Chapter 41: Conversations
Graduation was two weeks in the past and Hermione was still giddy about Severus' proposal, she really wasn't one for girly behavior so she kept her happiness mostly to herself but she knew that her mother already knew. Severus had been over for almost every dinner as had Susan, Ginny and her grandparents. When asked about Hermione and Severus' wedding they had told the group that they wanted to get married before the school term started, simply because Hermione had been accepted as an intern under her grandmother in transfiguration and they thought it would be easiest if she already had her name in place before the term started. Everyone was excited as they chatted and the girls had decided that they would need a day to themselves to talk wedding plans over. The boys had agreed saying something about having to do their own day too.
So here they were on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon sitting at an outside table talking about wedding plans, Ginny was just like Molly as she ran through every detail, and consulting Hermione with what she thought would work best. Hermione was sadly mistaking when she thought that they were just going to be discussing the wedding, oh no, the girls had actually started ordering and shopping for it too. Of course, Hermione had to use her two way mirror to talk to Severus about the wedding, she wanted his input as much as Ginny would allow. He of course thought that her color choice was very appropriate and then he said that he was going to have Draco and Harry be his groomsmen while Lucius was going to be his best man. Hermione mentioned that she thought it a marvelous idea and before she ended the call after she confirmed that there was nothing else that he wanted to input; the only request that he made were that there were lilies in the floral arrangements.
Hermione had decided that she wanted a deep red, white and silver wedding theme and that there would be roses and lilies for the flowers. They had found the dress that Hermione wanted in the first shop, the moment she put it on she could feel that this was the dress for her and when she turned around her feelings were confirmed by the beautiful reflection that was staring back at her. She got matching shoes and jewelry before she picked out her wedding band for Severus. She had asked Susan and Luna to be her bridesmaids and Ginny to be her maid of honor. All three girls would wear a deep red dress and carry the similar floral arrangements that were going to be randomly placed throughout the ceremony. They had put in the flower orders and the date and then they just enjoyed sitting and talking. They had laughed at a few things that Ginny and Hermione recalled from their days with the twins.
After a wave of silence, Narcissa turned to Hermione, "Are you ok baby?"
"Yeah, just lost in thought."
"What about?" Susan asked.
"Everything; Blaise and Ron, the wedding, you two and your love lives, my family, my internship, just, everything."
"That's a lot to keep inside Hermione, talk to us." Ginny said grabbing the young girl's hand.
"I just wish that Ron and Blaise could be here, to help me through this wedding, I miss Blaise's comments sometimes," Hermione smiled sadly, "Every time I think about Severus I get butterflies, I wonder if you two have the same thoughts, I think about where my family is going to be in ten, fifteen years, I am wondering if I will have the same respect as an intern that Grams has, and," She paused taking a deep calming breath, "I wonder how I could be feeling all of this."
"Well, first of all, you have an emotional range larger then a teaspoon," Ginny offered, they all laughed.
Luna spoke, "Hermione, it's alright to wonder these things, to question the future, but my main concern is how you described you emotions for Professor Snape."
"Why does that concern you?" Susan asked.
"Because, I have those same feelings when I look at Neville and Father told me that it was nargals."
"Luna what we all feel when we see our men is natural, it's a good thing, actually it's a wonderful thing, it means that you are one hundred and fifty percent sure that you want that life when you say yes." Susan said.
"Wait, how do you all know that I get butterflies when I am with Draco?"
"Because, you always smile," Susan said.
"And you giggle," Hermione added.
"And you are more confident when you are around him." Luna offered. Ginny blushed and the group spent the rest of the day catching up on Luna's relationship with Neville and Ginny and Susan's love lives with her brothers.
The boys had gone out the following day after the girls to do their discussions of the wedding, the previous days they had discussed Draco's acceptance on to the Bulgarian team, Neville's internship with Sprout and Harry's Auror Training that would start up in September. Now they were out on a mission to help Hermione have the perfect wedding. They had stopped in a clothing store and bought their black tuxes with the deep red vests and ties and black shoes. Severus picked out his ring for Hermione and then the boys sat down for their discussions.
"So Severus, do you promise to keep my little girl happy?"
"I already told you Lucius when you gave me the approval of my proposal to you daughter that I would, and I will."
"Indeed you did, I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't change your mind."
"No, only a strong woman could have broken down my walls like she did and a woman like that deserves all of my love, even if I don't think that I deserve it in return."
"Severus my boy, you deserve just as much happiness as the rest of us."
"You don't know why I feel the way I do Albus, maybe Lucius understands but I don't think that you do."
"I do." Harry said, "You feel like you betrayed my mother, but you know what, she doesn't' blame you, she never has, she wants you to be happy."
"How do you know?"
"Because, I have seen her in numerous dreams telling me to tell you so." Severus smiled at the boy.
"So, where are you going to go on your honeymoon?" Draco asked changing the subject.
"I don't know, I thought I might take her to a place in the mountains of the United States of America, I hear it's beautiful when the leaves start to change."
"That'll be nice." Harry said.
"I hope so, I want her to relax, we all know that just because she is Minerva's granddaughter that Minerva isn't' going to go easy on her."
"That we do know," Albus laughed.
Severus sat deep in thought when the laughing stopped, "You really are in love with her, and not growing into love with her and you are there, aren't you?" Lucius asked.
Severus nodded, "She is such a smart and beautiful witch, and I can't see myself living without her in my life."
"Good for you my boy." Albus said.
"I am happy for you Severus I really am," Draco said, "But if you hurt my sister in anyway, I will personally kill you, chop you up into tiny pieces and feed you to the squid, I'll do such a good job that they will never know it was me."
"I'll hold you to that Draco."
Summer had been going by peacefully, now being mid June; Hermione lay on the couch while her parents went to go see where Draco would be staying for the next few years. She would have gone but she really wasn't that interested in quiddich so it wouldn't be fair to him to dampen his fun while he excitedly was shown his new home. She was reading on the couch and fell asleep with the book draped across her abdomen.
That is how Severus found her at ten o'clock that evening, he had to smile to himself as he approached the couch, he conjured one of her pillows to him and a blanket, and he delicately removed the book and covered her up after laying her head upon the pillow. He leaned over and kissed her head, he was shocked when a small hand grabbed his as he attempted to walk away.
"I didn't mean to wake you."
"I'm glad you did," she offered him a small sleepy smile.
"I should go and let you sleep."
"Will you stay?"
"Of course."
"I mean here with me on the couch."
"Yes." She slid forward so that she was on the edge of the couch, Severus smiled and climbed in behind her, he flicked his wand and the couch expanded about another foot so that they could both lie comfortably. She grabbed his arm and held it over her, he didn't need another hint; he wrapped his arm more securely around her and pulled her to him, she in turn leaned into him.
"Severus?"
"Hmm?"
"What did you need?"
"What?"
"You came here for something, what was it?"
"Well I was coming to check on you to make sure you ate, knowing you, I was worried that you would blow off a meal to do some extra studying for your internship."
Hermione smiled, "Well thank you, and for your information, I did eat this evening, Mother left some egg and cheese casserole for me."
"Well I'm glad to hear it."
"Good."
"Severus?"
"Yes Hermione?"
"When you proposed… um… well I was wondering if you could explain what you meant when I broke down your wall."
"Hermione…" He looked at her and saw that it was something she needed to know, so he gave in, "I feel like I don't have to be strict with you, you know what you are doing and when I am with you, I feel like I can tell you anything without being judged for my past, what I did as a deatheater, as a teacher or to Potter."
Hermione didn't know what to say, so when everything finally made sense in her brain, she simply nodded.
"Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
"Yes."
"Good now sleep my love."
"You better be here when I wake up." She turned and gave him her best imitation of Minerva that she could muster.
Severus let out a gentle laugh before kissing her on the lips, "Don't worry, I will be." She smiled and leaned back into his chest before they both fell asleep.