Hermione was sitting on the rope swing in the Granger Gardens, gleefully letting Harry push her back and forth as she watched the sky turn in blues and whites.

Summer was the perfect time for a wedding, and the more meetings she kept having with Severus the more she was sure the wedding itself would be perfect. Her duty was no longer what was keeping her in place of their engagement, it was now the man. Master Snape was a dutiful doctor and suitor, and she enjoyed their time together every chance they had.

Hermione adored his wit and his kindness, especially the way he valued her and her opinion. He told her about his various cases over the years as a doctor, and she shied not from his experience. She felt free to tell him all about her thirst for knowledge and how her life had been a liberating one. Hermione had found the way he listened endearing, and the way he spoke with her even more so. He was not only a conversationalist, but a gentleman, and when he took her to dinner previously, he'd offered her his mother's engagement ring.

It was a gorgeous piece she stared at even as she was being rocked on the swing. The whole thing was a thick, silver band, and embezzled in the thick metal was a black stone and two white ones, obviously diamonds, which sparkled every time it caught light. She adored how uniquely him it was, and while she could not claim that she loved Master Snape, affection had grown more than she had thought it would, even in the midst of the Granger Gardens that first evening.

He'd been rather romantic about proposing, too, and that was what dipped her fondness into affection. She cared greatly for him, and they'd shared a kiss after the ring slipped over her finger. The restaurant had cheered gaily, and they'd left the evening truthfully and genuinely engaged.

Ronald was leaning against the tree reading, and scarcely watching Harry push her as her blue skirts rustled the loose stones below them. Oh how she anticipated wearing white for her wedding.

They'd made a few plans for the event, but not as many as they had been hoping. Fall would be upon them before the actual ceremony took place. While the weather would turn cold, it was easy enough to enjoy it still, seeing as the colors would be richer for their background.

Master Snape got called around quickly, and when the receiver rung while he was at Granger Manor, it was no longer a surprise when it was for him. The first time had puzzled her father, but he'd mentioned briefly that his receiver at home was manned by one of his servants who would direct the calls to the Granger line. Her father hadn't minded, of course.

Her parents adored Severus almost as much as she did, if not more. They liked the way she returned to them always happy and in a better mood than previously. While he was away often, or had to leave for reasons of life or death, they still realized that he treated their daughter better than any other man could have. Luck happened to now be upon the Granger's it seemed, and the insult the Snapes had given to the family were now evanescent.

Hermione dreamily stared at the ring and was almost jolted off the swing when Harry stopped it suddenly.

"You devil!" She said aghast, looking back at he who had stopped her fun... and her fantasizing.

"You're far too caught up in that thing for my taste, and Ronald over here looks bored. Ginny loves her ring, but she fancies me more, I think.... Why don't we play a game?"

"How old are we?" Hermione whined, standing off the rope swing and feeling solid ground beneath her. It took her a moment to settle on the still earth, but not terribly long.

"Eighteen, and never too young to play games! Is your old man of a fiance already sucking the fun out of you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, knowing that her boys thought she was only fond of Master Snape because he had given her a shiny present and a very nice wedding.

"Doesn't he often leave you out of the blue? Disrespectful if you'd ask me," Ronald said casually, his book getting tossed to the ground in favor of the conversation.

"He's a doctor, Ronald! What else do you expect of him if he's needed? To ignore someone dying so he can spend useless time making decisions I am perfectly capable of doing myself?" She posed, looking back at him with a spin of her skirts.

"Patient or not, you deserve all hours of a man's time who tries to court you."

"We're not courting any longer, we're engaged."

He rolled his eyes, but then again the man had never been good at propriety. It was understandable, but Hermione hoped that Ginny was better at integrating into high society or Harry would be a social outcast before they could get past their vows.

"I think we should play at pirates," Harry offered up, noticing the tension that had been created between his two friends.

Hermione hated playing a pirate, they way they talked was informal, and she much preferred playing the princess when one of the boys would save her from the other playing the mighty dragon.

They played reverse one time, where Ronald was the princess, and Harry had to save him from her by tickling her to death. It had been quite amusing in the gardens, and they'd never ceased to delay banter over any of the aspects.

So they played like children, as they had been doing for years, and Hermione smiled as they ran around the gardens, exclaiming how unlucky it was for them to have her aboard their ship. They would complain and moan, but never was she threatened to walk the plank, until the third fake storm they'd ran into and they finally decided to chuck her from the fountain ledge.

She jumped happily, giggling and forgetting the fact that the day was turning late and Master Snape was coming for a visit that evening. Of course he was there to meet the boys, and so her parents had decided they would be vacant for the night.

None of that mattered however, when as she was given a stern push from the boys and she landed on the gravel, breaking into a run as though swimming far away from the boat into "cold water." She looked back at the boys whose faces had turned strange, and she then ran right into a solid chest of black.

Hermione shut her laughter off immediately, looking up at a familiar suit-coat and cringing inwardly. Her stumble back was unaided by any source of help, so she was forced to gain her own balance back without even a word of concern. It was humiliating to say the very least.

Her fiance looked... upset almost, an emotion she'd never seen on his visage before. It was cold and made his features turn ugly. Such a description had not appeared in her mind for many weeks now, and it was odd that Hermione had even thought it in the first place now that he was so endeared to her.

When had he gotten so cruel?

She glanced back at Harry and Ronald and gulped, motioning them over as she stepped back from Master Snape and straightened her attire. Her blouse was coming out from her skirts and her top button wasn't done either. She felt foolish as she looked at the sudden group that formed.

Hermione was still facing her unhappy looking fiance, so she curtsied in greeting, and he gave her a non-traditionally low bow. He'd never bowed low enough for it to look like one, and suddenly he was bending at the waist. What had changed? Had he lost a patient and was in an irritable mood? They could simply reschedule dinner if he pleased.

"Shall I be introduced to your companions?" Master Snape asked he gestured to behind her where they were suddenly standing very close. There seemed to be no cancelling of dinner on his mind.

"Of course," she mumbled, putting her head down as she attempted to stand at his side and grab his hand. He did not grasp back, but she continued to hold anyways, her nerves on edge for the first time since they'd met.

"This," she motioned to Harry with her unoccupied hand, "Is Mister Harry Potter, heir of the Potter household, and this is Mister Ronald Wesley, son of one of the most respected British officers."

Her fiance took his right hand from her hold and reached out to Harry, then to Ronald as well, and Hermione cringed when he took his lithe fingers and threaded them together behind his back, leaving no room for her to even grab his arm. She tried not to show how hurt she felt, needing to keep face when all three men were present.

"I am glad to finally put faces to each of your fondly-spoken names."

Mr. Potter bowed, and Mr. Wesley followed suit, though it was unnatural and forced.

Hermione hated to think that Ronald still held any affection for her after hearing about her happy engagement. It just seemed that he was reciprocating the standoffish demeanor that her own fiance held. Harry was his normal, joyful, self, even when reading the feelings of those around him.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Master Snape. Hermione speaks more fondly of you, we are sure," the pleasant man said. It seemed Mr. Wesley was not to be saying much of anything.

Master Snape chose this time to look at Hermione finally, and a bit of his normal kindness had returned.

"I believe the staff mentioned supper was ready upon my travel through you household."

"Right," she said calmly, though her breathing was heavy and harsh as she led them all through the gardens and back into the manor.

She felt like something had gone inexplicably wrong while she wasn't paying attention, as though they had all met before in the most dreadful of circumstances.

And if she thought the meeting had not gone well, supper was unbearable. Silence reigned over most of the event, Master Snape asking most of the questions, and Harry answering them. He had asked how they all had met, and the details were a cute story of the young meddling Harry, and a very curious Hermione. Then of how Ron was around eventually, and how everyone melded together just like that. They adored one-another, and they would never see the day where they wouldn't. At least, Hermione thought not.

To her great surprise, the evening ended early and quite unlike she had expected it to. Her fiance had merely excused himself after he'd finished off his post-supper tea, and left without even a kiss to her cheek. Hermione had rushed after him, wanting an evening kiss, but was rewarded a look she'd never seen on Master Snape's face before. It was almost pitiful, and before she could get a word out, he hopped into his carriage, a driver sporting the seat this time, and was driven away.

She brushed the tears into her gloves before she returned to tea with her friends, mentioning how they should go home. Harry agreed, kissed her cheek, and left, looking disapprovingly at Ronald as he stayed behind.

"If you could take leave, Mr. Wesley, I would greatly appreciate it," Hermione said, her throat swollen and making the words come out choked and reserved.

"I can't," he burst abruptly, then quieted hearing his own echo and watching her startle, "How can you tell us he makes you happy, Hermione? He seems to make you miserable from all I can see."

She shook her head in denial.

"No, he is not usually so militant," Hermione told him weakly.

"I doubt that," Ronald scoffed, coming up to her and placing a hand on her cheek. It was brazen placement, and she did not like his telling whisper, "How can you let that old dodge make you happy? Hermione, I do not care for society and it's outlandish nonsense. I... well I think I love you, and I want you to come away with me. We can go anywhere, and I can get a good job doing what my father does. Harry would send us money, and we'd both be happy! Doesn't that sound better than marrying yourself off to that... arse."

"Mr. Wesley!" She all but yelled, her tone quieting the moment she was far enough from him to be out of reach, "How dare you attempt to usurp me from my fiance? We are plighted and there is nothing either of us can do to change that."

She had her hand where his had been, but then it slipped up to her forehead, a painful headache coming on at the situation she suddenly found herself in.

"It sounds as though you don't want him. Do you?"

How condescending of someone like him! He should be bowing and giving her congratulations, not attempting to offer her a life which would never make her happy. It was never about the money, and a few years ago Hermione would have jumped at the offer. She'd wanted it for so long, but now?

That was years ago, and she'd... well, she'd fallen for Master Severus Snape, and she wanted to call him her husband. Certainly not Ronald Wesley. He would destroy not only what little of his family name there was, but also two other influential families of Britain, and she couldn't do that.

Besides, her love was the most important thing, and while earlier she had thought that there was no love in her heart for Master Severus Snape... it seemed that there certainly was now with the threat that there may be nothing between them at all.

"I've never wanted anything more in my life," she told him bluntly, "Now go, get out of the manor before my parents return or the servants hear you lingering."

He huffed, but finally took his leave and left Hermione crying in her living room.

She hoped that she hadn't royally mucked up every relationship she had that day, for if Master Snape did not return to her, she wouldn't know what to do.

A/N

I love posting days!!! Don't you?

I want to post my new book too, but Time Boat isn't quite ready yet. I only have a few chapters written and would like to stay ahead of the game for that one so that way we don't go having any lack of publishing!

Let me know what you think!