The Plight-Trothed Bride

Hermione, Ginny and Luna, sharing a girl moment, decide to cast a Pairing-Plight Troth Charm on themselves for fun. Each placed in the cauldron one yesterday-today-and-tomorrow flower with sugar and spice and everything nice, and a snip, a snail and puppy-dog tail as they each said the rhyme. For Ginny, the results are exactly what she expected, and for Luna, she was only mildly surprised. However, for Hermione, the results were disastrous! She thought she'd be paired to Ron and live happily ever after. So what happened and why is she seeing Professor Snape in her dreams? He's dead – isn't he?

*Warning this story is explicit – this story's mostly graphic sexual situations.*

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The Moon-Song Rhyme

It was a quiet night at the Burrow, and while the world outside still celebrated the second and final fall of Tom 'Voldemort' Riddle, the six young people that had lived and fought throughout the war, fought in each big battle, sought out only peace and quiet with each other's company instead. For them the fall of Voldemort would mean peace, blissful peace. Mrs. and Mr. Weasley were currently at a meeting at Hogwarts. Molly had started volunteering at St. Mungo's lately to help with the large surge of wounded and cursed patients, victims of the last battle, and Mr. Weasley was busy at the Ministry, trying to help with the chaos of the aftermath.

Hermione was glad to be sitting in her pajamas, sipping hot chocolate and staring at a circle of tired but friendly faces. Ginny rested her head on Harry's shoulder while Neville sat on the floor in front of Luna, who was sitting crossed-legged in a large chair. She and Neville had already finished their accounting of the previous year. Hermione, returning from the kitchen with fresh pitcher of hot chocolate to refresh everyone's cups, had opted for the floor near Ron's feet while Harry finished sharing his story of what had happened in the Forbidden Forest and the memories he'd seen in the Pensieve.

They had been taking turns, filling in the gaps of what they each knew, giving the six friends a full understanding of all that had happened, in a sense giving closure to years of knowing, anticipating and finally taking on the darkest of wizards and, in Hermione's humble opinion, the cruelest. With all they had been through together, stood by each other, this was the only way Hermione wanted it to be. It sure beat crying over the losses, which still weighed heavily on her heart.

"Well, that's about all I remember," Harry said, the last to speak.

Neville looked at Ron, then at Harry, in awe. "Who would have thought, Harry, that you had a piece of him in you? Wow. And the – what did you call them – Horcruxes! That must have been a task. And you, Ron, you – you pulled out Gryffindor's sword from the pond and saved Harry's life, rode a dragon and fought those Death Eaters off after saying his name. And to think all I was worried about was getting food and keeping the Room of Requirement open."

"Don't sell yourself short, Neville," Harry said, smiling at his friend. "You also kept Dumbledore's Army going, caused havoc and mayhem for the Death Eaters at the school. You also summoned everyone to the castle in time to fight Riddle and killed Riddle's snake. That was a big thing, too. That snake was a Horcrux, Neville. Without her dead, Riddle would have won."

Neville looked at Harry, gobsmacked.

"I'm just glad to be here together," Luna said. "It's nice, this – quiet recounting between friends."

"I couldn't agree more, Luna," Hermione and Ginny stated softly, then smiled at each other.

Harry placed his hand on Ginny's head, slowly stroking her hair. "Yes, this just feels right. The six of us… my closest friends."

Neville looked at Harry, extremely pleased, while Luna simply stared into the fire, a big, warm smile on her face.

Upstairs in Ginny's room, Luna looked out the window, gazing at the moon. "Moon bright, moonlight, make my wish come true this night. Wish I may, wish I might, know my true love's heart tonight.

"Moon bright, moonlight, make my wish come true this night. Wish I may, wish I might, have my true love's troth tonight," Ginny said, mimicking Luna, and laughing softly.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked. "I've heard of star light, star bright, first star I see tonight before, but I've never heard of anyone that wished on the moon before."

"Try it," Luna said dreamily.

"Moon bright, moonlight," Hermione said, feeling foolish. "Wish I may, wish I might, know my true heart's love tonight." She turned from the window and looked at her friends in bewilderment. "Okay, now I really feel foolish."

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"What does that do?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing really," Ginny answered.

"Unless you drink the potion on the night of a full moon when you say it, then it comes true." Both girls looked at Luna. "No, really, it works. But you have to really want to know, and it's magic – so you have to really want it."

"Oh, do you know the potion?" Ginny asked Luna.

"Yes. I have it in my diary…" She dug out a diary from her bag that looked like a magical Bedazzler had attacked it. "Here it is: rain water, a unicorn horn and mooncolt tears… hawthorn, asparagus root, lavender, quince, honey, horny goat weed, maiden's root and damiana… Coat yesterday-today-and-tomorrow flowers with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, raw sugar, stevia and drop them in the potion with a snip, a snail and puppy dogtail."

"I have most of that!" Ginny exclaimed. "Does it work?"

"Oh, yes, although, it's permanent – magically binding. My mum did it and married my dad. They were very much in love."

"What's a snip?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Hermione, it's something wizard boys get into trouble doing," Ginny started to explain, giggling.

Luna smiled at Hermione, interjecting, "Course, girls get scolded for it, too, but not as often." Luna tilted her head at Hermione's perplexed look. "Your mum never scolded you for taking snips?"

Hermione shrugged and Ginny laughed at her. "Taking twigs from a wand tree – you know – one that has Bowtruckles in it." Ginny turned to Luna. "She grew up in a Muggle home; her mum never scolded her for taking snips."

Luna blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry. It just seems… That should have come up when we read about Bowtruckles in school. They get really angry when little boys, or girls, break off twigs from their trees."

"Kids break off the twigs to make pretend wands, but you can get attacked by the Bowtruckles for doing it and get hurt," Ginny said, clarifying it for Hermione. "I remember Mum yelling at Fred and George for doing it loads of times. Ron too."

Hermione nodded in understanding as Luna looked down at her diary, her finger skimming the page as she read. "A snip, a snail and a puppy dogtail… that's added at the end."

"We have yesterday-today-and-tomorrow flowers next to the house, there is a rain catch by the back stoop, and we have puppy dogtails growing down by the pond! I have mooncolt hair and tears as well as a unicorn horn that I collected with Fred and George before they left school! Mum uses cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, raw sugar and stevia in her tarts all the time – so what else do we need?"

"We have a large beech tree next the stream by our house – there are Bowtruckles that live in it… So that leaves… Hawthorn, asparagus root, lavender, quince, honey, horny goat weed, maiden's root, damiana and a snail," Luna said idly. "And we each need a teacup in our favorite color… a deep pool of water… and a full moon."

"So, why don't we try it?" Ginny asked, smiling.

"You've got to be kidding?" Hermione gasped.

"Why ever not?" Ginny asked in reply. "You know you love Ron. I love Harry… no problem there. Luna?"

Luna closed her diary and stared dreamily out the window. "It would be nice to know…"

Two weeks later on a warm June night, Luna, Ginny and Hermione sat clustered around Hermione's cauldron on the bank of a deep pool in the stream near Luna's home, waiting for the full moon to rise. Steam rose from the pool from the Warming Charm Hermione had had Ginny cast while she and Luna brewed the potion, giving the area around them a surreal feeling. Each girl held a stem of a small cluster of flowers in purple, lavender and white, the yesterday-today-and-tomorrow flowers, coated heavily in the sugar and spice ingredients of the potion. They also held a small snail, a snip from the Bowtruckle tree and a puppy dogtail, careful not to allow them to touch the flowers too early.

Hermione couldn't believe she was actually going through with this. I mean, I'm in love with Ron, right? This is only to confirm that… I hope.

The moon broke through the clouds, and each girl dropped her flowers in the cauldron saying the Moon-Song Incantation. "Moon bright, moonlight, make my wish come true this night." Each girl dropped in the rest of the spices and sugar from her small dish.

"Wish I may, wish I might," they each continued in unison.

"Know my true love's heart tonight," Luna said, adding in her snip, snail and puppy dogtail.

Ginny quickly added in her puppy dogtail, snip and her snail. "Have my true love's troth tonight," Ginny said, crossing her fingers.

"Know my true heart's true love tonight," Hermione said, her mind warring with good common sense as she let the snip, snail and puppy dogtail fall into the potion.

Iridescent steam began rise and curl from the potion, and it emitted thousands of tiny sparkles that flew up into the night sky. Each girl put in her stirring rod, stirring three times in synchronization. Luna quickly lifted the cauldron and poured the liquid into the large pitcher, covered with a cheesecloth, allowing the sweet smelling potion to separate. She placed the remnants of the potion, rolled up carefully in the cheesecloth, back into the cauldron and then poured each girl a cup of the liquid. Luna then held up her diary so that they could read the next line of the spell.

"I drink to know my true heart's intended, my wand mate, my match," Ginny and Luna said, lifting their cups to the moon and drank the tea.

Hermione lifted her cup. "I drink to know my true love… Oh, I drink to know my heart's intended, my wand mate, my true match." She drank the tea, surprised at how good the tea tasted.

"All right, now we take a bath," Luna said, rising and removing her robe. "We get in the water… It will be big enough for all three of us."

"But then won't our intended see all three of us?" Ginny asked, nervously removing her robe and quickly following Luna into the water.

"No, only the one girl he's destined to be for," Luna said, smiling, easing down up to her neck. "He'll only have eyes for her, be drawn to her, and by the next new moon, he will come to her and claim her."

"Well, can't hurt to have this confirmed," Hermione said, quickly dropping her robe and climbing in. Luna pulled out remnants in the cheesecloth from Hermione's cauldron, releasing the crystals and herbs into the warm water. The water swirled, bubbled, the steam rising off the warm water turning iridescent, and the aroma filled the air. Within minutes, Hermione found herself relaxing, floating, her mind drifting…

She could feel a soft movement in the water, and she reached out, her fingers touching skin, firm, solid and the slight whisper of hair on a man's chest. Something or someone reached out tentatively, touching her, long strong fingers gently exploring her. She felt a hand cup her breast as another caressed her arm, sliding down to her shoulder and around to her back, drawing her to him. His strong arm wrapped around her, holding her body to his. Hermione kept her eyes closed, engrossed in the sensations of this dream. A mouth touched her cheek, her lips as his fingers flicked at her nipple, his other hand cupping her hips and supporting her. Hermione, emboldened by the dream, explored his body recklessly with her hands, tracing hard muscle and well-defined pectorals, his firm rippled abdomen, and as far down as her fingers could touch, then wound her arms around his body, luxuriating in the feel of his skin against her naked body.

He held her, one arm keeping her groin tightly against his. She could feel his penis slide along her thigh and between them. His fingers slid down to touch her, stroking her between her folds. Twice a jolt of sensation shot through her, and she gasped each time, eliciting the sensation of a low rumbling laugh from him against her skin. His tongue licked her nipple, and he suckled on her breast as his hand created sensations she'd never felt before. His long finger slipped inside her as his thumb continued to stimulate her. Hermione ran her hands on his skin, trying to kiss him. The build of a pressure sensation intensified in her groin, rolling out in waves, and her head fell back. She arched her back, pushing her body down on his hand, wanting more. Her mind cried out as the sensation erased all thought, and she tightened and relaxed her body as the pressure released, making her feel feather light and as liquid as water.

For the second time, he began to move, exploring her, and she opened her eyes slowly. He had come level with her, his face nestled against her neck as his hands opened her, allowing him to press at her entrance. He nibbled and licked at the sensitive skin under her ear as his hand played with her, his penis sliding on her crotch. In one swift move, he was at her entrance, his teeth nibbling on her ear lobe, and he pushed slightly. She moaned as the feeling of him entering her mixed with the teasing pleasure of his mouth. He moved to kiss her, his tongue teasing her as he drew his body away slightly, then pushed into her some more. Hermione moaned again, his mouth on hers swallowing her protest as his finger found that sensitive spot again and flicked it. The jolt of sensation distracted her as he pushed in further, then further, burying himself in her. His kisses and his fingers distracted her each time before he pushed, befuddling her mind, until he was fully within her.

He held her firmly against him, as if waiting. His eyes roamed down her body, drinking in her nakedness with his gaze, the water making his hair dark and limp as it hung down heavily, obscuring his face from her. He drew out slowly, then pushed back in equally slow movements until she felt his groin meet hers. In long, deliberately slow strokes, he pulled out, then eased back into her. His mouth closed over her other breast, his tongue flicking her nipple in contrast to his slow movements. Hermione closed her eyes, floating in his arms, holding onto him and trying to move with him.

He pushed in, holding her firmly, and then rolled them over, making her straddle his hips. His hands on her hips lifted her away from him, and she pushed herself back down, rocking her hips as if riding a horse. His fingers glided slowly across to her groin, his thumb pressing against her sensitive spot as his other hand gripped her hips, helping her lift and plunge on his shaft. Her breathing became hard, panting, as she took pleasure in riding him. She placed her hands on her thighs, her head down, her mind on nothing but the feel of his penis as it moved in and out of her and the building sensation deep in her groin. He moved with her, and she leaned back, her center throbbing, sensitized beyond endurance as she slid along him.

He grasped her hips, his need growing as he began to thrust in and withdraw out of her with more urgency. Hermione's head fell back, her mind focused only on the sensations within her own body. She cried as she came again, crashing waves rippling through her as her body melted, her every muscle giving in and letting go, supported only by his fierce driving need as he expelled in her. Hermione lifted her head and looked at her lover's face in post climatic bliss. He cupped her face, her soft brown eyes meeting fathomless dark ones, fringed by long, black lashes, a hooked nose and the black hair of – Severus Snape!

Kilometers away in Wiltshire

She appeared before him like an apparition, floating just in front of him within easy reach. Her naked body was perfect, exactly how he imagined she'd be, how he remembered her, although her wet hair obscured her face. She reached out and touched him, her delicate fingertips caressed his skin, fingering his chest hairs and tracing the curve of his chest. He reached out to touch her, his fingers meeting warm, supple flesh, and he cupped her breast as he pulled her to him. His mouth found her cheek first, then her lips as he fondled her breast, grasping her hip to pull her to him and not let her slip away. Her touch became more daring as it moved over his body, even though she was inexperienced and naïve, which pleased him.

He held her, his penis growing stiff against her soft skin. 'I can't rush this or I'll hurt her.' He glided his hand down, and she didn't push him away – not this time. His fingers found her heat, the soft lips, and he slid his fingers through them, exploring her. He smiled as he leaned down to capture her breast with his mouth, licking and suckling her perfect, pert nipple. She jerked as his fingers found her spot, and he laughed softly against her skin. His slipped a finger inside her as his thumb continued to stimulate her. She ran her hands on his skin, kissing the top of his head. 'I'm going to have her; she's going to finally be mine – my intended.'

Her head fell back, and she arched her back, pushing her body down on his hand, wanting more. Her mouth opened as if gasping silently as she tightened and then relaxed her hips, and he knew that she'd come. 'Now my turn…'

He cupped her face as he trailed kisses along her neck and shoulders, suckling her breast. He used his hand to touch every sensitive spot he knew of with gentle caresses and buried his face against her neck as his hands opened her, allowing him to press his stiff penis at her entrance. He nibbled and licked at the sensitive skin under her ear as his hand played with her, positioning himself at her entrance. His teeth nibbled on her ear lobe, and he pushed slightly. Her mouth opened, but she didn't cry out, and he covered her mouth with his, kissing her as he pushed in again, and he felt the vibration of her moan. He slid his hand down, finding her sensitive spot, and flicked it as he pushed in again, her squeezing down on his shaft with each thrust, driving him to want more, each time slipping in deeper into her moist, warm, sheath.

He held her firmly against him, keeping himself fully nestled inside her, waiting. He cupped her face, his dark eyes roamed down her throat, drinking in the perfect form of her body. She relaxed. 'Good. Slow, move slow.' He drew out and eased back into her. He suckled her breast, his tongue flicking her nipple as felt her gasp. 'Good, so you like this…' Keeping himself still sheathed inside her warmth, desperately clinging to her and not wanting the contact to end. He rolled them over, making her straddle his hips, surprised at how easily he managed this.'All right, witch, ride me. I want to feel you slide down on me…'

He gripped her hips, guiding her to move her body on his penis, enjoying the gliding sensation, the slick, smooth feel of her, letting her body weight push herself down onto him. She was so wet, her sheath almost dripping wet, and form fitting to him. Her head hung down, her hair falling forward, and she slid her hands on her legs as she moved. Each of her lifting movements threatened to dislodge him, sliding all the way to his tip, before she plunged down. 'Gods, yes, take me in… squeeze down as you move… That's right.' He pulled her tighter, pressing his groin against hers with each downward stroke. 'She is mine. I'm not letting you go...' She squeezed with each plunge, giving him extra stimulation with each stroke. 'Yes… Oh, you're a goddess…'

He slid his hand down, pressing his thumb against her sensitive spot as his other hand grasped her hips, urging her to move faster. She leaned back, her hips shifting slightly, and he smiled as her head fell back in ecstasy. Her breathing became hard panting. He moved with her, his need growing as he began to thrust in and withdraw out of her with more urgency. He couldn't believe he was encased in her warm, moist sleeve, her pliable flesh accepting his rock hard shaft, her moisture dripping down on his groin.

Her head rolled slightly as she squeezed down on him, her legs tightening on his hips. He felt himself jerk, growing even harder inside her, and began to move within her with more urgency. He felt the tightening of his core, his balls squeezing, the sensation building at the base of penis and growing, then channeling down to his tip. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she came again, his fierce driving need bursting finally as he expelled in her in hot, jetting spurts… the mind-blowing spasm in his penis shaft, his essence jetting out in cataclysmic bliss.

She lifted her head and looked at her lover's face in post climatic bliss. Severus looked up at her, her rose-colored lips swollen from his kisses, the long strands of hair framing her face, her dark lashes framing her soft brown eyes, which were gazing into his dark ones with a satisfied smile. She was not who he'd thought it was. The witch above him was none other than – Hermione Granger!

'This cannot be real! She cannot be… I'd never… She's a child!'His penis twitched belying his denial. 'It's a dream… It's only a dream… But why in Hades would I dream of making love to Hermione Granger of all witches?'

He opened his eyes to see Narcissa leaning over him. "Well, welcome back from the dead," she said, smiling down at him.

~H~

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny was standing next to Hermione looking at her worriedly.

Hermione was still floating in the water, although she felt like she'd just made love – to Severus Snape! It was the most vivid, dramatic experience of her life, and it wasn't real. Nevertheless, it felt real. Her body still tingled from his touch, her groin still throbbed from the intercourse of the phantom lovemaking, and her lips felt swollen and bruised from his passionate kisses. Her heart rate was slowly decreasing, but Hermione could still feel her heart pound in her chest, and her breathing was erratic and deep.

"Hermione, answer me," Ginny said, alarmed.

"She's all right. She's just post climatic right now. It'll pass," Luna said, sitting on a rock, kicking her toes in the water. "So, who did you see?"

Ginny looked up at Luna. "I saw – Harry," she said, blushing.

"And how was he?" Luna asked, letting water drip from foot, her leg outstretched as she examined her toes.

"Kind of klutzy and awkward…" Ginny said, blushing a deeper pink.

"I saw Neville. I'd never have guessed him," she stated, lifting her foot again to watch the water drip from her toes and heel. "He likes my toes and my ears. I'll have to get used to that."

"Was it real?" Hermione asked, suddenly wanting to be told it was just a dream and nothing more.

"No, but it will be," Luna said.

Hermione gasped. "It will be? How can it?" There has to be some mistake! I love Ron! I do – really! Not Severus Snape!

"He will be drawn to you before the next new moon," Luna said, watching the water run off her foot again.

Hermione sat bolt upright, completely forgetting she was nude. "But he's dead!" she cried out.

"Ron's alive, Hermione," Ginny assured her, confused.

"I didn't see Ron," Hermione blurted out, then turned to look up at the full moon. "It wasn't him. I saw… Snape," she admitted in a hushed voice.

"You didn't?!" Ginny asked, gobsmacked as Luna said, "He can't be dead then."

Hermione sat up in the water. "But I saw him die!"

"He can't be dead, or you two wouldn't have connected," Luna said, slipping into the water again. "You'll see."

~MoM~

The next morning in the Ministry of Magic, in the Magical Marriage and Birth Registration Office of the Magical Licenses and Certificates Department, Maggie Whitmire noticed that there were three new entries in her ledger from the magical quill. She pulled out her spectacles to read the names of the new couples. Luna Leanne Lovegood and Neville Wilton Gerald Longbottom – pending… Oh, how lovely. Ginevra Molly Weasley and Harry James Potter – pending… But still this means that they are either considering the union or have performed a Magical Pairing-Plight Charm, and according to the old traditions, are for all intents and purposes – engaged. Oh, that's delightful! And so was Hermione Jane Granger and… No! It can't be – Severus Sean Snape? Pending, as well. Oh, my goodness!

~ T B C ~

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Author's notes:

What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails that's what little boys are made of!
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and all things nice that's what little girls are made of!

For purposes of this story, think of a puppy dogtails as a type of cattail, only shorter and curved like a puppy dog's tail; a shorter version of the rush like plant that likes to live in clean moving water such as streams and clear lakes, as opposed to cattails that like murky ponds, streams and swamp water. Hence, that is why I have them spelled the way I do.

Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow flowers are real. The simple flowers of yesterday-today-and-tomorrow go through a metamorphosis that has earned it its common name. The delicate, two-inch, five-petal blooms open up with a deep violet blue color with a white eye. Within a day or so, the petal color changes to pale violet. By the third or fourth day, the color fades again to nearly white, and in four days after that, the flower wilts and falls off. The flowers emit a sweet, sugary, candy-like fragrance from the time the flowers are still in budding, which lasts until the flower wilts and the scent doesn't fade or change along with the color.

A huge thank you and hugs to my beta Southern_Witch_69 for all her help, suggestions and clean-up work. I appreciate it very much, who without her help this story would never get validated on this site!