The First Summer and Summer Series

Severus Snape carefully aimed his putter. He had been practicing putting golf balls in the privacy of his office now for over a week but he didn‘t seem to be getting any better. He had promised Hermione’s father that he would learn the game to give the two men something in common, but he had come to wholly rue that promise. The muggle game was far more difficult than he had anticipated and he was determined to do it without magic just as his future father-in-law did. Unfortunately, if there was one thing that Severus hated, it was being mediocre.

He smacked the ball firmly and watched in frustration as it missed the cup by a long mark. He sighed and followed it to the other side of the room. He swung again, missing the ball entirely. He glared at the ball as it lay innocuously at his feet. Willing himself to be calm, he lined up the putter and ball, eyed the cup, and tapped. It went wide again. Finally, swearing heartily, he released his anger. He struck the ball with all of his strength. It hit one of jars displayed on the shelf behind his desk. The jar shattered and inundated the floor with strong smelling fluid.

“Damn!” he growled.

He was never going to get the hang of this ridiculous muggle game! Severus flung the club aside and sat down in his chair. He wondered what Hermione was doing right now. It had been over a month since they had parted; her for the university, him for Hogwarts. And he hated sleeping alone! One of the joys of sharing a bed with Hermione, aside from the sexual aspect of course, was thhe whe was there. Warm, alive, and caring.

Last night had been a hard one. The dreams had come back again. When Hermione was there, he would awaken from his nightmares, reach out and hold her tightly. It was never long before the reality of her warm soft flesh and the way she would turn and snuggle into him would chase away whatever phantasm his unconscious memory had dug up. Most of the time he never dreamt at all if she was beside him.

But last night had been different. He had started awake, a scream on his lips. The bed was empty and cold. The only thing that could chase away the shivering horror that lingered was a shot of whiskey. He had gotten out of bed and wandered restlessly in his chambers until he was sure that he was not going to go back to sleep only to dream the same dream again.

It was hard to believe that this had been how he had existed daily in the years before Hermione became a part of his life. With her presence came salvation from the night terrors. She grounded him in reality and forced him to live in the present, never dwelling on the sordid dark past, even in his sleep. He counted the months until she would join him here permanently as his wife. It seemed a very long time.

Hermione Granger sank into a comfortable chair at the Leaky Caldron, opposite Ginny Weasley. She took a long pull at her butterbeer and sighed.

“I don’t know Ginny,” she said. “I don’t think I’m going to get used to it.”

She had met with their new anthropology tutor that afternoon. Their old tutor, Professor Knowles, had been in poor health and had to retire over the summer. Hermione felt his loss keenly. She had flourished under the older man’s guidance. His replacement, Professor Faversham, was going to be a challenge, but not for the reasons one might expect.

Hermione still cringed remembering theirstirst meeting. The new tutor’s robes were askew and crumpled. She could see a brightly coloured Hawaiian shirt peeking out from the collar.

He had greeted Hermione brightly, “Just call me Dave! And can I call you Hermy?”

Hermy?! She now understood why Severus had a pained expression on his face when people addressed him as “Sev”. And she didn’t feel it was quite right for her to be calling her tutor “Dave”. He was supposed to be her mentor, someone older and wiser to guide her in her course of studies. This casual attitude was not what university was supposed to be about.

‘Dave’ was proving to be just as unpleasant as she had feared. He questioned her wisdom in pursuing ground breaking theories, preferring to stick to the easier, accepted paths. He laughed at her serious demeanor and her exacting study habits.

“Loosen up! Enjoy your youth!” he advised, laughing carelessly.

How very different from old Professor Knowles who would listen quietly to her theories and advise her to what resources to consult to assist her in her research. She wondered what Severus was going to make of ‘Dave’. She smiled. Hermione could already imagine his superior sneer.

“Did ‘Dave’ have any good suggestions for you?” Ginny asked. The girls always seemed to frame his name in quotation marks.

“Oh yes,” Hermione replied sarcastically. “He advised me to refrain from pursuing my own theory of Karnipolia having originally been matriarchal and instead present a paper agreeing with Botham’s old conclusions. He says it’s pointless to go against accepted theory and that I’m just asking for aggro.”

“Why is he like that?”

“Would you like my honest opinion?” Hermione asked. “I don’t think he’s capable of pointing me in the right direction. I don’t think he’s reaawaraware of what resources are available. In fact,” Hermione paused to take a sip of her butterbeer, “I don’t think he even understands the purpose of a thesis. I wonder how he ever achieved his doctorate? I‘ve had more help from Severus than from my own advisor.”

Ginny giggled, “I hope Professor Snape isn’t going to start wearing a Hawaiian shirt!”

Hermione smirked. “Not likely. He’s cute in muggle clothes though. You should see him sometime. Maybe at the muggle wedding.”

“Muggle wedding?”

Hermione cringed slightly. “Yes, my parents really want us to get married in a muggle church so my relatives can all come. I want a wizard wedding because most of my friends are wizards. Severus, of course, wants to go stick his head in the sand and hide, but barring that option he’d prefer the registry office. At this point, it looks like we‘re going to have at least two ceremonies to please all sides.”

Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that this first fiasco in planning the wedding was not going to be the last. It seemed ridiculous to have two ceremonies but she simply could not bring herself to get married without their wizard friends around them. Simiy, sy, she wanted to have her extended family present but many of them were not even aware she was a witch. She couldn’t see them sharing a reception with the likes of Flitwick, Dumbledore and Hagrid. Besides, her parents were insisting. Hence the dual ceremonies.

From the very start, Severus had set up a plaintive bleat about a registry office wedding. She acknowledged it was the easiest option but pointed out that every girl wanted to walk down the aisle in a white dress. He had made a light clever comment about her suitability for wearing white and was stunned when she burst into tears. It was really just a combination of things; the stress of parting with him for the school year, her parents’ pressure and the time of the month. But Hermione smiled as she remembered how he had quickly acquiesced to her wishes to make up for his flippant remark. He was sweet! And tears WERE helpful sometimes. Still, she did not look forward to the complicated planning that was going to involve two wedding ceremonies, two cultures and a reluctant Severus.

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My Dearest Severus,

Have you given anymore thought to the wedding dates? We really should get something set before we go to my parents house for Christmas. We don’t want to get into a situation where my father makes decisions for us. Better to present him with a feat accompli.

I also need you to consider who you’d like to invite to one or both of the weddings and decide on a best man. At some point we should get you measured for a muggle tux as well.

School is horrid and I hate my new tutor. I don’t know how I’m going to manage to get everything done by June. Wish you were here.

Love,
Your Hermione

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My Dearest Hermione,

As previously mentioned, I leave all this wedding nonsense to you. Simply tell me where I’m supposed to be and at what hour. There is no one in particular I wish to invite. I am perfectly capable of struggling along without a ‘best man’. I am not wearing a muggle tux.

I am sorry that your new tutor is a disappointment. Of all students however, I am relatively sure you don’t need a tutor and will perform admirably on your own.

Hogwarts is buzzing with Dumbledore’s latest mad scheme. We are having a pen friend program with Beaux Batons and Durmstrang. Every morning the great hall is completely inundated with international owls. Needless to say the noise is deafening and the owlry is overloaded. I see no benefit to this program other than the fact the youngest Flint boy has learned obscene words in two new languages.


I miss you more than I can say. The dungeons seem very lonely without you.

Love,
Severus

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My Dearest Severus,

I can’t bear to think of you being lonely so I will be sending you Crookshanks by the next post. (Providing he doesn’t eat the owls!) He may as well get used to living in the dungeons as it will be his home come June at any rate. I entrust his care to you in the meantime.

What do you mean you have no one to invite to the wedding, that you don’t need a best man and you’re not wearing a muggle tux? Please don’t be difficult my darling! If you had any idea how stressful this wedding business is on me you would be much kinder. Please cooperate a little. I will set the dates myself but I must have your help with the above three items.

Ron has made the university quidditch team. He’s very pleased with himself. Ginny and Harry are starting to talk about getting engaged. Seamus Jul Julie manage to keep me awake six nights out of seven with their non-stop bedroom antics. It makes me miss you all the more. I wish I was there with you now but I am going off to meet with Dave to discuss my thesis.

All of my love,
Your Hermione

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My Dearest Hermione,

As to Crookshanks, you may send him if you feel you must. I will see he is properly fed.

I have started a short list of people to invite. I daresay they are all on your list already so it seems rather futile. However, if it pleases you then it shall be done. I am sorry that the wedding planning is stressful but if you’ll cast your mind back I did suggest that a registry office wedding would be more sensible. It is not too late to change your mind. Barring that, Minerva mentioned that many muggles simply go to Gretna Green where one can quickly and simply complete the formalities. Perhaps this would be an option you would consider. I am merely thinking of your stress level.

As for a best man, I don’t understand the need for one. Wasn’t the original purpose of a best man to have a back up in case the original groom decides to run? You have no fears on that score. I also must remain adamant on the muggle tux. They look ridiculous. I will NOT wear one. Especially not one with a ruffled shirt!

I, too, have been thinking about June with great anticipation. Although you are not with me I still sleep on the right side of the bed rather than in the middle as I once did. I miss watching you brush your hair a hundred strokes at night and waking up with you in the mornings. I miss our talks of books and music. I especially miss just sitting quietly with you and saying nothing at all.

I love you,

Severus

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Crookshanks arrived at Hogwarts the next evening hissing and spitting. The owls that had carried him looked a little worse for the wear and Severus had to smile to himself as he relieved the pair of their burden. As soon as he was freed from his restraints, the ginger tom took time to clean himself thoroughly then gave Severus an evil glare.

“There’s no point in looking at me like that,” Severus addressed him. “It was your mistress that sent you here to live with me.”

Crookshanks glared again, ears flat.

“I would think you’d be happy to be here again,” Severus commented. “It was your home for several years if I remember correctly.”

Crookshanks jerked his tail upwards and walked away.

“I suppose he’ll come to find me when he gets hungry,” he murmured to himself. He left Crookshanks exploring and went back to the dungeons. He was working on a guest list for the wedding. Hermione had quickly written back vetoing Gretna Green and the registry office. She seemed determined to go through with these silly ceremonies. Severus sighed once again, thinking how difficult women liked to make things.

One thing he had no regret about was having Crookshanks here, although he wasn‘t admitting that to Hermione. His loneliness had become close to unbearable. He even had a calendar to count the days until he would be with her for Christmas. Perhaps a cat wasn’t Hermione, but it was HER cat. It was warm and alive and, most of the time, it seemed to like him. He had already decided that Crookshanks would be allowed to sleep on the bed if he wanted. Usually Severus and Hermione pushed the cat off on the nights they were together. There wasn’t room for three.

A knock on the door drew his attention. Upon answering it he discovered Minerva McGonagall looking stern and carrying Crookshanks under her arm.

“Does this creature belong to you now, Severus?” she asked unsmiling.

He reached out and took Crookshanks from her. “Yes. What has the little monster been up to?”

“He went straight up to Hermione’s old room and pitched a fight with the new head girl’s cat. You really need to keep him down here.”

Severus sighed deeply. “I will try. Thank you for returning him.”

He set Crookshanks down and closed the dungeon door. After surveying him briefly, he summoned some milk from the kitchenette.

“Here. Perhaps you’d like this after your journey.”

Crookshanks glared.

“Glare as much as you like. This is your new home. I realize it has no sunny windows to lounge in but there is a fire.”

The cat seemed to understand. He wandered over to the hearth rug and stretched out in front of the fire in a resigned fashion. Severus poured himself a brandy and took the armchair by Crookshanks. Both man and cat satringring into the flames, missing Hermione.