A/N: Sorry this took so long. My computer wouldn't turn on for like three days.
Sorry that Little Elizabeth had to go so soon, but I couldn't keep her without revealing her to the rest of cast. I do have reason for keeping her a secret. Honestly could you picture Sev's reaction, in his current frame of mind, to the knowledge that he will have seven kids? My point: it would jeopardize ...uh ...current...situations.
Anyway to answer a question for a new reader: no where in the books does it say that Lily and James were head boy and girl. In fact it says that James didn't even make prefect which is a requirement of that position.
Thanks again to BadBugz for beta reading.
So here it is. The part we've all been waiting for...
Chapter 24: Something old, something new, something barrowed, something blue...
"This really isn't necessary, Ginny. I have a perfectly suitable white dress at home," Hermione inserted as she reluctantly followed her redheaded friend to the robe makers in Hogsmeade.
Ginny just rolled her eyes and said, "That is a muggle dress. And while it is very pretty, it is not good enough for a wizarding wedding. You need white dress robes; a once in a lifetime gown. Mrs. Stitching is amazing. Mum buys all her supplies there. She'll have the perfect thing."
Hermione grimaced at the fuss, but resigned herself to a day of cloth and pins. She tried to look happy as they entered a large shop with robes of all colors in the window. They turned as one when a welcoming voice to their right said, "Hello. What can I do for you ladies?"
The voice belonged to a middle aged witch of medium height and build. She was on the plump side, but you could tell that she had once worn the fitted robes with the best of them when she was younger. Her chestnut hair was styled in an elegant yet practical twist, with only a hint of grey. She had laughing blue eyes, a long nose, and smiling mouth. Though aged, her skin was smooth and unblemished. Hermione instantly liked her. She seemed like someone you could trust.
It was Ginny who said, "Hello, Mrs. Stitching. My name is Ginny Weasley, and this is Hermione Granger. We're actually here to get robes for a wedding."
The older witch clapped her hands in anticipation and said, "Ah, a wedding. Bridesmaids or just guests? Who's the lucky couple?"
The girls looked at each other, before Hermione said, "I'm getting married. Ginny is my maid of honor." Hermione smiled wanly in hopes of diverting anymore questions about the wedding party.
Mrs. Stitching smiled back and said, "Wonderful. Now are you looking for custom design or would you like to look at the catalogues.
"Catalogues would be fine. I'm not overly picky. We'll start with Ginny's dress," Hermione replied and followed the shopkeeper to a stand of leather bound books. The elder witch automatically reached for a volume half way on the middle shelf and laid it open on a nearby table.
The three of them sat and began to look through the large tome. They spent the next twenty minutes flipping through the designs rejecting this one and that as too gaudy, too old fashioned, too orange. Finally they found a set of dress robes that might work.
Ginny stood on a small dais in front of a mirror as the robe maker said the spell to create the dress. The next moment Ginny was no longer wearing her skirt and sweater, but a dazzling confection of deep blue silk. The silver rose embroidered bodice clung to her figure softly. The scoop neckline was low but not revealing, showing off creamy skin. The sleeves fit like a second skin and came to a point on the back of her wrist. The skirt was ankle length. The front came straight down from the waist to gently touch the floor. The back was gathered in a multitude of folds to form a small train that flowed behind her. Wrists, neck and hem were trimmed in silver.
The red head could only stare at her reflection, speechless. She had never worn such finery before. Not even to the Yule ball in third year. She hadn't thought she would look good in blue, what with her red hair, but it didn't clash as she had feared. It accentuated the blue of her eyes, as Hermione and Mrs. Stitching had told her earlier. It was perfect.
She looked at Hermione pleading her to say she approved. "What do you think Mione? It's your wedding."
Hermione smiled at her friend and said, "You look gorgeous. Harry won't be able to speak for a week when he sees you in that."
"But Hermione, how can you afford it? I certainly can't. I do so wish I could wear it," said Ginny with a worried frown.
"Professor Dumbledore insisted that he was paying for everything on the bride's side, since my parents can't afford the wizarding stuff. So, we can choose anything we want, in moderation," Hermione replied.
Mrs. Stitching step forward and said, "It is perfect for you dear. But it is time to choose something for the bride. Let's just get this packed up for you." She waved her wand and, Ginny was instantly back in her old clothes and the dress was neatly settled into a tissue lined box.
The robe maker returned the catalogue to its place and took down a heavy blue volume instead. The girls returned to the table and resumed their search. Ginny immediately pointed out an elaborate affair of satin and pearls, "This would look gorgeous on you, Mione."
Hermione shook her head, flipping the pages idly, and said, "I was thinking something simpler. I don't want to look like I'm trying to show off. Something like this one." She pointed to one on the page. Mrs. Stitching took the page and followed the girls to the dais.
Hermione closed her eyes and stood still as the she felt the spell settle over her. She opened her eyes, when she heard Ginny exclaim, "Oh! Hermione, it's perfect!" The two other witches were looking at her in slight awe, smiles on their faces. She turned and looked in the mirror. The reflection showed a woman wearing dress robes made of the finest cream colored silk. The bodice clung to her curves in all the right places. The sweetheart neckline revealed the slightest hint of cleavage. It had two sets of sleeves. The inner ones clung to her arms without the slightest wrinkle and came to rest in point on the back of her wrists. The second set were made of the whitest, filmiest chiffon and flowed from her shoulders to elbows in floating streamers. The skirt fell straight to the floor in the front and flared in the back to form a wide flowing train four feet behind her. Sapphire blue trim followed the hem, neck, waist and cuffs, finishing in fine lacing on the front of the bodice. It was perfect.
She turned to find Mrs. Stitching looking like she was about to cry and Ginny beaming at her. "I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful bride. Some can wear all the finery in the world and have the most beautiful face and never match the beauty of you in that dress. You have to take it. I will not let you leave without it," said Mrs. Stitching. With a flick of her wand the dress was in its box and Hermione was back in her clothes.
The elder witch deftly bustled them out the door saying she would be sure to get the bill to Dumbledore, not even letting them see the cost of the robes. As they turned to her, each carrying their box, she said, "I wish you luck in your marriage, my dear. I hope to see you both in here again someday. Good day ladies."
"Goodbye, Mrs. Stitching. Thank you," they replied and headed back to the castle gates.
"Severus, will you please stop pacing and have a seat. Everything will be fine. Lemon drop?" said Dumbledore to the professor as he obeyed and sat in the proffered chair.
The Slytherin just glared at the proffered treats and continued to seethe. He was furious at his mentor for preempting his prerogative as the groom to plan this wedding. True he didn't want to plan a wedding but he hated someone else doing it more. He hated large parties and grand affairs. He had had enough of them as a child to satisfy a lifetime's due. He wanted to keep this simple and just get it over with, but Dumbledore had to go and start planning a bloody ball! He honestly didn't care about the actual plans. That was what women were for, but he hated it being out of his control.
"Severus, I know you dislike parties, but this is your wedding. It should only happen once, and for Miss Granger's sake I would think you would like to make it as pleasant as possible for such an ...ah...unplanned occasion. But I won't bore you with silly details. I wanted to go over the ceremony procedures with you," Dumbledore said.
When Severus only scowled at him, he continued, "You will position yourself on my left. Remus will be standing a step down to your left. Music provided by Samantha Sinistra will begin. Miss Weasley will enter first and take her position on the lower step on the right. She will be followed shortly by Miss Granger. Once she is in position at my right, I will begin the hand fasting. I will give the oration and then you will both clasp opposite hands. The hand fasting cord will be tied around both your hands and an incantation will be said over it. The cord will then disappear. You will exchange rings and kiss," he paused as Severus gave a loathing shudder at the word 'kiss.' He shook his head and went on, "Then you will both exit down the isle and the hall will be changed for the reception while you two get freshened up. Please don't make me force you to attend your own wedding reception, Severus."
Snape ignored that jibe and instead sneered, "I suppose I am to shop for dress robbers and the rings as well."
Smiling at the evasion the Headmaster replied, "While it would be nice if you bought yourself some new robes for the occasion, it will not be necessary to buy the rings. Miss Granger has already provided them. If the one meant for yourself is unsatisfactory you can always exchange it for one more suitable." While he talked he had retrieved two ring boxes from his desk drawer and placed them on top.
Frowning, Severus reached across pulled them to him. He opened one to find a man's silver ring, simply designed with a etching that made it look like it was twisting on itself without actually doing so. It was perfectly to his taste. He wondered who had clued the know-it-all in that he would never wear gaudy jewels as some of his blood did. He replace the ring in its box, and opened the other. He took it out to examine it closer. It was as simple, yet elegant as the other. It felt a vague feeling that he should recognize the ring. The band was silver and etched like the other, but was thin, made for a woman's hand. The center boasted a middle sized sapphire of the deepest clearest blue.
Suddenly he froze. He had the sudden urge to throw the ring as far from him as possible. It can't be the same ring. The ring was lost. Buried with her. It just looks similar or was made by the same person. It IS NOT Elizabeth's ring, his mind shouted. But try as he did, the sure feeling that he had held this ring before would not leave him. He forced himself to control his hand, and replace it in the felt lined box, instead of throwing it into the fire.
In a corner of his mind, he thought it was sort of fitting, that Elizabeth's double, his soon to be wife, should get to wear the ring that, she should have worn in the same capacity. He, some how, could see the ring on Hermione Granger's finger, and not be totally offended. If he were marrying anyone else he would chuck it in the fire and demand a different one. But he was marrying Hermione Granger. So it was okay...sort of.
"...roses or lilies, white or...no white, definitely, with blue ribbon and silver streamers. Molly said those were the colors of their dresses. It should be the theme. We can't have the bride clashing with decorations can we," said Professor Sprout, who was helping Minerva with decorations. The other professors had jumped into help, or hinder in Hagrid's case. After he broke the fifth vase and was refused the offer of baking his rock cakes for the dessert, he had left, claiming that he was going to try to find a unicorn to bless the reception.
Harry who was sitting on a bench waiting for someone to give him something to do spoke up, "She likes roses. She told me once when we were going out for a couple weeks that her favorite flowers were roses, white or dark red. Besides in the muggle world, lilies are the flower for funerals. She will definitely like roses better."
The women smiled at him in thanks and Minerva said, "Roses it is then. So Regina will you get started on the flowers. Athena and I will start on the streamers. Who ever heard of planning a wedding in two weeks? It's only two days away and we haven't even confirmed the guest list yet. We'll never finish." This last bit was mumbled huffily to herself as she set about transfiguring small objects into rolls of streamers and centerpieces. Eventually Harry joined in once he had caught on to the proper incantation.
"There. That should do it," said Ginny as she put the final touches on Hermione's make up. She stood back and inspected her work. She reached forward and prodded a couple of curls to lay properly. She stepped back again and smile.
Mrs. Granger came around from the behind her and said, "You look beautiful darling. You can do so much with your hair when you have magic to make it behave. It's so long I don't know how you stand up straight with al that weight. But it suits you perfectly. You wouldn't be my Hermione without it." She leaned forward and gave her daughter a hug, which was returned fiercely.
Hermione stood and they helped her into her dress robes careful not to mess up her hair of make up. Finally she donned the teardrop sapphire necklace and earrings Severus had given her. When her mother and Ginny had asked she had told them they had been an anonymous gift last Christmas, though Ginny had given her a weird look at that excuse, knowing that Hermione would have told her if it were true, but she left it alone. With one last look in the mirror, an additional adjustment of the white rosebuds twined into a wreath in her hair, she set her shoulders and they left her rooms.
Severus was nervous. He couldn't pinpoint why, but he was. Part of it was the large crowd of people. He was surprised so many had come. He had been appalled at the size of the guest list, but had thought that no one besides a few of her friends and the staff would actually show up. But he had underestimated the entertainment value of being one of the first marriages under this law to take place publicly. He also underestimated the true extent of infamy both Hermione and himself had gathered over the years. All who had gone to Hogwarts or paid attention to pureblood society's highlights new about Severus Snape. After the articles in the Daily Prophet in fourth year everyone in wizarding England knew about Harry Potter's best friend Hermione Granger.
On some level he knew that he was nervous about the marriage. He was terrified by the idea of being connected and responsible for another human being after so long of hiding his feelings. It had take every ounce of his being to shed his fear and approach Dumbledore those 20 years ago. Today would see him bound to Miss...Hermione for a long time. He would be responsible for her and any children that may or may not result from this mockery of a marriage. He avoided thinking about later this evening at all costs.
Suddenly his attention was drawn to the aisle that led to the entrance to the Great Hall. As Professor Sinistra sang, a blue and silver clad Ginny Weasley gracefully walked down the white linen strewn aisle. As the song switched notes, he caught his breath unconsciously. Suddenly his world came to focus on a lone figure framed in the doorway. In that moment, he forgot that she used to be his student, or that he was a professor. he forgot that he was a cold, sneering, child-scaring bastard, who cared nothing for others. All he knew was that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in 20 years.
She was perfect in her cream dress, with blue trim. Her curling hair framed her smooth delicate features perfectly as the sun slanting through the large windows hit the honey highlights in her rose capped hair. The light sparkled of the cut edges of the sapphires winking at ears and throat. The luscious bouquet of white long stem roses hid the nervous shaking of her hands. That moment in time was forever frozen in his memory for him to recall in the years to come.
The wedding song continued and Hermione took the first slow step down the aisle. Suddenly a load BANG! crashed through the air and she was no longer alone in the aisle. For one sickly moment everyone seemed glued to their seats in horror as a black robed figure reached out a hand to grasp her arm. He reached into a pocket and with another ear ringing crack, she was gone.
She was frozen in shock as the robed figure grabbed her and then suddenly she felt the sickening lurch in the pit of her stomach that signaled portkey activation. The colors swam around her vision dizzyingly for a few seconds before she was suddenly falling to her knees on a soft green carpet.
Slowly she stood to take in her surroundings. She straightened her skirts and looked around. It was a bedroom. She stood next to a large oak four poster bed, canopied in moss green linen. The carpet was thick and springy under her heels. An armoire matching the bed stood on one wall along with a closed door. The wall opposite the bed contained a massive window that showed a view of acres of gardens and forests. The fourth wall held a large black marble encased fireplace and a second closed door.
Until this moment she had ignored the figure standing at the end of the bed. Now she looked at him, for she was sure it was a 'him.' The hand gripping her arm earlier could not belong to a woman. He was still wearing the dark robes, which were gray, not black as she had first assumed. His face was shielded by its hood. He was near six feet tall and had a lean stocky build. His grip had been strong and sure.
She stared at him silently, a defiant glint in her eyes. He brought her here. He could make the first move. Finally he moved, but not towards her. He lowered the hood, to reveal the shock of her life, Draco Malfoy.
"Don't be afraid," he said in a strangely kind voice. "I don't mean you harm. This was the only way I could talk to you. It was my last chance."
"Your last chance to what? Torment me? Deliver Harry Potter's best friend to Daddy? Why would I talk to you anyway? You could have talked to me any day of the week while we shared a common room last year. Why now?" she asked, angrily. She was supposed to be getting married. Why did he have to do this now?
To her surprise a look, that on anyone else she would call sad, came over his face. He blushed and looked at the floor for a moment, before refocusing his gaze on her. "Sit," he said. When she didn't move he said, "Please. I swear on my honor as a Malfoy that this is not a trick. Please just sit."
Reluctantly, but intrigued, she sat in the chair he indicated by the fireplace. He took the other seat once she had arranged herself so as to not wrinkle the skirt. He sighed and glanced at her then focused on his hands.
She was just about to make a comment on how he was keeping her waiting when he spoke, his head still bowed, "I don't know how it happened. But I do know when I finally realized that it had. It was during sixth year. The night of the first Gryffindor Slytherin quidditch game. You were cheering for Potter like all the other Gryffindors. You were cheering so hard you weren't paying attention to anything else. I was looking at you because I was annoyed that Potter always seemed to be the favorite and was getting angry. But I saw it coming. When the bludger hit you from behind, I was suddenly scared. You were falling. I watched frozen in place as you fell as Potter raced to catch you. That was the longest three seconds of my life. Watching you fall to almost certain death from fifty feet up. If Potter hadn't caught you I don't know what I would have done. You see it was in those three seconds that I realized that the only reason I was mad at you for cheering was because I wanted you to cheer for me too. That I lu...love you."
"Since that day I have secretly had a crush on you. I was afraid to say anything, because I knew you would reject me. You hated me and all Slytherins. Your friends would never allow it. My parents would never allow it. I was always slightly ...alright...very jealous of you. You had made friends with Potter. You got good marks without even trying. You were brave and impetuous. You took on a bloody troll in first year for, Merlin's sake! Everything that I hated about you are the things I love most. I only hate them because I don't have them."
"When they passed the Marriage Act, I thought there was hope. I convinced my father that if I married you, it would be a plus for the dark. That you could be controlled and a link to Potter. I would never have allowed it, but I didn't count on others figuring it out too. I knew you would never go for Crabbe or Goyle. But Snape's father sticking in his bit was surprise. Most don't even know he's still alive. Although anyone can see that you would be a major catch. You're smart, you're pretty, and you're friends with the Boy-Who-Lived. But you surprised me more, by choosing Snape, who is twenty years older and still a Slytherin, over a Slytherin your own age. I just could get it. Then I thought about it."
"Father had mentions something about an Order, a group of people opposing the Dark Lord. There had been suspicion that one of the inner Circle was a leak to the Order. I thought maybe Potter, Weasley and you were part of this order. I thought it might be possible that Snape was too or something like that. That somehow you could trust him more than me. I realize that it is no major secret that my father is heavily into the dark arts, and I may be condemning him now by saying so, if you didn't know already. But I am not my father."
"I excel at them because it was expected of a Malfoy and Slytherin to be so. But after fifth year, when Father began to train me to take the Dark Mark, I started to have doubts. Hexing people for the fun of it was no longer fun. I did like what I was hearing about the Dark Lord. Harmless jinxes and curses to prank on a classmate is one thing, but I honestly do not think I could kill anyone."
"Just before Christmas, I was told I would be initiated to the Circle this summer and that to prove my loyalty to be as strong as my father I was to kill a muggleborn. More specifically they wanted me to kill you. I panicked. I told my father I would, but was secretly trying to come up with a plan to save you somehow. This law seemed to the answer. I would not be ordered to kill my own wife. And I would get a wife that I loved rather than some girl who would cower and be afraid or be constantly bitching at me and stupid too."
Finally he lifted his head and looked her straight in the eye and said, "I would do anything you asked of me. I relinquish any loyalty I had to the Dark Lord here and now, no matter what your answer. If you are and wish me to I will join the Order. What I am trying to say is that; I love you, Hermione Granger. And I would like to think about that before you marry Snape blindly. After midnight tonight, if you are not married the contract is void and you would be free to the first applicable suitor, me. I am asking. Will you marry me?"
She could only stare at him in shock. He had just revealed more in the last five minutes than she had ever heard from Harry or Ron. Not even her parents had ever been that honest about anything to her face. She was speechless. On many levels she felt for him. Logically she thought about what he had said. If he had told me in sixth year, I may have said yes. But Severus got there first. I'll have to tell him. He won't understand why I would reject him after all he just told me, if I don't.
She looked at him. Tentatively she reached out and grabbed hold of his hand. He gripped back fiercely, his eyes telling her that he was hoping with all his soul. She hated to break his heart this way. It may have been better if he had never said anything, but he had and he needed an answer. She took a deep breath and looking him straight in the eye, she said, "I'm so sorry...Draco, but I can't. Let me explain please. You have to understand."
It was her turn to look at the floor. She had never told this to anyone except Dumbledore and it was very hard to begin. She glance up but focused on their still clasped hands and said, "You may remember, back in January. I was in the Hospital Wing for about three weeks with an ...injury. I wasn't really injured. That was a cover. You see I had been using a timeturner to get extra study hours for the N.E.W.T.s. There was an accident when I failed to block some spells we were practicing for DADA. They hit my timeturner. I got sent back in time...to 1978."
"That was the year the Harry's and your parents were in seventh year. So was Severus. I mean Snape. You see, I spent nearly the whole school year back then, right up to the week before the N.E.W.T.s. While I was there...er...then, I sort of fell in love with Snape."
She looked up and saw Draco's incredulous look and hurried to continue less she lose the nerve, "It's true. I used a different name and when Dumbledore found a way for me to go back, we faked my death. To him Elizabeth Gordon is dead. He doesn't know I am her or that I ever went to the past. But while I was there, the relationship was very...serious. A two weeks before I ...died, he proposed. By then, I knew I was going back, but I couldn't refuse him. I couldn't break his heart twice."
"The problem is I still love him. I know him inside and out. Yes, I do trust him. And while your confessions make me wish you had said something sooner, I can not love you when I still love him. Then I would be doing us both a disservice. I love him. He is the one I want to marry, law or no. It may not be much, but I would like to think that if not husband and wife, we could be friends. If you were honest about giving up the dark, I think you should talk to Dumbledore. Can we be friends?"
He looked away from her for a long moment, but his hand still gripped hers. Finally he turned back. There were tears in his blue eyes, which were no longer ice, but filled with heartbroken love. He tried to smile but failed. He tried to speak but could not. He cleared his throat and tried again, "I would love to be your friend....Hermione."
She smiled back at him. Still holding his hand they stood together. She bit her lip as she did when she began to worry or think hard, "I ...I have to get back. They will be worried."
He nodded and pointed to a small object on the bed. "It's a portkey. It's how I got you in and out in the first place. It will take you directly to the Great Hall again. Um ...Hermione...could I ask you a favor? Could I ...kiss you? Just once?"
She smiled sadly and gently kissed him on the lips. She smiled at the slightly dumbfounded look on his face and said, "Goodbye, Draco. I hope to see you soon. You need to talk to Dumbledore."
He smiled back, this time more happily and said, "I will. Goodbye. You look beautiful by the way. I only wish were mine."
His smiling face was the last thing she saw as she picked up the piece of rose quartz and was lost to the whirl of color and nausea that was portkey transportation.
Hermione watched the golden hand fasting cord that was twined about Severus' and her hands disappeared. Dumbledore's smiling face looked down at them. "Please exchange rings."
She turned to Ginny who handed her the silver band that symbolized there supposedly undying love and everlasting marriage. I hope, she thought fervently. Severus took the sapphire ring, with a cold look at Remus, his 'best man.' They turned to each other and carefully slipped the rings on each others left ring finger as Dumbledore inscribed, "These two rings: The symbol and expression of the un ending bond of life between a husband and wife. May these symbols hold true in your marriage"
"By the power invested in me as a High Governor, by the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot Council, I pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," intoned Dumbledore regally, his eyes twinkling harder than ever.
The entire gathering held their collective breath as they waited to see if Snape would refuse as his expression hint he would. But never one to follow the crowd, he surprised them all, himself included, by kissing Hermione in a pure kiss, that had sent shocks of lighting coursing through her. Even Dumbledore was dumbfounded for a moment. As he released his new wife from the embrace, the crowd broke out in a huge cheer, while those who knew them, could only stare at the couple in shock.
A/N: Hahahahahah! Yay! There are you happy know. If you would like to see pics of the dresses and or the sapphire jewelry including the ring attach your email to a review or email me direct. I someday hope to have a website where all this will be posted but until then it will have to be individual. Thanks! Please review! I love to hear from new readers or silent readers. I love repeat reviewers more, because it lets me know I'm keeping your interest. So please whether your new, old, or never: review!
