The First Summer and Summer Series

It was a good thing that they had a brief hiatus from the wedding issue because it surfaced once again when they went to the Granger’s home for Christmas. Hermione’s mother was almost as caught up in it as her daughter. They spoke of nothing but invitations, fabrics, lace, food and gueorriorries.

At one point, Severus was forced to take refuge with his future father-in-law wang tng television, something he abhorred.

“Get tired of all the wedding talk?” Mr. Granger asked as Severus knocked tentatively on the study door and requested to join him.

“You could say that,” he admitted.

Mr. Granger chuckled and poured Severus a large whiskey. “It’s been mad at this end as well!”

“Did you deal with all of this when you were married?” Severus asked.

“Oh yes,” Mr. Granger agreed. “It got so bad that I begged my wife to run off with me to Gretna Green.”

Severus choked on his whiskey and Mr. Granger gave him a knowing look. “Hermione said ‘no’ to that option did she? Too bad. Would have been a lot cheaper. I guess they all want white dresses.”


“And flowers, food, champagne, music, gifts, ribbons, cakes and so on ad naus” Se” Severus grumbled. “Then multiply it by two because one weddingply ply isn’t good enough. Oh no! Miss Granger must have two weddings to make her happy!”

“Steady on!” Mr. Granger warned, “That’s my daughter you’re complaining about!”

“Don’t you think having two weddings is ridiculous?”

“Well, yes, to be honest. But we have to keep our girls happy.”

Severus drained his glass and glared at the cricket match on the television. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to talk to her?”

“Hah! And have both my wife and my daughter screaming at me? Sorry, Severus, you are our our own. Don‘t worry. You‘ll survive it just like the rest of us have.”

They watched the match in silence for a bit.

“I know,” said Mr. Granger, suddenly, “Let’s see how that putt of yours is coming along.”

Severus groaned silently to himself as his father-in-law handed him a club and set up an automatic putting cup. Life, at the moment, was dismal.

And it got worse before the Christmas holiday was over. He attended Christmas Eve services at Hermione’s church and a new issue raised its ugly head.

“So this must be the potential groom!” the vicar greeted him.

“I suppose I must,” Severus agreed sulkily.

“Tell me Mr. Snape, what parish do you belong to?”

Severus ignored a nudge from Hermione, “No parish. I’m agnostic.”

“I think,” Mr. Granger began, trying to clarify, “I think the vicar just needs to know where you were confirmed for the church records, not your personal beliefs.”

Severus looked confused Hed Hermione tried to change the subject. “We really should be going. There are gifts to open we hwe have to be up early tomorrow to start cooking Christmas lunch.”

“Confirmed as what?” Severus persisted.

“Confirmed in the Christian faith. It’s quite alright Mr. Snape. You don’t have to be confirmed, or even an Anglican, to be married to Hermione in this church, just so long as you were baptized.”

“I was never baptized.”

“Oh dear,” the vicar replied, looking at Mr. Granger.

“Never baptized?” Mr. Granger echoed, “What were your parents thinking?”
My pMy parents weren’t Christians either. There isn’t much point in being indoctrinated into a faith that you don’t practice.”

“I’m afraid this may cause some difficulties,” the vicar admitted.

“We’ll sort it out later,” said Mrs. Granger, “As Hermione says, it’s getting late.”

But that wasn’t the end to the matter.

On the way home Mr. Granger continued, “Severus, you’ll simply have to be baptized. That’s all there is to it.”

Severus snorted, “I’m not being baptized. That’s ridiculous!”

“But it’s such a simple solution.” Mr. Granger pointed out.

“Would you insist on my being baptized if I were Jewish or Muslim?” Severus asked.

“But you’re not. So I don’t see why it would make any difference to you.”

“It makes a rather large difference. And this actuasolvsolves part of our problem. As I cannot marry Hermione in the muggle church then we can do away with one of the weddings.” Severus sounded self-satisfied over this last pronouncement.

“No!” Hermione cried out. “We have to have a muggle wedding!”

“We do NOT ‘have to have’ a muggle wedding!” Severus snarled.

“Don’t you raise your voice at my daughter!” Mr. Granger shouted.

“I am not raising my voice at your daughter. She is raising her voice at me!”

“Stop it! All of you!” Mrs. Granger ordered. “We’re not ruining Christmas with arguing. spe speak with the vicar and see what can be done.”

But the rest of Christmas was strained. Severus was pleased to escape back to Hogwarts with Hermione.

“Were you just going to lie to your vicar about my so-called lack of faith?” Severus asked.

Hermione grimaced, “No, but what he didn’t know wasn’t going to hurt him. Call it a sin of omission. I don‘t know why you had to bring it up.”

“ve ave a scathingly brilliant idea!” Severus announced suddenly.

“Ooooh!’s s’s see,” Hermione guessed sarcastically, “Would it be running away tetnaetna Green?”

“No, but that IS a good idea. Shall we go now?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, “What was your idea?”

“Why don’t we just have the wizard wedding, then we TELL your relatives we went to Gretna Green to get married and host a party for them afterwards?” Severus was quite smug, thinking this would solve all of the problems.

“For a start,” Hermione commented, “Because I want them to be at my wedding. They want to be at my wedding and my parents want them to be at the wedding. Secondly, all my aunts will whisper to each other that we had to run off because I’m pregnant or something.”

“Surely that rumour would be quashed after nine months with no issue?”

“Tell that to my cousin Lorna. All they did with her was to decide that she must have had a miscarriage or have mixed up her dates and panicked. In my family, going to Gretna Green means you‘re expecting.” Hermione sighed.

“So let me see if I understand you properly. We are getting married in front of your extended family to prove that you’re not pregnant?”

Hermione had to laugh at his perplexed expression, “Something like that.”

But Hermione was less than pleased when the wizard wedding rites were being discussed.

“We’re exchanging blood, of course?” Severus asked.

“What do you mean? Exchanging blood?”

“In many traditional wizard ceremonies the couple mixes blood. Just a small nick on the wrist and smeared together before the handfasting cord is bound. It‘s one of the more ancient traditions that‘s dying out.” His face took on a funny far away look. “Lucius and Narcissa drank each other’s blood.”

“That’s foul!” Hermione cried.

“Yes, well, it’s not a regular tradition. But it was rather romantic the way they did it. They drank from each other’s wrist prior to the actual handfasting. More like a kiss really. I‘d like to do something like that.”

“Severus Snape! I am not going to drink your blood!”

Severus glared, “Obviously, I won’t insist on your following suit if you feel so strongly against it. I will insist on a consummation bind, however.”

“And what is that?” Hermione asked. She was beginning to regret not having attended more wizard weddings. All of the ones she had been to were more of the civil variety.

“Another rather ancient tradition you don’t often see any more. The couple remain bound with a specially charmed handfasting cord until the marriage is consummated.” Severus smirked at the thought.

Hermione was amazed. “So throughout the entire ptioption I would have to stay tied to you until we get to where ever we‘re spending our wedding night and you finally take me?”

Severus grinned, “Yes.”

“It’s impractical.”

“It’s rather sexy.”

Hermione was incredulous, “Do you know how many hours we could stay bound together?”

“We could find a quiet corner,” Severus growled suggeely,ely, nipping at her earlobe. “In old times a room was provided and the guests waited until the couple re-emerged. Then the bed sheets were examined by the male heads of both families to determine whether the bride had been a virgin or not.”

“That’s disgusting!” Hermione protested.

Severus gave her a teasing look. “I won’t insist on that part for obvious reasons.”

“You won’t insist at all! How could I explain that to my father without dying of embarrassment?” Hermione sucked in her breath. “Alright,” she announced, “We’ll do the blood mixing but NOT drinking, and then just a regular handfasting, Severus.”

“I‘m not arguing with you about this, Miss Granger.” Severus replied haughtily, and he went back to reading his book.