Love is Blind

A/N – to clarify the hands being bound – I
used ideas from the traditional Christian wedding, a handfasting and a Mormon
sealing. The words were mainly from the Christian ceremony, except the ‘until
the end of time,’ which resembles the Mormon philosophy of ‘time and all
eternity.’ The idea of the rope is from a handfasting. For all intents and
purposes, in my story, the rope was bound over one pair of joined hands, one
pair remaining free. But throughout the ceremony, they faced each other holding
both of the other’s hands. I took another idea from a Mormon sealing, when the
couple is sealed, their hands are clasped together and the grip cannot be
released until the ceremony is over. That is why Severus could not wipe away
her tears when she cried at repeating Albus’ words, but Hermione could slap his
arm after the ‘ceremony’ was over. Even with one hand tied to hers, Severus,
being the agile man I know he is, can easily take Hermione into his arms and
carry her off into the sunset, so to speak. I hope this explains it. Thank you
for reading.


Chapter 36


Severus kicked open the door to their rooms. Their
rooms.
He shivered at the idea that Hermione would be moving into his rooms. She
already slept there most of the time, but her clothes and books and other personal
belongings were in her rooms... well, they used to be in her rooms. Severus and
Hermione both gasped at the changes made to hioms oms in just the hour and a
half since they left for lunch.

The house elves must have moved all of her
things down to Severus’ now expanded rooms. His office was twice the size as it
used to be, now holding two desks and numerous bookshelves stocked with both of
their extensive libraries. Severus put Hermione down so that she could look
around their new quarters. The bathroom had also doubled in size, with a very
large clawfooted tub, large enough for both of them and a couple friends. Not
that there would be anyone else in the tub with them, but that wasn’t the
point.

Hermione pulled Severus around their chambers by
their still-bound hands, looking into each room and finding comfort in the
myriad of their mixed possessions. Hermione marveled at the similarities in
their tastes. There were many things throughout these expanded rooms, that she
was unsure were hers or his.


When she pulled him toward the bedroom, they
both stopped in the doorway, staring in awe at the beauty before them. The
room, which was still a dusty sage green color, was now accented by curtains,
portraits, flowers, tapestries and lace. It was beautiful. Severus sighed
deeply as he pulled Hermione to him, inhaling the wondrous scent of gardenia
and honeysuckle.

With sweet kisses every step of the way, Severus
guided Hermione to the large bed in the middle of the room; the same bed that
they had made love in that morning; the bed that they would sleep in as husband
and wife. He lowered her slowly on the soft duvet and the scent of roses wafted
up from the covers, enveloping them in the heady scent.

Severus had never been one for floral aromas,
but the mixture of the headiness of the roses, the swees ofs of the honeysuckle
and the arousing scent of the gardenia mixed with Hermione, made his heart leap
and his arousal swell. In no time at all, the two were naked except for their
shirts stuck around their bound wrists. They didn’t seem to notice or care
about the offending garments. All that mattered was the consummation of the one
true thing they had ever known in their lives. Love.

Severus knew he loved Hermione and thanked all
the deities at that moment for bringing her to him. He could never have
imagined being so enamored by anything more in his life. The soft mewling
sounds she was making and the butterfly kisses being laid across his chest,
were his undoing. He couldn’t wait any longer. She was his wife, and he was
claiming her.

As he entered her wet core, all thought escaped
him. She was amazing and she wanted him. She was married to him. With each
thrust, Severus lost a bit more of his self-control. Hermione owned him; she
was claiming him, not the other way around. Her heated kisses traversed from
his ear, along his jaw, down his neck and across his chest; each kiss binding
his heart to her. She would be his rock. She would be his oblivion. She was now
his life.


Hermione raised her hips up to meet him. Her
eyes never closed, no matter how strong the urge. She never wanted to miss
seeing her husband’s bliss. She had watched him scowl for seven years, had
worked with him off and on for four more, to see him let go, was soul searing.
She loved him, and he loved her in return. Hermione vowed that she would never
let him doubt her love for him. She would always be his.

Their coupling was frantic, but at the same time
tender. Neither one were focusing on their own pleasure, just their mate’s.
That’s what they were... soul mates. As they neared their climaxes the room seemed
to become brighter. Hermione closed her eyes as the light became almost
blinding. Suddenly she felt Severus shudder above her and her own orgasmt
tt
through her body. The pleasure seemed to ebb for hours, and as they basked in
the afterglow, the light surrounding them started to fade.

Hermione opened her eyes to see Severus’ boring
into hers. Love, adoration, worship all reflected in his green eyes. Hermione
was so overwhelmed with pleasure, satisfaction, completeness, love, hope,
faith, truth – almost every positive emotion you would imagine. Her eyes
overflowed with tears - tears for her experiences, tears for blr blessings, and
tears for her future. Her future with Severus.

Severus fought back his own tears as he watched
Hermione’s fall unchecked down her cheeks. He softly moved his arms up unto his
elbows and cradled her head in his hands. He leaned down and kissed each tear
away. It wasn’t until he reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her
ear, that the realized that their binding was complete. The rope had fallen
unceremoniously across the duvet, leaving their shirts crumpled beside them.
They no longer needed to be bound by earthly things. Their souls were bound for
eternity in the heavens.

*

The two of them lay together for the rest of the
afternoon, not venturing out until Albus called them for dinner. As the couple
entered the Great Hall, applause rang out once again. A few catcalls could be
heard coming from the Gryffindors and a few grumbles from the Slytherins. Some
things would never change. Hermione chanced to look at the Head Table and
caught the sight of two of her best friends and Sirius smiling back at her.

Severus forced a smile as he watched his wife
run to her friends. When he caught up and placed his hand softly to the small
of her back, she looked up and smiled at him. Sirius turned to him and
proffered his hand. A handshake. A handshake to put away old grudges. A
handshake to start fresh. Severus took old old enemy’s hand in his and shook
it. He couldn’t suppress the smile that reflected Sirius’.

Hermione and Severus sat amidst the throng of
friends and colleagues as they poured out the well-wishes and warnings. Dinner
was a reception of sorts and could be ranked as one of Severus’ happiest
moments. He knew that the students would never look at him the same after
tonight. He chuckled lightly, just because he was smiling and happy right now,
didn’t mean he couldn’t be snarky and callous tomorrow in the halls.

Hermione leaned over to him to ask what was so
funny, when a flash of red caught her eye at the door to the Great Hall. She
looked up to see Ginny and Draco walking in arm in arm. Hermione couldn’t have
been happier. Her friends were here... her family. She looked over at Severus,
fondly. He was her family now.

The celebration went on for hours. Albus,
Minerva and Remus had contacted all of their friends and loved ones, and told
them of the union of Severus and Hermione. It seemed that where just a few weeks
ago no one was eager to see the sincerity in the relationship, but now seeing
them together, it just seemed... right.

Slowly the students and friends started to
excuse themselves and the couple was left with Ron, Harry, Ginny and Draco. The
group reminisced and talked of the future. Ron had expressed his concerns about
their marriage and even threatened Severus if her ever hurt his best friend.

Severus laughed as he looked sideways at Ginny.
“Mr. Weasley, I have already been warned by a Weasley, or rather a Malfoy, and
I seem to be a bit more wary of her.” Ron put on a look of mock hurt and
Hermione hugged him and reassured that he would never lose her friendship and
if Severus ever hurt her, he would have to deal with her first, even before
Ginny.

After a bit, Harry and Ron excused themselves
and said that they would be back for Christmas. With a kiss to Hermione and a
handshake to Severus, the two men walked out of the Great Hall. Severus
couldn’t help but notice that they were holding hands. He turned to his wife,
shocked.

“I always wondered, but never asked,” she said
innocently. “I think they are good for each other.”

“Oh, you mean Harry and Ron?” Ginny asked. “Oh,
this happened about a week ago. I guess they were both suppressing feelings for
each other, but seemed to try to cover it up by crushing over their other best
friend.” Hermione almost spit her lemon meringue pie across the table and the
other three laughed at her discomfiture. “When they realized that you were
serious about Sev, they realized that they couldn’t hide the truth any longer.
I think Harry made the first move.”

“I always though he would be the aggressor,”
Severus added, trying to hide his smile at the idea of the Boy Wonder and his
sidekick dancing around each other for so long. He secretly wished that they
would someday be as happy as he was at that moment.

Ginny smiled at Severus and surreptitiously
handed him a bottle and a piece of parchment. He looked at her shocked. He
never expected that Ginny would really pull through. He had put the potion off
as a pipe dream. If some greater force brought he and Hermione together, then
the same would happen if they were meant to be parents. No one would ever
suspect Severus Snape of having faith, but since Hermione was blinded and they
fell in love, faith was something that came naturally to him. He sat there
staring at Ginny dumbfounded for many moments. Hermione noticed his silence.
“Oh, what’s this?” she asked as she slipped the bottle from Severus hands. A
look of panic crossed his face, but Ginny spoke before he did.

“That, Hermione, is our wedding present to you.
It is a healing draught...” Ginny paused to gauge Hermione’s expression. “It’s
a healing draught used by women who have been magically injured.” Hermione
still looked blankly at her friend. Ginny moved to sit next to her and grasped
her hands. “ ‘Mione, this draught has healed many women who have gone through
what you have. I am not guaranteeing it, but I think this might give you a
chance.”

Hermione looked at Ginny and then back at
Severus who was looking at her with such love and devotion. She looked back at
her friend, shocked. “Ginny, where did you get this?”

“I have been working in the birthing ward at St.
Mungo’s. I have seen many women healed with this and now they are starting on
their families. I know that you always wanted to have children, ‘Mione. It
broke my heart to think that you couldn’t. I wanted to give this to you. Think
about it.”

Hermione stared at the blue bottle for ages. Did
she still want this? Did Severus want this? She had gotten so accustomed to the
idea of never being a mother, that this sudden offer had put her into shock.
Would it work? Would she be healed? Would she be a good mother? Was she ready
for this?

She shook her head, trying to clear it. She
still needed to finish the revisions of the lycanthropy research. She had
thought about publishing a paper with Severus on the healing treatment he used
on her eyes. With her research and Severus’ teaching, did she have time for a
child? Hermione looked up at Severus whs sts staring at her. His eyes seemed
almost hopeful. She wasn’t sure if she really was ready for this yet. She knew
that someday she would probably want this, but at 23 it just seemed too soon.

Hermione couldn’t bear to look at the pain in
her husband’s eyes. “I’m sorry, but I need some time to think,” she said as she
walked quietly from the table and out into the cold night.

TBC – I know I am evil. Forgive me, please. I
will make it up to you, I promise.