Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling owns everything, I don't. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 12
Hermione's blindingly white dress billowed in the autumn breeze as she emerged from her golden carriage. The taffeta skirt had crinkled during the ride, and she took a moment to smooth the material over the required layers of heavy crinoline. Her fingertips caught on the ornate beading of the dress, and for a moment she was afraid she had ripped through the delicately intertwined lace. Looking down at her perfectly manicured nails, she was relieved to see that everything was still in one piece.
As she tilted her head back to look up at the magical cathedral towering in front of her, she felt the weight of her headpiece shift over her finely coiffed hair. With an impatient sigh, she reached up to hold it in place. In a wedding that was all for show, she knew it was the little things that mattered. Although she could have done without the ostentatious dress and matching headpiece, she was at least grateful for the heavy veil that shielded her emotions from the rest of the world.
A peal of bells heralded her arrival, and she quickly looked up to meet her father's face. Like any Father-of-the-Bride, his expression was melancholy, and his eyes misted over with the realization that his little girl had grown up. Unlike most fathers however, he knew that the man waiting inside was not her idea of the perfect mate. In an unsurprising show of solidarity, he bent down to hug her tightly. Although this was only a dream, it was as if he needed to convey to her that he understood what was at stake, and he knew she had made the right choice.
Wrapped in his arms, Hermione found strength from the overwhelming feeling of security that he passed to her. Her father had always been -- and would always be -- her source of strength. While her mother had plied her with a constant supply of love and understanding, it was her father that had given her the courage to reach for the stars. As parents they had been an amazing team, but the fact that her father accepted her rather unorthodox decision gave her the confidence to see it though. So with the smiles of her family and friends propelling her forward, she grasped his sturdy arm, and they began the long walk towards her destiny.
Inside the cathedral, the crowd stood to watch the procession. It looked as though the entire wizarding world had turned out to view the spectacle, but the nameless faces were just a blur to her. Her eyes were focused on the man at the dais, the man that would be her husband. She watched as he gazed down at her with the pride one would normally associate with a happy bridegroom, and for a moment her breath caught in her chest.
She couldn't help but notice how resplendent he looked in his black dress robes and starched white shirt. Although his attire was always formal, it was clear that these clothes would never be worn around a bubbling cauldron. This was no drab Victorian costume, perpetually black to hide the by-products of his potions work, and gone were the billowing bat-like robes used to intimidate his young students. In their place he wore heavy robes of the finest wool, and had cinched them at his neck with a whimsical silver serpent. The robes had been rakishly thrown over his shoulders to display his expertly tailored suit; and although they were similar in style to his normal attire, the textured material caught her eye. As she moved closer, she noticed that the fabric was overlaid with Slytherin-green serpents that entwined into cascading monograms. Charmed to lightly caress their lifelong partners, their movement caught the light as it filtered through the stained glass windows and sparkled lightly in return.
She flinched as he began to move toward her, and was surprised to see that she and her father had completed their walk down the aisle. Clutching his arm, she braced herself for the moment when the two most important men in her life would face each other for the first time. As he came to stand before them, Snape extended a hand to her father. Silence permeated the hall and his voice echoed throughout the open room, "Mr. Granger, I'm sure that nothing that you've heard about me has been flattering."
With the weight of his comment, her breath hitched. She knew the hurtful things she had relayed to her parents during her school holidays, but had never thought of how that would have affected him personally. "But, despite what you've heard, I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. I will risk my own life before I put her in danger."
Her heart thumped wildly as the two men contemplated each other. She was aware that the man she was about to marry, the proud Potions Master that had terrified her as a child, had placed himself subserviently before her father. To anyone else, he might have looked like a fool; but with his hand outstretched, pathetically awaiting her father's response, all she saw was his act of good faith. He was still the proud man she had always known, but one that was willing to openly accept her life as his responsibility.
Her father took his eyes off the man before him, and turned to face his wife. Hermione quickly turned to see her mother, and cringed to find that she was watching the events with apprehension. Hermione wanted to run to her mother's side, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Instead she made do by tightening the grip on her father's arm and hoped that he would pass along the sentiment to his spouse. At once her mother's face softened, and after a brief smile to her daughter, she gave a slight nod to her husband. Her mother had always been a good judge of character, and after years of reading each other's subtle cues it was clear she had decided that Severus Snape would indeed keep his word.
Turning back around, he gave the groom a stern look, and then reached out to finally shake the proffered hand. Hermione saw no relief in her Professor's expression or demeanor, and took that as reassurance that his promises were not disingenuous.
With their understanding arranged, Mr. Granger turned to his daughter, and gingerly lifted her veil just high enough to kiss her lightly on the cheek. A whispered, "Be safe," was all he said before quickly lowering the veil and handing her off to her new protector. She felt the Professor's strong, tapered fingers wrap around her hand, and he lightly caressed her palm as he fitted her hand into his own. After a final moment to say goodbye to her parents, he placed a hand on her back and gently guided her to the altar.
As she ascended the steps of the alter, she heard the mumblings of a conversation behind her. She tried to ignore the disruption, but it quickly escalated into an intense argument that drowned out everything else. A chill began to seep into her bones, and seconds later she heard Snape raise his voice. Her heart began to pound wildly, and her breath came in short gasps as her worst fears bubbled to the surface. She was terrified that Lucius Malfoy had returned for her.
"How could you put her life in danger like that?" She heard someone called out vehemently.
"In danger? You were the one that ignored my idea of a safe-house," came the clear retort. "If we had sent her away months ago - when I suggested it - she… we, wouldn't be in this mess right now."
Upon hearing the reply, Hermione galvanized her feet and turned around. She was surprised to see that it was the Headmaster, not Lucius Malfoy, arguing with Professor Snape. As the two continued to banter, she could tell that this was no longer part of her dream. The hazy fantasy that she had been enjoying began to filter away, and she became aware that she was in a cold, darkened room, just inches away from a very private conversation.
"There is no sense in bringing that up again. You know that it was never a viable solution."
Fidgeting slightly, she moved to stretch her legs and felt supple leather skim her body. Her cramped muscles were crying out from what she suspected was the after effects of Crucio, and as the last remnants of her dream vanished, she wasn't quite sure where she was or how she had gotten there.
"How did Lucius know where you were?"
The voices were coming from the other side of a partially opened door, and as she adjusted her eyes to the darkness of the room, she latched onto the sliver of light that it provided. It wasn't enough to identify anything distinguishing in the room, but it did give her weary eyes something to focus on.
"With all due respect Headmaster, Lucius Malfoy has spies everywhere. I'm not at all surprised that he found us, but I am concerned that he chose to attack at this time."
Ah yes, that. She remembered cursing Malfoy, and then before the dust had a chance to settle, she saw Snape scramble for his wand. One look at her valiantly trying to control the powerful wand, and he quickly cast a Petrificus Totalus as an additional protection to her charm. After what she thought was an odd hesitation, she heard him shout, "Incarcerous", before standing back to allow the thick ropes to wind their way around the rigid body.
"And how did Miss Granger handle herself?"
She handled herself brilliantly -- if she did say so herself -- and she was sure that the Professor felt the same way. Shaking the cobwebs from her brain, an odd memory jumped out at her. She had been kneeling on the ground, mesmerized by the magical ropes that slithered around Malfoy's frame, when she looked up to find her Professor staring at her with a strange -- admiration. She actually found it quite unnerving.
There was a moment of silence in the other room, and then she heard the Professor drawl, "She handled herself… adequately."
Adequately? Just adequately? She fumed over his assessment of her abilities. If she hadn't jumped in, he would have been on the receiving end of Malfoy's wrath. Although, to be honest, if she had stayed behind Snape and out of the way in the first place, he might not have needed saving.
The conversation in the other room was drowned out as she remembered how his surprising admiration had quickly dispersed. She had innocently asked about calling the Aurors, and was startled when he venomous replied, "Why? So you can be arrested?"
A shocked expression had momentarily flashed across her face before she schooled it into place. Weighing his words, and their terrifying implications, she didn't dare look back at her Professor. She chose instead to avert her eyes and root through the trampled parcels -- under the guise of looking for salvageable supplies.
He hadn't spoken to her for more than a few words all day; but once started, the accusatory words seemed to flow without hesitation. "You -- a Muggle-born -- just cast Stupefy on a friend of the Ministry."
The slight tremor that shook her hand was the only indication that she had heard him. She patently ignored his comments, and continued to gingerly pick her way through the broken glass. After reluctantly forcing Malfoy's wand over the mess and muttering a quick Scouring Charm, she gathered up the undamaged bottles, and placed them into a clean bag.
She heard his quick intake of breath at her use of the wand. "Miss Granger -- If they catch you with that wand, you will also be charged with casting Crucio and Imperio. Lucius Malfoy won't stop until you are sentenced to spend the rest of your life in Azkaban -- if not worse."
In an act of defiance, she continued to sift through the remaining rubble. She knew that they should have rushed back to the school -- sans supplies -- but there was something about besting Lucius Malfoy that made her feel invincible. Despite Snape's valid concerns, she was determined to savor her victory for as long as possible. She almost chuckled when she heard an audible sigh, and then two hands became four as her Professor dropped down to help gather up the remaining supplies.
The walk back to school went in a blur, and by the time they reached Hogwarts her earlier rush of adrenaline had faded. Too exhausted to complain, she hadn't argued when Snape ushered her through an obscure door that lead directly into the dungeons. The last thing she remembered, aside from her companion muttering something intelligible, was the welcome sight of a comfortable chair. Ignoring everything else, she dropped into it and had apparently fallen asleep.
"In any case, Severus, do you think you can handle Lucius?"
Hermione's attention was sparked when she heard Professor McGonagall's voice join the conversation in the adjacent room. Hoping to hear more, she quietly slid off the chair and stealthily moved toward the door. If her mother were there, she would have been appalled by her daughter's lack of proper etiquette, but Hermione didn't feel at all guilty about eavesdropping on this particular conversation.
"That will depend on Miss Granger and her… timeline. I think Lucius' actions today have proven that he's not willing to back down, and given time he is likely to become much bolder. I have to admit the disclosure at the Ministry hearing will be difficult to explain, but I believe I can still diffuse the situation. Even so, I don't think that she will be safe until the Dark Lord is confident that she can be controlled."
She had been expecting this. Even when she was casting the charm, she knew that her choice to stay and Stupefy Lucius Malfoy would have far reaching implications.
"That is going to be a problem. She's made it quite clear that she wants to wait-"
"No, that won't be a problem," Hermione said from the doorway. "If it's necessary, then I'll agree to… formalize the arrangement now."
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A/N: Sorry about taking so long on this update. After deciding on which way to go (fyi - I went with my original outline) a conversation with "the beta" dictated a slight rewrite on the chapter. In the future I have to remember to not promise updates quickly, because I feel terrible about reneging on those promises. Thanks to all for reading and reviewing, I appreciated all the feedback. Thanks again to NegativeNine for her beta work!!