What Should Have Been

{14}

Hermione sighed happily in the arms of her husband. What foreign thoughts that consumed her then. She hadn't expected to be married in the long run, for her flounder in such a harsh time was nothing less than horrid, but nonetheless there she was. It was a wonderful and new morning, their friends were in a tizzy as to where they were as the telephone rang several times in protest to their sleep, but the couple couldn't bring themselves to care. They had one-another now, and for what had occurred in the day's previous, the relations that past night seemingly solved everything.

Now, they were far smarter than the average witch and wizard who assumed that intimacy would solve problems. Severus and Hermione easily got the newly formed bond-magic out of the way in the activities of the night, and so forth they awaited their friend's wrath. Surely the couple was expecting confusion in the least, but with what had been restored they felt they could take on the world.

Hermione felt remorse in her actions more than she cared to admit, and what a fool she had been hit her hard in the night. Severus had held onto her and told her a multitude of times that she had been mistaken as any person could do. Obviously she was forgiven.

When a sturdy knock came from downstairs Severus' flat, the couple realized that they had evaded their friends for as long as possible. They dressed impressively fast and apparated to the base of their stairs with impressive timing.

Harry, Draco, and Ginny seemed to all fall into the flat when Severus opened the door imperiously. He looked over all of them, his left hand skillfully hidden behind the door he'd pried open. Hermione smiled weakly at the accusing look from her red-headed best friend, but she took the hug much more gladly.

"You didn't answer me, so I wrangled lover-boy's here to make sure you were alright!"

"And I am!" Hermione assured as Harry and Draco drilled Severus in the background.

The dark wizard merely peered over his previous students and smirked. "Should we tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Ginny enquired quickly, "What is it?"

"We were bonded yesterday, and we're going to be... alright."

"We're going to be wonderful," Severus clarified with dignity, smiling brightly.

"There's the obnoxiously proud Severus I'm used to," Draco commented as he stood awkwardly between Harry and the imposing wizard.

Harry grinned like the buffoon he was.

"Congrats, Hermione," he said, almost knocking Ginny to the side as he went to embrace her.

"Thanks," Hermione replied, feeling his magic swell in a friendly way that only Harry Potter could exude.

"I tried to get Ron to come along, but he wouldn't answer. I wonder why that is," Ginny asked genuinely. She seemed to be a bit from the loop on the eyes he made Pansy, but Draco was determined that it wasn't happening at all.

"Sulking, most likely. I hope Pans gave him hell," the blond concluded.

"Doubt it, love, if she gave him anything, it's one hell of a night," Harry determined.

"Does anyone wish to clarify what you're speaking of, Misters Potter, so we may mollify the gaping Weasley over here?" Severus asked in his charming tone.

"Ron and Pansy are probably shacking up because she is a determined Slytherin who won't let a small mishap like erasing your memory get in the way of her affections towards a certain Gryffindor."

Harry's words flabbergasted Snape.

"You mean to tell me Mr. Weasley was the cause of my unfortunate loss in recollection."

"He didn't mean it, however, which is why it faded away so quickly."

"This is why I want Pansy having nothing to do with the Weasel."

"My brother-" Ginny went to defend, but when Harry put his hand on her arm with a pinched smile, she reconciled.

"Did something stupid just like I did!" Hermione exclaimed, "If you please, I think we can all get over it."

"I agree," Severus said fittingly, though Draco was looking steamed.

"I can't! If that Weasley is shagging my best friend then I rightfully think I should know about it!"

"It's her life, Draco," Harry added gently, "If she wants to be with Ron then that's what she can do. Besides, we'd both be seeing more of them, wouldn't we?"

Draco snarled, still discontent with the fact that Pansy could even be attracted to him in the slightest.

"She's been a free spirit, aren't you worried she'll do something to hurt him? Fly off into a foreign country or other?" The blonde retorted to his husband.

"I think she fancies him a bit too much for that, Draco," Harry eased, but Draco was looking all the more upset.

"Fine."

While the situation was released for the time being, both Potters had an inkling it wasn't entirely forgotten.

"Everything is going to be fine then, I take it?" Ginny spoke gently, looking around the room, "Just to make sure?"

Hermione smiled gently, looking over her friends and loved ones with a new-found respect for the situation.

"Yes," Severus replied, "Maybe even better than what should have been."

A/N

*cringes* This was so tacky, guys, I can't believe I wrote this.

Luckily for you, I have been fine-tuning my lengthy novel skills and have come up with something rather crafty that you are most likely going to at least like!!! (I hope!)

And that is why I would like to introduce my next Snamione: You're Not You which is a bit out of my practice theme-wise. It is an AU where Minister Malfoy rules over a blood-conservative Wizarding world that a Hermione from the original time-line doesn't belong in, but she's more than happy to change that! Look out for it in the next few days (hours?)!