In a Lifetime
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
28
Views:
6,491
Reviews:
134
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
28
Views:
6,491
Reviews:
134
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
23: Walking the Veil Part 2
In A Lifetime
Chapter 23: Walking the Veil Part 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.
Hermione found herself staring into the warm brown eyes of her mother. But this version of her mother was younger. Her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold, her hair loose in wild curls that cascaded down her back. Severus, too, stared, at what appeared to be a twin to his beloved Hermione.
“Mum? Is that you?”
“Of course it’s me,” replied the woman, smiling, “Oh Hermione, it’s glorious here.”
“You know where you are, right mum?”
“Yes. Heaven, or what you call the Summerland.”
“And Dad?” asked Hermione.
“He’s fishing. He should be along shortly. Now, I know you’re not passed, so what are you doing here?” asked Hermione’s mother, “and with Professor Snape, no less.”
“I needed to see you. To let you know…”
“That you are finally free and delightfully happy with the most unlikely of men. I know. We can see you, you know, when we try very hard. And we can hear you when you want us to without trying hard at all. I know what you’ve been through, honey. I know that Harry was never the right man for you, and I know that Severus is. We also both know what he did the night we passed on.”
Severus looked down at the ground, scuffing his shoe in the sandy dirt.
“Don’t play shy Severus Snape.”
“Mrs. Granger…” began Severus, hesitatingly.
“Emma,” she said, smiling, “you’ve more than earned the right to call me Emma and to call my husband Trevor. Excuse us, Hermione?”
Hermione nodded and watched as her mother led Severus to small bench and sat down next to him. Hermione dropped her pack and turned her head to the ocean, allowing the breeze to brush her cheek lovingly.
“You were the first,” said Emma Granger, resting her small hand over Severus’, “the first to cry for us. We saw. We saw you running down the street towards our house, pulling off your mask as you approached. We saw you look into the sky at that horrid green sigil. We saw you drop to your knees. We heard you scream the word ‘no’ until your voice was hoarse. And we saw the tears. We didn’t know who you were, not until we were ensconced here and were able to see Hermione. That was when we realized who the man who wept for us was. Tell me Severus, were you weeping for Hermione as well?”
Severus looked into Emma’s eyes and nodded, “I knew what your deaths could do to her. I know what it’s like to be touched by death, to take it so personally. And it was personal. You were killed as a message for those who dared to be powerful and Muggleborn. Hermione was the best and the brightest. And they tried to snuff out her light. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“And so you did all you could for her, never letting her know. And years later, you fell in love with her.”
“Many years later,” he stated emphatically.
Emma Granger smiled, “I know you are a man of honor and principles, in spite of your reputation, Severus. I know you harbored nothing but concern for Hermione for a great many years. Love grows, love builds, and it built up inside of you. I know that your love for my daughter is strong. I know that many would consider you an unconventional couple. If love is true, convention can fly out the window,” Emma cocked her head and looked at Severus quizzically, “you came here for another reason other than to show Hermione how to ‘walk the veil’, didn’t you?”
Severus scowled, earning a melodic chuckle from Emma, “Yes,” he said, “I came to ask you and your husband for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Yes, I have already asked her, but it occurred to me that perhaps I should gain your blessing before going ahead with the ceremony. And to ask you to attend should your blessing be given.”
“I cannot speak for Trevor, nor would I presume to, but my blessing is yours, dear Severus. And I will be honored to attend in whatever form I may. I didn’t attend Hermione’s wedding to Harry. I didn’t know how to at the time, and I don’t know that I would have blessed the union had I been asked. It never felt right. It felt like they were marrying for all the wrong reasons. I liked Harry, I still like Harry and wish him nothing but the best, but he wasn’t right for Hermione, and Hermione wasn’t meant to be a trophy wife.”
“No,” agreed Severus, “Hermione is so much more than that.”
“Yes she is. She deserves to be a partner on equal footing with her spouse.”
“And that she will be.”
Emma smiled, “I know. True intentions cannot be hidden from those passed. We know too much.”
“As does Hermione,” Severus stated, earning another chuckle from Emma, “she is a magnificent woman.”
“All the Granger women are,” remarked a strong voice from behind.
“Trevor,” smiled Emma, “how was the fishing?”
“Lovely my dear. I caught some beauties. Now, what’s this I overheard about marriage and Hermione?”
Severus stood to look Trevor Granger in the eye before speaking. He cleared his throat, looked over at Hermione, now sitting on a bluff looking out at the ocean, and spoke quietly, but with a strength in his voice.
“Mr. Granger,” he said, “I am in love with your daughter and wish to marry her. I walked the veil for two reasons tonight. One was to show Hermione how to do it. The other was to ask for your blessing.”
“My blessing is yours, Severus Snape. Marry her and make her happy,” stated Trevor, shaking Severus’ hand, “in any other world, I would not be so quick to give my blessing to the man who made my daughter miserable for many years, however, in this world, I know who you are, I know what you are, and I know all you’ve done. Welcome to the family. Now,” he said, his voice carrying further, “where’s my little girl?”
Hermione looked around at the sound of Trevor’s voice and smiled broadly. She jumped to her feet, and letting out a whoop of pure happiness, ran to her father’s arms.
“Daddy!” she cried, “I’ve missed you and mum so much.”
“We’ve missed having you in our daily lives, Hermione,” said Trevor, “but we’re always here.”
“I know that now,” replied Hermione, smiling at Severus.
“So,” said Trevor, “there will be a wedding, then?”
Hermione beamed at her father, “Yes.”
“And your mother and I will be there, that I can promise.”
Hermione’s mother looked at the Eastern sky for a moment. Concern clouded her face. “You should go,” she said, “I’m sure Severus can get back with ease after the veil thickens, but this is Hermione’s first time in the Summerland…”
“You’re right Emma,” replied Severus, “Hermione, we will come back, and I will teach you how to strengthen your powers so that you may visit alone at other times when the veil is thinner.”
Hermione reluctantly hugged her parents goodbye, tears falling from her brown eyes.
“We will be at your wedding,” said Emma, brushing the tears away, “and we are fine, darling. We are happy now. And happier knowing that you have something so right in your life now.”
Severus and Hermione set off down the path, only looking back when Trevor Granger called their names. Turning around, they saw him holding the leather pack that contained the soul fragment.
“You forgot this,” he said, “what’s inside needs to get back to its rightful owner.”
“But how…”
“I can smell soul fragments,” said Trevor, “we all can here.”
“But who does it belong to?” asked Hermione.
“I can’t say for sure, but that is something you must find out for yourself. If it helps, it smells vaguely like those chocolate frogs you ate as a child.”
Hermione took the pack and she and Severus headed off, leaving behind the perfection of the Summerland and heading back to the imperfection of the mortal world. But they had things to do and things to look forward to: a handfasting and returning this fragment of soul to its rightful owner.
Chapter 23: Walking the Veil Part 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.
Hermione found herself staring into the warm brown eyes of her mother. But this version of her mother was younger. Her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold, her hair loose in wild curls that cascaded down her back. Severus, too, stared, at what appeared to be a twin to his beloved Hermione.
“Mum? Is that you?”
“Of course it’s me,” replied the woman, smiling, “Oh Hermione, it’s glorious here.”
“You know where you are, right mum?”
“Yes. Heaven, or what you call the Summerland.”
“And Dad?” asked Hermione.
“He’s fishing. He should be along shortly. Now, I know you’re not passed, so what are you doing here?” asked Hermione’s mother, “and with Professor Snape, no less.”
“I needed to see you. To let you know…”
“That you are finally free and delightfully happy with the most unlikely of men. I know. We can see you, you know, when we try very hard. And we can hear you when you want us to without trying hard at all. I know what you’ve been through, honey. I know that Harry was never the right man for you, and I know that Severus is. We also both know what he did the night we passed on.”
Severus looked down at the ground, scuffing his shoe in the sandy dirt.
“Don’t play shy Severus Snape.”
“Mrs. Granger…” began Severus, hesitatingly.
“Emma,” she said, smiling, “you’ve more than earned the right to call me Emma and to call my husband Trevor. Excuse us, Hermione?”
Hermione nodded and watched as her mother led Severus to small bench and sat down next to him. Hermione dropped her pack and turned her head to the ocean, allowing the breeze to brush her cheek lovingly.
“You were the first,” said Emma Granger, resting her small hand over Severus’, “the first to cry for us. We saw. We saw you running down the street towards our house, pulling off your mask as you approached. We saw you look into the sky at that horrid green sigil. We saw you drop to your knees. We heard you scream the word ‘no’ until your voice was hoarse. And we saw the tears. We didn’t know who you were, not until we were ensconced here and were able to see Hermione. That was when we realized who the man who wept for us was. Tell me Severus, were you weeping for Hermione as well?”
Severus looked into Emma’s eyes and nodded, “I knew what your deaths could do to her. I know what it’s like to be touched by death, to take it so personally. And it was personal. You were killed as a message for those who dared to be powerful and Muggleborn. Hermione was the best and the brightest. And they tried to snuff out her light. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“And so you did all you could for her, never letting her know. And years later, you fell in love with her.”
“Many years later,” he stated emphatically.
Emma Granger smiled, “I know you are a man of honor and principles, in spite of your reputation, Severus. I know you harbored nothing but concern for Hermione for a great many years. Love grows, love builds, and it built up inside of you. I know that your love for my daughter is strong. I know that many would consider you an unconventional couple. If love is true, convention can fly out the window,” Emma cocked her head and looked at Severus quizzically, “you came here for another reason other than to show Hermione how to ‘walk the veil’, didn’t you?”
Severus scowled, earning a melodic chuckle from Emma, “Yes,” he said, “I came to ask you and your husband for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Yes, I have already asked her, but it occurred to me that perhaps I should gain your blessing before going ahead with the ceremony. And to ask you to attend should your blessing be given.”
“I cannot speak for Trevor, nor would I presume to, but my blessing is yours, dear Severus. And I will be honored to attend in whatever form I may. I didn’t attend Hermione’s wedding to Harry. I didn’t know how to at the time, and I don’t know that I would have blessed the union had I been asked. It never felt right. It felt like they were marrying for all the wrong reasons. I liked Harry, I still like Harry and wish him nothing but the best, but he wasn’t right for Hermione, and Hermione wasn’t meant to be a trophy wife.”
“No,” agreed Severus, “Hermione is so much more than that.”
“Yes she is. She deserves to be a partner on equal footing with her spouse.”
“And that she will be.”
Emma smiled, “I know. True intentions cannot be hidden from those passed. We know too much.”
“As does Hermione,” Severus stated, earning another chuckle from Emma, “she is a magnificent woman.”
“All the Granger women are,” remarked a strong voice from behind.
“Trevor,” smiled Emma, “how was the fishing?”
“Lovely my dear. I caught some beauties. Now, what’s this I overheard about marriage and Hermione?”
Severus stood to look Trevor Granger in the eye before speaking. He cleared his throat, looked over at Hermione, now sitting on a bluff looking out at the ocean, and spoke quietly, but with a strength in his voice.
“Mr. Granger,” he said, “I am in love with your daughter and wish to marry her. I walked the veil for two reasons tonight. One was to show Hermione how to do it. The other was to ask for your blessing.”
“My blessing is yours, Severus Snape. Marry her and make her happy,” stated Trevor, shaking Severus’ hand, “in any other world, I would not be so quick to give my blessing to the man who made my daughter miserable for many years, however, in this world, I know who you are, I know what you are, and I know all you’ve done. Welcome to the family. Now,” he said, his voice carrying further, “where’s my little girl?”
Hermione looked around at the sound of Trevor’s voice and smiled broadly. She jumped to her feet, and letting out a whoop of pure happiness, ran to her father’s arms.
“Daddy!” she cried, “I’ve missed you and mum so much.”
“We’ve missed having you in our daily lives, Hermione,” said Trevor, “but we’re always here.”
“I know that now,” replied Hermione, smiling at Severus.
“So,” said Trevor, “there will be a wedding, then?”
Hermione beamed at her father, “Yes.”
“And your mother and I will be there, that I can promise.”
Hermione’s mother looked at the Eastern sky for a moment. Concern clouded her face. “You should go,” she said, “I’m sure Severus can get back with ease after the veil thickens, but this is Hermione’s first time in the Summerland…”
“You’re right Emma,” replied Severus, “Hermione, we will come back, and I will teach you how to strengthen your powers so that you may visit alone at other times when the veil is thinner.”
Hermione reluctantly hugged her parents goodbye, tears falling from her brown eyes.
“We will be at your wedding,” said Emma, brushing the tears away, “and we are fine, darling. We are happy now. And happier knowing that you have something so right in your life now.”
Severus and Hermione set off down the path, only looking back when Trevor Granger called their names. Turning around, they saw him holding the leather pack that contained the soul fragment.
“You forgot this,” he said, “what’s inside needs to get back to its rightful owner.”
“But how…”
“I can smell soul fragments,” said Trevor, “we all can here.”
“But who does it belong to?” asked Hermione.
“I can’t say for sure, but that is something you must find out for yourself. If it helps, it smells vaguely like those chocolate frogs you ate as a child.”
Hermione took the pack and she and Severus headed off, leaving behind the perfection of the Summerland and heading back to the imperfection of the mortal world. But they had things to do and things to look forward to: a handfasting and returning this fragment of soul to its rightful owner.