An unwanted marriage
Chapter 3: Invitations and wedding garments
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape went again to Hogsmeade, this time looking around the shops. Finally when Snape was ready to turn back, Hermione found at the end of a street a parchment store. Snape eyed the sign and followed her in. There was all kinds of parchment there - everyday parchment, parchment that would turn whatever was wrote on it invisible, parchment that could vanish if needed, and parchment of all different shapes and colors. A bucket of quills stood on the counter.
Hermione checked it all, shaking her head slightly, until she found in the back, specialty parchment for occasions - under 'wedding' she found pretty white parchment with raised flowers on it; she pointed it out Snape, and he smiled. They counted out enough for the guests (Hermione added a few of her childhood friends and Snape a few of his), and took it to the counter. Snape paid for it all and they took it back to the Leaky Cauldron. Snape got up to buy drinks and took them back to their seats.
Hermione: "Are we supposed to write out the information on every single one of these?"
Snape: "And you call yourself a witch? I never use my wand, but even I know we can just do one and spell it to appear on the others."
Hermione: "In whose handwriting?"
Snape: "Is this really necessary, Miss Granger? Write the damn thing yourself!"
Hermione took out an invitation, dipped the quill in silver ink, and penned out:
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Hermione Granger and Severus Snape
On the twelfth of July
At Southern Lilac Peak
Service at four o'clock
Dinner and dancing at six o'clock
Snape watched as she wrote it.
Snape: "It just needs one thing."
Hermione: "What?"
Snape took the quill, dipped it in ink, and at the bottom added a fancy calligraphy decorative thing.
Hermione: "It still looks like it's missing something - can you change the ink color?"
Snape: "To what, exactly? Silver? Gold?"
Hermione: "Silver."
Snape smirked and touched his wand to the parchment; from the point the wand touched spreading outward, all the black ink turned silver and was raised from the surface.
Hermione: "There - that looks nice. Now just all the others - "
She took out her own wand and did a spell; she touched the point of her wand to another parchment, and the parchment now looked exactly like the first. Snape just sat back and watched her irritably. Ten minutes later all the invitations were done.
They went back to the castle, hiding the invites under their robes. They made it to the Owlery, where they attached the invites to several owls, saying who the invites were going to before the owls took off. Satisfied, they walked in their separate directions.
The following week, Snape and Hermione continued to ignore each other; if he had to speak to her he put on act as if he hated her mudblood know-it- all self. It was kind of awkward though once people got the invitations. Luckily Snape and Hermione had the foresight to send most of them to people's families at home so it wouldn't spread all over the school - except for Ron's, Harry's, and Neville's (Hermione and Snape decided his reaction would be hilarious).
So Tuesday at breakfast, among the hundreds of owls, three fluttered in for Ron, Harry, and Neville - Hermione caught Snape's eye, and watched the three carefully. Harry opened his invite first - he looked at the decorative parchment before reading it - he knew about the wedding before, so it was no surprise. Ron opened his - he thought the parchment was pretty too and read it - his eyes fell back to linger on 'Hermione Granger and Severus Snape.' He scowled. Hermione blinked - no surprises there. Finally, Neville (who had no idea what was going on - he was good friends with Hermione, but still scared to death of Snape) opened his. He looked at the pretty flowers, then read it. He stared at 'Hermione Granger and Severus Snape,' his eyes wide in horror. He shuddered, glanced up at the Head Table, and at Hermione, scared.
Neville in a small voice: "Hermione -- ? What.?"
Hermione whispered: "I'm Snape's fiancé."
Neville stared at Hermione, his eyes rolled back and he fainted. Harry, knowing what was coming, hid the invites in his bookbag, just in time for the crowd of Gryffindors around Neville. Hermione looked slightly worried, but Snape was smirking unpleasantly. Later the three boys told Hermione they could go.
In the staff lounge later that day, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and some other teachers were seated around a table, drinking tea and eating crumpets. Dumbledore and McGonagall were in a heated discussion about making Snape and Hermione marry; McGonagall said it was despicable that a student should have to marry her professor, let alone Snape, but Dumbledore maintained that thanks to Voldemort, they didn't really have a choice. Snape just sat there moodily drinking his tea, ignoring all the comments from other teachers.
McGonagall left, and Dumbledore talked to Snape - he agreed that inviting the Death Eaters was a good idea, but he wasn't happy about it. He was overly delighted about the wedding though - he thought a bond between Gryffindors and Slytherins was just what the world needed. Dumbledore agreed to get the house-elves to cook but was afraid the Weird Sisters couldn't come on such short notice. And that they would take away from Snape and Hermione - Dumbledore thought enchanting a rock or something to play Weird Sister music would be a better choice of action.
Around the end of the week - Thursday, Friday, students - mainly Dean, Alicia, Seamus, Lavendar, Parvati and Padma Patil, Ginny, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle found out about the wedding, from their parents. It was seen at first as a joke, before they realized that, no, this was serious - their parents wouldn't have done such a joke on all of them.Ginny even put together that Snape would invite the Malfoys, and went over to ask Draco if he heard about the wedding too - Draco grunted in reply and said something about the groom being far more deserving of something then the hideous bride - Ginny maintained that no, it was the other way around. However, every student invited kept it to themselves - respecting an obvious wish that this did not spread around the school.
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape met again - Hermione realized they had forgotten all about the best man and bridesmaids. Snape scowled, but acknowledged the fact.
Snape: "Very well - Lucius Malfoy will be my best man then."
Hermione: "Ginny, my cousin, and Lavender will be my bridesmaids."
Snape: "Do we need flower girls and the ring boy or whatever too?"
Hermione: "Good point. They should be little - eight at the oldest, probably. Do you know any little people?"
Snape: "There's Albus' great-great-grandchildren."
Hermione: "Perfect - two girls and a boy. Anyway, should we go look for our outfits now?"
Snape: "Sure. There's a place for formal wear by the owl place - I don't think they'd have a muggle dress though."
Hermione: "Lead the way."
She followed Snape down four blocks to the place and they walked inside. Snape strolled past all the robes uninterested, until he got to the back; hanging up was about thirty different black wedding robes.
Hermione came over. She eyed Snape up and down, trying to get an idea. She leafed through the robes with him, trying to find the right one. It was disappointing - none of them looked very tasteful and many designs looked as if they were designed in two seconds by a six-year-old. Finally, Hermione found one, and smiled. She silently pulled it off the hanger and threw it over a sneering Snape's shoulder.
He walked off to the dressing room in the corner, and came out five minutes later, scowling. Hermione barely restrained a giggle. It was way too small - it stretched over his body like spandex. Like spiderman's costume, only it was a black wizard robe.
Snape: "I hardly see what is so amusing, Miss Granger."
Hermione hastily: "It's just.small.wait, I can fix that."
She took out her wand and aimed at Snape's chest - it felt kind of weird to Snape - as if she was attacking him - after so many years being a spy and Death Eater, he had learned to fear being at the receiving end of a wand.
Hermione: "*Engorgio!*"
The black robes grew bigger - five sizes bigger, and then she flicked her wand, ending the spell, and put it away. Hermione smiled and led Snape to a floor-length mirror.
It was beautiful - a floor-length black robe that shone blood-red when the light hit it right, accentuated with an elegant touch of black velvet, red, and silver. It fit Snape perfectly, softening his sharp features, accentuating his thin, fit shape. It was stunning. Snape smirked and changed back into his robes before going up to the desk and paying for it.
He carried it back to the castle, hidden under his robes, followed by Hermione - neither said a word.
The following week, they avoided each other still. The school was still wondering about this development, except for those who knew about the wedding, and they had sense enough not to talk. Even gossipy people like Lavender and Parvati held their mouths shut for once - for they knew that to utter a word about the wedding would spread rumors throughout the school and their friend Hermione's reputation would be ruined, as would Snape's - and he wouldn't hesitate to give months of detention and deduct way too many points if he ever found out.
Ron and Harry talked to Hermione about it only when they were all alone - they were the only ones she felt safe in confiding in. To them she was able to vent her feelings of how Snape really did hate her, how he kept insulting her or calling her 'Miss Granger', how he looked at the wedding at being chained to her like he was chained to Voldemort, was needlessly sarcastic and cruel.To all that, Ron and Harry pitied her, and held only the deepest sympathy for her having to marry the greasy git of all people.
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape met again - at the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta was becoming accustomed to their presence - she didn't say a word of it, but secretly she was wondering why the Professor was here alone with his student so often - especially given his reputation and how anti-social he was.
Hermione: "Now we need to find a gown for me."
Snape: "And whereabouts may that be, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "London. Muggle London."
Snape: "I recommend we use Floo powder to Diagon Alley - muggles won't take too well to us apparating in their midst."
Snape grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the goblet sitting by the fire, and tossed it into the fire, which turned green on contact. He stepped into it and yelled 'Diagon Alley!' Once he disappeared, Hermione did the same thing - she fell into a tunnel, passing by dozens of fireplaces before arriving in the Leaky Cauldron. She stood up and brushed the dust off - Snape was waiting impatiently.
Snape: "I presume we'll have to go to Gringotts to get your gold out and exchange it for muggle money?"
Hermione nodded. They went to the back room - Snape tapped the brick three times and the entrance to Diagon Alley appeared - they walked into Gringotts. Hermione gave a goblin at the desk her key and he took them on to one of the carts and down the tracks into the stone cave-like dungeons beneath Gringotts and Diagon Alley. The goblin stopped the cart at vault 341 and Hermione got out and helped herself to a heap of galleons. Two summers before, Hermione got herself a summer job with Fred and George. She had scoffed, but she needed the job so she kept quiet and helped Fred and George with business.
So she registered for a vault to store her gold in. She didn't have much, considering that she had only worked for two summers, but it was still more than enough for a wedding gown. She pulled out most of her money, emptied it into a bag, and went back into the cart. The goblin shut the vault and jumped on the cart, setting it full speed.
Five minutes later, they arrived at a set of limestone doors leading to the marble ground-level part of Gringotts, where goblins sat measuring out gold and gems or counting money. Hermione went up to one with the money and requested it be exchanged for muggle money - the goblin frowned but made the transaction. Hermione and Snape walked out to the Leaky Cauldron, and Hermione stopped.
Snape; "What is it now, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "We can't go out like this!"
She took out her wand and transformed their robes. Now she was wearing a pink GAP t-shirt and blue jeans, and Snape, a black muscle t-shirt and black leather pants with a chain belt. Snape looked at their clothes curiously.
Snape: "Do muggles really wear this?"
Hermione: "Yes they do."
He followed her out to Muggle London. They walked down two blocks, to the right one, and finally Hermione stopped outside a shop, with mannequins in fancy gowns and suits in the windows. A bell on the doorknob rang when they walked in. There were suits everywhere (Snape thought they looked odd and uncomfortable - Hermione smiled and pointed out that they were made of itchy wool, yet some guys wore them everyday to work), and fancy dresses and gowns.
On the right side towards the front was a line of wedding dresses hanging off hangers or hooks on the wall. Hermione made a beeline toward them and leafed through the different dresses, some cream-colored or otherwise off- white (Hermione pointed out one that matched Snape's skin perfectly - he was not impressed), and others were white as white gets. She went through them becoming increasingly annoyed with the choice of stock in the store, before Snape found one and pulled it off the hanger. Interesting, how Hermione found one for him and he found one for her.He thrust the dress at her irritably.
Hermione took it and ran her hands over it; it was pretty. She smiled and took it back to the dressing room while Snape browsed for a decent veil. Five minutes later she came out, holding it up at the sides. Snape turned.
Hermione: "It's a little - big."
Snape: "Obviously. Perhaps a reducio charm?"
Hermione decided not to mention that there were different sizes - she had had too many experiences with struggling to find the right size because they varied with the brand and anyway, a reducio charm would ensure a perfect fit.
Hermione: "Alright - but not here - the muggles will see us. In the dressing room maybe."
Snape scowled but followed her into the dressing room and shut the door behind them.
Snape: "Are you sure this is entirely appropriate, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "Shut up and just do the spell - muggles can't see us doing bloody magic."
Snape: "Did you just tell me to shut up!?!"
Hermione: "Do the freakin' spell! It's getting annoying holding my dress up!"
Snape sneered and took out his wand, pointing it at Hermione's heart.
Snape: "Reducio!"
The dress shrunk nine sizes to smaller than a size zero before Snape flicked his wand ending the spell; Hermione gasped and held her hand over her chest, where the edges were biting into her skin.
Hermione: "Enlargen it - gradually."
Snape: "Reducio!"
The dress enlargened five sizes to a size four, and Snape flicked his wand ending the spell and put it away. The dress fit nicely and they walked out of the dressing room to the store, which had more space. Snape grabbed the veil he had set out and shoved it into Hermione's hands - she put it on, letting the veil fall in front of her face.
It was beautiful - the dress was a beautiful white, full-length going down to the floor, extending in a train in the back. The lace, beads, and embroidery adorning it was chic, and the veil matched the dress nicely. Interesting, she thought - there were so many dresses like it, yet Snape picks the sleeveless one with a low-cut top. Not so low as to be slutty and distasteful, but still - it showed cleavage. She had no idea if Snape just picked it out because if it was elegant, or if he actually saw the ones with sleeves yet picked this one because the top. She hoped it was the former (it was, thank Merlin). It accentuated her hips and with high-heels, her ankles as well. Hermione went to the dressing room and changed into her normal clothes before taking it up to the front and paying for it with the muggle-money.
They walked out and back to the Leaky Cauldron, Snape leading the way this time. They went to the fireplace and used the Floo powder - Snape to his quarters, Hermione to the Gryffindor common room.
It was when Draco came in and gawked at Snape that he realized he was wearing the black leather pants and muscle shirt - he waved his wand at himself, transforming his clothes into his traditional black wizarding robes.
Draco: "Did you go somewhere, Professor?"
Snape: "It's none of your business, Draco, what I do on my weekends."
Draco: "Um, right - well, can you help me with this potion.?"
Hermione, meanwhile, apparated to find Harry and Ron sitting around playing chess while Neville watched interested; they all looked up when she appeared in the fireplace in muggle clothes.
Harry: "Well! Where've you been?"
Ron: "In some muggle-place, I'm assuming."
Hermione: "If you must know, Snape and I went out to muggle-London to buy my wedding dress."
Neville coughed violently.
Ron: "Snape?? He hasn't asked you to call him 'Sevvie' yet?"
Hermione: "This is just like when I was dating Viktor! Well, if you're going to be jealous."
Ron: "Me? No, I'm not jealous.why would you think that?"
Harry: "So, is he still the sarcastic bastard?"
Hermione glared at him.
Ron whispered: "'Take that as a 'yes'."
Neville left the room, preferring not to hear about his friend marrying his worst enemy.
Chapter 3: Invitations and wedding garments
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape went again to Hogsmeade, this time looking around the shops. Finally when Snape was ready to turn back, Hermione found at the end of a street a parchment store. Snape eyed the sign and followed her in. There was all kinds of parchment there - everyday parchment, parchment that would turn whatever was wrote on it invisible, parchment that could vanish if needed, and parchment of all different shapes and colors. A bucket of quills stood on the counter.
Hermione checked it all, shaking her head slightly, until she found in the back, specialty parchment for occasions - under 'wedding' she found pretty white parchment with raised flowers on it; she pointed it out Snape, and he smiled. They counted out enough for the guests (Hermione added a few of her childhood friends and Snape a few of his), and took it to the counter. Snape paid for it all and they took it back to the Leaky Cauldron. Snape got up to buy drinks and took them back to their seats.
Hermione: "Are we supposed to write out the information on every single one of these?"
Snape: "And you call yourself a witch? I never use my wand, but even I know we can just do one and spell it to appear on the others."
Hermione: "In whose handwriting?"
Snape: "Is this really necessary, Miss Granger? Write the damn thing yourself!"
Hermione took out an invitation, dipped the quill in silver ink, and penned out:
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Hermione Granger and Severus Snape
On the twelfth of July
At Southern Lilac Peak
Service at four o'clock
Dinner and dancing at six o'clock
Snape watched as she wrote it.
Snape: "It just needs one thing."
Hermione: "What?"
Snape took the quill, dipped it in ink, and at the bottom added a fancy calligraphy decorative thing.
Hermione: "It still looks like it's missing something - can you change the ink color?"
Snape: "To what, exactly? Silver? Gold?"
Hermione: "Silver."
Snape smirked and touched his wand to the parchment; from the point the wand touched spreading outward, all the black ink turned silver and was raised from the surface.
Hermione: "There - that looks nice. Now just all the others - "
She took out her own wand and did a spell; she touched the point of her wand to another parchment, and the parchment now looked exactly like the first. Snape just sat back and watched her irritably. Ten minutes later all the invitations were done.
They went back to the castle, hiding the invites under their robes. They made it to the Owlery, where they attached the invites to several owls, saying who the invites were going to before the owls took off. Satisfied, they walked in their separate directions.
The following week, Snape and Hermione continued to ignore each other; if he had to speak to her he put on act as if he hated her mudblood know-it- all self. It was kind of awkward though once people got the invitations. Luckily Snape and Hermione had the foresight to send most of them to people's families at home so it wouldn't spread all over the school - except for Ron's, Harry's, and Neville's (Hermione and Snape decided his reaction would be hilarious).
So Tuesday at breakfast, among the hundreds of owls, three fluttered in for Ron, Harry, and Neville - Hermione caught Snape's eye, and watched the three carefully. Harry opened his invite first - he looked at the decorative parchment before reading it - he knew about the wedding before, so it was no surprise. Ron opened his - he thought the parchment was pretty too and read it - his eyes fell back to linger on 'Hermione Granger and Severus Snape.' He scowled. Hermione blinked - no surprises there. Finally, Neville (who had no idea what was going on - he was good friends with Hermione, but still scared to death of Snape) opened his. He looked at the pretty flowers, then read it. He stared at 'Hermione Granger and Severus Snape,' his eyes wide in horror. He shuddered, glanced up at the Head Table, and at Hermione, scared.
Neville in a small voice: "Hermione -- ? What.?"
Hermione whispered: "I'm Snape's fiancé."
Neville stared at Hermione, his eyes rolled back and he fainted. Harry, knowing what was coming, hid the invites in his bookbag, just in time for the crowd of Gryffindors around Neville. Hermione looked slightly worried, but Snape was smirking unpleasantly. Later the three boys told Hermione they could go.
In the staff lounge later that day, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and some other teachers were seated around a table, drinking tea and eating crumpets. Dumbledore and McGonagall were in a heated discussion about making Snape and Hermione marry; McGonagall said it was despicable that a student should have to marry her professor, let alone Snape, but Dumbledore maintained that thanks to Voldemort, they didn't really have a choice. Snape just sat there moodily drinking his tea, ignoring all the comments from other teachers.
McGonagall left, and Dumbledore talked to Snape - he agreed that inviting the Death Eaters was a good idea, but he wasn't happy about it. He was overly delighted about the wedding though - he thought a bond between Gryffindors and Slytherins was just what the world needed. Dumbledore agreed to get the house-elves to cook but was afraid the Weird Sisters couldn't come on such short notice. And that they would take away from Snape and Hermione - Dumbledore thought enchanting a rock or something to play Weird Sister music would be a better choice of action.
Around the end of the week - Thursday, Friday, students - mainly Dean, Alicia, Seamus, Lavendar, Parvati and Padma Patil, Ginny, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle found out about the wedding, from their parents. It was seen at first as a joke, before they realized that, no, this was serious - their parents wouldn't have done such a joke on all of them.Ginny even put together that Snape would invite the Malfoys, and went over to ask Draco if he heard about the wedding too - Draco grunted in reply and said something about the groom being far more deserving of something then the hideous bride - Ginny maintained that no, it was the other way around. However, every student invited kept it to themselves - respecting an obvious wish that this did not spread around the school.
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape met again - Hermione realized they had forgotten all about the best man and bridesmaids. Snape scowled, but acknowledged the fact.
Snape: "Very well - Lucius Malfoy will be my best man then."
Hermione: "Ginny, my cousin, and Lavender will be my bridesmaids."
Snape: "Do we need flower girls and the ring boy or whatever too?"
Hermione: "Good point. They should be little - eight at the oldest, probably. Do you know any little people?"
Snape: "There's Albus' great-great-grandchildren."
Hermione: "Perfect - two girls and a boy. Anyway, should we go look for our outfits now?"
Snape: "Sure. There's a place for formal wear by the owl place - I don't think they'd have a muggle dress though."
Hermione: "Lead the way."
She followed Snape down four blocks to the place and they walked inside. Snape strolled past all the robes uninterested, until he got to the back; hanging up was about thirty different black wedding robes.
Hermione came over. She eyed Snape up and down, trying to get an idea. She leafed through the robes with him, trying to find the right one. It was disappointing - none of them looked very tasteful and many designs looked as if they were designed in two seconds by a six-year-old. Finally, Hermione found one, and smiled. She silently pulled it off the hanger and threw it over a sneering Snape's shoulder.
He walked off to the dressing room in the corner, and came out five minutes later, scowling. Hermione barely restrained a giggle. It was way too small - it stretched over his body like spandex. Like spiderman's costume, only it was a black wizard robe.
Snape: "I hardly see what is so amusing, Miss Granger."
Hermione hastily: "It's just.small.wait, I can fix that."
She took out her wand and aimed at Snape's chest - it felt kind of weird to Snape - as if she was attacking him - after so many years being a spy and Death Eater, he had learned to fear being at the receiving end of a wand.
Hermione: "*Engorgio!*"
The black robes grew bigger - five sizes bigger, and then she flicked her wand, ending the spell, and put it away. Hermione smiled and led Snape to a floor-length mirror.
It was beautiful - a floor-length black robe that shone blood-red when the light hit it right, accentuated with an elegant touch of black velvet, red, and silver. It fit Snape perfectly, softening his sharp features, accentuating his thin, fit shape. It was stunning. Snape smirked and changed back into his robes before going up to the desk and paying for it.
He carried it back to the castle, hidden under his robes, followed by Hermione - neither said a word.
The following week, they avoided each other still. The school was still wondering about this development, except for those who knew about the wedding, and they had sense enough not to talk. Even gossipy people like Lavender and Parvati held their mouths shut for once - for they knew that to utter a word about the wedding would spread rumors throughout the school and their friend Hermione's reputation would be ruined, as would Snape's - and he wouldn't hesitate to give months of detention and deduct way too many points if he ever found out.
Ron and Harry talked to Hermione about it only when they were all alone - they were the only ones she felt safe in confiding in. To them she was able to vent her feelings of how Snape really did hate her, how he kept insulting her or calling her 'Miss Granger', how he looked at the wedding at being chained to her like he was chained to Voldemort, was needlessly sarcastic and cruel.To all that, Ron and Harry pitied her, and held only the deepest sympathy for her having to marry the greasy git of all people.
The next Saturday, Hermione and Snape met again - at the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta was becoming accustomed to their presence - she didn't say a word of it, but secretly she was wondering why the Professor was here alone with his student so often - especially given his reputation and how anti-social he was.
Hermione: "Now we need to find a gown for me."
Snape: "And whereabouts may that be, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "London. Muggle London."
Snape: "I recommend we use Floo powder to Diagon Alley - muggles won't take too well to us apparating in their midst."
Snape grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the goblet sitting by the fire, and tossed it into the fire, which turned green on contact. He stepped into it and yelled 'Diagon Alley!' Once he disappeared, Hermione did the same thing - she fell into a tunnel, passing by dozens of fireplaces before arriving in the Leaky Cauldron. She stood up and brushed the dust off - Snape was waiting impatiently.
Snape: "I presume we'll have to go to Gringotts to get your gold out and exchange it for muggle money?"
Hermione nodded. They went to the back room - Snape tapped the brick three times and the entrance to Diagon Alley appeared - they walked into Gringotts. Hermione gave a goblin at the desk her key and he took them on to one of the carts and down the tracks into the stone cave-like dungeons beneath Gringotts and Diagon Alley. The goblin stopped the cart at vault 341 and Hermione got out and helped herself to a heap of galleons. Two summers before, Hermione got herself a summer job with Fred and George. She had scoffed, but she needed the job so she kept quiet and helped Fred and George with business.
So she registered for a vault to store her gold in. She didn't have much, considering that she had only worked for two summers, but it was still more than enough for a wedding gown. She pulled out most of her money, emptied it into a bag, and went back into the cart. The goblin shut the vault and jumped on the cart, setting it full speed.
Five minutes later, they arrived at a set of limestone doors leading to the marble ground-level part of Gringotts, where goblins sat measuring out gold and gems or counting money. Hermione went up to one with the money and requested it be exchanged for muggle money - the goblin frowned but made the transaction. Hermione and Snape walked out to the Leaky Cauldron, and Hermione stopped.
Snape; "What is it now, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "We can't go out like this!"
She took out her wand and transformed their robes. Now she was wearing a pink GAP t-shirt and blue jeans, and Snape, a black muscle t-shirt and black leather pants with a chain belt. Snape looked at their clothes curiously.
Snape: "Do muggles really wear this?"
Hermione: "Yes they do."
He followed her out to Muggle London. They walked down two blocks, to the right one, and finally Hermione stopped outside a shop, with mannequins in fancy gowns and suits in the windows. A bell on the doorknob rang when they walked in. There were suits everywhere (Snape thought they looked odd and uncomfortable - Hermione smiled and pointed out that they were made of itchy wool, yet some guys wore them everyday to work), and fancy dresses and gowns.
On the right side towards the front was a line of wedding dresses hanging off hangers or hooks on the wall. Hermione made a beeline toward them and leafed through the different dresses, some cream-colored or otherwise off- white (Hermione pointed out one that matched Snape's skin perfectly - he was not impressed), and others were white as white gets. She went through them becoming increasingly annoyed with the choice of stock in the store, before Snape found one and pulled it off the hanger. Interesting, how Hermione found one for him and he found one for her.He thrust the dress at her irritably.
Hermione took it and ran her hands over it; it was pretty. She smiled and took it back to the dressing room while Snape browsed for a decent veil. Five minutes later she came out, holding it up at the sides. Snape turned.
Hermione: "It's a little - big."
Snape: "Obviously. Perhaps a reducio charm?"
Hermione decided not to mention that there were different sizes - she had had too many experiences with struggling to find the right size because they varied with the brand and anyway, a reducio charm would ensure a perfect fit.
Hermione: "Alright - but not here - the muggles will see us. In the dressing room maybe."
Snape scowled but followed her into the dressing room and shut the door behind them.
Snape: "Are you sure this is entirely appropriate, Miss Granger?"
Hermione: "Shut up and just do the spell - muggles can't see us doing bloody magic."
Snape: "Did you just tell me to shut up!?!"
Hermione: "Do the freakin' spell! It's getting annoying holding my dress up!"
Snape sneered and took out his wand, pointing it at Hermione's heart.
Snape: "Reducio!"
The dress shrunk nine sizes to smaller than a size zero before Snape flicked his wand ending the spell; Hermione gasped and held her hand over her chest, where the edges were biting into her skin.
Hermione: "Enlargen it - gradually."
Snape: "Reducio!"
The dress enlargened five sizes to a size four, and Snape flicked his wand ending the spell and put it away. The dress fit nicely and they walked out of the dressing room to the store, which had more space. Snape grabbed the veil he had set out and shoved it into Hermione's hands - she put it on, letting the veil fall in front of her face.
It was beautiful - the dress was a beautiful white, full-length going down to the floor, extending in a train in the back. The lace, beads, and embroidery adorning it was chic, and the veil matched the dress nicely. Interesting, she thought - there were so many dresses like it, yet Snape picks the sleeveless one with a low-cut top. Not so low as to be slutty and distasteful, but still - it showed cleavage. She had no idea if Snape just picked it out because if it was elegant, or if he actually saw the ones with sleeves yet picked this one because the top. She hoped it was the former (it was, thank Merlin). It accentuated her hips and with high-heels, her ankles as well. Hermione went to the dressing room and changed into her normal clothes before taking it up to the front and paying for it with the muggle-money.
They walked out and back to the Leaky Cauldron, Snape leading the way this time. They went to the fireplace and used the Floo powder - Snape to his quarters, Hermione to the Gryffindor common room.
It was when Draco came in and gawked at Snape that he realized he was wearing the black leather pants and muscle shirt - he waved his wand at himself, transforming his clothes into his traditional black wizarding robes.
Draco: "Did you go somewhere, Professor?"
Snape: "It's none of your business, Draco, what I do on my weekends."
Draco: "Um, right - well, can you help me with this potion.?"
Hermione, meanwhile, apparated to find Harry and Ron sitting around playing chess while Neville watched interested; they all looked up when she appeared in the fireplace in muggle clothes.
Harry: "Well! Where've you been?"
Ron: "In some muggle-place, I'm assuming."
Hermione: "If you must know, Snape and I went out to muggle-London to buy my wedding dress."
Neville coughed violently.
Ron: "Snape?? He hasn't asked you to call him 'Sevvie' yet?"
Hermione: "This is just like when I was dating Viktor! Well, if you're going to be jealous."
Ron: "Me? No, I'm not jealous.why would you think that?"
Harry: "So, is he still the sarcastic bastard?"
Hermione glared at him.
Ron whispered: "'Take that as a 'yes'."
Neville left the room, preferring not to hear about his friend marrying his worst enemy.
