All I Want For Christmas

Disclaimer:: I don't own any of this, JKR has all claims to Harry Potter and it's characters, and I am unfortunately not getting paid; not that I write well enough to receive money for this story or any others I happen to write.
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Snape was pacing his room; not being allowed to leave was driving him crazy. He was about to give himself a calming potion when there was a knock on the door. He began growling about how his wedding being in barely two hours and he still didn't have his suit. He managed to move out of the way as he swung the door open, "do they expect me to wear my work robes?” he barked.
"Your robes, sir."
"What are you doing here, Potter?" Snape barked, snatching away the robes.
"What does it look like I'm doing here? Sir," he quickly added. Snape's lip curled in an unpleasant sneer.
"Going to the wedding are you?" Snape asked heading to another room to change.
"Yes, sir. Hermione doesn't know yet." Harry stepped through the door and shut it behind him.
"Rude to invite yourself, isn't it?" Snape called from the other room.
"It would be, but technically I didn't. I just said no when 'Mione first asked me. Wow!"
Snape had come from the other room, completely dressed in his dress robes. He raises a brow at the exclamation, "what?"
"I just didn't know you cleaned up so well," Harry chuckled.
"Ah, well...I dress for protection in class, not looks, Mr. Potter. So," Snape began so suddenly Harry almost jumped. "What changed your mind?" He asked, sitting down to put on his shoes.
"About going to the wedding?" Snape nodded, as if this was obvious. "Hermione is one of my best friends." As Snape raised a brow expecting more of an answer, the man was rewarded with Harry sighing heavily. "Professor Snape?" The Potions master tilted his head, showing Harry that he was giving the boy his full attention. "I, uh....Look, I know you don't like me and we've had some serious differences, but the things is...I wanted to let you know even though you probably don't care." Harry rolled his eyes at his stuttering, "I honestly believe that Hermione is making a good choice in marrying you."
Snape slowly approached the young man, "Potter," he said quietly. Usually Harry would have held his breath for a massive insult when it came to that tone, but he didn't, allowing the Potions professor to stand mere feet in front of him. He almost jerked away as a gloved hand came toward him. He looked up at Snape questioning the gesture. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I'm sure this will mean the world to Hermione."
"Yeah, but just cause I accept the fact that you're shagging my best friend, doesn't mean that I want to see you two kiss. The wedding will be enough to give me nightmares."
Snape chuckled, unnerving Harry to no end. "Duly noted, Mr. Potter." Snape went back to getting ready.
"You said that it would mean the world to Hermione, right? I mean...that I don't so much mind you two being together."
"Absolutely."
"Well, what does it mean to you?"
Snape stopped pacing the room looking for something and turned to look at Harry, "Hermione is my world. I suppose it means the same to me." Harry blushed and nodded, looking away. "I have a question for you." Harry looked up wide-eyed at Snape. "Will Mr. Weasley be attending?"
"No," Harry muttered, looking as though he had tried and failed to get the red-head to support their best friend in her decisions. Snape nodded his understanding as someone knocked at the door. Harry looked at Snape and answered the door.
"Severus?" It was Dumbledore.
"Sir?"
"It is time."
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For privacy sake, the wedding was being held in the Great Hall, which was decorated in greens, silver, and white. Severus was amazed that these colors were chosen when he was sure there would be more Gryffindors than Slytherins attending. Snape's dress robes held the same colors; a billowing emerald cape, loose black shirt and trousers, all trimmed in silver, the final touch being a white rose in his front pocket. After listening to Dumbledore complain that he should do something with his hair, pulled it into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, a few stands of hair still hanging in his face.
Looking around at the guests, Severus saw a very small group. There was Harry sitting next to Ginny, followed by Molly, Arthur, and the twins. Standing at the "alter" was Albus, in magnificent silver robes, trimmed in emerald fringe. Snape took his place at the alter. "Albus, I had no idea all the staff was going to be here."
"A few were asked by Miss Granger to attend; word got round. They all helped decorate some way or another, though."
"I must remember to thank them. Albus, I..."
"You're nervous?"
"Gods, yes! What if she changes her mind?"
"She loves you, Severus. Never doubt that."
Snape turned to the headmaster, "thank you, sir, for everything."
Dumbledore nodded and lifted his voice. "If you would all place take your seats, we're about to begin." Severus sighed anxiously and turned toward the doors. There she stood, in a deep green gown, as a silver rug rolled out in front of her. Snape's breath caught in his lungs and his eyes, unblinking, watched her. He didn't realize until one fell on his cheek that he was crying; more than that he was openly smiling. He watched her father kiss her cheek and limp away to his seat. As she drew beside him he noticed the white rose behind her ear and the baby's breath blending in her hair. He took her hand in his and they turned as one to face Albus. The headmaster began quietly, speaking in what sounded like Latin to just the couple; it was an ancient practice which bound the two being married in soul. It was the first of three bindings: soul, mind, and body. As he finished, Albus and the guests watched a light form around the couple and slowly disappear. Snape stopped crying as what could only be explained as Hermione's soul flowed through him. "You both understand that this prevents divorce and infidelity."
"I do," they said clearly in unison.
"And that if you do not go through the consummation of this wedding it will eventually wear off."
"I do," they said again.
The ceremony continued in a rather traditional fashion, with "will you's" and "I do's." This was the binding of the mind. Albus turned to Snape, "You may kiss you bride."
The young man smiled drawing her close, "I love you."
"I love you, too," she said softly, smiling against his lips.
"Ron! No!" came Harry's panicked voice.
"You get away from her, you bastard!" Ron yelled as he ran at the couple. He slammed into Snape causing the man to stumble and fall to the floor. Hermione hurried to pull the redhead off her husband. "Get off me!" He screamed, pulling his wand, brandishing it at the young woman. A red light shot from it and hit her, throwing her several feet.
"Hermione!" Severus yelled, hearing an echo. Harry was already running for her. "You! If you've-" He was hit by something sharp across his cheek; the skin over his cheekbone split.
"Look what you made me do, Snape! If you hadn't just stayed away from her, she'd be mine! She's mine!" The young man made to hit him again.
As tears formed in his eyes, Severus drew back his fist and threw it at Ron, who fell to the ground and was still.
Looking around, Severus was stunned by the many stares. "Professor Snape!" The man's head jerked so quickly in Harry's direction it cracked and he saw a buddle of blood forming around his wife.
He ran to her, sliding on his knees to her side and grabbing her hand. "Hermione. Hermione, luv, don't worry. Everything will be fine. Someone get me a damn stretcher!" He growled. The staff just continued staring; the Weasleys were gathered around Ron, Tadigan was rushing toward Hermione, Albus was drawing the stretcher into existence. "Help me get her on it. No magic!"
"Why?" Harry asked lowering his wand.
"If there is any chance of saving the child...." Harry nodded, lifting the woman's feet onto the stretcher, which they carefully cast a levitating spell on, hurrying to the hospital wing
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"She's going to be alright, Severus," Albus said, looking down at him; Snape was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, his arm on his knee, blood on his hand.
"And the child?" Severus asked his voice hoarse from crying. When the man didn't answer right away, Snape's head fell to his chest and his shoulders began shaking with sobs.
"I'm sorry, Severus. I-"
Snape took a shaky breath, "no, perhaps its better this way. We all know how big an unloving bastard I am." He began sobbing again, harder.
"You are far from being unloving, Severus. Just look at yourself"
Snape looked down at his shirt, wet with tears. His bloody hand, her blood. He closed his eyes with a sigh and slammed his head against the wall. Dumbledore made to stop him, but the Potions master made no attempt to do it again. "It's amazing, you know? How attached you can get to someone that doesn't even exist yet."
Dumbledore nodded, "I've no idea what you would be talking about, but the idea of there being a child around for us to spoil was comforting."
Snape chuckled and it suddenly faltered as he looked up into Dumbledore's sad, old eyes. "She hates me, doesn't she. I practically killed her best friend."
"He's not dead, just unconscious. You know how head injuries can be."
Snape nodded, "still. How could she ever forgive me? How can any of them." He groaned, "How they all must hate me."
"I won't let you."
"You won't let me, what, Albus?"
"I can see it in your eyes, Severus. I know that look; I've seen it there many times before. You're not going to run away, you're not going to kill yourself, and you are NOT leaving that poor girl here without the love of her life." Snape slid down the wall and laid flat on his back.
"What am I going to do? She was so looking forward to that child. That was a chance, Albus! You know what's wrong with me. I'm...I can't..."
"I know, child. I know." Dumbledore sighed, "Well, you've had two miracles in your life; a third may still be possible."
"Gods I hope you're right. Can I see her?"
Dumbledore nodded, "she should be sleeping, but if not, I won't stop you from seeing your wife."
"Oh God, Albus, the consummation! The binding spell." The man had been half-way to standing when he fell back to the floor.
"Calm down, you have plenty of time for that," Dumbledore chuckled and offered his hand.
Snape shook his head, pushing himself back up, “I thought this was supposed to be the happiest day of my life?” Before Dumbledore could say anything, Snape had turned the corner into the hospital wing, slowly approaching his bride. He pulled a chair beside her and sat down quietly, not wanting to wake her.
She mumbled something in her sleep and her eyes fluttered open. She smiled sadly up at him. “Oh, Severus, I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be, love. It wasn’t your fault. None of this was.”
“Do you think we will ever be so lucky again?”
“I have faith, yes,” Snape lied, not wanting to give up her hopes of never having another child if they stayed together.
There was a ruckus outside the door and they heard at least three voice arguing. “You are obviously not doing your job, Albus!”
“This is a hospital, Mr. Fudge, please remove yourself if you can not lower your voice,” came Madam Pomfrey’s voice.
“I want to see some action taken,” Mrs. Weasley said just as loudly as Fudge had. “My son could die!”
“Please, we are all adults, can we not discuss this in a mature manner?” Dumbledore tried calming the other three. Snape looked from behind the curtains. He didn’t know what it was about this damned hospital, but every time he came in here it seemed that Fudge was looking for an answer. Snape looked down at his wife and sighed. Kissing her softly on her bruised lip, he stood from his seat and approached the loud group.
“Ah ha! Just the man I wanted to see!” Fudge had a mad look in his eye, obviously pleased to finally have a reason to speak to Severus. Dumbledore looked rather calm; angry, but calm. Mrs. Weasley had recently been crying, her make up smearing down her face. Madam Pomfrey was still hissing about them staying quiet or taking it somewhere else.
“Fudge,” Snape nodded in greeting. He quickly turned to Dumbledore. “Professor, may we take this to your office?”
Albus looked saddened for a moment, his face slowly contorting into a smile. He bowed his head in agreement as he answered, “Please, right this way.” Dumbledore turned away from them all and led the way to his office, Snape on his heal.