Visions in the Night Sky
Chapter 7: To Have and To Hold
Merewen stood and stretched. She had been at her desk in her room for hours, writing to her parents, her best friend, her grandparents, and several relatives that she knew would love hearing that she was now engaged to be married. Merewen also took time to write thank you cards to call who had sent her a gift for graduation. All that writing left Merewen sleepy.
Severus tiptoed up the stairs with two mugs of hot chocolate. He knew it was Merewen's favorite. He found that in the last month he had developed a taste for it, even though he had never liked it before. Severus smiled as he considered the fact that this was another way that Merewen had helped to make him a better man. Setting the hot chocolate in the upstairs sitting room, he knocked on Merewen's door and smiled as she drowsily answered, "Come in."
Merewen had returned to the chair at her desk and was leaning back in the chair, running her hands through her hair as she sat staring across the room to a garment bag hanging on her gilded full length mirror. Severus walked over and tentatively rubbed her shoulders.
"Mmmm. That feels so good. I'll give you half an hour to stop," Merewen murmured. Severus chuckled and kissed the top of her head. He escorted her to the sitting room where she curled up against his shoulder as she took her mug of chocolate from him. Severus wrapped his arm around her and relaxed against the back of the couch, sipping his own hot chocolate carefully. Pensively, Severus looked at Merewen and posed a question.
"When did you first know you loved me?" he asked. Merewen smiled at the innocence of his question. Severus was usually very serious, so it took Merewen by pleasant surprise when he asked this.
"Let's see," Merewen said, pretending to pucker her forehead and purse her lips in thought. "I first knew I loved you when we spilled that freezing potion and we wound up with snow all over the potions lab. You got so angry and then we stood there and just looked at each other. Then you did something I didn't expect. You started a snowball fight. That's when I knew I loved you. I knew then that you were growing, that you were learning to be spontaneous and not let lots of little things bother you. I knew then. When did you first realize that you loved me?" Severus didn't hesitate.
"I knew that I loved you when you sat down in my potions class your seventh year, the fall sun glimmering off your hair and lighting your eyes and you asked if you could do more challenging work because you had read the whole book and didn't feel challenged enough. I had never met anyone like you in all my years at Hogwarts. I started to dream that day. I dreamed that someday I would be with you. To have and to hold for all my life," Severus recalled, squeezing Merewen close to him.
"You better be practicing those lines too. Our wedding is in three weeks," said Merewen.
"Was that your dress hanging in your room?" Severus asked.
"Yep!" Merewen replied happily.
"Do I get to see it?" Severus asked. Merewen stood and batted him playfully.
"No! It's bad luck for you to see my dress before the wedding!" Merewen cried. Severus chuckled as she snatched a throw pillow and swatted him with it. They had been engaged for the past six months, and the two had been taking turns spending time at the other's home. Between Severus' simple home in Greenwich and Merewen's flat in Thamesmead over looking the mighty River Thames, the two found more than ample opportunity to meet one another's families and spend time alone. Merewen decided that after they were married, she would like to move in with Severus, that way they were not maintaining both homes when they were both away at Hogwarts. This made perfect sense to Severus, so it was agreed.
Meeting one another's families had been what Merewen called 'interesting'. Merewen's parents, while thrilled that their daughter had found a secure first job and a man to love, they were worried that Severus was so much older and worried that starting a family might disrupt Merewen's career advancement opportunities. Merewen had done everything she could to keep from exploding. By the end of their stay there, Severus had managed to help her settle her parents' worries and ensure that they were attending the wedding. This trip seemed smooth compared to what was coming next.
The couple next made a weekend stay with Severus' family. When they arrived, Severus' brother Oran answered the door. Severus had not seen his brother in years, and any awkwardness that had been between them before melted in the happy reason for this visit. He was thrilled to meet Merewen, but he sternly warned them that Severus' mother was stable but a bit anxious and for good reason. Severus' father had been drinking. Merewen shot Severus a terrified look. Severus wrapped his arm around Merewen's shoulder and took a deep breath. If nothing else, he wanted Merewen to meet his mother.
That evening, Severus and Merewen were forced to share the only guest room, breaking their standing rule that they would not sleep together until their wedding night. Merewen was shaking. Severus' father was hardly understandable when he spoke, and he shouted when poor Merewen stuttered as they were introduced.
"P-pleased to meet you, Mr. Snape, sir," Merewen said. "I am--"
Merewen didn't get the rest of her sentence out. The senior Snape bellowed at his sons, wanting to know why Severus brought home a woman who couldn't complete a simple sentence. Before Merewen could melt into a puddle of tears, both Severus and Oran rushed to take Merewen upstairs. Severus' mother was right behind them. Snape senior was larger than his sons, more burly and twice as strong. He managed to get a hold of Severus' shoulder and pulled him back, tripping Merewen in the process. Before Oran could catch her, Merewen tumbled down the stairs, covering her face as witnessed Severus' father smashing the empty bottle over her fiancé's head. Oran produced his wand and stunned the older man and the whole family left him lying on the floor and buried themselves in the bedrooms and guest room. Merewen had tended Severus' wounds with trembling hands.
Severus wrapped his arms around Merewen and held her, soothing her trembling and crying. They hardly moved for what seemed like forever before one of them gathered a voice to speak.
"I'm sorry," Merewen whispered through a shimmering veil of tears.
"Whatever for?" Severus asked in surprise.
"I froze. I wasn't--"
"Don't ever say that," Severus interrupted. "You are an amazing woman and I love you. That is all that matters. My mother thinks you're a darling and my brother is already wondering if you have a sister for him. You couldn't have made a better impression if you had tried, love." Merewen bit her lip and nodded as Severus stroked her hair. The weekend passed quickly and soon, Severus and Merewen were on their way back to their own home and their own life. Oran promised them as they left that he would bring he and Severus' mother for the wedding. Severus had embraced his brother and kissed his mother before they apparated away.
Merewen kept all of this in her heart as she and Severus made the final preparations for their wedding. Thanks to particularly clever owls, the invitations had been sent, and the RSVP list had gotten longer every day.
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When the day arrived, Merewen's best friend Avelina arrived early in the morning to help Merewen get ready, followed shortly by Oran, and Severus' mother.
Severus stood before the mirror with his brand new dress robes on, the fabric stiff and new.
"I feel like Dumbledore in these things," Severus muttered.
"As well you should. You look splendid, Severus," said Oran, tying Severus' green and silver cravat and then buttoning up the long vest that layered over his tunic. Over all of this went the solid black robe with subtle embroidery. He looked like a prince, that was for sure, and that was what Merewen deserved: a prince. He wondered at length if Dumbledore had been nervous before his wedding to McGonagall.
"As a matter of fact, Severus, I was positively ill with worry," said Dumbledore, appearing as if on cue. Severus turned from the mirror and heartily shook the headmaster's hand.
"Congratulations, Severus," said Albus, smiling broadly.
"Thank you, headmaster," Severus replied.
"You're marrying a wonderful woman today, Severus. I wish you both the best," said Dumbledore, handing Severus a purple velvet pouch. It was heavy and Severus heard a jingling inside. His brown eyes widened as he looked inside to find five thousand gold galleons. Severus stammered a thank you.
"Take good care of her, Severus. She made you proud last year and a woman like Merewen will continue to surprise and delight you as long as you live. God bless you both," said Albus, smiling and embracing Severus before ambling slowly out of the room in search of Minerva. Severus could only sit and smile in joy. He was a fortunate man indeed.
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"Stand still!" Avelina hissed as she finished buttoning all the buttons on Merewen's dress and then her new white high buttoned shoes.
"I can't help it! I'm nervous!" said Merewen, pulling her soft white outer robes over her shoulders. Merewen touched up her make up and lightly fingered the curls that Avelina had spent all morning twisting her hair into. Standing up, Avelina viewed her work. Her best friend was indeed a stunning bride.
"I think you are about as close to perfect as you are ever gonna get," said Avelina.
"I couldn't have done this without you, Sis!" Merewen murmured, opening her arms to her best friend. Merewen had been an only child, so as Avelina had grown up with her, she was as close as any sister to Merewen. Avelina made sure that Severus and Oran had made their way down to the massive chapel nestled deep within Hogwarts. The chapel hadn't been used since Dumbledore's wedding long before, and it had taken more than a little cleaning and decorating to ready it for the day's festivities. The whole school was invited to the simple ceremony, but only adult guests were allowed to attend the reception. Several seventh years had scoffed at this, but one well placed look from Severus had silenced them. They were simply happy to see that their head of house was truly happy for the first time in his life.
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"…I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Severus and Merewen melted into a heartwarming embrace and then a kiss that both felt all the way to their toes. Severus swept Merewen up into his arms and in the exhilaration of the moment, carried Merewen back up the aisle and out of the chapel, into the brightness of the sun-lit courtyard.
Hours passed like minutes for the pair as they talked, ate, toasted, and danced until the stars were bright pin dots on the face of the night sky. A vision of the cosmological past shining like diamonds down on the happy newlyweds. The party lasted well into the night, even after the guests of honor had retired. They would leave in the morning on a two week honeymoon touring the world one landmark at a time. Merewen was thrilled and Severus, though a bit nervous to do all that traveling, was excited as well.
No one heard from the newlyweds until the next morning, but most had every idea why, if the smiles on the older students' faces were any indication.
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