Chapter 24: A Soft, Romantic Glow

Chapter 24: A Soft, Romantic Glow

I returned to the Snape household to find Severus bidding good evening to his mother and brother. Perseus hugged me goodbye, and Eileen draped her arms about my shoulders as she giggled uncontrollably, snorting occasionally. I patted her back, and Perseus pulled her gently off of me.

"Are you sure you have her handled, Perseus?" Severus inquired as the door opened.

"I'm sure, Severus," he said with sparkling eyes. "You two have a nice night."

Severus led me into the warm evening air. The stars and the scimitar moon cast a soft, romantic glow on everything in sight. He leaned in and placed his hand on my back.

"Care to take a walk?" His low, velvety voice seemed to massage my eardrums.

"I'd love to." I closed my eyes and leaned into him, allowing him to guide me down the dirt road. We walked to the east, and the laughter of a bubbling brook running alongside the path hit my ears. We walked for a while. I heard the trace of a hum in Severus's breathing.

He led me to a willow bent low over the water so that beyond its curtained leaves was something of a room. Soft, spongy grass was on the ground. He helped me to sit on it. He leaned against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. I put my head in his lap, and he stroked my hair.

"It's so amazing, isn't it?" His voice could hardly be heard over the rushing of the brook.

"What?" I asked, sitting up to give him my attention.

"Juliet, you, me, everything." He sighed. "A few years ago, I lived in such fear that I would die...I never had time for dreams. But if I had had an idea about my future, I would have wanted you."

He got to his feet and pulled me to mine. I looked into his eyes, and they were glittering. He then sank to one knee and fumbled with something in his pocket. Tears readily sprang to my eyes as though he had conferred with them beforehand about their job. His warm, dry hand encircled mine. I was quivering as I placed my other hand to my face. Thick sobs came from my throat as I gazed down at him.

"Hermione Jane Granger, I love you. I love you more than I ever expected to realize. You have changed me. it started when you were that bold little girl in class. I always knew you had a different kind of magic, Hermione." He paused and opened the small, wooden box in his hand. Emotion and sentiment weren't easy for him; he seemed to be trying to make the moment perfect. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Severus Snape," I said, and I smiled as I looked down at the great, glittering diamond he was slipping onto my finger, "I will most surely do you the honor of becoming your wife." I laughed as I mocked him. He liked it best that way.

He stood and pulled me into a kiss worthy of the sappy, black and white movies my mother liked to watch with me when I was home. We both were laughing, and a tear drizzled down his cheek. I brushed it with my lips and savored the salty scent of the rare gem. I nuzzled his neck, and he kissed the top of my head. I was content.

A mere week later we prepared ourselves for a secret wedding in the sitting room of Grimmauld Place. Severus had sought out an old, indebted friend to officiate our marriage. The elderly magical pastor went by the title of Pastor Crippen. He had short, white and grey hair that looked as though it would curl if it were a bit longer. He sat in the kitchen with Severus as I prepared myself in my bedroom.

"Is this good?" Ginny asked as she finished lacing up the corset on my traditional wedding robes. The sleeves were made of ballooning, see-though white fabric and had lace at my wrists. The corset was an antiquated white one with silk ribbon that Madam Snape had given me for the ceremony. The skirt was ballooning and white due to the layers of undergarments that went with it.

"A bit tighter." I wanted everything perfect. I had told my parents earlier in the week of my engagement. I didn't introduce them to Juliet, but they did have the pleasure of meeting Severus. He enjoyed their company and they his. They were going to watch the wedding.

I observed myself in the mirror. My hair was swept into a beautiful mound on the crown of my head. I pulled my elbow-length veil over my eyes and smiled.

"Are you sure about this, Hermione?" Harry spat. His leg was bouncing uncontrollably.

"I'm sure, Harry," I replied, rolling my eyes and fixing my bouquet of red roses from the garden.

"People often do rash things during times of war," Remus said as he paced the room.

"I know, Remus, but Severus and I..." I trailed off, how could I explain the concept of star-crossed lovers and Romeo and Juliet to a room full of jealous and protective wizards?

"May I point out that it's for the good of the child?" Ginny said as she fixed my hair.

"Yes, yes," Remus began, slapping the back of his hand repeatedly into his palm, "but the baby will be taken care of no matter what."

I lifted my veil. My cheeks were red with frustration as I walked right up to Remus and pointed my finger at him.

"I will marry whom I wish to marry, and you will not confuse me on my wedding day!" He looked sincerely humbled as he fell to helping Ginny with bouquets. Harry merely shook his head.

"But what about Ron?" Harry ventured after a formidable silence.

"What about him?" I asked with narrowed eyes. "The idea that I could love Ron as anything more than a brother is positively asinine. Severus and I have a connection that goes beyond what any of you can see. He loves me and cares about my safety...so much so that he would not marry me if he thought I was better off with Ron. I'd like to think that the idea of entrusting me to Ron would be..."

"Did someone say my name?" A weary voice preceded Ron's entrance to the room. "This must be why you owled me, Ginny." His eyebrows were raised as his wide eyes traveled over my traditional garments.

"Yep."

"You look nice, Hermione." He paused and noticed Lupin was in the corner. "WAIT A SECOND!" he shouted.

"What?"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE MARRYING REMUS!" he bellowed.

"Ron, why would I do something like..."

"He's not back, is he?" he asked. The contrast of screaming to a disdainful, hoarse whisper shocked me.

"Who are you talking about, Ron?" I asked, pulling up a chair for him.

"Hermione?" called a deep voice from downstairs. Ron stared daggers at me.

Lupin recovered first. "She'll be down in a moment!"

I stepped into the sitting room, and my breath was taken away. All the furniture had been cleared, and the room was adorned with white and red roses. A single cello had been charmed to play as it stood on its own in a corner. There were a few rows of seats, which were already occupied by all of the Weasleys, the Snapes, my parents, and Harry. I cast my eyes to the front of the room. A traditional wizarding bondage arch stood over Severus and the pastor.

It was a wooden structure built out of the type of wood our wands were made of. Mine was made of vine, and his was constructed of alder. A sort of double helix of our wand interiors was stretched across the top like a beam; my dragon heartstring intertwined with his unicorn hair interior. On the sides of the arch stood Ginny...my maid of honor...and Remus...Severus's best man...chosen only out of necessity. Pastor Crippen and Severus stood under the beam.

I smiled to see Severus dressed in his formal robes. A trace of a smile passed over his features as I stood to face him. Pastor Crippen began his speech.

"Friends, Loved Ones, we are gathered here to witness a most unusual unity." There was a tense chuckle from everyone at the gathering. "A Gryffindor and a Slytherin are breaking the barriers of their houses and uniting in an eternal bond. I am sure you are all most pleased to see this display of inter-house unity." A slightly less constrained chuckle resounded.

"Now, Severus and Hermione, please hold each other's hands. Do you, Severus Silas Snape, take Hermione as your magically-bound wife...to have and to hold, to cherish and to respect, to adore and stay faithful to...in sickness and in health, in times of war and times of peace until death do you part?"

"I do," Severus uttered solemnly. A purple rope of magic wrapped itself around our arms. It was cold against my skin.

"And do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take Severus, before all these witnesses, as your magically-bound husband...to have and to hold, to cherish and respect, to adore and stay faithful to in sickness and in health...in times of war and times of peace until death do you part?"

"Absolutely," I responded solemnly. A smile crossed my lips regardless. A cord of blue magic wrapped around us and wound through our arms. Then it formed a double helix with Severus's cord, and the new cord traveled through the lattice of the arc and plunged through our hands. When we let go, silver and gold wedding bands were in place.

"You may now kiss the bride." Severus looked around at the company, but when his eyes met mine, he drew me into the most loving kiss he had ever given me.

Author's Note: JKR assigned Ron and Hermione's wand woods based on their month of birth in relation to the corresponding birth month tree on the Celtic calendar. Severus was born in January (the Celtic month of 'Fearn'); therefore, I assume his wand would be made of alder.

I find this information positively fascinating:

Severus's Moon Name: Alder Moon

Polarity: Masculine

Nicknames: Moon of Utility; Moon of Efficacy; Moon of Self-Guidance

Magical Properties: spirituality, teaching, weather magic, duty, mental prowess

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/tree.html

I chose Unicorn Hair as Snape's interior because of how he lost his innocence at such an early age.

Additional Note: Silas (the middle name I gave Sev) means "Man of the Forest" in Latin.