Chapter 61: In Which Last Names Are Discussed

Hermione had spent the day unpacking, making places for her things, and making some of his things theirs. Snape had spent the day working his way through the rather large backlog of potions related post that had accumulated since they had left for their American jaunt. But now it was night time. Dinner was over. They had both spent a pleasant hour reading on the couch, when Severus finished his book and asked.

"Want to watch some Dr. Who?"

Hermione looked at the book in her hand. She was at a dull bit. "Yes."

He flicked on the television and put a tape in the VCR, while she conjured some popcorn and a fuzzy blanket. They sat on the couch, his arm around her shoulders, a blanket over her legs, munching contentedly as the sounds of the Dr. Who theme music filled the house.

"Domestic bliss at the Granger-Snape house," Hermione said to him.

"Yes." He continued to munch. They watched the first bit of the show, but a question kept niggling at him. He quickly paused the show.

"Are you going to keep your name or take mine?"

"Granger-Snape house made you think of it?" Hermione asked. He nodded. Hermione thought for a long minute. "Hermione Snape…" She made a face. "How about you take my name?"

It was Snape's turn to think. "Severus Granger." He winced. "I don't think so."

"Granger-Snape?" Hermione asked.

He winced harder. "Granger-Snape sounds like some sort of exotic snake."

"It's not that bad. Think about it a bit. We both get to keep our own names and add each other's. Nothing lost, only gain."

"Granger-Snape. Granger-Snape. Still sounds like something that Aussie you watch would sneak up on while telling us how dangerous they are." Snape started speaking in the worst Australian accent Hermione had ever heard, "In dry areas like this you have to keep an eye peeled for the Granger-Snape, one of the most vicious snakes in all of Australia. Crikey! I see one!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, trying very hard to keep a straight face. "We could just keep our own names. But I do like the idea of some big symbolic gesture that says something new has happened. Especially since we're already having sex and living together."

"I suppose we have done a pretty good job of making sure the day before the wedding is just the same as the day after." They both had nothing to add after that, so he turned the show back on.

They quietly watched a bit more of Dr. Who. After about ten minutes Severus said, "The thing is, I'm very attached to my name. I am Severus Snape. I've never been anyone else, and I never wanted to be anyone else. Well, that's not precisely true, but at this point, it's who I am and who I want to be."

"I understand that. It's why I'm not exactly jumping up and down at the idea of Hermione Snape. It's not me. Granted, I haven't been a Granger as long as you've been a Snape, but I honestly can say that it's who I am and I have never wanted to be anyone else."

"Not even Hermione Weasley?" She gave him a mock glare and poked him.

"No, I'm serious."

"I don't think so. It probably would have shocked the rest of the Weasleys, and most likely would have given Ron palpitations, he was rather old fashioned about things like that, but, I really like my name. I don't mind adding another one, but I don't want to get rid of it all together."

They stared at each other, thinking of a way to deal with this.

Hermione realized she'd blithely accused Ron of old-fashionedness without having any clue as to Severus' opinions on the subject. "Does it bother you that I want to keep my own name?"

"Not too much. Especially since it's you keeping your name rather than rejecting mine."

"I still like both names. You could be Severus G. Snape, if the whole Granger-Snape thing makes you think too much of deadly Australian vipers." She paused, chewed a piece of popcorn, and then said, "Wait, what's your middle name?"

"That, my dear, is a secret of such immense darkness and evil that I shudder to even think it, let alone profane your fair ears by telling it."

"Oh my, that sounds like a job for George and Ginny. They can find anything, and neither of them have such innocent ears anymore."

"Luckily for me, everyone else who knew that secret is now long dead."

"Hmp." Severus turned Dr. Who back on, and they watched in peace. At the end of the episode Snape watched her for a long time. He was looking her over carefully, which puzzled Hermione to some degree, because she was used to his, 'Let's go have some sex' looks, and this wasn't one of them.

"Ginny could make us tattoos. Wrist tattoos. It's not a name change, but it would be a symbol of change, a very visible symbol. I prefer you as Hermione Granger, if the other option is Hermione Granger-Snape. And, unlike rings, I wouldn't have to worry about it interacting with my potions. They'd be visible most of the time, but you could keep your sleeve in place if you didn't want the students staring."

"You've obviously never seen me teach in a classroom. I spend a lot of time writing on the board. My sleeves are usually somewhere around mid-arm. But I like the idea. If we did wedding rings, I'd have to do something with my engagement ring, and I don't want to have to put it on a different finger, or find a way to work another ring into it. I like it there all by itself."

"So we'll be Snape and Granger?"

"I like that. We can call the kids Granger-Snape."

"Only if we're really mad at them." She smiled wryly at that.

"My mum will like it, too."

"Your mum?" He looked puzzled. He knew she had parents, but she hadn't mentioned them since that day they talked about money and politics. He was somewhat curious as to if they were fighting, or why he hadn't heard anything about them since, but not curious enough to pry.

"Yes, you should hear her go on and on about women who get married and lose themselves. According to her keeping your name is one of the great safeguards, along with your own money, your own job, and a way to get out. She's stopped harping at me about always having a bike or a car once I learned how to apparate."

"Not a lot of trust there," he said, trying to sound noncommittal.

"No. And it's a bit on the odd side, because it's not like she and my father have an awful marriage, or that my grandparents were miserable and are now divorced. From what I can see, I come from a long line of women who married good men, but my mum still doesn't seem to trust that it'll really last. Or maybe it's her way of keeping my dad in line. Perhaps it works so well because he knows she can leave at any time. But, it's not what I'd like us to have."

"I'd rather we didn't live together with the idea that either of us will head for the hills if the going gets rough."

"Speaking of my parents, you should probably meet them, the sooner the better."

"Yes." He sighed dramatically. "I can't really put it off too much longer. I suppose it's a good idea to meet one's prospective in-laws before you send the wedding invitations out."

"Probably." She was nodding.

"Next weekend?"

"I'll call my mum, but yes, that'll probably do it."