It's What's Inside That Counts
Chapter 32
Saturday December 20th, 1999
Will noon ever arrive? Severus wondered and paced the floor in front of the altar. He was adorned in black and forest green Wizard marriage robes, the Snape family crest hanging from a platinum chain resting on his chest. At Hermione's request, "because he looked so dashing!" he had his almost shoulder-length hair pulled back with a thin, black leather thong and was growing a mustache and goatee.
"Calm yourself Severus, you've waited all this time, what's a few minutes more?" Remus asked kindly. "And permit me to say your new look is quite...dashing?"
Severus stopped, turned to glare at him then his eyes softened as he thought of Hermione. Remus raised an eyebrow when he noticed the change.
"When you're waiting to take your bride in your arms, you'll know what I'm feeling," Severus replied.
"I hope to know the feeling one day," he replied wistfully.
"Lupin...Miss Tonks is rather fond of you...or haven't you noticed?" Severus asked lightly.
The doors to the Hogwarts Great Hall opened and more wedding guests walked in. One of them stopped to take a picture of the two men at the altar. Both rolled their eyes.
"Mione, quit fussing, the gown is stunning," Ginny said as Hermione adjusted the sleeves for the twentieth time.
"I just want to look perfect for him," Hermione said and swished away an imagined bit of dust from the gown.
Ginny snorted. "You could walk down the aisle in a burlap sack and he would think you're an angel come down from the heavens. Me, on the other hand..."
"Honestly Ginny, stop. Your maternity gown is beautiful!" Hermione said.
"But look at my ankles!" Ginny said and lifted up her gown.
"You're almost five months pregnant! It's normal," Hermione said and put her hands on Ginny's shoulders. "Who cares? You're pregnant with Harry's baby, the love of your life. I'm sure once he gets a load of your lovely swollen boobs, accentuated by your lovely gown, he won't give a whit about your ankles," she finished with a smirk.
"Now I'm not so sure I want to be your maid of honor," Ginny said, crossing her arms in a vain attempt to hide her chest.
Hermione snorted and tapped her chin with her finger. "I'm sure I can ask-oh, let's say Lavender to step in and-"
"You've been around Severus for too long," Ginny quipped. "Lavender, as if," Ginny huffed. Hermione chuckled when she thought of the dislike Ginny had for her.
More knocking on the door preceded Molly and Minerva, bridesmaids, stepping in.
"Hermione dear, you are a vision," Minerva gushed and hugged her.
"After all you've been through, I can say no one deserves this happy day more than you," Molly said.
More knocking on the door. Harry and Ron poked their heads in. "Hey you, four minutes to go. Ready?" Harry asked. "By the way, I've never seen you look more beautiful," he added.
Ron nodded in agreement. "Snape's a lucky bloke." If only I had been smarter!
Hermione went to the door and kissed both their cheeks. "Thank you both for doing this. It means the world to me."
When the 12 large grandfather clocks chimed 12 times in unison, the Great Hall doors opened. Minerva, with a single lily (which cost a small fortune to get to England in winter!) walked down the aisle to take her place. Albus winked from his portrait in the front row. Next came Molly, who Arthur still swore was the loveliest lady in any room. Third, almost five months along came Ginny, blushing prettily as she walked down the aisle. At last, the wedding march sounded and Hermione stepped through, arms laced with Harry and Ron's, the two looking as proud as any father would. Dozens of wedding guests snapped photos of the memorable scene of the three famous friends on this beautiful day.
Severus forgot to breathe when his Hermione strolled through the doors. It was a moment he would remember until the day he took his last breath. Her beauty on this day surpassed any day he could remember.
If this is a dream, may I never wake!
To his delight, she left her hair down, flowing down her shoulders. The ivory, shimmering, satin material of the gown was perfect against her lightly tanned skin. A simple pearl necklace adorned her neck, dropping to the demure, low-cut collar of the gown to reveal just enough that was all for him. And how the gown hugged her impossibly small waist and draped artfully to the floor! He was sure his heart was beating so loudly and deliberately that all 300 guests could hear it!
I don't deserve this!
When the doors opened, Ron and Harry gave her a quick, subtle squeeze for encouragement and the three strolled through the door. When she saw Severus, no one else existed for her in the Great Hall. She saw no cameras flashing, heard no murmuring of the crowd, or the sniffles of various guests around the Hall. All she saw was her Severus, standing tall and proud some fifty meters away. She was simply flabbergasted at how handsome he looked.
"Breathe Mione," Ron whispered.
When they arrived at the altar, the Minister Wizard asked, "Who gives this woman, this witch, in marriage?"
"We do," Harry and Ron announced. They kissed her cheeks and took their seats on either side of Albus' portrait.
"Well done you two," he said softly.
The Minister began. "On behalf of the happy couple, I welcome all of you to today's blessed event in which Severus and Hermione will join their lives, their hearts, souls and magic for eternity. If anyone present should have just cause to object to this union, speak now, or forever hold your peace."
Not a word was said. No one dared.
"Very well. Will the betrothed face one another so the vows can be made?"
Smiling, Hermione and Severus faced each other, Hermione giving him a small wink.
"Severus, take her hands in yours and repeat after me. I, Severus Tobias Snape, as of this hour of this day, freely pledge my life, heart, soul and magic to you, Hermione Jane Granger for eternity. Do you freely, and without reservation, accept this pledge?"
Severus took her hands, but went a step further and dropped to his knees. He wanted to make his devotion clear to everyone. Many in the crowd gasped at he sight. A tear fell down Hermione's cheek.
"Blimey," Ron whispered.
"Indeed," Albus chuckled from the portrait.
Severus cleared his throat and started. "I, Severus Tobias Snape, as of this hour of this day, freely pledge my life, heart, soul and magic to you for eternity, Hermione Jane Granger."
His voice wavered and he cleared his throat. "Do you freely and without reservation, accept this pledge?"
"I do," she replied softly.
"Severus, as a symbol of your eternal pledge, place a ring, symbolic of eternity, on the third finger of left hand of your beloved."
Severus' heart clenched with joy. Molly brought a handkerchief to her nose and Ginny wiped tears from her eyes as Severus took a ring from Remus, slid the ring on her finger and gently kissed it.
The Minister spoke again. "Now Hermione, repeat after me. I, Hermione Jane Granger, as of this hour of this day, freely pledge my life, heart, soul and magic to you, Severus Tobias Snape for eternity. Do you freely, and without reservation, accept this pledge?"
Hermione put her fingers under Severus chin, gently urged him to his feet and spoke. "I, Hermione Jane Granger, as of this hour of this day, freely pledge my life, heart, soul and magic to you, Severus Tobias Snape for eternity. Do you freely, and without reservation, accept this pledge?"
"I most certainly do," he said.
"Hermione, as a symbol of your eternal pledge, place a ring, symbolic of eternity, on the third finger of the left hand of your beloved."
Hermione took a ring from Ginny and Minerva choked back a sob when the ring was slid on Severus' finger. The minister held up a hand and spoke.
"On this twentieth day of December in the year 1999, I pronounce this man and woman, this witch and this wizard, husband and wife, partners for life. Severus, by all means, kiss your lovely bride."
Wasting no time, Severus pulled her close, dipped her and passionately enclosed her lips in his. When the kiss ended, the minister spoke for the last time and turned the two toward the crowd. "I now present Severus and Hermione Snape, congratulations."
They went hand-in-hand to the unity candle next to the altar and lit it together. The crowd cheered and clapped as the newlyweds left the Great Hall.
"How long do we have to stay?" Hermione leaned over and whispered.
She looked around the guests at the reception, not really hearing the toasts of the best man and maid of honor. Admittedly the thought was rude, but she didn't really care. She just wanted to leave and be with her husband. It was her day after all.
"Just long enough to be polite," Severus whispered back and glanced at her chest. "As lovely as you look in that gown, I'll wager that you'll look lovelier with it off."
"Do you think so, Mr. Snape?" she answered and gave him a soft kiss.
"I know so, Lady Snape," he replied and kissed her back.
From her spot at the table, Ginny smiled at the newlyweds. She was certain they weren't discussing the flavor of the wedding cake.
"I wonder where they're honeymooning?" Harry asked.
"Dunno, they're keeping it a secret," Ron said.
"Do you blame them?" Harry asked.
Ever since the "True Love" article in The Quibbler came out the past March, the general public was curious about the two. It was worse than curiosity now. The spa, Blessings, innocently started using Hermione's picture, taken when she was done with her treatment for Ginny's wedding, in their advertisements a couple of months prior.
"I wish they had mentioned it to me first, imagine my surprise to see my photo plastered in the paper, magazines and on the shop window!" Hermione had said.
At last count, 12 businesses wanted her to model for them.
"Honestly, how absurd!" she exclaimed.
Due to his work for Potions Monthly, Severus was starting to gain notorietybut not for his Potions knowledge, nor his status as a Potions Master. It irritated him to no end.
"Do they even make note of how difficult it is to make a good Lycanthropy Potion!!?" he had declared.
The magazine increased their subscription rate when Severus' brief bio was posted in the magazine: Former Hogwarts Potions Professor, Death Eater spy and War Hero turned consultant...
Now the reporters and writers were clamoring for the story of their courtship, romance and wedding. They would have none of it, and implored their friends to have none of it either. Everyone agreed that they were entitled to go on with their new lives in peace and quiet. But in the end, they ended up having to ward the Farm and on the advice of the new Minister for Magic, Arthur Wesley, hire a Public Relations Wizard or Witch to handle their affairs outside of work. The new PR Wizard was really good: not one member of the press managed to get withing two hundred meters of the wedding ceremony. After that, the furor over the couple waned, which was just fine with them.
Ginny was the only soul who knew where the newlyweds were honeymooning and swore a Wizard's Oath to not reveal the location. Just after their first dance, they surprised everyone by Apparating from the reception. Well, no one was really that surprised but enjoyed the food, drinks and dancing anyway. Seconds later they arrived, standing in front of the rebuilt manor. Hermione sighed in happiness when she saw the new home. There was no where else she would rather be. Greece could wait.
"Are you ready to go on honeymoon, Lady Snape?" Severus asked, picked her up and cradled her in his arms.
"Absolutely," she said softly and kissed him. "We have a home to christen," she said in a husky voice.
Cradled in his arms, she waved her hand to open the door. He climbed the front steps and they crossed the threshold to begin their new life.
Hannah would be spending that week at the Burrow...
The End