Chapter 26
*Alysun thwacks Naomi, the wonderful proof reader, over the head and tells her that she will be praised whether she likes it or not*
* G *
Thanks to all reviews and reviewers, esp. Ruby Rose Edward, Avalon Princess, Pervert Bitch, Ambrosius and Silver Fox! And Clara! Alysun.
DISCLAIMER: I thought I was going to stop doing these? Hmmm. . .
We Shall See.
What was going on in Draco's mind?! questioned Dumbledore himself, furiously, as he led the distracted boy up to his office in the tower. Severus had dealt with it well, but there was not much that could be done to quell the rumours now. The rumours would reach Fudge, and then not only Severus and Draco would be in trouble, but he himself would be disgraced for not telling. The sharp click of Minerva's shoes on the floor told Dumbledore that she was following them, wanting to know more. There was no time. There was very little that could be done to save Severus. They reached the gargoyle. Dumbledore led them up the winding staircase, and into his office. He sat himself down, and signalled Draco into a chair. Minerva stood in front of the closed doorway, arms crossed. "Now, then Draco. What was all that about?" Dumbledore started genially. Draco shrugged, his eyes fixed on his feet. Dumbledore kicked himself mentally. Of course! Draco didn't know he knew! And he wouldn't say anything in front of Minerva anyway. "Minerva, would you be so good as to go and fetch Severus? Come back up here with him in twenty minutes or so, if you will.," he said. She nodded curtly and took her leave, casting him a curious look as she closed the door. He now directed his attention solely on Draco's bent head. He said nothing for a minute or two, contemplating the questions he could ask, and the answers he might get. This was going to be hard. "I know about you and Professor Snape, Draco, " he said finally, gently, quietly. Draco's head snapped up in alarm for an instant, and then dropped again. "Oh, " he said, nonchalantly. Dumbledore sighed. "Look, there is nothing I can do for this without your co-operation, Draco. I need you to tell me everything. We only have fifteen minutes or so!" Draco rocked in his chair quietly, and then started in a low voice, "I love him. But he doesn't love me. Why? Why not. . ." he trailed off. A tear fell, and Draco hastened to wipe it away. "Do you really, Draco? He's at least twice your age, you know. There are lots of others out there, more suiting. . ." Draco shook his head. Conversation drew to a halt. What did Severus think of Draco? He wouldn't be impressed by his sudden outburst, that's for sure. Why had Severus let this happen? Something wasn't fitting into place. It was like a piece of a jigsaw that was in the wrong box; it looked right on the face of it, but it didn't fit. No, no, no, no, no! Thought Dumbledore in frustration. Severus doesn't do things like this! It's all wrong! It's not his style! "What about your father, Draco?" asked Dumbledore. Draco shrugged again. "What about him? He's gone." Oh, lord! exclaimed Dumbledore silently. This was Not Good. "Your mother? How is she coping?" Conversation was an uphill struggle. "Nervous breakdown," said Draco, monotonously. Dumbledore felt that nothing could go right. A headache made its entrance.
"Draco, this isn't good. You know that as well as I do. I can't let anything happen between you and Professor Snape, it's not legal! You mustn't cut yourself up about this! You must remember, that Severus is an exceptional liar. There's no really way of knowing what he's thinking. Forget him. Please, Draco, " implored Dumbledore at last. Time was running out. "But I can't. . .I know he lies. . .but when? When does he lie?" whispered Draco. "When he sees fit," sighed Dumbledore. He suffered that too. "It'll be better soon, I assure you, Draco, " he finished, sensing that Minerva was soon to arrive with Severus. Draco started slightly and looked up. What the. . .? thought Dumbledore in surprise. Draco was staring at him as though he wasn't human. Then he shook his head, and looked down again. "Sorry," he murmured, "something else. . ." Before Dumbledore could ask, there was a brisk knock on the door. Minerva. "Come in, " called Dumbledore, and the door opened. Minerva entered, and moved to stand inconspicuously against the wall of the round room. Snape glided in, his face impassive as he viewed the scene. "Ah, Severus. Minerva, if you would leave us for a while. . .?" MacGonagoll nodded, her annoyance showing only in the quickness of her step as she left the room. Severus stood indifferently behind Draco's chair, slightly to the right, not looking at the boy, but concentrating his gaze on Dumbledore. This was it, thought Dumbledore. At the end of this. . .there will either be no more, or a huge scandal. Or both. "So," he began. "You should both know why you're here. . ." without realising it, he had fallen into the familiar role of the severe headmaster telling off naughty students. "The question is, what next? Draco, your behaviour was totally inappropriate. It can't happen again, understand?" Draco nodded mutely. "And you, Severus, should have known better in the first place. But I will let it pass, for now," Severus raised his eyebrows. Dumbledore wondered why. "Indeed," said Severus quietly. Draco flinched. "As you said before, what now?" Dumbledore shrugged in a gesture of ignorance. He had no idea. "I think it's maybe best if you and Draco discuss that amongst yourselves. I'll leave you here to think about it for, an hour? Yes, an hour will be enough. . ." Dumbledore stood from his chair and left the room, closing the door behind him. As an afterthought, he locked them in. What would happen next? We shall see, thought Dumbledore. We shall see.
*Alysun thwacks Naomi, the wonderful proof reader, over the head and tells her that she will be praised whether she likes it or not*
* G *
Thanks to all reviews and reviewers, esp. Ruby Rose Edward, Avalon Princess, Pervert Bitch, Ambrosius and Silver Fox! And Clara! Alysun.
DISCLAIMER: I thought I was going to stop doing these? Hmmm. . .
We Shall See.
What was going on in Draco's mind?! questioned Dumbledore himself, furiously, as he led the distracted boy up to his office in the tower. Severus had dealt with it well, but there was not much that could be done to quell the rumours now. The rumours would reach Fudge, and then not only Severus and Draco would be in trouble, but he himself would be disgraced for not telling. The sharp click of Minerva's shoes on the floor told Dumbledore that she was following them, wanting to know more. There was no time. There was very little that could be done to save Severus. They reached the gargoyle. Dumbledore led them up the winding staircase, and into his office. He sat himself down, and signalled Draco into a chair. Minerva stood in front of the closed doorway, arms crossed. "Now, then Draco. What was all that about?" Dumbledore started genially. Draco shrugged, his eyes fixed on his feet. Dumbledore kicked himself mentally. Of course! Draco didn't know he knew! And he wouldn't say anything in front of Minerva anyway. "Minerva, would you be so good as to go and fetch Severus? Come back up here with him in twenty minutes or so, if you will.," he said. She nodded curtly and took her leave, casting him a curious look as she closed the door. He now directed his attention solely on Draco's bent head. He said nothing for a minute or two, contemplating the questions he could ask, and the answers he might get. This was going to be hard. "I know about you and Professor Snape, Draco, " he said finally, gently, quietly. Draco's head snapped up in alarm for an instant, and then dropped again. "Oh, " he said, nonchalantly. Dumbledore sighed. "Look, there is nothing I can do for this without your co-operation, Draco. I need you to tell me everything. We only have fifteen minutes or so!" Draco rocked in his chair quietly, and then started in a low voice, "I love him. But he doesn't love me. Why? Why not. . ." he trailed off. A tear fell, and Draco hastened to wipe it away. "Do you really, Draco? He's at least twice your age, you know. There are lots of others out there, more suiting. . ." Draco shook his head. Conversation drew to a halt. What did Severus think of Draco? He wouldn't be impressed by his sudden outburst, that's for sure. Why had Severus let this happen? Something wasn't fitting into place. It was like a piece of a jigsaw that was in the wrong box; it looked right on the face of it, but it didn't fit. No, no, no, no, no! Thought Dumbledore in frustration. Severus doesn't do things like this! It's all wrong! It's not his style! "What about your father, Draco?" asked Dumbledore. Draco shrugged again. "What about him? He's gone." Oh, lord! exclaimed Dumbledore silently. This was Not Good. "Your mother? How is she coping?" Conversation was an uphill struggle. "Nervous breakdown," said Draco, monotonously. Dumbledore felt that nothing could go right. A headache made its entrance.
"Draco, this isn't good. You know that as well as I do. I can't let anything happen between you and Professor Snape, it's not legal! You mustn't cut yourself up about this! You must remember, that Severus is an exceptional liar. There's no really way of knowing what he's thinking. Forget him. Please, Draco, " implored Dumbledore at last. Time was running out. "But I can't. . .I know he lies. . .but when? When does he lie?" whispered Draco. "When he sees fit," sighed Dumbledore. He suffered that too. "It'll be better soon, I assure you, Draco, " he finished, sensing that Minerva was soon to arrive with Severus. Draco started slightly and looked up. What the. . .? thought Dumbledore in surprise. Draco was staring at him as though he wasn't human. Then he shook his head, and looked down again. "Sorry," he murmured, "something else. . ." Before Dumbledore could ask, there was a brisk knock on the door. Minerva. "Come in, " called Dumbledore, and the door opened. Minerva entered, and moved to stand inconspicuously against the wall of the round room. Snape glided in, his face impassive as he viewed the scene. "Ah, Severus. Minerva, if you would leave us for a while. . .?" MacGonagoll nodded, her annoyance showing only in the quickness of her step as she left the room. Severus stood indifferently behind Draco's chair, slightly to the right, not looking at the boy, but concentrating his gaze on Dumbledore. This was it, thought Dumbledore. At the end of this. . .there will either be no more, or a huge scandal. Or both. "So," he began. "You should both know why you're here. . ." without realising it, he had fallen into the familiar role of the severe headmaster telling off naughty students. "The question is, what next? Draco, your behaviour was totally inappropriate. It can't happen again, understand?" Draco nodded mutely. "And you, Severus, should have known better in the first place. But I will let it pass, for now," Severus raised his eyebrows. Dumbledore wondered why. "Indeed," said Severus quietly. Draco flinched. "As you said before, what now?" Dumbledore shrugged in a gesture of ignorance. He had no idea. "I think it's maybe best if you and Draco discuss that amongst yourselves. I'll leave you here to think about it for, an hour? Yes, an hour will be enough. . ." Dumbledore stood from his chair and left the room, closing the door behind him. As an afterthought, he locked them in. What would happen next? We shall see, thought Dumbledore. We shall see.