Epilogue
Severus woke up finding himself entangled with Hermione. His mind reeled
about what had happen the previous night.
'Well I certainly didn't think I was that good this year.' He thought to himself as his face twisted into a smile.
He carefully maneuvered his way out of the bed trying hard not to wake
Hermione. He made his way over to the bathroom, where he decided to get dressed.
He pulled on his dark green turtleneck and pulled up his black trousers. He looked up and saw himself, the real Severus, for the first time in a very long time. What amazed him the most were his eyes. He had missed them dearly. His eyes even before the accident was his favorite part of himself.
"Severus? Where did you go?" Hermione asked as she tried to wake herself up.
"In the bathroom, I will be out shortly." He answered back. He turned around to finish getting dressed when there was Hermione staring back at him.
"Good morning." She said as she smiled at him.
"Good morning to you too. Did last night really happen?" He asked.
"Yes it did, and I still feel the same way as last night, do you?" Hermione asked.
"Of course." He replied as he embraced her and started to kiss her.
"You look good today, very festive."
"Oh, my house-elves brought this to me. I am use to wearing my school robes, I hardly ever change."
"I noticed." Hermione laughed.
"So what shall we do today?" Severus said still on a rush from what happened lat night.
"Well, if I am not mistaken, I do believe it to be Christmas."
"Christmas?"
"Yes, you know the holiday in which there be peace on earth good will towards man, well people if you want to be politically correct." Hermione joked.
"Well, I do believe you have been very naughty this year my dear Hermione." He smiled wickedly and picked her up in his arms.
"Severus put me down this instant." Hermione struggled to say as she was laughing so hard.
"I suppose I should go get dressed, we have Albus's annual faculty Yule Ball tonight." Hermione said as she looked in the mirror.
"Oh no, I cannot go, no not like this." Severus said suddenly remembering that he did not have the appearance charm anymore.
"Of course you can, I will be with you, that is all that matters right?" Hermione said as she rubbed his back.
"I don't think I could face them, not like this." He said as he pointed to his face.
"Don't think about them, think about us. Come on, how about we take that hair of yours and tame it a little." Hermione touched his hair.
"What do you mean, tame it?" He asked apprehensively.
"Will you let me put it in a ponytail?" She asked.
"I suppose, it is Christmas, and I have started a new life, it only fitting that my hair come along for the ride." He said looking back at her.
"Come on, let's go get ready." She said as she took his hand and led him to her rooms.
That night Hermione dressed in her finest maroon dress robes, and Severus wore his black slacks with a his navy colored robes that he only wore at graduation and other very special occasions. Hermione had drawn her hair up in a loose bun with a few of her curly locks trickling down the sides of her face. As promised she pulled Severus hair in to a low ponytail with a navy ribbon. Although very reluctant of his face being so free from spell let alone any of his dark hair, he had to admit even with his scars that he looked better than after a good day in Potions class with Neville Longbottom.
"Are you ready?" Hermione asked as she put in her earrings.
"No, but I am sure that that doesn't matter."
"Listen to me Severus, I am sure that they will hardly recognize you scars or not. You look deliciously handsome, trust me." Hermione said as she stood up.
"Well, I guess it is now or never."
"Come on then." Hermione said as Severus drew up her arm and escorted her down to the Great Hall, which had been transformed, into a beautiful Christmas wonderland. The ceiling was snowing, and the trees were sparkling. Severus closed his eyes as he walked into the already started party.
"Who is that next to Hermione?" He heard Daisy Sprout ask.
"I have no idea, look at his face." He heard Aurora Sinastra say back. He cringed and turned away.
"I can't do this Hermione." He hissed quietly.
"Yes you can. Now come on, let's get a seat for dinner.
"Hermione, are you going to introduce us to your date?" Sirius asked rather loudly, indicating that he had already downed a few Butterbeers.
"He needs no introduction, Sirius because you already know him." She replied.
"I have never seen this man in my life, although I must admit his eyes do look familiar. Good God man what happened to your face?" He said as he just noticed.
Severus was about to bark something back to him when he heard the Headmaster's voice.
"Severus! Hermione! How good of you to come. Sit down, dinner will start soon." Albus said.
"You must be mistaken, this is not Severus Snape, Albus you can't make me believe that this man is Snape." Black said in disbelieve.
"Sirius sit down before you make a fool out of yourself." Remus whispered into his ear.
"What happened Severus? Did you finally get what you deserved, did Voldermort finally see through you? Did it hurt you?" Black mocked.
"How dare you, you selfish prat!" Hermione yelled. Severus walked up to him and was about to tell him out of anger what had happened, but he stopped himself.
"Sirius I pity you, even you can't recognize what it is to be kind anymore. Do you even know why I hid this from everyone? Do you? It was because of people like you. People who are too wrapped up in their outer looks to even remotely care about the person inside. I pity you Sirius Black because when you are old and gray and your looks go, there won't be any substance to fall back on." Severus said as he walked to the table to sit down.
The rest of dinner Sirius would every now and again look up at Severus and Hermione and scowl. Albus walked over to Sirius and began talking to him. Severus tried to ignore it and enjoy the time he was spending with Hermione.
"Severus, I think I failed at making your Christmas better with my gifts. Tell me what would have you had wanted." She asked.
"You did not fail, you have made my Christmas because I got you, no matter how blind I was to see it, I need you."
"I need you too." Hermione said as they kissed.
"I didn't get you a Christmas present, and I know this is rather unexpected but. Hermione I have known you for many years now, your intelligence is remarkable, your courage is outstanding, and your love and devotion to everything you do is what I love about you. I have had this ring for many years. My Grandmother gave it to me, and I once gave it to Adolyn, but if you wish to spend the rest of your life with me, it will be yours." Severus whispered at their end of the table after they had finished their dinner.
"Will you marry me?" Severus asked.
"Wow, this is rather quick, I mean I love you so much.."
"Then what is there to think about we can make the engagement as long as you wish, just say you will marry me, make a vow on this Christmas."
"Then... yes I will marry you Severus. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She responded as she squeezed his hand. Severus closed his eyes and gave a small smile.
Everyone was getting up to from dinner, and Sirius walked over to Severus and looked at him.
"Did you just come to stare some more or do you have something of content to say?" He asked.
"I am... sorry." He choked out.
Hermione looked at Sirius, and had a feeling that he had more to say to Severus, so she quietly dismissed herself.
"Forget it." Severus shrugged off.
"No, I need to talk with you. I..I did this to you didn't I?" Sirius asked guiltily.
"No, I did it to myself Black, don't feel guilty for me, I carry enough guilt for both of us." He said as a nicely as he could manage.
"I didn't know, I swear!" Sirius cried out.
"I know Black, I know. Look just forget about it."
"You loved her didn't you?"
"Adolyn? Yes I always will love Adolyn."
"Do you love Hermione?"
"I have found the closest thing to Adolyn, and I love her, not just the similarities between them, but also the differences."
"You deserve to be happy, I am sorry for not understanding."
"This must be some kind of Christmas miracle, Sirius Black apologizing then wishing me happiness." He smirked.
"It is Christmas after all." Sirius said and turned to walk out."
"Wait, Sirius, I didn't mean everything I said earlier, you have some substance, if you try. In school if you had paid a little more attention to the professor instead of new ways to explode my cauldron, you could be a decent potions master, obviously nowhere near compared to me, but decent."
"Thank you Severus, Happy Christmas." He said as he walked towards the door.
"Happy Christmas Sirius." After these words came out of his mouth, he couldn't believe what he had just said, perhaps Hermione was the answer to his Christmas wish.
Severus woke up finding himself entangled with Hermione. His mind reeled
about what had happen the previous night.
'Well I certainly didn't think I was that good this year.' He thought to himself as his face twisted into a smile.
He carefully maneuvered his way out of the bed trying hard not to wake
Hermione. He made his way over to the bathroom, where he decided to get dressed.
He pulled on his dark green turtleneck and pulled up his black trousers. He looked up and saw himself, the real Severus, for the first time in a very long time. What amazed him the most were his eyes. He had missed them dearly. His eyes even before the accident was his favorite part of himself.
"Severus? Where did you go?" Hermione asked as she tried to wake herself up.
"In the bathroom, I will be out shortly." He answered back. He turned around to finish getting dressed when there was Hermione staring back at him.
"Good morning." She said as she smiled at him.
"Good morning to you too. Did last night really happen?" He asked.
"Yes it did, and I still feel the same way as last night, do you?" Hermione asked.
"Of course." He replied as he embraced her and started to kiss her.
"You look good today, very festive."
"Oh, my house-elves brought this to me. I am use to wearing my school robes, I hardly ever change."
"I noticed." Hermione laughed.
"So what shall we do today?" Severus said still on a rush from what happened lat night.
"Well, if I am not mistaken, I do believe it to be Christmas."
"Christmas?"
"Yes, you know the holiday in which there be peace on earth good will towards man, well people if you want to be politically correct." Hermione joked.
"Well, I do believe you have been very naughty this year my dear Hermione." He smiled wickedly and picked her up in his arms.
"Severus put me down this instant." Hermione struggled to say as she was laughing so hard.
"I suppose I should go get dressed, we have Albus's annual faculty Yule Ball tonight." Hermione said as she looked in the mirror.
"Oh no, I cannot go, no not like this." Severus said suddenly remembering that he did not have the appearance charm anymore.
"Of course you can, I will be with you, that is all that matters right?" Hermione said as she rubbed his back.
"I don't think I could face them, not like this." He said as he pointed to his face.
"Don't think about them, think about us. Come on, how about we take that hair of yours and tame it a little." Hermione touched his hair.
"What do you mean, tame it?" He asked apprehensively.
"Will you let me put it in a ponytail?" She asked.
"I suppose, it is Christmas, and I have started a new life, it only fitting that my hair come along for the ride." He said looking back at her.
"Come on, let's go get ready." She said as she took his hand and led him to her rooms.
That night Hermione dressed in her finest maroon dress robes, and Severus wore his black slacks with a his navy colored robes that he only wore at graduation and other very special occasions. Hermione had drawn her hair up in a loose bun with a few of her curly locks trickling down the sides of her face. As promised she pulled Severus hair in to a low ponytail with a navy ribbon. Although very reluctant of his face being so free from spell let alone any of his dark hair, he had to admit even with his scars that he looked better than after a good day in Potions class with Neville Longbottom.
"Are you ready?" Hermione asked as she put in her earrings.
"No, but I am sure that that doesn't matter."
"Listen to me Severus, I am sure that they will hardly recognize you scars or not. You look deliciously handsome, trust me." Hermione said as she stood up.
"Well, I guess it is now or never."
"Come on then." Hermione said as Severus drew up her arm and escorted her down to the Great Hall, which had been transformed, into a beautiful Christmas wonderland. The ceiling was snowing, and the trees were sparkling. Severus closed his eyes as he walked into the already started party.
"Who is that next to Hermione?" He heard Daisy Sprout ask.
"I have no idea, look at his face." He heard Aurora Sinastra say back. He cringed and turned away.
"I can't do this Hermione." He hissed quietly.
"Yes you can. Now come on, let's get a seat for dinner.
"Hermione, are you going to introduce us to your date?" Sirius asked rather loudly, indicating that he had already downed a few Butterbeers.
"He needs no introduction, Sirius because you already know him." She replied.
"I have never seen this man in my life, although I must admit his eyes do look familiar. Good God man what happened to your face?" He said as he just noticed.
Severus was about to bark something back to him when he heard the Headmaster's voice.
"Severus! Hermione! How good of you to come. Sit down, dinner will start soon." Albus said.
"You must be mistaken, this is not Severus Snape, Albus you can't make me believe that this man is Snape." Black said in disbelieve.
"Sirius sit down before you make a fool out of yourself." Remus whispered into his ear.
"What happened Severus? Did you finally get what you deserved, did Voldermort finally see through you? Did it hurt you?" Black mocked.
"How dare you, you selfish prat!" Hermione yelled. Severus walked up to him and was about to tell him out of anger what had happened, but he stopped himself.
"Sirius I pity you, even you can't recognize what it is to be kind anymore. Do you even know why I hid this from everyone? Do you? It was because of people like you. People who are too wrapped up in their outer looks to even remotely care about the person inside. I pity you Sirius Black because when you are old and gray and your looks go, there won't be any substance to fall back on." Severus said as he walked to the table to sit down.
The rest of dinner Sirius would every now and again look up at Severus and Hermione and scowl. Albus walked over to Sirius and began talking to him. Severus tried to ignore it and enjoy the time he was spending with Hermione.
"Severus, I think I failed at making your Christmas better with my gifts. Tell me what would have you had wanted." She asked.
"You did not fail, you have made my Christmas because I got you, no matter how blind I was to see it, I need you."
"I need you too." Hermione said as they kissed.
"I didn't get you a Christmas present, and I know this is rather unexpected but. Hermione I have known you for many years now, your intelligence is remarkable, your courage is outstanding, and your love and devotion to everything you do is what I love about you. I have had this ring for many years. My Grandmother gave it to me, and I once gave it to Adolyn, but if you wish to spend the rest of your life with me, it will be yours." Severus whispered at their end of the table after they had finished their dinner.
"Will you marry me?" Severus asked.
"Wow, this is rather quick, I mean I love you so much.."
"Then what is there to think about we can make the engagement as long as you wish, just say you will marry me, make a vow on this Christmas."
"Then... yes I will marry you Severus. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She responded as she squeezed his hand. Severus closed his eyes and gave a small smile.
Everyone was getting up to from dinner, and Sirius walked over to Severus and looked at him.
"Did you just come to stare some more or do you have something of content to say?" He asked.
"I am... sorry." He choked out.
Hermione looked at Sirius, and had a feeling that he had more to say to Severus, so she quietly dismissed herself.
"Forget it." Severus shrugged off.
"No, I need to talk with you. I..I did this to you didn't I?" Sirius asked guiltily.
"No, I did it to myself Black, don't feel guilty for me, I carry enough guilt for both of us." He said as a nicely as he could manage.
"I didn't know, I swear!" Sirius cried out.
"I know Black, I know. Look just forget about it."
"You loved her didn't you?"
"Adolyn? Yes I always will love Adolyn."
"Do you love Hermione?"
"I have found the closest thing to Adolyn, and I love her, not just the similarities between them, but also the differences."
"You deserve to be happy, I am sorry for not understanding."
"This must be some kind of Christmas miracle, Sirius Black apologizing then wishing me happiness." He smirked.
"It is Christmas after all." Sirius said and turned to walk out."
"Wait, Sirius, I didn't mean everything I said earlier, you have some substance, if you try. In school if you had paid a little more attention to the professor instead of new ways to explode my cauldron, you could be a decent potions master, obviously nowhere near compared to me, but decent."
"Thank you Severus, Happy Christmas." He said as he walked towards the door.
"Happy Christmas Sirius." After these words came out of his mouth, he couldn't believe what he had just said, perhaps Hermione was the answer to his Christmas wish.