She was quite sure this house, Spinners End, had never been used for such a joyous occasion. Had never been a part of such a good and happy event.

Today, though, it was.

She was elated to be a part of bringing that to it. It deserved it. Every house should have a lifetime of those things contained in it. It had been over forty years for this one to go without. She vowed, though, for as long as they called it home it would only have good times as part of its structure going forward. If it was one year or seventy she would see to it the bleak, the not so good memories faded away to the far recesses of its corners. And Severus' mind.

Today, it was witness to three witches and a slayer getting ready for a wedding. Today there was laughter and giggles. Tears and hyperventilating. Today there was champagne and strawberries for breakfast and rooms covered in silk and lace and perfume and powder.

Today the house was legally gaining a mistress again.

A mistress who vowed to fill it with nothing but love and happy memories. She wanted to erase everything bad that had ever happened here. She knew erasing them wasn't possible, but she wanted to try to make them completely insignificant. Eventually, she imagined she and Severus would move on, find a new home, but for now this was it. He'd grown up here but hadn't really lived here until she'd started staying here.

"Here's to living," she murmured as she slipped into her robe so that the girls could help her with her hair and makeup.

"Well," Ginny said. "We've got two hours."

"Ready, Hermione?" Luna asked.

"I am."

"I know you are," the blonde witch said.

Eyes, hair, cheeks, lips.

Her friends earned their keep today.

Hermione felt … glamorous, and she never in her life thought that would be a word she'd ever use to describe herself. The Yule Ball wasn't the same at all. Her reasons for wanting to look like this were quite different. Her wedding day had always been little more than an idea in her head with no real picture or image of who she'd be marrying or what she'd look like.

Hell, for the past ten years or so she wasn't quite certain she'd live long enough to get married!

Finally, the bridesmaids were ready and Hermione was mostly ready. They took the floo to Hogwarts then. The sitting room where Hermione had announced to Harry and Ron that she was back was open to her bridal party for today, so that they could help Hermione into her gown without her having to floo or apparate or anything else afterward. Buffy had even provided her with a pretty fancy blue garter. Ginny had lent her a lace handkerchief that was her mum's. So, she had her something borrowed, something blue, something old, and her garter was the something new also. (If the dress didn't count!)

They let the photographer in once everyone was in agreement that she was ready for pictures of the four of them before they headed to Hogwarts' grounds. The photographer had already gotten pictures of Severus and his party, including Teddy who was ringbearer in addition to being Harry's godson. (James was a little too young and Hermione wagered Harry and Ginny were looking forward to a day without their son.)

"Are you doing all right?" Ginny asked.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Um, yes," she said with a nod. "I think so. I can feel my fingers and toes anyway."

Ginny smirked at that.

"Yes, well. Words I never thought I'd hear you say to reflect how you're feeling, but that's good. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"You're getting married, Hermione!"

"I know."

They disillusioned themselves, and Buffy, as they made their way to the large tent (not remotely like the one she'd lived in for months, thank goodness. She was pretty sure Severus and Harry were behind that) on the grounds they were using so she and any others who might need it later to change or fix themselves could have privacy without having to go into Hogwarts.

Ginny cast her patronus and sent it off. A few minutes later, Harry came through the tent's opening. Hermione watched him, realizing he couldn't see that she was doing so. She was so lucky he'd forgiven her. Ron, too, but this wizard. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he hadn't been able to get over her leaving as she had. She watched as his gaze immediately went to his wife, looking at her very appreciatively and Hermione felt a flip in her stomach that they'd found that. Both of them, despite the odds, they'd found happiness and love in the wizarding world.

"Where is she?" he said. "Please tell me she's here and not off somewhere making sure she hasn't forgotten something on a list."

"She's here," Ginny said. "Is Severus ready?"

"I think he's prepared to bite everyone's heads off, but yes, he's ready."

"She's ready. Do you want to let Lee know to start the music?"

"Yeah, and then I'll be back."

"All right, ladies," Ginny said, "take your places." The three attendants left the tent and Harry returned a few minutes later. Music for the attendants to walk in to began to play.

"‘Mione?" Harry said and she removed the disillusionment.

"Wow," he said, staring at her.

"Is that a bad wow?"

"No," he said quickly. "It's a you're here getting married, look stunning and I'm so flattered that you asked me to do this for you wow."

"Stunning?"

"Yes."

Her heart soared. She could absolutely live with stunning.

"Thank you," she whispered.

They'd decided this week since Hermione had asked Harry to give her away to have Minerva and Draco stand with Severus from the beginning and just have the attendants walk to their spot alone. So as it happened, it didn't matter whether Buffy showed up.

The sound of the first notes of Felix Mendelssohn's Wedding March came now. It was good knowing people within the Wizarding Wireless Network who could accomplish this for her. She took a breath. She'd needed this. Her parents couldn't be here, but her mum would want this song played.

"Ready?" he asked, offering her his arm.

"Never more," she said, sliding her hand to his offered arm. She took a deep breath then as they stepped out of the tent.

She was going to be married within the next hour. How absolutely excitingly crazy was that?

"Relax, Severus," Minerva said from beside him. All that did was make him scowl.

"Where is she?"

Minerva sniggered. "She is exactly where she's supposed to be. Her friends just got into their places. The music is now changing. Listen," his boss, former professor, and long-time friend said.

"Relax, Godfather," Draco said.

"Easy for you lot to say. You're not the one everyone's staring at."

"Of course I am," Draco said and Severus turned to glare at him. He saw humor in his godson's eyes and relaxed.

"Here she comes, Severus," Minerva said as all of the guests stood. "And just remember, you are reputed to be one of the most intelligent wizards our world has seen."

"Your point," he said, craning to see her through the crowd.

Everyone associated with Hogwarts seemed to be here. They'd left it pretty open ended, not wanting to leave out or offend anyone. Her friends were here and very obviously awestruck by all that was magical. Even Willow. He admittedly looked forward to catching up with her a bit this evening.

And then he spotted her, his mouth fell open and thoughts of guests, or anything else, left his mind.

"Close your mouth, Severus, and I think you just made my point for me," Minerva said, but he barely heard her because of the buzzing in his ears and the butterflies attacking his stomach.

He wasn't sure what her friends had done to her hair but for the first time in the twelve years he'd known her it was one hundred percent on its best behavior. Every curl was lying perfectly, every strand positioned to frame her face was doing so so subtly so as not to draw attention away from anything but her.

Her dress. He wasn't even sure where it ended. Little buttons on the front he noticed as she and Harry approached him. Weren't the buttons supposed to be on the back? Showed what he knew, he supposed.

Kingsley said something to which Harry replied "I do".

Oh right, who's giving Hermione to him. The symbolism was not lost on him as to who she'd chosen to give her away since her father was not an option. Really, there was no other choice and he'd known as soon as she'd mentioned someone walking her down the aisle who it would be.

Suddenly her face was revealed to him as Harry lifted her veil. He knew she wore makeup. No bride, not even Hermione Granger, would go without. Again her friends had done an outstanding job with it. It was so tastefully done that he truly wasn't sure, other than her lip paint, where the makeup ended and her natural face began.

"Are you okay?" she murmured when he hadn't moved yet to take her from Harry.

"I," he stammered.

For the first time in his life that he could recall he was rendered speechless and it had nothing to do with the residuals from that damned snake's bite. This witch, this woman, this vision of loveliness was committing to spending the rest of her days with him. At his side. In his bed. In his home. In his life. Bearing him children. 

What in the world had he done to deserve her? This? Despite thinking he'd done little but foul things for the entirety of his life he obviously somewhere, at some point, did something exceptionally right to have this as even an option to him.

"Severus," she whispered. She was looking at him in an amused way, but he also saw fear in her eyes.

Get on with it, man, before she thinks you're changing your mind.

He stepped forward then, bowing his head politely at Harry who lifted Hermione's hand from his arm and set it on Severus' before stepping in between Minerva and Draco on Severus' side of the bridal party.

Severus was certain tomorrow, or perhaps fifty years from now, he'd remember what all happened. All he knew was that somehow despite the path he had started on almost thirty years ago he was the luckiest wizard, nay man, in the world. Within an hour he had a bonded and legally wedded wife.

Pictures.

So many pictures.

Pictures with her attendants, pictures with his attendants, pictures with all of the attendants. Pictures with just the two of them and Ginevra as well as Minerva. Pictures of them with Edward Lupin and if he hadn't seen the look in her eyes before when she'd interacted with James Potter the past almost two years he'd be concerned she was going to up the timetable of a couple of years for their first child. He liked the look there, though. He just wasn't ready to be a father yet.

Scratch that.

He was ready, but he wanted to be a selfish prick for just a little bit and have his wife all to himself for a year or two before children came.

A delectable dinner with a never ending supply of champagne followed the ceremony and was enjoyed by all until their first dance. Minerva and the elves had truly outdone themselves because everything was perfect.

More pictures and Severus had to fight to control the urge to hex the photographer.

"Where are you going?" he asked when Ginny, Buffy, and Luna started walking with her.

"I'll be right back," she said with a wink. "I'm going to get ready for the reception."

"I'm sorry?"

Ginevra giggled and Severus wondered what that was about.

"I won't let her stray too far, Severus," her matron of honour said. "I promise." She winked then, too. They were up to something, but he couldn't imagine what. "You'll love it." Luna and Buffy gave soft laughs and he wondered what he was missing. What were they going to do? Was there something that they were doing he wasn't aware of as being a part of a wedding?

"I already do," he said. What was there to improve upon?

"Congratulations, Godfather," Draco said.

"Thank you, Draco," he said, turning to face his godson.

He truly hoped good things would happen for him. It was a hefty responsibility being his godfather despite his being an adult now. With his father in Azkaban and his mother missing, Severus knew he was essentially all the younger wizard had anymore.

While he doubted he and Buffy would do more than be friends, he had to admit Hermione had a fairly good idea introducing them to one another. It would be good for Draco to learn there was more to life than this, their pasts. Buffy would do well to discover not every man would abandon her.

In fact if he wasn't mistaken Charles Weasley was paying a more than casual interest amount of attention to the Slayer he had noticed. Now, that Weasley son Severus could see offering Buffy stability, happiness, and love. These were things that, love him as he did, Severus could not see Draco offering anyone not magical. Not truly. Draco had admitted the night before that a friend who knew nothing about him was something he needed. He'd stressed friend without saying he wasn't interested in the Slayer, but Severus had known what his godson meant.

"Did you know that Hermione's friend lives in a castle?"

Severus chuckled softly. "I did know that, yes. Before you get to thinking she's a wealthy heiress or something and rethink that friendship path you were talking with me about last evening. She's not."

"I know. She told me it was inherited or something through business. Do you know what business she's in?"

"I do," he said. "I imagine she will tell you that if and when she is able. Think of it as something akin to you not being able to walk up to anyone and admit you're a wizard."

"Oh right, I just wondered. I have no idea what Granger was doing," he stopped talking then and stared over Severus' shoulder. "Wow," Draco said.

"What?"

"Um, your wife," Draco said, slapping his arm to get him to turn around to look in her direction.

Where fifteen minutes ago there had been a long and glamorous train that seemed to go on forever there was now a form fitting skirt that left little to the imagination as far as her legs went. The bodice of the gown hadn't changed he noticed and he wondered not for the first time if the laces at her back actually worked and looked very forward to finding out later. He craned his neck, saw there was still a bit of a train behind her.

"You're missing something," he quipped when he met her on the lawn.

"You think they'll notice?"

"I noticed. Where did it go?"

"It came off," she said, gesturing to the tent.

He slid his arms to her sides, cupping her hips just shy of indecently touching her fabulous bum in front of hundreds of people. He supposed he was allowed to do that now, she was his wife but he figured he'd wait until later in the evening when everyone was three sheets to the wind to notice him getting handsy with his wife.

That gave him pause.

He had a wife.

He had this wife.

"I had rather looked forward to seeing just what we could do with that later."

"Did you now?"

"I did."

"I can certainly put it back on. I just want to dance without worrying I'm going to kill myself."

"Understood," he said, leaning in to kiss her. "You are a beautiful bride, Mrs. Snape. I stand by my previous statement. Narcissa would be jealous of you today."

She dipped her head, but not before he saw her blushing. "Thank you, Severus. And you are quite the fetching groom."

"I look the same as I do every day, just in a better suit. You look like you walked out of a film or magazine."

"Lee promised he'd play some slow songs."

"We will dance to those in between greeting all of our guests."

"Who knew we'd draw such a crowd?"

He scoffed. Who knew indeed.

"Any hints to our honeymoon now, Mr. Snape?"

"Let's just say that I hope you like Greek food."

"Shut up! Greece! Really?"

"Really."

"Well, now you're really really going to get lucky tonight."

"As opposed to every other night."

"Yes, but this is your first one with a wife."

"Very true, Wife. Well, let's get this greeting done with so that we can go take care of that."

"I will endeavor to be as fast as I can, Husband."

"For the greeting part I hope and not the lucky part."

"Maybe."

He absolutely looked forward to tonight and a week in Greece away from everyone and everything but just the two of them and … history. He knew she'd appreciate that, too. There was still doubt so her excitement eased his mind.

Time to go play nice with the masses. Though he knew with her there he would make it through the night without hexing or cursing anyone. All right and knowing he'd end the night with this woman legally in their rooms, their bed helped give him reason to get through this without making her feel he was too incredibly bothered or put out by having to talk to … people.

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com