Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.
Chapter 43: Openly Dating
The first week of the holidays was interesting for both Hermione and Severus as they had to get used to be openly a couple. There was some teasing, some gossiping and of course some flat out wonder. Fortunately within their eclectic group of family and friends there was some very honest support for the pair that helped to over come some of the naysayers. Still poor Severus had to endure the Twins on the behalf of the majority of the Weasley family do their version of the brother's chat.
It was during part of their chat with the former spy did Hermione Firecracker Granger strike by applying some of the Black family knowledge to the Twins. Severus had been rewarded for his self control in not hexing or losing his temper yet. He got to watch his love perform some creative wand work. Remind himself to butter Narcissa up some more so Severus could learn the counter curses as he could be in hot water if he was ever or should he say whenever he was in the doghouse with his future wife. The boys would be going to work with multi coloured beaks for a while, as Hermione hadn't quite calmed down yet. When she had finished with them Severus had been additionally rewarded by her snogging him almost senseless much to the horror of his godson, Draco.
For Goodness, sake if every Slytherin stopped to warn her not to hurt their former House Master Hermione thought she would never get any cuddling time with him, so the Gryffindor's could all back off. Hermione eventually appealed to a higher power better known as Minerva McGonagall to stop the constant warnings and the stern Housemistress let her command trickle out far and wide. Leave Hermione and Severus alone or else!
That first week of the Holidays saw the pair lounging round the garden and in the Library. They were always close together during the family meals when they were there. It seemed for at least one meal a day the couple would be out gallivanting somewhere. There had been a relatively sticky moment for Hermione and Severus in Diagon Alley on Wednesday when they bumped into Molly and Arthur Weasley. There was polite meaningless conversation but it was a start. Maybe one day there would be a full reconciliation, Arthur and Severus seemed to get on very well together after all their years as Members of the Order but you could still cut a knife through the chill that permeated between the two women.
On the First Friday night of the holidays Severus and Hermione were out to dinner and a film. Tonight Severus had colluded with Tinky to make a wonderful picnic basket for their dinner. It was a classic film, the 1971 Mystery film, The Day of the Jackal. Severus had prebooked a special space for the couple due to Hermione's wheelchair and hired the luxury "anti-square bum" mat. Lovely terminology but if it meant that Hermione could be comfortable he would make sure he got it for her. Who would know that Miss Mia like mystery adventures apparently that was all her father's fault.
Severus had lead Hermione onto her patio and she saw the picnic basket and looked at him with some surprise. Where were they going? He convinced her to trust him and he then slide along apparated them to Somerset House. The snog Severus received upon their arrival had proved that this was a very good idea. After the steward showed them to the booked space Severus was rewarded with a radiant smile from Mia as she observed the planning he had done for this outing. Once they had arranged their patch to their satisfaction the couple were comfortably reclining in the dusk light having their finger supper. Her wheelchair was parked in a secure location nearby.
"Hermione are you ready for some dessert?" inquired Severus as he closed the various containers that they had been nibbling from and put them back in the basket. He had wandless performed a couple sly discreet, Evanescos to help clear some of their detritus away.
"Yes please" was Hermione's response as she had sussed out earlier when she peaked in the large hamper basket that there was some of Sammi's chocolate mousse in there. Severus unpacked the individual mousse containers and then dug round in the basket for the long handled teaspoons. They would need to attack the tall thin containers of lusciousness. Severus also palmed a small container that he placed on top of Hermione's mousse container before he then passed her dessert course to her. The two containers looked like they were a matching set to Hermione. Wondering what the smaller container was, she opened it up to gasp aloud.
"I know it has only been three weeks but" he said reaching out to her to grasp her hand "Be mine forever?" There in the small container that looked like a sauce dipper was a beautiful ring which when looked at in the round appeared to have an ancient gnarled tree running round the band. There where small sapphires set into one section of the band. The gems made a leaf like pattern, which looked like the tree's canopy. It must have some sort of enchantment on it as when Hermione ran her fingertips over the engraving it was smooth where she expected the indentation dips to match the carving.
"Of course I will. So what about from tomorrow fortnight?" she suggested. As they cuddled together eating the mousse they made plans while waiting for the film to start. The pair was planning how they were going to break the news and actually get away with a small wedding before running off on a honeymoon for two weeks. Some serious scheming needed to be done. The rest of the magical world would implode in shock about the match but it was not like they were the ones getting married. Both members of the couple each had well meaning friends and former housemates who could make the bonding into a circus event. No they were going to do it small and simple.
So now the couple had a date for two weeks time but how were they going to tell the family. Timing was everything. Oh well they could work it out over the weekend when they had a closer idea of how they were going to pull this stunt off.
oOoOo
On their return to Hermione's Grimmauld Place apartment the couple found that there seemed to be a family gathering on the terrace. The youngest children were abed in the nursery and apparently Duncan and Ryan had been sent up for chopper patrol before bed.
Sitting in the night looking at the stars were Remus, Dora, Pansy, Draco and Narcissa. There was an empty chair obviously where Harry was sitting but he was upstairs checking on the chopper patrol. Hermione and Severus joined the group for a cup of tea.
Watching Hermione from his end of the table in the dark Remus with his heightened senses could detect that she was very very happy. The werewolf had become very attached to the young witch and in away had the same attachment that he had for Harry. Yes she had become one of the pack, one of his cubs. While the Marauders may have ran a prank war with most of the Slytherin house Remus had come to respect the man greatly enough to be happy to support the blossoming relationship between Hermione and Severus. He may have done the big brother speech he was not opposed to the relationship. Severus would challenge her cause he just could not see Mia with Ron. That combination of Hermione and that redheaded idiot was completely delusional.
Glancing back at the couple it appeared that the pair of them seemed to be holding hands giving themselves reassurance. Remus laughed at the many tells that the dark former spy was giving away. Then there was that secretive grin between the two of them. Yes something was a foot. Reading the two of them the werewolf thought they act like a bonded set of mates.
oOoOo
Harry returned from putting the boys to bed. Part of the deal for the lads to stay over the summer is that they followed a routine. As Harry explained that it helped if everyone followed a sensible routine as it meant that he was sharp for work as an Auror and the little ones were not over tired and cranky. The boy who lived had also pointed out that it was not a good idea to piss off a werewolf and they had one living in the blended household.
The two boys had taken the man-to-man chat well on their first day of the holidays and since then they were working well in the mixed environment. It probably helped Harry that he had so many professors staying at the house for the boys discipline cause they were certainly at the age for pushing boundaries and he had little or no parenting experience.
The Dursleys had not been a good example. Sirius had only been in his life for such a brief time. The only real parent if that had been Hermione with some input from Remus.
Harry was learning this guardian malarkey on the fly so he made sure he did things like the chopper patrol, as it was something that Hermione had always insisted upon with the younger students in their House when she was a prefect.
Over Dinner the boys had put in some suggestions for the activities for the next week and when Harry came down stairs it turned into a mini family meeting. Hermione being Hermione asked Kreacher to bring out the household calendar and her pencil case from her study area.
It was during the discussion over possible activities that Hermione noted that he was really distracted. "What is the problem Harry?" she asked.
"It has been bothering me about the boys situation and others who were in the same situation as I was in. We really need to sort it out and put better options in for the future?" he explained to her.
"We do have some procedures in place as you know. We were fortunate that the students whom we had to do an intervention for in first term had extended family who were willing to take them in" explained Tonks " but the real problem is in Muggle born magicals".
"It is not just Muggle born Tonks" Severus countered, " in our new modernising society we are going to see problems as family dynamics change from the large extended families to small nuclear families. We have started to see this over the last 20 years. Harry is right we need to consider the issue a little better and actually have a plan in place. It is when we have to fight one emergency after another that mistakes are made".
There was some laughter and Narcissa commented "Severus, Mia is really starting to corrupt you with the need for organisation. I always knew that you had at least 10 contingency plans but how many do you have rattling round your brain at the moment?"
"Only a whole alphabet full" Severus replied before laughing at how right she right she was on one hand. The former spy also had the pressure cooker of two masters taken off him so he had more time enabling Severus Snape to actually do the necessary strategic thinking.
"Harry what are your shifts for the next fortnight?" Hermione asked putting it down on her jotter. "Tonks are you going back in when?" and this information was collated before she asked, "Anyone else got specific appointments or events on?"
"Duncan and Ryan asked if we could go on the London Eye and see the Tower of London tomorrow" informed Harry.
"Oh I haven't been there in years", advised Hermione.
"There is a magical tour of the Tower did you know?" stated Severus. "Can you block out Saturday two weeks time as I have something I would like to take you all to as a treat?
"Is this an all day thing?" inquired Hermione.
"Yes I would say block the whole day out for my mystery treat. I am not sure of the timings but I will get that firmed up early next week" he advised.
"Wednesday is Full moon", reminded Remus a little dejected that his condition would impact on the children and Tonks.
"What is on the schedule for Monday I will need to make sure that I have all the ingredients for Wolfsbane?" asked Severus.
"Why don't we call Monday our business day for the week and try and do all the chores so we have a clean slate for the rest of the week?" suggested Hermione.
"Harry do you think we can get an appointment with Kingsley to have a chat about better children's social services" inquired Hermione also thinking that she would like to see him about another matter all together.
After getting a rough calendar of events for the next fortnight drafted up Hermione duplicated it and asked Kreacher to place a copy on everyone's refrigerator. Harry asked what the weather report was for tomorrow and Narcissa advised that according to the Bureau of Metrology it appeared that it would be chances of rain during the day clearing to fine in the late afternoon evening.
"I nominate we have a BBQ tomorrow. What about inviting some old friends and family to bring a plate?" asked Harry. With five males around the table there were quiet a few ayes for the event. Kreacher had become a bit of a fan of the ancient art of burning meat on an outside fire.
They had plenty of new potatoes and corn on the cob thanks to the household's vegetable patch so it would be a bit of foraging and whipping up a few salads.
Hermione bid her adieus to everyone as she was going to have a soak in her tub and then turn in. Well that was the official cover story hopefully she was going to be planning her wedding with Severus. It sounded like he had an idea and she was interested to hear it.
Severus had stayed chatting to Narcissa and Draco for a while about the refurbishment of Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire before joining Hermione in her apartment. He went looking for her to find Tinky was helping her to exit the bath in the bathroom. Once Hermione was comfortable on the bed Severus had a lightening fast shower so they could get down to the planning.
Settling down on the bed Severus he looked over Hermione's shoulder to see what she was working on. When he had come out of the bathroom she had a bed desk set up and appeared to be busily scratching notes out. She had even pulled out her laptop.
"What are you up to?" he inquired.
"Well I have to update my electronic calendar and I was thinking that we could do some research online for ideas. So what is the idea that you have?" she asked.
With that the former spy laid out his scheme to another schemer and she was very enthusiastic about his idea. Hermione wrote a quick little to-do list on her jotter and reviewed it with him.
Calling Tinky in Severus asked her to get the other bed desk and his laptop out for him. While she was off he quickly asked if Hermione had told their good news to Tinky yet. There was a quick negative shake of her head as the elfess appeared.
"Thank you Tinky", he said taking the desk off her. "Can you come and sit up here with us?" he asked her indicating the space between the two of them. She would have some nice pillows to sit on so she could see the desktops and there were also other pillows she could lean on so that she was comfortable.
"Why do want me to sit with you two tonight?" inquired the loyal elfess.
"Well we have some special secret news we want to share with you and we also need your special organisational help," Severus advised her. When Tinky was comfortable, Hermione opened her bedside draw and brought out the little container. "You are the first person we have shown this too and will be one of very very small group who we will be telling our secret news to for a while" she explained. The little elfess started to get some very big eyes as she could do 2 plus 2 just like most humans to come out with four.
When Hermione opened the container the little elfess burst into tears of happiness. "Snapey I is so happy for you and Miss Mia" she blubbered giving him a tight squeeze before turning back to Hermione to give her the same celebratory hug.
"So when is the special day?" inquired the curious elfess.
"We want to hold a surprise wedding on Saturday two weeks from now. I think we can call in some favours but we will need some help. Do you think you can keep this secret and not even let Kreacher or Winky know?" Severus asked thinking how the older elf blabbed to Narcissa. If he didn't know he couldn't get it wheedled out of him as Narcissa could be one sneaky witch.
Severus then proceeded to outline his ideas to the two of them. Hermione thought that it was highly appropriate and all three conspirators then started to plan the event. Hermione drafted up some invitations for tomorrow evenings BBQ making sure that two certain individuals where on their invite list they were key for pulling their plans off.
Early the next morning Tinky sent all the invites out. Most of them would arrive via the normal Owl postal system but the elfess in person delivered two special invites. The two lovebirds went out and about on their excursion of inner London. Hermione made sure that everyone was familiar with the London underground and they had a lovely half hour in the 'i'. As part of the holiday activity Hermione had advised that Harry procure some point and shoot cameras so that the two boys could also learn this skill and experience the fun of taking holiday snaps.
The magical Tower of London tour was great fun. Hermione was not able to go everywhere even with magic but she and Severus took it as little mini breaks from the hyperactive boys. Hermione was happy to wait with little Elizabeth Marie and her pram. Remus was on sensible adult duty and Dora was being a yummy mummy with Teddy. Harry and the boys absolutely loved walking round on the Beefeater History tour and taking photos with the yeoman of the guards would be one of the pictorial highlights of the day.
They had late lunch in the New Armouries café before the more able of the group disappeared off to see the crown jewels. While it was possible to enter the jewel house via a lift looking at the map Hermione had come to the conclusion that it was just too fiddly. The one downside of visiting a place that had been in continuous use for over 1000 years was that there were no easy ways of putting modern conveniences in historic buildings, particularly if they were controlled by English Heritage. Hermione, Severus, and Elizabeth Marie were going to visit the welcome centre main entrance shop as there were sure to be some books in there and the chance of getting some books was always a welcome diversion. Hermione particularly enjoyed watching Severus pushing Elizabeth Marie's pram and she was hopeful that one day it would be their child he would be pushing on a family outing.
The others had found them in the shop and some knickknacks had been brought as souvenirs for the boys along with a copy of books that both Severus and Hermione were interested in. The large family group headed home by walking back round the outside of the complex to Tower Hill underground station. When they got back to the house everyone was put down for a nap. Kreacher had the numbers for the evening and had organised the meat for the sacrificial altar. Winky had been in seventh heaven all day and baked a number of cakes and summer desserts for their BBQ.
oOoOo
Severus and Hermione were sitting quietly on her private patio enjoying the new books when Tinky advised that Kingsley had arrived. After greeting the man they led him into Hermione's study.
"So what was so important that you needed to see me early this evening?" inquired Kingsley.
"Well we have two things we need your help with", advised Hermione before she glanced at Severus who gave her a nod that he ensured that the privacy charms were up.
"Severus and I would like you to marry us at a small private function in two weeks time. We have one other person to talk to so that we can sort out the details. We want to keep it very very quiet and surprise our family and friends," advised Hermione.
"Hermione are you sure? No offence Severus but this is very sudden" said Kingsley. The Minster of Magic had thought that may be one day in the future but not this close in the future.
"When you know you know. Our magic calls for each other. There are lots of reasons why we both want to do this now and we can not seem to find any good ones for why not" explained Hermione.
"Well we are going to have to do some paperwork but I can make sure that stays under the radar. With your connections with the press I am pretty damn sure you can swear them to secrecy" advised Kingsley as he worked his way through all there permutations of the problem. It was a habit from his days as an Auror. "So I am assuming that once you have spoken to the other person you will have all the details sorted out and will let me know". Seeing Hermione's head nod he went on to ask, " So what is the other matter I can help you with".
They then explained the issues of Harry's childhood, the current orphans staying with Harry and the clear understanding that the current Children's Welfare services were not up to scratch or covering all the contingencies. There was some discussion about the options and along with a plan to do some further research. Tinky then came in with their other visitor whom they were waiting for. When Minerva had sat down Hermione threw up another set of privacy charms and Kingsley added his version for good measure.
"Now what is so important that you have the Minister of Magic spooked?" demanded the pithy woman.
Hermione gave Severus a look that clearly said, "She is all yours".
"Minerva as an old friend I need a favour. Will you hold our wedding celebration for us at your highland estate in two weeks time?" Severus had barely finished the question before Minerva had jumped out of the chair she was sitting in to hug him tightly.
"I need to breathe", Severus gasped and then Minerva McGonagall left him to go to hug Hermione.
"Certainly I will hold your wedding celebration. I take all the privacy charms is that you are going to announce the happy news tonight" chattered the excited witch.
"Um No. Currently there are only five individuals who know about the wedding and they are all in this room. We wont be telling anyone about the wedding until Kingsley whips out his bonding manual at the party", advised Hermione.
"So how do you want to do this?" inquired Minerva hoping this was not going to backfire on her.
The couple with the assistance of Tinky laid out their grand plan and Minerva could see that they had a pretty good plan. The Deputy Headmistress asked some important questions for the organisation and they were fairly quickly sorted out. Once they had a rough outline of the grand plan sorted the charms were dropped and they continued talking on the need for a better child welfare program. Leaving the study and coming out onto the terrace no one was the wiser that they had been discussing any other matter than child protection.