A Journey Begins

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with characters that J.K.R. created and am getting no Galleons for it.

I'd like to thank my beta for this tale, CocoaChristy. And I'd like to thank my usual beta, Charmed Nay, for taking the time to look this over for me when she had time.

This is an answer to the Yahoo! Group Potter_Place's How It Could Be Christmas Challenge that was issued by me, Southern Witch 69, and GinnyW.

Hermione gazed at Severus for a moment. She could see that he was trying his best to remain quiet, but his lips were trembling with the need to say something. "Well, go on, and say it then," she said sourly, putting her hands on her hips after wiping them on her apron.

"I..." His voice trailed away. Severus took in her appearance, slowly looking at her from top to bottom. "You've invited me over for a Christmas meal, yet I see a disaster before me."

She used a towel to wipe some soot from her face. "Well, you were the one who refused to go to my parents' house! I told you I wasn't very good at this," she grumbled while gesturing to the burnt turkey. "I just assumed if we turned up the heat in the oven, it would cook a bit faster."

"But you're a witch! Why would you cook like a Muggle?"

"It just seems that on occasions such as these, you should use your hands to put in the extra effort to show that you care," she retorted, pulling the apron away.

"Not only is the turkey burnt, but the pudding is hard, the peas appear dehydrated, and the rolls are as hard as bricks. Shall I go on?" he asked, stepping closer.

"Shut it, you," she said. "I'm going wash up and change. We'll just have to go out to eat." She held up a hand and narrowed her eyes. "Not a word. We can find someplace hidden away enough to make you comfortable."

"I was only going to say that we can go to your mother's if you'd like," he said quietly, leaning down to kiss her tentatively. They'd stayed up most of the night talking and having heated snogs, but they'd not gone any further, him ending up a guest on her couch. He'd yet to kiss her this morning, and he felt a little uncertain about doing so.

Hermione grinned. "Thank you." She kissed him back. "I really can cook better than this. I guess I was just... er..."

"Trying too hard?" he offered.

"Yes," she said. "I won't be long."

The moment she left the room, he burst with laughter. The sight she'd made trying to extinguish a flaming, smoking turkey was one of the most hilarious he'd ever seen. He'd never forget the horrified expression upon her face when she saw that he was watching. So far, things were going well. He wondered, however, if he'd get on well with her parents. He'd never been good at that sort of thing...meeting new people. If he wanted a shot at the future they'd seen in the portrait, he would do what he must to see it done, even if that meant visiting with Muggles for the holiday. If things worked out with Hermione, it would be worth it.

ONE WEEK LATER

"Ha!" Hermione called triumphantly. "That's eight letters total. That brings my tally up to..."

"That's not a word!" Severus barked. "Ifsoever. You're trying to cheat! You've grouped three words to make one!"

"If I'm cheating, why did the magical board not reject it, eh?" she bit back. "It's not used often, but it's a damn word! It means if ever."

"Ridiculous!" He summoned his dictionary to him and began a search for the false word. The twit had dared to make up a word to try to lessen his lead. Well, he'd not stand for it. The only thing that bothered him was that in Wizarding Scrabble there was no cheating allowed. She'd have been disqualified right away, or he would have been alerted that the word was incorrect. His face dropped. "No one uses this word any longer! Why, I don't even know if it is admissible."

"Don't be such a sore loser, Severus," Hermione said, smirking slightly. "I happened to see the word used just the other day, thanks."

"Where? In one of your disgusting romance novels?" he asked, brow arched in a silent challenge.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, that's where I saw it." She sighed dramatically. "The wizard was wooing his witch and used it." She began giggling.

"What is so funny?" he asked, tossing his traitorous dictionary aside.

"I know that you've been peeking in my book."

"Certainly not! I would never read such utter... rubbish."

She rose from her chair, walked around the table, and sat on his lap. "Then explain why I left my book by the sink after my bath, and when I went to retrieve it later...after you'd been in the loo for about an hour...I found it by the toilet."

His face reddened. "Perhaps I mistook it for toilet paper."

She swatted his arm playfully. "You're a horrible man, Severus Snape."

"Indeed," he agreed.

"Well, you can't be all that horrible if my parents approve of you," she said, kissing his cheek softly.

His expression darkened. "I still refuse to allow them to make an appointment for me. I will not have them touching my teeth with their Muggle gadgets."

Hermione started laughing. "Oh, shush. They were just having a bit of fun, is all."

"Hmph."

"Happy New Year," she whispered.

I certainly hope so, he thought as she pressed her lips to his.

JUST OVER ONE WEEK LATER

"What the hell is this?" Severus yelled from the loo. "None of this was here this morning! Can't even find my phials!"

"Oh, I brought a few things from my flat," she said nonchalantly as she placed a couple of plates upon the table. "Are you going to want a salad before the main course?"

He walked into the room and sat at the table. "Feminine products. I never thought I'd see that in my home... again."

"Well, you told me to make myself comfortable," she pointed out. "Now, about that salad..."

"Yes, please," he said, getting up to open a bottle of wine. He busied himself with filling their glasses with a delicious batch of elf-made wine. It was only when he sat down that he noticed the small wrapped package. "And this is?"

"It's your birthday gift," she said, pushing it over to him. "Oh, blast. I'll be right back." She left the room quickly.

Severus began to open the gift and was surprised to find the ring she'd bought at Borgin and Burkes. He was inspecting it when she returned. "What do you mean by giving me this?" he asked quietly. He had an idea but wanted to hear her say it.

She placed a container on the table and took its top off, revealing a chocolate cake. "I made this while I was at my flat. No magic." She wriggled her eyebrows. "Didn't burn a thing."

"I thank you," he said. Lifting the ring, he asked again, "What do you mean by this?"

"Well, I intend to spend a good portion of my life researching how this ring was made and trying to reproduce my own while making it better." She summoned their utensils and began scooping salad into their plates while talking. "Imagine all of the work that will be needed. Tracking Spells, spells that will disallow someone to abuse it, and many other things will all need to be added." She paused for a moment. "I want to share that with you. It will take many years. I figure if you accept that, then..."

When she went silent, he spoke, "Is this some sort of backwards proposal?" he scoffed, twisting his lips evilly. "And is this my engagement ring?"

Hermione started laughing. "Good grief. I hadn't looked at it that way. Well, I suppose it could be seen that way. Sort of." She stabbed a small bit of lettuce with her fork. "Interested?"

"I admit that I am," he said, eyeing the ring closely. "I don't think this is my size, though, my dear." She simply glared at him while chewing her food. "I shall make one request."

"Fair enough," she agreed.

"When it's time for a true proposal of any sort, I would like to be the one to make it."

She smiled warmly. "Of course."

Severus was pleased that she had given him the ring. It was a sign that she had thought things over and would like to spend her life with him. He certainly felt a growing affection for her and wanted her in his life. She'd come to his house with him the week before and hadn't left yet...aside from running to her place for a few things here and there. When needed, she would Floo to work and make her way back in the evenings. Their relationship was enjoyable...especially the intimate side.

After seeing all that they had on the portrait in the shop, which vanished before the next day dawned, neither he nor she felt it necessary to be shy or prolong any sexual relations. In fact, on Christmas night, they'd made love for the first time. It had seemed natural and felt, to him at least, that he'd waited years to be with an attentive lover such as Hermione. He'd had the pleasure of witnessing a Floo conversation she'd had with Weasley where she'd firmly told him that things were over, as she'd found someone else, and she'd not be betraying him... with anyone.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked.

"I'm simply wondering what else you might have in store for my birthday," he said quickly, not wanting to discuss his thoughts with her.

Grinning impishly, she said, "I think that can wait until after our meal, but make no mistake, Severus, I do have something quite special planned."

Simply nodding, he returned to his meal, the ring snugly ensconced on his index finger. Life is definitely good. He eyed the portrait of the small girl who read books all day and wondered where she'd gone off to. "Have you seen your portrait's occupant?" he asked curiously.

"No, maybe she's gone over to Grimmauld Place to sit in her other portrait for a while." Hermione pushed her plate aside and sipped on her wine. "I'm thankful that you've let me bring her here. Although she enjoys Harry's company, she truly likes me."

"Yes," he said dryly. "Who else sits with a portrait and discusses literature?"

ELSEWHERE

"Who is your little friend, Albus?" Headmistress McGonagall asked, nodding to the young girl sitting in Albus' portrait and eating some of his candies.

"This is my friend, Elizabeth. She is the young lady who is keeping us informed on how Severus and Hermione are faring," replied Dumbledore from his portrait.

"Ah, excellent," Minerva said. "Tell me, dear girl. What are they about today?"

"They are celebrating his birthday. She moved more of her stuff in, and if I've heard right, she asked him for a long-term relationship," the girl replied promptly.

"Marvelous! Was Severus accepting of her suggestion?" the headmistress prodded.

"Oh, yes," she exclaimed happily. "He said that the next time a proposal was exchanged, he wanted to be the one to say it and buy the ring."

Sitting back in her chair and smiling smugly before sipping her tea, Minerva said, "Our plan was ingenious, Albus. I knew that they would be good for each other."

An indignant scoff from behind her drew her attention. Phineas said, "How dare you not take notice of my part in this? Why, it was I who let slip about the Time-Stopping ring over at Borgin and Burkes to Potter when I knew she was listening! Had I not heard that despicable Mundungus telling one of those annoying Weasley twins about his selling it to Borgin, you'd never have known about it! It was I who questioned the other portraits and that wretched Kreacher for information when I could have been having a nap!"

"Yes, yes, Phineas," Albus said. "We've told you numerous times that we are indebted to you."

"If anyone did a great deal of work," Minerva put in, "it was me."

"Indeed?" Phineas asked. "All you did was wave your wand!"

"I've a mind to wave it right about now," she bit out.

Another portrait of an older witch cried out, "Insolence! I'll hex him for you."

Minerva waved her off. "Don't worry about it. Phineas, according to legend, was never much for using his wand... or his brain. He doesn't understand that it's quite hard to Transfigure a bit of soil and bricks into an entire building filled with specific contents." She put her tea aside. "That and having to deal with that ridiculous Borgin! He charged me many Galleons to keep the ring from being sold and for finagling Severus' visit to coincide with Hermione's. He claimed to be uncertain if he could keep it in his store until Severus went there, as it had been a long while since Severus had purchased anything there."

Albus interjected, "And don't forget that it was Wendelin the Weird's Chocolate Frog Card that told mine about Severus' impending visit, which in turn enabled you to get Hagrid to send the unicorn hair to Hermione."

Elizabeth commented, "And I kept her at Grimmauld Place until Phineas told me Snape was on his way there."

"All right," Minerva said, holding up her hands. "We all can take credit for getting the pair together, but I suppose we should give Albus the credit for being able to solidify himself enough to trick them into thinking he was real... and then all of that speaking he did through the portrait." Her eyes narrowed. "How do you do that anyway?"

"I'm afraid some secrets are my own," he said mysteriously, eyes twinkling. "Perhaps I shall demonstrate it to you at a later time."

"Well," she sniffed in annoyance, "at any rate, putting those scenes together took a lot of planning and spying." She shook her head in distaste. "To think that Mr. Weasley was trying to carry on a relationship of that sort with her while seeing that poor Lovegood girl."

Albus widened his eyes and looked down at the young girl in his portrait. "Perhaps we should discuss that later."

"Oh, indeed, yes," she replied.

"I'm going to leave now," Elizabeth said. "I want to finish reading that book that the librarian's portrait loaned me."

"Remember, dear," Albus said kindly, patting her shoulder affectionately, "you have access to any book from this establishment that you'd like to read."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me." She smiled sweetly. "Hermione is a great friend. I'm glad this has helped her to be happy."

"Indeed it has," Albus said, watching her exit his portrait. And Severus has finally been able to find the peace he so longed for all this time. It's a pity that not everyone can have such a Yuletide Revelation.

Southern's Notes: Well, that's it, my friends. I was only going to put the bit in with all the portraits and McGonagall, but I figured a little more of our couple and their first weeks together wouldn't be amiss. Happy New Year to you all. I hope you've enjoyed this little tale.

Christy's Notes: Oh, I loved this tale! Wonderful! I loved all the bickering between our favorite couple! It made things more real, I say! Good job!