Chapter 16- To Say or Not to Say, That is the Question

The time was 2 o'clock in the morning. The entire castle was quiet, an unearthly and deadly silence. Hermione didn't like the feeling that she had as she walked down the hallways of the empty castle alone. She had left Snape in the dungeon room and wondered around the halls without a purpose. Portraits hanging on the walls often stopped her and asked her of affair with Snape. She smiled; there was so much talk around the school on the last few days about their controversial relationship. Ever since the dance, people in the Wizarding world had been talking about the controversial relationship of the older professor and his newly graduated student. Rumors spread of a relationship between the two during her years as a student, as well as talk of being used as a toy in a sick man's mind games. Hermione laughed every time that she picked up The Prophet. Scandal, rumors, and talks of strange and bizarre things ran through the newspaper, as well as several others. Snape however didn't find it amusing. When Hermione questioned him about doing and interview with The Prophet and telling what happened, maybe even mentioned the wedding. Snape refused, but Hermione told him that she would do an interview that the public begged for, but that she would wait until they were married. But she wouldn't hide that they were in love, and she didn't want to. That was why she had left their room, they had gotten into a huge argument and she needed to let herself and Snape calm down.

Hermione and Snape stood in the middle of his room locked in a deadly stare with each other. Hermione threw a newspaper at Severus. "Severus, we can't hide this any longer. The rumors are funny, but people won't stop talking. We should do an interview, we should tell the truth."

"No!" He growled, staring at her with a deadly glare. His hands balled up into a fist as his anger rose. "I'm not going to put you or myself in the middle of public scrutiny. Just let them talk."

"But I am sick of the talk, sick of the rumors. There is nothing sick and wrong about our relationship, and I am so damn sick of hearing that it is." Hermione said, her eyes tearing up.

Snape looked at Hermione, his eyes softening a little. "The rumors will stop." He said. "The whole world doesn't have to know about our relationship or our wedding."

"Are you ashamed of it? Is this what this is about? Are you so ashamed that you fell in love with me, that you won't even bother to stop the stupid rumors that keep floating around? You'd rather have the whole goddamn world think you are some sick man, using me for sex, rather than knowing that you are in love with me. Fuck you Severus, go fucking marry yourself!" Hermione yelled and ran out of the room.

Hermione's eyes overflowed with tears as she thought about her fight with Snape, and what she had told him as she left. She didn't want Snape to think that she didn't want to marry him, but she was furious at him. She paced the halls, answering the passing portraits and ghosts questions, until she reached the Astronomy Tower. Opening the large doors to the balcony, she walked out onto the balcony that over looked the lake. She looked down at the beech tree, where she and Severus had sat earlier that day in complete bliss. She let her tears fall freely as she stared out over the grounds of Hogwarts. She heard the door close behind her, and she turned on her heels fast, pulling her wand out. "Calm down love, it's just me." Snape drawled.

Hermione pocketed her wand and stared at him with a deathly gaze. "What do you want Severus?" She said, turning her back to him.

He snaked his arms around her waist and whispered into her ear. "You don't really think that I am ashamed of loving you, do you?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." Hermione whispered. "You act like the perfect lover, but you don't want to speak against the rumors about us."

"Hermione!" Snape said, pulling her around to look at him. He pulled her close to him. "I love you, don't doubt that. Never doubt that I love you, more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life." Snape said; his voice filled with a little panic. She won't leave me, she can't. She will die, and I will never forgive myself.

"I don't." Hermione said, hearing his slight panic in his voice. "I'm sorry for what I said, about not marrying you."

"Don't worry about it, love." Snape said. "I can't hold a grudge against someone so beautiful." He said, kissing her lips softly.

"I love you Severus." Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a deep and passionate kiss.

"Umm umm." Hermione and Severus both turned to face Dumbledore, as he cleared his throat by the now open door. "Might I have a word with you two? I suggest the Great Hall, I fancy a midnight snack." The two nodded and followed him in silence. They reached the hall, looking at each other with certain confusion. The chose one table and sat there in silence while house elves brought food. "Well, don't look so scared. Eat something, I don't remember seeing you at dinner or having food brought to your room, you must be starved."

Hermione smiled, she was hungry. She picked up a bagel and buttered it lightly. "What are we here for Professor, besides the food?"

"Please, call me Albus. You are no longer a child Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, a certain twinkle in his eyes.

"Yet, you still call me Miss Granger." Hermione pointed out.

"Ah, yes well I suppose I do. Old habits die hard; you will always be a student to me." Dumbledore said with a smile. "But, what I have to speak with you two is how childish the people of the wizard community are." Dumbledore turned his eyes to The Prophet sitting on the table next to them.

Hermione chuckled slightly. "Yes, I imagine that everyone gets a wonderful kick out of the controversial relationship between us."

"Yes, it's rather silly really. But, you understand the reasoning behind all the controversy?" Dumbledore eyed Snape.

"Of course we understand, she's barely legal. It wasn't the best idea to be so open with this so soon after her graduation." Snape said, not looking in Hermione's eyes.

"And the reason that there no word from you two, to squash these rumors or to talk of the wedding?" Dumbledore focused his eyes on Hermione. Her eyes dropped from his and to the table. Dumbledore turned to Snape.

Snape looked over at his future bride, her head held down to avoid Dumbledore's gaze. "It's my doing." Snape said. "I refused to let Hermione do an interview."

"Ah, well that is your choice my boy." Dumbledore said. "Although I don't see why you won't let the girl speak, or speak yourself."

"I will not endure their childishness by giving them more to talk about it." Snape said.

"Yes, but you do no good staying silent. You give them more of a reason to talk. The press will hear of the wedding, I would advise doing an interview." Dumbledore said. "But, again I say that it is your choice. Good night you two." Dumbledore said, before leaving the Great Hall.

Hermione and Snape sat in silence for a few minutes before he said anything. "You can do the interview, and I will do it with you if you want." He said in a low voice.

"Oh, thank you Severus." Hermione said, throwing her arms around him. She kissed him deeply, but suddenly someone spilt water on her. Hermione and Snape both jumped up, eyeing Dobby the house-elf.

"Sorry, terribly sorry miss." He muttered under his breath.

"Have you bee crying?" She asked in a soft, caring voice.

"Dobby misses Harry Potter, yes he does. He thinks that Harry will be in trouble soon, yes very soon. Dobby can't live if Harry Potter dies." The house-elf muttered.

"Oh, the world would be better without Potter around." Snape said under his breath. Both Hermione and Dolby stared at him. "I was kidding." He said.

"I don't see why you are with him, Miss. He's a horrid man, yes he is." Dobby said.

Snape's eyes filled with fire. He clenched his hands into fist, letting Hermione go as he did. Hermione could feel the heat and anger rise in Snape. "Go back to the dungeons Severus, I want to set Dobby straight and also ask him for a favor. I will be there in five minutes." She leaned up and whispered in his ear. "Stay angry like this." She whispered in a low, husky, seductive tone. His eyes lit up and he left without another word. Hermione turned to the house-elf. "You shouldn't talk to anyone like that, Dobby, especially a professor."

"But Dobby is concerned about you Miss Hermione. Dobby knows what a wicked man Professor Snape is, Dobby heard tells from Harry Potter." The house-elf said quickly, but shuttered at Harry's name.

"Dobby, Harry and Snape never got along. But, that doesn't make Snape a bad person; it just means that they hold grudges from the past. Now, Dobby, I need you to do me a favor. Can you write a letter to Harry, telling him why you think he's in danger? Then, you bring it to me so that I can read it, add my own letter to it, and send them off." Hermione said in the same sweet tone she always had with house-elves.

"Yes Miss Hermione, Dobby will do it right now. Dobby would be happy to, if it will help Harry Potter." And with that, the Harry-obsessed house-elf left the Great Hall. Hermione left the Great Hall a few minutes later after cleaning up, and then walked slowly down to the dungeons. This time, the castle didn't seem so lonely. She knew, that below the castle in the dungeons, was a man that loved her madly. A man that wanted to marry her and love her for the rest of their lives. Hermione smiled and walked faster, impatient to be in his arms.

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