A/N: This was written for the Celebrate_SSHG anniversary fest on LiveJournal. The original prompt was this: "It's the Grangers' silver wedding anniversary, with all of the family there for the party. What do they make of Hermione's tall, dark and ugly fiancé, Severus Snape?"
Many thanks to refya for looking this over for me!

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the Harry Potter universe.

"Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"Remember how I mentioned my parents' anniversary party next week?"

"Yes…?"

"Well… I may have mentioned to them that I was planning to take a guest."

"Hermione."

"Look, I know you've not been keen to meet them yet, but it's been two years. I can't go on telling them forever that no, I'm not seeing anyone or yes, there is someone, but it's not serious. Especially when I blush every time my father purses his lips and shakes his head and my mother gives me that knowing look."

"Oh, very well. I'll come with you. I suppose this was inevitable."

"They are nice people, Severus. They won't bite."

"If you say so."

Severus sighed. He'd never admit it, but he was anxious about meeting her parents – no matter how often she'd said that even if they disapproved, it wouldn't matter to her. That this was her life, and her relationship, not that of her parents.

He still wasn't convinced. But it was her parents' anniversary party – their silver wedding anniversary, if he remembered correctly. They wouldn't make a scene. Or so he hoped.

"Oh… Severus?"

"Yes?"

"How should I introduce you? I can't really say, 'This is Severus, my boyfriend', can I? You're not exactly a boy, and boyfriend just sounds so… wrong, somehow. And I can't really say 'my lover' either." She blushed. "I mean, not to my parents. That's just too much information. And 'my special someone' is just too… too…"

Severus raised his head from his book and looked at her. This was his moment, the moment he'd been waiting for, but he was nowhere near ready yet. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again. And again, until he finally swallowed, his throat dry, and managed to say the words, attempting his best to sound as nonchalant as he could.

"How about as your fiancé?"

Hermione stared at him.

"Did you just… Was this what I think it was?"

Severus was already busy patting down his pockets. Damn it! He'd taken to carrying it around everywhere, but… ah yes. It was in the pocket of his other robes. Could this go any more wrong? Would she laugh at him once she was over the shock? Would she say no?

He Summoned the little box with a nonverbal spell and caught it deftly. Hermione just blinked when it flew past her.

Severus stood and stepped closer to Hermione, box in his outstretched hand. "This is for you." He was aware of the little spots of colour creeping up his face. Damn. He really shouldn't have waited this long with it.

Hermione took the box and opened it. She looked at the ring, then at Severus.

"Well?"

As soon as the word left his lips, he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. Hoping against hope that he could still salvage something, he took her hand in his. "Hermione. I am asking… That is, would you do me the honour of… Would you marry me?"

Hermione beamed at him. And then she threw herself at him and kissed him – lips, nose, cheekbones, everywhere.

Severus was quite sure this meant yes.

xXxXx

Beth Granger was surveying the living room. Everything seemed to be in order, but the guests would start arriving soon and there was almost always some last minute thing to take care of – something she just wouldn't see in time. William's socks under the coffee table, for example; now that had been embarrassing at the last dinner party they'd thrown.

She was nearly certain that William would never do that again, not after the scolding she'd given him. But it wouldn't hurt to check. Even if she'd just checked half an hour ago.

No socks, thank goodness. Just another dust bunny that must have drifted over from somewhere else during the thorough cleaning she'd given the room.

She mentally reviewed the guest list again. There would be the usual – both sets of parents, her two older brothers, William's sister, assorted uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and several cousins on both sides, some of their colleagues that they occasionally socialised with… oh, and of course Hermione had mentioned she would be bringing someone.

Beth smiled. She knew, naturally, that her daughter was seeing someone. Had been for a while, if she was right. Hermione had always just blushed and tried to steer the conversation elsewhere whenever the subject had come up, which was as good as confirming it. She only wondered why she'd never brought her young man over. He would be a wizard, of course, so perhaps she was just worried he wouldn't fit in. She'd met some of Hermione's school mates and their parents – oh, those young wizards could certainly be clueless about the world outside their own little special bubble. Perhaps she didn't want to embarrass him, whoever he was.

Oh, but she had to admit she hoped it wasn't that young red-headed lad Hermione had seemed so enamoured with some years ago. Ron, wasn't it? She might be unfair to the boy – she hardly knew him, after all, and Hermione must have seen something in him – but she knew her daughter had spent more than a few nights over the years crying because of the hurtful things the boy had said or done.

No, it probably wouldn't be him. Hermione would not be this secretive if it was someone they knew about.

Well, they'd meet him soon enough, Beth thought. And she still had a long list of things to check off before the first guests would be there.

xXxXx

Hermione was fretting. She was wearing one of her nicest (one of her only) dresses, she'd made sure the shoes fit (and that the Transfiguration would hold), she'd had her present wrapped and ready to go for days now, and Severus had given her his word that he'd be there, in her flat, on time.

Yet it was now only five minutes until she really had to Disapparate to make it to her parents' home without being late. And there was still no Severus.

She closed her eyes and counted to ten. He'd promised. He'd be here. He was probably just putting it off until the very last moment.

Or maybe not.

She sighed, feeling terribly disappointed. He'd never disappointed her before. Was that what their marriage would be like? Perhaps she should leave the ring behind; if Severus wasn't going to be there next to her, there was really no reason to show it off.

She was just looking around for a safe place to put it, twisting it on her finger, when the doorbell rang. And there he was, with one minute to spare.

Hermione gave him a wan smile, although she did feel relieved.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked. She had never been very good at keeping her feelings from him. "Did you think I wouldn't come?"

She shrugged. "Well, you were leaving it very close…"

Severus looked at her with those wonderful dark eyes of his, and she melted. "I couldn't decide on what to wear," he admitted. "I'm sorry. I just didn't know what kind of attire Muggles would find suitable on such an occasion these days, and I hadn't thought to ask you earlier."

Hermione smiled. "I could have Transfigured your robes," she said. "But let me see."

Severus was wearing a dark suit – not black, she noted, but a very dark grey, with a button-up shirt and a dark blue, modestly patterned tie. She wasn't entirely sure about the overall look, but that might have been because she'd so rarely seen Severus in Muggle clothes. He seemed a little uncomfortable, and had the jacket buttoned up all the way, but he'd fit in with the rest of the guests just fine. At least as far as clothes went.

"Let's go then," she said, and took Severus's hand. "I'm sorry about having to take you Side-Along, but it's really the only option today. My parents do have their fireplace connected to the Floo network, but with all these other people there, we probably shouldn't risk it."

Severus nodded, and they Disapparated.

xXxXx

William Granger had been assigned the task of mingling. "Keep the guests busy," Beth had said, "while I take care of any last minute arrangements." He huffed. What was the big deal, anyway? Well, not that he'd put it like that to Beth – their silver wedding anniversary was, after all, a big deal. But why did she have to make such a fuss about it? If anyone had asked him, not that anyone had, he'd have told them that they'd invited entirely too many people.

Although, if he was honest, he couldn't really have left anyone off the guest list, either. Some cousins perhaps, on Beth's side, that he didn't know too well, but then Beth would have found an excuse to leave his Aunt Maddie out as well, and – oh, the problems that would have caused!

He only hoped that their house would hold everyone. They really should have held the party somewhere else. Too late now, he supposed.

Most of the guests had already arrived and he was doing his best to introduce people to each other so that they could continue mingling amongst themselves. Most of them were of course related or had met each other before, but with their co-workers here as well, that still meant work for him. He felt he needed – deserved – a break. All that small talk; at least at work, he could keep the chatting pleasantly one-sided.

The doorbell rang again. William sighed.

xXxXx

"Hermione!"

"Hi, Dad," Hermione said. "You're looking— Hmm, I was going to say you're looking good, but you look as if you're in need of being rescued. Lots of people here already, I take it?"

"Almost everyone, yes."

Hermione made a face. "Sorry about being late. I miscalculated the time it would take us to walk here from the nearest Apparition point."

She stepped aside and let Severus enter.

"Dad, this is… This is Severus. Severus, my father."

"William Granger," her father said, extending a hand to Severus. Rather rigidly, she noticed.

Severus shook it. "Pleased to meet you. Severus Snape, Hermione's…"

"My fiancé." Hermione blushed.

Her dad looked at her, then at Severus. She tried to read his face for his reaction but it was impossible to tell whether he was just shocked or seething with repressed anger.

"I think I should go and get your mother. Or rather go and prepare her." And with that, he turned around and left.

Hermione swallowed. "That went well?" she offered, her voice belying her words.

"Better than I expected," Severus muttered. "I was prepared to throw up a shield, in case he felt like punching me in the face."

Hermione noticed he was fingering his sleeve where she knew his wand was hidden. He wasn't joking.

She touched his arm. "Come on. One down, one to go. They're not going to make a scene. Not with all the family here." She didn't add that she just hoped her parents would be sensible enough to stay calm later, too. She really should have told them about Severus earlier. No doubt they were expecting her companion to be… different.

xXxXx

"Hermione's here."

Beth looked up from the carrot sticks she was arranging on a platter. William stood at the door, his knuckles white with the effort he was putting into squeezing the door jamb.

"Did she come alone?" She knew it was a silly question. From the way William was looking, it was obvious that she'd brought her young man. And that her husband didn't approve of the young man in question.

"No, she did not. She came with her fiancé. Fiancé! Did you know that our Hermione's got herself engaged?"

Beth wiped her hands with a towel. "No, I didn't."

"I just cannot believe she's kept this from us!"

"William, the guests."

William stepped inside and closed the door. "I know that she's kept a lot from us. All that about the war, and her involvement, and… Almost everything to do with her own world, as she calls it. But this… I just cannot believe it. And you know what?"

"What?"

"That fiancé, as she had the arrogance to introduce him as – you know who he is?"

"Hermione's never mentioned the name of her young man to me. She didn't even confirm there was someone until she told us she'd be bringing someone along, remember?"

William sighed. "Yes, I remember."

"So who is it? Someone we should know? Has she ever mentioned him before?"

"Snape."

"Severus Snape? That professor of hers? The spy? That Snape?"

"That Snape. I recognised him from the pictures in those newspapers Hermione showed us, when she'd just brought us back. Dark hair, large nose, sneering, ugly. That Snape. The one who killed that old Headmaster and got off free."

Beth shook her head. "Hermione explained about that, remember? If I understood her correctly, he'd had no choice. But really, I wasn't expecting this. I did think at the time she sounded like she had a bit of hero worship going on with this man, but… Where are they now?"

William shrugged. "I left them at the door and told them I needed to prepare you. I expect they'll have found the other guests, now."

"You didn't make a scene, did you?"

William raised his eyebrows. "I never make a scene."

"Good." Beth nodded absent-mindedly. "This is not the time, nor the place. Oh, but I do wish Hermione had told us before. I know she's a stubborn girl, but this is just so unexpected."

"And inappropriate!"

"Yes, well. I agree, but if she's made up her mind… I suppose we'll need to go and talk to them. I cannot say I'm looking forward to meeting this man, but we'd better get this over with. Perhaps she'll still change her mind. Isn't he much older than Hermione?"

"Yes. Cannot say for certain, but he looked well over forty. Our age, give or take a few years."

Beth shook her head again. "Oh, Hermione. Where did we go wrong with you?"

She picked up the platter of carrot sticks. "Hold the door for me, dear."

xXxXx

Severus looked around. There were far too many people for his taste. Although, he supposed, it was largely due to the room, while being a perfectly fine living room as such (certainly much larger than any room in his own home), simply not being meant to hold gatherings this large.

He took a deep breath. So far, he'd been introduced to both sets of Hermione's grandparents, one of her uncles and several other people whose names and relations he tried his best to keep straight. If he was to become a part of this extended family (what had he been thinking about?), it was likely that he would meet some of these people again.

At his wedding, for example.

Wedding. He hadn't really given it much thought yet, but all these people, at hearing the magic word 'fiancé', invariably asked about the wedding next. "We haven't yet decided on the date," was the staple answer, accompanied by an apologetic smile when coming from Hermione or by a scowl when coming from him. Even though he'd tried his best to keep that to a minimum. "Stop scowling," Hermione had muttered, grabbing his arm and steering him away from some people and towards others, "you'll scare them."

At least none of these people knew him, or of him, and while some seemed to raise an eyebrow at Hermione's choice, they were all either too polite or too disinterested to make any pointed comments. Apart from one younger man – a cousin? Richard? – who had remarked that he hadn't known 'Herms' had 'a thing' for old people.

'Herms' had huffed, told the man to stop calling her 'Herms' and walked off, hooking her arm through Severus's.

He wondered when the stars of the evening would turn up. Some of the guests were already whispering amongst themselves, asking about Beth's whereabouts, or noticing that William had disappeared, too. An elderly woman, whom Hermione had introduced as Great Aunt Maddie, had made a rude comment about Beth and William celebrating their anniversary in private.

Not that he was eager to meet Hermione's father again. And if Hermione's mother still hadn't turned up… He only hoped the woman hadn't fainted, or done something equally ridiculous.

He just wanted to get it over with, then maybe escape into some dark corner, and wait until they could safely leave.

"Hermione," he whispered, taking advantage of them being alone for a moment, "are you sure we should just stay here and wait for your parents? Shouldn't we seek them out?"

Hermione didn't reply immediately, obviously thinking about it. "Let's wait a few more minutes," she said at last. "Then we'll go and find Mum. I hope she hasn't fainted… Dad's not known for his tact, sometimes. I really shouldn't have let him go and 'prepare' her on his own, but it's not like he gave us much choice!"

She looked around, focusing on one of the doors. "Oh!" She nudged Severus. "There she is, and Dad right behind her. Are you ready?"

Severus gulped. 'Ready' was not the word he'd have chosen. But in his lifetime of terror, he'd faced worse.

xXxXx

So this was Severus Snape. A little taller than Beth had expected, and thinner, wearing a suit that he clearly wasn't used to. Well, at least it was a suit. She'd half expected robes, or whatever it was that wizards wore. And none of the friends and family seemed shocked or confused, so there had probably been no hexing, or spell-casting, or cursing, or clueless questions of the "so, how does eklecticity get inside the walls?" kind.

She wondered if Hermione had trained him well or if he was just one of those rare wizards who had some idea of the real world. Not that she'd actually ever met one of those, apart from Hermione's friend Harry.

Beth put on her politest smile and started to walk towards her daughter and her companion, William right beside her.

xXxXx

Hermione squeezed Severus's arm. "You'll be fine," she whispered. "Mum is more reasonable than Dad. She just wants to see me happy."

"And from what I recall, they both know who, or what, I am." Severus was tense. "How many parents are going to look kindly upon a match such as ours?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's my life. Mine. Not theirs. I'd like to have their approval, but if not… They'll get used to you, don't worry."

xXxXx

It took Beth a while to reach Hermione.

Her daughter and Snape were standing in the furthest corner of the room, and while it would usually have taken about ten seconds to cross the space between the door and that particular corner, it was not nearly as easy this time.

She smiled, and nodded, and greeted relatives and in-laws that she hadn't met for months if not years. "So, what do you think of your future son-in-law?" was a question that many wanted to ask, and she didn't really want to tell them that she'd only found out a moment ago and had yet to meet the man in question. "Hermione seems taken with him, and who am I to argue," was the best she could come up with. William only scowled.

"William, mingle," she ordered at last. If her husband was not going to be of any help, she could at least keep the guests busy.

Finally, she'd made her way through to where Hermione was standing, her hand resting on the arm of her companion. She looked anxious, her worry evident in her face. The man next to her looked mildly bored. Beth wondered whether he really was or if this was only a front.

"Happy anniversary, Mum!" Hermione said, letting go of her companion. She gave Beth a hug, careful not to mess up her clothes or hair. "Where's Dad? I wanted to wish him one, too, but he disappeared so quickly earlier…"

"He's around," Beth said. "I thought it best to keep him away from the two of you for the time being."

"He's not happy, is he?" Hermione worried her lower lip; a bad habit that Beth had never managed to convince her to quit.

"No, I can't say he is." Beth looked pointedly at Hermione's companion. "You must be Professor Snape."

The man flinched. "I'm Severus Snape, yes. Please call me Severus. I'm pleased to meet you at last. Hermione has never had anything but praise for you." He offered his hand. "And I'd like to wish you a happy anniversary, too."

She took the offered hand and shook it. "I'd love to tell you that Hermione has never had anything but praise for you, but I'm afraid I remember your name in the letters she used to send from Hogwarts. Of course, she was rather more eloquent in your defence when she returned to school after her… year off."

"Mum," Hermione said.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "We'll talk about this later, Hermione. Now, what is it that I've been hearing from everyone about this?" She nodded towards the ring on Hermione's finger. "Please tell me this is a very recent development. It's bad enough that you kept your relationship from us for all this time – I'd hate to think that you've actually been engaged for a while without bothering to inform us."

Hermione winced. "Point taken. Honestly, though, Severus only proposed a few days ago, and as I'd already said I'll bring him with me to meet you today… I thought the news could wait a few more days."

Beth looked at her daughter. Anxious, yes, but there was also a glow about her. She looked happier and healthier than she had for years now. Curious.

"You're not going to make me a grandmother yet, are you?" she asked.

Hermione's face flushed.

"Mum! No!"

Beth shrugged. "You look different. Radiant. I thought there might be a reason for that, and what with the sudden engagement, well…"

Snape cleared his throat. "I'd actually been planning to propose for a while, now."

"How long have the two of you been together?" Beth asked.

Hermione looked at her fiancé, as if looking for confirmation. "Well…"

"Oh, please don't tell me it started while you were still at school!"

"Well…"

"Believe me, Mrs Granger," Snape interjected, "nothing inappropriate went on while Hermione was still my student."

xXxXx

Her mother's questions brought the start of their relationship back into Hermione's mind.

It had started in her seventh year, yes. Sort of. She'd started to notice him – not as a teacher but as a man, one of the bravest men ever. She'd been surprised, really, that Snape had returned to Hogwarts, after his miraculous survival, but he had, and she couldn't help but pay attention.

It had started with a smile, then another… an eye roll from him. She'd kept smiling, until one day the eye roll had been replaced by a raised eyebrow. She'd smiled again, then, more bravely. Until the day, weeks if not a month later, he'd smiled back. It was such a tiny smile, more of a quirk of his lips, really, or perhaps a twitch, but that was the day she'd known.

And on her last day at Hogwarts, when she was taking a stroll in the grounds, Severus had joined her, not saying a word, until in the end, back at the main doors, he'd abruptly asked her if she'd agree to meet him for lunch in Diagon Alley next week.

She smiled, thinking back to those days. It was a good two years ago, now. Their courtship had been slow, unrushed; tentative at first. It wasn't until months later that he'd first kissed her and a while longer until she'd asked him to stay the night. She was still living in her own rented flat, and Severus was alternating between Hogwarts during the school year and Spinner's End in the summer and during the holidays, and he couldn't get away nearly as often as he'd have wanted to, but it worked, and she loved it. And him.

xXxXx

"Severus is right." Hermione touched his arm. "Nothing inappropriate happened. We've only been together since I left school."

"That was two years ago," Beth noted. "And all this time, it didn't occur to you to let us know?"

Hermione looked down. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but it was all so… I was worried how you'd react – I was still so young then, and…"

"You're still very young," Beth reminded her gently. Of course, her little girl was 21 now, and not so little. And the life she'd led… She'd grown up much too fast, seen things and lived through horrors Beth couldn't even begin to imagine.

She looked at Snape. "Ugly," William had said. Well, she supposed so, especially with those teeth, but up close, she could also see what might have appealed to her daughter. He had a proud face, with that beak of a nose and those cheekbones, and dark eyes that could see right through you. And Beth had read enough stories about him to know he lacked neither courage nor loyalty. Add brains and power – even she, without magic, could feel it emanating from him as he stood there, quite still – and yes, she could see why her daughter was so taken with him.

"She may be young in years, but she's no child," Snape said quietly. "I don't think any of her generation are. Not in our world."

Beth nodded. "Fair enough."

She was still not at all certain about the wisdom of Hermione's choice, but the glow around her daughter spoke for itself. This was no crush or nothing but hero-worship. Her Hermione was in love, and if this taciturn professor of hers could make her happy… Well.

She looked at her daughter and then at her fiancé. "I'm afraid I really need to go and spend some time with the rest of our guests now. I'm so glad you came, though." She gave Hermione's hand, still on Snape's arm, a quick pat. "You too, Severus. I'm looking forward to meeting you again. There is a lot we need to talk about."

"Thanks, Mum." Hermione smiled. "Will Dad come around soon, do you think?"

"Oh, I should think so. It might take a while, and I think it might help if you talked to him alone soon, but he will. I'll see to it." She winked. "Now, do enjoy yourselves, and I hope to talk to you again before you leave."

xXxXx

When Beth had disappeared into the crowd, Hermione turned to Severus. "I told you it wouldn't be so bad!"

Severus had to admit this had gone much better than he'd hoped. "Your mother is very understanding. I didn't expect her to give in this easily."

"She'll probably have a list of questions prepared for the next time we come for a visit." Hermione grinned. "She'll want to know everything – about you, about how we got together, when the wedding will be, have we thought about the caterers yet, when she can expect grandchildren…"

Severus groaned. "It runs in the family, doesn't it?"

"I'm afraid so." Hermione stepped closer to him. "But if that runs in the family, then perhaps wedded bliss does, too. I can't wait for our own silver wedding anniversary, you know – well, that, and all the years in between."

Severus looked around quickly and then pulled her even deeper into the corner where it was darkest. "I certainly hope so," he murmured. "To our anniversary."

And with that, he kissed her.

The End.