GINGERSNAPS

82. Permission

Cannon:
Kreacher hung up the sketch that Ollie gave him of Regulus by his bed. No one, besides Regulus ever gave Kreacher gifts and now His daughter continues that tradition without her even knowing.
___________________________________

Charlie had paced outside of the headmasters office at Hogwarts for 15 minutes. When he had wrote to Snape about meeting with him, he had no idea that it would be here or with Dumbledore present.

Finally the garagoyle moved and Snape appeared on the stairs. "Come in." He said turning and heading back up the stairs. Charlie followed behind, into the office.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, McGonagall stood to the left of the desk, Snape strolled to the right side to stand.

"Sir, I wanted to meet with you, but I assumed it would be in private." Said Charlie standing in front of them all.

"It's alright Charlie, come sit," said Dumbledore gesturing towards one of the armchairs. But Charlie remained standing.

"I am a busy person, I did not have the time to meet otherwise." Said Snape coldly looking at him.

"Well, here goes nothing then." Charlie mumbled before taking a deep breath. He faced Snape looking him in the eyes with his head high and shoulders back.

"Your daughter is someone that is of great importance to me. In fact I would say that she is the most important thing to me." Said Charlie

"Oh my..." said McGonagall quietly eyes widening, feeling that she could tell where this talk was going towards.

"And earlier this year when she died, when her heart stopped beating, I felt as if I would never feel joy or love again. I felt as if my world was taken from me, and I was prepared to do anything, give up anything, if that meant that I wouldn't have to live this life without her.

"And by the stars, I never had to find out what life would be without her in it. I knew then that I was done taking time for granted. Because it will never be enough time, I will always want more time with her."

McGonagall let out a soft choking sound, as tears streamed down her face. Dumbledore was grinning, and Snape had his lips pressed into a hard line.

"I know to you I will never be enough for her. I believe I don't deserve her! But with your permission I would very much like to spend the rest of my life trying to be. So I ask you, can I marry your daughter?" Said Charlie, his chest was heaving slightly, but he tried to hold himself together.

McGonagall looked to Snape, wiping tears away. Dumbledore smiled up to Snape, everyone waiting for his answer.

Snape stood there looking down at Charlie, the man that had ripped his heart out and laid it in on the table for all to see, that he was putting it all out there not holding back.

He knew this day would come, the day he would have to let her go. But with the unbreakable vow he had taken, Snape knew that he would lose Olivia one way or another, at least this way he would know that Charlie would protect her, when he couldn't any more.

All Snape could hope for now, was that maybe just maybe he would get to walk his daughter down the aisle before she indefinitely come to hate him for what he will have to do.