Chapter 10
The Last Waltz
We finally made it up to the Great Hall for the ball. Most of the students stared in amazement at Dracula and the Dark Fairy entering hand in hand, some of the younger ones looked terrified at the smile on the Vampire's face.
Severus swept me into a waltz immediately and we glided around the dance floor, my Dark Prince and I. It was our first dance as husband and wife and I was enjoying myself so much that I hoped this moment would last forever.
As the song finished we joined Minerva and the other teachers. Those who had not been present at our wedding that day congratulated Severus and I heartily. I suspect they were delighted that finally their Potions Master had a reason to be happy and might possibly become less snarky.
I danced with Remus, Hagrid and Harry. All the Weasley family was present, excepting Ron of course and Charlie. Each of the boys took their turn to dance with me, George and Fred being the most comical of my partners. Finally I was swept up into the arms of none other than Percy Weasley.
"If I might say so Miss Granger you are looking quite lovely tonight" he elucidated.
"Why thank you Percy, you're very kind" I simpered back at him.
The dance was almost at an end when he asked if he might talk to me privately. I wondered what he could possibly want. We walked to the exit and stood in the chill night air quite alone.
"I'd like to thank you for helping my family yesterday Hermione" he said in his most formal voice "The last thing our family needs is more scandal as you can quite imagine."
"Yes Percy I understand" what I didn't understand was where this conversation might be leading.
"Yes, of course I knew you would. I'd like to show you my appreciation if I might."
Uh oh, here it comes I thought "Um, that's not really necessary Percy honestly"
"Oh I think it is Hermione and I know exactly how to show you how I feel" he took my hands in his.
Oh no, I hoped that he didn't intend to kiss me. Where was that husband of mine now that his first challenger was here. I mentally tried to call Severus to me.
"No, Percy it's quite alright really" I tried to escape him.
"No my dear, I insist" he went on "After yesterday I decided that you were a very powerful and determined witch, just what my career needs at the moment"
Huh? Severus save me!
"No my dear, don't say anything yet" I tried to look panic stricken but he didn't seem to notice, maybe women always looked like that when he was around them.
"I have decided to propose marriage to you," he said.
"It would do your standing in the magical community good to be married into a respectable Pure Blood family and as a friend of Harry Potter it would increase my chances of career advancement within the Ministry to be your husband."
I felt ill. Really ill actually. Percy Weasley had just proposed to me and all I wanted to do was puke. Where the hell was Severus when I needed him.
"Of course I would find you a respectable entry level job within the Ministry as a secretary or some such" the idiot was primping before me.
"You must understand that your current job is most unsuitable for a Ministry officials wife."
"I would allow you to work outside the home until the children came along. That will have to be soon of course due to your advanced age, though I'm willing to overlook that."
The look on his face told me he had thought this through and I would be a good acquisition to further his career and feather his nest. How positively disgusting and pompous it all sounded.
I opened my mouth to tell him he was too late as I was already wed.
"Tut, tut, sweet Love, there is no need to thank me yet. You will meet me at the Ministry tomorrow at 3 and we shall be wed then. Won't it just be too lovely to have me as a husband" he raised my hands to his mouth and kissed the back of them soundly. Between my bile and the squelch of his kiss I prayed for a Death Eater to use an unforgivable on me right now.
My mouth curved up in a grimace and all the noise I could make was a pained gurgle. Somehow he managed to take this as a sign of agreement to his terms. His smile beaming at me only aggravated my nausea.
I felt hands snake around my waist from behind and hoped it was the saviour Death Eater.
"Mr. Weasley, Captain Granger" the cavalry had finally arrived.
"Professor Snape, good news, I am to wed Miss Granger tomorrow!" Percy beamed at Severus.
"Oh really" he drawled in reply loosening his grip on my waist and sliding his hands down onto my hips instead "And Captain Granger has acquiesced to your offer of matrimony?"
"Of course, Professor, and why shouldn't she?" he puffed out his chest at my husband. Somehow Percy had completely missed the possessive hold Severus had on my person.
I felt the fingers grip my hips tighter. Turning my head slightly I whispered through gritted teeth "For Merlin's sake save me from this prick!" I turned back to Percy and tried to dislodge my hands from his. He held on tightening his grip.
Magically George and Fred appeared on either side of me. They certainly had a nose for trouble and had sniffed out a doozy this time.
"Perce" they both said in unison looking at his hands clasping mine "Whatcha doin'?"
"He's just asked Captain Granger for her hand and apparently she has accepted" Severus drawled.
It was quite obvious the twins were wanting to laugh themselves stupid and were barely containing their mirth. It seemed that Percy was the only Weasley not to have heard the good news of our nuptials.
"Good on you Perce" George slapped him on the back.
"Yeah great move" Fred slapped the other side.
"Bit of a problem though mate" George continued.
"Yeah, she's already hitched" Fred added smiling widely.
Percy immediately dropped my hands in shock "No, you are both mistaken. I checked at the Ministry yesterday and Miss Granger is not married I assure you!"
"I'm afraid so Percy" I said "I'm married to a man who's turned on by khaki, isn't wanting to enslave me, and doesn't expect me to be a baby breeding machine"
"The swine!" Percy shrieked "I will duel him for your hand" he whipped out his wand and took up a fencing pose straight out of a Hollywood silent film.
George and Fred couldn't contain themselves any longer and broke into hysterical laughter.
I felt myself being lifted bodily out of the way by Severus. His wand was quickly wedged into Percy's throat.
"Lady Snape does not need to be harassed by the likes of you Weasley and I'm sure she did not accept your proposal. Now bugger off before you embarrass yourself further" he poked Percy in the neck with his wand. "Leave my wife alone" he finished with an extra poke.
With a strangled cry of anguish Percy Weasley fainted dead away onto the paving stones.
"Ouch" I said. The men grimaced at the thud of Percy hitting stone.
"I'll get mum, this is her department" Fred said before leaving. George patted Severus on the shoulder and chuckled before following his brother back into the hall.
I turned to Severus and shrugged my shoulders "I didn't agree to anything Love, he's such a pompous prick that I couldn't manage to get a word in edgeways!"
Severus looked solemnly down at my face before taking my hands in his. He gently rubbed his thumbs over their backs "Would you care to dance Lady Snape?"
Severus and I danced the remainder of the night away, laughing and drinking. It was the best reception any bride could have hoped for. At the end of the night Minerva announced our marriage to the remaining partygoers and three cheers rose into the night with the clinking of glasses.
We were mildly inebriated and decided to go out for a walk in the night air. Remus and Tonks joined us to enjoy the stars by the lake. The moon was at a waxing quarter and smiled down illuminating the grounds. I laughed at a joke Severus told me then jumped up to run away from our small group.
"Catch me" I called to him as I dashed down towards the gates in my bare feet, my wings flapping behind me.
After giving me a small head start he raced after me. I dived behind a tree and felt his arms close around my waist. I giggled turning around to comment on his tracking skills when the words died on my lips.
I was in the arms of a robed Death Eater. I felt his wand poking my side and my eyes widened in shock.
"I told you to be careful Missy," he said. I recognised Malfoy straight away and swallowed hard. Opening my mouth to shout out to Severus I only managed a strangled cry before I felt the pull of a portkey drag me away from Hogwarts.
Racing to the place where my cry had escaped the only remains Severus found were my wings that Malfoy had ripped from my back and left on the ground. Picking them up he turned around in a circle holding the wings and cried out my name into the night.
"Hermioneeee!"
Returning to the group dumbstruck he dropped the wings into Remus' lap.
"She's gone" was all he managed to say before collapsing into a heap, his head falling impotently onto the grass.
