an unlikely match...

Chapter 3: The expected visitor

\"Hermione, luv, stop pacing.\" Austere said grimly, looking to his young fiancee pacing about the living room, her hair perfectly brushed, her dress beautiful but her mouth in a small frown.

It was drawing near seven o\'clock in the evening that Saturday night and Lady Snape had long since retired to her sitting room, pining over Severus and waiting for him to arrive.
She turned about, \"I\'m sorry, I\'m just very nervous.\"

Austere nodded, he knew that Severus had made Hermione\'s life a living hell during her duration at Hogwarts. She had often told him of the frequent point taking, and evil glares she had endured for seven long, years. Austere called out ithe the hall.

\"Charlotte. The champagne please.\"

Charlotte walked in with her black maid’s uniform, her honey blonde locks pulled into a loose bun, her large dark blue eyes looking to Austere nervously. She had to be at least five years older than Hermione, but had none of the confidence or knowledge that the younger witch did.

Hermione had tmit,mit, Charlotte was breathtakingly beautiful and she did feel a bit plain and self-conscious whenever she was around. She watched as her fiancée eyed Charlotte a bit before taking the champagne bottle and two glasses.

\"Thank you Charlotte.\" he said gruffly, eyeing her bosom a moment as Hermione looked away. \"That\'ll be all.\"

Charlotte nodded, heading out of the room and down to the kitchen. Hermione watched her go, feeling even more plain than before. Austere never really commented on her looks. Opting more to comment on her brilliant mind or its equivelent and Hermione felt selfish in wanting more.

\"Come have some champange darling.\"

Hermione stood before Austere nodding, twenty-one years old, confident and quite fetching herself. Her hair was tamed, her lips were full and she had quite a good sense of humor. Austere wondered how Snape kept his hands off of his students if they looked anything like her.

\"Isn\'t nine o\'clock a bit late for dinner?\" Hermione suddenly asked curiously, Austere smiled a bit, kissing her chee
\"
\"He always says he\'s going to be here two hours later than when he usually arrives. He\'ll be here in time for dinner.\" Austere promised, taking her hand in his, stroking her palm gently as she nodded, her eyelids growing heavy as she sat next to her betrothed, looking to him gently. \"Plus, he loves it when the maids and the butlers get all worried about when he\'ll arrive. My brother loves to create a scene.\"

Hermione giggled, that certainly sounded like Snape. She recalled his infamous arrival during first year potions, door slamming open as he rushed into a delicate speech about \'foolish wand waving\' and so forth.

She looked to the welcoming eyes of her soon-to-be-husband and smiled softly, kissing his brow. \"How could a sweet man like yourself have such a brute for a brother?\"

Austere smirked, kissing her back gently. \"He\'s not so bad outside of school Mione.\"

Hermione wrinkled her nose at the nickname, she secretly despised \'Mione\', but Austere seemed quite determined to call her by it on occasion. He went on speaking anyway, not seeming to notice.

\"Plus, now that you\'re to be my wife, I\'m sure he\'ll be more than civil towards you.\"

Now Hermione looked quite perplexed, placing her empty champagne glass beside her on the solid wood flooring. \"Will he be more civil to your Mother?\"

Austere looked to Hermione surprised, \"Err...I can\'t really say.\"

There was a saddening silence as Hermione pictured the poor, frail Lady Snape up in her room looking out the window and waiting for her miserable son to come home and act like a prick towards everyone especially her.

\"Why does Severus hate your Mother so much, Austere?\" Hermione asked, taking another glass of champagne from Austere and looking to him with brows knitted. He frowned, shrugging a bit and pulling her closer to him.

\"Because she had me. The ultimate betrayal in his eyes.\"

Hermione frowned, \"And that\'s why he hates you? Because you were born?\"

\"I\'m sure there\'s something else to it.\" Austere suddenly looked uneasy, \"Mother believes its because he\'s jealous of me, although I can\'t say why. He\'s brilliant, and he\'s got a good job.\"

\"Your mum says he\'s lonely.\"

Austere looked to Hermione curiously, \"When were you speaking with my Mother?\"
\"This morning. On the patio.\"

\"Oh.\" Austere seemed to save face, \"Did she say anything else?\"

Hermione looked to him confused, \"About what?\"


\"About me.\"

Hermione and Austere whirled around on the sofa and looked to the door where that familiar voice had been spoken from. That same voice that had haunted Hermione’s dreams and nightmares. Austere gave a faint smile and stood, walking over the dark figure that leaned against the doorframe.

\"Hello Severus.\"