Tori awoke later than usual today, having been up most of the night due to the fact that her unborn child decided to treat her stomach like a soccer ball. When she glanced to the other side of the bed she realized that Severus had already gotten up for the day and had left her a note on his pillow.

Picking up the note she couldn’t help but smile at his handwriting, and began to read it.

Good morning beautiful. I didn’t have the heart to wake you. I know you had been up most of the night. I had to leave early to assist Draco with final wedding preparations. Ah…the life of the Best Man, my job is never fully done. I sent your dress over to the Burrow already so you could get ready with Shannon. Goodness knows she will need your assistance. I will see you soon.

I Love You,
Severus

After reading the note Tori got out of bed and prepared for the rest of her morning. She had yet to get a floo call from Shannon so she believed that she couldn’t be too nervous about the wedding that afternoon. After getting ready she grabbed her wand and purse and began her walk out of the castle and down to the apparation point.

Upon apparating to the Burrow, Tori was greeted with a stressed looking Hermione walking out of the back door and into the garden.

“Tori, why did you stop writing to me?”

Tori just stood there, not quite sure what to say to the witch she had spent so much time with while in school together.

Hermione continued when she realized that Tori wasn’t going to respond right away.

“I could have tried to assist you with defeating Voldie-butt and bringing Snape back to you sooner.” Hermione scolded her like she was a child.

“I would have, but at the time I didn’t think about it because of everything that was going on. Plus I thought you would be too busy.” Tori said back, oddly feeling like she had to explain herself to her friend and former classmate.

“I’m never too busy to help out my friends. I would have put my studies on hold, however reluctantly I am to do so. But I would have come here and helped you guys had I known. I had to find out about everything that has happened in one of Ron’s letters. You know how he is when he writes letters. It takes him forever to remember to write down the important things. He waited until his most recent letter to do so, even asking me to come with him to Shannon and Draco’s wedding.” Hermione continued to rant, her face slightly becoming red with her effort. “I didn’t even know that they were getting married until he asked me a week ago. Can you believe it? They’ve been engaged for like eight months and I never knew it. I would have tried to knock some sense into that girl. I mean, seriously, marrying Draco Malfoy. Has he really changed that much?” At her last question, Hermione finally calmed down enough to await a response from a married and very very pregnant Tori.

“Yes, Hermione, he really has changed that much. He came to us for help at the beginning of the year. Once Severus tricked Voldemort into lifting the Accio spell he had on him, he helped us finally win the war. He was there for me while Severus was injured. He helped me get through everything. Plus, he was extremely supportive of my marriage to Severus and our pregnancy. Does an old school grudge really mean that much to you that you can’t put your feelings aside and move on from the past?” Tori looked at her like she had multiple heads on her shoulders. It was hard for her to believe that the woman that graduated head of her class in everything, barely beating Tori herself in grades was going to be that narrow-minded about the situation.

“I still can’t believe that you and Severus got married, let alone are having a child together. I must have missed a whole lot with being at Uni for the past year. I will try to leave my old opinions behind me, I trust you to have a good opinion of these two gentlemen. It’s just hard to believe that they changed so much in the past year, compared to what I experienced for the past seven years.”

“People do change Hermione.”

“I know, it will just take some getting used to I guess.”

“I understand. Oh, look at the time, I have to go inside and finish getting ready for the wedding. I’ll talk to you again at the reception.” Tori said in a hurry as she rushed into the Burrow. It had been so nice of Mrs. Weasley to offer to host the wedding there. They really did consider Shannon to be a part of the family.