Chapter Twelve: Commitment

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Chapter Twelve: Commitment

"He did what?" Harry was stunned at Hermione's news.

"He proposed. I know, Harry, I can hardly believe it myself. He wants us to go to Australia at the weekend and get married in a Muggle ceremony with my parents present. I think I offended him a little because I laughed at first. I thought he was joking!" She smiled ruefully at the memory of Severus's expression.

"A man proposes to you, and you laugh? Hermione, that's just... just... evil!" For once, Harry took Snape's side. Sometimes, men needed to stick together.

"Well, he was playing the fool, and I thought..."

"This is Professor Severus Snape you are referring to, isn't it? Not some other wizard you have been seeing on the side? Ouch!" He rubbed his arm. "All right. No other wizards. So, what did you say?"

"I told him I wouldn't marry him if he was the last man in the world... Harry! Don't look at me like that. I was kidding. Of course, I said yes. I love the man, bad temper, sarcastic tongue, and all. He is seeing Professor McGonagall now to ask permission for us to leave the castle for the weekend."

"Well, I hope he asks for permission for me, too. There is no way you are getting married without me supervising. Who knows what trouble you two would get into? I can see it now; you'd miss the ceremony because you'd got sidetracked snogging somewhere." Harry chuckled as Hermione blushed.

"But, Harry. What about Ron? He would hate to be left out." Hermione's sense of loyalty to her friend warred with her realisation that Ronald Weasley would not be an appropriate member of the wedding party.

"Don't worry about Ron. It is your wedding, and he is still not fully comfortable about your relationship with Snape. I will explain it all to him after it is all over," said Harry firmly.

"Oh, Harry. Have I ever told you how much I love you?" She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Not in front of Snape, I hope," he replied. "I survived Voldemort twice, but I don't think I could survive a jealous Snape!"

"Idiot!"

***

Surprisingly, Severus did not object to Harry accompanying them to Australia. His presence would allay any suspicions as to their motives. The headmistress immediately consented, thinking it was a grand idea for Harry to represent Hogwarts at the wedding.

"Mr Potter, Miss Granger. See me after class," snarled the bridegroom-to-be as he passed them in class the next day. "Your homework essays are far too similar. I expect an explanation."

Hermione and Harry waited patiently for the rest of the class to file out before approaching Severus's desk. He turned, wordlessly closing and locking the door. Sneering, he leaned against the desk and regarded the two young people before him. "So, copying Mr Potter's essay, Miss Granger. I had thought better of you."

Harry's eyes widened at the patently false accusation, then widened further when the feared Potions master yelped as his friend whacked him on the arm.

"Behave yourself, Severus! Don't tease Harry like that! See, Harry, I told you he acts the fool sometimes." She rolled her eyes at her lover as he rubbed his arm. "Oh, don't be such a baby; I didn't hit you that hard."

"She does that... a lot." Harry commiserated with the older man. "Doesn't know her own strength."

"Indeed." Severus suddenly snaked his arm around his witch's waist and held her tightly. "I shall have to watch out then, won't I?"

"You will, my love." Impudently, she reached up and kissed the tip of his nose, much to Harry's amusement.

"Now, I have made arrangements for the three of us to be Portkeyed to Australia next Friday at eleven in the evening, which will be eight o'clock Saturday morning their time. The Muggle legal documents have been obtained by a discreet contact at the Wongabarree Wizarding College. As we are visiting from outside Australia, we have been granted dispensation to shorten the one month and one day's notice usually required. Do you have a passport, Hermione? We will need some sort of Muggle identification for the marriage licence. Travelling by Portkey doesn't require a passport, Potter, just a wand registration," he added at the concerned look on Harry's face.

"What reason will we give for our absence?" Hermione asked.

"You and Potter will ostensibly be assisting me with the collection of Potions ingredients unique to Australia. King brown snake scales and box jellyfish venom are both difficult to obtain and rarely available in this country." He smirked. "It will make a change for you two to be helping re-supply the Potions stores, rather than deplete them. My contact there will have the venom and scales packaged up and under a Stasis charm ready to go, but no-one here need know that. The only problem could be your parents, Hermione. What if they are not home?"

"I can ask Professor Higgins to e-mail them for me. As Muggle Studies professor, he has access to a computer at home and often passes messages on for me. I will just use the same reason; we will be visiting briefly to collect Potions ingredients. The rest I will tell them when we get there. When and where is the ceremony taking place?"

Severus filled them in on the details before sending them off to their next class, with a parting remark for the benefit of the incoming class. "And you will rewrite those essays before tomorrow's class!"

***

"Are you ready for this?"

Hermione swallowed hard, shot a pleading look at Harry, squeezed her fiancé's hand, and walked up the path to her parents' front door. After a series of Floo trips and an International Portkey, the final Apparation to this pleasant cul-de-sac in the outskirts of Brisbane had been the easiest part of the journey, despite needing to Side-Along Severus. Luckily, Harry had visited her parents in Mermaid Waters with her before and could Apparate himself.

Well, here goes. Pressing the doorbell, she was surprised when the door opened almost immediately, and she was enveloped in the soft embrace of an excited Jean Granger.

"Hermione, darling! It's so good to see you!" her mother cried as her father joined them at the door, his wide smile evidence of his pleasure at seeing his daughter again.

"Mum! Dad!" She hugged and kissed them both, then turned to her companions. "You know Harry, and this is Professor..."

"Severus Snape," her father interrupted, pumping Severus's hand. "I believe we all owe you a debt of gratitude for your courage and sacrifices during the war against Voldemort. These two have told us all about everything you did to protect them. I'm Richard, and this is Jean. Welcome to our home, Severus."

"Yes," added Jean. "We are so pleased to finally meet you. Come in and sit down; it must have been quite a trip to get here, even using your Wizarding methods."

Severus stood dumbfounded at the warmth of the greeting. Such unquestioned acceptance had never been his due before. But what would the Grangers think once they had revealed his relationship with their daughter? He entered the spacious, airy home and looked around. The house was a modern, Australian style with pale, wooden floors; stark, white walls adorned with abstract art; and wide, glass, sliding doors opening onto large areas of paving and a pool. It was completely different from any home he had ever visited before, but far more attractive and inviting than even the much larger Malfoy Manor.

Accepting a glass of ice-cold orange juice from Jean Granger, he sat on the pale leather couch, watching the interaction of his fiancée and her parents. Their closeness and love for each other filled the room and spilled over onto the two wizards present.

"Professor Snape?" Harry asked as he offered the plate of snacks Jean had produced.

"Thank you, Potter." Severus took a small rice cracker with an avocado and prawn topping. Dinner in Scotland had been hours ago.

"Severus, would you like more juice?" asked Hermione as she reached for the jug, not noticing her parents' shared look.

"No, thank you, Hermione. I have had sufficient."

After a few minutes of small talk about the trip to Australia and her parents' exotic, tropical garden, Hermione gathered all her courage to enlighten them as to the real reason for their visit. She was rendered speechless for once in her life when her mother quietly asked, "So, why are you really here? I presume it is about your relationship with Severus, here?"

Jean Granger's eyes had an almost Dumbledorean twinkle as Severus nearly choked on his mouthful of juice, Harry snorted his, and Hermione sputtered, "You know? How?"

She smiled smugly. "I am your mother. It is my job to know these things."

"Mother!" Hermione was exasperated, but not really surprised. She had never got away with anything before without her mother finding out through some mysterious, maternal magic all of her own, and this time was apparently no different. "How?" she repeated.

"Firstly, you have told us about the unique Potions ingredients obtained from Australia, yet you have never had to personally collect them before." She ticked off all the clues on her fingers.

"Secondly, your letters this year have mentioned Severus here, but none of your other professors. Thirdly, you look happy. Sweetie, the last time you looked this happy was after you received your first Hogwarts letter, and since last May you had definitely lost some of your spark. We have been quite concerned about you, but we knew it would take time for you to heal. I am your mother; I can see the love glowing from within you, darling.

"Fourthly, I saw you squeeze his hand through the window just before you came in. His hand, not Harry's. And, finally, you just called him Severus. Harry didn't." She turned to her husband and held out her hand. "You owe me ten dollars, dear. I told you she was bringing someone special to meet us."

"Mum! You had a bet on this?"

"Just a little one, dear. Your father wouldn't believe my maternal intuition."

"But..."

"Close your mouth, dear. You will catch flies," her mother calmly advised, then turned to an equally astounded Severus. "You, my dear young man, have obviously made our daughter very happy. Neither Richard nor I care how old you are, or that you are her teacher. We know enough about your Wizarding culture to know there are ways to ascertain if this relationship is not genuine. However, we prefer to believe the evidence in front of our eyes. Our daughter is back. Whole and, judging by the way she is looking at you right now, completely besotted with you."

"And I with her," the dark wizard replied, gazing into his witch's eyes, "... and I with her."

"Well, then," Richard Granger declared. "Now that is all sorted out, I presume there is more you need to tell us. You didn't need young Harry here just for protection, I expect."

"Er... Mum. We are getting married this afternoon. Here. Severus has made all the arrangements, and we would very much like you to be present." Hermione turned and hugged both her parents, tears of relief shining on her cheeks.

"Oh, my. A wedding! Then, we will have to get to work. Richard, you and the boys here are responsible for making lunch. Hermione and I have some shopping to do. Come along, dear, don't dilly dally!" The whirlwind that was Jean Granger on a mission sprung into action.

Hermione winked at Harry and Severus. "Now, boys, no mischief while I am gone." Then she followed her mother out of the door sporting a huge grin.

Two hours and a quick tour of the nearby shopping centre later, Hermione and Jean returned carrying several gaily-coloured bags containing a pretty, white sundress for Hermione with some flowers to entwine in her hair and, to her embarrassment, a skimpy lace nightdress and underwear. Jean had insisted on the latter, along with a detailed, mother-to-daughter talk on what to expect that night. While Poppy Pomfrey had clinically discussed sex, Hermione's mother was shockingly explicit, complete with suggestions on how to please her man. Hermione was too stunned to explain that she had already tried most of her mother's suggestions, although she did file a few away in her memory for later reference.

"Mum! You can't say that in public," she had exclaimed more than once, but her mother had simply smiled and ignored her protests.

"You are in Australia now, dear. People are not as sexually repressed here as they are in Britain. Your father and I were quite shocked when we first arrived here, but after a few months we gradually relaxed about it. Sex should be fun, after all," she had explained.

"Parents are not supposed to talk about sex," Hermione had grumbled, despite her awareness of the double standard she was encouraging. After all, Severus was only a few years younger than Jean. She just did not want to include her parents and sex in the same thought. "I still can't believe you and Dad have taken this all so well, not that I mind. I just expected..."

"What? For us to throw up our hands and tell him to get out of our house and never go near our daughter again? Hardly an option when you both so clearly adore each other. Even Harry approves and, from what you have told us, he would have been the most likely to be upset. No, dear, we are not so foolish as to deny you the happiness that we ourselves have experienced. Now, we need to find you something special for the wedding night..."

The men had surpassed themselves with a delicious spread of cold meats, salads, assorted breads, and fresh fruit, all set out on the dining table and kept cool with a charm applied by Severus. They had adjourned to the patio for a few well-earned beers and were discussing the arrangements for the afternoon's ceremony when the women arrived home.

After lunch had been cleared away, Jean showed Hermione into the master bedroom to shower and dress, after which she worked a little more maternal magic on her daughter's hair, styling it into cascade of loose curls, interspersed with tiny, white gypsophila flowers. The dress was white voile, with a lightly beaded, shoestring-strapped bodice and a full skirt which floated around her bare legs. A little make-up and lip-gloss and she was done.

"Beautiful, darling. He is going to fall in love with you all over again," Jean enthused as they studied the younger woman's reflection in the mirror.

"Thanks, Mum. For everything." They both had tears in their eyes as the reality of the upcoming wedding struck.

"By tonight, you will no longer be our little girl. You will be a grown woman, off on a new adventure."

"I don't think I have been a little girl for some time, Mum. The war with Riddle saw to that," Hermione grimly replied.

"Yes, but that is behind you now, and you have a bright, new future to look forward to," her mother reminded her, hugging her tightly. "Now, let's go and find out if those men have been able to dress themselves respectably."

No-one could have been more surprised than Hermione when she found her husband-to-be and her best friend in the living room, both dressed in partly-buttoned, flowing, white shirts and fitted, black pants. Severus's hair was tied back into a queue, and Harry's unruly mop looked in keeping for once. They were both barefoot.

"Wow! You two look very sexy," Hermione exclaimed, raking her gaze over both men.

Severus scowled. "Don't make me hex Harry before the wedding. It is not the done thing to hex one's best man. You are not supposed to consider any other man sexy, woman!"

"Ah, Sev. Give over. Of course she thinks I am sexy. She is a woman of fine taste and refinement." They shared a conspiratorial smirk as Hermione regarded them both with a suspicious glare.

"Since when have you called him Sev? Even I don't call him that. And you are supposed to be my best friend, not his best man. Turncoat!"

The three men all collapsed into gales of mirth at her outrage. "I told you it would work!" Richard Granger clapped the younger men on the shoulders. "I can teach you a thing or two about handling this girl."

"Dad! You're a turncoat, too!" Hermione had to laugh; seeing her three favourite men bonding so well was worth any teasing they wrought upon her.

"Just remember, Harry, it's 'Professor Snape' to you once we get back to Hogwarts," Severus admonished the still chuckling young man.

"Sure, Sev. I'll remember that, next time you give me detention," he retorted.

"We've created a monster, Richard. Can I leave him here when we return? I'm not sure I want him in my Potions class any more. I've been trying to get rid of him for years!"

"But, then, who would keep your wife under control, so you can stalk the classroom, Professor?" Harry gleefully taunted.

"All right, all right. I give in. She is much more of a problem than you will ever be," the harassed bridegroom replied. Luckily, Jean and Richard Granger were blissfully unaware of where the conversation had led as they gathered up a camera and a few other items to take to the ceremony.

"Severus? Where exactly is the ceremony to be held?" Hermione asked as she took his hand. And who is the celebrant?"

"All in good time, my dear. Just come with me. I will Apparate us there. I took Harry there earlier while you were shopping; he will bring your parents." He stood back and drank in the sight of his sweet young bride. "You are looking delectable. I'm not sure I can wait..."

"Only a few more hours, love. I am impatient too. Much as I love my parents and Harry, I can't wait to be finally alone with you again, as your wife," she whispered.

He groaned. "Shh. Don't make me embarrass myself in front of your parents. These pants are tight enough as it is."

"Whose idea were they, anyway. Those outfits don't look like something either you or Harry would have thought up," she asked, eyeing him lasciviously. "Not that I am complaining."

"Your mother gave us explicit instructions at lunch. For someone who is non-magical, she knows a lot about the possibilities of Transfiguration."

"That's because I have shown her before when I have needed something different at short notice. She is a quick learner," Jean's daughter stated proudly.

"That, she is," he replied, taking her hand and Apparating them with a crack before she had a chance to put on her shoes.

***

The spot he had chosen was perfect. Shimmering, golden sand; gentle, azure waves; and swaying palms at the shore set the scene. Arriving in a secluded corner of the foreshore, away from prying Muggle eyes, Hermione gazed about her with delight. A few children were playing in the distance, but the beach in front of them was empty except for a casually dressed man carrying a small clipboard.

"Oh, Severus, this is perfect! No wonder you weren't worried about shoes," she said as she curled her toes into the fine, warm sand. Throwing herself into his arms, she proceeded to impress upon him her approval, by way of lips and tongue applied passionately to his.

"Ahem," Richard interrupted. "Shouldn't you two wait until after the ceremony for that?"

"They do that all the time," complained Harry. "It's quite disconcerting, you know."

Severus and Hermione at least had the grace to blush at being caught snogging.

The ceremony was short and simple; the traditional vows being exchanged by the happy couple, witnessed by Harry and the Grangers. The depth of feeling between them as they promised to love, honour, and keep each other until death parted them was almost palpable, leaving tears on each of the three witnesses' cheeks. The kiss which concluded the ceremony was sweet and chaste, but held promise of much more, and the way they walked hand in hand along the beach afterward, allowing the waves to lap at their bare feet, engendered a group sigh from the onlookers. Richard looked at Jean and squeezed her hand while Harry thought of his Ginny, thousands of miles away.

***

"A toast!" Richard declared, raising his glass of champagne. "To the new Professor and Mrs Snape. May you live long and love deeply, may your troubles be few, and your joys be many, and don't forget we want grandchildren!" Harry covered his eyes and shook his head as he tried to banish the image of just what they would be doing to fulfil the last request, much to the amusement of his friend.

"Oh, Harry! Get over it! I am going to be having stupendous sex with this man as often as I can, and you will just have to accept it. And so will he." She smirked as she raised her glass in turn to her husband.

"Merlin, help me," the wizard in question prayed. "I don't know if I can survive this marriage!"

Richard Granger chuckled and thumped Severus on the arm. "Best you learn, mate. My daughter is known for getting what she wants. Just like her mother." Jean just smiled contentedly.

***

"You can put me down now, love," Hermione told her new husband after he had carried her into the beach house her parents had procured at short notice from a friend.

"Never," he mumbled into her wind-blown hair. "Never letting you go. Mine. All mine."

"Don't be daft, Severus." She giggled at his possessiveness. "If you don't put me down, we will not be able to have that stupendous sex I mentioned earlier."

"In that case..." He unceremoniously dumped her on the bed, silencing her squeals of protest with hungry lips and hands. "Is that better?" he growled seductively once she had relaxed completely. Silence. He looked up at her face and sighed. "Bloody time zones," he muttered as he drew a blanket over himself and his sound asleep wife. It was, after all, nine o'clock in the evening, Australian time, over thirty hours since they had risen to greet the day back in Scotland. Gathering her to his body, he rapidly joined her in slumber.

Hermione woke with a start. Silvery moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the unfamiliar surroundings. Catching the glimmer of her wedding ring, she realised something was missing. Her husband. The other side of the bed was indented, but cool, and his clothing was still on the chair.

Stretching, she climbed out of bed and padded out to the front door, which opened towards the sea. There, out on the beach, silhouetted by the lightening sky and the shimmering foam of the gentle waves, was the naked form of her wizard performing his usual dawn salute. She quietly walked down the beach and sat on the sand a few yards behind him, filling her senses with his masculinity and power.

"Seen enough, Mrs Snape?" The velvety drawl broke into her reverie as he sat beside her. Silently, they communed with the sunrise, revisiting the birth of their relationship once more. As the sun cleared the horizon, they stood as one and, hand in hand, returned to their bed.

***

A/N: Many thanks to rdholmantx, whose encouragement turned this story from an idea into a reality; ladyinthecloak, whose beta skills are beyond compare; and all the readers and reviewers that have come along for the ride so far. Hugs to you all!