobbed, giving in to her more romantic side. Severus began to blush furiously, but was too happy at the moment to be angered by the intrusion. Hermione grinned at him, and he grinned back, his eyes shining. "I knew it all along!" sighed Trelawney, whose eyes now resembled Moaning Myrtle's.
"I do apologize Severus, but we couldn't resist following you two. You were so nervous you didn't even notice!" Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm so proud of you! Hermione, I cannot tell you how happy you've just made him!"
"Way to go, Severus!" Lupin laughed. "I was afraid you wouldn't go through with it! Hermione, you have no idea what you do to that man." Hagrid took that opportunity to ask Hooch for a handkerchief. "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen!" he sobbed.
"Hermione, Professor Snape," Harry smiled. "I am so happy for you two! Congratulations!" Ron nodded. "I'm glad you're happy, Hermione," he smiled, and nodded to Professor Snape.
"I knew this would happen!" Draco grinned. "You two are almost disgustingly cute together, you know." Ginny laughed, still wiping tears from her eyes. "You two really are the couple of the year! Wait until Witch Weekly gets word of this!"
"Well," Dumbledore sighed, his eyes twinkling and a broad grin still lighting up his face, "I think we'll leave you two alone now. Thank you for a most.. inspiring evening." Everyone took Dumbledore's hint and, with a few final smiles and interested looks, they left.
"That was interesting," Hermione commented, turning to smile at her now- fiance, who was positively glowing with happiness, much as she was. He laughed joyously and captured her lips in yet another passionate kiss.
THE END
Hermione felt eyes following them as Snape led her outside, but tried to ignore them as usual. She worried she'd never get used to everyone's sudden interest in her personal affairs. Dismissing the thought, Hermione concentrated on where Severus was leading her and wondered what was on his mind. It was a warm night, but not oppressively so. Aromas from many various flowers mingled to sweeten the air, and Hermione breathed deeply as she wondered what it was that Severus wanted to say to her.
There was tension in the elegant but strong hand that led her, even though his grip was gentle. In fact, every muscle in Snape's body was tense. Hermione could literally feel his nervousness, and it worried her. Was something wrong? Was he upset with her?
Severus led her to a relatively secluded area, one she knew that no students might be putting to use. One stone bench was placed among the flowers, partially obscured from view. Apparently he really did need to speak with her alone. Hermione searched his face. Why wouldn't he look at her? He seemed so... afraid. Before she could continue her train of thought, he quietly asked her to sit down, his voice quavering uncharacteristically. Shakily, he sat next to her.
Hermione watched him silently. He was so nervous he looked as though it pained him. Frowning, Hermione reached out and took his hand, simply waiting for him to speak. This seemed like one of those things that couldn't be pushed--he tensed even more in response to her touch instead of relaxing into it as usual. The longer his silence lasted, the more worried Hermione got. What on earth could get him so riled up? An eternity later, he drew in a shaky breath and looked at her.
"I've been thinking, Hermione." He paused after saying this, and she met his gaze. It held the same quiet intensity he with which he normally regarded her, yet it seemed magnified many times over. Suddenly Hermione wasn't so nervous anymore, although she didn't let Severus know it. It was all she could do not to smile at him. With intense effort, she kept her expression solemn and concerned. He seemed to gather what was left of his courage, and then spoke again.
"I never thought I'd say this to anyone, but I cannot help myself. Hermione, I love you and I want nothing so much as to be able to tell you so every day for the rest of my life." He reached into a pocket in his robes and pulled out a small black box, and as he opened it to reveal an exquisite diamond ring, looking up to meet her eyes, he choked out, "Hermione, will you marry me?"
Forseeing the nature of this conversation was one thing, but actually hearing the words was another. At first Hermione could only look at Severus, who looked more nervous than she'd ever imagined he could. His eyes held hers, blazing with passion. Happiness overwhelmed her. Before she could speak, she felt tears in her eyes. None fell, but Severus saw them and his nervousness threatened to turn to despair.
Just as his face began to fall, Hermione threw her arms around him and cried, "Yes, Severus, of course I'll marry you!" He half-sobbed with relief, and held her close. Grinning, Hermione pulled back and allowed him to place the ring on her finger, where it glittered brightly. Severus looked at Hermione's hand, then back into her eyes. "It was my mother's. She always hoped I'd give it to the woman I loved." He looked so relieved and so serious that Hermione couldn't help but laugh. She only laughed harder when he looked somewhat shy and embarrassed.
"Severus, I love you so much!" she grinned, and kissed him passionately. They may never have separated, if someone hadn't cleared his throat nearby. Startled, Hermione and Severus broke apart and looked up into the beaming face of Albus Dumbledore--flanked by Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, and most of the Hogwarts staff. Hagrid was sniffling, and even McGonagall beamed at the Potions Master and her most promising student. Ginny had tears in her eyes and the boys were grinning.
"I think that was the most adorable thing I've ever seen!" McGonagall finally sobbed, giving in to her more romantic side. Severus began to blush furiously, but was too happy at the moment to be angered by the intrusion. Hermione grinned at him, and he grinned back, his eyes shining. "I knew it all along!" sighed Trelawney, whose eyes now resembled Moaning Myrtle's.
"I do apologize Severus, but we couldn't resist following you two. You were so nervous you didn't even notice!" Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm so proud of you! Hermione, I cannot tell you how happy you've just made him!"
"Way to go, Severus!" Lupin laughed. "I was afraid you wouldn't go through with it! Hermione, you have no idea what you do to that man." Hagrid took that opportunity to ask Hooch for a handkerchief. "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen!" he sobbed.
"Hermione, Professor Snape," Harry smiled. "I am so happy for you two! Congratulations!" Ron nodded. "I'm glad you're happy, Hermione," he smiled, and nodded to Professor Snape.
"I knew this would happen!" Draco grinned. "You two are almost disgustingly cute together, you know." Ginny laughed, still wiping tears from her eyes. "You two really are the couple of the year! Wait until Witch Weekly gets word of this!"
"Well," Dumbledore sighed, his eyes twinkling and a broad grin still lighting up his face, "I think we'll leave you two alone now. Thank you for a most.. inspiring evening." Everyone took Dumbledore's hint and, with a few final smiles and interested looks, they left.
"That was interesting," Hermione commented, turning to smile at her now- fiance, who was positively glowing with happiness, much as she was. He laughed joyously and captured her lips in yet another passionate kiss.
THE END