Chapter 35 ~ Wedding Plans
Author's note: Sorry this is a short chapter... it didn't quite fit in with the last one, and was too long to add onto the next one (the wedding chapter!). Anyway... not much action here, but I couldn't just skip straight to the wedding without tying up a few loose ends and adding some details of the wedding plans.
Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling. They are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*****
Rushing forward to see what was wrong, Severus exited the passageway to find Hermione with her arms flung around her two best friends. He sighed in frustration as he stepped forward.
"Potter... Weasley," he spoke sharply, "To what do we owe this..." he had to hold back a sneer as he continued, "pleasure?"
Hermione winked at her friends as she backed away. Harry stepped forward and extended his hand as he nodded to Severus, "Professor Snape." Ron had a harder time holding back a scowl as he extended his hand to his former professor.
Hermione broke the tension as she smiled at Ron and Harry, "I'm so glad to see both of you! Why don't you come back to my quarters?"
Harry's green eyes sparkled in amusement as Ron glared at Severus. It was Harry who finally replied, "We'd be delighted!"
*****
Ron's eyes grew wide when they entered Hermione's quarters, "Hermione!" he gasped as he looked around. He had never been in her private quarters, and was amazed at the opulence. Harry chuckled in amusement, "Different from the accomadations they provided us with at training, isn't it? Maybe we should have become Potions apprentices," he winked at Hermione, who couldn't help but laugh at Severus' as he groaned and walked out of the room, leaving the three of them to chat while he dressed Samuel for bed.
"Surly as ever, isn't he?" Ron glared at the door even after Severus had left.
"Honestly, Ron! He isn't that bad! Only around the students..."
"We're not his students!" Ron growled indignantly.
Hermione sighed. How would she ever tell them the news if Ron couldn't let go of his dislike for Severus? She closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply and began, "Ron...Harry..." she hesitated before she continued, "er... well, maybe it's better if I just come right out and tell you..."
Harry reached out and grabbed her hand, "What is it, Hermione?"
"Er... well... you know how Severus and I were trying to work things out for Samuel's sake?"
"Yes... and it looks as though you're getting along quite well," Harry smiled as Ron continued to mumble under his breath.
"Well, yes... we are... better than you could ever know, Harry." She turned to Ron, "Ron... please, listen to me."
He looked into her eyes, finally gracing her with a gentle smile, "Sorry, Hermione."
"Quite all right," she replied. "Anyway... yes, we've worked things out. And we're..." she sighed, "very much in love."
Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged before turning back to Hermione, "So, what else is new?"
"What else...?" Hermione gasped, "You knew?"
"Honestly, Hermione!" Ron laughed as he immitated his best friend, "Don't you remember who my sister is?"
"Oh! I didn't think that Ginny might have told you already," she giggled.
"She only told us what she suspected, months ago! But what she didn't tell us about," Harry paused as he grabbed Hermione's hand, "was this!" He looked closely at her ring, "When is the wedding?"
"Merlin, Hermione! You're actually going to marry that greasy bat?" Ron's mouth gaped in astonishment.
Hermione admonished him, "That 'greasy bat' is my fiancee, Ron. Get used to it!"
Ron sighed as he reached out and hugged her, "That greasy bat is a lucky man, Hermione." As he pulled away, he looked into her eyes, "Are you happy?"
"More than you could ever imagine," she sighed.
"Then we're happy for you," Harry told her as he stepped forward to hug her.
"What are you doing next Saturday?" Hermione smiled.
"Next Saturday?! So soon?"
"Well, we've been planning it since April. We were just waiting until the students went home... and more importantly, until you two could be here. I couldn't get married without my best friends."
*****
Hermione spent the rest of the week in a whirlwind of activity. Planning a wedding in so short a time was no easy feat. They had decided to keep it as simple as possible, so all they needed to do was pick out their wedding attire, the rings, and send out invitations. They wanted to keep it as intimate as possible, and neither of them had any family to speak of other than Elizabeth, so the guest list consisted only of the Hogwarts staff, the Weasley family, Harry and Ron, and a few members of the Order. Even on such short notice, all had replied that they would attend, with the exception of a few of the older Weasley children. Bill had returned to work in Egypt, Charlie was still in Romania, and Percy had never quite made amends with his family.
Elizabeth and Ginny accompanied Hermione to pick out her gown, as well as their own dresses. They were very secretive about the results of their "girls day out", and had to sneak their purchases into Hermione's quarters, warding her wardrobe to assure that nobody could see Hermione's wedding gown. Severus groaned about Hermione not wanting him to wear his usual black dress robes. For one day, she didn't want him to wear all black. In the end, Elizabeth ended up going with Remus and Severus to pick out something appropriate that would please Hermione. When they returned that evening, Severus refused to tell Hermione what they had purchased. After all, if she could have a secret, so could he.
The one purchase that they did make together was their set of wedding bands. Severus returned to the same fine jewelery shop where he had purchased Hermione's engagement ring, knowing that they had matching bands. Hers was a slim platinum band that nestled against the contours of her engagement ring, and Severus' was a wider platinum band with the same etched design. They handed the rings over to Remus, as he was the best man, for safekeeping.
All in all, everything was falling together nicely.
Friday evening, the staff had insisted on having an engagement dinner for the couple. Severus tried to put his foot down, but there was no chance in changing Minerva's mind once she and Albus set to work on the plans. It was a small affair... with only the staff, Elizabeth and Ginny in attendance. After the dinner, Remus and Albus insisted on taking Severus out for a few drinks. He sighed in resignation as they made their way into the village and spent an evening in the pub.
After a few drinks, Severus relaxed and was actually quite glad that he had relented and let the men take him out for the evening, even if it did mean listening to Remus and Albus give him advice. What did these two men know about marriage? But Severus sat back and let them have their fun, grateful for the distraction, knowing that If he had remained back at the school, he would have gone mad, pacing his quarters all night long. He hoped that, after a few more drinks, he would be relaxed enough to get some sleep.
When their last round of drinks for the evening was served, Albus raised his glass as he said to Severus, "Look not mournfully into the past, It comes not back again, Wisely improve the present it is thine, Go forth to meet thy shadowy future, Without fear and with a manly heart."
For the first time that evening, Severus truly appreciated Albus' wisdom, and he raised his glass in return to Albus as they drank to the future.
*****
Hermione's mother and Ginny had a last minute personal bridal shower, where they presented her with small gifts. Hermione gasped as she opened the box that her mother gave her. It was an elegant pair of diamond ear studs, and Hermione recognized them as the ones that her father had given to her mother on their first anniversary.
"Oh, Mum! I couldn't possibly..."
"Hermione... I want you to have them. You need something to remind you of your father on your wedding day. I only wish he could be here to see his little girl... he would be so proud of you," her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.
Ginny's present to Hermione was a delicate lace garter, with a rose pattern embroidered in gold silk threads. She smiled at Ginny as she gasped, "Did you make this?" Ginny smiled as she nodded in reply, "I didn't know if you had one, and I wanted to give you something personal... a keepsake to remember your wedding day."
"It's perfect!" Hermione sniffed as she hugged her friend.
Before long, Hermione had decided that it was time to retire for the night, even though she knew that she would have a hard time falling asleep without Severus by her side. After relaxing by the fire with a glass of wine, she finally nodded off into a deep sleep, and spent the night dreaming of the life that she would begin the next day, as Severus' wife.
Author's note: Sorry this is a short chapter... it didn't quite fit in with the last one, and was too long to add onto the next one (the wedding chapter!). Anyway... not much action here, but I couldn't just skip straight to the wedding without tying up a few loose ends and adding some details of the wedding plans.
Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling. They are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*****
Rushing forward to see what was wrong, Severus exited the passageway to find Hermione with her arms flung around her two best friends. He sighed in frustration as he stepped forward.
"Potter... Weasley," he spoke sharply, "To what do we owe this..." he had to hold back a sneer as he continued, "pleasure?"
Hermione winked at her friends as she backed away. Harry stepped forward and extended his hand as he nodded to Severus, "Professor Snape." Ron had a harder time holding back a scowl as he extended his hand to his former professor.
Hermione broke the tension as she smiled at Ron and Harry, "I'm so glad to see both of you! Why don't you come back to my quarters?"
Harry's green eyes sparkled in amusement as Ron glared at Severus. It was Harry who finally replied, "We'd be delighted!"
*****
Ron's eyes grew wide when they entered Hermione's quarters, "Hermione!" he gasped as he looked around. He had never been in her private quarters, and was amazed at the opulence. Harry chuckled in amusement, "Different from the accomadations they provided us with at training, isn't it? Maybe we should have become Potions apprentices," he winked at Hermione, who couldn't help but laugh at Severus' as he groaned and walked out of the room, leaving the three of them to chat while he dressed Samuel for bed.
"Surly as ever, isn't he?" Ron glared at the door even after Severus had left.
"Honestly, Ron! He isn't that bad! Only around the students..."
"We're not his students!" Ron growled indignantly.
Hermione sighed. How would she ever tell them the news if Ron couldn't let go of his dislike for Severus? She closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply and began, "Ron...Harry..." she hesitated before she continued, "er... well, maybe it's better if I just come right out and tell you..."
Harry reached out and grabbed her hand, "What is it, Hermione?"
"Er... well... you know how Severus and I were trying to work things out for Samuel's sake?"
"Yes... and it looks as though you're getting along quite well," Harry smiled as Ron continued to mumble under his breath.
"Well, yes... we are... better than you could ever know, Harry." She turned to Ron, "Ron... please, listen to me."
He looked into her eyes, finally gracing her with a gentle smile, "Sorry, Hermione."
"Quite all right," she replied. "Anyway... yes, we've worked things out. And we're..." she sighed, "very much in love."
Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged before turning back to Hermione, "So, what else is new?"
"What else...?" Hermione gasped, "You knew?"
"Honestly, Hermione!" Ron laughed as he immitated his best friend, "Don't you remember who my sister is?"
"Oh! I didn't think that Ginny might have told you already," she giggled.
"She only told us what she suspected, months ago! But what she didn't tell us about," Harry paused as he grabbed Hermione's hand, "was this!" He looked closely at her ring, "When is the wedding?"
"Merlin, Hermione! You're actually going to marry that greasy bat?" Ron's mouth gaped in astonishment.
Hermione admonished him, "That 'greasy bat' is my fiancee, Ron. Get used to it!"
Ron sighed as he reached out and hugged her, "That greasy bat is a lucky man, Hermione." As he pulled away, he looked into her eyes, "Are you happy?"
"More than you could ever imagine," she sighed.
"Then we're happy for you," Harry told her as he stepped forward to hug her.
"What are you doing next Saturday?" Hermione smiled.
"Next Saturday?! So soon?"
"Well, we've been planning it since April. We were just waiting until the students went home... and more importantly, until you two could be here. I couldn't get married without my best friends."
*****
Hermione spent the rest of the week in a whirlwind of activity. Planning a wedding in so short a time was no easy feat. They had decided to keep it as simple as possible, so all they needed to do was pick out their wedding attire, the rings, and send out invitations. They wanted to keep it as intimate as possible, and neither of them had any family to speak of other than Elizabeth, so the guest list consisted only of the Hogwarts staff, the Weasley family, Harry and Ron, and a few members of the Order. Even on such short notice, all had replied that they would attend, with the exception of a few of the older Weasley children. Bill had returned to work in Egypt, Charlie was still in Romania, and Percy had never quite made amends with his family.
Elizabeth and Ginny accompanied Hermione to pick out her gown, as well as their own dresses. They were very secretive about the results of their "girls day out", and had to sneak their purchases into Hermione's quarters, warding her wardrobe to assure that nobody could see Hermione's wedding gown. Severus groaned about Hermione not wanting him to wear his usual black dress robes. For one day, she didn't want him to wear all black. In the end, Elizabeth ended up going with Remus and Severus to pick out something appropriate that would please Hermione. When they returned that evening, Severus refused to tell Hermione what they had purchased. After all, if she could have a secret, so could he.
The one purchase that they did make together was their set of wedding bands. Severus returned to the same fine jewelery shop where he had purchased Hermione's engagement ring, knowing that they had matching bands. Hers was a slim platinum band that nestled against the contours of her engagement ring, and Severus' was a wider platinum band with the same etched design. They handed the rings over to Remus, as he was the best man, for safekeeping.
All in all, everything was falling together nicely.
Friday evening, the staff had insisted on having an engagement dinner for the couple. Severus tried to put his foot down, but there was no chance in changing Minerva's mind once she and Albus set to work on the plans. It was a small affair... with only the staff, Elizabeth and Ginny in attendance. After the dinner, Remus and Albus insisted on taking Severus out for a few drinks. He sighed in resignation as they made their way into the village and spent an evening in the pub.
After a few drinks, Severus relaxed and was actually quite glad that he had relented and let the men take him out for the evening, even if it did mean listening to Remus and Albus give him advice. What did these two men know about marriage? But Severus sat back and let them have their fun, grateful for the distraction, knowing that If he had remained back at the school, he would have gone mad, pacing his quarters all night long. He hoped that, after a few more drinks, he would be relaxed enough to get some sleep.
When their last round of drinks for the evening was served, Albus raised his glass as he said to Severus, "Look not mournfully into the past, It comes not back again, Wisely improve the present it is thine, Go forth to meet thy shadowy future, Without fear and with a manly heart."
For the first time that evening, Severus truly appreciated Albus' wisdom, and he raised his glass in return to Albus as they drank to the future.
*****
Hermione's mother and Ginny had a last minute personal bridal shower, where they presented her with small gifts. Hermione gasped as she opened the box that her mother gave her. It was an elegant pair of diamond ear studs, and Hermione recognized them as the ones that her father had given to her mother on their first anniversary.
"Oh, Mum! I couldn't possibly..."
"Hermione... I want you to have them. You need something to remind you of your father on your wedding day. I only wish he could be here to see his little girl... he would be so proud of you," her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.
Ginny's present to Hermione was a delicate lace garter, with a rose pattern embroidered in gold silk threads. She smiled at Ginny as she gasped, "Did you make this?" Ginny smiled as she nodded in reply, "I didn't know if you had one, and I wanted to give you something personal... a keepsake to remember your wedding day."
"It's perfect!" Hermione sniffed as she hugged her friend.
Before long, Hermione had decided that it was time to retire for the night, even though she knew that she would have a hard time falling asleep without Severus by her side. After relaxing by the fire with a glass of wine, she finally nodded off into a deep sleep, and spent the night dreaming of the life that she would begin the next day, as Severus' wife.
