AN: I don´t own Harry Potter and don´t make any profit.
Thanks for all your lovely reviews!
Hermione paced her room nervously since today was the day of the Order ceremony and they were about to leave. Severus knocked on her door and entered, when she called him in.
"Wow! You are so beautiful. … You look breathtaking," he said with an awed voice, bringing her hand to his lips, kissing it gently.
Hermione blushed, "Thank you! I can´t believe you actually wearing something red, mind you, dark red, but still. It really suits you. You do look handsome, Sev!"
"Well I want everybody to know we belong together now, that´s the only fun I´ll get out of this event, so I had to match your dress. And it´s just the shirt, everything is still dungeon bat style," he winked at her.
"By the way I really like that your dress is low cut in the back, your back is gorgeous. I like a low cut back so much more than a plunging neck-line," he growled in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
"We should really go and get my parents, before I change my mind," she sighed, while Severus was kissing her neck.
"I would love for you tochange your mind," he said pleadingly.
"No way," she pulled away, "we are going!" He growled in frustration.
They arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, Hermione apparating with Jean and Severus apparating with David, who actually looked a bit green in her face, due to the unusual means of transport.
"Ok Dad, look at me and try to breathe calmly," Hermione said, while Severus conjured a glass, filled it with water and handed it to David.
Taking small sips, he slowly got his colour back and said to Severus, "Thank you, my boy!"
There was a small smile on Severus lips, that grew wider and wider, when he heard the obviously loving tone with which David had addressed him. Severus and Hermione were walking arm in arm, leading the way up to the castle, followed by David and Jean, the latter one mesmerised by the castle and its surroundings, she would "Ah" and "Oh" the whole way up to the castle, and actually said, "I wish I was a witch."
When they arrived at the memorial they stopped and David gasped at the sight of how many people actually lost their life. Hermione hid her face in Severus´ chest, who conjured two single dark red roses. He handed her one of the roses and they each laid their rose in front of the memorial. Hermione couldn´t stop crying, so Severus drew her close and holding her in his arms he rubbed circles on her back, whispering soothing words in her ear, until her sobbing died down.
Hermione broke apart from him, wiped away her tears and tried a small smile, "Let me show you the castle, we still have an hour to spare, until it starts." And she led the way, pulling her Mum behind her.
David held Severus back until the women were out of earshot. "Thank you for taking care of my girl. I can see you are doing a very good job," David said and hugged Severus, who was overwhelmed by his emotions and had to hide the tears that were gathering in his eyes, since he never experienced the love of a father.
An hour later they entered the Great Hall, when everybody just found their seats. All four of them had seats reserved in the very first row, together with Harry, Ginny, Ron, Molly, Arthur, Neville and his grandmother, Andromeda, Teddy, Draco, who looked a bit uncomfortable, and Winky, who´s feet were dangling from the chair, since she was so small. The hall was filled with lots and lots of people, friends and families, Ministry employees, Hogwarts staff, members of the Wizengamot and house-elves.
There was a stage with a speaker´s desk and three huge pictures of Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Lupin and Dobby, looking at them Hermione sighed and leaned her head to Severus shoulder.
When a string quartet started to play, a sad but beautiful melody Hermione didn´t recognize, all the noise died down and after the musicians finished all the eyes were expectantly on Minerva McGonagall who climbed the stage, stepped to the speaker´s desk and cleared her throat.
"Highly honoured Minister for Magic, dear guest of honours," she said looking to the first row and continued," highly honoured members of the Wizengamot Ministry and Hogwarts staff, dear friends and families, dear house-elves, as Hogwarts headmistress I am honoured to welcome you all to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on this special day. As part of the staff team I must say we are all very honoured that in the history of Hogwarts it is the first time the school is able to host this very special event of awarding the Order of Merlin. I hope you all enjoy your time here at Hogwarts and invite to a small reception afterwards." The audience applauded and the string quartet started to play again, this time Hermione recognized it as being a Mozart melody.
After they finished Kingsley got up the stage, found the speaker´s desk, let his gaze rest on the audience, gave a warm smile and waited a couple of moments. It was dead silent in the Great Hall by then. He certainly knows how to get an audience´s attention. And then he started to talk.
"Dear guests of honour, highly honoured members of the Wizengamot, Hogwarts and Ministry staff, dear guests and house-elves. We have gathered here on this fine day, to honour some members of our society today, who played a great role in this last war. A war that cost so many lives, that left our society shattered and scared. It´s time that we rebuild it and make it a better world for our children. Today we want to say thank you to our heroes. I think it is important to pay this people back for giving up their youth, their security or their life in order to bring down Tom Riddle Junior also known as Lord Voldemort. And that´s why we are here today to bestow so many Orders of Merlin at once, which hasn´t happened before."
Minerva silently got up the stage and waited until Kingsley finished and made room for her at the speaker´s desk.
"The first Order will be bestowed to a dear friend of mine. He is a brave man, who had the whole wizarding nation turned against him, by what he had to do in order to keep Tom Riddle´s trust. He was made headmaster of this school, when the war was raging on outside. He had to keep the students and staff safe, without revealing himself loyal to the Order of the Phoenix. Severus Snape was standing all by himself and he was standing strong. Please Severus join us on stage."
Severus made his way up to join them, wearing a blank expression on his face.
"Severus Snape please accept this Order of Merlin First Class for your brave actions in this war."
Severus nodded and said, "Thank you!" Kingsley pinned the order to his dress robes and shook his hand. The audience´s applause seemed restrained, except for the first row and other Order members, who were all on their feet clapping and cheering frenetically, making Severus smirk slightly. Minerva pulled him into a gentle hug and kissed his cheek, like a mother would do, with her son and whispered something in his ear, making him smile genuinely.
When the applause ebbed away, Severus stepped to the speaker´s desk and it went dead silent, when he started talking, "The next Order will go to a brave man, who was the leader of the resistance movement within this very school. I saw his brave actions, trying to keep the weaker safe. He was a light in those dark times at Hogwarts. And as true Gryffindor the sword of Gryffindor presented itself to him, in times of need and he was aböedestroyed Tom Riddle´s snake, which was one of the Horcruxes. Neville please come up here."
Neville was up the stairs with two big steps.
"Neville Longbottom please accept this Order of Merlin First Class for your leadership in the resistance and helping down to bring down Tom Riddle."
"I will", Neville said and nodded. The crowd bellow cheered and clapped, while Kingsley pinned the order to Neville´s dress robes. Severus took Neville´s hand in both of his hands, shook it and mumbled, so only the first row could hear, "Thank you!"
"The next three Orders go to two trouble-makers and a know-it-all," Severus said when Neville got off the stage.
"I am talking about three Gryffindor´s who made my life miserable, back in my teaching days. But they came to be brave adults, who fought for love, righteousness and their beliefs. Mister Ronald Weasley, who was able to destroy one of the Horcruxes, which troubled him deeply. He was at Harry Potters side as a loyal friend and helped bring down Tom Riddle. Miss Hermione Granger, who also destroyed a Horcrux and with her brightness she solved puzzles that needed to be solved in order to bring down Tom Riddle. She also showed outstanding willpower at not give away any important information and even lying while being tortured repeatedly. Mister Harry Potter, who actually sacrificed himself to defeat Tom Riddle. He had to fight against him since the age of eleven. I don´t what else to tell you, since we all know what this great wizard did, to safe the wizarding world. Please you three, join us on stage."
The three friends went up the stage and stood there holding hands.
Kingsley approached them and said, "Miss Hermione Granger, Mister Ronald Weasley, Mister Harry Potter, will you accept the Order of Merlin First Class being given to you today, for your outstanding courage, your love, your loyalty, which brought down Tom Riddle."
"I will," they said in unison, still holding hands. Kingsley pinned the Orders to their robes and Hermione´s dress, hugged the boys and kissed Hermione on the cheek. Severus softly kissed Hermione on the lips, making a few people in the audience gasp and shook the boy´s hands. The audience was giving them standing ovations for minutes, the press was taking pictures while the trio was just standing there holding hands. When finally the applause died down, the musicians started to play again.
"Please let us now pay our tribute to all the lives lost in this war, due to their brave fighting or simply because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, being Muggle or Muggle born. I would ask all of you to please get up." Kingsley said after the music finished. There was scraping of chairs and rustling of robes and dresses heard, while Kingsley conjured a big screen and left the stage and the string quartet started to play a quiet and sad melody.
In alphabetical order the pictures of the deceased appeared on screen with their birth-and-death-dates and something special about them that they were remembered by. One of the first ones to appear on screen was Lavender Brown and Hermione heard a strangled sob next to her, she found Ron´s hand and hold on to it tightly and her other hand found Severus´ hand. That´s how they were standing for a long time watching photo after photo appear on the screen, when Fred´s photo appeared on the screen, tears were streaming down Ron´s face. Hermione let go off Severus´ hand, turned to Ron and pulled him into a hug. Ron was weeping bitterly, his face buried in her curls, she felt Severus hand on her back just resting there to comfort her and give her strength. After the screen went blank again and vanished, Kingsley rose from his chair and gestured to all of them to sit down again. The string quartet played a longer piece of music, for everybody to calm down and gather themselves.
When the piece of music was over Kingsley entered the stage once again.
"We have three more Orders to award posthumously today in place of all those who fought and lost their lives and I would like Misses Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin to join me here on stage." Andromeda rose of her chair, picked a protesting Teddy up from Draco´s lap and found her way up the stage.
Teddy wriggled in her arms, looked at Draco, stretched his chubby arms out towards him and said very loudly, "Dwaco, Dwaco!"
Kingsley smiled and said, "Please do join us on stage Mister Malfoy." Draco blushed and got up on stage, taking Teddy back, who gave a satisfied smile, looking like a Mini-Draco, with his once again blond hair.
"Nymphadora and Remus Lupin, parents to Teddy Lupin, were both members of the Order of the Phoenix. Remus former Hogwarts Professor and Nymphadora being an Auror, although being home with her son at that time, both came to fight in the Battle against Tom Riddle and his followers. Both came and stood brave on the side of their companions, fighting for what was good and right. Unfortunately they lost their lives in the battle and left their son behind…"
Silent tears were running down Andromeda´s face, seeing it Hermione felt a big lump in her throat. Draco who was balancing Teddy on one hip, reached out pulled Andromeda close and rested his arm around his aunts waist, prompting her to lean her head on his shoulder. Hermione gave a little smile and sniffled.
"Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin, I want you to accept this Orders of Merlin First class in place of your daughter and son in law and your mother and father," Kingsley said and pinned one to Andromeda dress robes and handed one to Teddy, who immediately started chewing on it, entailing some giggles from the audience.
"Thank you Andromeda and Teddy," Kingsley said and Minerva ushered them back to their seats, while people were still clapping.
"Harry I need you for this one please, if you will," Kingsley asked.
Harry went up the stage and stepped to the speaker´s desk, gave a warm smile and said, "I will need some people up here with me, for bestowing the next Order, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Dean and Mister Ollivander, if you please will join me up here." Hermione looked into the audience and saw curious looks and Draco being very pale and sliding down in his seat, knowing what story was about to be told, but Andromeda found his hand and he visibly relaxed.
"Miss Winky, if you will be so kind to come up to the stage too," Kingsley addressed the small house-elf, who was quivering in her chair. Winky hopped off her chair and made it shakily up the stairs, her eyes wide even for a house-elf.
Harry stepped towards the speaker´s desk and the others were standing behind him in a small semicircle.
"Today I want to remember a dear friend, who lost his life in the war, Dobby the free elf." A murmur went through the crowd.
"He was the one who saved all of us standing here today at Malfoy Manor, where we had been captured, some of us for a long time. It was the day, when our mission was on the edge of failing and one of us being tortured and nearly being killed,…"
At this words Ron had to steady Hermione, who´s legs were about to give in. He held on to her tightly and whispered soothing words in her ears, in between looking to Severus with a concerned face, who was on the edge of his seat, to get up as soon as it would be necessary, but Hermione regained her strength and Severus relaxed.
"… Dobby came to rescue us, but it came to a high price … he … he … l…lost his life, dying with a … a knife … in his ch…chest." Harry had a tear running along his nose, he wiped it away and looked at Kingsley with a pleading expression on his face.
Kingsley quickly stepped in and said, "Miss Winky you were Dobby´s friend, so I would ask you to please accept the Order of Merlin First Class in place of your friend Dobby?" Winky nodded, the tips of her ears trembling. The Minister of Magic kneeled down in front of Winky, making some people in the audience gasp and pinned the Order to her Hogwarts uniform. Severus was the first one to get up and started clapping, making Hermione smile, most of the audience followed his example, although there were still people who didn´t join in the applause let alone standing up.
When Kingsley got up again, he stepped back to the speaker´s desk, saying, "The money that comes with this Order will go into refurbishing the quarters of the house-elves here at Hogwarts and will also be used to help house-elves that are still suffering from the final battle." And suddenly there were loud cheers coming from all the other house-elves.
After a couple of moments, when everybody had returned to their seats Kingsley started talking again, "This a big day for the magical society of Britain. Today we bestowed Orders of Merlin to a rehabilitated death eater, a werewolf and a house-elf. This shows me, that our society is changing. And I hope this is a way we will continue to walk on, so we can live together as equals. That´s what I wish for all of us today, that we are not trying to rule over one another, but that we stand united against dark and evil." Kingsley´s speech was followed by thunderous applause and standing ovations. Kingsley slightly bowed his head, saying "Thank you!" and left the stage. The ceremony ended with the string quartet playing another piece by Mozart.
As soon as people got up the chairs and piled themselves up on one side of the Great Hall. And finger-food and drinks appeared on tables, where the stage had been.
Journalists quickly found their heroes and pictures were taken and interviews given. After about an hour the newsmen slowly retreated. Hermione finally found some time to talk to her friends. She was standing together with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Neville, when she suddenly started giggling and pointed to Severus talking to Neville´s grandmother, unfortunately without the vulture hat, but with her red handbag. Remembering the boggart incident in their third year they suddenly couldn´t help but snort with laughter until Severus looked over to them and gave them a glare.
"I know what you laughing about. Stop it," he hollered, making them laugh even more.
Suddenly Hermione said, "Do you want me to tell you the story, when Neville actually kissed Severus?"
"Hermione!" Neville blushed.
"WHAT?" Ron and Harry exclaimed in unison. The story was quickly told and they all roared with laughter, except for Neville who was bright red in the face.
"TWENTY POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR FOR EACH OF YOU," Severus roared, guessing what Hermione had just told them. By now tears of laughter were streaming down their faces and they had to hold on to each other to not topple over, laughing so hard. Severus might have been annoyed, but Hermione saw, his lips slightly curling into a half smile, he hid by turning away from them.
They had a good time, feeling like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders, life started to feel normal again.
"Hermione, can we maybe go to a quieter place for a bit, it all has been a bit much?" Severus said with a pleading tone.
"Sure. My parents are talking to Molly and Arthur. So where do you want to go?" Hermione smiled warmly at him.
"The library," his reply came instantly. Holding hands he manoeuvred them past all the people out of the Great Hall and they made their way up to the library, which was already closed for the day due to the celebration. But being a former headmaster he managed to get past the wards and they quietly slipped into the library. He walked her to one of the huge windows.
Overlooking the lake and the forbidden forest she said, "It´s nice being here again, sometimes I really miss Hogwarts," snuggling closer to Severus, who had one arm around her waist.
Severus cleared his throat and said with a trembling voice and not looking at her, "It has been an exciting and overwhelming year for me. I made friends, I found peace and I found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Hermione, do you want to marry me?"
And he pulled a little box out of his dress robes, opened it revealing a ring, white gold with a diamond, matching her bracelet. He let go of her waist and his eyes were wide, full of hope and silently pleading.
Hermione looked into his eyes love shining in hers, "Yes, Severus."
He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again they were full of tears.
"I love you," he sighed and kissed her softly.
THE END (probably)
AN: I hope you liked it!