Marital Bliss

Again, thanks go to Madbrilliant for being a brilliant beta!

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Chapter 5 – Marital Bliss

The sea of guests that had been invited had actually shown up for the wedding. Severus felt a little bit nervous under the watchful eye of so many of Hermione’s friends. He was quite astounded at the number of people Hermione actually knew. How could one witch have so many faithful admirers and friends?

He mentally shook his head. Of course Hermione would have this many friends. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with her? She was kind, compassionate, empathetic, sweet, wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, and many, many other things. He had to constantly remind himself that he was not the only one who thought those things about her.

“Severus, loosen up, old man,” Remus Lupin said as he approached him from the side.

“You’re here. I thought you weren’t ever going to show up, Lupin,” Severus snarked familiarly.

“I was kept a little late at work. Forgive me for my tardiness,” he said, buttoning his last cuff on his shirt. “And besides, you weren’t going to get married without your best man, were you?”

Severus merely raised an eyebrow as if to say “Wouldn’t I?” and went back to glaring out at the crowd. He was beginning to get anxious and had to constantly dry his palms on the back of his trousers. As tradition required, Severus had foregone footwear and was dressed in black trousers and a white silk shirt with the buttons around his neck undone. His hair had been tied at the nape of his neck with a silk tie, and he looked quite respectable.

Lupin was dressed in similar black trousers, but with a maroon-colored shirt instead. Harry Potter, of all people, just a little way down the isle, was similarly dressed in the same trousers and a medium-blue shirt. He couldn’t remember for the life of him why he had agreed to have two attendants, but it seemed to please Hermione, so he went along with it.

And then Harry walked up and took his place next to Remus, just as Dumbledore took his spot at the front. He would be performing the ceremony for them, as a personal favor to Severus. It was what Hermione wanted, after all. And he would do anything for her.

“Are you nervous, my boy?” Albus asked cheerfully.

“Of course I’m not, you old coot,” he answered sarcastically.

Albus chuckled. “Then I suppose now would be a bad time to tell you that I set you and Hermione up and pushed you two together in her final year at school?” he asked fondly.

“I was aware of that, you meddling old fool,” he said with a meek smile of his own. “I do not regret that you did, however.”

“I can tell,” Albus replied with another hearty chuckle.

And then the doors opened for the first time and closed again after Hermione’s two attendants had walked in. Ginny was donned in dress robes similar in color to Lupin’s while Minerva was dressed in a lovely shade of blue.

He felt the butterflies in his stomach now. She would be walking through those doors at any moment. The Hall had fallen dead silent, and everyone seemed to be on the edge of his or her seat in anticipation of the bride’s entry.

Once Ginny and Minerva had taken their places, the doors opened for the second time, and Severus sucked in a sharp breath. He saw his bride there, looking absolutely ravishing in her white and cream wedding robes. He saw her look straight into his eyes, and his mind, and smile at him shyly.

Her father walked her down the isle and towards him. As she got closer, she became even more beautiful to him. Her smile was breathtaking, and he found it hard to look at her without wanting to pick her up and carry her away, sod the wedding.

Philip Granger let go of his daughter as soon as he reached them and reached out to shake his hand. Severus accepted the hand and shook it firmly, looking his soon-to-be father-in-law in the eye. “Take care of my girl,” Philip said seriously.

“I swear to it, Philip,” he replied, smiling at Hermione, who blushed at this exchange and his glance profusely.

Philip stood up straight and waited for Dumbledore to speak.

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Albus asked, looking straight at Hermione’s father.

“Her mother and I do,” Philip replied before taking his seat next to his wife in the pews.

Dumbledore nodded and began his long tale and sermon as Hermione and Severus stood in front of him together, hand in hand, gazing into each other’s eyes lovingly. Occasionally as Albus spoke, she would squeeze his hand, or his would rub small circles over the back of her hand soothingly, until it finally cam time to speak their vows.

“Do you, Hermione Jane Granger, wish to take Severus Tobias Snape, as your husband, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, in life and in death, to honor and love for the rest of your life?” Albus asked seriously.

“I do so wish.”

“And will you, Hermione, promise fidelity to Severus only, for so long as you both shall live?” he asked.

“I will.”

“Hermione, will you ever hurt Severus, or bring harm to him in any way during your marriage?” he asked.

“I might.”

“Is that your intention?”

“No.”

“Very well,” Albus said and then turned to Severus. “Do you, Severus Tobias Snape, wish to take Hermione Jane Granger as your wife, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, in life and in death, to honor and love for the rest of your life?”

“I do so wish.”

“And will you, Severus, promise fidelity to Hermione only, for as long as you both shall live?” he asked.

“I will.”

“Severus, will you ever hurt Hermione, or bring harm to her in any way during your marriage?”

“I might.”

“Is that your intention?”

“No.”

“Very well, would you both please exchange rings?” Albus prompted, looking to each of them.

Hermione released Severus’ hands, turned to Ginny, who stood next to her, and accepted the plain platinum ring, engraved with hers and his new initials. She turned back to Severus and smiled, letting him take her left hand in his.

“Hermione, I ask that you wear this ring, as a symbol of my love, fidelity, loyalty, and passion for you,” he said as he slowly slipped a twin platinum ring onto her ring finger to sit snuggly next to the engagement ring.

She smiled at him and took up his left hand next. “Severus, I ask that you wear this ring as a symbol of my love, fidelity, loyalty, and passion for you,” she said softly, tears welling in her eyes as she pushed the ring over his knuckle and onto his finger.

Severus caught her hand in his and kissed it gently before they grasped hands and turned back to Albus.

“These two people have proven their love, passion, loyalty, and faithfulness to one another. I ask that you bless them and encourage their budding love for one another,” Albus announced, and then he turned to look at Severus. “You may now kiss your bride.”

Severus didn’t need to be told twice. He used one long-fingered hand to tilt Hermione’s face up to his and kissed her tenderly, with all the love that he had in him.

He pulled away to look into her tear-filled eyes and smiled. “I love you,” he whispered before pulling her into a tight embrace.

Albus chuckled and smiled out at the guests. “I present to you Severus and Hermione Snape!” he announced happily.