Chapter Text
Severus opened his eyes and stared at the empty side of the bed.
He’d ruined it. It had been perfection, but his caustic comments had destroyed what they’d had.
He was good at that.
When he’d said it, her face had fallen, and she’d turned on her heels and fled their flat.
She hadn’t been back all weekend.
He sighed and rose from the bed. He slowly dressed as he thought about how empty his life would be without her. She encompassed everything that was good in his life, and he’d gone and cocked it up.
Typical.
He dragged himself downstairs and into the kitchen. Grabbing his teacup, which always sat on the counter awaiting his needs, he took a double-take as he glanced within it.
Instead of the empty cup he’d expected to see, there was something inside his cherished teacup. He gasped as he saw a ring within the cup.
It was her ring. Her engagement ring. The ring he’d given her only two weeks before. Tears came to his eyes as he placed the teacup down onto the counter. How would he ever be able to survive without her?
He gazed down at the ring, thinking of how ecstatic he’d been when she’d accepted his proposal. She’d fawned all over the family heirloom, saying how gorgeous the emerald was and how she would wear it always.
Well, always equaled two weeks, evidently, because he had to be an arse and ruin everything.
Totally frustrated with himself, he reached into the teacup and picked up the ring. That’s when he felt it… the pull of Apparition.
Dammit
Once his stomach had settled and he could see again, he was surprised to see Hermione standing in front of him with her arms crossed.
“What is the meaning of this, woman?” he demanded with a scowl.
“You just thought you’d hide away for the rest of your life, right?”
“I don’t know what you’re on about.”
“It’s been almost three days since I walked out, Severus. You haven’t even tried to get in touch with me.”
He looked away but said nothing.
“Don’t you have anything to say?” she asked, her voice raising in pitch.
“No.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Well, why ever not? I would think after we left things you’d have a lot to say!” she huffed.
“There’s nothing to say. I have acted unconscionably and what I said to you was unforgivable. I understand that you don’t want to see me ever again.”
Hermione’s lips thinned. “Really? That’s what you think? Do you even know me at all, Severus Snape?”
His eyebrows knit together in annoyance. “I would think I know you. I asked you to marry me two weeks ago!”
“And from what you know of me, I’m one to just walk away from those I love?”
“Hermione… this has nothing to do with that. I… what I said… I was… horrid.”
“Yes, you were. So, when I left, I fully expected you to come find me when you’d cooled off, but I waited… and waited… and waited. Were you never going to seek me out?”
“What would be the point?” His eyes looked down, and he stared at the floor, avoiding all eye contact with her.
She softened, but only slightly. Moving up to him, she urged him to look at her. He wouldn’t.
“I thought you loved me,” she said softly.
Her remark caused his eyes to shoot toward hers.
“Of course I love you. Why do you think I avoided you?”
Hermione’s mouth dropped open. “What?” she asked in bewilderment.
“I love you. More than anything. What I said was terrible. Why would I subject you to my caustic attitude ever again? You deserve better!”
“You’re damn right I deserve better, but that doesn’t give you the right to just give up on us.”
“I wasn’t…”
“You were. What would have been the right thing to do in this case?”
He shrugged and looked away again.
She sighed. “Don’t you want to get past this?” she asked.
“As I said, you deserve better.”
“Then BE better.”
His eyes searched hers. She didn’t seem to be so hacked off that she’d never forgive him. But experience had taught him that wasn’t possible.
“I have done something unforgivable. I don’t expect you to want me back.”
“It was a misunderstanding, Severus. Yes, you were caustic, and I don’t want you to ever speak like that to me again, but this is only a disagreement. I thought we were committed to each other.”
“We are.”
“Then why are you willing to just let our relationship be destroyed like this?”
He was quiet for a while, just studying Hermione… the woman he loved more than anything.
“I don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“You’d need to ask for it, first,” she urged.
Could it possibly be that easy? Could she forgive him so quickly? He gasped it out, hoping beyond hope that it would be enough.
“Hermione, I’m so sorry. What I said… No one should ever be told that. I let my anger run away with me, and I spit out awful things.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and he felt even worse.
“What you said hurt, Severus. I know you have the capacity to be cruel like that, but you have never been to me since we got together.”
He closed his eyes. “And I will never do anything caustic like that again, I promise you. Please, Hermione. Forgive me.”
Opening his eyes again, he made a move toward her but stopped. All he wanted to do was wipe the tears from her cheeks and kiss her senseless, but he was uncertain if he’d be welcome.
“I love you, Severus. Just because I was angry doesn’t mean that I don’t want us to be together.”
She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him.
“I forgive you,” she said as she gave him a concerned look. “Do you still want to break this off?”
He shook his head emphatically. “I never wanted to in the first place, I just thought that’s what you wanted.”
“I love you. I never want that.”
“I love you too.”
She arched a brow at him, expecting something. He knew exactly what it was she wanted. Taking her hand, he placed the ring back on her finger and bent to kiss her. Relief flooded him as he showered her with his affection. They would be all right.