Chapter 42

When Hermione woke up the next morning, she was spooned against Severus and feeling wonderful. Her mind was flooded with all the amazing things that had happened in the last 48 hours. When she felt fingers caress her hair, she realized Severus was awake.

His lips pressed against her ear, and he whispered, "Good morning, my beautiful wench."

Hermione turned toward him, giggling. "You really do remember it all."

"Yes, I remember all of it...every horrible, scary, awful, wonderful, amazing, loving moment of it. Hermione, I have something to ask you."

"What?" she asked as her heart started to beat rapidly.

"Will you go to the Yule ball with me?" he asked very seriously as he pressed some kisses along her neck.

Hermione felt let down for a moment, and then she mentally shook herself. She had thought he was going to ask her to marry him. How silly was that? They both knew their future was together; it had already been agreed upon. "I'd love to, Severus," she said, letting herself get excited about the whole idea of a date in public. "We need to go shopping!" She pulled away and bounced out of the bed.

"Right now?" he asked, laughing at her.

"Well, after a shower and breakfast. Hey, didn't we say we weren't going to sleep together, here at the castle?" She glanced around her at the walls. "The castle has eyes."

He laughed at her and patted the bed. "Get back here, you salty wench. There are no eyes in these rooms. I've made certain of that."

She flew back onto the bed, landing nearly on top of him, and he snatched her against him. "To heck, with our pact. I don't want to sleep another night without you, Severus." She kissed him deeply.

"I was hoping you'd agree with me on that," he murmured against her lips.

******

They stood on the streets of London later that morning after having gone shopping at a bargain warehouse store. A little mind-altering charm on the store clerk had allowed them to shrink and pocket all the things they had purchased. Hermione and Severus pulled their Muggle attire closer around them. "These coats are never as warm as my robes," he said grouchily. The wind was harsh and blowing leaves around their feet. "Come on, it's this way." He urged her on as they ducked down a filthy alley under an ignore spell.

Severus headed with determination toward the old warehouse he had lived in. It was an abandoned area. No one seemed to bother them, and he'd often been curious about that.

Hermione asked, walking faster as she tried to keep up with him, "Do you think this wise, Severus? I'm all for helping those people, but to use magic in such an open way..." She had to occasionally run to catch up.

"It's Christmas, Hermione, and besides these people are very closed mouth, as well as close knit. I doubt they will run out talking about today. They will want to keep what they have for themselves. Even if they do talk, it will be chalked up as a Christmas Good Samaritan miracle...or maybe Santa Claus will get the credit."

Hermione smirked as an image of Severus in a Santa suit made her nearly burst out laughing.

Severus frowned at her. "Hermione, you're broadcasting. That's an utterly ridiculous idea you have there." He smirked at her.

She giggled as she hurried after him. She was behind Severus' plan; she just didn't want the Ministry on their necks.

They arrived in front of the warehouse, and Severus entered calling, "Mary, it's Raven. Are you here?"

Hermione felt warmed that he was so casually using the name Raven.

Most of the inhabitants of the warehouse were out, foraging in the daytime. They hung out behind restaurants, street cafés, and markets, hoping for scraps of food and that good-hearted people would give them handouts. Hermione had to place an Olfaception charm about her face. The stench of the warehouse was horrible because there was no water available for any kind of bathing. Boxes where arranged in rows; some were cardboard and others were made of plastic or wood panels tied together with rags, string, or wire.

Minutes after their arrival, Severus had found only three people on guard duty. He used his wand to send them out of the building with a Confundus Charm with orders to come back in an hour. He and Hermione worked quickly to change the warehouse into a bum's palace, using a Scorgify many times to clean the place. Each cardboard box or wooden shack was transformed into a small, insulated box about seven by eight feet; there were a few larger ones with small rooms for family members. Severus remembered all the warehouse residents and inscribed their names on the side of the new homes. A wooden chest was added for all the inhabitants' personal trinkets hidden about their old rags and dirty blankets. Severus knew that some of the dirty blankets were probably remnants of their old lives; so he and Hermione freshened, mended, and placed the clothing and blankets they found into the wooden chests. Flashlights that the residents could shake for power were also included in each of the chests, as well as personal hygiene items. Hermione pulled out new, warm feather beds from her pockets, and out of the many pockets of Severus' Muggle jacket came warm sweaters, jeans, and heavy shirts. Item after item was pulled from his pockets and expanded. Candles that lasted hours and warmed the room would make winter easier for these people. Warm, heavy jackets and other clothing as well as a stockpile of canned food and dried food was stacked into the corners of the little rooms. Boots and clothes were charmed to fit the first person who slipped them on. They made sure there was color and beauty by adding painted scenery inside the boxes, windows to beautiful places.

Severus set aside a library of books in a corner of the warehouse because he knew that books had been a lifesaver to him. He also added an outhouse of sorts with a disappearing waste disposal system. There were toys for the children that lived with their families here in this warehouse and Christmas decorations to liven up the place. There was room for a number of other boxes, which Severus added, giving the inhabitant's the choice to add more friends to their community.

He and Hermione then disillusioned themselves and watched as the inhabitants struggled back through the big doors as the afternoon's weather got too harsh.

There were explanations of disbelief and then rapture as the motley group discovered the wonders of their new homes.

Mary came late from the cold and watched the merriment with a twinkle in her eye. She looked around the room and stopped when she was looking directly at Severus and Hermione. She nodded at Hermione and came closer to Severus whispering, "I got the sight, but alas no magical skill. I knew ye were a lost wizard soul when I saw yer wand, but it wouldn't have helped to tell ye... I couldn't help you. My father were a wizard, and though I'm a Squib, I can still sense things and see things others can't. I see ye found yer way home, Raven." She nodded at Hermione.

Severus said, as he pulled Hermione close, "Yes, Mary, this is my lady love, Hermione."

"How'd you do," Mary said. She looked closer as Hermione wrapped her arm about Severus' waist. "I saw you looking in trash a few times, too, didn't I?"

Hermione smiled as she said, "Yes, I will tell you about it sometime. Raven and I are both back where we belong."

Severus reached into his pocket as he said, "Thank you, Mary, for saving my life that day." He handed her a magical card. "If you ever need anything, press the gold button on this card, and I will come and take care of it."

Mary took the card and held it as if it was a fine piece of sculptured glass; her faded eyes welled with tears. "Me mom died when I was born. When I was 10, me dad died, and I was left alone. I had no place to go, and I found this group of lost souls. They took me in. It's been me home for years now. Whoever owns this place leaves us alone."

"I'm glad Mary; I will be able to do more in the future. This is just a beginning. I hope to purchase the building and make the rooms more livable," he promised.

"They was livable before. They looks to be heaven now. Thank ye, Raven." Tears ran down her worn face.

"You're welcome." He nodded, not bothering to tell her his real name. It was on the card, and she would figure it out. He then took Hermione's arm and they Apparated out of there, leaving Mary to stand and watch the happiness of her family.

Mary stared at the place they had been, then she glanced at the card and saw a black embossed Raven next to the gold circle. Then the name 'Severus Snape, Professor at Hogwarts.' Her brow furrowed as if working out a difficult problem, Bloody hell, I rescued a real war hero. She cackled to herself, and then she went to investigate her own warm, little room.

*******

Hermione spent the afternoon trying on dresses and gowns of silk, satin, brocade, and other fine blends in a fancy dress shop for formal parties and weddings. She tried gowns with sleeves, half sleeves, and no sleeves; she tried gowns that had high necklines to low necklines. Some dresses were all white with no decoration, and others had fine pearls and crystal beads. She tried hard not to look at the wedding dresses, but Severus saw her glance their way more than once. He saw her fingers sliding over the fabric of one particular dress several times. He smiled to himself as she went into a dressing room for the umpteenth time, and then he slipped away. He made several quick purchases and returned just as she was coming out of the dressing room with a box.

"Which one did you decide on?" he asked, slipping several miniaturized boxes into his pocket out of her sight.

She looked up at him. "It's a surprise." She grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him down so she could kiss him. "Now, we can go Christmas shopping?"

"What!" He grimaced. "I thought we came for a dress, and that took hours!" he complained.

Hermione laughed at the grimace on his face. "I need to go to Diagon Alley and get a few new robes ordered, and I need a new quill. I have to buy gifts for the Weasleys, Harry, Hagrid, McGonagall and the rest of the staff, and Dobby." Her brow furrowed as she thought. "Oh, and I want to get the Gypsies something...and Grendel of course."

He groaned. "Of course, but does it all have to be tonight?"

Hermione only laughed, ignoring him. "The ball is less than a week away, and then there's Christmas. I have final exams and grades to record. There won't be another day, Severus. We've had so much to deal with; there has been no time for me to even think of Christmas." She asked him earnestly, "Don't you buy gifts?"

"No," he admitted, "not usually, but I always gave Albus a pair of newly transformed, thick socks, and I make the perfume for Min. That's was the extent of my gift giving. Oh, I also make sure when Hagrid goes hunting he gets a prize boar each winter. I had to thank him for Grendel, but I didn't want him to know it was me. It wasn't good for my nasty image." He smirked.

Hermione hugged him. "You're the one who sent the boars! He always bragged that he had the touch. He used the meat all winter. You were a softy all along!" she exclaimed, drawing him down for a kiss. "I knew he couldn't be so lucky every year, but I assumed it was Albus. I'm sorry, Severus."

"No need to apologize; you had no way to know. The past is gone. I'm very happy with the future in front of me." He groaned as he said, "Let's go shopping." With a sigh, he took her arm, and they Apparated to Diagon Alley.

*******

Hours later they collapsed onto Severus' couch, many boxes and bags spread at their feet. Hermione groaned, kicking off her shoes, but then exclaimed, "That was so much fun! I probably have an empty vault at Gringotts, but it was worth it. I got the perfect gifts for everyone."

Severus leaned in to kiss her. "I got the perfect gifts for you too, my love," he teased. He had managed to slip away once in Diagon Alley when she was busy.

"You bought me a gift?" She tackled him. "Let me see!" she said, trying to dig her hands into his pockets.

"No wonder, I picked the name Wench for you." He laughed, pinning her against him. "You will have to wait for Christmas like everyone else. Do not even try to find your presents...they are well hidden." He got to his feet and pulled her with him. "Let's go wash the dust of Diagon Alley off." His face revealed he had more than a bath in mind.

Later, sitting in a deep, hot bath, they made love. Afterwards Severus dried them off with his wand, wrapped Hermione in a warm towel, and carried her to their bed where they snuggled together, talking about the day. As Hermione fell asleep thinking about the warehouse of inhabitants snuggled under their warm feather beds, Severus slipped from the bed and sent a few messages off by Floo. With a smug, satisfied smile, he climbed back to bed and pulled her close.