Hermione's Proposal

[madeleone]

Posting some of my recent drabbles. 
This series is actually a prequel to my Severus Sacrifice Series which can be read at GS/100 ( here )  or at my LJ( here ) See these drabbles for the rest of the story WIP (Severus' Sacrifice  Parts I and II, Role Reversal, and A Kiss Goodbye )
Title: Hermione's Proposal
Word Count: 100x13
Rating: PG
Challenges:  little black dress challenge
Characters: Severus, Hermione
Authors Note: It all belongs to JKR, I'm only playing for a bit, I make no money here. This work is unbeta'd all mistakes are my own. 

 

Hermione checked everything off her list. She wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for the night she had planned.

 

The perfect little black dress, check.

Reservations at Severus' favorite restaurant, check.

Chilled champagne waiting at home, check.

Candles ready to be lit with the wave of a wand, check.

Fresh silk sheets on the bed, check.

 

Yes, it seemed everything was ready for what she'd planned.

 

Seven years ago, she never in her wildest dreams would have guessed that she'd end up here living with Severus Snape, or that he would become the true love of her life.

 

 

 

After the war, she'd gone back to Hogwarts to complete her NEWTs, then turned down the Ministries offer of a job. Instead she had continued her love of learning by spending the next three years studying both History and Potions.

 

Severus Snape, meanwhile, had survived Nagini's bite, just barely. And after a lengthy recovery he'd opted to go into business for himself rather than return to teaching.

 

She was required to serve one year with a qualified Potions master, and as far as she was concerned there was no one better qualified in the entire wizarding world than Professor Snape.

 

 

 

It had taken a lot of convincing, but she had finally succeeded in getting him to take her on as an apprentice. So technically the first year she had lived with Severus had been once again in a teacher/student type of role. They hadn't been lovers yet, but it gave them a chance to know each other.

 

Both were changed by the war. Hermione was quiet, reserved, and less of what Severus referred to as a hand waving, know-it-all. Severus was less sarcastic and bitter since he served no Master but himself. He was even known to smile on occasion.

 

 

 

Once her apprenticeship ended their physical relationship began. Those last couple of months the unresolved sexual tension had been so thick they both could have choked on it. He tried to convince her that he was too old, too jaded, not what she needed in a man, but she'd overruled his opinion and seduced him on the desk in his office, and against the door in their lab, the sofa in the sitting room and finally in Severus big comfy bed. And they'd been together ever since. This was definetely not where she thought she'd end up seven years post-war.

 

 

 

 

Hermine looked fabulous in the little black dress she'd carefully chosen for the night, Severus had commented several times on how lovely she looked.

 

The dinner at Antonio's, Severus favorite Italian restaurant, was excellent.

 

Upon returning home they sipped Champagne and nibbled on strawberries.

 

Hermione knelt between Severus knees. He smiled and stroked her hair, he'd hoped the evening would end like this and he'd so been looking forward to it.

 

She placed her hands lightly on his thighs and looked into his eyes. “Severus, I love you so much, you mean everything to me. Will you marry me?”

 

 

 

“What... !” Severus began coughing, choking on the gulp of champagne he'd swallowed. Pushing her away he stalked across the room. “You, can't be serious!” he exclaimed. Turning to stare at her with an angry look he asked, “You aren't serious, are you?”

 

Hermione felt a horrible sinking sensation in her heart at Severus reaction. This was not at all the response she'd expected. She blinked quickly, willing herself not to cry. Don't cry... don't cry. You'll look like a silly lovesick idiot. Swallowing hard, she asked, “What if I am? Why is that so wrong?”

 

 

 

“Why is it wrong?” His tone indicated she should clearly know why it was wrong.

 

“Yes, why Severus? What I said was true, I love you. And although I know you've never actually said it... I assumed... that is...” She paused as a horrifiying realization hit her, “Oh my God, you don't love me, do you?”

 

“Whether I love you or not is not the issue, Hermione. Marriage is,” he stated harshly. “I told you in the beginning all the reasons I was not the right man for you and none of those reasons have changed.”

 

 

 

She noticed that he'd side-stepped the whole love issue by focusing on her proposal.

 

“I'm far too old for you, I have too dark a past to be someone's husband or father. I've done things in my life that I'll regret until the day I die and I've no intention of bringing those burdens to a marriage. If it's marriage you want, you must find it elsewhere... leave here.”

 

“But, we've lived together for two years. Where is our relationship going then?” Hermione felt totally lost, ice cold, like she was freezing slowly, from the inside out.

 

 

 

 

“Marriage is not the be all and end all for every relationship that people would have you to believe.”

 

“But I don't understand, you don't think we can just go on like this forever?”

 

“For now, yes. Why change things? I'm happy, you're happy. Just let it be, Hermione,” Severus sighed and gathered her in his arms, in a display of comfort and affection. He didn't seem to notice that there was no response to his embrace, she just stood limply in his arms. “Marriage is for fools, Sweetheart. Neither one of us is a fool.”

 

 

 

At that very instant she could feel her frozen heart shatter into thousands of pieces. She whispered, “I'm no fool.”

 

“Good girl, I knew you'd see reason.” Taking her hand he pulled her toward the bedroom. “Let's go to bed, Luv.”

 

She resisted. “No, not now. I need to think awhile. Okay?”

 

“Of course, wake me when you come in.”

 

As he turned to go to bed she pulled him back and kissed him with all her heart. He looked at her strangely when she ended the kiss. She just spoke softly, “Goodnight, Severus.”

 

 

 

 

Hermione cast a silencing charm and began to cry. She sobbed for nearly an hour before she was able to stop. “You're right, Severus, I'm not a fool,” she said to herself as she decided what to do.

 

She changed her clothes, the little black dress was left hanging in the closet. She'd had such high hopes when she'd chosen it, now she never wanted to see it ever again.

 

Severus awoke to an empty bed and figured that Hermione was somewhere sulking. Well let her pout awhile, he thought to himself. She'll get it out of her system

 

 

 

His first clue was when Crookshanks didn't come running for food.

 

He checked the living room and immediately realized all her things were gone: her photos, her Order of Merlin, her Potions Mistress certificate.

 

On the desk he found her note.

 

Dear Severus,

Thank you for opening my eyes.

It seems we have very different goals in life.

You were right, I'm no fool.

I can't stay forever with someone who can't commit to me.

Harry will pick up the rest of my things.

Love,

Hermione.

 

Severus couldn't believe it, he fell back into the chair, devastated. She'd left him.

 

 

 

Once calm, Hermione was sure that after he had time to think about it, he'd come for her, ask her to come home, or at least discuss things. He never did.

 

Severus managed to convince himself, in the end, that her leaving was the best thing for both of them. She clearly wanted things he couldn't give her, things he'd never even dared to dream of, a wife, a family. No, it was better this way, she could find someone younger, someone she had more in common with. And he could return to being himself, a sad, bitter, lonely man.