The whole hall fell silent - one could have heard a needle drop. 

The young woman stood there, completely in shock as her hopefully soon to be fiancé kneeled there, waiting for her to answer. 

She, however, needed some time to process the words he spoke as her hands now covered her mouth and tears were shining in her eyes. She reacted to his pleading look with a whispered "yes", accompanied by a nod. 

More than elated, he stood up and scooped her into his arms, kissing her ardently. 

The attendants clapped and whistled, but Hermione and Severus didn't take notice of that.
When they parted again, he presented her with a fine silver ring and put it on her ring finger. 

"I love you too, Sev,"  Hermione whispered before they went to see their friends and family.

After everyone just talked and danced for a while longer, Hermione and Severus excused themselves and went to the dungeons.

++++++++

Now, a few weeks later, they were both sitting next to the lake, already planning the last details of their wedding. 

The students were on Summer Holiday and that's why, save for Hagrid and the elves, Hogwarts was empty. They had already moved up into the headmaster's flat and everything was prepared for the coming year. 

"We still haven't talked about any locations yet, Sev. Where do you want to get married?" asked Hermione as she looked up from her notepad, where she was busy scribbling away. 

"Why don't we just have the wedding here? The weather is great all summer long and Hogwarts will be our home for the next few decades, at least I hope so. We can have  the reception outdoors if it's not rainy, and it's someplace quiet with not many possibly unwanted guests."

Hermione smiled at him, nodded, and scribbled some notes on her notepad. 

"We won't be able to read next Friday. Harry, Draco and a few others insisted on throwing a stag party for me,"  he sighed, not really happy with whatever it was that his fiancée's friends had planned for him. He leant back against the tree they were sitting under and crossed his arms behind his head while Hermione busily scribbled away. 

After a while, he simply but quickly snatched her notebook from her lap and within seconds, it vanished right before her eyes, even before she was able to protest. "Take a break, love. Everything is planned, you've got your gown, so just lay back and relax for a moment." 

He wrapped her in his arms, and she snuggled into his chest, giving up protesting before she got started. 

They sat there for a while, just enjoying each other's company and watching the sun go down and disappear from their sight. It was blissfully silent, only a bird's song was to be heard once in a while. 

Later, when the stars were illuminating the night sky, Severus looked down at Hermione and noticed that she had already fallen asleep. Her face was lit up by the full July moon and for him, she looked as serene as he ever saw her. 

This was not the first time Severus couldn't believe how lucky he must have been to have the love of this beautiful woman. He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and gently woke her up. As she opened her eyes slowly, he said softly: "Come, let's get you to bed, my little lioness." 

He helped her up and after a few small steps, he snatched her up and carried her to their flat. He changed her into a nightgown and took off his clothing until he wore only his boxer shorts. He slipped into bed beside her, kissed her forehead and fell asleep, too.

+++++++

A week later, Hermione woke up alone in their bed. At first, she was really confused about where her partner was, but then she remembered that he had been out all night on his stag party and wasn't allowed to come home that night. But that also meant that today was her big day, today she would be marrying him. As fast as she could, she bolted out of bed and hopped into the shower, so that Ginny wouldn't have to wait when she came to make her hair and makeup later. Standing under the shower she began to overthink

What if he won't turn up? Stop it, Hermione. He loves you. He shows you every day just how much you mean to him. You are nearly a goddess for him if the way he treats you is any indication. Yes, you're right, just as usual. I just hope that the boys didn't do something utterly stupid yesterday and I hope that Severus remembered to pack enough hangover potion as they will surely need it.

She went on trying to reassure herself and succeeded with only a spark of doubt still lingering as she was towelling her hair. After that, she started putting on her undergarments and a bathrobe. 

A house-elf brought her some breakfast she didn't eat much from - she was too nervous to get something down without throwing it up right afterwards. 

At around ten o'clock, Ginny knocked and Hermione went to open the door. 

Ginny threw her arms around Hermione and after some time, they finally started working on Hermione's wedding outfit. The redhead put light makeup on the brunette's face and had the brown curls hanging down loosely before pinning half of them up, adorning the hair with some white roses. 

After nearly four hours of work, she stood back and looked proudly at what she did with her friend's hair and makeup. 

Hermione looked at her reflection in a mirror and already had to fight some tears. As the ceremony would be starting in less than an hour, Ginny produced Hermione's gown from a purse with an undetectable extension charm that Hermione had gifted her for Christmas years ago. 

Hermione put on the dress and Ginny did the same. 

The youngest Weasley sighed seeing her friend all done for her big day. 

Hermione's dress was white adorned with black stitching on the skirt. Hermione looked at her red-haired friend, who wore an emerald green dress that fit perfectly and looked great together with her auburn hair.

At roughly ten to three, there was a knock on the door. It was Draco who came to take them down to the location. 

"Hello, ladies. I heard that there was something to be celebrated in a few minutes and I wondered whether you'd like to attend that gathering together with me?" 

He smiled at them as he joked. The women nodded, and he held both of his arms out for them to take.

At the same time, a very nervous and anxious Severus Snape was pacing before the altar. 

"Severus, calm down. She loves you, everything will work out just fine, you'll see," Harry Potter tried to calm his best friend's fiancé, the man he used to loathe in his teens. 

"I don't know, Harry. What if she changed her mind? What if she found someone better suited than me? What if she stands here and just says 'no'? I couldn't take that, Harry!" 

The older black-haired man sat down on a chair in the front row and covered his face with his hands. Harry sat down next to him, putting one of his hands on the older man's shoulder.

"Trust me, she'll come. She'll come and say yes. She loves you more than anything. Not only that, but she has that smile every time she sees you or even just talks about you. And Hermione is a very stubborn witch, a trait you two have in common. I have known her since we were eleven, and she never changed her mind without many strong reasons and never within such a short time. 

She loves you and that won't change. Now, stand up from Ginny's chair. I see Draco and her coming over here, so it won't be long. Just remember, she loves you." The emerald-eyed man smiled encouragingly at him and held out his hand to help him up. 

As the both of them stood, Harry readjusted Severus' tie and then shooed him away to stand in front of the altar. He, too, adjusted his emerald green tie and took his position, standing slightly to the right behind the anxious groom. Ginny stood there opposite him, with Astoria in a red dress next to her. Draco walked up to them in his red dress robes, standing next to Harry. 

It was then that Severus turned around to see his bride walking down the aisle on her father's arm. Severus had never been at a loss for words, but this view took his breath away. He stood there smiling at his beautiful bride.

Hermione, too, was speechless. Her soon-to-be husband wore a black button-down, black slacks and a deep red muggle suit combined with a red, velvety muggle tie and red vest. His hair was pulled back, and his glasses were sitting there on his aquiline nose.

They got lost in each others eyes until they stood opposite each other and Peter Granger presented his daughter's small hand to the groom. 

"Take care of her for me, won't you?" were Peter's words, to which Severus could only nod. They both were happily smiling as they turned to face the official from the Ministry who would be performing the ceremony.