Hermione pays her Debt

Hermione let the water run through her hair slowly and massaged the delicious smelling shampoo into her scalp. She was grinning to herself beneath the water, and occasionally she let out a small laugh, unable to contain herself. Severus had totally pulled the rug out from under her, and she still couldn’t believe it.



It was when Hermione started to hum ‘I’m getting married in the morning,’ to herself that she heard a sharp knock on the door.



‘Are you finished?’ Severus asked her.



‘Yes, nearly,’ she called back.



‘You have twenty minutes,’ he reminded her, and Hermione gasped, gabbing her shower gel and squeezing it onto a sponge. After a quick scrub, she turned stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in one of the fluffy bathrobes on the back of the bathroom door, wrapped a towel around her sopping wet hair, and walked into the bedroom.



She saw Severus, standing by the window and looking out at the view, and too a sharp intake of breath. He looked gorgeous. His hair was still slightly damp and hung in longer lengths over the collar of his navy blue shirt. But what made her gasp was his suit. It was expensive looking cream linen, with the jacket cut longer to accentuate his height, the trousers with small turn ups at the hem, brushing the top of his dark brown brogues.



‘Wow,’ she said softly, smiling as he turned to her.



Severus smiled at her a little. ‘Fifteen minutes,’ he said pointedly.



Hermione laughed, ‘ I have nothing to wear,’ she said quietly, her eyes sparkling.



‘In the wardrobe,’ he murmured, eyeing her to see her reaction.



Hermione’s stomach flipped as she wondered what he had bought for her to wear on their special day, and she eagerly opened the wardrobe door.



‘Oh,’ she said softly, and her eyes started to fill with tears,’ it’s beautiful.’



She lifted down a cream cocktail dress of cream silk. The skirt had two tiers of netting underneath that were edged with gold ribbon, and the top of the dress was a fitted bodice with capped sleeves, shot with gold thread in a lattice-worked design. She turned to Severus and smiled.



‘It’s perfect, thank you,’ she said, and grinned as Severus let out a sigh of relief. Hermione watched, intrigued, as he pulled out the lidded box and returned it to its normal size. He opened it and took out a small garland of orchids, obviously fixed with a stasis spell to keep them looking as fresh as the day they were picked. He walked over to her and handed her the flowers.



‘For your hair, or your dress. You decide,’ he waved his hand airily. Hermione grabbed it and squeezed it tightly, forcing him to meet her eyes.



She stared at him, her face serious as she looked into his eyes. ‘You complete me, Severus,’ she said quietly, hoping he would understand everything she felt for him in that one statement.



Severus smiled at her and kissed her briefly. ‘Ten minutes,’ he whispered.



‘Oh shit,’ Hermione gasped, and flung the towel from her hair, grabbing her wand and standing in front of the dressing table.



She dried her hair, and with a fancy twirl of her wand, her hair was transformed on top of her head, with glossy curls that tumbled down one side of her neck gently, the other side pinned up. She fixed the orchids into place and smiled softly, then removed the bathrobe and turned to the bed to find her underwear. Severus was holding it out to her, almost caressing it with his hands, and she smiled as she recognised the blue basque set she had worn for their first weekend away. She took it from him and their eyes met for a moment as shared memories flashed between them, until Severus broke contact to answer a knock at the door.



Hermione dressed as she heard Severus murmuring quietly, then his familiar soft chuckle, before he came back to find her. She was ready, and she felt tears in her eyes as she saw his face drop in awe.



‘You look incredible,’ he breathed.



‘Thanks. So do you,’ she smiled, walking over to him. Severus took her hand softly, and they walked out of the suite together.





********



Severus walked Hermione outside the rear of the hotel, to a small Pavilion that was set in the centre of a rose garden. There were people standing there and as they walked closer, Hermione started to laugh a little. Their fellow Professors from Hogwarts were standing in two short lines to form an aisle of sorts, all of them dressed in their finery and wearing wide smiles. Minerva kissed them both on their cheeks and wiped away a small tear as she smiled at Hermione. She was about to speak when she was interrupted by what sounded like a trumpet being played. She turned to see Hagrid blowing his nose into a large handkerchief, his eyes watery as he looked at her.



‘Sorry,’ he mumbled, ‘so beautiful,’ he said, his words a little muffled.



Hermione giggled and patted his arm slightly, then turned to Severus with a wide smile on her face.



‘Let’s do it,’ she said.



Severus smirked,’ Of course, but let’s get married first, shall we?’



Hermione’s eyes glinted at him and she took his arm, letting him guide her up the wooden steps.



The pavilion was strewn with orchids that matched the flowers in her hair, and thin candles floated above their heads. There was a small wizard, wearing white robes, standing in front of a simple wooden alter stand, and he smiled at them both as they stood before him.



‘I’m Barney Sedgwick, Miss Granger. I am officiating today and very happy to do so,’ he smiled at her warmly, ‘and quickly, according to Severus’s instructions,’ a small smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as he caught Hermione’s eye, and she laughed softly, looking sideways at Severus. She knew he would be scowling even before she looked at him and she nudged him with her elbow.



‘Stop scowling,’ she murmured, ‘you’re meant to be happy.’



Severus turned serious eyes onto her, ‘I am. Incredibly,’ he said softly.



Hermione felt a slight lump in her throat as she looked at him, and familiar warmth spreading in her groin. Gods, she wanted him naked as soon as they were finished. She glanced at Barney Sedgwick.



‘Quickly,’ she whispered, and he smiled back at her with a slight chuckled.



‘Hold hands, please,’ Barney said, raising his voice slightly so that the guests could hear him.



‘Hermione, do you…’ he started, but was interrupted



‘I do,’ Hermione said hurriedly.



‘Severus, do you….’ he tried again.



‘Yes,’ Severus breathed and closed his eyes,’ yes, I definitely do.’



Barney looked at them both and grinned. ‘You’re man and wife. Be very happy.’



Severus turned to look at Hermione, and she smiled as soft tears started to fall down his face. She reached her hand up and gently brushed them away.



‘No tears. I won’t have my husband crying on his wedding day,’ she whispered so only he could hear her.



Severus laughed and sobbed at the same time, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a crushing kiss that took her breath away.



From the side of the pavilion, Hagrid offered Minerva his ridiculously large handkerchief.







*************



Sorry for the slow updates, guys... my plot bunny ran away very fast...and I know its twee and fluffy... sigh...