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The Hogsmeade Camera Club	By : Dazzlious Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 17402 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from J K 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.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
A/N: To everyone who has read, reviewed and voted, I really appreciate it, and thank you for sticking with it until the end. Happy Christmas to you all. Dx

‘Hullo, Hermione dear,’ Mrs Weasley said with a fond smile as Hermione emerged from the Floo. ‘Ginny’s in the lounge if you want to go through and see her. I’m not quite sure where Harry and Ronald have got to. They were going to the village, but that was some time ago. I don’t know if they’re back yet.’ She passed Hermione a mug containing tea that she had just poured from a large teapot, studying the younger woman closely as she asked, ‘How are you?’
‘I’m good, thanks, Mrs Weasley,’ Hermione replied politely as she put a spoonful of sugar in her tea and stirred it. ‘I’ll go in and see Ginny, then. I’m sure the others will be back soon enough — it’ll be nice to have a few minutes of sensible conversation with her before they ruin it.’ She grinned.
‘Dinner will be in about an hour,’ Mrs Weasley told her. ‘We’re just waiting for Arthur to get back. He had a late meeting this afternoon so he’s a bit delayed.’
Nodding to show she understood, Hermione took her tea into the lounge.
‘What on earth are you so happy about?’ Ginny asked immediately as she rose to greet her friend with a hug. Hermione put her mug on the coffee table before hugging Ginny in return.
‘What are you talking about?’ she asked innocently.
Ginny took hold of her hands as she moved back to get a better look at her friend.
‘Look at you — you’re glowing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so happy, Hermione. Come on, sit down and tell me what’s going on.’
Hermione gave a mysterious smile.
‘Well, come on, spill,’ Ginny said more aggressively as she pulled Hermione down onto the sofa next to her.
Hermione shrugged. ‘I just had a good night, that’s all.’
‘Very good, if that grin is anything to go by,’ Ginny retorted, her own smile growing. Hermione’s happiness was obviously infectious. ‘So who was this “good night” with, then?’
Hermione bit her bottom lip as she debated what to say. She was still trying to get over the fact that she and Severus had become intimate and she wasn’t sure she was ready to share yet, especially if it turned out to just be a one-night stand, as a little part of her was now worried it would be. But Ginny was tenacious and wouldn’t stop until she got an answer and it probably wouldn’t be long until she worked it out for herself, if Hermione really was still looking as elated as she felt.
‘I had a very pleasant evening with Professor Severus Snape,’ she admitted, trying to make it sound as innocent and unromantic as possible.
Ginny, not fooled for a moment, whooped at her comment, almost rising from the sofa as she shouted. Then she put her hands over her mouth in a gesture of shock. Ginny was the only person Hermione had ever told about her crush on Professor Snape, and her friend had supported her through years of unrequited desire even though she had never understood Hermione’s attraction for the snarky Potions Master.
‘Oh my god, Hermione. You didn’t? No wonder you’re so bloody happy. So come on, don’t stop there. What happened? Tell me everything.’
‘Well, what do you think happened?’ Hermione said, sounding a little smug. She was grinning even more widely now.
Ginny gave an excited gasp. ‘Oh my god. This is amazing. What was he like . . . oh . . . obviously he was great from the way you’re grinning.’
‘I am not going to tell you what happened . . . but he was fantastic,’ Hermione confirmed excitedly. ‘Even better than I’d always imagined he would be. We had a really good night.’
‘So where did you go?’ Ginny asked interestedly. ‘I mean, did he take you out somewhere first or did you just get it on?’
Hermione hesitated as she debated once again what she was going to say. She hadn’t told her friends about the modelling she had done for the Camera Club and she wasn’t sure any of them would approve. She decided to ignore that bit for the moment and hope Ginny didn’t ask how they had bumped into each other.
‘He invited me to his place,’ Hermione said, keeping it as simple as possible.
‘What, his quarters at Hogwarts?’ Ginny asked, sounding surprised. ‘I wouldn’t have thought he’d be allowed to do that.’
Hermione picked up her tea and took a sip before shaking her head.
‘Not the school. He has a house in some Muggle town up north. We spent the afternoon having a lovely long walk around the local park and then he wanted to show me his laboratory.’
‘I bet he did,’ Ginny said with a sly wink and a grin. ‘That’s what Potions Masters call it, is it?’
Hermione laughed. ‘No, he really did. It’s fantastic actually. He’s got some amazing stuff in there. It’s just like a mini version of his classroom at Hogwarts.’
Ginny sighed loudly. ‘Please tell me the two of you didn’t spend all night in raptures over cauldrons and potions equipment, however exciting his ingredients are. That can’t be the reason you’re so happy, surely?’
Hermione grinned wickedly again. ‘Not all night, no. Although we did spend quite a bit of time in there. To be honest, the rest of the house is in need of a bit of redecoration. I think when he’s there he spends most of his time in his lab.’
‘What’s the bedroom like?’ Ginny tried to ask the question innocently enough, but Hermione knew she was dying to know.
‘I’ve no idea,’ she said blithely.
Ginny stared at her for a moment gauging her response. ‘Liar,’ she announced loudly. ‘You know exactly what Severus Snape’s bedroom looks like, as you spent the night there.’
Hermione took another sip of her tea before saying calmly, ‘True, but I was rather too focussed on other things to worry about what the bedroom looked like.’
Ginny let out another whoop of delight as Hermione continued drinking her tea.
‘Well, you must know what the bed was like, at least,’ Ginny said, determined to get something out of her cagey friend.
Hermione shrugged again. ‘It was a bed. It was big and comfortable with white cotton sheets, a thick feather duvet, and nice plump pillows.’
‘What sort of bed? Is it a four-poster? I bet it is. I reckon Snape’s the type for a four-poster bed, although the white sheets surprise me. I’d have thought he’d prefer black satin or something.’
Hermione chuckled and shook her head. ‘It’s a normal metal bedstead with a plain cotton bed set. It was rather pleasant, actually.’
‘You could see yourself spending more time in it, then?’ Ginny probed.
‘I’d love to,’ Hermione admitted. She put down her now empty mug and paused for a few seconds before adding more quietly, ‘I really like him, Gin. I mean, you know I always have, but now I really, really like him.’
‘So are the two of you a couple now?’ Ginny asked.
Hermione shrugged, her bright smile fading a little. ‘I told him before I left that I’d be happy to do it again but he never said anything, so I don’t know. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if he contacts me.’
‘I’m sure he will,’ Ginny said staunchly. ‘Why wouldn’t he? You’re a fantastic girl and you’re crazy about him. He’d be mad to turn you down.’
‘I hope that’s the case,’ Hermione admitted, sounding a little wistful. ‘I really did love being with him and I’m missing him already. I can’t help wishing I was going to see him tonight.’ She sighed. ‘I know that’s stupid, with him being at the school and unable to get away much . . . but he really was fantastic company.’
Ginny chuckled. ‘I wonder if he’s spent the whole day with the same sort of stupid grin on his face as you have?’
Hermione laughed, too, as she considered the question. ‘Unlikely, I would think. He’s been teaching today and you know he can’t do that without that nasty scowl on his face.’
‘Mind you, I reckon I’d be terrified if I went into his classroom and he was smiling,’ Ginny said honestly. ‘I think I’d panic that something catastrophically nasty had just happened.’
‘His smile’s not that bad,’ Hermione chided, although she looked amused at Ginny’s comment.
‘He does smile, then?’ Ginny asked. ‘I wasn’t sure he was able to. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without his scowl.’
‘He does smile and he looks great,’ Hermione replied. She was sounding wistful again. ‘It makes him look quite handsome actually.’
‘Not that you’re biased or anything,’ Ginny said laughingly.
She saw Hermione’s smile drop for a moment again as she thought about the Potions Master and suspected she was thinking about whether or not he was going to see her again. Ginny just hoped the man had enough sense to realise what a great catch he had in Hermione and contacted her before the pleasure she had derived from the evening turned to embarrassment or guilt.
‘I’m sure he’ll contact you soon. I bet he’s feeling the same way you are but he’s just busy with school stuff at the moment,’ Ginny predicted. She chuckled. ‘Now all we need to do is get Ron sorted out.’
‘Get Ron sorted out with what?’ Harry asked as he and Ron joined the two women in the lounge.
‘We need to find him a girlfriend,’ Ginny said matter-of-factly. ‘Can’t have him being the odd one out.’
‘The odd one out?’ Ron frowned as he said it. ‘How am I the odd one out? Hermione hasn’t got a boyfriend.’ He looked at Hermione’s grinning face suspiciously. ‘Have you got a boyfriend?’
Hermione didn’t say anything.
‘Have you got a boyfriend, Hermione?’ Harry repeated sounding interested. ‘Who is it? Is it someone we know?’
‘Is it someone suitable?’ Ron asked.
‘I haven’t got a boyfriend,’ Hermione told the inquisitive pair. ‘At least not yet. But hopefully I might have if he decides he’s interested.’
‘So who is it, then?’ Ron asked.
Hermione gave Ginny a quick look as she said, ‘I don’t want to say at the moment in case it doesn’t work out. I don’t want the two of you taking the piss out of me.’
‘We wouldn’t do that,’ Harry said, trying to sound sincere.
‘Yeah, we would,’ Ron admitted with a grin. ‘So, what, this is just like some bloke you fancy but you haven’t been out with him or anything?’
‘We went out last night,’ Hermione told him. She shot another look at Ginny, who was looking amused but didn’t say anything. ‘But I don’t know yet whether it was just a one-off or will become something more.’
‘Well, did he snog you?’ Harry asked bluntly. ‘That would give you a clue, wouldn’t it? I mean, if he didn’t he’s obviously not interested.’
‘We did kiss a few times,’ Hermione said carefully, thinking about the considerable amount of kissing she and Severus had engaged in once she had convinced him it was a good thing. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
‘So that’s a good sign,’ Ron pointed out. ‘Did he say anything about going out again?’
‘No,’ Hermione said quietly, her smile dimming a little again.
‘Ah, tricky,’ Ron said, sounding as if he felt a little awkward. He rubbed his right ear. ‘Well, perhaps he meant to and he forgot.’
‘But why would he have forgotten?’ Harry asked sounding confused. ‘Hermione was right there. Surely he would have asked her if he wanted to see her again, wouldn’t he?’ He sat down on the sofa next to Hermione and patted her hand comfortingly.
Hermione felt the joy that had been inhabiting her body for the entire day rapidly begin to dissipate. Harry was right. Surely if Severus liked her and wanted a relationship he would have said something to her, not just let her leave without any idea of where they stood, regardless of how late they were running . . . wouldn’t he?’
‘Perhaps he wasn’t sure when he would next be available and didn’t want to make arrangements he wouldn’t be able to keep,’ Ginny pointed out cheerfully. She too was patting Hermione’s hand. Then she glared at her boyfriend and brother as she chided, ‘Well done, both of you, for ruining Hermione’s happy mood. She was feeling good because she’d had a really nice date and was looking forward to being asked out again, and you two put a total downer on it by insinuating that he isn’t interested.’
‘I didn’t say that,’ Ron said bullishly. ‘Harry was the one who—’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Hermione said quietly. She pulled her hands free from both her friends, feeling the need to be on her own for a few minutes. She had a horrible feeling she was going to cry. ‘I had a pleasant evening but it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t contact me again.’ She stood up. ‘I think I’m going to get another drink — I’m feeling a bit dehydrated. Does anyone else want anything?’
Ginny still glared at Harry and Ron, annoyed that they had spoiled Hermione’s happy mood and was wondering how she was going to get it back when Arthur Weasley entered the room.
‘Your mother asked me to tell you that dinner will be ready in ten minutes, so don’t go disappearing off anywhere, please.’ He looked around at the group, smiling. ‘Hullo, Hermione. How're things? Work okay, is it?’
Hermione smiled back at him, grateful that she could think about something other than Severus for a few minutes. ‘It’s good, thank you. Mr Weasley. There’s some extremely interesting work coming up which I think is going to keep me rather busy.’
‘Not too busy, I hope,’ Arthur said jovially. ‘You know what they say about all work and no play.’
‘Oh, I don’t mind working. I like to keep busy,’ Hermione told him.
‘Well, you don’t want to end up like Severus,’ Arthur said cheerfully as the dark-robed figure of the Potions Master joined them in the lounge. ‘It was a miracle we could get him to agree to come to dinner tonight.’ He chuckled. ‘You’re definitely far too much work and no play, Severus.’
Hermione thought her heart had stopped when Severus so unexpectedly walked through the door. Then it started again, but twice as fast and she was sure at least three times as loud. She stared at him, her mind racing, wondering what he was doing here and how he felt at seeing her.
Remembrance of the night she had spent with him slid into her mind and she couldn’t help but smile at the thought, even though the worry that he wouldn’t be pleased to see her was making her a little edgy. He seemed happy enough, though, and even had a hint of a smile on his face, and for a moment she felt like laughing, wondering if it was scaring Ginny. She couldn’t stop looking at him, couldn’t stop thinking about how much she wanted him; how she wished she could just kiss him.
‘I’ll just go and help Molly. I’ll give you a shout when we’re ready,’ Arthur said, and he left the room.
Severus stood stiffly just inside the door and looked around uncomfortably. He wanted to talk to Hermione. It was the reason he had accepted Arthur’s invitation to dinner, after all, knowing she would be there, but all her friends were with her. He didn’t want to do or say anything that might embarrass her, but he couldn’t get her away from them without it being obvious.
She looked beautiful again this evening and he really wanted to tell her, wanted to hold her and kiss her as he had before, but for the moment he could do nothing but try not to make it obvious that he was staring at her. She was smiling, which made her look even more attractive and made him hope that she was pleased to see him and that what she had told him that morning about wanting to spend time with him again was true and not just something said to make their parting less awkward.
Ginny grinned as she saw Hermione and Severus stealing glances at each other. She was sure now that he liked Hermione as much as she liked him. She could feel it, the intense attraction that was emanating in waves from both of them. But she was also certain that knowing the sort of people they were, neither of them was going to make the first move, and unless prompted they were going to end the evening just as alone as they were now. There was nothing for it — she was just going to have to do it for them.
‘Professor Snape, how good to see you,’ she said brightly. Hermione was still frozen in the place where she had stopped when Arthur and Professor Snape had entered the room and Ginny nudged her as she stood up. ‘Isn’t it, Hermione?’
Hermione gave her friend a quick look before smiling at Severus as she said, ‘Yes, of course. It’s very nice to see you, Professor Snape.’ She moved a step closer to him. ‘How are you?’
Severus nodded and gave a smile back. ‘I’m very well, thank you, Miss Granger.’
‘This is all a bit formal, isn’t it?’ Ginny said, a mock frown on her face. ‘I’m sure we can all call you Severus now that we’re not at school, can’t we? And you can call us by our first names, too.’
‘I suppose so,’ Severus said, sounding cautious. He took a step closer to Hermione. Ginny nudged her again and she moved another step closer to him.
‘You haven’t been working all that hard, have you, Severus?’ Ginny asked curiously. ‘Surely you must have found time to have some fun?’
Severus glanced at Hermione once more, then back at Ginny. Did she know about him and Hermione? He got the impression that she did and wondered whether she was horrified or pleased. He looked at Harry and Ron, wondering if they knew, too, but it seemed that they were engaged in their own discussion and weren’t taking any notice of the conversation going on around them.
‘Actually, you arrived at a good time,’ Ginny confided with a smile. ‘Hermione went out with a new man last night and we were just debating whether he was going to ask her out again.’ She stared intently at Severus once more. ‘We were unable to decide whether he was interested in her or not, whether there was any chance of anything more serious occurring between them.’
Severus felt a little uncomfortable as Ginny and Hermione both stared keenly at him. Obviously she had spoken to her friend about last night. Hermione was even closer now. Another couple of steps and he would be able to touch her, would be able to take her in his arms and kiss her. But if he did that, what would she do?
‘And what decision did you come to?’ he asked Ginny, although he still only had eyes for Hermione.
‘We couldn’t decide because he was a little uncommunicative about it,’ Ginny said. ‘So what do you think, Severus? Do you think there’s a future to the relationship . . . or was it just a one-night stand?’
Time stood still while Hermione waited for Severus to answer. Part of her was cursing Ginny for being so direct with him; she was worried that he would be annoyed to know she had told her friend about him. But at least she would know for certain where she stood with him, whichever way it went, although she wasn’t sure she would be able to stay at the Burrow for the rest of the evening if the answer was the second option.
Severus stared at Hermione and wondered what she was thinking. He wished he knew whether she had been serious about what she had said before she left. If she was, he didn’t care what any of her friends thought about them being a couple. As long as Hermione wanted him he would be happy to tell everyone in the world to get lost if they opposed the union. As he continued to look at her he caught her eye and she smiled at him again, enough to make his heart race as he remembered the previous night. He smiled back and took another step forward.
‘Oh, I don’t think it was a one-night stand,’ he said, his voice soft and sensual. He took the final step and added, ‘I think it was something far more serious.’
‘Severus,’ Hermione whispered as she continued to look into his eyes.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a kiss.
‘Well, about bloody time, too. That took long enough,’ Ginny announced, sounding relieved.
‘What the hell?’ Ron said.
He and Harry had stopped their conversation when they realised Hermione and Severus were kissing.
‘He’s the one Hermione went out with?’ Harry asked, sounding surprised.
Ginny nodded.
‘And you knew who it was all this time?’ Ron asked. He sounded a bit annoyed.
‘Yes. Hermione told me . . . in confidence.’ She looked at the still kissing pair. ‘Well, I think they make a nice couple.’
‘He’s miles too old for her,’ Ron retorted.
‘No, he isn’t,’ Ginny shot back. ‘Anyway, Hermione likes him so it doesn’t matter how old he is.’
‘But I thought they’d only been out once, isn’t that what Hermione said?’ Harry asked.
Hermione and Severus had stopped kissing for a moment but they were still holding tightly to each other as they talked quietly, completely oblivious to anything but each other.
‘Yeah, but she’s fancied him for years,’ Ginny told them blithely.
‘Has she? I didn’t know that,’ Ron said, now sounding and looking as surprised as Harry.
Ginny shrugged. ‘She’s fancied him since we were at school. I don’t suppose she mentioned it to you two because she knew how much you both hated him.’
‘She fancied him at school? But he was always such a bastard to us, and he used to call her a know-it-all and be really mean to her.’ Ron sounded disgusted.
Ginny laughed. ‘I didn’t say I understood the attraction. I feel the same as you. But I know Hermione’s had a massive crush on him since she was about sixteen, although obviously it was a big secret.’
‘So how did the two of them get together?’ Harry asked curiously. ‘I didn’t think she’d seen him since leaving school. I never have. He doesn’t come to the Ministry.’
‘Do you know what, I’ve no idea. Hermione didn’t mention anything about how the two of them ended up on a date. But you’re right, they don’t exactly move in the same circles, do they?’ Ginny said, sounding curious herself now.
‘So where did she say they went last night?’ Ron asked. ‘That might give us a clue. Maybe they both belong to some boring reading club or something.’
Ginny shrugged vaguely as if she didn’t know. She had a feeling Hermione wouldn’t want her to share with Harry and Ron what she had actually been doing. If she wanted them to know, she could tell them herself. But now Ginny thought about it, how Hermione and Severus had got together was an extremely good question. She was sure Hermione hadn’t been anywhere near Hogwarts since they left school, none of them had, and Severus wasn’t known for leaving his dungeon. That was the whole point of her father’s earlier joke about him being all work and no play. Which also made it strange that he had chosen tonight to accept an invitation to dinner. Had he known Hermione was going to be here, too? Perhaps she had mentioned it to him while they were. . . .
Ginny was pulled away from her chain of thought by Ron.
‘Oh, for Merlin’s sake, get a room, you two!’ he announced huffily, looking with distaste at Hermione and Severus, who were kissing again.
‘Well, now you know what it was like for the rest of us when we had to watch you and Lavender drooling all over each other in the Gryffindor common room, Ronald,’ Hermione replied tartly, once they stopped kissing. Then, grinning wickedly, she grabbed Severus’ face and kissed him again.
‘She’s got a point,’ Ginny said fairly to her now sulking brother. ‘You two really were disgusting. Everyone in Gryffindor thought so — and it went on for weeks. Although. . . .’ She looked at the still snogging couple. ‘Really, stop now . . . honestly. You’re going to put us off our dinner otherwise.’
Severus released Hermione as the latest kiss finished. He had his arm around her waist and was smiling at her fondly. Looking away from her for a few seconds, he grinned ruefully at the other occupants of the room.
‘I’m sorry, you’re right, we got a little carried away, which isn’t nice for anyone else to have to witness. Perhaps we should—’
‘You haven’t got time,’ Ginny said, shaking her head. ‘Dad said dinner was almost ready. Mum will go ballistic if we don’t all sit down on time; you know what she’s like.’
‘Indeed, we would not want to upset the esteemed Molly Weasley,’ Severus said dryly. ‘However, I will admit to having trouble keeping my hands off my beautiful fiancée.’ He smiled again at Hermione, his free hand now holding hers as his other arm remained tightly around her waist.
‘Your what?’ Ron blurted. He looked at the couple in shock.
‘But you’ve only been out once, haven’t you? How can Hermione be your fiancée?’ Harry asked.
Severus shrugged. ‘I’ve known Hermione for twelve years. Whilst we might not have been in a relationship during that time, I know more than enough about her to know that we’re suited as a couple, and the date yesterday confirmed that. That being said, it seems pointless to wait months before announcing our engagement.’
‘But you don’t even know what she’s like. You only saw what she was like in lessons,’ Ron retorted angrily. ‘And even then you were a complete bastard to her.’
‘I will admit that I wasn’t always fair towards Hermione when she was at school, but I know she understands why and I’m sure she’s forgiven me for it after all this time. But as for not knowing her, Ronald, I would contend that I know her at least as well as you do. I know you all. You all did your growing up at Hogwarts, and your personalities and your likes and dislikes were made perfectly clear to everyone who interacted with you at school. Those of us who taught you and were there with you on a daily basis got to know you at least as well if not better than your peers, and in some cases far better than you knew yourselves.’
‘But there’s more to a relationship than just knowing what someone is like,’ Harry pointed out. ‘I mean, if you’re going to end up married to someone for years surely you need to know that you’re going to be compatible in more ways than just sharing a few interests.’
‘Yeah, what happens if you can’t make her happy in the bedroom?’ Ron added a touch snidely.
Severus looked smug. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. Why do you think I want to marry Hermione?’
‘But you’ve only been out once,’ Ron said.
‘Oh, for god’s sake, Ron,’ Ginny said exasperatedly. ‘It’s obvious, isn’t it? Clearly Hermione’s desire for Severus wasn’t all one-way. I don’t think it would need to take them that long to realise they wanted to be a bit more intimate, and Severus is right — after knowing each other for twelve years, why should they wait to get engaged if they like each other that much?’
She was beaming as she moved to hug Hermione and then, a little more stiffly, Severus.
‘Congratulations, both of you. Ignore the idiots. I think you make a lovely couple and I know you’ll be good for each other.’
Harry and Ron continued to stare in surprise without saying anything.
‘So how did the two of you get together?’ Ginny asked, figuring she could safely ask the question now as it might deflect from the shock of the engagement announcement.
Hermione looked at Severus as she debated what to say. She still wasn’t sure about revealing her modelling career, especially considering Ron and Harry’s reaction to her relationship with Severus and their engagement. She could already imagine what they would say if they knew they had hooked up after she had taken her clothes off — and for money, too.
She wasn’t surprised they were in shock, though. So was she. Her stomach had already been doing that swirly thing it always seemed to do when Severus was around when he told Ginny the relationship was serious, not a one-night stand. When he told her friends that she was his fiancée she almost fainted, and it was only the fact that he was holding onto her so tightly that stopped her from hitting the floor.
How she didn’t look as shocked as Harry and Ron she would never know, although that stupid smile that had been there all day was plastered even more firmly on her face now. Her entire body fizzed with excitement at the possibility of becoming Mrs Severus Snape. She really hoped it wasn’t just Severus winding up her friends; that would be too cruel.
Luckily for Hermione she was saved from answering Ginny’s question as Arthur stuck his head around the door to announce that dinner was ready. He made no comment about Hermione and Snape being in each other’s arms, either not noticing or, as Ginny suspected, not seeing anything amiss about it. She wondered whether Severus had talked to her father about Hermione.
‘I’ll go and see if we’ve got something decent to drink so we can celebrate,’ she said, and she followed her father out the door.
‘We’ll be there in a moment,’ Severus said to the two men, who were still looking suspiciously at him. ‘I just want a quick word with Hermione first.’
Harry nodded and he grabbed Ron’s arm and pulled him out the door.
Hermione turned to face Severus. ‘Your fiancée?’ she hissed quietly. ‘I don’t recall you asking me to marry you at any point last night . . . or this morning.’
Severus pulled her towards him. ‘No, I didn’t really get a chance with all that kissing and stuff.’ He grinned. ‘It sounds good, though, doesn’t it, you being my fiancée?’
‘You’re very sure of yourself,’ Hermione retorted, although inside the fizzing feeling had grown. Being Severus’ fiancée sounded wonderful.
‘Oh, I’m fairly confident you’ll say yes,’ he told her.
‘Really? What makes you think that? You hardly know me.’
Severus wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed the top of her head.
‘I know you can’t resist me.’ Hermione went to respond, but before she could say anything he added, ‘Just as I can’t resist you, my love.’
Hermione stared at him, slightly mollified. Then she grinned.
‘Hmmm. The thing is, I’m not sure marriage is for me. I was thinking of taking Lucius up on his off—’
Severus kissed her before she finished speaking.
‘No wife of mine will be going anywhere near Lucius Malfoy’s roses,’ he whispered seductively once they came up for air. ‘Unless I’m there as well.’
‘I haven’t agreed to marry you yet,’ Hermione pointed out.
‘You know, you’re quite right,’ Severus replied.
He looked at her avidly for a moment, his hand gently brushing her cheek. Then he released her and dropped to his knees, taking hold of Hermione’s hand.
‘I haven’t got a ring at the moment, as this was obviously an off-the-cuff decision, but will you marry me, Hermione? I honestly believe we could have a wonderful future together, if you’ll have me.’
Hermione could feel her heart beating fit to burst, and that feeling of joy she had lost earlier swelled to fill her entire body. There were tears in her eyes, too, and for a moment she wasn’t sure she could speak.
Severus looked at her, his smile faltering a little as she didn’t reply, but then Hermione nodded.
‘Oh yes, Severus. Yes . . . a million times yes!’
The words came tumbling out in a rush as she bent down to join him, wanting to kiss him again. He stood up and pulled her into a kiss that seemed to go on and on forever.
‘I know you two can’t keep your hands off each other, but the food is getting cold and Molly’s waiting to congratulate you both,’ Arthur said mildly. ‘Would you mind joining us in the kitchen?’
Holding hands, and both still grinning like loons, Hermione and Severus followed Arthur out of the lounge to go and celebrate their engagement with their friends.
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