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A Better Fate COMPLETE	By : FemmeBono Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 3299 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Cht. 11, A year and a day

When the first shafts of dawn's light crept through the mouth of the cave, Severus woke to find Lasair already gone. He was covered with his own cloak, which he had worn during the hunt. He stepped into his clothes, folded neatly nearby, and traipsed back down the hill wondering sullenly if he would ever see his fae princess again, or if she might avoid seeing him before he set off to meet his destiny.

When he came along to the fork of the trail that led off towards the spring and away from camp he heard a soft snuffling. Fearing that he may find Lasair deep in regret over their actions of the night before, he hurried swiftly over that stretch of forest and came out in the clearing by the pond.

There he found not Lasair, but Hermione, sitting by the boulder and wrapped in a cloak, yet still shivering and weeping as though her heart was breaking. At his appearance she swiped a fist across her eyes and tried to clear them, but the tears trickled down unheeded and she hiccupped once.

"I take it you have your own regrets regarding this fateful day," Severus ventured. "I confess, I too am loathe to fulfill it."

He kneeled down beside her and used the edge of his cloak to wipe her cheeks.

"How am I going to bear being married to someone I don't love--let alone, know?"

"Perhaps that is the price we pay for this knowledge. That we may keep our lives, learn such lessons as we have here, yet leave our hearts behind."

"I wanted it s-so badly when we started this," she said in gasping sobs. "I came s-straight from the battle. I had been facing Yaxley and Alecto Carrow; I felt almost powerless against them. Like everything I had known and learned up to that point simply wasn't enough. That was what I felt just before Yaxley brought a tree branch down on my head. It was the last thing I remembered, that powerless feeling."

"I remember that as well, from my youth. Having an overbearing father and no power to combat him with, except for fledgling magic. Playground bullies both at muggle school and Hogwarts. I learned all I could to counter and defend. That was how I first delved into the dark arts; I wanted a way to go on the offense, get them before they got me. And it was a seedy seduction, wanting that power. It's a high like no other drug. It's lucky that here they temper such knowledge and power with teaching humility as well."

"Is that why you wanted the dark arts job? To help people who feel powerless."

"There's nothing that angers me more than seeing someone who can't defend themselves being bullied. My aim is to make sure that no one is without a line of defense. And the more weapons I have in my arsenal, the more I can pass on."

"We're alike in that then. There are so many families I've seen torn apart by war, by Death Eater raids, that I wanted to be able to give them some way to fight back. I thought with this new magic--at least new to them anyway," she sighed, "I could help mothers save their children, husbands protect their families…so no one ever has to see the Dark Mark hovering over their houses again."

"You, no doubt, intend to impart this by writing a book?" he raised a brow as she flushed at bit under his scrutiny.

"I had considered it," she allowed grudgingly, "but I also intend to give lessons. Those who are too old now to receive instruction from Hogwarts should be able to learn nonetheless. And I can screen them as carefully as you, taking on apprentices with a noble enough character to never misuse what I give them."

"We'd best both be careful to choose, in any case. It is hard to gauge who may be seduced by such heady knowledge. I believe we were chosen not only for our skill and sharp intellect, but for the very part of our characters which will not allow us to forsake duty."

Hermione sighed deeply and a moment later nodding reluctantly. "I will not forsake my duty," she said, raising a hand for Severus to help her up. "But I cannot bring myself to like it."

With that they walked back to the camp together in companionable silence, only to find the horses already loaded for their return to Cailleach's caer.

***

They made their way on horseback, stopping briefly for a light meal by the same stream where Severus and Lasair had stopped on their way north. With Scathach leading the way they made a somber caravan with Severus and Hermione trailing behind and Ferghus bringing up the rear.

On returning to Cailleach's caer, they were met with attendants and glad tidings. Neither Hermione nor Severus found it easy to thank them for their well wishes, but no one seemed to notice as they were ushered to their quarters to bathe and dress for the occasion.

Severus found, draped over a chair by the steaming tub, a midnight blue tunic embroidered in silver and edged with ermine. He tried not to think overmuch on the matching blue tights, but there were snug-fitting leather boots besides and a golden hilted sword in a scabbard etched with a bear, a tiger, and a jaguar, with a large sapphire set in the hilt.

Hermione, in the room across the hall, dressed in an ivory and ermine gown, embroidered with gold scrollwork before strapping on a dagger encased in a scabbard etched with a single lightening bolt. The dagger's hilt was marked with a smallish emerald, bedecked on either side with moonstones. Over her hair she placed a circlet of baby roses.

She slid her feet into soft calfskin slippers and at the knock on her door, followed the attendants, who turned out to be none other than Scathach and Latiaran. Trailing behind her was the other bride, clad in similar garb. Yet in lieu of a circlet, she wore a small tiara under which draped a veil. So she was a princess, Hermione thought, as she took a deep breath and descended the steps into the grand hall.

A long yellow runner had been placed between two seating areas before the throne. As she entered she saw off to her right, Severus, Ferghus, and Cian. Her heart leapt at seeing Cian once again, a flush lighting up her face at the memories of what they had shared the previous night. When his eyes lighted upon her, a slow smile crept across his face lighting his eyes.

While Scathach and Latiaran took their places, Cian stepped down to Hermione and took her hand, even as Severus stepped down to his soon-to-be bride and took hers, stoically. He could not, however, hold back the gasp of shock when he lifted her veil as Cailleach called the proceedings to order. There, on the dais, clasping his hand, was Lasair.

Nothing, in all the dreams he had shared with her, could make his heart thrum as this moment. He stood, smiling back at her, barely attending Cailleach's greeting and invocation to their ancient gods. Lasair squeezed his hand and smiled once more, before turning slightly to face the faery queen.

She hazarded a glance at her mother, warrior queen in her own right, and felt a throb in her throat as she saw Scathach dash a tear from her eye and smile wistfully at her youngest.

"We stand now in this in between place, to celebrate the union of these two fine couples," Cailleach was saying, "who have married this past night before the eyes of the gods. Before us now, they make their pledges to love and honor each other. As their souls have been entwined since birth, now their bodies have joined, so too will their minds and hearts."

"Do you, Severus Tobias Snape, swear fealty to your beloved and promise to honor the bond that fate itself has forged between the two of you?"

"That I do," he said, kissing the hand that she had clasped over his.

"Do you, Lasair, daughter of Scathach, warrior princess and ancient one, revoke your life as an immortal in order to honor the bond fate has forged between you and this mortal man? And in doing so, do you as well swear fealty to your beloved?"

"Yes on both counts," she said as her eyes filled with tears of love.

"Then I pronounce you now, before the beings and powers of the visible and invisible, united in matrimony that no one may rend asunder. Your bonds are eternal. Blessed be."

With that, they kissed to a thunderous applause. Severus kissed her once again on each cheek, just over the trail of tears as she laughed and pulled him to the side a bit. He wrapped his arms around her and they watched as Cian took his place on the dais and Hermione tearfully pledged herself to him and he her.

Once they were proclaimed husband and wife, Hermione wrapped both arms around the boy and he spun her once before planting an ardent kiss to her lips that set the crowd's applause ringing to the rafters.

From there, he and Lasair led the procession back down the aisle and a band set discreetly off to the side struck up a lively reel. Ladies and men of the gentry alike began clapping and singing a festive tune of love and springtime, while Severus spun Lasair out and pulled her back again, circling her into his arms for a dance. From the corner of his eye he could see Hermione and Cian in a slowly turning embrace that was far out of tempo for the upbeat tune. Neither of them seemed to care.

The first dance done, there were a half dozen more before Cailleach rang the bell for the feast. They dined with the Celtic fairy queen at the head, he and Lasair on one side and Hermione and Cian on the other as the guests of honor.

They celebrated well into the evening and retired to their honeymoon chambers, heavy with mead and honey cakes, yet still awake enough for their own private revelries. There they relished each other, savoring their connection in body, mind and soul until the wee hours of night.
- 10
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- 12
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A Better Fate *COMPLETE*

A Better Fate COMPLETE