Chapter 4 B
Harry felt his heart lurch up as he stared blankly at the item in his hand. Just for bringing certificate? Can't he just post it?
"-And for a certain old fool that kept insisting I have to bring you back before the Americans hoodwinked you," Snape went on.
So the real reason is Moody. Well, so sorry then. I'm not going back, old man, Harry grumbled bitterly, I can't, not while he is still influencing me so deeply even after all the time I was apart from him.
Harry counted to ten before replying to Snape, internally repeating the words he had practiced so many times in order to appease his friends' anxiety.
"I'm so sorry, Professor, I can't go home now. Please tell Moody that I'm already registered as a student here," said Harry calmly.
Well, I'm not lying! Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those black eyes.
"I see," said Snape slowly.
He almost sighed in relief but then, the man continued, "I'll be staying here tonight."
W-H-A-T? He shouted inwardly, eyes bulged in surprise.
"You can't be serious!" blurted Harry panickly.
"Why? So little Potter has a girlfriend now?" said Snape with an eyebrow raised.
Lovely, lovely eyebrow, Harry thought, Stupid heart, No! Stop it, no eyebrow for me!
"No, but-," Harry stammered.
Snape quickly cut in, "Then it is decided."
"You can't!" Harry protested.
"Give me a valid reason why I shouldn't, Potter," Snape retorted.
His brain went overload with the fact Snape wanted to stay at his place tonight and he couldn't think of any good excuses to prevent the man from spending a night in his apartment. It didn't help that the man was clearly enjoying seeing his frustration.
"You just can't!" said Harry, totally at loss for words.
"I'm not accepting that," said Snape, his eyes glinting.
I'll end up raping you, Harry thought, Merlin's beard, I'll end up as a rapist by the morning!
Harry shouted—the first thing that came into his mind, "I only have one bed!"
"Potter, are you certain that you are a wizard?" Snape mocked him.
Harry groaned. A wizard could transfigure almost everything but that didn't always mean that you would get the same thing you've been thinking about. He wasn't so successful on transfiguration. It was more of Hermione's forte.
"I still get my own bed," said Harry stubbornly.
"Who said that I want yours? It might be infested with fleas," said Snape coolly, delivering the insult with a tone that suggested he referred to a certain dead animagus who had been Harry's Godfather.
That was a low blow, you nasty old bat! Harry thought angrily. Why do I fall for this kind of person? Because he is sexy, stupid! And he only insulted you because you baited him- Ahh! Stop that! He cried out inwardly.
Since Snape had come to his apartment, Harry was sure he was slowly becoming insane.
"Just go to the hotel or something. I'm sure you'll find one. I will pay for it," said Harry desperately.
Snape glared sharply at him. Harry cringed, the man looking irritated enough to whip his wand at him and cast Cruciatus Curse for his insolence. He didn't mean to insult Snape but somehow it turned out to be that way.
"If you can find one, I'll pay you double for it, Potter!" hissed Snape to his face.
Wait, since when did he get so close to me? Harry fumed in a panic.
He quickly stepped backward even though it was a cowardly act.
"How can that be difficult? New York is big enough!" said Harry defiantly.
Now Snape got a strange expression on his face.
Is that pity, I saw? He thought confusedly.
Snape snorted, "Potter, I always knew that you were stupid, but not this stupid!"
"Stop calling me stupid!" Harry growled.
"Do you know what day is today?" asked Snape impatiently.
"Of course I know! It's December 31," Harry ended his words with a slap on his forehead.
I swear the Stars are plotting against me! Harry thought. Bloody Hell! I totally forgot about it because he came so suddenly.
Harry had to admit that Snape was right. Hotels in New York were full of lovers and families at the end of the year. Even the most run-down hotels or motels were most likely to be full because of the holiday events going on in the city.
"Just do what you want," Harry mumbled dejectedly.
The doorbell rang for the second time that day. He walked to the door without looking at Snape. Harry glared at the pizza delivery boy. The boy didn't even dare ask for a tip. He only gave Harry the pizza, accepted the money, and quickly disappeared from that apartment.
Harry came back into the apartment and found Snape sitting calmly on his bed, which had been transfigured into what looked like a plush black couch.
Interesting, I knew that he loved comfortable things, he mused, but what's with his obsession with black?
Snape's grey, heavy coat and white scarf were no where to be seen. And to his surprise, the man wore a muggle clothes; a fitted black turtleneck and black pants. Harry couldn't tear his gaze from the man's figure. He had never seen Snape wore other than thick black robe.
Whoever had said that the man was skinny couldn't be more wrong. Oh, yes, Severus Snape was definitely in the prime of life. Anyone only had to look at the man's splendid physique would get the same opinion.
And Snape's raven hair, for once, didn't look greasy which made Harry want to run his fingers through that shoulder length hair. Harry debated with himself, whether the man would kill him or not if he tried to touch his hair.
"You are staring, Potter," said Snape.
Harry blinked. It's your hair's fault! he thought accusingly.
"Well, excuse me, I never saw you dress in anything besides a robe, Professor," said Harry innocently.
If he were ever teaching while wearing those clothes, no one will pay attention to his teaching, Harry thought, I wouldn't for sure, too busy molesting him with my eyes. He might even get admirers.
Harry frowned when he thought about that. He tried to squish that jealous feeling. It won't do me any good to get jealous at some imaginary admirers.
"Potter," said Snape.
Harry snapped out of his thought, "yes?"
Snape gestured to the item in Harry's hand.
Harry looked down to pizza box in his hand. "Oh, this? It's a pepperoni pizza."
"Err—do you want some, Professor?" said Harry as he opened the box and offered it to the man.
Snape was looking at the pizza suspiciously like it was two-headed dragon instead of a harmless Italian baked pie, covered with toppings.
"Go on. I guarantee it tastes OK," said Harry, convincing him.
Harry was mentally sweating when Snape lifted his head to stare at him. Those dark obsidian eyes bore deeply into his. He felt like the ugly witch who had just offered a poisonous apple to the Snow White like in the muggle's fairytale. However, before long, he noticed that those black eyes glittered with mirth, laughing at his discomfort.
Damn you for making me feel guilty over a pizza! He glared at the man.
He bloody hated Snape's peculiar sense of humor. Ah, no, he bloody hated how Slytherins in general thought it was funny to make others suffer. What a bunch of twisted people!
A triumphant smile flickered across Snape's face before the man picked one slice, then brought it to his mouth, and took a bite.
"Too much cheese," commented Snape.
Harry rolled his eyes and decided to have a good banter with him.
"I like it that way," Harry retorted defensively.
"You'll get fat, Potter," Snape said dryly.
Harry chuckled, "I don't eat this everyday. Do you want more, Professor?"
"No," Snape said curtly.
Harry's throat went dry when he watched Snape lick the cheese that was stuck on the man's upper lip. Fantasies about what that pink tongue could do reeled into his mind. He felt his blood rush up to his head and then down to his lower parts. Oh, shit!
"Excuse me," he mumbled.
Harry ran to the bathroom and slammed the bathroom door close. He pinched his nose, hoping that he wouldn't get a nosebleed. Too much visual! Bloody hell! He looked at the tent in his boxers pitifully.
Harry didn't dare to go out for a while until after he practiced meditation inside the bathroom. He kept chanting about self-control and was seriously considering locking himself in the bathroom until tomorrow. He wasn't so sure he wouldn't attack Snape tonight.
He loves your mother. He is old enough to be your father. Your father hated him. Your godfather hated him. You are a pervert if you like him. Your friends hate him. He's a greasy old bat. He's nasty. Harry went on thinking about one hundred-and-one reasons not to rape Snape. After repeating that five times, Harry came out from the bathroom.
Snape was sitting on the couch with a book opened in his lap. The man lifted his head when he heard him approaching.
"Pity. I thought you decided to get rid of yourself," said Snape silkily.
Despite the insult, one glance to the sexy man was enough to make all reason fly from Harry's head. Life was so much better if he had never seen how the man looked like without those thick robes. And that tongue! Now he wasn't just pining for the man but also sexually frustrated that he almost tore his hair out.
"Just leave me alone!" he cried out.
Snape just raised an eyebrow at his words and went back to reading. Harry went all the way to ignore the man for the rest of the day.
End of Chapter 4 B
Special Thanks to my lovely Beta, Mirai Kurosaki. Once again you saved the day! XD
Thank you so much for reading this chapter.. ^_^ I love you all, readers! *hugs* and any review will be welcomed warmly XD