Run Away Bride
By Jinxd N Cursed
Disclaimer: Hmm… nope, I don't own it.
Summary: One shot. WIKTT runaway challenge.
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Hermione stood in front of the floor length mirror in her dressing room at Hogwarts where she and Seamus had chosen to hold the ceremony. Her ivory lace gown was lovely on her, with its swooping neckline and short train. The veil she wore was held by a wreath of flowers and she felt like a princess. In her hands, she clasped her bouquet of white roses and lilies.
She frowned slightly, trying to tell herself the pit in her stomach was just pre-wedding jitters and not the aching of longing for someone else. Seamus was a good guy. He would never hurt her and he would never leave her. With a steady job at the Irish Ministry of Magic, he could provide for her while she finished getting her Potions Mastery.
The pit in her stomach deepened as she thought of the master she served under. Severus Snape had vowed to teach her all he knew about potions—which was a formidable amount. Desperately, she hoped he would not attend the wedding, even though he had received an invitation. Seeing him there was more than she would be able to bear.
Five years prior, she had graduated from Hogwarts and immediately began her apprenticeship with the much-feared potions master. After the war was over, the school reopened and Hermione went back to complete her schooling before taking on an apprenticeship. Unfortunately, mastery in potions often took seven years to complete. When she had completed the necessary education, however, it would be one of the highest paid jobs available. Spending all that time with him brought on mixed feelings. She respected him and he reluctantly grew to respect her. One particularly memorable day had changed that.
"Add the asphodel more slowly, Miss. Granger," he told her. "Otherwise you will cause the potion to splash."
"And if I pour any slower, none will go into the cauldron," she replied crabbily. He was being an insufferable git that particular day and she could not fathom why. Just the day before, he had been using her given name. Now he was back to formal address and insisted she do the same.
When the powdered root of asphodel was in the cauldron, she began chopping the oak bark coarsely, pretending it was his face. They were working on an advanced healing potion for burn victims.
"Miss Granger," he cut in. "If that bark is not cut into precisely the right size pieces—"
Hermione shot daggers through her eyes and hastily tipped the bark into the cauldron. He was being anal-retentive; she was sure of it. She'd never heard of any other potion requiring ingredients to be chopped into exact sizes.
"Miss Granger!" he shouted. "You impertinent fool! Get away from that cauldron right now!"
Hermione planted her hands on her hips testily. "Just because I'm not as freakishly anal as you are does not mean that—" Her words were cut off with her scream. In her anger, she had not noticed the potion starting to boil over. As she began her tirade, it had exploded and the intensely hot liquid splashed over her entire back, burning through the fabric of her blouse. It was pain like no other.
"Miss Granger!" Severus exclaimed, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the roiling river of blood red potion. Sickened, he realized the river was not entirely potion as blood from her burned back dripped into the liquid on the floor. As she screamed in pain, he ripped her blouse and trousers off her to get the potion soaked fabric off her body.
Hermione was incapable of coherent thought so she didn't even notice her clothes being ripped from her body as the pain ripped through her body, bringing tears to her eyes. Severus had lifted the screaming young women over his shoulder and carried her into his chambers. The very potion she needed was the one they had been attempting to brew and a full bottle happened to be located in his medicine cabinet. Spelling the door open, he laid her face down on the couch in his sitting room. Running to the bathroom, he fetched the bottle of red potion he needed and a burn salve.
Forcing the screaming girl to sit up was easier said than done when he could not touch her back or shoulders. In the end, he tugged on both of her hands and held her in a sitting potion long enough to tip the bottle of potion down her throat.
Hermione's screams quieted as the potions effects began working. The pain from the burns began to subside. It was still there and it hurt very much but it was not like the agony she had been in only a short time before. Still, she had to bite her lip from crying out.
"Miss. Granger," Severus said as levelly as he could manage. "You would do well to mind me next time. I do have reasons for what I tell you to do. Even a stubborn Gryffindor like you should know this. You could have been killed!"
Hermione nodded, not trusting herself to speak without crying out.
Severus sighed. She would be fine although she was currently in a lot of pain. "Lay on your stomach Miss. Granger. I want to survey the damage you've done."
She did so obediently.
As Severus surveyed her back, he became aware that the young woman was completely naked. He himself had ripped her blouse and trousers off and her bra and knickers had fallen off when the potion burned through the back of them. The burns began at a point just above her shoulder blades and extended all the way down the middle of her thighs. The worst area, however, was the small of her back. There, all her skin had been burned completely away and deep wounds where the potion had burned into the flesh of her back were dripping with crimson blood. It was a gruesome sight to be sure.
"Miss Granger, I believe you may need to go to St. Mungo's," he informed her.
"No," she whispered. "I… can't. I hate hospitals. No hospital."
"Miss. Granger," he said. "I do not believe I can treat these wounds myself."
"No hospitals… people die in hospitals… Grandma died in a hospital… I won't go to a hospital. Never, never, never," she said.
Severus assumed the girl had gone a little crazy with the pain. Reason would be useless against her. Instead, he would have to take her there without her permission. When he went to pick her up to take her to St. Mungo's, he was not prepared for her assault.
"No!" she shouted, crying. "I won't… I can't… No! I won't go to a hospital!" She pounded at his back with her small fists until he set her back down on her couch. Her wince indicated the pain that simple action had caused her.
"Why Hermione? Why are you being so stupid?" he snarled, angry that the girl was refusing treatment.
She looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Bad things happen in hospitals. People die in hospitals. Grandma died in a hospital. Brian died in a hospital. Brian… poor Brian."
"Who is Brian?" he asked.
"My baby brother," she replied. "No hospitals." She remained firm in her command, even in pain.
Severus sighed. There was no way to get the girl to acquiesce his request so he would have to heal her the best he could and send her to Poppy. Muttering an incantation, he waved his wand over her back. The bleeding stopped instantly. Another spell cleaned away the blood, potion, and other things sticking to the raw flesh of her back.
Hermione whimpered in spite of herself. It hurt so much. In her head she knew that going to the hospital was the best choice but her heart could not bear to enter the hospital as a patient. As Severus began rubbing a burn salve over her burned flesh, she couldn't help screaming at the contact of his hands on the flesh of her back. It felt like fire.
"It will be all right Miss Granger," he soothed. "I have to do this if you will not allow me to take you to St. Mungo's."
She bit back another scream as his hands rubbed at the small of her back and around to her sides. It hurt like nothing she'd ever felt before. She tried to concentrate on other things to no avail.
When he finished rubbing the salve onto her back, she was vaguely aware that the pain was less. It was almost bearable.
"I'll never ignore your instructions again," she told him, in a croaky, pained voice.
"See that you don't," he said. "Although I don't quite believe you. You have always held a certain disregard for the rules." He sneered but then his expression softened, remembering what she had said earlier. "Miss Granger, how did your younger brother die?"
"It's Hermione," she said. "And he died of cancer. I was only seven or eight and he was two years younger than me. I wasn't old enough to be allowed to visit him. All I can remember is him going to the hospital to get better and never coming back. Childish as it may be, I can't stand to go to hospitals anymore."
"Understandable," he said. "That salve needs to sit on your back uncovered for five minutes for the best effect. Then I should be able to use a healing charm to get rid of some of the damage. Your back will always be scarred and no healing charm will undo all the damage so you will have to wrap and dress your back for about a week."
She nodded into the couch cushions. "Thank you."
"You are welcome," he told her, getting up from the sofa. "I shall go to your rooms to fetch you something to wear. All of your clothes were ruined."
Hermione flushed, suddenly aware that she was completely nude.
He smirked at her flushed and tossed floo powder into the fire place. When he returned, however, he was a bit paler than when he left. When he went to get her clothes, he had forgotten that he would have to sift through her knickers drawer to find underthings for her to wear. With a very slight flush, he recalled the few pairs of lacy underwear stuffed into the far back corner of the drawer. Surprisingly, she girl had interesting taste in lingerie. Not wanting to seem like a pervert, he had taken the simplest set of black underwear and a bra he could find. In addition, he had brought her a loose red cotton dress that would skim over the delicate flesh of her back and a black outer robe. Of course, he forgot to bring her a pair of shoes.
Hermione had her eyes closed when he returned. Finally, she was relaxing as the balm worked its magic into her skin. The deep wounds were healing over a bit. With a wave of his wand, the flesh of her back healed further so the skin was merely an angry red color with a few clusters of blisters.
"Thank you," Hermione said, eyes still closed.
Saying nothing, Severus rubbed more of the salve onto her tender back and then bandaged it. On the tender area of her lower back, he had to wrap the gauze around her abdomen to keep the bandages in place. A sticking charm would not do in that area. When she sat up to allow him easier access, he tried not to look at her breasts. It was not a time for a free-for-all look at Hermione's body.
He hesitated even more when he realized he had to bandage her buttocks. Steeling himself, he began to lay the gauze across her backside.
Hermione's eyes nearly popped out as he ran his hands over her hips, securing the gauze. The sensuous motion of his hands close to her most intimate place sent a shiver up her spine.
When he was finished bandaging her thighs, it was almost as if someone had possessed his body. Leaning forward, he planted a kiss in her hair.
Standing, he turned his back toward her. "I'll leave you to get dressed. I expect you back in the lab at seven tomorrow morning to try the potion again. Good day Miss Granger."
A halting friendship resulted but Hermione found herself wanting more. She tried to get the relationship to grow but to no avail. Severus Snape refused to deepen their relationship.
That had been where Seamus came in. While they were completely unsuitable for each other, they had begun dating. While she knew Seamus genuinely loved her, Hermione's heart was really not in the relationship. He was there for her though, and she thought they might be happy if they got married and she got over her foolish love for her Potion's master. If only she could get over it.
Putting her bouquet down, she went to get the pearl necklace she had forgotten to put on. As she looked at herself in the mirror, fastening the clasp, she noticed the reflection of someone else in the mirror. A dark haired man stood by the door.
Severus.
"Hello Severus," she said calmly, her fingers fumbling with the catch.
"You can't do this," he told her, an edge in his voice. What was the emotion he was trying to hide?
"You're right. I cannot seem to get this damned clasp fastened," she said.
"No," he said. "You cannot marry Seamus Finnigan."
"What does it look like I'm getting ready to do?" she replied angrily. "I can and I am about to."
"No. I cannot let you do this," he said.
"You turned me away," she reminded him, finally managing to get the clasp fastened. She adjusted the necklace and smiled at her reflection.
"He doesn't deserve you," he told her quietly.
"And who does Severus?" she demanded. "Who deserves me? You?"
"No," he said. "I don't deserve you."
"Yes you do," she told him automatically.
He looked up at her. "I love you."
"And I love you but I am getting married!" she exclaimed. "You are too late!"
"Please," he pleaded. "You don't have to marry him. Come away with me."
"Severus!" she exclaimed, starting to panic. "I'm getting married! You can't do this now! You are too late!"
"I'm only too late if you let me be," he said. "It's up to you!"
She froze. Desperately, he swept toward her and kissed her with everything he felt for her. It left them both breathless.
"I. Love. You," he said. "Come with me! Marry me!"
"I can't!" Hermione cried. "Don't you see? I can't! Seamus is waiting for me and everyone is already in the church and I have this big expensive diamond on my finger Seamus loves me and I… I love… I love you!"
He just looked at her intensely, trying to convey to her what he felt for her in a single gaze. Hermione sighed and sat down at her vanity table, taking out parchment and began writing.
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Seamus Finnigan stood at the altar, waiting for his fiancé. All their friends and family and co-workers were seated, 350 in all. The wedding cost a fortune but he might as well spend it on such a special day. To his surprise, Ginny Weasley hurried down the aisle in her teal dress, not bothering to keep in time with the music being played. She must have made a mistake and gone out at the wrong time. Hermione would be so upset…
However, instead of taking her place at the front of the church, the pretty redhead handed him a letter. Opening it slowly, he began to read Hermione's loopy and graceful (yet precise) writing.
Dear Seamus and Everyone else,
By the time you read this, I will be long gone. I realized that marrying you was a mistake, Seamus. It isn't fair to you or to me because I am not in love with you. I have run away with the man I truly love, Severus Snape. You all will think that I am crazy but I swear to you, I am not. Despite what you all see on the surface, we are well suited and he makes me very happy. Maybe you all will see this in time.
Seamus, you must believe that I never meant to hurt you. You have been a great comfort and companion to me when Severus rejected me. I love you but only as a very dear friend. I am truly sorry. Also, I promise to return the pearl earrings I borrowed from your mum. I know how much she loves them.
The next time anyone sees me, I will be a happily married woman. Severus and I are going to France to elope. Minerva, we will be back prior to the start of term so you need not worry yourself. I know all of you are shocked and dismayed because this is so unlike me but for once, I am doing what feels right in my heart instead of what I know in my head.
Know that I love you all and that I do indeed love Severus very much.
Love,
Hermione (soon-to-be) Snape
The flabbergasted Seamus charmed the letter to read itself to all the people and walked out of the hall. He fingered the beautiful princess-cut diamond ring he'd given Hermione. It had also been enclosed in the envelope.
As he looked out the back door of the church, he saw a petite woman in an ivory wedding dress with her arm around a tall dark man, looking every bit in love before they Apparated away.
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Cute, fluffy, cotton candy. Just what I needed… Anyway, there will be no sequel. I am posting this un-beta-ed to meet challenge deadline.
The rules:
Hermione is getting married. To whom is your choice, but Severus must realize that he actually likes Hermione, perhaps even loves her, and cannot let her marry without even having tried having her (lovers, a chaste kiss, married, etc. You decide). Is she marrying a muggle or wizard? Why and where?
Requirements:
-The story starts on her wedding day.
-Pre-story/flashback about how they became friends (if they are friends. Could be over a potion, apprenticeship, or Snape is just lusting after her without knowing her, etc)
-Hermione is getting ready in her bride's room (or somewhere where there are no else) when Snape finds her and tells the truth about his feelings.
-Hermione must be overwhelmed (perhaps panic a bit, but she returns his feelings)
-Many thinks Hermione and her soon-to-be-husband is not a suitable couple, but they're not really in favor of Severus either.
-There's no Voldemort, and most Death Eaters have been caught.
-Hermione MUST leave with Severus! They WILL end up together.
Optional:
-Whether Hermione runs with Severus without anyone knowing is up to you.
-How she explains her disappearance, through letter, howler, face-to-face, nothing.
-Someone will try and persuade Hermione from marrying her intended.
- Hermione MUST be at least 23! She's a woman in all's eyes! No child!
ENDING:
-Please describe how they get away, where they go and a finale to what happens next.