Previous disclaimers apply. I don't own Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
I hope the avid fans of Miss Austen can find my hints. New Line Tunes owns
"In Dreams", and not I sadly. I wish only to amuse myself and others by
writing this little tale. Thanks to Lena, Blondie, Alec, Zero, PhrphtssP,
and DiotimaxMantinea for their help with this monstrosity I call a story.
For those of you that dislike the songs at the beginning of each chapter I
will say that it is just recommended mood music while reading. It's not
something meant to make you think about symbolism in the story, just a kind
of companion to it.
When the cold of Winter comes Starless night will cover day In the veiling of the sun We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams I still hear your name And in dreams We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall And we come, to end of days In the dark I hear a call Calling me there I will go there And back again
"In Dreams" by Fran Walsh and Howard Shore, Preformed by Edward Ross, LotR Soundtrack.
Hermione sat by the lake as her professor stalked silently away. Fairness had not been accounted for when the cursed law had been put forth to the wizarding world. If it had, then none of the mess Hermione Granger found herself in would matter a jot. The young woman of now technically seventeen years was frustrated with, angry at, and above all else terrified of the drastic turn her life had taken while she was powerless to stop it. While others mooned over their latest, greatest love which would no doubt change within a week this young woman was faced with the challenges of facing the world she had always known with a hissing serpent or crazed bat on her arm.
She tried to pretend that what her classmates and supposed friends would say upon learning that she was shackled to the most hated Hogwarts teacher of their time, and perhaps of all time would not faze her. 'So that's how she got those grades all these years.' 'She's the only one that was ugly enough and desperate enough to bed a bat!' Just thinking about the forthcoming cruelty was enough to bring fresh tears to the cinnamon eyes of Hermione Granger. What would her parents say when they got back? She dreaded telling them that the only teacher to ever put her down was the one she was to marry. It all seemed so silly.
Marriage was not something she was sure was even right for her. It got in the way of academics, and that was the most important thing at this juncture of her life. Marriage would mean considering someone else's feelings by turning off the lights when she was reading a fascinating article or picking up after her family. No, this was not something she desired. The Grangers were the closest people to Hermione's heart, but she saw the way her mother pick up after and cooked for her father. He seemed to expect that he would not have to do the dishes or laundry. It was not that he was a bad man or an inconsiderate man. He was just that, a man. He was raised with the belief that he would be taken care of when he married. He would provide the income and his wife would run the domestic end of the lifestyle. A least her mother had been a strong willed career woman, or her father would have gotten his wish completely. If that was what was expected of marriage, then the girl wanted nothing of it. It seemed only worse in the wizarding world. Women seemed to be little more than chattel in Purebred families.
Suddenly it seemed much cooler despite the warm sun on her face, and shivers wracked through her body. Lifting her tense frame off the grass she slowly made her way back to the castle and straight to her room in Gryffindor Tower not noticing the glances her professors gave her as she passed. The common room was deserted and void of life save for Crooks who bounded up to her with unbridled enthusiasm. At least he had missed his mistress. She flopped ungraciously into the largest red couch and Crooks leapt up into her lap and settled there in a comfortably position for the feline, but taking no account of the human's feelings.
"Oh Crooks," she whispered. "What's to become of us? We can't even run away." She sighed heavily and let the gentle thrum of her feline companion's purr lull her to sleep.
She hummed quietly to herself as she added the last ingredient to the potion and stirred it counterclockwise for three and a half rotations. Her bones were stiff from sitting too long in one position leaning over her cauldron.
Hermione stood to crack her back, a very bad habit she had picked up upon quitting biting her nails, but long arms snaked around her blocking her movements.
"Again?" The man asked. His voice was soothing and exasperated at the same time. "How many times can you do this before you just break your vertebrae all together?" He sighed. "Here let me." The rich voice offered and she felt a shiver of excitement rush through her like an electric shock.
She turned to face the man, but kept her eyes on his chest as he with great efficiency popped her back. "You really should just use the potion I made you; it would work just as well. Come on, dinner is ready. Tomorrow it's your turn." She could feel him grinning down at her. Severus really was the better of the two when it came to cooking, but he still liked it when she would make him anything from burnt toast to overdone leg of lamb. Nothing his darling made could possibly taste bad.
She laughed at his suggestion, and looked at the progress of her work. "I suppose it will still be here when we get back. As long as we don't take too long. The other night I almost lost an entire week's worth of work because you were distracting me!" She said with mock superiority.
The dark haired man crushed her to his chest. "As I recall, my dear, you had no objections to my attentions at the time." He was grinning devilishly at her now, and it was all she could do to keep from bursting with laughter. He was a fine man, and now that the war was over he no longer had to keep the pretense of teaching to keep close to Dumbledore. Now he worked by her side on potions research on magical maladies. She felt her heart skip a beat like as she looked into his rich dark eyes.
"Lead the way then, my love, or I will be forced to find a new nickname for you like pookie, or snuckkums. You'd make a lovely sweet pea!" She laughed at him as she left the lab knowing that he would be steps behind her.
Hermione woke up gasping for air. 'What kind of a dream was that? First Malfoy, and now the Great Greasy Git of the dungeons! What I wouldn't give for some dreamless sleep potion.' She thought. She was still on the velvet couch in the Common Room, only now the stars were out and the moon had set. Crookshanks was nowhere in sight so she trudged up the stairs to her room to find the cat on her bed sleeping soundly. "Traitor," she threw at him half-heartedly.
She changed for bed without making a sound in bright Gryffindor red and gold. She padded quietly to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her pale face. Upon emerging from the bathroom she set her clock for eight, and climbed into the covers without disturbing Crookshanks. Still the cat stirred and crawled up to the pillow by his mistress' head and curled up into a cute ball that one would expect of a kitten not an oversized orange fur ball with a squashed face. The girl in red smiled at her friend; no matter what anyone else said or thought of her she would always have her cat to love her.
Her alarm went off with a frightful buzzing at eight though she could have sworn it was only six the next morning. This was the last thing she wanted. Sleep was essential to any person, and Hermione needed it to cope with the stress of her situation she decided while still in bed with covers drawn over her brown hair hiding from the morning. She wasn't hiding from her situation and her life, no! She rolled her eyes at her own poor argument to stay in bed. If it had been Harry or Ron she would have been lecturing them by now on the merits of rising earlier than noon. And she must be ready by ten to meet Snape.
Throwing the covers aside with an air of resolution she swung her legs off the bed and hopped down onto the cold stone floor. Sprinting to the bathroom where there was in fact a rug to stand on instead of only cold stone and tile she quickly turned on the water so that the room would be nice and warm and steamy by the time she actually made it into the shower. She brushed and flossed and brushed her hair before she stripped and stepped into the cascade of falling water, then simply stood in the hot column of water for a full ten minutes before waking up properly. 'It's the only way to start a morning,' she rationalized. Down to business she washed off with jasmine scented body wash and shampoo her mother had given her when they had last met.
She stood in front of her trunk attempting to put together an outfit for the day. Normally she wouldn't have bothered in the summertime to care what she looked like as she was very unlikely to see anyone who would look at her twice between devouring books and watching movies with her muggle friends. Today was somewhat different than any other experience she had in her life. She would be shopping with a man, but not just any man: Snape! And not just shopping: wedding arrangements! A feeling of sheer undiluted panic began to spread throughout her body as she looked over her small, but up until this point adequate wardrobe.
'What does one wear when courting a bat? A shovel and a bag?' She laughed at her own pathetically idiotic joke. Hermione was nervous. Wizarding robes would be best, without a doubt, but she did not have anything that did not scream Hogwarts. Professor Snape was going to have a hard enough time without a blatant visual for the pedophile look his father seemed to have him going for these days. The only thing she had were her dress robes from the ball she had attended with Viktor, and those were far too small. She finally settled on her muggle Sunday clothes: a light blue linen skirt that fell just short of her knees, and a form fitting, white, v-neck top that her mother bought her because of her own weakness for anything silk. For shoes she went with her leather sandals that were comfortable but classy. She had thought of Grace Kelly when she had seen them on display. Admiring her ability to pull it all together in a pinch Hermione used a drying and defrizzing spell on her hair.
Rather than going to the Great Hall for breakfast she instead headed for the kitchens and tickled the pear to gain access to the House Elves' domain. Spotting the most garishly dressed of the bunch scurrying about with pots much to big for their bodies she called, "Dobby, is that you?"
The elf almost dropped the large pie he was carrying in excitement. He quickly placed it onto the nearest table and turned to the young woman. "Miz Minee, what can Dobby be doing for you?" He asked quickly with large eyes as hopeful as a cat's when treats are being handed out.
"I was wondering if I could have breakfast with you if you aren't too busy this morning." She answered haltingly. House Elves were unusual creatures and one never knew if offering something even to an open-minded one such as Dobby would appear rude.
"Miz is wanting to have breakfast with Dobby?" Large tears started to form in his eyes.
"Dobby don't cry. If you don't want to have breakfast with me I could just grab something and go." She offered.
Dobby let out a sob. "No one is wanting to have a meal with Dobby. Miz is too kind." He led her over to a small comfortable table in the middle of the mayhem, and piled loads of food onto the table. Then he sat quietly down opposite of the chestnut haired woman.
This was her cue to eat, and she ate the fruit and Lucky Charms he had brought her while the elf pretended to eat something to please his dear friend. Dobby chatted happily and excitedly away as she ate, and when she was done he cleared the remnants of the small feast away faster than she could offer assistance.
"Thank you Miz, for coming to see Dobby this morning. It is good to have you back home." He beamed and disappeared into the crazed mob of elves that were the kitchen staff.
Now there was nothing for her to do but wait for Snape. 'Oh joy,' she sighed sarcastically. 'This is going to be more fun than a root canal.' Still the woman in high heels walked sedately, if a little dispiritedly, down the corridors leading to her Common Room.
At precisely ten o'clock the portrait hole swung open to reveal Severus Snape, feared Potions Master, to the young woman's view as she stepped out to meet him. He was again dressed in black robes that seemed to grow from his body. 'Where else is he going to find all that black fabric?' The weave was finer than his teaching robes she could tell right away, but in essentials he was very much as he ever was. His hawk like nose looked nothing less than regal and his eyes were piercing ebony as she met him face to chest. He was a good deal taller than she remembered, but she attempted to be as far away from him as possible during her first six years at Hogwarts.
"Miss Granger," he bowed ever so slightly with his hair falling a bit into his face. She wanted to touch it to see if it was greasy, but up close it just looked fine and shiny.
She lowered her head slightly in acknowledgement of his person. "Professor," she replied knowing that it was both respectful to address him as his position and a bit derogatory as well considering their circumstances. Her bag was already digging into her shoulder and she had not had it on her person for more than five minutes. She had her wand concealed in her skirt's second layer so it was not visible as she moved. Still her mother taught her that it was not proper to go without one's purse in public, so she would suffer. 'What have I been keeping in this thing, bricks?'
They walked silently from the castle and over the grounds. Outside the gate he looked at his companion. "Am I correct in assuming that you have not gotten your license yet?" He asked in a superior tone that made the girl want to strike him.
Instead she nodded, and he moved closer. Putting an arm around her while not trying to touch her proved to be a bit annoying to the woman, so she leaned in and let her arms encircle his thin frame. This was extremely uncomfortable for the both participants, and both were happy to let the other loose when they arrived at Diagon Alley.
Today reminded her of her first day in the world she had come to know since receiving her acceptance letter from Hogwarts all those years ago. The sky was a vibrant blue hue, the sun warmed her face from above, and the people in strange wizarding robes milled about like muggles in any mall or market. The only strange thing about Diagon Alley, other than the magic materials, was that it looked like a Charles Dickens book gone horribly wrong. Still, it was nice to be around so many people her again. A witch dressed in magenta robes ran smack into the young woman dressed in her Sunday finest, but shrank away from Snape like he was the plague while mumbling an apology.
The crowd parted like the sea for Snape as he walked with long strides confidently towards what his fiancé assumed was their destination. 'Lady Sara's' the sign displayed tastefully thought Hermione had not a clue as to what the prim little shoppe contained.
Once inside the small shop it was clear what and who Lady Sara was. She swooped down upon Snape and his intended with a flourish of rubies and diamonds. She was a thin little thing with white hair and moon pool eyes strangely resembling someone she should know.
"Ah, Severus. Your dear father told me you would be in soon with your beautiful bride-to-be." Then she turned her tiny face up to Hermione. "My, isn't she a beauty. You are a lucky man, my boy. So out of the ordinary too. Let's see what we can do for you." She hurried over to her counters filled with priceless jewels and metals while Hermione thought, 'What? I'm no beauty. She's a good liar; I'll grant her that.'
Severus moved towards the glass display cases when the woman beckoned placing a hand on the small of the brunette's back to nudge her forward. Hermione glanced at him with widened eyes, but his face was on whatever bauble the Lady was currently babbling about with amazing feigned interest. Hermione decided it might be best to pay attention to the woman just in case.
This continued for over fifteen minutes when finally Snape broke Lady Sara away from her rapt descriptions of her pieces. "My dear Sara, do you think my bride is worth so little to me? Come now; Father, I'm sure, told you what we would want to see. I'd even venture to say that he made some suggestions?" Oh Snape was smooth, too smooth. Hermione felt her mouth falling open, but he quickly led her after the small witch into a room in the back that was blue velvet from wall to wall and floor to ceiling.
"Yes, I thought you would. But thank you for letting me ramble about my wares for a while. I do love an educated buyer." With a flick of her wrist and some mumbled words the young woman did not catch a vault larger than the Queen of England's opened up. Light reflected from every angle, and it was all the young woman could do not to shield her eyes. Everywhere were diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls; each piece more perfect than the last. Now she was looking at a reluctant Miss Granger with an air of expectation. "Well, my pet. What do you see?"
Hermione looked around the room and at Snape practically begging for help in this situation where she knew very little for once about the subject at hand. "Um, pearls?" She ventured not really knowing what to say, but by the lady's reaction she knew she had unleashed the woman's favorite topic. In what seemed like a whirlwind Hermione had pieces selected for her by Lady Sara with Snape's approval.
The tiny woman looked completely satisfied and smug. "Now, your father said to deliver this to you after you were through, but there is not sense in going through the motions of picking out rings when you may not want them after all."
She handed Hermione a tiny golden box which revealed three rings: an engagement, and two wedding bands. The white gold was stunning and the diamond was unlike any she had ever seen. It almost looked as if there were fire dancing inside the stone. Snape glanced over her shoulder at the contents of the overly intricately decorated box and said simply if not gruffly, "These will do. Bill everything to the Estate. Thank you as always for your help, Milady." And they were out of the dark shop full of small treasures.
The sunlight was impossibly bright to Hermione's eyes as they adjusted back to seeing in the light. Snape looked at his pocket watch, 'Strange that Snape should have a pocket watch', and picked up his pace.
Her heels were preventing her from matching him in stride. "Sir," she called uncertainly. "Severus, I can't walk that fast. Slow down please."
"It's eleven o'clock, and we're late." He said matter-of-factly.
"Late for what?" She asked a bit out of breath.
"The fittings at Madame Malkin's" He gestured towards the sign. He ushered her into the intended shop, and Madame Malkin, like a vulture, swooped down on them. "Punctual as always Professor." She winked at Hermione. "We are just about ready for you."
"I thought you said we were late?" She whispered to him when the woman was out of earshot.
"You were moving too slowly. You needed the encouragement." And at that moment Hermione Granger contemplated using an Unforgivable.
Now the Madame had reinforcements as she shooed them into the back rooms. A tape measure was taken to every centimeter of the bride-to-be's body as she tried to swat at the tape measures with minds of their own. Without warning it all stopped. "Well that's it then, my loves. Just think about what you would like yourselves to look like, a general idea mind you, and both of you too. Place it in the pensieve there and I'll have them shipped to the Manor. Once there we can see if there need to be any adjustments."
"That was easy enough," She offered after exiting the shop.
"There's more."
"You're joking right?"
"Unfortunately, not. We need to visit the Bookshoppe to order the proper parchments for the invitations, announcements, etc..." He trailed off. "Then we'll need to eat." The paper ordering turned out to be the easiest of the lot. All she had to do was point at a color she liked and have Snape nod in agreement.
She smiled up at him for a reason only her stomach could understand. "Now we eat!" Lunch was ice cream, not the healthiest of foods, but one of the more satisfying. The sight of Snape eating mint ice cream out of a small bowl with an undersized spoon would have been enough to send Harry and Ron into a coma after they collapsed from laughing. Still it was almost pleasant, and she did not have to talk because she was eating and everyone knew it was impolite to talk with your mouth full.
A shadow passed over the table, but lingered until the couple raised their eyes to see none other than the Minister of Magic himself. The rotund man apparently enjoyed the lovely view for his poster children of the new Atrocity, as Hermione had dubbed it. "Good afternoon, Severus," he looked at his most recent victim. "And to you Miss," he struggled to remember her name that much was written on his face.
"Granger," Snape finished for him. "And now, sir, if you will excuse us. We have to get back to planning." If looks could kill the Minister would have been flame broiled, struck by lightening, drowned in a bathtub with only an inch of water, and drawn and quartered by the expression the younger man's face. But soon it was replaced by an indifferent mask she was so used to seeing in the classroom. He stood and bowed politely to the portly man and turned to reenter the parlor. Hermione hurried after him.
"Of all the insufferable!" She started to vent, but stopped as soon as she saw that most of the clients of the parlor were staring at her with slack jaws. It mattered little and Snape was already out in the street clearly waiting for his charge, fiancé.
"I believe this has been enough for one day," he drawled. "Perhaps we should take Father up on the wedding planner he has been trying to throw at us." He didn't give her time to suggest anything, but grabbed her arm in an almost gentle fashion and they were gone.
They were in front of the castles iron gates when the young woman next opened her eyes. "Home, Sweet Home," she said almost to herself.
"Not for long if Father gets his way." Snape threw at her.
Feet stopped moving at this pronouncement. A hand strayed to her stomach where it always was placed when Hermione was agitated or upset. She crossed her arms about herself in hopes of warding off the inevitable. Snape could be mad, but so could she. The only problem was she was more terrified than enraged about everything. "But you won't let him?" The question was out before she knew she thought it.
"I have no intention of moving back up to that empty old ruin where the old man can ogle at my wife which he insisted I marry!" It was an exasperated sentence, but both caught the word which they both feared 'wife'.
She followed his billowing black robes up the steps of the castle and walked ahead of him as he held the door for her, but did not look back in her journey to Gryffindor Tower. His words replayed over and over in her head so much that she started when faced with the portrait of the fat lady.
"Password?" The woman in pink smiled down at the confused woman that was little more than a child.
"Derbyshire," and the portrait swung open and Miss Granger was safe from Professor Snape.
DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious- I plan on it!
Felnezia-Snape- Any suggestions you have feel free to make them
magictwinkle-Thanks for reading it before and giving it a second chance
For everyone else: Review and you too might get a spot here at the end of the next chapter!
When the cold of Winter comes Starless night will cover day In the veiling of the sun We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams I still hear your name And in dreams We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall And we come, to end of days In the dark I hear a call Calling me there I will go there And back again
"In Dreams" by Fran Walsh and Howard Shore, Preformed by Edward Ross, LotR Soundtrack.
Hermione sat by the lake as her professor stalked silently away. Fairness had not been accounted for when the cursed law had been put forth to the wizarding world. If it had, then none of the mess Hermione Granger found herself in would matter a jot. The young woman of now technically seventeen years was frustrated with, angry at, and above all else terrified of the drastic turn her life had taken while she was powerless to stop it. While others mooned over their latest, greatest love which would no doubt change within a week this young woman was faced with the challenges of facing the world she had always known with a hissing serpent or crazed bat on her arm.
She tried to pretend that what her classmates and supposed friends would say upon learning that she was shackled to the most hated Hogwarts teacher of their time, and perhaps of all time would not faze her. 'So that's how she got those grades all these years.' 'She's the only one that was ugly enough and desperate enough to bed a bat!' Just thinking about the forthcoming cruelty was enough to bring fresh tears to the cinnamon eyes of Hermione Granger. What would her parents say when they got back? She dreaded telling them that the only teacher to ever put her down was the one she was to marry. It all seemed so silly.
Marriage was not something she was sure was even right for her. It got in the way of academics, and that was the most important thing at this juncture of her life. Marriage would mean considering someone else's feelings by turning off the lights when she was reading a fascinating article or picking up after her family. No, this was not something she desired. The Grangers were the closest people to Hermione's heart, but she saw the way her mother pick up after and cooked for her father. He seemed to expect that he would not have to do the dishes or laundry. It was not that he was a bad man or an inconsiderate man. He was just that, a man. He was raised with the belief that he would be taken care of when he married. He would provide the income and his wife would run the domestic end of the lifestyle. A least her mother had been a strong willed career woman, or her father would have gotten his wish completely. If that was what was expected of marriage, then the girl wanted nothing of it. It seemed only worse in the wizarding world. Women seemed to be little more than chattel in Purebred families.
Suddenly it seemed much cooler despite the warm sun on her face, and shivers wracked through her body. Lifting her tense frame off the grass she slowly made her way back to the castle and straight to her room in Gryffindor Tower not noticing the glances her professors gave her as she passed. The common room was deserted and void of life save for Crooks who bounded up to her with unbridled enthusiasm. At least he had missed his mistress. She flopped ungraciously into the largest red couch and Crooks leapt up into her lap and settled there in a comfortably position for the feline, but taking no account of the human's feelings.
"Oh Crooks," she whispered. "What's to become of us? We can't even run away." She sighed heavily and let the gentle thrum of her feline companion's purr lull her to sleep.
She hummed quietly to herself as she added the last ingredient to the potion and stirred it counterclockwise for three and a half rotations. Her bones were stiff from sitting too long in one position leaning over her cauldron.
Hermione stood to crack her back, a very bad habit she had picked up upon quitting biting her nails, but long arms snaked around her blocking her movements.
"Again?" The man asked. His voice was soothing and exasperated at the same time. "How many times can you do this before you just break your vertebrae all together?" He sighed. "Here let me." The rich voice offered and she felt a shiver of excitement rush through her like an electric shock.
She turned to face the man, but kept her eyes on his chest as he with great efficiency popped her back. "You really should just use the potion I made you; it would work just as well. Come on, dinner is ready. Tomorrow it's your turn." She could feel him grinning down at her. Severus really was the better of the two when it came to cooking, but he still liked it when she would make him anything from burnt toast to overdone leg of lamb. Nothing his darling made could possibly taste bad.
She laughed at his suggestion, and looked at the progress of her work. "I suppose it will still be here when we get back. As long as we don't take too long. The other night I almost lost an entire week's worth of work because you were distracting me!" She said with mock superiority.
The dark haired man crushed her to his chest. "As I recall, my dear, you had no objections to my attentions at the time." He was grinning devilishly at her now, and it was all she could do to keep from bursting with laughter. He was a fine man, and now that the war was over he no longer had to keep the pretense of teaching to keep close to Dumbledore. Now he worked by her side on potions research on magical maladies. She felt her heart skip a beat like as she looked into his rich dark eyes.
"Lead the way then, my love, or I will be forced to find a new nickname for you like pookie, or snuckkums. You'd make a lovely sweet pea!" She laughed at him as she left the lab knowing that he would be steps behind her.
Hermione woke up gasping for air. 'What kind of a dream was that? First Malfoy, and now the Great Greasy Git of the dungeons! What I wouldn't give for some dreamless sleep potion.' She thought. She was still on the velvet couch in the Common Room, only now the stars were out and the moon had set. Crookshanks was nowhere in sight so she trudged up the stairs to her room to find the cat on her bed sleeping soundly. "Traitor," she threw at him half-heartedly.
She changed for bed without making a sound in bright Gryffindor red and gold. She padded quietly to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her pale face. Upon emerging from the bathroom she set her clock for eight, and climbed into the covers without disturbing Crookshanks. Still the cat stirred and crawled up to the pillow by his mistress' head and curled up into a cute ball that one would expect of a kitten not an oversized orange fur ball with a squashed face. The girl in red smiled at her friend; no matter what anyone else said or thought of her she would always have her cat to love her.
Her alarm went off with a frightful buzzing at eight though she could have sworn it was only six the next morning. This was the last thing she wanted. Sleep was essential to any person, and Hermione needed it to cope with the stress of her situation she decided while still in bed with covers drawn over her brown hair hiding from the morning. She wasn't hiding from her situation and her life, no! She rolled her eyes at her own poor argument to stay in bed. If it had been Harry or Ron she would have been lecturing them by now on the merits of rising earlier than noon. And she must be ready by ten to meet Snape.
Throwing the covers aside with an air of resolution she swung her legs off the bed and hopped down onto the cold stone floor. Sprinting to the bathroom where there was in fact a rug to stand on instead of only cold stone and tile she quickly turned on the water so that the room would be nice and warm and steamy by the time she actually made it into the shower. She brushed and flossed and brushed her hair before she stripped and stepped into the cascade of falling water, then simply stood in the hot column of water for a full ten minutes before waking up properly. 'It's the only way to start a morning,' she rationalized. Down to business she washed off with jasmine scented body wash and shampoo her mother had given her when they had last met.
She stood in front of her trunk attempting to put together an outfit for the day. Normally she wouldn't have bothered in the summertime to care what she looked like as she was very unlikely to see anyone who would look at her twice between devouring books and watching movies with her muggle friends. Today was somewhat different than any other experience she had in her life. She would be shopping with a man, but not just any man: Snape! And not just shopping: wedding arrangements! A feeling of sheer undiluted panic began to spread throughout her body as she looked over her small, but up until this point adequate wardrobe.
'What does one wear when courting a bat? A shovel and a bag?' She laughed at her own pathetically idiotic joke. Hermione was nervous. Wizarding robes would be best, without a doubt, but she did not have anything that did not scream Hogwarts. Professor Snape was going to have a hard enough time without a blatant visual for the pedophile look his father seemed to have him going for these days. The only thing she had were her dress robes from the ball she had attended with Viktor, and those were far too small. She finally settled on her muggle Sunday clothes: a light blue linen skirt that fell just short of her knees, and a form fitting, white, v-neck top that her mother bought her because of her own weakness for anything silk. For shoes she went with her leather sandals that were comfortable but classy. She had thought of Grace Kelly when she had seen them on display. Admiring her ability to pull it all together in a pinch Hermione used a drying and defrizzing spell on her hair.
Rather than going to the Great Hall for breakfast she instead headed for the kitchens and tickled the pear to gain access to the House Elves' domain. Spotting the most garishly dressed of the bunch scurrying about with pots much to big for their bodies she called, "Dobby, is that you?"
The elf almost dropped the large pie he was carrying in excitement. He quickly placed it onto the nearest table and turned to the young woman. "Miz Minee, what can Dobby be doing for you?" He asked quickly with large eyes as hopeful as a cat's when treats are being handed out.
"I was wondering if I could have breakfast with you if you aren't too busy this morning." She answered haltingly. House Elves were unusual creatures and one never knew if offering something even to an open-minded one such as Dobby would appear rude.
"Miz is wanting to have breakfast with Dobby?" Large tears started to form in his eyes.
"Dobby don't cry. If you don't want to have breakfast with me I could just grab something and go." She offered.
Dobby let out a sob. "No one is wanting to have a meal with Dobby. Miz is too kind." He led her over to a small comfortable table in the middle of the mayhem, and piled loads of food onto the table. Then he sat quietly down opposite of the chestnut haired woman.
This was her cue to eat, and she ate the fruit and Lucky Charms he had brought her while the elf pretended to eat something to please his dear friend. Dobby chatted happily and excitedly away as she ate, and when she was done he cleared the remnants of the small feast away faster than she could offer assistance.
"Thank you Miz, for coming to see Dobby this morning. It is good to have you back home." He beamed and disappeared into the crazed mob of elves that were the kitchen staff.
Now there was nothing for her to do but wait for Snape. 'Oh joy,' she sighed sarcastically. 'This is going to be more fun than a root canal.' Still the woman in high heels walked sedately, if a little dispiritedly, down the corridors leading to her Common Room.
At precisely ten o'clock the portrait hole swung open to reveal Severus Snape, feared Potions Master, to the young woman's view as she stepped out to meet him. He was again dressed in black robes that seemed to grow from his body. 'Where else is he going to find all that black fabric?' The weave was finer than his teaching robes she could tell right away, but in essentials he was very much as he ever was. His hawk like nose looked nothing less than regal and his eyes were piercing ebony as she met him face to chest. He was a good deal taller than she remembered, but she attempted to be as far away from him as possible during her first six years at Hogwarts.
"Miss Granger," he bowed ever so slightly with his hair falling a bit into his face. She wanted to touch it to see if it was greasy, but up close it just looked fine and shiny.
She lowered her head slightly in acknowledgement of his person. "Professor," she replied knowing that it was both respectful to address him as his position and a bit derogatory as well considering their circumstances. Her bag was already digging into her shoulder and she had not had it on her person for more than five minutes. She had her wand concealed in her skirt's second layer so it was not visible as she moved. Still her mother taught her that it was not proper to go without one's purse in public, so she would suffer. 'What have I been keeping in this thing, bricks?'
They walked silently from the castle and over the grounds. Outside the gate he looked at his companion. "Am I correct in assuming that you have not gotten your license yet?" He asked in a superior tone that made the girl want to strike him.
Instead she nodded, and he moved closer. Putting an arm around her while not trying to touch her proved to be a bit annoying to the woman, so she leaned in and let her arms encircle his thin frame. This was extremely uncomfortable for the both participants, and both were happy to let the other loose when they arrived at Diagon Alley.
Today reminded her of her first day in the world she had come to know since receiving her acceptance letter from Hogwarts all those years ago. The sky was a vibrant blue hue, the sun warmed her face from above, and the people in strange wizarding robes milled about like muggles in any mall or market. The only strange thing about Diagon Alley, other than the magic materials, was that it looked like a Charles Dickens book gone horribly wrong. Still, it was nice to be around so many people her again. A witch dressed in magenta robes ran smack into the young woman dressed in her Sunday finest, but shrank away from Snape like he was the plague while mumbling an apology.
The crowd parted like the sea for Snape as he walked with long strides confidently towards what his fiancé assumed was their destination. 'Lady Sara's' the sign displayed tastefully thought Hermione had not a clue as to what the prim little shoppe contained.
Once inside the small shop it was clear what and who Lady Sara was. She swooped down upon Snape and his intended with a flourish of rubies and diamonds. She was a thin little thing with white hair and moon pool eyes strangely resembling someone she should know.
"Ah, Severus. Your dear father told me you would be in soon with your beautiful bride-to-be." Then she turned her tiny face up to Hermione. "My, isn't she a beauty. You are a lucky man, my boy. So out of the ordinary too. Let's see what we can do for you." She hurried over to her counters filled with priceless jewels and metals while Hermione thought, 'What? I'm no beauty. She's a good liar; I'll grant her that.'
Severus moved towards the glass display cases when the woman beckoned placing a hand on the small of the brunette's back to nudge her forward. Hermione glanced at him with widened eyes, but his face was on whatever bauble the Lady was currently babbling about with amazing feigned interest. Hermione decided it might be best to pay attention to the woman just in case.
This continued for over fifteen minutes when finally Snape broke Lady Sara away from her rapt descriptions of her pieces. "My dear Sara, do you think my bride is worth so little to me? Come now; Father, I'm sure, told you what we would want to see. I'd even venture to say that he made some suggestions?" Oh Snape was smooth, too smooth. Hermione felt her mouth falling open, but he quickly led her after the small witch into a room in the back that was blue velvet from wall to wall and floor to ceiling.
"Yes, I thought you would. But thank you for letting me ramble about my wares for a while. I do love an educated buyer." With a flick of her wrist and some mumbled words the young woman did not catch a vault larger than the Queen of England's opened up. Light reflected from every angle, and it was all the young woman could do not to shield her eyes. Everywhere were diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls; each piece more perfect than the last. Now she was looking at a reluctant Miss Granger with an air of expectation. "Well, my pet. What do you see?"
Hermione looked around the room and at Snape practically begging for help in this situation where she knew very little for once about the subject at hand. "Um, pearls?" She ventured not really knowing what to say, but by the lady's reaction she knew she had unleashed the woman's favorite topic. In what seemed like a whirlwind Hermione had pieces selected for her by Lady Sara with Snape's approval.
The tiny woman looked completely satisfied and smug. "Now, your father said to deliver this to you after you were through, but there is not sense in going through the motions of picking out rings when you may not want them after all."
She handed Hermione a tiny golden box which revealed three rings: an engagement, and two wedding bands. The white gold was stunning and the diamond was unlike any she had ever seen. It almost looked as if there were fire dancing inside the stone. Snape glanced over her shoulder at the contents of the overly intricately decorated box and said simply if not gruffly, "These will do. Bill everything to the Estate. Thank you as always for your help, Milady." And they were out of the dark shop full of small treasures.
The sunlight was impossibly bright to Hermione's eyes as they adjusted back to seeing in the light. Snape looked at his pocket watch, 'Strange that Snape should have a pocket watch', and picked up his pace.
Her heels were preventing her from matching him in stride. "Sir," she called uncertainly. "Severus, I can't walk that fast. Slow down please."
"It's eleven o'clock, and we're late." He said matter-of-factly.
"Late for what?" She asked a bit out of breath.
"The fittings at Madame Malkin's" He gestured towards the sign. He ushered her into the intended shop, and Madame Malkin, like a vulture, swooped down on them. "Punctual as always Professor." She winked at Hermione. "We are just about ready for you."
"I thought you said we were late?" She whispered to him when the woman was out of earshot.
"You were moving too slowly. You needed the encouragement." And at that moment Hermione Granger contemplated using an Unforgivable.
Now the Madame had reinforcements as she shooed them into the back rooms. A tape measure was taken to every centimeter of the bride-to-be's body as she tried to swat at the tape measures with minds of their own. Without warning it all stopped. "Well that's it then, my loves. Just think about what you would like yourselves to look like, a general idea mind you, and both of you too. Place it in the pensieve there and I'll have them shipped to the Manor. Once there we can see if there need to be any adjustments."
"That was easy enough," She offered after exiting the shop.
"There's more."
"You're joking right?"
"Unfortunately, not. We need to visit the Bookshoppe to order the proper parchments for the invitations, announcements, etc..." He trailed off. "Then we'll need to eat." The paper ordering turned out to be the easiest of the lot. All she had to do was point at a color she liked and have Snape nod in agreement.
She smiled up at him for a reason only her stomach could understand. "Now we eat!" Lunch was ice cream, not the healthiest of foods, but one of the more satisfying. The sight of Snape eating mint ice cream out of a small bowl with an undersized spoon would have been enough to send Harry and Ron into a coma after they collapsed from laughing. Still it was almost pleasant, and she did not have to talk because she was eating and everyone knew it was impolite to talk with your mouth full.
A shadow passed over the table, but lingered until the couple raised their eyes to see none other than the Minister of Magic himself. The rotund man apparently enjoyed the lovely view for his poster children of the new Atrocity, as Hermione had dubbed it. "Good afternoon, Severus," he looked at his most recent victim. "And to you Miss," he struggled to remember her name that much was written on his face.
"Granger," Snape finished for him. "And now, sir, if you will excuse us. We have to get back to planning." If looks could kill the Minister would have been flame broiled, struck by lightening, drowned in a bathtub with only an inch of water, and drawn and quartered by the expression the younger man's face. But soon it was replaced by an indifferent mask she was so used to seeing in the classroom. He stood and bowed politely to the portly man and turned to reenter the parlor. Hermione hurried after him.
"Of all the insufferable!" She started to vent, but stopped as soon as she saw that most of the clients of the parlor were staring at her with slack jaws. It mattered little and Snape was already out in the street clearly waiting for his charge, fiancé.
"I believe this has been enough for one day," he drawled. "Perhaps we should take Father up on the wedding planner he has been trying to throw at us." He didn't give her time to suggest anything, but grabbed her arm in an almost gentle fashion and they were gone.
They were in front of the castles iron gates when the young woman next opened her eyes. "Home, Sweet Home," she said almost to herself.
"Not for long if Father gets his way." Snape threw at her.
Feet stopped moving at this pronouncement. A hand strayed to her stomach where it always was placed when Hermione was agitated or upset. She crossed her arms about herself in hopes of warding off the inevitable. Snape could be mad, but so could she. The only problem was she was more terrified than enraged about everything. "But you won't let him?" The question was out before she knew she thought it.
"I have no intention of moving back up to that empty old ruin where the old man can ogle at my wife which he insisted I marry!" It was an exasperated sentence, but both caught the word which they both feared 'wife'.
She followed his billowing black robes up the steps of the castle and walked ahead of him as he held the door for her, but did not look back in her journey to Gryffindor Tower. His words replayed over and over in her head so much that she started when faced with the portrait of the fat lady.
"Password?" The woman in pink smiled down at the confused woman that was little more than a child.
"Derbyshire," and the portrait swung open and Miss Granger was safe from Professor Snape.
DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious- I plan on it!
Felnezia-Snape- Any suggestions you have feel free to make them
magictwinkle-Thanks for reading it before and giving it a second chance
For everyone else: Review and you too might get a spot here at the end of the next chapter!