As the wedding loomed closer, Snape began to pace around his chambers nervously. Lupin watched for some time before commenting, "Severus, for a man who has no desire to be married, you seem quite ill at ease."

Shooting a glare to the werewolf, the man in question responded, "Remus, you forget who I am to wed."

"Nonsense. I've gotten to know Miss Granger quite well. Knowing the two of you like I do, I must say this is a smart match. She is the only one in this school with an intellect and wit to equal your own. Of course, I would be more supportive if you weren't such a prat all the time."

Snape snorted. "Why don't you tell me what you really think?" Not wanting or expecting an answer, he continued. "I've done well thus far, have I not, Remus? Or perhaps I need to remind you of the whole reason for this!" he growled angrily.

Lupin had been clued into what had really happened since he could be considered a close friend. Hermione felt wrong not telling him what happened, so Snape agreed to let the werewolf know the truth. In reality, it was easier on Snape to know the man had not negatively judged him. Lupin seemed to think it was a good thing and trusted the pair.

"Severus, I need no reminder of these unfortunate circumstances. I respect you for what you've done for her. She needs someone who truly understands the nature of the situation, and you appear to be the only one. You're doing the honorable thing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Lupin's words rang in Snape's head. They were said in complete sincerity. Perhaps Hermione was right when she said the two could be friends. "However, how you follow up on this will tell the real story, Severus. If you hurt her, you will regret it." A definite threat was evident in his tone.

Snape responded absently as he was lost in his thoughts. "I have no doubt of that Remus." Glancing at the time, he inquired, "Do you have the rings, Remus?"

Lupin smiled. "Severus, I wouldn't do that to you. Now, we better get going before Albus thinks you've skipped out on us."

Grimacing at the thought of certain torture from the headmaster, Snape replied, "I don't particularly wish to merit Albus' wrath."

The two found themselves meeting the headmaster outside the Great Hall several moments later. Snape had a sudden thought. "Albus, how is the whole school doesn't know about this?" Dumbledore just smiled and winked, causing Snape to glare at the wizened wizard. Shaking his head, he followed the older man into the Great Hall leaving Lupin behind to wait for the bride and Ginny. No one in attendance really noticed the pair until they had reached the front of the hall. Dumbledore motioned for everyone to find their seats, which they quickly did. David Granger left to meet his daughter.

Lupin had not been left alone for long as Hermione and Ginny came along shortly. Seeing her father exit the Great Hall, Hermione gave him a big hug he willingly returned in earnest.

"Hermione, I'm sorry about dinner last week. You're mother and I were worried, and it was such a surprise. We're sorry. We should have placed more trust in you than we did."

"I know, Dad. I'm sorry it worked out like this. It's not ideally how I would have wanted it, but I have a good feeling about Severus." Her father nodded and extended his arm to her. Lupin and Ginny had just entered, leaving the pair alone. Nervously, Hermione looked at her father and asked, "Are you ready to give your daughter away?"

"Never," David Granger smiled. "You'll always be my little girl." His smile was only outmatched by her smile as they entered the Great Hall. The doors opened and they began their walk down the aisle, arm in arm, the muggle classical song "Canon" playing in the background. The congregation stood, the majority gawking at Hermione. Her dress accentuated her natural beauty perfectly. With some help from Ginny, her wild hair had been tamed into a nice bun with a few curls framing her face. However, Hermione did not notice the looks she was receiving from anyone but the groom and her soon to be husband, Severus Snape. She had seen his wedding robes, but that was nothing compared to when he was actually wearing them. Forest green suited him, and the black and silver trim accented his body in the proper places. He had pulled back his jet-black hair and tied it with a bow that matched his robes. What caused Hermione's breath to hitch briefly was the smile on his face. He was actually smiling. It was not one of his half smiles or smirks, but rather a full-fledged smile. She swore it took ten years off him. While he was no Adonis, he was handsome in his own right.

Snape had been warned by Lupin that Hermione looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress, but he did not believe it until he saw it. She was certainly not the most beautiful of girls, but she easily made up for it in intellect and determination. However, when she appeared to walk down the aisle, his breath was absolutely taken away. He actually had to remind himself to breath, something completely uncharacteristic of him. Her wild hair had, incredibly, been tamed. The curls framing her face were perfect. 'Does she do everything perfectly?' he found himself musing. He could not keep the smile off his face. He was not sure he wanted to. While it was true he had been dreading the wedding, part of him was happy to settle down, to reinvent himself as it were. The woman, for she was indeed a woman, that was approaching him seemed like the perfect one for him. Lupin had been correct in his earlier assessment of her. She matched him in intelligence, there was no doubt, and he knew he did not intimidate her in the slightest. His smile only got bigger at the thought that she was to be his wife. He knew there was no love between them, but there was potential. They could both feel it in the moment their eyes met.

When Hermione and her father reached Snape, her father deftly handed her over after giving her a hug. He whispered to his soon to be son-in-law, "We're really sorry about the mess last week. We know you'll take good care of her."

"I'll do my best not to disappoint you. Thank you, David." The two men shook hands under Dumbledore's watchful eye before David returned to his seat next to his wife.

Up close, the pair was more enamored with each other than they had been upon Hermione's entrance. Dumbledore did not miss any of it. He did nothing to hide his elation, and it showed numerous times throughout the ceremony. With each successive "I'm so glad," or "This perfect union," etc., Snape rolled his eyes further into his head. Hermione had to do her best to keep from laughing at her almost husband's bemusement. After rambling through the majority of the bizarre wedding ceremony, it was finally time for the vows.

Dumbledore turned to Snape and inquired, "Do you have the rings?" Snape, in turn, faced Lupin who playfully patted himself down searching for them before pulling them from an inside jacket pocket. For whatever reason, he was wearing a tuxedo for the ceremony instead of traditional wizard robes. Snape whole-heartedly glared at his smiling best man as he took the rings, keeping one himself and giving Hermione the other. She inspected the one she was holding since she had not yet seen them. She was immediately entranced by the intricate gold detail work on the silver bands. "Severus Augustus Snape, do you take Hermione Jane Granger as your lawfully wedded wife 'til death do you part?" This had, of course, been adapted from traditional muggle Christian ceremonies.

"I do." Hermione blushed a bit.

Turning to face the bride, Dumbledore asked, "Hermione Jane Granger, do you take Severus Augustus Snape as your lawfully wedded husband 'til death do you part?"

She smiled at him whilst replying, "I do." He bowed his head slightly.

Dumbledore nodded his approval and said, "You may now exchange rings." Since Hermione first laid eyes on them, she knew they were not ordinary rings. She had researched magical ceremonies and marriage. The gold detailing was of magical origins. Once the ring was placed on the finger of the intended, it would only fit that person and could not be altered. In a sense, it adapted to the intended wearer at all times. Another property was that it assured the wearer would not stray from his or her marriage. Although, Severus knew this was only meant to keep the couple from separating. Many pure blood families had a history of infidelity, his included, that was more or less ignored. It was not meant to be a public matter, and thus, was not spoken of in public. This was something Snape was not worried about since he vowed to himself and Hermione to be faithful. He had no intention of going back on that vow. He placed the ring on her finger, and she likewise for him. Once both were in place, they glowed brightly for about thirty seconds before settling into a gentle glow that would remain until the marriage was consummated, a fact only Severus was aware of at the time. 'Bloody old coot. He will pay for this,' he thought to himself.

Before either bride or groom knew what was happening, the headmaster had said the words, "You may now kiss the bride." Severus leaned down to kiss his wife. Hermione expected a quick peck, but what she received was a chaste, lingering kiss. "I present to you Lord and Lady Snape," Dumbledore happily announced as Severus pulled back.

End Part 10

A/N: I'm mean, horrible, and cruel for cutting you off there, I know. Please review. I'll post the next chapter by Wednesday, I promise! Oh, and please review. I really want to know what you think. Long reviews are good. Thanks!