The Wedding Planner
Chapter Four
"Helloooo," the woman exclaimed in a sing song voice. The trio winced into at the woman who was fairly skipping up the stairs to the front entrance of the castle. "I am Gwendolyn Lockhart, Wedding Planner Extraordinaire!"
When applause and/or gushing wasn't forthcoming, she cleared her throat and continued with a hug to Hermione and Draco, "You must be the happy couple!"
Hermione and Severus exchanged amused looks and then joined hands
"I'm Hermione Granger, the bride and this is Severus Snape, the groom." Hermione gushed.
The golden haired witch barely covered a flinch and looked at Hermione with a mixture of pity and amusement. "Ah. I see."
"This is," Hermione continued indicating Draco. "Is Draco Malfoy. Our best man."
Draco was regarding the witch out of the corner of his eyes. Leave it to Hermione to pick the most annoying person she could find. She did look a lot like her brother, their former DADA teacher Gilderoy Lockhart. She had the same golden hair and was dressed as if she were expected to receive an invitation to tea with the Minister of Magic at any moment. Definitely a dandy, if such a term could be applied to a woman.
Hermione smiled on of her trademark, "I think you are an idiot." Smiles at the woman and said, "Severus and I are so happy that you are able to assist us with our wedding. We are both so busy these days."
"I, erm, can imagine," the witch simpered. "Lord Snape is such a disguinguished Professor and you must be busy yourself, Miss Granger."
"Yes. Professor Snape has his classes and I am studying for my NEWTS."
The witch nearly choked. "Y-your NEWTS? You're a student?"
"Yes, I am."
"And the Ministry is allowing this wedding? Aren't you underage?"
"No," she answered, her tone short. "However, my age is irrelevant. As I was saying, Severus and I are terribly busy and as a consequence, Professor Dumbledore has agreed to act as a liaison between us. You will be working with him as far as the wedding goes. He is paying for all of it and wished to spare no expense-"
"Yes, Miss Lockhart, "Snape interrupted. "Miss Granger is an orphan and she is also the brightest pupil to study here in a long time. As such she is a favorite of the Headmaster."
"I see," gushed Miss Lockhart. "Well then, lead me to Dumbledore and we shall get underway!"
As they entered the school, Miss Lockhart asked. "Have you set a date yet? What sort of wedding did you have in mind?"
Severus stopped and turned to the woman. In his most serious class room tone he answered, "Easter Break, any day with in that time frame will do. As to the ceremony and reception afterwards-spare no expense Miss Lockhart. None at all."
Later that evening, the three of them sat in Severus Snape's private chambers celebrating the events of the morning with a fine merlot in front of a blazing fire.
"Miss Granger," Severus said. "Fifty points to Gryffindor for your formidable mind. Never before have I seen Albus so stunned."
Hermione grinned proudly and sipped her wine.
"Don't gloat, Miss Granger. It's unbecoming and rest assured that I shan't ever assign that many points to your house again."
"I wouldn't expect you to, Professor," she replied.
That night in The Hogs Head, when she announced that she had a plan, Severus had felt a tremor of fear run up his spine. Not only did he realize that he actually had to marry the chit, but he would be stuck with her for the rest of his life. He got angrier at Albus. He wanted revenge, he wanted blood. He said as much to Hermione, who looked at him in alarm, eyes darting to Malfoy who was slouching in an amusing way over his glass.
"Don't worry," he had told her. "Draco isn't inclined to Death Eater activities. He works for me."
'Well this was news' her expression said. "Oh. Well that's okay then." She leaned over and nudged the young Slytherin. "Pay attention Ferret Face!"
"Sorry. Mbit pissed Iyam."
She rolled her eyes, which made her dizzy, so it was a moment before she could continue. When she did, she left the men stunned and, truth be told, admiring.
The next morning, after gulping down a Hangover Potion, kindly provided by Snape, the pair went to Albus office and gave their consent to his plan. With a few caveats thrown in, of course.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, looking at him with a sad expression. "Since my parents are dead I was wondering of you would stand in as my father?"
He looked humbled and then smiled indulgently at her. "Miss Granger. I would be most honored to act on behalf of your father."
"Oh thank you sir!" she exclaimed as she pretended to blink back tears of happiness. "I can't tell you how much this means to me! I've been so worried that I wouldn't be able to study for my NEWTS what with the planning and all, but now that you will be handling that I can rest easy."
"P-planning?" he stuttered, a stunned expression sweeping across his face.
"Oh yes sir," she nodded excitedly as Severus hid a smirk behind his hand. "You see I want a traditional Muggle wedding, with the traditional Hand fasting ceremony too of course."
"Of –course," Albus said haltingly. "But, Miss Granger I don't know anything about Muggle wedding traditions, I'm afraid."
Hermione waived a dismissive hand. "Oh, that's alright. I thought about that, you see."
All the old man could do was nod helplessly as Hermione explained further. "You see sir, I know that you too are incredibly busy so I thought that I could hire a wedding planner. There are such things in this world, I checked. That way, she or he could handle the details. You would only have to meet with the planner once a day, twice at most."
Albus motioned for the Tea Tray to give himself a moment to let her words sink in. "I meet with this planner?" he finally asked.
"Well of course sir. I mean I figured that since you're paying for the wedding you would want to have some say so."
She was smiling that smile again and Severus shivered. Albus remained oblivious as he had other thoughts to dwell on at present.
"I'm paying for the wedding?" he asked, now completely befuddled.
Hermione pasted a small frown of concern on her face. "Well, yes. It's tradition for the father of the bride to pay for the ceremony and the party following."
Silence fell on the room as Albus considered the situation he found himself in. Hermione politely declined an offer of tea and the Tea Tray ignored Severus.
"Miss Granger, given the circumstances of the marriage that must take place," Albus finally said. "Perhaps you would prefer a quiet ceremony?"
Hermione had already buried her head in her hands and was shaking it, "Sir! I am to be married to –him-for the rest of my life. I have always wanted, dreamed of a beautiful wedding! Please don't deny me this! It's the only wedding I am to have!"
"Yes Albus," Snape added. "and as Miss Granger is still a student, and this news is bound to go over rather badly with her fellow students, your endorsement of this arrangement would save me from having to play knight to her damsel in distress when my Slytherins come after her."
"Not to mention the Ravenclaws and my fellow Gryffindor's," Hermione added. "Also, Professor Snape is a teacher and I imagine that his pay isn't adequate to support me at University."
They each of them allowed her words to dangle in the air for a moment. Albus was the first to break eye contact with her.
Sensing victory, Hermione rose and walked around the Headmaster's desk. Standing next to him she winked at Severus as she bent down and kissed his soft cheek. 'Thank you Professor," she said softly. "I knew you would make things right!"
Chapter Four
"Helloooo," the woman exclaimed in a sing song voice. The trio winced into at the woman who was fairly skipping up the stairs to the front entrance of the castle. "I am Gwendolyn Lockhart, Wedding Planner Extraordinaire!"
When applause and/or gushing wasn't forthcoming, she cleared her throat and continued with a hug to Hermione and Draco, "You must be the happy couple!"
Hermione and Severus exchanged amused looks and then joined hands
"I'm Hermione Granger, the bride and this is Severus Snape, the groom." Hermione gushed.
The golden haired witch barely covered a flinch and looked at Hermione with a mixture of pity and amusement. "Ah. I see."
"This is," Hermione continued indicating Draco. "Is Draco Malfoy. Our best man."
Draco was regarding the witch out of the corner of his eyes. Leave it to Hermione to pick the most annoying person she could find. She did look a lot like her brother, their former DADA teacher Gilderoy Lockhart. She had the same golden hair and was dressed as if she were expected to receive an invitation to tea with the Minister of Magic at any moment. Definitely a dandy, if such a term could be applied to a woman.
Hermione smiled on of her trademark, "I think you are an idiot." Smiles at the woman and said, "Severus and I are so happy that you are able to assist us with our wedding. We are both so busy these days."
"I, erm, can imagine," the witch simpered. "Lord Snape is such a disguinguished Professor and you must be busy yourself, Miss Granger."
"Yes. Professor Snape has his classes and I am studying for my NEWTS."
The witch nearly choked. "Y-your NEWTS? You're a student?"
"Yes, I am."
"And the Ministry is allowing this wedding? Aren't you underage?"
"No," she answered, her tone short. "However, my age is irrelevant. As I was saying, Severus and I are terribly busy and as a consequence, Professor Dumbledore has agreed to act as a liaison between us. You will be working with him as far as the wedding goes. He is paying for all of it and wished to spare no expense-"
"Yes, Miss Lockhart, "Snape interrupted. "Miss Granger is an orphan and she is also the brightest pupil to study here in a long time. As such she is a favorite of the Headmaster."
"I see," gushed Miss Lockhart. "Well then, lead me to Dumbledore and we shall get underway!"
As they entered the school, Miss Lockhart asked. "Have you set a date yet? What sort of wedding did you have in mind?"
Severus stopped and turned to the woman. In his most serious class room tone he answered, "Easter Break, any day with in that time frame will do. As to the ceremony and reception afterwards-spare no expense Miss Lockhart. None at all."
Later that evening, the three of them sat in Severus Snape's private chambers celebrating the events of the morning with a fine merlot in front of a blazing fire.
"Miss Granger," Severus said. "Fifty points to Gryffindor for your formidable mind. Never before have I seen Albus so stunned."
Hermione grinned proudly and sipped her wine.
"Don't gloat, Miss Granger. It's unbecoming and rest assured that I shan't ever assign that many points to your house again."
"I wouldn't expect you to, Professor," she replied.
That night in The Hogs Head, when she announced that she had a plan, Severus had felt a tremor of fear run up his spine. Not only did he realize that he actually had to marry the chit, but he would be stuck with her for the rest of his life. He got angrier at Albus. He wanted revenge, he wanted blood. He said as much to Hermione, who looked at him in alarm, eyes darting to Malfoy who was slouching in an amusing way over his glass.
"Don't worry," he had told her. "Draco isn't inclined to Death Eater activities. He works for me."
'Well this was news' her expression said. "Oh. Well that's okay then." She leaned over and nudged the young Slytherin. "Pay attention Ferret Face!"
"Sorry. Mbit pissed Iyam."
She rolled her eyes, which made her dizzy, so it was a moment before she could continue. When she did, she left the men stunned and, truth be told, admiring.
The next morning, after gulping down a Hangover Potion, kindly provided by Snape, the pair went to Albus office and gave their consent to his plan. With a few caveats thrown in, of course.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, looking at him with a sad expression. "Since my parents are dead I was wondering of you would stand in as my father?"
He looked humbled and then smiled indulgently at her. "Miss Granger. I would be most honored to act on behalf of your father."
"Oh thank you sir!" she exclaimed as she pretended to blink back tears of happiness. "I can't tell you how much this means to me! I've been so worried that I wouldn't be able to study for my NEWTS what with the planning and all, but now that you will be handling that I can rest easy."
"P-planning?" he stuttered, a stunned expression sweeping across his face.
"Oh yes sir," she nodded excitedly as Severus hid a smirk behind his hand. "You see I want a traditional Muggle wedding, with the traditional Hand fasting ceremony too of course."
"Of –course," Albus said haltingly. "But, Miss Granger I don't know anything about Muggle wedding traditions, I'm afraid."
Hermione waived a dismissive hand. "Oh, that's alright. I thought about that, you see."
All the old man could do was nod helplessly as Hermione explained further. "You see sir, I know that you too are incredibly busy so I thought that I could hire a wedding planner. There are such things in this world, I checked. That way, she or he could handle the details. You would only have to meet with the planner once a day, twice at most."
Albus motioned for the Tea Tray to give himself a moment to let her words sink in. "I meet with this planner?" he finally asked.
"Well of course sir. I mean I figured that since you're paying for the wedding you would want to have some say so."
She was smiling that smile again and Severus shivered. Albus remained oblivious as he had other thoughts to dwell on at present.
"I'm paying for the wedding?" he asked, now completely befuddled.
Hermione pasted a small frown of concern on her face. "Well, yes. It's tradition for the father of the bride to pay for the ceremony and the party following."
Silence fell on the room as Albus considered the situation he found himself in. Hermione politely declined an offer of tea and the Tea Tray ignored Severus.
"Miss Granger, given the circumstances of the marriage that must take place," Albus finally said. "Perhaps you would prefer a quiet ceremony?"
Hermione had already buried her head in her hands and was shaking it, "Sir! I am to be married to –him-for the rest of my life. I have always wanted, dreamed of a beautiful wedding! Please don't deny me this! It's the only wedding I am to have!"
"Yes Albus," Snape added. "and as Miss Granger is still a student, and this news is bound to go over rather badly with her fellow students, your endorsement of this arrangement would save me from having to play knight to her damsel in distress when my Slytherins come after her."
"Not to mention the Ravenclaws and my fellow Gryffindor's," Hermione added. "Also, Professor Snape is a teacher and I imagine that his pay isn't adequate to support me at University."
They each of them allowed her words to dangle in the air for a moment. Albus was the first to break eye contact with her.
Sensing victory, Hermione rose and walked around the Headmaster's desk. Standing next to him she winked at Severus as she bent down and kissed his soft cheek. 'Thank you Professor," she said softly. "I knew you would make things right!"