"What gets me about them is that they're so noncommittal. I mean they're these tiny little things so you're like, one won't hurt. But you can never stop at just one and before you know it-"

"It's your turn dear."

She leaned down in her armchair to study the board, not bothering to push away the hair that consequently fell in her face. He had hoped her distraction would have led her to miss his move, but alas, she noted his knight and quickly moved her queen out of danger, while taking his bishop.

"I mean they're tiny. TINY. There's no way you'd think you could become addicted to them."

"Hermione, are you still talking about those cookies?" It was very difficult for him to contemplate his next move with her chattering. He was a very competitive man when it came to chess; he considered it the most intellectual of games (far superior to her favorite, Chinese checkers) and consequentially hated losing it. Hermione, however, had a natural knack for chess and often matched his skill without trying. It drove him mad.

"They're not just any cookies, Severus. They're fudge stripes. Mini-fudge stripes.. the most delectable and addictive of all cookies. Mildred and Aristotle Gunderson."

Severus paused mid-move.

"Aristotle Gunderson? As in the Junior Minister of Internal Affairs?"

"No, sweetie, it's the other Aristotle Gunderson."

He rolled his eyes, again, as he placed down the pawn. "Why are we inviting the Gunderson's? We don't know the Gunderson's."

"I do. I work with him."

"But how well do you actually know him? I mean have you ever spoken to him? Does he even know that you exist Hermione?"

"Of course! We have spoken on multiple occasions and I even attended a luncheon at their home once."

"Oh, you attended one luncheon so they're coming to our wedding?"

"Yes. Check."

He swore under his breath, he hadn't anticipated her move at all. It took him a good couple of minutes to finally move his king out of any danger.

"Eugene and Miranda Bissey."

"Who is he, the deputy to the minister of international gnome breeding?"

"No, she's your second cousin on your mother's side."

He grabbed the card from her and studied in embarrassed shock as she popped another cookie into her mouth.

"Oh."

Despite his anxiety concerning the wedding party, it had not yet met. Lockhart had given them the simple assignments to pick a location for the ceremony and reception and set the guest list. Hermione and Helen had the first part covered, assuring him a lovely church in Suffolk and a ritzy hotel in London that would do the job. All that was left was to set the guest list. A task that seemed to be getting more difficult by the moment.

"You know, Narcissa said something that was very interesting the other day."

"I am overjoyed to hear that that woman is capable of normal conversation."

She had developed a nasty practice of referring to the various Malfoys as"that woman/ that pompous brat/ that arrogant bastard/ that murdering-jailbait-fiend-who-is-better-off-in-hell-than-normal-society-much-less-high-society-and-especially-my-wedding."It was a tad annoying. He chose to ignore it.

"See, according to her, she often sees us in the society pages."

"Does she look for herself in the society pages?"

He gave a disbelieving snort, even though Hermione was right. Narcissa kept a scrapbook of all her pictures in the media, along with reactions to her attire. It was her way of making sure she was still a hot item.

"Anyway, this comment of hers, plus the caliber of some of our guests, has got me to wondering if you're planning a society wedding."

It was a completely new look that she gave him that time. It was a mix of exasperation, incredulousness, and endearment. If they ever had children, those poor souls would probably become quite familiar with it.

"Sweetheart, why don't you just let me handle the guest list?"

He gaped at her in disbelief. "You areplanning a society weeding! You want to turn our joyous union into a public circus!"

"Severus, did you just say joyous union?"

"Don't you try to change the subject! I do not want this to be some high end event with paparazzi and celebrities, do you hear me?"

"Then why in heaven's name did you invite the Malfoys?"

She was unbelievable. Brilliant, but unbelievable.

She continued.

"Look, we have made some connections through our careers. If we don't invite these people it will be damaging. I'm only doing this for our happiness."

"My happiness does not include Aristotle Gunderson."

"Oh, and one other thing dear."

"What?"

"Checkmate."

"I just think it's a little early dear. I mean you've only been dating for six months and by August you will have only been engaged for four months!"

"Mother, what good can come from a long engagement?"

"Well, dear, after a long engagement you can be sure that you're right from one another."

"How long were you and dad engaged?"

"That's besides the point."

In the past month Severus had gotten to become quite comfortable in the house. It was actually quite a welcoming house, even with Helen.

He had, however, discovered one important thing about the Grangers.

They liked to talk. A lot. Usually about him. Especially Helen. Especially when he wasn't there.

"Hermione, I'm here," he announced. The proclamation was really more for Helen, so she'd know it was time to stop talking about him.

Hermione stuck her head out of the kitchen.

"You smell like Malfoy."

That was absolute nonsense. The Malfoys had no distinctive scent (Narcissa changed hers much too often) and even if they did, there was no possible way she could have smelled it from her position. He had just made the mistake of letting her know he was planning on visiting Lucius that morning and this was her way of rebelling. He was about to retaliate when he felt his face get wet.

He turned to find Bill spraying him with a white bottle of something mysterious.

"Dad! What are you doing?"

"He's Febreeze-ing him!" Ethan proclaimed with a grin.

"What?!"

"Well you said he smelled like malfoy, honey. Now, I don't know what malfoy is, but it sounds distasteful." He gave the bottle a shake with a knowing smile. "This stuff will do the trick Mione."

Hermione looked mortifiedSeverus was just confused beyond belief.

"Bill, Hermione was exaggerating. Malfoy is not a scent, it's a person," Helen spoke up.

"People have scents, Helen."

"But Hermione was not showing her displeasure with Severus' scent as much as she was with those he chooses to keep as his company.

Bill shook his head and muttered something about no appreciation as Severus escaped to Hermione.

"What was that?" he whispered, not wanting to offend Bill.

"Febreeze. Some spray that's supposed to remove smells and freshen the air or something like that. Dad's obsessed with it." She muttered.

"I'll have to give you some Severus! It works miracles, I swear by it," Bill promised him.

"Sure Bill, that sounds great. Thanks a lot." He doubted he'd ever use the stuff, but he didn't need both of her parents hating him.

Bill grinned and headed of toward the back of the house as Helen clucked her tongue in annoyance.

"I am so sorry...he has this thing" Hermione apologized. "It's a fetish of sorts. Kind of like you feta cheese."

That was a highly unfair comparison.

He had more of an inclination than a fetish.

The thought seemed to pull Hermione out of her stupor as she finally pulled her head up and smiled.

"Gilderoy called."

"Since when are you two on a first name basis?"

"He booked the chapel and hotel, so we're all set for the date. Since we're done with the guest list we now have to pick out invitations so they can get sent off as quickly as possible. Oh, and we need to get together with the party to pick out flowers and food."

He didn't know they were done with the guest list.

"Why do we need to pick flowers and food with the party?"

She rolled her eyes as if it were the most obtuse question she had ever heard. "Allergies!"

She must have asked Lockhart herself.

"Now Gilderoy is off at a wedding in Barbados, so we can't meet at his office. I'd volunteer this house, but Mom's having the carpets steamed. My apartment is obviously too small, so the only logical place left is your place."

"You want to have twelve people at my house sampling food and sniffing flowers? How is that logical?"

"Well, there's nowhere else to go."

"And how are we going to pick flowers and food without knowing what the decorations or the bridesmaid dresses look like?"

She looked surprised and a bit impressed. Well, she wasn't the only one reading those wedding articles.

"Oh, it's fine dear. Gilderoy and I already have a whole plan for the wedding. He wanted to get everything figured out before we selected details."

"What?"

This was beginning to become an all too familiar pattern.

She just smiled.

"How did you make a plan without me? Why do I know nothing about this plan?"

"Well you heard the basics at our first meeting with Gilderoy. Since then we've worked out more ideas, so I basically know what everything's going to be like."

"And what about me? Do I get to know nothing?"

"More or less," Helen added sweetly, joining the conversation. "Oh, and by the way, its thirteen people, I'll be there, too."

This idea was sounding worse by the moment.

But what was he to do? He had no say in anything anymore. He had lost that all that day in November when Hermione had "accidentally" dropped her change in his lap. She had probably done it on purpose, just so she could hijack his life and force him into a tuxedo. And now she was steering him out the door, off to plan this little get together. Off to control his life even more.

"Severus wait!"

Bill hurried to him, arm outstretched. In his hand was a white bottle with a spray cap.

"Fresh bottle just for you!"

"You live in a cottage?! A cottage? In Hogsmeade? You live in a cottage in Hogsmeade?"

Oh, the acute and ever active mind of Ronald Weasley.

"Well I could always move if that is so hard a concept for you to grasp."

The boy just stared at him, mouth gaping open, completely dumbfounded. Students like him were the ones you couldn't wait to graduate. Then you never had to see them again and they could live their miserable lives far way from you. Unless you started dating their best friend. That complicated things.

"I especially like the flower garden, Snape. It gives an extra homey touch."

Potter was always a bit quicker than his redheaded friend. Always a bit more uncouth about his and Hermione's relationship as well.

It didn't matter to him though. He hated them both equally.

"Harry, Ron, come in!"

They both heeded Hermione, trying to enter while avoiding him as much as possible. Everyone else had already arrived, except Lucius and Seghen. He had a sneaking feeling that Malfoy wouldn't be making an appearance today. He had a deep hope that his nephew would do the same.

This hope was, of course, shattered as he arrived moments later with his mother in tow.

Ledell and Seghen.Parvati and Lavender. Potter and Weasley. This afternoon couldn't get much better.

"Well, it looks like everyone's here," Hermione joyfully proclaimed after greeting the last two. She seemed to have also come to the Severus' conclusion that Lucius wasn't coming, and seemed to not mind a bit.

"I'd like to thank you all so much for coming and also Severus for opening up his house to us."

This was met with murmurs of agreement and some snickers. Honestly, why was it so hard to accept that he lived in a cottage? It was just him and his cat, plus the whole gothic castle thing was so passé. Real men have gardens.

"Now the point of today's meeting is to make sure that everyone is in accord with the food and flower choices. I basically know what will be at the wedding, but we just wanted to make-"

But what they wanted to make, Severus never discovered (since no one told him anything) because Hermione was cut off by a knocking at the door.

She froze as everyone hushed. Her face wore a look of pure terror. She knew who was on the other side of that door and she did not want him there.

Seeing that she was making no sudden movements, Severus resigned himself to answering the door. As he approached the door however, he noted something was amiss. Through the door he could hear muted chattering. Lucius didn't chatter. He didn't do anything that even came close to chatter. So he wasn't that surprised when he opened the door, not to Lucius Malfoy, but to his ostentatious wife, fully engrossed in a cell phone conversation with Annie Prewitt behind her.

He had no idea Narcissa owned a cell phone.

He hadn't even known what the contraptions were until last December, and she owned one!

There was no way Lucius knew about that.

He wasn't surprised Annie was there though. Narcissa thought the sun rose and set on Annie Prewitt. Annie had been Lucius' personal assistant for years, but Narcissa had commandeered her shortly after they started courting. Wherever Narcissa was, Annie wasn't far behind, making sure that a woman who didn't cook, clean, work, or even do her own shopping had a smooth day.

While he wasn't too surprised (besides the cell phone) every other face in the room, especially Hermione's, was registering complete shock. Well except for Hermione's family. Helen, Ethan, and Gwen, had no idea who Narcissa Malfoy was, so there was no reason for her not to be there. But judging from the look on the Gryffindor's faces Hermione had failed to mention that any Malfoy would be there. Patil and Brown didn't seem too distraught though. God could have walked through the door and they wouldn't have been in nearly as much awe as they were now.

Narcissa, oblivious to everyone's reactions, flipped her phone shut and turned on her smile.

"I am so, so sorry but Lucius couldn't make it today. He really wanted to, but he had some pressing matters to attend to."

"That's...fine" Hermione managed. Weasley still sat in gaping shock,while the mention of Lucius caused Potter to glare suspiciously.

"Great, then I'll just be sitting in today. It's probably for the better; I'm much more talented at picking out food than he is. He is allergic to lobster however, so that's right out. This is Annie."

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE?"

That was Weasley, causing more than one start in the silent room.

Narcissa frowned slightly. This seemed to encourage the redheaded dolt.

"Only muggles have cell phones. WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO MUGGLES?"

Her frown deepened. Not good for her skin.

"It's so I can talk to my doctor."

"A DOCTOR! You have a MUGGLE DOCTOR? What for?!"

Her frown turned to a simper.

"Birth control."

Needless to say, this shut Weasley up. The idiot almost fell out of his seat. Brown, however, was enthralled.

"You use muggle birth control?" Her voice was breathless. Severus never realized how much Gryffindor girls idolized this woman.

She flashed another smile. "It's just as effective as magical birth control, plus it's good for your skin."

Weasley looked sick.

"Really?" Helen asked, speaking for the first time. "Hermione, what kind of birth control do you use?"

Now Potter looked sick too. This conversation was obviously going in a completely different direction than Hermione wanted. Time for him to score some brownie points and intervene.

"Fascinating as this, um, topic is, I'm dying to hear all about the appetizers Hermione has planned."

And they wondered why she agreed to marry him. Hermione looked like the most grateful girl on the planet. Even Potter looked slightly impressed.

Somewhere amidst it all she managed to regain her composure.

"Right. Well, yes, here's the food list, and we have some samples. We just want to make sure everything is to everyone's liking." Hermione was usually good in front of people, but she was now surprisingly meek. Birth control can do that to you.

So samples and flowers were passed out and it didn't take Severus more than two minutes to decide this was the most tedious activity in the history of the Earth.

"I mean eating the food isn't that bad, but some of tastes really weird. Plus, what's with all these flowers? I can't smell a difference!"

With a jolt Severus realized his thoughts had been voiced, but not by him. Weasley was speaking to an equally bored Potter in hushed whispers.

He knew what he was about to do was dangerous. He might be ridiculed, rejected, or ratted out to Hermione. He believed, however, that in time of trial and tribulation that the men code of honor kicked in, and once-enemies could untie for the cause of survival.

"You should have been at Lockhart's office."

He said it nonchalantly, so that they couldn't attack. But once the shock of him speaking (and not threatening them) wore off, they quickly nodded in sympathetic agreement.

"When Ginny and I got married, we spent three days looking at candles. Three days! I just wanted to pick some, but no. They had to match her vision."

Ethan, who had been listening intently, jumped in.

"Our whole house is wedding central. And if one thing doesn't match the plan, it's right out. No matter what, no consideration if it's not a part of the vision."

Severus threw down a bouquet of tulips in animation.

"Yes! What's with this vision nonsense? It's a wedding, not a state dinner, not a peace meeting, not a battle. All you need is a bride, a groom, and a ring. Nowhere in there do you need vision. When you bring vision into it, we get stuck sniffing flowers."

There was a moment of silent, peaceful concord as the four contemplated their fate.

"Well, one of us got out of it." Ron glared in Narcissa's direction. The blond had no idea however, as she was enthralled in her conversation with Helen.

Potter glanced in Severus' direction before causally remarking, "I wasn't aware Lucius Malfoy was in the wedding party."

Gryffindors. They had no sense of the moment.

"Yes." He wasn't playing their games.

"Funny. Is he the best man?"

"Why?"

"Well, I don't know if you know this but the best man is the one who escorts Ginny in the ceremony and Lucius Malfoy can-"

"Aa-choo!"

Potter was cut off as Patil attempted to blow down the cottage with her nose. Thankfully, she was unsuccessful.

"Are you okay, Parvati?" Hermione asked as the girl let off another mammoth sneeze. She glanced at the roses in Patil's lap.

"I guess roses are out." Hermione loved roses.

"But I'm not...aa-choo! I'm not allergic to roses. Just cats."

Hermione's back straightened.

"Severus, I thought you put Delilah out."

"I did."

Technically that was true. He had put her out. But then she had turned around and gave him a look of such pure indignation that he let her back in. After all, it was her house too. She had the right to stay in, and he wasn't taking that away because Patil had an allergy.

Hermione was bustling about the room, apologizing to Patil and searching for Delilah.

"Uh, Hermione..."

"Not now Ron, I have to find the cat."

"I know. I just wanted to know if that is it."

Sure enough the Abyssinian was perched on the wine cabinet. This was not unusual, Delilah had very refined taste.

"Don't worry Pavarti, I'll get it."

"Wait Ron!" But Hermione's cries were to no avail. As the hapless redhead reached forward Delilah laid back her ears and let out a low hiss. Before Weasley had time to react she lashed out, leaving a nice sized gash up his arm.

Delilah also had very fine taste in people.

Sure enough, Narcissa got her down as Hermione and the Gryffindor brigade hovered over Weasley.

"I am so sorry Ron, she's a little moody."

Moody! Delilah was not moody, she had personality. Hermione's rug of a cat was the one who was moody.

"That cat is evil."

"Oh really, she's a sweetie. You've just got to understand her." Narcissa interjected, still holding Delilah. The cat looked quite docile.

Weasley just stared at Narcissa as if he had never seen anything like her before. "That's the story of your life, isn't it?"

"Aa-choo!"

Patil's pressing allergy condition caused the powers that be (Hermione) to decide Delilah had to be locked in the bedroom. Neither Severus nor Delilah were very happy about this, but the forces of evil (Patil and Weasley) prevailed.

"Ok, now that that's over, if we could just get back to the flowers."

"I don't understand it."

Ah, his lovely sister. She had such an impeccable sense of timing.

Hermione really looked like she wanted this to go on without another hitch as she almost painfully replied. "You don't understand what, Ledell."

"The flowers. Why are we looking at them, what do flowers have to do with weddings."

Hermione just stared, completely flabbergasted. Luckily, Ginny came to her rescue.

"In muggle weddings they use flowers in place of candles."

Coincidentally, muggle wedding have a lot less fiery deaths. Few people knew the muggle tradition of throwing the bride's bouquet came from an old wizarding tradition. It was a short lived one.

"You're going to carry flowers?" Ledell looked disgusted.

"Yes, that's what we're doing."

"I can't believe it. Next you're going to tell me there won't be a hand fastening ceremony."

"A what?"

Ledell gaped at Ethan's reply before turning back to Hermione, aghast.

"And the Aeternus charm?"

"Dumbledore's not performing it at the ceremony, but he will afterwards." Hermione seemed eager to appease Ledell. Well that was a lost cause.

"Well I don't know if Seghen can be in a wedding like this. What will people think?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it Ledell, people don't think about you too often."

This is why he liked Narcissa.

Ledell ignored her, continuing on with her rant.

"Those are treasured wizard traditions! This whole event is so...muggle."

Ok, he had really had enough of this. "Yes, Ledell it is. Because her family's muggle, and she was born muggle, and all her life dreamed of being married like a muggle. So that's what we're doing and it's our wedding, not yours. So I'd appreciate it if you're shut up, sit down, and smell some flowers."

Ledell smirked. Not a good sign.

"Honestly Severus, you're overreacting. I'm not the one who was a death eater."

It's amazing what a phrase like 'death eater' can do to a room.

Heads snapped, girls gasped, and Narcissa's face twisted in contempt. Death eater comments never went over too well with her.

Hermione froze. In their whole six months of relationship they had never once mentioned death eaters. He had seen no need to. It was in the past, she knew about it, and it wasn't a pleasant conversation point. But now the words caused her to become paralyzed. A feeling of dread grew in his stomach. Did it really bother her that much?

A new voice spoke up.

"Misguided as he was, at least he stood up for what he believed in; instead of agreeing and letting other people do the dirty work while planning to bask in the pureblood reign of glory afterwards!"

He simply stared at Helen. She looked furious. He had seen her annoyed, but never angry. But her face was flushed red, her eyes blazing, and lips tight. Even Ledell was taken back by her reaction.

"Besides, he saw the error of his ways. He joined the Order didn't he? It's quite possible the war would have been impossible to win without him. You were completely out of line."

He would never understand this woman. Judging from their reactions neither would Ethan and Hermione.

Ledell took a few minutes to reply.

"I think it's time for us to leave."

"Yes, that would probably be best." Helen agreed, none to cordially.

She stalked out resentfully with Seghen behind her, grunting in accordance. The door slamming shut was the only sound to break the perpetual silence that hung around the room. He could distantly hear Delilah hissing in his room.

"The nerve of that woman," Helen steamed.

Severus studied her, seeing her in a new light. She wasn't a bad guy. She was a mother. A mother simply looking out for her daughter's happiness. She may not have picked him out herself, but when someone threatened her daughter's joy, she was the first to his defense.

She caught his glance for a moment and gave him a small smile before setting herself back to the flowers. She still wasn't particularly fond of him, he could tell that. But she was willingly to accept him for Hermione's sake.

"Check."

She made a feeble move with her king, but he had her this time. He was sure of it.

She looked exhausted. The day had been more straining than she had planned.

Maybe she wouldn't plan any more parties.

"Maybe we should have smaller parties from now on."

Close enough.

"Checkmate."

She brushed her hair out of her face to examine the board before admitting defeat. Leaning back in her chair she sighed contently as Delilah laid in her lap.

Delilah had always had very fine taste in people.

"I love you."

She looked up, surprised and amused.

"What brought that on?"

He shrugged, studying her face. She smiled and then dropped her eyes, not sure of what to make of the scrutiny.

"I think I forgot it somewhere between Lockhart and Ledell. But it doesn't matter, none of this matters. From now on, it's whatever you want. I won't complain."

"Really?"

He didn't reply, but instead took her hand and studied her ring. It had cost a small fortune, but he didn't regret it. He looked back up to find her smiling, her face close.

"Ok, I'm off you two."

Talk about a way to ruin a moment.

"Bye Mom." Hermione sounded equally exasperated as her mother walked through the room. She had volunteered to clean up to let Hermione wind down.

"By the way dear, I don't know why you had any reservations about the Malfoys. Narcissa was simply a joy."

"Really Mother." She didn't sound convinced.

"Oh yes, we had such a good time. In fact, I invited them over for dinner."

"What."

"Yes, and she graciously accepted. The whole family's coming over sometime before the wedding."

After watching Hermione, Severus decided he didn't want to be anywhere near Lucius when Narcissa broke the news.

A/N: See I didn't take nearly as long with this one.

For everyone who didn't know, my friend started a livejournal community about my fics. It's not very exciting, I post the most, but it's a way to stay in touch and know I haven't fallen off the face of the planet between updates. Also, it totally excited me and made me want to update, so props to the whole three members. If anyone's interested in joining the link's ?user=melonsfics.

The new quikedit thing on is the coolest thing ever. It's the first good thing they've done in a long time.

Thanks for your patience again. I love you guys!

Review!