Not Yet (A Hermione Granger fanfic)

Chapter 28

A/N: So I have an apology to make for keeping this chapter so long. Life kind of got in the way. But it looks like there will be one more after this. I'll do my best to be quicker with it—Promise!

THANKS again to all my wonderful readers. I've truly enjoyed writing for you!

*****Chapter TWENTY-EIGHT*****

After tossing the idea back and forth all day, Hermione and Severus decide to go speak to the Weasleys that evening. Hermione Floos ahead of time and asks if they have a few minutes. Arthur greets her. He looks tired, and after the bustle of the wedding the Burrow is strangely quiet. Probably everyone is still digesting the news from that morning—the news Ron's killer will be brought to justice.

"Of course, Hermione," Arthurs answers. "You're always welcome—you don't ever have to ask."

"Ah. Well . . ." Hermione begins. "I'm bringing a friend, well more than a friend actually, and he might be quite of a shock so you and Molly should probably sit down while we Floo over. And maybe you should make some tea now so you don't have to later because—"

"Hermione," Arthur says. "Unless it's bad news, just come on over and be done with it." He shakes his head and smiles. "And if it is bad news, come on over anyway."

Hermione's grateful he's stopped her stammering. When she pulls her head out of her fireplace, Severus is standing next to her with an amused smirk on his face.

"Did you just tell them to go make tea now for the shock?" he asks.

Hermione smiles. "I just want them to be prepared."

"Yes, because I'm sure your babbling has put them completely at ease. They can't possibly be over there worrying about what news you're going to drop."

"Alright alright." Hermione tries to sound irritated, but their relationship is still to new for her to be upset at him.

She steps through first, landing on the Burrow's hearth a moment before Severus. Just enough time to register the crowd. Despite her warning, no fewer than five Weasleys are standing in the living room—Arthur and Molly, Bill and Fleur, and Charlie. Hermione barely has time to feel guilty for the worried look on their faces when all five of them gasp.

Hermione turns to Severus who is standing just behind her. He steps out into the room, dark and intimidating, but also stiff and obviously unsure of the welcome he is about to receive.

Arthur turns white, and Molly sinks onto the back of a chair, grappling to support herself. The others all have dumbfounded looks on their faces.

Bill is the first one to gather his wits. "Well that explains it," he says.

"What?" asks Hermione.

"George refused to talk to me this morning when I stopped by the shop. Avoided me like I was a Crumpled-Horned Snorkack. He knows, doesn't he?"

Severus gives a curt nod and then looks at Arthur.

"Severus," Arthur begins. Then he gathers himself and strides over to Severus and Hermione. But he addresses Hermione: "I'm assuming you wouldn't be bringing him here unless you were sure?"

"Yes, Arthur." Realizing Severus hasn't said a word, she elbows him.

He clears his throat and offers his hand to Arthur. "I'm afraid I've given you a shock. I can prove my identity if you feel the need. Shacklebolt already knows."

Arthur looks at Severus's hand, grips it with his own, then pulls the younger man into a hug. At this, Molly begins crying and rushes over. Severus awkwardly pats Arthur on the back, obviously hoping he'll let go. But as soon as he does, Molly grabs him and wraps her arms around his middle. Severus shoots Hermione a look that clearly means help, but Hermione is crying too and hugs Arthur.

And now everyone is talking at once, wanting to know the details. It's some minutes before they quiet down enough to actually listen. Once Severus realizes he isn't expected to hug anyone else—or perhaps because of all the physical affection—he adopts his usual brusque manner and explains the situation in as few words as possible. This approach only earns him more questions, so while Hermione makes tea, everyone else settles around the table and makes him start over from the beginning.

The conversation doesn't take a turn toward Hermione's relationship with Severus until after midnight. The family is sleepy. Heads nod. The quiet seems ready to take over. Molly has been crying off and on throughout the evening, but she's calmer now. The only evidence of her emotion is her puffy cheeks and eyes.

"What I don't understand," she asks, "is why you left Romania, Hermione. Didn't you find Severus there?"

"Yes," Hermione answers, looking at Severus sitting across from her.

"Did the shock of discovering who he was send you back?"

"Umm. No. I knew who he was a few weeks before I came back. We . . . Uh . . . Had a row, and I came back in a fit of temper."

"I'm afraid I drove her to it," Severus says. "I wasn't quite upfront with her about everything in the beginning. Which brings us to one more thing." Severus gazes at Hermione across the table, the love in his eyes unmistakeable.

Everyone around the table perks up, looking from one to the other. Hermione braces herself for their announcement; she's not sure why it scares her. Severus is about to make their relationship public, about to declare his love for her in front of the people she holds most dear.

And she doesn't want him to do it. Not yet.

Hermione straightens in her seat, ready to stop him. But she's too late. He's already speaking . . .

". . . apologize for interrupting the wedding with such unpleasant business," he's saying, giving Hermione a puzzled look. "I thought it best to get the wizard into custody before anything else happened."

All around, everyone looks confused, like they know Severus was about to say something else. Then Arthur directs the conversation to the new wardens at Azkaban, and no one has time to change the subject. Molly watches Hermione who squirms just a little under her gaze. Molly was almost Hermione's mother-in-law, and Hermione wonders if she'll resent Hermione for finding someone else.

But she has little time to ponder the question before she sees Severus glancing at her as he converses with Arthur and Bill. He must have used Legilimency just before he spoke. Which means he saw her hesitation. Hermione mentally kicks herself for her cowardice. Because that's what it was—a moment of fear. Fear that the Weasleys wouldn't be accepting, that they wouldn't understand. At the same time, she knows it's ridiculous. The Weasleys will understand better than most. Hermione tries to open her mind to Severus, to let him know the reason behind her hesitation, but she can't be sure he understands. She's desperate; the thought of another misunderstanding scares her worse than the Weasleys.

So just as Arthur is filling in Severus on the state of the Wizengamot, Hermione jumps up from her seat, shocking the table into silence.

"I have something to say."

All eyes are on her.

Now or never.

She looks at Severus and, seeing the look of amused shock on his face, smiles. "Severus and I are engaged."

Declaring her engagement to Severus Snape stuns the Weasleys as if she's cast a Body-Bind curse on all of them. The silence could not be more silent. Even the clock has stopped ticking.

"Somebody say something," she breathes.

Molly stands up and makes her way over to Severus's seat. He looks at her warily, probably wondering where her wand is and what hex she's planning on using. Instead, Molly leans down and wraps her arms around Severus's shoulders, hugging him once again and whispering, "Then that means you'll be part of the family, won't you?"

And she starts crying again.