Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 – The Big Day

Everything was so green and alive and blooming. This, however, was all in contrast to the lack of bloom and life in Hermione and Severus’ relationship. It was dormant, like a sleeping dragon or a latent volcano. Gretna Green in the Scottish Highlands was about as green as the color and name suggested.

Severus stood by the anvil, in the centre of a rock formation, the wind whipping his long jacket and hair about wildly as he waited. Recently, things had been happening so fast, he could hardly tell when one started and the other ended. Yet the day he had been secretly anticipating was not promising to pass by quickly.

He had chosen to wear black. It was simple, easy, and it didn’t require him to have to go through the ordeal of shopping for something different.

But when Minerva had seen what he was wearing that morning before he left, she immediately demanded that he do something with the color. When he had objected, she had transfigured it to a dark forest-green shirt herself. He allowed it, which was how he ended up in Gretna Green wearing a green shirt that was tucked neatly into a pair of new black trousers and a knee-length black jacket.

Actually, considering all, it was a slight improvement and didn’t make his skin seem so stark and pale. Glancing at his watch, and then at the wizard that would be binding them, he felt his anxiety build.

‘Don’ worry, me lad. The lass will be coming,’ the older man said through his thick Scottish accent. ‘She’ll be –'

Just as he was about to finish, he smiled and instead pointed over Severus’ shoulder somewhere. He whipped around making his jacket snap in the wind and almost gasped aloud at the sight presented to him.

Hermione was walking towards them, already clad in her cream-colored suit, navy blouse and elegant heels. Severus had a bit of trouble breathing because of the way she looked. She was an angel, albeit a fallen one, stealing his breath away like that.

She had her hair pinned loosely at the back, mostly to keep it out of the way, but somehow it looked better that way with the suit. She had a natural flush to her cheeks, and Merlin, she was beautiful to him.

‘Sorry I’m late,’ she said out of breath, as she had obviously rushed to make up for lost time.

That was not entirely true though, Hermione thought as she stared at her betrothed. When Severus had first whipped around and looked at her with those inscrutable eyes, she had begun to feel a little short of breath. He looked quite dashing in green, not that it was the first time she had thought him dashing, but of course she would never admit to thinking it more than once. She noticed that he had gone to some effort, no matter how little or large, to look more than presentable for their binding.

‘Come,’ he said smoothly in a deep baritone, extending a hand to her.

Hermione shivered a little at the sound of his voice, but contained her excitement at being so close to him and tried to smother the feelings she had in her stomach. Letting him take her hand, he led her to the anvil and their binder.

‘Ready?’ asked the older wizard.

They both nodded hesitantly, and the old man thought momentarily that a better and more perfect couple couldn’t have been found. Although almost stark opposites, they complemented each other perfectly; her with her light, and him with his dark.

‘Kneel before and repeat what I say if that is what you so intend,’ he commanded, and they obeyed readily.

‘We give ourselves freely to be married on this day with the ancients as our witnesses,’ he said.

‘We give ourselves freely to be married on this day with the ancients as our witnesses,’ Hermione and Severus repeated in unison.

‘Please face each other and join hands, and to each of my questions answer “I do so wish” or “I do” if that is what you intend,’ he began. ‘Now, do you both intend to care for each other in happiness and struggle, to be faithful always, and trust each other mind, body and soul?’

‘I will,’ they said together.

‘Is it your wish to remain joined for the rest of your lives, living in peace and war, hardship and credit, for each other and yourselves?’

There was the briefest of pauses where they threw each other fleeting glances before announcing ‘I do so wish’ at the same time.

‘And finally, do you promise to love each other, mind, body and soul, for the rest of your lives, with all of your heart?’ he asked.

Severus looked into Hermione’s eyes for the longest of times, pouring what he hoped was a little of his affection for her into it, trying to reassure her or console her reasoning. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and whispered to her. ‘You don’t have to promise that one, Hermione,’ he said softly.

She bestowed a radiant smile on him for that and squeezed his hand back softly. ‘I will,’ she declared just loud enough for the binding wizard to hear.

‘I will also,’ Snape said immediately afterwards.

‘Excellent!’ he exclaimed. ‘It gives me great pleasure to now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may kiss your bride, Professor Snape,’ he added with a cheery and expectant smile.

Severus looked down at the woman who was now his wife. ‘We don’t have to –’ he began stammering.

Hermione’s only response was to still his lips with a gentle finger before standing up slightly on her toes and brushing her lips across his briefly. Snape felt his heart skip and warmth spread through his entire body, starting with his chest and going outwards. He was already warm as it was.

She pulled away after a few tentative moments and smiled, releasing his hands. ‘Shall we go?’ he offered quietly.

‘Yes, I have some things I need to organize,’ she replied, taking that arm that he offered to her.

He Apparated them in tandem from the small town nearby, and they soon found themselves in front of the Hogwarts gate. ‘What have you got planned for this evening?’ he asked as they walked.

‘I have to reorganize my files,’ she replied.

‘Oh,’ Snape said blandly, feeling totally disheartened. He knew that he shouldn’t have expected anything from her, but he felt that it was only right to keep an open afternoon. He trudged on beside her silently for the remainder of their trip to the castle, and when they had entered the oak front doors, he left her in the middle on the hall without any further ado. He wasn’t sure if he could handle another emotional blow that afternoon.

He dropped into the chair in his office and sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. How could such a perfect morning turn into such a disastrous afternoon? Hermione had been beautiful. The binding had been exhilarating.

And her lips had been so soft and warm beneath his. But then they had returned to Hogwarts, and everything had become the same as ever. She went back to being Hermione Granger despite the fact that her surname was Snape, and he went back to being the grumpy old bat of the dungeons.

There was a knock at that door.

He stood and answered it, shocked to see his young wife staring up at him. ‘Hermione?’ he asked in his confusion, using the door to keep himself steady.

‘Do you regret marrying me?’ she asked guardedly.

‘No,’ he answered immediately. ‘But I can see that you regret our bonding,’ he added, looking down at her with fierce, yet hurt, eyes.

‘No, I don’t really. Severus, I know what you must think, but I –' she began fruitlessly. ‘I just –'

He held up a hand to silence her, hiding behind the security that his mask of coldness gave him, glaring down his nose at her. ‘Don’t lie to me, Hermione, just don’t. I know that you don’t love me, but I care, Hermione. I care!’ he said coldly, closing the door in her face.