Chapter 9
"Your baby is fine, a bit small for this term but that will most likely change with time," Pomfrey said with a smile.
Hermione and Severus breathed a sigh of relief. It was her monthly check up with Pomfrey and Severus always made sure he was able to attend. Hermione was a bit worried that she wasn't growing at all it almost felt like to her so she was glad to know all was okay.
"Do you wish to know the sex?" Pomfrey asked the expectant parents.
Severus and Hermione forgot they could find that out with everything going on. They both looked at each other with questioning eyes. "Do you want to love?" Hermione asked.
"If you want," Severus only answered.
Hermione thought about it. It would make picking a name easier and shopping easier. Plus she was awful curious. "Yes I want to know," she smiled.
Severus nodded also agreeing.
Pomfrey waved her wand and mumbled an incantation and the end of her wand glowed a small pick light almost. She smiled, "You are going to have a little girl."
"A daughter?" Severus whispered awed.
Pomfrey nodded, enjoying the look on Severus' face. She had never seen him look so .... pleased and content but with surprise also.
"We'll have to pick out a name," Hermione smiled to him.
Severus nodded before kissing Hermione quickly on the lips.
......
Thursday night Hermione and Severus were in his chambers lying on the couch going over parchments of descriptions of meanings in which the cords for their marriage will represent. The ceremony has six cords so they must pick six colors.
"Which ones do you think you would want the most, love?" Severus asked in Hermione's ear. She lay back against him while they looked over the parchment.
"Silver, pink, and purple," Hermione answered.
"Pink?" Severus murmured then read the description silently. 'Pink. Unity, honor, truth, romance, happiness, healing, familial or emotional love (non sexual), friendship, affections, unselfish emotions, spiritual healing, and banishing hatred.' Severus shook his head, "Of course the perfect one for us would have to be pink," he grimaced.
"I know you hate the color, Severus, but like you said it's perfect for us," Hermione looked back to him.
"Yes, I know," he admitted.
Severus read over her other two choices, silver and purple. 'Silver. Purity, treasure, values, female energy, the unconscious mind, creativity, inspiration, vision and protection.' The next choice, 'Purple. Power, piety, sanctity, sentimentality, tension, sadness amplification of other energies, wisdom, high ideals, spiritual protection and healing, psychic ability, protective energy, strength and progress.' Severus looked again at the list before telling her his choices. "I'd have to say my choices would be blue, black, and gold."
Hermione looked at the choices he made. 'Blue. Tranquility, understanding, patience, health, truth, devotion, sincerity, honor, loyalty, peace, wisdom, and protection during sleep.' Next choice, 'Black. Strength, empowerment, wisdom, vision, success, pure love, negation without reflecting, unlocking when stuck, and banishing evil or negativity.' Last choice, 'Gold. Wealth, attracting happiness, male energy, the conscious mind, financial wisdom, activity, intelligence, unity, longevity, prosperity, and strength.' Hermione looked back at her lover, "I guess that was pretty easy wasn't it?"
"Yes it was. Now onto more enjoyable past times," he captured her mouth in a savage kiss.
......
The day of the Wedding was Saturday. Hermione and Ginny were in her room waiting for McGonagall to come get them. McGonagall, Pomfrey, Severus, Remus, Hermione and Ginny were all taking a portkey to the cottage. Dumbledore was going to apparate to Hermione's parents and give them a portkey to travel themselves and then make a portkey back to their house after the ceremony.
McGonagall soon came to collect the girls; their robes were reduced in size so no one could tell they had them in their pockets. When they arrived in the Headmaster's office everyone was there that was supposed to be. Hermione went to stand next to Severus and Ginny stayed by her other side. Small conversation was enacted until it was time for them to touch a scarf that Dumbledore setup for everyone to be able to touch easily.
Within seconds the party was at the cottage and Hermione's parents and Dumbledore were already there. After brief introductions and hellos, Diane, McGonagall, Pomfrey ushered Hermione and Ginny upstairs. Chris, Lupin, Dumbledore and Severus all made sure they were ready. Severus checked his dress robes that were black with a dark blue cape.
Remus was dressed in charcoal dress robes, Dumbledore had purple dress robes with a cloak that was worn by priests of handfasting ceremonies, and McGonagall had a similar one that was worn by the priestesses. Chris had on a muggle business suit of dark blue, making himself look immaculate.
In the upstairs bedroom McGonagall and Diane helped Hermione get ready while Pomfrey helped Ginny. Pomfrey was dressed in elegant crimson dress robes and Diane had a beautiful light blue dress on.
When Hermione and Ginny were ready, McGonagall, Pomfrey and Diane went down stairs to let the men know and to start the ceremony. Everyone went outside except Remus and Chris, who waited for the girls. Dumbledore and Severus looked up muggle traditions for weddings and they added this bit in to the normal wizards ceremony to give Chris the chance to 'give the bride away'.
Out side, Dumbledore and McGonagall stood center with Diane and Pomfrey in front of them watching, but off to the side. Severus stood to the right, in front, but off to the side next to McGonagall. There was a small alter centered between Dumbledore, McGonagall and Severus with six different colored cords. The door was open from the cottage and Dumbledore waved his wand and said an enchantment to start muggle wedding march. Within seconds everyone from outside could see Remus and Ginny walk arm in a arm down the 'aisle' when they reached the positions outside. Ginny went over to Dumbledore's left side, Remus went to stand to the right by McGonagall.
Soon Hermione and her father, Chris, were seen walking towards the ceremony. When they reached the others, they stopped in front and this is when the wedding march song ended.
"Who here gives this bride away?" Dumbledore spoke the muggle words.
"I, Christopher Granger, her father give the bride away," Chris spoke proudly.
Chris took Hermione's right hand and placed it in Severus' left hand and they faced Dumbledore and McGonagall. Pomfrey, Diane, and Chris moved to encircle Severus and Hermione. Ginny, Chris, Diane, Pomfrey and Remus, stood around Severus and Hermione, making Dumbledore and McGonagall finishing the circle around the couple. Each person stood back giving enough room where several people could each walk in between them but forming a circle still.
Severus and Hermione disjoined hands and waited for the wizard ceremony to begin.
Dumbledore started as the Priest: "Know now before you go further, that since your lives have cross in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.
"For that which is truly eternal is a binding of life and love. It is more than just flesh to flesh, it is mind to mind, feeling to feeling, soul to soul, in this world and the next."
McGonagall continued as the Priestess: "With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.
"The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth.
"Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?"
Hermione and Severus answered as one, "Yes, we seek to enter."
"In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assign virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West, and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony," Dumbledore spoke.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences," McGonagall started.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart's passion. The light created by both. To lighten the darkest of times," Dumbledore said.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea," McGonagall said.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation of which to build. Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return," Dumbledore finished.
"Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy an successful union. Yet they are only tools, tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.
"I bid you look into each others eyes." McGonagall said.
Hermione and Severus faced each other gazing into each other's eyes.
"Severus, will you cause her pain?" McGonagall said.
"I may," he sadly said.
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Hermione, will you cause him pain?"
"I may," she said with the same sadness.
"Is that your intent?" McGonagall asked.
"No."
"Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?" McGonagall spoke to both of them.
"Yes," was answered in unison.
"And so the binding is made. Join your hands."
Severus and Hermione joined their hands together. McGonagall draped a blue cord across the bride and grooms joined hands.
"Hermione will you share in his laughter?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes."
"Severus will you share in her laughter?"
"Yes."
"Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?"
In unison, "Yes."
"And so the binding is made," Dumbledore draped the second cord in pink over their hands.
"Severus will you burden her?" McGonagall spoke.
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No." Severus answered.
"Hermione will you burden him?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No," Hermione answered.
"Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes," Hermione and Severus said.
"And the binding is made," McGonagall draped the third cord of black color over the couple's hands.
"Hermione will you share his dreams?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes."
"Severus will you share her dreams?"
"Yes."
"Will you both dream together to create new realities and hopes?"
"Yes," bride and groom answered.
"And so the binding is made," Dumbledore placed a silver cord over the hands.
"Severus will you cause her anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?" McGonagall spoke.
"No."
"Hermione will you cause him anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intent?"
"No."
"Will you both take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?"
"We will," each one said.
"And so the binding is made," a purple cord is draped over their hands by McGonagall.
"Hermione will you honor him?" Dumbledore asked.
"I will."
"Severus will you honor her?"
"I will."
"Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?"
"We shall never do so," spoke the couple with heartfelt emotion.
"And so the binding is made," Dumbledore placed the sixth and last cord of gold over the joined hands.
Dumbledore moved to tie the cords onto the wrists of each couple with a wave of his wand while McGonagall spoke, "The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords and their representations, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making of and the breaking of this union. But you cannot always be physically joined," Dumbledore removed the cords without untying them and placed them on the alter centered between them, "and therefore the exchange of rings is one of the deepest symbols of marriage. It is a constant reminder, a shared touch between wizard and witch. The circle is a symbol of eternal.
May we please have the rings?" McGonagall finished.
Ginny and Remus each handed the rings to McGonagall one in each hand, right hand for Severus' ring to Hermione and left hand for Hermione's ring to Severus.
"By Air," the rings floated out of McGonagall's hand and spun around, "by Fire," each ring was engulfed in small flames, "by Water," the rings now were dripping of water, "by Earth," each ring landed on the alter which was made of stone, "do I bless and consecrate these rings." Dumbledore spoke. "Severus."
Severus picked up his ring for Hermione and took her left hand, "Hermione, you are my future, you own my mind, my heart, my body, my soul. This ring, a circle, is a perfect figure, without beginning and without end with no area of weakness. As is my love for you." He placed the ring on her ring finger.
"Hermione," Dumbledore spoke.
Hermione picked the ring for Severus off the stone alter, "Severus, beloved, my love for you is never-ending. I am yours mind, heart, body and soul. This ring shall serve as a physical reminder of our vows and of my love, passion and dreams for us." She placed the ring on his left hand ring finger.
"May the God and Goddess bless this union. May all who encounter it be blessed with love. May your lives be full and your hurts be few. So Mote It Be," McGonagall stated.
"Through the powers of Love and the blessings of God and Goddess with the exchange of the symbols of their union. They are now connected to experience together whatever life may bring them." Dumbledore said, "Mr. Severus Snape and Mrs. Hermione Snape. You may kiss your bride," Dumbledore grinned having added the last part he noticed from muggle ceremonies.
Severus smirked at his new wife and wrapped his arms around her, taking possession of her mouth, while her arms went around his shoulders and responded to the delicious kiss.
Everyone around them started to clap loudly, though Severus kept the kiss going and he soon got some whistles from Remus, McGonagall and Pomfrey while the others were laughing.
When the couple finally did part both were flushed from lack of air and embarrassment on Hermione's part. Severus kept an arm around Hermione's waist while they faced their friends and family. After a round of congratulations, Dumbledore waved his wand and a table was set up of food and drinks along with a big table enough for everyone to sit and eat.
One the center of the table was a wedding cake with a witch and wizard standing side by side. Some how Dumbledore got the miniature wizard to have a scowl on his face when this was pointed out everyone laughed, except Severus who had a scowl on his face. Hermione smiled.
The guests were standing around while Dumbledore handed a knife to Severus and Hermione and they proceeded to cut two small pieces of the cake. Each picked one up and tempted to feed each other. It was another tradition Severus and Dumbledore took from muggle weddings, but Severus didn't know the complete tradition. While he tried to feed Hermione nice and neat, Hermione, with a sparkle in her eye smashed the cake into Severus and everyone watched, surprised while laughing.
Hermione finished eating the cake she had and smiled at Severus who had frosting and cake all over his mouth but he was grinning and he had a glint in his eye. "Now Hermione why on earth did you do that?"
"Because I could," she smirked.
"Hmm... good point." Before Hermione could react Severus grabbed her around her waist and pulled her into another kiss but not quite as passionate. This was meant to share the cake mess with her. Everyone laughed and cheered on the couple. When they did come apart Hermione was now as messy as Severus with cake and frosting all over her mouth, Severus smirked and his tongue darted out to swipe his lips for the sweet dessert.
"Severus why did you do that?" Hermione scowled.
"Because I could," he copied her words and smirk.
Severus got them each a napkin and wiped off their mouths and sat down to finally eat with the others. Cake was given to each person and conversation started up. Diane and McGonagall were talking to each other.
"Minerva, how did you get the rings to float, alight, drip in water and settle on the alter?" Diane asked.
"I didn't, the ceremony magic did that," McGonagall answered.
"Ceremony magic?" Diane asked confused.
"Yes, if Ms. Grang... Mrs. Sna.." McGonagall gave up all formal names, "if Hermione and Severus didn't want to truly marry the rings wouldn't have done what they did. It is to ensure the binding between them is truthful and of love."
"That sounds so romantic," Diane smiled.
The dinner continued in pleasant company. All formal names were forgotten even between Ginny and Severus and the Headmaster with each person enjoying themselves immensely until it was time for all to return home or school.
......
Mr. and Mrs. Snape relaxed in their quarters although officially it was only Mr. Snape's quarters since most were unaware of the existence of Mrs. Snape. Severus and Hermione were both sitting on the couch looking to the table in front of them filled with wedding gifts. None of them were particularly huge.
Hermione grabbed the biggest of the gifts; it was only about a foot wide on each side and 6 inches deep. With it in her lap she opened it and smiled. She reached in and took out two bathrobes each with Severus' and her initials on the front left side above their house insignias. Hers was maroon with gold lining and his was black with silver lining. In the box also there was towels and hand towels though reduced in size to fit in the box at the time. They were maroon and black in color with more monograms of their initials.
"This is from Minerva, Poppy and Ms. Weasley," Severus informed Hermione after reading the card.
"They're wonderful." Hermione said putting down the box and taking the card from Severus to read for herself. After reading she asked, "Did you like them?"
"They are nice," Severus offered. A silk bathrobe, he would have never thought of buying something like that for himself, but they did seem nice.
Severus opened the next gift, from Remus. When he opened it he held back his grin and handed it Hermione. She looked at it and was flipping through the book, "A book on Greece wizards. Interesting!" Reading a brief paragraph, "It's mostly about the island Kythira and its wizarding history."
"That shall be interesting to read," Severus murmured, he would have to thank Remus. This would give her the chance to learn about the place before he could even take her, and she will enjoy it that much more than.
The next gift was a card from Albus. Severus opened it. As he read, he was in shock. Hermione saw his condition, "What?" Severus only handed the card to Hermione with a grin. As she read it, she gasped out loud and her gaze shot back to Severus, "He can't be serious?"
"You know the Headmaster."
"But we can't!" Hermione reasoned.
"I don't think he will accept that," Severus grinned.
"But..." she muttered.
"Well we do like the place and we married there. It will be a nice place to retreat for once in a while," he told his wife.
"Yes but to give us the cottage?" Hermione thought for a moment, "He wouldn't take no for an answer would he?"
"No my love he wouldn't," Severus answered.
"We'll have to thank him personally. I can't believe he just gave it to us though," she stammered off.
Severus just smiled and handed the next gift to Hermione from her parents. It was another box, as she opened it as she oohhh'd. She took out a photo album and a card. She read the card first out loud so Severus could hear also, "Hermione and Severus, we didn't know what to get you exactly since you have most of everything at the tips of your wands. So we thought you would enjoy this and with the help of Albus Dumbledore, it is ready. Enjoy, Love Mum and Dad."
Hermione opened the cover to the first page of photos; it was of Hermione and Severus at the Granger's residence. Hermione sat in the chair as Severus kneeled in front of her with her arms around his neck and she was smiling. It was a muggle photo so it wasn't moving. The next photo was of Hermione laughing, with them in the same position. The next photo was of Hermione's head back as she laughed and Severus was kissing her neck, she blushed at this photo. Severus was also looking as he remembered the moment and was surprised they got photos of them without him noticing but was pleased. Hermione flipped through some more pages and it revealed more photos but of their ceremony. Severus figured out Albus helped with this part having one of his magic cameras floating around invisible and taking photos of everyone. There were several of the handfasting itself, the kiss afterwards. The cake cutting, the cake smashing and the cake kiss with everyone laughing around them.
"Your parents and Albus put a lot of work into this," Severus admitted. He hoped to put more pictures during time of them together and of their child eventually.
"This is so sweet! How did they get the pictures of the wedding though? I didn't see anyone taking pictures." Hermione asked.
"Albus probably made a camera invisible and float around taking pictures through the day and have them put in this immediately."
Hermione kept looking through the pictures. This meant a lot to her she would have to thank her parents and Albus soon. While she kept looking through them, Severus was thinking along different lines. It was his wedding night after all, and they had to wait another two weeks before they went on their honeymoon. It had been discussed at the feast after the ceremony. Hermione would tell her friends she was going home for the week and then Severus and Hermione would meet on the train and take a portkey to the their destination, which he still hadn't told her about, even though she kept asking. Severus watched as his new wife look through their photo album and decided to distract her. He pushed some hair away from her face and pushed it behind her ear, leaned in and started to drop light kisses on her neck.
Hermione enjoyed the attention, "What are you doing Severus?"
"Trying to seduce my wife into our bed?" he teased.
Hermione smirked, she put down the photo album and turned to her husband, "Then seduce away." And she kissed him deeply on the mouth. Severus had enough sense to pick up his wife and carry her to their bedroom for the night. Thank you notes could wait until the morning.
