Chapter 27
YAY! for Blonde Ditz! She helped me with the ideas for this chapter. . .YAY! also for Naomi, who helped smooth out some serious faults in the plot. . .and for proof reading, as ever
Thanks to reviewers! Esp. Ruby Rose, Avalon Princess, Clara, and, of course, Pervert Bitch! Alysun
DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I know. . .but I don't wanna get sued! * G * Everything belongs to Ms Rowling (Mrs., even), except MY plot. . .Mwuhahahahaha. . .
No. . .
Draco sat in a chair in Dumbledore's office, watching Snape's back. He was standing, staring out of the window. Neither had said anything since Dumbledore had left, each in the seclusion of their minds. Draco wondered what Snape was thinking. Did he have feelings for him or not? Was he just a foolish boy or a mistake in his eyes, or what? Everything seemed to be moving so fast around him. . .so fast. . .no time. . . half the time Draco felt that he wasn't there, just watching it through a window in his mind. It was all so . . .different. . . than it used to be. . . He was sorry. Sorry for everything. . . he had been such an idiot. . .why had he done it? He didn't really think that it would make it better? Fool that I am. . . "I'm sorry," he said, for what good that it was worth. It had been the first time he had spoken spontaneously in days. Not that it mattered. Snape would never forgive him for this. . . he had ruined everything. . . "I know you are," answered Snape, quietly, "and it's all my fault. I shouldn't have led you on like that. . .but then. . .you're so much like. . .you're so young. . ." Draco was surprised. Maybe. . .? For some reason that Draco couldn't explain, he thought of his father's letter, the one that Snape had given to him. . all those months ago. . .what had he said? "one truly wonderful teacher of mine". . . yes, that had been it. Draco never did work out what the "of mine" had meant. It didn't matter, he supposed. Snape stood in front of him, a tall figure wrapped in dark. . .ness. Dark material, and darkness. His hair fell in front of his face and his eyes glazed over slightly, as Draco watched. He was speaking, although quietly, Draco realised. The more he listened, the clearer it became that he was merely thinking out loud. ". . .and then there's Narcissa. . . what does she want? The letter. . . I can't believe he sent that letter. . . then she killed him? No. . .he didn't send that letter. . .she did. . . She must have. Why didn't I see it before? Fool. . . now what? I still have it somewhere. . .I'll burn it. . . fool that I am. . . burn it. . . she must have found out. . .how? Does it matter? . . .she became jealous. . .oh, I see it all now. . . .damn her! She killed him. . . and Lucius. . knew? Why didn't he stop it from happening then, if he knew? Did she write that, too? . . .no. . . she couldn't have known . . . " Snape flinched at something Draco couldn't see. What one earth was the man rambling on about? His mother? It almost sounded like she and his father had plotted to kill someone. . . or his mother had killed someone, and his father knew, but didn't stop her? Ludicrous! He said nothing, wanting to know more. " . . .He wrote that last letter. . .he knew she was. . .then why. . . why didn't he. . .? Oh, fool. . ." Snape stopped again. Draco watched his teacher's back. He was a refined man, tall and stately, Draco decided on the spur of the moment. Snape was leaning on the windowsill, his head bowed so his long hair covered his face. . .his hands gripped the cold stonework of the windowsill as he stood, hunched over. What time was it? How long did they have left? "Professor?" he asked tentatively. "Hmm?" replied Snape, distractedly. ". . . er . . ." "Oh, sorry. . .miles away. . ." Snape sighed, and turned around to face Draco. He looked old, haggard. ". . .so what next?" questioned Draco. Snape looked away. "Who knows? It doesn't matter too much anyway, not with her plan. . ." Draco stared. "Whose plan?" Snape looked at him. He sighed again. "No matter. All I'll say, is that if she has it her way, I'll end up in Azakaban. . ." he shuddered. Draco looked at the Potions Master in alarm. "What do you mean?! You've done nothing wro. . ." he stopped short. He was hardly in a position to tell Snape that he hadn't done anything wrong. Snape gave a humourless half smile. "So? What does it matter, with the right evidence. Or at least the wrong evidence. . .How many innocents have ended up in Azakaban? And who will they believe? Me or. . ." he gave an eloquent wave of the hand, "her?" "Who is this 'her' you keep on about?" asked Draco, in frustration. Snape looked at him again. He seemed to battle within himself, before finally telling him. "'She' is your mother." Draco stared. So he had been talking about his mother earlier. . .what on earth was it all about? ". . .but. . . mother. . ." he stuttered. His mother?! "She likes you!" Snape smiled grimly. "Au contraire. She couldn't hate me more. She's just very good at hiding it. . ." "But why?" burst out Draco. Snape shook his head. "You don't want to know. Though, doubtless, you shall find out soon, if she succeeds. . ." Draco couldn't stop himself from staring in disbelief. What did he mean? Why was he talking about his mother and father a minute ago? What became clear to him? Who had she killed? "Won't you just tell me? Please?" he asked, pleadingly, almost. For the first time in days, he felt alive again, not just watching the world pass through a window. . . alive but frustrated. WHAT did he mean?! Snape checked his watch. "Dumbledore will be back in five minutes or so. We still haven't decided anything," he said, changing the subject totally. Draco shrugged. "What do you want to happen?" he asked. "You say you. . ." Snape paused, "love. . ." he said it as though it was a word with which he was not well aquatinted with, "me?" Draco blushed and hung his head slightly. Reading this action correctly, Snape said, "Ah. This is unfortunate," causing Draco much mental unbalance. What did he mean? Why could he not just say things clearly?! "What do you mean? Do you love me?" he asked, taking his life in his hands.
His heart was beating fast. What if he said no? Then he would look even more of a fool. . .he shouldn't have asked. . . he would say no. . .
But what if he said yes. . . ?
As it was, Snape said nothing, but closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in thought. Draco watched him. His lips parted briefly, uttering a word that Draco could barely make out. . . although it sounded like. . .Lucius?! Snape opened his eyes, but didn't look at Draco; he stared at a vacant point on the wall opposite. The door opened, and Dumbledore came in. He looked at the two, Snape standing in front of the window, blocking the light, Draco sitting staring at him. "Have you sorted things out yet?" asked Dumbledore. Draco didn't answer. Something had just struck him. "Did She. . . kill . . .my father?" he asked Snape jerkily. Snape nodded briefly. Draco went numb.
No. . .
YAY! for Blonde Ditz! She helped me with the ideas for this chapter. . .YAY! also for Naomi, who helped smooth out some serious faults in the plot. . .and for proof reading, as ever
Thanks to reviewers! Esp. Ruby Rose, Avalon Princess, Clara, and, of course, Pervert Bitch! Alysun
DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I know. . .but I don't wanna get sued! * G * Everything belongs to Ms Rowling (Mrs., even), except MY plot. . .Mwuhahahahaha. . .
No. . .
Draco sat in a chair in Dumbledore's office, watching Snape's back. He was standing, staring out of the window. Neither had said anything since Dumbledore had left, each in the seclusion of their minds. Draco wondered what Snape was thinking. Did he have feelings for him or not? Was he just a foolish boy or a mistake in his eyes, or what? Everything seemed to be moving so fast around him. . .so fast. . .no time. . . half the time Draco felt that he wasn't there, just watching it through a window in his mind. It was all so . . .different. . . than it used to be. . . He was sorry. Sorry for everything. . . he had been such an idiot. . .why had he done it? He didn't really think that it would make it better? Fool that I am. . . "I'm sorry," he said, for what good that it was worth. It had been the first time he had spoken spontaneously in days. Not that it mattered. Snape would never forgive him for this. . . he had ruined everything. . . "I know you are," answered Snape, quietly, "and it's all my fault. I shouldn't have led you on like that. . .but then. . .you're so much like. . .you're so young. . ." Draco was surprised. Maybe. . .? For some reason that Draco couldn't explain, he thought of his father's letter, the one that Snape had given to him. . all those months ago. . .what had he said? "one truly wonderful teacher of mine". . . yes, that had been it. Draco never did work out what the "of mine" had meant. It didn't matter, he supposed. Snape stood in front of him, a tall figure wrapped in dark. . .ness. Dark material, and darkness. His hair fell in front of his face and his eyes glazed over slightly, as Draco watched. He was speaking, although quietly, Draco realised. The more he listened, the clearer it became that he was merely thinking out loud. ". . .and then there's Narcissa. . . what does she want? The letter. . . I can't believe he sent that letter. . . then she killed him? No. . .he didn't send that letter. . .she did. . . She must have. Why didn't I see it before? Fool. . . now what? I still have it somewhere. . .I'll burn it. . . fool that I am. . . burn it. . . she must have found out. . .how? Does it matter? . . .she became jealous. . .oh, I see it all now. . . .damn her! She killed him. . . and Lucius. . knew? Why didn't he stop it from happening then, if he knew? Did she write that, too? . . .no. . . she couldn't have known . . . " Snape flinched at something Draco couldn't see. What one earth was the man rambling on about? His mother? It almost sounded like she and his father had plotted to kill someone. . . or his mother had killed someone, and his father knew, but didn't stop her? Ludicrous! He said nothing, wanting to know more. " . . .He wrote that last letter. . .he knew she was. . .then why. . . why didn't he. . .? Oh, fool. . ." Snape stopped again. Draco watched his teacher's back. He was a refined man, tall and stately, Draco decided on the spur of the moment. Snape was leaning on the windowsill, his head bowed so his long hair covered his face. . .his hands gripped the cold stonework of the windowsill as he stood, hunched over. What time was it? How long did they have left? "Professor?" he asked tentatively. "Hmm?" replied Snape, distractedly. ". . . er . . ." "Oh, sorry. . .miles away. . ." Snape sighed, and turned around to face Draco. He looked old, haggard. ". . .so what next?" questioned Draco. Snape looked away. "Who knows? It doesn't matter too much anyway, not with her plan. . ." Draco stared. "Whose plan?" Snape looked at him. He sighed again. "No matter. All I'll say, is that if she has it her way, I'll end up in Azakaban. . ." he shuddered. Draco looked at the Potions Master in alarm. "What do you mean?! You've done nothing wro. . ." he stopped short. He was hardly in a position to tell Snape that he hadn't done anything wrong. Snape gave a humourless half smile. "So? What does it matter, with the right evidence. Or at least the wrong evidence. . .How many innocents have ended up in Azakaban? And who will they believe? Me or. . ." he gave an eloquent wave of the hand, "her?" "Who is this 'her' you keep on about?" asked Draco, in frustration. Snape looked at him again. He seemed to battle within himself, before finally telling him. "'She' is your mother." Draco stared. So he had been talking about his mother earlier. . .what on earth was it all about? ". . .but. . . mother. . ." he stuttered. His mother?! "She likes you!" Snape smiled grimly. "Au contraire. She couldn't hate me more. She's just very good at hiding it. . ." "But why?" burst out Draco. Snape shook his head. "You don't want to know. Though, doubtless, you shall find out soon, if she succeeds. . ." Draco couldn't stop himself from staring in disbelief. What did he mean? Why was he talking about his mother and father a minute ago? What became clear to him? Who had she killed? "Won't you just tell me? Please?" he asked, pleadingly, almost. For the first time in days, he felt alive again, not just watching the world pass through a window. . . alive but frustrated. WHAT did he mean?! Snape checked his watch. "Dumbledore will be back in five minutes or so. We still haven't decided anything," he said, changing the subject totally. Draco shrugged. "What do you want to happen?" he asked. "You say you. . ." Snape paused, "love. . ." he said it as though it was a word with which he was not well aquatinted with, "me?" Draco blushed and hung his head slightly. Reading this action correctly, Snape said, "Ah. This is unfortunate," causing Draco much mental unbalance. What did he mean? Why could he not just say things clearly?! "What do you mean? Do you love me?" he asked, taking his life in his hands.
His heart was beating fast. What if he said no? Then he would look even more of a fool. . .he shouldn't have asked. . . he would say no. . .
But what if he said yes. . . ?
As it was, Snape said nothing, but closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in thought. Draco watched him. His lips parted briefly, uttering a word that Draco could barely make out. . . although it sounded like. . .Lucius?! Snape opened his eyes, but didn't look at Draco; he stared at a vacant point on the wall opposite. The door opened, and Dumbledore came in. He looked at the two, Snape standing in front of the window, blocking the light, Draco sitting staring at him. "Have you sorted things out yet?" asked Dumbledore. Draco didn't answer. Something had just struck him. "Did She. . . kill . . .my father?" he asked Snape jerkily. Snape nodded briefly. Draco went numb.
No. . .