Title: The Best Laid Plans…
Author: CocoaSnape
Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own the HP universe; JK Rowling/Warner Bros does. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
The Best Laid Plans…
by CocoaSnape
The next morning, with warm air filling their lungs, bright sunshine heating their faces, and the distant sound of an accordion reaching their ears, Albus and Severus knew they had timed their departure perfectly. They could not have been happier to be away from Hogwarts and most especially from Minerva McGonagall. Dumbledore's visage was marked by a smile so striking it seemed part of his permanent expression. He was finally alone with Severus, and he intended on making the most of this opportunity by showing his lover how much he cared for him. Dumbledore had planned this trip extensively – organizing every detail, researching every excursion, every eatery. He wanted to dote on Severus as no one had ever done before, and he knew Severus would be pleased with the results.
Snape absentmindedly smoothed his suit and adjusted his cravat. Although his robes were notably absent, his attire wasn't strikingly different from what he usually wore. He was clad in black trousers and a crisp white shirt barely visible through his buttoned black suit jacket and black cravat.
Dumbledore eyed Severus carefully and said, "Don't get me wrong, Severus – you do look rather stunning in that suit – but are all your clothes so formal? And black?"
Snape pulled his suitcase, shrunk to the size of a galleon, out of his pocket. "I think I may have something of a different color in here. I did, after all, pack rather heavily, since someone insisted on keeping his plans a secret. But I might put a similar question to you. Do you own anything less…audacious?"
Dumbledore was indeed a sight to behold. Snape couldn't ever remember seeing Albus wearing muggle clothing, and it was quite an experience. Granted it was hard to tell if the muggle-look suited him, given his eccentric interpretation of it. He wore white denim trousers, casual sandals, and a long-sleeved bright purple shirt with white tassels that dangled and swished about the entire length of each arm as he walked. His beard was tied off with a purple tassel that matched his shirt. The outfit was completed with a rose-colored ascot.
"Hmm, and here I thought this was rather conservative."
Their first stop was a pâtisserie for a 'café noir' for Severus and a 'café crème' for Albus. Snape couldn't suppress an amused smile as he watched Albus gleefully eyeing the alluring pastries. He could hear Albus chiming under his breath the pros and cons of lemon tarts versus profiteroles, as if the weight of the universe lay with this single decision. Finally, Albus settled with some triumph on the pain au chocolat.
After eating, they made their way across the Pont Neuf, stopping in the middle of the bridge to admire Sainte Chapelle, the bright sun just peaking over the top of its spire.
They walked hand-in-hand, leisurely strolling along the bank of the Seine. Despite enjoying the time alone with Albus, Snape was not accustomed to doing anything at such an unhurried pace. In an amused tone, he asked, "Do you have a destination in mind, Albus, or are we simply looking for more pâtisseries?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "I am sure we will be doing much of that, but to your question…I know how much you like art, Severus, so I thought—"
"We're going to the Louvre?" Snape conjectured, trying very hard not to sound disappointed. He'd been there twice and had found the experience overwhelming and the vast majority of the art not to his taste. He therefore could not have been more delighted by Albus's answer.
"The Louvre? Merlin no. This getaway is supposed to be romantic, not exhausting."
When they arrived at their destination, the Musée d'Orsay, Severus's excitement was promptly quashed by the enormous queue that stretched out the door and around the block. But before he could even open his mouth to grumble, Albus presented a card to the attendant at the entrance, and they were ushered in without delay. Snape was duly impressed with Albus's preparedness and doubly keen to tour the museum. He'd been here once before, but very briefly, and he had always wanted to return. And he wondered how Albus could have known that.
"You mentioned it, Severus…some time ago," Dumbledore said, responding to Severus's unvocalized question.
It took Snape a moment, but the memory came to him. He had said something about wanting to see the Monets first hand. But the comment had been made in passing and to no one in particular at a faculty meeting when Sinistra mentioned she had been to the museum. And too Snape realized that that had been years ago. How on earth had Albus remembered?!
"I suggest we start with the sculpture in the atrium and make our way to the Monets," Dumbledore casually gestured, trying to seem as nonchalant as he could, though in truth he had studied the layout of the museum in painstaking detail.
"I see you've thought of everything, Albus."
Dumbledore smiled. "I promised to show you an exquisite time and—"
"Albus Dumbly-dorr!!" a voice interrupted.
"…and it seems I might have overestimated," Dumbledore finished with a slight wince.
Snape turned around abruptly to see Madame Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons, making her way towards them with Hagrid in tow on her arm. Snape cursed under his breath, and just before the pair got within earshot, he whispered angrily to Albus, "I told you we should have gone to Australia!"
The next few hours were as painful for Dumbledore as they were for Severus. Not because he didn't enjoy Madame Maxime's and Hagrid's company. On the contrary, he found Madame Maxime charming as always and Hagrid his usual affable self. But Dumbledore knew Severus was not having a good time. This was not part of the romantic getaway he had planned. Nonetheless, Dumbledore realized it would have been very impolite to excuse themselves from the other couple's company so soon after meeting them.
Dumbledore consoled himself with the fact that Severus and Maxime seemed to hit it off. They discussed many of the works in detail and both seemed to know a great deal more about the mechanics and history of art than did Dumbledore. It was Hagrid who was beginning to get on Severus's nerves.
The half-giant was listening intently to the conversation Olympe was having with Snape. He grumbled mentally that the pair seemed to be getting along so well. Had it been anyone else, Hagrid would have been angry, but he knew this wasn't Snape's fault. Snape was very intelligent, much more intelligent than he could ever be, Hagrid thought to himself. But nonetheless, the present circumstances did leave him feeling rather inadequate. He followed demurely behind, hoping that he might at least glean something clever to say.
"Ah, Cezanne," Snape said with almost a reverent sigh as they approached a new painting.
A minute later, after the pair had been studying the painting in silence, Maxime remarked, "I simply adore 'is use of color 'ere. And ze brush strokes are reminiscent of Pissarro, don't you zink?"
"What an astute observation. Though I don't believe he'd delight the comparison with his mentor in this case; this does appear to be one of his later post-Impressionist works." Snape replied.
Hagrid wondered if his ears needed a good cleaning. It sounded just like Snape and Olympe were speaking nonsense.
As the group rounded the corner, Hagrid noticed Olympe squeezing Snape's arm and he felt a sudden urgency to act. He pointed to the canine in the lower left corner of the painting they were studying and said gruffly, "That's a nice sturdy lookin' dog that is."
Maxime turned her head and stared at Hagrid in confusion for a moment before giving him a placating smile.
Several minutes later, Hagrid pulled Snape around the corner and began, "Professor Snape sir, I need yeh to help meh say somethin' to impress Olympe."
"You must be joking."
"Maybe yeh didn't notice, but I'm not doing too good here," Hagrid insisted.
"You don't think your comments about dogs are doing it for you?" Snape asked sarcastically.
"Professor Snape, could yeh please help me?"
Snape let out a deep sigh and said, "All right, fine. We're about to see the Monets. When we get there, say: 'I find that the Monets always make an Impression.'"
"Impression. Monets make an impression. Gotcha. Thanks."
Hagrid and Snape hurried to catch up with Maxime who was strolling now arm in arm with Dumbledore into the next room. When they caught up with the pair, they were standing transfixed before one of Monet's Green Reflections.
Hagrid was anxious to use this opportunity. He cleared his throat and proclaimed rather too loudly, "I, he-hem, find that these Monets here, like this one, always do make an impression." He paused. "Don't you, Olympe?"
Maxime's eyes widened momentarily and Hagrid thought for a fleeting moment that he had botched the line.
"Oh 'agrid, you are so funny!" Maxime laughed and put her arm around his shoulders and gave a little squeeze.
Hagrid may not have understood that what he had said was supposed to be humorous, but he was more than pleased with the results. And very grateful to Snape for his assistance.
Unfortunately for Snape, the adventure didn't end there. Hagrid continued to pester him for more things to say and despite himself, Snape obliged. He couldn't have said why he did it, except that he remembered what it had been like for him, just a few weeks ago, having feelings for someone and not being certain if they were returned, wanting to do anything and everything to get an edge. So as they made their way through the museum, Snape slipped Hagrid clever insights about the paintings and witty comments about art in general, some of which Hagrid butchered in his delivery, but for the most part proved him to be more cultured than anyone would have expected.
As they left the museum, Dumbledore was beaming from ear to ear and whispered, "That was very sweet of you, Severus."
Inflamed by Dumbledore's obvious pride that he had done something so nice for Hagrid, Snape snapped, "Stop being so cheerful!"
Albus ignored Severus's grumbling and said, "I am sorry, Severus, for how the day has turned out. Why don't you select our activity for the rest of the afternoon. Where would you like to go? Notre Dame, the Champs Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower? We're just a hop skip from the Tuileries if you fancy a stroll." Sensing that Severus wasn't interested in his suggestions, Albus continued, "Or another museum perhaps? The Pompidou has a very interesting exhibit at the moment…"
"Pére Lachaise."
Dumbledore blinked. A moment later he asked, "You want to go to a cemetery for our romantic getaway?"
"It's not as though I asked to see the Catacombs for Merlin's sake. I've never been and some of the greatest Potions Masters of this century are buried there."
Dumbledore paused a moment and then reached into his pocket, unfolded a piece of paper and handed it to Severus. Snape's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized what it was, a map of Pére Lachaise, with the relevant graves highlighted.
"It seems you thought of everything, Albus."
Before Dumbledore could smile in victory, Snape added with a smirk, "Except…how to find some privacy. Which, correct me if I'm wrong, was the whole point of this trip. Hagrid is never going to leave my side now!"
"Don't be silly. Seeing how things have worked in Hagrid's favor this afternoon, I'm sure he'll want to be alone with Madame Maxime. After lunch, we'll go our separate ways."
-
-
But during that late lunch in a cafe on Boulevard Saint Germain, while Dumbledore and Maxime were lost in an animated conversation, Hagrid leaned close to Snape's ear and whispered urgently, "She told me we're going to the loo tomorrow."
"The loo?" Snape asked incredulously.
"Yeah, yeh know…the big museum."
"For Merlin's sake! It's pronounced the Louvre," Snape snapped.
"Yeah, that's it," Hagrid continued, oblivious to Snape's irritation. "And I don't know anything about this art stuff. Yeh'll come along, won't yeh? To give meh some more advice?"
"Absolutely not, Hagrid. We have plans."
"But yeh're going to be in Paris anyway. She's givin' me a tour she said, the Louvre and Versailles. If yeh could just go wit' us, it would really help meh to…"
Hagrid didn't get to finish his plea, however, as Dumbledore's voice cut through suddenly addressing the group. "And it really was a joy running into the both of you, Madame Maxime, Hagrid. I hope the two of you enjoy your tour of Paris. Severus and I actually have plans to go to the Riviera tomorrow. He's never been and I think we both can use some sun."
"Ah, but zat sounds marvelous, Albus," Maxime replied. "Early June eez ze best time to go. Ze beaches are too crowded later in ze summer. And I shall finish zat tour of Paris I promeezed 'agrid."
Hagrid could not have looked more distressed at this new information. Snape just stared at Dumbledore in grateful surprise for handling the situation.
A few minutes later when Maxime excused herself, Dumbledore tried to reassure a very sullen looking Hagrid.
"Hagrid, listen to me. Just be yourself. Olympe likes you for who you are."
"Really, Professor Dumbledore sir?"
"Yes really."
"Maybe the two of yeh can recommend a book I can read so I can say some of that artsy stuff."
"You can't be serious," Snape exclaimed.
"Hagrid, trust me. I know this," Dumbledore continued while eyeing Severus. "You can do many things to attempt to win someone's heart, but in the end, it pays to be yourself."
After Albus and Severus waved goodbye to Hagrid and Maxime, Severus remarked pointedly, "You lied to Hagrid."
"Did I?" Dumbledore asked.
"You said that complex attempts at seduction don't work. It worked for you."
"Ah no. I told him to be himself, and that's exactly what I was."
"A crazy old man?" Snape inquired in amusement.
"Precisely," Dumbledore replied with a smile.
"So are we really going to the beach?"
"Unless you'd rather stay and play Cyrano de Bergerac to Hagrid."
"No thank you. But the beach?" Snape cringed.
"Why not?"
"Do I look like a beach person to you?" Snape asked somewhat irritably.
"I think you'd look quite edible in beach attire, Severus."
Snape grumbled something unintelligible and Dumbledore continued, "I was thinking of Nice or Marseille." Sensing his lover's reluctance, Dumbledore added, "It'll be romantic, Severus."
"Is that so?"
"I promise."
-
---------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It is in some ways inspired by/a tribute to a magnificent morning I spent in the Musée d'Orsay.
Thank you for all your reviews. I'm delighted to find so many people who are enjoying not only this story, but this pairing as well.
Regarding 'Unexpected Grace,' I am working on the next chapter - never fear. But unfortunately, that is not a story I can just whip out. I ask for your patience.
In the next chapter, Albus tries to fulfill his promise in Marseille. Sand, sun, and fun...how can Severus not be pleased!?
Please review.