Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Twenty Four Hours	By : Dazzlious Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 10683 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from JK Rowling’s fantastic books or films, I’m just borrowing and playing with them for a little while and get no monetary reward for doing so. Original Characters are mine.

Chapter List
- 1-Prologue
- 2-One
- 3-Two
- 4-Three
- 5-Four
- 6-Five
- 7-Six
- 8-Seven
- 9-Eight
- 10-Nine
- 11-Ten
- 12-Eleven
- 13-Twelve
- 10
- 11
- 12
Hermione blushed as Kingsley raised his glass and proposed the toast naming her as the recipient, for all her work on the completed project they were celebrating.
She gazed around at the smiling faces, enjoying seeing all her friends from her team and everyone from the all the teams across the world who it had been a pleasure to finally meet in person, as well as other Ministry colleagues and specially invited guests. Actually, there was one person missing although she had no idea why he wasn’t there. Severus Snape was missing and for Hermione, his absence was like a huge hole in her heart.
In one way she could understand it. She knew he felt uncomfortable about being in the spotlight and Kingsley and all his important friends would surely want to talk to the elusive Order of Merlin awardee given the opportunity, and he wouldn’t be keen to have to suffer that all evening. But Severus not being there meant the team was incomplete and she didn’t feel they could properly celebrate their victory without him.
Hermione also needed to talk to him, to get his opinion on a posting that Kingsley had offered her immediately before the party had started. It was an amazing opportunity for her, taking up a position at St Mungo’s overseeing all their clinical teams including those that were now working on the trials of the virus cure.
It was a dream promotion that gave her continued access to the work she had put so much of her life into, but more than that, it gave her the opportunity to branch out and follow research into several new areas. Better still, she had been told she could handpick her own team to accompany her, which meant her team’s jobs would be safe, assuming they wanted to continue working with her.
But Hermione knew that the job wasn’t going to be at all compatible with Severus’ lifestyle and even if he was willing to join her in the new posting he was still going to want her to move to the Muggle world with him, a place that she wasn’t sure she wanted to be — particularly his awful house at Spinner’s End. It had put a slight dampener on her spirits as it meant she was unable to accept the posting immediately or to tell her team about the opportunity, but however hard she searched for him, Severus definitely wasn’t at the party.
Ron was, though, as Hermione found out with a sense of discomfort when he accosted her during a brief moment of solitary contemplation.
‘What are you doing here?’ she asked stiffly when his greeting pulled her back into the room.
‘Harry got an invite to come from Kingsley, so he invited me along as well. You might not be able to support me, Hermione, but I do know how important what you’ve achieved here is, so I wanted to say congratulations. You’ve done a good job.’
‘Thank you,’ Hermione said. Politely, she continued, ‘So how’s the shop doing?’
Ron beamed. ‘It’s absolutely brilliant. It’s been an immediate hit. You ought to come and see—’ he broke off, looking suddenly awkward.
‘Perhaps I will eventually,’ Hermione said, the tense situation making her squirm too. ‘Look, sorry, Ron, but I really need to go and talk to Kingsley. Thank you for coming.’
With a silent sigh of relief, she turned away from her ex-husband. She didn’t really need to talk to Kingsley, he was just the first person she had thought of in her need to get away.
She felt an arm slip through hers and looked round to see Lisa grinning at her.
‘And who was that hunk you were talking to just now?’
‘That’s Ron,’ Hermione said.
‘What, your husband, Ron?’ Lisa asked, sounding astonished. ‘He’s looking gorgeous, Hermione. Moving away from the Ministry of Magic has done him the world of good. What’s he doing here, anyway?’
‘Apparently he came with Harry, who I didn’t know was here either,’ Hermione said disapprovingly. ‘I think it was his final attempt to get us back together.’
‘Are you sure you don’t want to? He’s pretty fit, that husband of yours,’ Lisa said with a smile.
‘Are we forgetting all the shitty things he did because he’s pretty? That’s really shallow, Lisa.’
Lisa gave a raucous laugh. ‘I was joking, pet. He is a nice looking man but he’s definitely not your type. You made the right choice.’
‘I haven’t made a choice yet. I’m waiting until I know what my next posting is going to be,’ Hermione reminded her.
‘Yeah, you have. You had decided when you told Harry to make up his mind whether he was still your mate or not. You wouldn’t have needed to say that if you and Severus weren’t going to get it together. You might have a few things to work out still, but you’ve definitely made your choice. Where is lover boy, anyway?’
Hermione shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea. It feels a bit odd without him being here, though — like the team isn’t complete and it seems wrong to celebrate. I assume he’s having one of his reclusive moments.’
‘Yeah, well, he’ll need to get over that if he’s going to be with you,’ Lisa said. ‘You’re big news now, Miss Successful Project. The papers will be all over you, and that will include your private life.’
‘It’s lucky I don’t have one then, isn’t it?’ Hermione retorted. ‘I live in your spare room, remember?’
‘For the moment, but there’s still your husband . . . and the messy break-up of your marriage . . . your sordid affair with Sev—’
‘Yes, thank you, I’m beginning to get the picture,’ Hermione said unhappily.
‘So will everyone else once Rita Skeeter gets her claws into you,’ Lisa warned.
‘I think I might need to have a little word with her,’ Hermione said without thinking.
‘Do you know her then?’ Lisa asked sounding interested. ‘Is she really as scurrilous as she comes across?’
‘We met her while we were at school. She wrote an article for the Quibbler about Harry and Voldemort’s return during the final of the Triwizard Championship. We’ve got a bit of an understanding, so I don’t think she’s going to write anything too harmful about me. Not if she knows what’s good for her, anyway.’
‘Ooh, that sounds threatening,’ Lisa said happily. ‘Tell me more.’
Hermione shook her head. ‘Not tonight and not here. I’ll tell you when we get home.’
‘I’ll keep you to that,’ Lisa insisted.
‘I suppose I have to talk to Harry, don’t I?’ Hermione asked as she spotted her erstwhile friend.
‘It would be a sign of good faith,’ Lisa pointed out.
‘He hasn’t spoken to me at all since that day in the café.’
‘But he’s here today.’
Hermione snorted. ‘And he brought Ron with him.’
‘But at least he made the effort to come — to celebrate your achievement. It’s a start.’ Lisa squeezed Hermione’s arm. ‘Go and talk to him. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation.’
‘I suppose you’re right.’
Hermione let go of Lisa and walked towards Harry.
‘Hullo, Harry. How are Ginny and James doing?’
Harry chuckled. ‘They’re both fine, thanks. Ginny’s battling with everyone because she wants to go back to playing Quidditch and Molly wants her to stay at home and look after James.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘You know what those two are like. I’m trying to keep out of it as I can see both points of view and whatever I say will be wrong.’
He lifted his glass as if in a toast. ‘Congratulations, Hermione. This is a wonderful achievement for you, and I hear you’re moving onto bigger and better things, too.’
Hermione shrugged. ‘I don’t know yet. I haven’t had a chance to consider it properly.’
‘What’s there to consider? It’s a massive promotion. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?’ Harry looked and sounded confused.
‘I don’t know. I mean it is, but I need to talk to Severus about it first.’
Harry’s face clouded over at the mention of Severus, his voice more clipped now as he said, ‘I thought that was what he wanted too — you off achieving wonderful things in your career and not worrying about a home life.’
Hermione sighed. ‘And that comment clearly shows you understand nothing about Severus. By the way, I don’t know why you brought Ron but it didn’t work. All it did was make us both feel awkward, so thanks for that.’
She went to walk away. Harry grabbed hold of her arm. ‘I just want to see my two best friends happy again.’
‘Then stop trying to push us back together, Harry. All that does is make things worse. You need to accept that it’s over and let us both get on with our lives. Hopefully, eventually, once Ron’s found someone else he’ll understand that I was right and we can be friends again, but that’s never going to happen if you keep trying to force the issue. I told you before, you need to respect my decisions.’
Harry looked shamefaced at her rebuke. ‘I’m sorry, I just thought that with the project over and you celebrating and everything you might give Ron another chance. He misses you, you know.’
Hermione stared at him. ‘No doubt because you never let him forget. Look, whatever happens in the future I am never going to live in Hogsmeade nor am I going anywhere near a joke shop. It’s quite clear that Ron has found his calling and I’m really happy for him, honestly, I am, but it’s not for me. Now please, do us all a favour and spend your talents on finding him a new girlfriend rather than terrorising me. We’ll all be much happier for it in the long run, I promise you.’
‘So what’s happening with you and Severus, then?’ Harry sounded as if he had to force the words out.
Hermione shrugged. ‘I don’t know, to be honest. That’s why I need to talk to him about the new job. It doesn’t fit into the lifestyle he wants at all, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take it. I just need to work out what’s going to be the best for me in the long run, and until I speak to Severus I can’t make a decision.’
‘Where is he, anyway? I’d have thought he’d be here for the party.’
‘He’s not keen on the spotlight and I think there are far too many ‘worthies’ who want to talk to him because he’s an Order of Merlin awardee, which doesn’t interest him in the slightest. It does feel a bit weird without him, though. I’m hoping he’ll turn up to the team party later. He already knows everybody who’ll be at that and none of them will pester him about his award or ask for stories of his brave deeds. Talking of which, have you seen Rita Skeeter around anywhere?’
Harry shook his head. ‘Nope. I saw that photographer from the Daily Prophet when he was taking your photos during the presentation but no sign of a writer, why?’
‘Lisa reckons she’ll be sniffing around for a story now the project is a success. She mentioned what a good story the divorce etc. would make. I thought I’d have a little word with Rita before she gets it into her head to do anything spiteful.’
‘Hmm, that’s a good idea. If I see her I’ll send her your way. You’ve always had a talent for dealing with her,’ Harry said.
He looked around as there was an increase in noise amongst a certain section of the party guests. Then he nodded his head in the direction of the door, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
‘Looks like your boyfriend’s just turned up. For someone who doesn’t want a lot of fuss he’s certainly going out of his way to create it.’
Severus was dressed in his usual black, but the outfit was much finer than his normal day to day wear. Everything about him was immaculate and shining and he certainly stood out in the crowd. Hermione felt her heart flood with desire as she stared at him. As he moved deeper into the room a swell of people, all seemingly desperate to talk to the new arrival, surged towards him. Hermione saw his momentary expression of distaste, but then he walked towards Kingsley and firmly shook the Minister’s hand.
‘Severus, what a pleasure to see you,’ Kingsley said with a smile.
‘Thank you, Kingsley. It’s good to see you too. I’m sorry I’m late but I don’t usually attend these sorts of functions. I would have been letting my team down if I hadn’t come, though.’ More loudly, he added, ‘I have to say that I’m really not in the mood for stories or discussion about awards or any of that nonsense, so I’d be grateful if everyone would leave me to celebrate with my team.’
The surge around him pulled back a little, disappointment showing on the faces of those who had hoped to draw him into conversation.
Kingsley nodded understandingly. ‘I’m sure that can be arranged, Severus.’ He looked out and spotted Hermione, waving her over. ‘There’s one of your team now. I’m sure she can rescue you.
‘Hermione—’
Hermione touched Harry’s arm. ‘I’d better go and save Severus. Thank you for coming tonight, Harry. I really do appreciate you and Ron turning up, even if it wasn’t entirely for the right reason. Give James a hug for me and say hi and good luck to Ginny.’ She paused for a moment, then added, ‘Perhaps we can have lunch sometime?’
Harry looked at her for a moment, then nodded. ‘We ought to celebrate your promotion.’
‘If I take it.’
‘You will,’ he said confidently.
Hermione walked over to Severus and took his arm.
‘You look very dashing this evening. No wonder everyone wants to talk to you.’
Severus scowled. ‘You know I’d rather not be here.’
‘I know. I’m really pleased you are, though. It didn’t feel right without you being here. The team wasn’t complete. Now come and get some champagne so we can celebrate. I have to admit, I thought you might turn up later for the team party rather than this one.’
‘I did think about it,’ Severus admitted, ‘but I figured it wouldn’t look good if I was the only one who didn’t turn up.’
‘I think we would have forgiven you,’ Hermione said with a smile.
‘Here you go.’ Stephen appeared carrying three glasses of champagne. He passed Hermione and Severus one each, then took a sip of the remaining one. ‘The teams are congregating next door. I think everyone’s had enough of the outsiders now,’ he told them.
‘My thoughts exactly,’ Hermione said with a smile. ‘Lead on.’
The side room was instantly more comfortable as far as Hermione was concerned and so she assumed it probably was for Severus too, with only the members of the various teams present. As she went to follow Stephen further into the room, Severus pulled her to a stop.
‘Is everything okay?’ she asked him anxiously.
He smiled at her, his hand reaching out to tenderly stroke her cheek.
‘I am so proud of you and everything you’ve achieved, Hermione. You and your team . . . all the teams . . . you’ve achieved something historic and it’s wonderful. That’s because you wouldn’t give up, however desperate the situation. You didn’t give in, even when the money was running out, when the situation was hopeless, you kept fighting, kept forcing everyone to perform and did whatever you had to do to keep the teams running. You did brilliantly.’
‘That was you, I think,’ Hermione said modestly. ‘You inspire everyone, Severus. I’ve seen how people react to you but I don’t think you understand how you help them to be better. All I did was try to hold the pieces together — you and all the rest of our colleagues were the ones who did all the real work.’
‘And you’re underselling yourself again,’ Severus was irritated. ‘That’s the thing that annoys me most about you, Hermione, that you can always see the achievements in everyone else yet you never understand how truly extraordinary your own accomplishments are.’
‘I’m not that extraordinary,’ Hermione insisted.
Severus smiled. ‘Oh, yes you are. I wouldn’t be so in love with you if you weren’t.’
He released her face, then pulled a small black box from his pocket, opened it and dropped to one knee, holding it out to her as he took her hand.
‘Hermione, you already know how much I adore you. Will you marry me?’
A ball of ice the size of a small cannonball formed in Hermione’s stomach as Severus’ words were revealed and she had to work hard not to cry out. She knew how much it must have taken for this most private of men to propose to her so publicly, but his timing was truly abysmal — she had so much to discuss with him before she could make any decisions on her future let alone whether or not they were going to get married.
She looked around realising that everyone in the team party had stopped what they were doing and was watching them avidly. She looked towards the door to the main party room. It, too, was packed with onlookers, including Harry and Ron who were both watching proceedings with stony faces.
Hermione tried to work out what she was going to say knowing that everyone in the place was waiting for her response. How could she let Severus down without him losing face in front of all those guests? It was impossible, but if she said yes then she wasn’t being true to the principles she had set herself either. Once again, she would be doing something because she was being forced into it not because she wanted it to happen.
But this question was the most serious she was ever likely to be asked and it would never come again, not from Severus. Hermione thought of being stuck at grim and depressing Spinner’s End and of St Mungo’s and the wonderful new job awaiting her if she could only accept it, and her eyes caught Harry’s as he scowled fiercely.
She moved her gaze to Ron, the two of them staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity but Hermione knew was only seconds. He gave her a small resigned smile and nodded, once. Hermione smiled back at him, her heart instantly lighter.
The pause was awkward, for Severus as well as for everyone who was watching with baited breath awaiting Hermione’s answer, and the excitement inside him deflated as he considered for the first time that Hermione might actually turn him down.
As much to cut the silence as anything, he said, ‘While you’re making your decision can I just say that if you do marry me, and I’m aware that you need to get your divorce out of the way first, that we have a lovely new home close to St Mungo’s hospital that we can move into whenever you’re ready so you’ll be close to work, should you decide to take that promotion.’
Hermione looked at him in astonishment. ‘You knew about the promotion?’
Severus shook his head laughing. ‘Not quite the response I was hoping for but yes, I knew about it.’
‘Of course I’ll marry you. I was going to say yes anyway, but that just seals the deal.’
Severus smiled widely as the onlookers clapped, and he placed the ring on Hermione’s finger, then stood up and pulled her into his arms, his lips finding hers.
‘I guess it’s not a secret any longer,’ Hermione whispered once the kiss finished.
‘Nope. Everyone knows you’re mine,’ Severus said, hugging her tightly.
‘About this home near St Mungo’s,’ Hermione said. ‘How long have you owned that?’
Severus shrugged, ‘About two days.’
Hermione stared at him in surprise. ‘Are you telling me you bought a house near St Mungo’s because of my promotion? And how did you know about that?’
‘Kingsley asked me last week if I thought you’d accept if he offered the post to you. I told him you would, but you’d need a little time to think about it first. It was such a brilliant job I knew I couldn’t possibly drag you off to Spinner’s End, so I thought it prudent to buy somewhere closer.’
‘Wizarding or Muggle?’ Hermione asked.
‘Does it matter?’
Hermione chuckled. ‘Not really, but I thought you’d had enough of the wizarding world.’
Severus shrugged. ‘Bits of it I can live with.’
‘So either you’re really rich or you’re now really broke,’ Hermione said. ‘Have you sold Spinner’s End to pay for the new house?’
‘Not yet. I wouldn’t be able to get that much for it anyway. You’ve seen what a dire area it’s in, and my laboratory is set up perfectly for my needs. As it happens, I owned another home which was far more desirable so I traded that in for the one in London.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me about this other house?’ Hermione asked suspiciously. ‘I was thinking that I was going to be stuck living in Spinner’s End when you had a perfectly good house elsewhere that you didn’t even tell me about.’
‘You wouldn’t have wanted to live there,’ Severus said confidently.
‘You don’t know that. What was it like?’
Severus grinned again. ‘It was in Hogsmeade, if you must know. Albus left it to me in his will. Perhaps you understand now why I didn’t bother to tell you about it?’
‘Ah, okay. You’re right. I definitely didn’t want to live there, particularly after I just told Harry that I would never live in Hogsmeade,’ Hermione admitted ruefully.
‘I thought you were going to say no,’ Severus said. ‘Are you sure you want to marry me?’
Hermione kissed him.
‘Of course I do. I just thought the timing was lousy because I hadn’t had a chance to tell you about the promotion and I knew it would impact on living at Spinner’s End. That reminds me. I need to do something. I’ll be back in a minute.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘I’ll tell you later,’ Hermione said as she headed for the door, back into the main party area hoping she wasn’t too late.
She caught Harry and Ron just as they were leaving.
‘Ron!’
He stopped and turned to look at her.
She ran up to him and gave him a massive hug. After a couple of seconds, he hugged her back.
‘Thank you,’ Hermione whispered.
‘I hate him,’ Ron said as they moved apart.
Hermione nodded. ‘I know.’
‘I love you,’ he said sounding maudlin.
‘I know that too,’ Hermione’s voice was sympathetic.
‘—and I hate you.’
‘And I don’t blame you in the slightest,’ Hermione told him. ‘But hopefully, that will change in time. I love you, too, you know, just—’
‘—not enough,’ Ron finished.
Hermione smiled at him. ‘Thank you for releasing me. You will find someone, you’re far too good to be left on the shelf for long. I’ll see you both later.’ She raised her hand in a wave, then turned away and headed back towards the team party.
‘What the hell was that about?’ Harry asked.
‘Closure,’ Ron said gruffly. ‘Come on, I think it’s time we went home. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow, it’s a Hogsmeade weekend.’
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Twenty Four Hours