Time Heals All Wounds

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its affiliates.



Chapter Fifteen: The Box of Memories.



Professor Severus Snape stared intently at the large sealed wooden box in front of him. He had yet to perform the countercharm that rendered the box sealed. Gathering up his nerve, he pulled out his long sinewy wand from his robe, and lightly tapped the box, muttering the countercharm under his breath.



He felt the familiar rush of magic swirl around him, as the charm lifted. Taking a deep breath, Severus set aside his wand, and gently took hold of the lid. Lifting it, and setting it next to his wand, he peered inside.



The pensive was first on his list. There were very little memories left inside, due to them having returned to his head of their own accord. He prodded the contents with the tip of his wand, and familiar, yet somehow foreign memories swirled within its depths. With a sigh, Severus lifted the silvery strands to his temple, and allowed them to return to his mind.



Flashes of bright, colorful, and laughter filled scenes flashed before his eyes. His vision blurred, and he clenched his teeth against the onslaught of forgotten memories. This lasted for several minutes, before subsiding completely. Severus\' hands balled into fists as he fought against the emotions that had begun to plague his heart.



Hermione accepting her diploma, then running into his arms, kissing him deeply. Hermione brandishing her wand at Lucius Malfoy, knocking him to the ground with a painful thud. Hermione accepting his proposal, with tears in her eyes, as she frantically nodded her head. Hermione opening her eyes, heavy with sleep, to look at him, concerned after his latest meeting with the Dark Lord. Hermione walking down the aisle, her long white dress flowing behind her, in a cascade of satin and silk. Hermione looking deep into his eyes as she whispered "I do."



Unbidden, several tears escaped Severus\' eyes, and ran, uninvited down his cheek. He reached inside the box to retrieve a photograph. It was of Hermione and himself, at the reception in the great hall. They were looking into each others eyes, the love showing clearly for all to see. Severus watched as the couple kissed tenderly, seemingly in their own world.



Setting the photograph aside, he rummaged through the many other photographs, Hermione\'s NEWT results, and her diploma, until he found a pure white scroll. He lifted it gingerly from the box, and gently untied the golden ribbon. The gentle light throbbed for a split second, before revealing the beautifully written words, that claimed them married. He tenderly stroked Hermione\'s signature, as more tears fell, landing on the spelled document, and evaporating on contact.



Severus rolled the scroll and deftly tied the ribbon back on it, securing it once more. He lay it in his lap as he reached in for one last time. A small box, wooden, like its larger counterpart, and also spelled. Quickly performing the countercharm, he opened it, and upended the miniscule box into his waiting palm.



A shining golden ring lay in the center of his hand. He lifted it to his eyes, and softly whispered the inscription on the inside of the band.



"My darling, my love for you is timeless…and will last for all of eternity." Severus whispered, his voice cracking. "Oh god…Hermione…"



Again, Severus felt his heart ache, as if it was being crushed from the inside out. He shakily slid the ring into place once more, and it readjusted to fit his finger. He felt as if somehow, just by wearing this ring, that Hermione was with him.



There were several other documents inside the box, that he was not yet ready to face. The pain was too severe. Severus gently returned the lid to the box, thus reinstating the previous charms. He levitated the box to a top shelf in the corner of the room, and made a note to reopen it later.



Severus knelt down, and lifted the objects from the floor. Quickly adjourning to his quarters, he conjured two picture frames. Setting the photograph of their wedding reception, he used a sticking charm to attach it to the wall above his fireplace. He did the same to their Wedding Certificate. He cast protective shields around both of the new frames, so that no one could disturb them from their place.



Once everything was in order, he looked around his quarters. Hermione would be returning soon, very soon…and his rooms were that of a bachelor. He set about transfiguring the furniture into the kind of pieces that his Hermione seemed to like. Instead of black leather, the couches were transformed into a soft brown material. The chairs were transfigured to match. The drapes that covered the enchanted windows, were changed from the coarse, thick black color, to Hermione\'s preferred blue. The stone floor, was instead a thick, dark blue.



When he was satisfied with the living room, he began in the bathroom. He stared in disgust, at the fading copper fixtures, and transfigured the shower into a luxurious, deep marble bathtub, and the sink to match. Tile replaced stone, and the enchanted wallpaper, and ceiling were made to seem as if the user were in a deep forest glade. In the distance a small waterfall cascaded down.



\'Hermione will love this.\' Severus concluded smiling slightly at his handiwork. \'She loves nature.\'



The bedroom was a bit more work. The bed was transformed into a very large, feather bed, with feather pillows and blankets. The comforter changed from gray, to black, with blue moons and golden stars shooting across the spread. The pillows matched. The carpet was a deep midnight blue, so dark, it was almost black. And the wallpaper, and ceiling were enchanted like the bathroom, except the scene here was that of an island paradise.



Severus smiled at the renovations, and returned to the living room. Walking to the picture, he reached out to touch his beloved. "Soon, my love…"



::A/N:: I apologize about the shortness of this chapter, but I felt that this chapter should only be about the box, and Severus\' actions pertaining to it. Thank you for reading, and as always, please review.



~Kiera