Thanks everyone who has reviewed -- especially during the long downtime. Your words are all muchly appreciated. I hope the new chapters make up for the delay in posting. Enjoy!
Kiri
Also, instead of the often confusing and denoting emphasis and thoughts, I've changed to using italics. Hope that doesn't throw anyone.
Chapter Twenty Three
Hermione gaped in astonishment. Never in her wildest dreams had she envisioned this when Mrs. Snape, Serapha, had asked her favor. Swallowing hastily, she snapped her jaw shut and turned her gaze toward the older witch. "I," she began, pausing audibly, "don't know what to say."
"Say that you'll wear it," Serapha replied easily, smiling hopefully. "It was my mother's. She wore it on her wedding day, and I wore it on mine. I would be so very pleased to see it worn by the woman my son is marrying."
Hermione reached out with a shaking hand to run her fingertips over the satiny material. The dress was a vision of old world elegance. Not white -- thank God -- but that off-white, so often referred to as 'antique' white. Hermione didn't know why they called it white at all. Either something was white or it wasn't.
"Of course, we would alter it some to personalize it for you."
Hermione nodded absently, her gaze never leaving the rather incredible dress in front of her. "It would certainly take care of the 'something old and something borrowed'," she said quietly.
"Oh, no," Serapha exclaimed. "Only something old."
"What?" Hermione asked, confused.
"The dress would be yours."
Snapping her head around to gape, once again, at Serapha Snape, Hermione repeated herself. "What?"
Her smile softening with something that looked like regret, Serapha stepped toward Hermione. "I never had a daughter to pass this on to. If I had, I would have given it to her to pass on to her daughter when the time came. I would be honored if you would allow me to give it to you, instead."
Hermione couldn't believe it when her eyes teared up at the offer. She's manipulating you, Hermione Elizabeth Granger! she thought angrily, but somehow couldn't quite voice that out loud. She nodded slowly, to the obvious delight of Serapha. The woman squealed.
"Thank you!"
Uncomfortable with the outpouring from the older woman, not understanding all the excitement over this . . . thing that was happening. It wasn't like they were in love and getting married because they wanted to. It was happening only because it just might save a couple of lives. Hermione smiled wanly at her. "I'm honored to wear it," she replied softly.
Far be it from her to hurt the older witch's feelings.
"Well, now, you need to try it on," Serapha said, stepping toward Hermione.
Feeling as though she were in a trance, Hermione allowed herself to be undressed and dressed, keeping her eyes lowered the entire time. She'd never been in this kind of situation before, and she was uncomfortably aware that she had absolutely no clue as to the proper 'protocol'. Being dressed like a doll by a woman who just happened to be her professor's mother and just happened to be her future mother-in-law was a far cry from undressing in front of her dormmates.
The gasp from Serapha Snape as the woman finished buttoning the last button up the back of the gown, snapped Hermione's eyes upward. She echoed the sound, staring at the surprising reflection immediately in front of her. "Wow," she murmured. The bodice was fitted all the way down to her hips, and molded her upper body like a glove. The full skirt hung loosely, swaying around her legs as she turned to look at the gown from different angles. The back held just the barest hint of a train to trail behind her.
"Wow, indeed," Serapha agreed. "It looks as if it was made for you. It won't take much alteration at all." So saying, Serapha picked up her wand, and with the uttering of several quick spells, she tightened the bodice of the dress slightly, flared out the hips a bit more, and shorted the length of the gown by several inches.
"Perfect," Serapha proclaimed moments later, slowly circling the still Hermione.
A knock at the door made Hermione jump and she whirled around, whipping out her wand before she thought about her reaction. Beside her, Serapha laughed. "Sorry," Hermione muttered as she stepped toward the door, lowering her wand. "I guess I'm a little jumpy," she continued contritely as she paused long enough to lift the hem of the gown.
"You're entitled."
Hermione almost rolled her eyes. Right, like you're not making it all worse by acting so . . . nice. It was just plain creepy if you asked her. "Who is it?" she called out as she reached the door, not sure why she was being so . . . wound up all of a sudden. She just was.
"It's me, Ginny."
Hermione grinned and jerked the door open. "I'm so glad you're here!" she exclaimed.
Ginny's eyes widened as she froze in the doorway. The moment didn't last as the younger Gryffindor suddenly squealed and launched herself at Hermione. "You look fantastic, Hermione!" she exclaimed. "Oh, Merlin! You have got to tell me absolutely everything," she continued excitedly, pulling Hermione back into the room and promptly dropping down onto one of the couches. "It's true then? You're getting married? Who to? When did this come about? How did you meet?" Ginny stalled suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "Are you pregnant?" she demanded.
"No!" Hermione vehemently denied, blushing as red as Ginny's hair.
Serapha chuckled.
"Okay, now that we've got that out of the way," Ginny nodded. "How about you answer all my other questions?"
"I'm not sure I can remember all of them," Hermione replied, laughing nervously, not entirely certain just how much she should reveal. "There were so many." Did she lie to her friends, or did she tell the truth?
Ginny opened her mouth, and Hermione was absolutely certain she was going to repeat the verbal assault she had babbled the moment she'd made herself comfortable. Hermione held up her hand to forstall her young friend. "I remember," she said, smiling wryly.
Severus Snape apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts, his mission to his family home completed successfully. A quick glance at his pocket watch as he passed through the gates, reassured him he still had plenty of time. He still had 25 minutes to get himself prepared for the ceremony. Personally, he really didn't think all this ruckus was necessary. Why couldn't they have simply held the short, necessary ritual in Albus' office? Had they done that, it would now be over with. But, no, the silly chit had to go and ask that her precious friends attend.
Albus, sentimental old fool that he was, just had to jump on that particular bandwagon and suddenly invite Severus' own mother -- the bloody woman that had made such a tangled mess out of the whole matter in the first place. Of course, the old barmy bat couldn't possibly stop there. No, he had to go and invite staff as well. Okay, so it was only Minerva, which wasn't so bad, really, despite all appearances to the contrary, but still; it made it all some big production, for Merlin's sake.
Didn't Albus have a single clue? Neither one of them wanted this marriage, it was a matter of convenience only. He snorted. A matter of inconvenience more like, he thought sourly. Lost in his thoughts, it took both far too long to reach his quarters and not nearly long enough. He scowled as he passed through the door, muttering the password without slowing his stride.
Stripping quickly, he glanced at the wall clock as he headed for the bathroom. Sixteen minutes to go. Sixteen minutes until what felt like his doom. Thank Circe for drying charms, or he would never be ready in time. Of course, he didn't overly care if he kept Granger waiting. That wasn't the point. Severus Snape hated tardiness and made it a point to always be on time, regardless of the circumstances. This would be no exception.
He'd also be damned if he was going to appear any less than perfectly attired, not with the spectacle that Miss Granger and Albus had turned this into.
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback: Definitely, wholeheartedly encouraged. : )
Kiri
Also, instead of the often confusing and denoting emphasis and thoughts, I've changed to using italics. Hope that doesn't throw anyone.
Chapter Twenty Three
Hermione gaped in astonishment. Never in her wildest dreams had she envisioned this when Mrs. Snape, Serapha, had asked her favor. Swallowing hastily, she snapped her jaw shut and turned her gaze toward the older witch. "I," she began, pausing audibly, "don't know what to say."
"Say that you'll wear it," Serapha replied easily, smiling hopefully. "It was my mother's. She wore it on her wedding day, and I wore it on mine. I would be so very pleased to see it worn by the woman my son is marrying."
Hermione reached out with a shaking hand to run her fingertips over the satiny material. The dress was a vision of old world elegance. Not white -- thank God -- but that off-white, so often referred to as 'antique' white. Hermione didn't know why they called it white at all. Either something was white or it wasn't.
"Of course, we would alter it some to personalize it for you."
Hermione nodded absently, her gaze never leaving the rather incredible dress in front of her. "It would certainly take care of the 'something old and something borrowed'," she said quietly.
"Oh, no," Serapha exclaimed. "Only something old."
"What?" Hermione asked, confused.
"The dress would be yours."
Snapping her head around to gape, once again, at Serapha Snape, Hermione repeated herself. "What?"
Her smile softening with something that looked like regret, Serapha stepped toward Hermione. "I never had a daughter to pass this on to. If I had, I would have given it to her to pass on to her daughter when the time came. I would be honored if you would allow me to give it to you, instead."
Hermione couldn't believe it when her eyes teared up at the offer. She's manipulating you, Hermione Elizabeth Granger! she thought angrily, but somehow couldn't quite voice that out loud. She nodded slowly, to the obvious delight of Serapha. The woman squealed.
"Thank you!"
Uncomfortable with the outpouring from the older woman, not understanding all the excitement over this . . . thing that was happening. It wasn't like they were in love and getting married because they wanted to. It was happening only because it just might save a couple of lives. Hermione smiled wanly at her. "I'm honored to wear it," she replied softly.
Far be it from her to hurt the older witch's feelings.
"Well, now, you need to try it on," Serapha said, stepping toward Hermione.
Feeling as though she were in a trance, Hermione allowed herself to be undressed and dressed, keeping her eyes lowered the entire time. She'd never been in this kind of situation before, and she was uncomfortably aware that she had absolutely no clue as to the proper 'protocol'. Being dressed like a doll by a woman who just happened to be her professor's mother and just happened to be her future mother-in-law was a far cry from undressing in front of her dormmates.
The gasp from Serapha Snape as the woman finished buttoning the last button up the back of the gown, snapped Hermione's eyes upward. She echoed the sound, staring at the surprising reflection immediately in front of her. "Wow," she murmured. The bodice was fitted all the way down to her hips, and molded her upper body like a glove. The full skirt hung loosely, swaying around her legs as she turned to look at the gown from different angles. The back held just the barest hint of a train to trail behind her.
"Wow, indeed," Serapha agreed. "It looks as if it was made for you. It won't take much alteration at all." So saying, Serapha picked up her wand, and with the uttering of several quick spells, she tightened the bodice of the dress slightly, flared out the hips a bit more, and shorted the length of the gown by several inches.
"Perfect," Serapha proclaimed moments later, slowly circling the still Hermione.
A knock at the door made Hermione jump and she whirled around, whipping out her wand before she thought about her reaction. Beside her, Serapha laughed. "Sorry," Hermione muttered as she stepped toward the door, lowering her wand. "I guess I'm a little jumpy," she continued contritely as she paused long enough to lift the hem of the gown.
"You're entitled."
Hermione almost rolled her eyes. Right, like you're not making it all worse by acting so . . . nice. It was just plain creepy if you asked her. "Who is it?" she called out as she reached the door, not sure why she was being so . . . wound up all of a sudden. She just was.
"It's me, Ginny."
Hermione grinned and jerked the door open. "I'm so glad you're here!" she exclaimed.
Ginny's eyes widened as she froze in the doorway. The moment didn't last as the younger Gryffindor suddenly squealed and launched herself at Hermione. "You look fantastic, Hermione!" she exclaimed. "Oh, Merlin! You have got to tell me absolutely everything," she continued excitedly, pulling Hermione back into the room and promptly dropping down onto one of the couches. "It's true then? You're getting married? Who to? When did this come about? How did you meet?" Ginny stalled suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "Are you pregnant?" she demanded.
"No!" Hermione vehemently denied, blushing as red as Ginny's hair.
Serapha chuckled.
"Okay, now that we've got that out of the way," Ginny nodded. "How about you answer all my other questions?"
"I'm not sure I can remember all of them," Hermione replied, laughing nervously, not entirely certain just how much she should reveal. "There were so many." Did she lie to her friends, or did she tell the truth?
Ginny opened her mouth, and Hermione was absolutely certain she was going to repeat the verbal assault she had babbled the moment she'd made herself comfortable. Hermione held up her hand to forstall her young friend. "I remember," she said, smiling wryly.
Severus Snape apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts, his mission to his family home completed successfully. A quick glance at his pocket watch as he passed through the gates, reassured him he still had plenty of time. He still had 25 minutes to get himself prepared for the ceremony. Personally, he really didn't think all this ruckus was necessary. Why couldn't they have simply held the short, necessary ritual in Albus' office? Had they done that, it would now be over with. But, no, the silly chit had to go and ask that her precious friends attend.
Albus, sentimental old fool that he was, just had to jump on that particular bandwagon and suddenly invite Severus' own mother -- the bloody woman that had made such a tangled mess out of the whole matter in the first place. Of course, the old barmy bat couldn't possibly stop there. No, he had to go and invite staff as well. Okay, so it was only Minerva, which wasn't so bad, really, despite all appearances to the contrary, but still; it made it all some big production, for Merlin's sake.
Didn't Albus have a single clue? Neither one of them wanted this marriage, it was a matter of convenience only. He snorted. A matter of inconvenience more like, he thought sourly. Lost in his thoughts, it took both far too long to reach his quarters and not nearly long enough. He scowled as he passed through the door, muttering the password without slowing his stride.
Stripping quickly, he glanced at the wall clock as he headed for the bathroom. Sixteen minutes to go. Sixteen minutes until what felt like his doom. Thank Circe for drying charms, or he would never be ready in time. Of course, he didn't overly care if he kept Granger waiting. That wasn't the point. Severus Snape hated tardiness and made it a point to always be on time, regardless of the circumstances. This would be no exception.
He'd also be damned if he was going to appear any less than perfectly attired, not with the spectacle that Miss Granger and Albus had turned this into.
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback: Definitely, wholeheartedly encouraged. : )
