I don't own anything, J.K Rowling does.
WARNING: Mature themes brought up so if you are less than 18 and/or easily triggered by mature content DO NOT READ THIS STORY. You have been warned.
A/N: The song at the end is a little tribute to a French singer who died a little over three weeks ago and who I admired a lot. RIP Charles Aznavour.
Chapter 22
"Severus, love, it's time to wake up my darling." Hermione said kissing him slowly. "Good morning my handsome wizard" she continued when she saw he had opened his eyes and was now looking at her.
"Good morning my love" Severus said stirring as he woke up from his long sleep. "Hope you slept as well as I did."
"I always sleep well when I am with you." Hermione chuckled "We have to begin plan our wedding Severus." She said while laying on her side looking into Severus' eyes. One arm folded onto the bed supporting her head up.
"Yeah we do. I don't want you to be in the all wedding related stress so I think that we should hire one or two wedding planners. What do you think Herms?" Severus said adopting the same pose as Hermione.
"It would make my life so much easier but I don't want something too public. I want only close ones. I will be about 5 months pregnant and will certainly be showing." Hermione said looking tenderly at Severus.
That's when they saw an Owl soar through the window. It wasn't Tweedle but a black one. It was carrying a journal and piece of parchment.
Dear Hermione.
Firstly, let me thank you once more for the help you provided me with after the battle. I received today's Prophet and thought it best to send you my copy as I perfectly know you aren't subscribed to it.
I will come and take you to George's funeral on the 9th May. But tell me if you already have planned it with the Weasleys.
Best regards to you and to Severus.
Harry James Potter
Hermione read the letter twice before taking the newspaper role dangling from the Owl's paw. It was this morning's newspaper and showed a picture of her and Severus entering Gringotts. Hermione stood in horror as she read through the article.
-A forbidden Hogwarts staff and student relationship-
The darkest Wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort has only been defeated for a few days and what was our surprise when we saw Miss Hermione Granger, one third of the Golden Trio, 17, enter Gringotts England Wizarding bank in the company of Mr. Severus Snape, former Headmaster at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Potion Master and Death Eater, 38. She was spotted wearing a ring at her.
They then wandered through the streets of Diagon Alley going into Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions. Mr. Snape was seen carrying the bags as they then went to the famous Wizarding Bookshop Flourish and Blotts before going to the Owlery and buying a superb black and white Owl.
Is there an undisclosed relationship between the Death Eater and the only female part of the Golden Trio? That only time will tell
Rita Skeeter reporting for the Daily Prophet
More on page 6.
Hermione collapsed on the bed behind her as she finished reading the article. Severus was looking at her with eyes full of worries. He still hadn't read neither the letter nor the article and was wondering what could put Hermione in such a state of distress.
"Hey, love. What is it? What is happening everything's all right?" Severus inquired pulling her into his embrace and slightly stroking her back to calm her down.
"They know… They know..." Hermione said on the verge of tears.
"Hey, what is happening my love, come here, calm down." Severus said immediately sensing the distress in which the mother of his child was.
"Skeeter, she wrote an article about us. There are photos of us shopping in Diagon Alley. They saw the ring I was wearing." Hermione said sobbing uncontrollably against Severus' chest.
He pulled the sheets above them as to not get cold and held Hermione against him for a few moments feeling her take deeper breaths now. Her heart wasn't beating as quickly as before and her tears had stopped flowing from her eyes.
"My love, they were bound to know that we were together. We are going to get married, have a child and stay together until the day we die. It would have come out one day or another. Maybe it is for the best, it takes time for people to accept things." He said caressing her back slightly.
"I think you are right. I am pregnant with your child and this makes me the happiest woman on earth and I know that as being one third of the Golden Trio, our relationship would not have been kept secret for long." Hermione said regaining confidence.
"Let me go and prepare you and our little one a good breakfast and then we can begin preparing the wedding my sweet darling" he said pecking her lips before getting out of bed and putting a bathrobe on him to prevent him getting cold while going into the kitchen.
She was sitting in the bed and looked once more at the Newspaper laying on the bed. She picked it up and opened it to the 6th page. She found the article about her and Severus quite easily. It was half a page article which bared the title of Improbable love. It had a large picture in it's center that showed them as they were getting out of Gringotts. He had his hand on the small of her back and she was facing the camera away slightly. There was however no possible mistake possible to who she and he were.
-Improbable love-
Rita Skeeter
Yesterday, Monday, 5th May, Mr. Severus Tobias Snape, former Potions Master at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, former Headmaster of the previously named school and Death Eater, 38 was seen in Diagon Alley alongside Miss Hermione Jean Granger, former student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and member of the Golden Trio.
Miss Granger was spotted wearing a beautiful ring which comes from Mr. J. Ewler. One's of Wizarding England best known jewelry maker in the world. It is a beautiful 24k golden band chiseled into two snakes which surround rubies and emeralds. The model being so elaborate and surely custom made, our Jewelry expert Mr. Ractier estimated the ring to be worth around 3 000 Galleons. She was also wearing a Pevianchy handmade dress that our fashion expert Mrs. Nachel estimated to have costed around 150 Galleons.
Although it is still uncertain if Mr. Snape and Miss Granger are together, many gestures from the both of them seem to show that our suspicions could be accurate. Indeed, when they both got out of Gringotts England Wizarding Bank and headed towards Madam Molkin's Robes for All Occasions, we caught the sight of Mr. Snape's hand on the small of Miss Granger's back. They were spotted about an hour later going into Flourish and Blotts before heading towards the owlery where they bought an Owl. As you most certainly know, it is a wizarding tradition for the couples to let their respective animals go and get a new one together as a sign of complete trust.
Hermione threw the paper through the room and called for Tweedle. The large owl came soaring into the room, he placed himself on the bed waiting for Hermione to give him the letter she wanted to have delivered. She summoned a quill and parchment and began writing a small note to Harry's attention and another one to the Weasley's.
My dear Harry,
Thank you for the Newspaper. For once, the Prophet isn't telling lies about everything. Severus popped me the question yesterday. He asked me to marry him and I said yes. We also had our first baby appointment and saw our child. Poppy told us it would be too soon at the moment to know the gender of the baby. The baby is doing good and I am due to give birth in December.
As for Fred's burial, I am not certain that I am wanted. The fact that I didn't get invited lets me believe that they would prefer it if I wasn't there. I might come and sit in the back. Fred was after all like a bigger brother to me and it would pain me to not be able to say goodbye.
Hoping to hear from you soon, loads of love,
Hermione Jean Granger
She folded the piece of parchment in half and sealed it with her wax and seal magically before plopping the letter next to her. She then summoned another piece of parchment and wrote a message for the Weasleys.
My dear friends,
I wanted to express my deepest sympathy in those moments of unbearable sadness. I have learnt from Harry of Fred's passing. Someone who I considered like a friend and a brother. Never did he once let me down when I needed him and I will always remember the pranks he used to pull on me during our time at Hogwarts.
Yours sincerely,
Hermione Jean Granger
Once again, she sealed the letter with her wax and seal before placing it with the other already written letter. She gave the owl a small pat on the beak and asked it to deliver the letters to the Weasleys and Ron.
A few minutes after, Severus came back into the room with a tray full of breakfast things. There were toasts, beans, sausages, ham and scrambled eggs. There also was a large pot of tea and a glass of Orange Juice.
"Here you go my darling" Severus said placing the tray on her legs which were currently under the covers of the bed.
"Thank you Sev. I love you so much my heart is bursting with the joy of being able to call you soon enough my husband." Hermione said taking a piece of toast and biting into it.
"It's my pleasure darling. I am very impatient to be able to call you my wife too my little witch, he said.
They ate breakfast feeding each other bits of food. She then went to the bathroom and when she came out 15 minutes later, was ready to begin her day and the planning of their wedding. She was wearing a dress they had bought together at Madam Malkin's. It was a pale blue calves-length dress which had long sleeves and a lace waist band. The motifs on the dress were made of flowers and cherry trees branches intertwined together. The light fabric was perfect for the beginning of May.
"You look stunning darling. If we had nothing else to do, I would take you right now." Severus said cheekily.
"Darling, as much as I would love to make love with you every single second I spend with you, I still am feeling a bit sore and this little one in here is really starting to pump a lot of my energy at the moment." Hermione said between a chuckle and a sob.
She wanted to have sex with him, her whole damned body screamed for it, but she couldn't have him as often as she wanted to because of her bloody pregnancy. Poppy had told her that she needed rest and although her little shagging sessions with Severus led her to the most wonderful of sleep, she still was a little tired.
Before she had time to think furthermore, she felt two powerful hands wrapping themselves around her now slightly rounded waist as he hugged her from behind. She felt the burgeoning of his erection hit against the small of her back and all the resolve she had managed to gather moments before was gone.
She spun around in his arms and captured his lips in a fierce kiss, their tongues were battling for dominance as they pushed against each other's mouths. Her hands went to the back of his head and pulled him in further into the kiss. She quietly moaned as his tongue wrapped around hers and caressed it lightly.
His hands went to the small of her back and began hitching her dress up. He managed pulling the dress to her knees when he felt her pull away.
"We can't darling. I am so sorry. But we can't, there is still so much to do and I am really tired. I want us to enjoy the moments we are intimate love and I know I won't be enjoying it this time. Not that I don't love you…" Hermione began sounding embarrassed.
"I know that you love me little witch. I also want you to enjoy at the best of your ability the times I make love to you. You tell me when you need me and I'll be right here baby. Ok?" Severus said panting as he tried to calm down from the snogging session.
She nodded and took his hand as they both went to the living room. They began by determining the number of guests they would have to invite. Just on Hermione's side it came to about a hundred. Severus estimated to about one hundred and fifty guests for him. Then came ministry officials, teachers, friends and other colleagues. They estimate the number of guests to a large six hundred people.
"And me who dreamed about a Private Ceremony" Hermione said as she looked at the Parchment were they had made their rough calculations.
"Now, now, Hermione. Those are the person we have to invite for the ceremony and cocktail. There will be far less people at the banquet afterwards. I think that we can reduce the number of guests to three hundred people." Severus said comfortingly.
"Now for the color theme. Black, obviously." Hermione said in the same tone Severus had taken when Madam Umbridge had done his inspection and asked her if he had indeed never been appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"With green, gold and red. Slytherin's and Gryffindor's colors united." Severus said with a low chuckle at first and then more seriously.
"Perfect idea. You, the best man and groomsmen could wear green and black while me, my maid of honor and bridesmaid wear gold, red and white." Hermione said. When Severus nodded she noted it down on a long role of parchment she had in front of her.
"Now we have to decide for the wedding planners. What about one more familiar with Muggle wedding rituals and another one with Wizarding ones? We are going to wed in front of some very traditionalists wizard and I think that they will not be really pleased if we miss any step of the traditional wedding." Hermione said anxiously.
"Yes, I like this idea then we can see how we can do so that both origins are represented" Severus said cheerfully. "I know a perfect candidate for the Wizarding part. Her name is Candice and she organized Lucius' wedding and knows everything there is to know about the Wizarding Wedding traditions." Severus said to Hermione.
"Yeah, she sounds great love. I think I know who I can ask for the Muggle part one. Her name is Sonia and she is Muggleborn. I met her during my first year at Hogwarts. She was a 7th year Gryffindor at the time and helped me in the beginning. When I had no friends, she would come and chat with me when I had a free period. We kept in touch and she is now a very famous Muggle wedding planner. She planned Celine Dion's wedding." Hermione explained.
The look on Severus face when Hermione mentioned Céline Dion was priceless and made Hermione roar with laughter.
"She is a Canadian Muggle singer Severus. Very popular, who married her manager Rene Angelil. She was 26 years younger than him. Made a big fuss at the time." Hermione informed him.
"Well let's go for Sofia then. I'll Patronus Candice and you'll do the same with Sofia." He said before making his Patronus appear in front of him and sending it. She did the same and a few minutes later, a Fox appeared and began to spoke.
"'Mione, I would be honored to plan your wedding to Severus. I am actually in London on holidays until the end of November and was kind of getting bored. Your wedding planning will be a great distraction to me. I am impatient to make your dream wedding come to life. I am available at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Let's meet at the Savoy, I am staying there until my departure to Canada and give my best regards to Severus, his lessons always interested me a lot even if I wasn't very good at it." And with that the Patronus disappeared into thin air.
A few minutes afterwards a dapple-grey mare appeared and spoke.
"My dear Severus, it will be an upmost honor to plan your binding to Miss Granger from what you told me she is an extraordinary person. I am available during the whole week. Just tell me when you want to begin and I shall be available to receive to both of you in my countryside house. Once again my deepest and most sincere congratulations to you and Miss Granger." The dapple-grey mare disappeared at his turn and Severus looked at Hermione.
"Well perfect. We have the wedding planners booked." He stood up and took Hermione's hand in his own.
"Would my future bride make me the honor of dancing with me?" Severus asked pulling her to her feet.
"I would love to darling." She responded.
You are the one for me formidable by Charles Aznavour
You are the one for me, for me, formi, formidable
You are my love, very, very, véri, véritable
Et je voudrais un jour enfin pouvoir te le dire
Te l'écrire
Dans la langue de Shakespeare
My daisy, daisy, dési, désirable
Je suis malheureux
D'avoir si peu de mots à t'offrir en cadeau
Darling I love you, love you, darling, I want you
Et puis c'est à peu pres tout
You are the one for me, for me, formi, formidable
You are the one for me, for me, formi, formidable
But how can you see me, see me, si mi, si minable
Je ferais mieux d'aller choisir mon vocabulaire
Pour te plaire
Dans la langue de Molière
Toi, tes eyes, ton nose, tes lips adorables
Tu n'as pas compris
Tant pis, ne t'en fais pas et
Viens-t'en dans mes bras
Darling I love you, love you, darling, I want you
Et puis le reste, on s'en fout
You are the one for me, formi, formidable
Je me demande même pourquoi je t'aime
Toi qui te moque de moi et de tout
Avec ton air canaille, canaille, canaille
How can I love you?
"How can I not love you my dearest Hermione." Severus whispered in her ear before kissing her softly.