Just Around The Corner

Chapter 3

Before opening the door to his collection, he spun behind Hermione and covered her eyes. She squeaked in surprise.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I want you to keep your eyes shut until I say so," he said, as he removed his hands and moved in front of her.

"You could've just said that. You didn't have to cover my eyes and scare me like that," she said, her eyes still shut and amusement lacing her voice. Severus chuckled lightly.

"But it's so much more fun that way," he said, opening the door and taking her hand again, gently guiding her through the door. He pulled her into the center of the room and took a few steps back, letting go of her hand.

"Severus? Where'd you go?" she asked.

"I'm right here. You can open your eyes now," he said. She did and her reaction, priceless. She looked like a kid in a candy store. She twirled as cases upon cases of books rose around her, rising several feet above her and surrounding her with their knowledge.

"Oh, Severus! It's beautiful!!" she said, turning to him as he leaned against one of the shelves, smiling fondly at her.

"It's yours," he said, stepping toward her.

"Really?" she asked, disbelieving. He nodded. With a squeal, she ran toward him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He laughed as the momentum of the hug threw them to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back. After a moment, Hermione moved off of him, and stood, helping him up off the floor. There was a light blush on both their cheeks, but they brushed themselves off and brushed it off.

"Well, uh... I would like to show you around a bit more, but it's about time we went to the Ministry to register our uh... marriage. But before we do..." Severus flicked his wrist and they were both dressed in beautiful clothes. Hermione's robe was now a gorgeous knee length, off the shoulder dress with a black top and an ivory skirt with a black lace over skirt, a simple black belt finding its way around her waist. Severus was in a classic black suit with a long dress-robe overtop. Hermione tried to find words, but none came as the man in front of her dug in his pocket. A moment later and in his hand rested a small box.

"I'm aware that our relationship up to this point has been entirely professional but circumstances have brought us to this point. I ask not for forgiveness, because I have not earned it. I cannot ask for your heart, because I did not win it. Our engagement has been rushed due to the law, but I hope that one day you could learn to love this beast of a man. So... Hermione Jean Granger... Would you do me an incredible honor, and allow me to take your hand in marriage?" He opened the box revealing a gorgeous vintage ring. The silver band swirled and looped around a large diamond, forming a tiara shape and a heart in the center. At the point of the 'crown', a smaller diamond was nestled, and engraved inside the band was 'Protego Maxima,' a protection spell.

"Wh... What is all this?" Hermione asked, her voice emotional. Severus gave her a tiny smile.

"I thought that, since I can't give you a proper marriage right now, the least I can give you is a proper proposal," he said. He never thought he'd be that nervous. He didn't understand why he was that nervous. But he was.

Hermione clasped a hand over her mouth, tears flowing from her eyes. She didn't know she'd be that emotional. She didn't know why she was that emotional. But she was.

After swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded. Removing her hands, she spoke.

"Yeah. Yes!" She laughed happily as a huge smile broke the knelt man's usually stone features, stretching from ear to ear. With surprisingly shaky hands, he slid the ring from its place in the box and onto her finger, a gentle glow emitting from it as it formed to fit her, slipping on with ease. After it was in place, he stood and they embraced each other once more, smiling and laughing, twirling in their library. After they'd calmed down a bit, though the giddiness still lingered, they broke apart, taking the moment just to look at each other. Her chocolate brown eyes meet his obsidian ones, and time froze.

All of a sudden, it was just them. Nothing else. No law, no Ron, no Lily. Just the two of them, together. Without realizing it, they were leaning in, and their lips met in another passionate, yet gentle kiss that lasted until their breath had left. Once they broke, they rested their foreheads against each other and smiled softly. It took a moment, but they came back down to Earth, and that's when their awkwardness kicked in.

"Well, uh... We should, uh... We should get going," Snape said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Hermione nodded and bit her lip, a nervous habit of hers.

"Yeah. Are we going to have a proper ceremony, or is it just gonna be us and an officiator?" she asked. Severus shrugged.

"Most likely it'll be just us for the official ceremony, but we can have a proper wedding if that's what you wish," he explained. She nodded.

"I'd like that. Ever since I was little, I always dreamed of having a big, beautiful wedding. A gorgeous gown and my groom waiting for me at the end of the aisle. It was the only real dream I had before I found out I was a witch." She smiled to herself as she visualized her wedding.

"If you truly wish it, I will make it so. But for now, let us do the legal work first, and then we can plan. Shall we be off?" he asked, offering his arm. She smirked at him.

"Shouldn't you change first? My clothes can pass as just on a date, but yours are a bit too... much for muggles. We'll get funny looks everywhere," she said. She flicked her wand, which Severus had summoned for them earlier along with their outfits, and his dress-robe and suit transformed into a classy, yet casual, black suit jacket with a nice pair of black jeans and a white button up that was fully buttoned except for the very top. Hermione didn't like it like that. It made him look too uptight, which he was, but that doesn't mean he had to look it. So, she reached up and unbuttoned one more button, pulling it open a little, not noticing the way that the man's breath had hitched.

"There. Better. Now we can go," she said, looping her arm through his before realizing how awkward their height difference made it. So instead, she laced her finger through his and tugged him along. Severus stumbled a moment before pulling back on her arm. He hadn't put much force into the pull, but with her opposing force, it cause a rubber band effect, and she thudded right into his chest. He looped an arm around her waist, holding her in her spot.

"We'll have to apparate," he said matter-of-factly. Hermione grimaced.

"Can we floo instead? I'd rather not be nauseous when I get married," she asked, batting her eyelashes. When she'd changed Severus's clothes, she also applied light makeup onto her face. Just some mascara, eyeshadow and lipstick.

"Very well. Anything for you, future Madam Snape," he said, eliciting a blush to paint across the woman's face. He smirked and started off once more. Once they were in his office, he walked over to the floo, releasing his fiance's hand to grab a fistful of the powder after offering it to her. Stepping into the fireplace, he kissed Hermione's hand once before throwing the ash-like substance down and shouting, "Ministry of Magic!"

When Hermione recovered from the shock of the sudden affection, she followed after him.

"Ministry of Magic!" she yelled, throwing her floo powder and flinching when the green flames erupted around her.

Now it's done. Nothing to really be said other than thank you to those who have been looking at this. So let's just go to the word count.

Word Count: 1421

In case no one told you today, you are beautiful, handsome, valid and important! I love you!

Goodbye!