Chapter 9. Amor: The Epilogue

George and Lee Jordan did a jig in the back room of the joke shop.

“That was brilliant, mate,” Lee said, pausing to catch his breath.

“Yeah, but Fred has to take the credit – he created the plan.”

“Of course he does. But let’s not forget that while you two were clowning around in the Great Hall, I had to go down into Filch’s office to get back all of our old confiscated items. Do you know how many cabinets I had to empty?” Lee gestured to the many sacks lining the office.

“And I had to make and wrap up all of those chocolates, as well as drugging Mrs. Norris so that Filch would be too preoccupied to go to his office.” George pointed to the long scratches on his hand.

Lee laughed. “Ah, the bloody cat still gives you trouble after all these years. At least we got back all of the lost research items. Besides, you’re right – Fred did have it the worst. He’s the one who spent an hour with Snape in the dungeons, is currently working on the antidote… and he’s the one who Polyjuiced himself as Scrimgeour to get the Ministry’s approval for the chocolates and the ball.”

“The seduction of McGonagall,” George stated solemnly. The pair made faces of pure disgust and horror.

“We’ve done it! We’ve done it!” Fred yelled.

Lee and George ran into the adjoining room. “How do you know it will work?” Lee asked.

Fred held up two chocolates. “Heads up!” He tossed the chocolates at them.

George and Lee looked at each other with alarm.

“I added the final ingredient and have been watching this thing brew all night. Go on, get to it,” said Fred with a wicked grin of amusement.

~*~

Several more antidotes later, the trio entered the Dungeons and opened the door to the potions lab.

“Sorry we took so long,” George said.

Fred continued, “McGonagall made it hell for us to get back in – whatever happened to her last night, she is back to normal…”

All voices were silenced at the sight of Hermione and Snape snogging on top of the potions table.

~*~

Hermione stretched out on the couch, opening her eyes after a long, glorious nap. She noticed that the fireplace’s flames were dwindling and muttered a spell to revive them.

“My lioness awakens.”

Hermione broke out into a lazy smile and waited for her fiancée to sit next to her. “I was dreaming about you, Severus,” she said, leaving a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Nightmares, I’m sure,” he said dryly, but he let an arm snake around her waist and pulled her closer to him. “Are you sure about this?”

“Positive,” she said sleepily, nuzzling into his side. Wedding plans were a nightmare to be sure, but her engagement to the man she loved… she kissed him again.

“What was that for?” he asked after kissing her back.

“For your proposal, again,” she said with a dreamy smile rivaling Luna’s.

“I thought you reciprocated wonderfully this morning, and last night, and the night before and…” He trailed off, a smirk on his face. He held her hand.

“Are you sure about this?”

Hermione looked at her band of diamonds and smiled again. “Yes, yes, yes. This is the fourth time you’ve asked me today.” She remembered the first time he had asked her, in January – on his birthday. He later admitted that he wanted to avoid February altogether, with a proposal in January and a wedding in March. Hermione felt the same and had accepted.

“It’s been a year today,” she murmured.

“I know,” he said tersely.

“What is it now?”

“I was just wondering.” He stroked her hair. “Do we have to go?”

“Fred, George, and Lee Jordan all apologized a long time ago, Severus. Besides, if it wasn’t for their spell, I would have never realised what a great man you are.”

“And I you – as a woman, of course,” Snape added in response to her raised eyebrow.

She kissed his large nose. “Of course. Now come, future husband. We have to pick out robes for Fred and George’s party. Draco’s going to be there – don’t you want to see your godson? He’s with Lee now… I wonder when he decided to come out of the cauldron.”

“Hermione,” Snape said in an agonized voice. “If I come with you to ‘pick out robes,’ could I help you get out of them as well?”

She smiled and got up from the couch; Snape followed her. Hermione turned around, wrapped her arms around him, and cupped his arse. “You bet. But we can’t delay; Harry and Luna invited us to tea this afternoon.”

Snape groaned. “That woman makes her scones in a waffle iron! How could I possibly–”

A look into her eyes changed his mind, and he kissed her again and again.

- end.