Chapter 11

Chapter 11

When Severus arrived in his own time, he stumbled forward slightly. He found himself standing outside. There were many people seated in front of him. Looking around he noticed their fine dress. His heart sank. He was at the wedding. Potter sat in front with his wife, Ginevra. The boy was smiling like an idiot. Across from them, Molly Weasley was blowing her nose into a handkerchief. Tears were running down her cheeks. Arthur’s arm was supportively around her shoulders.

Bugger, it hadn’t worked. She had chosen Weasley after all. He felt his chest tighten as his eyes wandered farther down the front aisle where Molly boo-hoo’d loudly. Weasley was sitting right there next to Arthur. Severus’ eyebrows knit together. Ronald Wesley turned and smiled at the witch seated next to him. Luna Lovegood looked at him with her dreamy look as he leaned into her and kissed her. His wife, his mind told him. Severus sputtered.

“You’re back, aren’t you?” he heard from beside him.

His head snapped around, and he saw Hermione standing next to him in a beautiful wedding dress. He was holding her wrist, and she was holding his. He realized they weren’t at the Burrow at all, but on the Hogwarts grounds. Suddenly, the memories from the last two years came flooding into his mind. Endless evenings spent in each other’s company. A relationship that solidified and a love that deepened as the days, months, and years passed on. He watched the sharpness of his personality slowly calm to acceptable levels and felt a peace within himself that he never thought possible.

He knelt in front of Hermione and asked her to marry him. Her eyes filled with tears as she accepted. He reveled in the feel of her arms around him as she threw herself down to kiss him passionately.

The last two years were restored to him in a flash, and now he knew exactly what was happening. He glanced down at himself and saw he was dressed in fine black dress robes. Glancing back at Hermione, he smirked at her.

“I am,” he answered finally.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she whispered. “I’d hoped you’d get here before we were wed. Do you remember anything?”

Severus leaned into Hermione and gave her a smoldering look. “I remember everything.”

Hermione blushed as she smiled adoringly at him.

“Mr. Snape?” the vicar queried. “Are you all right?”

Severus straightened up and looked at the vicar. The vicar leaned in toward him. “You seem to be a bit out of sorts, Professor.”

“No, I’m all right. I just wandered off for a minute.”

The vicar frowned. “You are supposed to be exchanging vows, sir, not off in your own world.”

Severus frowned too, but gave the vicar a small bow. “I am ready.”

The vicar cleared his throat and repeated his previous words. “You may now exchange the vows you have prepared.”

Severus looked into Hermione’s eyes. “Hermione, you have been a bright light in what had been a lifetime of darkness for me. You have shown me a love that is endless and have helped me to become more than I’d ever thought possible. I now bind myself to you for eternity. May our union forever be blessed with happiness and love.”

The vicar waved his wand over their clasped wrists. A golden chain wrapped itself around their wrists.

“Severus,” Hermione began. “You have shown me a side of yourself that few have ever seen. I feel honored to have your love and to be a part of your life. I am eager for us to build our life together because I know it will be a partnership filled with respect and devotion. I now bind myself to you for eternity. May our union forever be blessed with happiness and love.”

The vicar once again waved his wand, and another golden chain weaved itself in with the first.

The vicar now pronounced the binding done. “I now seal this binding with my magical power and authority. May you find that you love each other a little more each day as the years pass by.”

He tapped their wrists, and the two golden chains glowed brightly before being absorbed into Severus and Hermione’s wrists.

“I now pronounce you wizard and wife,” the vicar finished.

Hermione and Severus smiled warmly at each other. “You may kiss the bride,” the vicar advised.

Severus laughed and pulled his wife towards him. My wife… Hermione is now my wife. His lips came down on hers, and he kissed his wife. Even though he had just kissed Hermione a few minutes ago, or so it seemed, this kiss was even more wonderful than their first. Innocent as this kiss was, it held the promise of dreams fulfilled for Severus.

The couple pulled apart, and each gazed into the other’s eyes. The love that Severus saw in Hermione’s eyes took his breath away. She had loved him before, when he was in the past, but this gaze was indescribable. No woman had ever looked to her husband with such devotion, Severus was sure of it. They held the gaze for a moment and then turned to their guests. Everyone stood and applauded as Severus and Hermione walked back down the aisle hand in hand. They stopped at the end of the aisle and turned to greet the well-wishers.

After some time, everyone had filed past, and the guests were moving into the castle for the reception. Hermione held Severus back. He turned and looked at her with an arched eyebrow.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Hermione said.

“I am overwhelmed,” Severus said. Emotion filled his voice. “This is more than I could have hoped for.”

Hermione smirked at him. “You have a knack for expecting the worst, Severus Snape. Have you ever expected the best?” she asked.

“I am learning, Hermione Snape, that when it comes to you, I can probably count on it.” He pulled her close. “Hermione, thank you for giving me this chance. I find that in my absence these past two years my feelings for you have only intensified.” He kissed her softly, yet fervently. “Thank you, my love, for becoming mine.”

Hermione smiled brightly up at him. “I would have had it no other way.”

Severus fondled her hair. “When I left, I hoped that our relationship would last. I couldn’t have dreamed that this would be the result when I returned.”

“Always the defeatist,” Hermione teased.

“Not anymore. Not now that you are mine.”

“I will always be yours, Severus.”

“Then it was all worth it.”

His hand snaked to her face, and he lovingly tilted her head towards his. “I am yours forever,” he whispered before his lips touched hers. Severus’ kiss conveyed what escaped him with words. He had found the most treasured gift he could ever lay hands on. Having almost missed out on this opportunity, he treasured her even more. Her ardent kisses proved to him that his journey to the past had been well worth it. He’d found the love he’d been searching for. He’d finally found happiness.

The End