Of All the Things I Wished for...Chapter Two, The Most Interesting News
A Harry Potter Fanfic by Rachel Jones
All characters and concepts of the Wizarding World, except for Riya and Aleia, belong to J.K. Rowling, and this is not intended as infringement on her rights. It's just fanfiction. Oh yes, and this is gonna have some majorly fluffy romance scenes, so if you don't like that, stop reading.^_^ This is a Ron/Hermione, Draco/Riya(my character), Snape/McGonagall(In the books she has BLACK hair so she has to be in her 30's or 40's in normal people-years.Thanks to Rissa for telling me that wizards age slowly,and that she's older than she seems...Still,don't understand the choice of actress for her in the movie...) Lupin/Aleia(my other character), Harry/Ginny, and any other couples I happen to think of.^_^ Yes, I LIKE romance stories. But only fantasy ones.^_^ Oh,yeah...and Snape is NOT the bad guy here...:smiles:Oh,yeah, and at first Snape and Minerva 'hate' each other.^__^ Oh, and as a weird little side-note, the whole thing where Harry is mumbling about Ron standing up for Hermione isn't just based on the way he reacted in Book 4 with the whole teeth thing...it's also based on the fact that the guy I like is VERY like Ron, and many people tell me I am like Hermione, and he defends me sometimes during English class...and he reacted just like that when his friend questioned if he was defending me...but if you know him, don't tell him I said that!^__^ Not that I think anyone I know from school IS here...^__^
Weeks passed by with little event. Then, as Halloween neared, Dumbledore called for the attention of the school again. In a loud, clear voice, he announced that they would be holding a small dance and buffet for the teachers the upcoming week, and that the students would be given that day off to do as they pleased and enjoy themselves. Of course, all of the students cheered, and several buzzes of conversation-mostly wondering if any of the teachers would be going as couples-began.
Snape glanced sideways around the room. In the corner of his eye, he saw her-Aleia was standing in the shadows towards one of the hallways that led out of the Great Hall. His dark eyes narrowed-she was, as he suspected, exchanging a smile with Remus Lupin. Snape KNEW she would be going with the werewolf. He gritted his teeth. He'd HAVE to go with SOMEBODY...to prove to Lupin that he, Severus Snape, was desirable to SOMEone...that he COULD get a dance partner. He looked casually around the table...Hmmm, letsee...Professor Sprout? No...Hmmm...Trelawney was just TOO odd for his taste...and that only seemed to be leaving McGonagall. He glared in her direction, and she glared back. How was he supposed to ask a woman like HER? She hated him and he hated her.
"Bah." He mumbled under his breath.
Lupin chuckled softly. "Something wrong, Severus? Surely you can find someone to bring to this little party Dumbledore's managed to arrange. Unless you prefer the single life?" He grinned.
"Remus, leave my personal life out of this...it has nothing to do with this 'party', as you call it." He would have stood and left right then and there, but courtesy towards Dumbledore made him remain seated, a scowl on his face. As soon as Dumbledore dismissed everyone, he nearly leapt from his seat and began to walk briskly to his classroom...
Two days later, in the Gryffindor Common Room, nighttime-
"So, what are we going to do on our free day?" Harry asked, trying to think of something to talk about. Ron and Hermione had just ahd an argument over some Muggle book or something...one he recognized, really. 'Romeo and Juliet'. A VERY tragic story, and, being non-Wizard written, Ron knew nothing about it. Harry was trying to get them to talk again, which they showed little willingness to do.
Finally, Ron mumbled. "I guess Hermione'll be studying..."
Harry immediately knew this was the wrong thing to say.
Hermione glared at Ron, turned her head sharply away from him, causing her rather frizzy chestnut hair to fling about in a way that would HURT if you were too close. Her arms were crossed, and she was obviously angry. "I DO have other pasttimes than STUDYING, RON! You act like I NEVER do anything fun!"
Ron, who was beginning to go slightly red, muttered, a bit too loudly, "Well, that's all you ever seem to be doing!"
Hermione snapped herself around to face him, then, without another word, slapped him hard across the cheek, leaving a red handprint, and stormed off to the girl's section of the common room. Ron just stood there in disbelief, holding his cheek.
"W-what'd she do that for? I wasn't trying to insult her...Blimey...why'd she have to act like I was the biggest git in the world?"
Harry almost laughed, but refrained, knowing it wouldn't be wise to anger Ron while he was in this mood. "Maybe if you didn't act like all she does is study, you wouldn't have so many fights..." His voice dropped to a level at which he didn't think Ron could hear him, "We all can tell you two like each other...look at the way you stand up for her when someone else is being cruel to her...It's obvious..."
Ron turned the color of his hair. "What'd you just say, Harry?" He spoke softly, but there was a definite tone of 'I hope I didn't hear what I thought I did...' to it.
"Nothing, Ron, nothing...So, have any plans on what to do while the teachers are having a party?" Harry gave an innocent smile, as if to say 'I didn't say anything about defending anybody!'.
Ron shrugged, not really looking as though he was thinking of the day off. "Should I apologize when she comes back down? What do you think, Harry?" He looked sincerely at his friend, waiting for an answer.
"That sounds like a good idea...Do you think Dumbledore will have another Christmas ball this year?"
Ron groaned. "I don't know...I hope not..."
"Why? Too afraid you'll end up with a 'troll'?" Harry said jokingly, a mischievious grin on his face.
Ron shuddered slightly, then turned very red and muttered. "It's none of your business why I don't want to face another ball, Harry...Besides...who would YOU ask if there was? Cho?"
Harry's face went numb. He could never ask Cho...Besides, this was her last year at Hogwarts...She'd be going with some other guy...some guy HER age, no doubt. "No...I don't know who I'd take...maybe nobody...What about YOU?"
Ron flushed again and scratched his head. "I dunno...M-maybe...nobody,too...Yeah,nobody. Nobody'd go with me anyways." He gave a half-smile.
Harry sighed and shook his head. Before he could say anything, though, Ron yawned and grinned sleepily.
"Mmm...I'm going to go to bed, Harry...See you." He yawned again and slowly began to go up the stairs to the boy's side.
Harry smiled slightly in spite of himself. "Someone WOULD go with you, Ron, if you'd only find some more Gryffindor bravery and ASK her..." He whispered. Then his thoughts turned to what HE would do if there was a ball...Cho was out of the question...Suddenly, a quiet voice broke into his reverie.
"Oh, sorry, Harry...I didn't know anyone else was still awake." Harry turned, knowing as he did who he'd find standing there. Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, a 5th year Gryffindor. She was standing there in a green nightrobe, blushing slightly. Harry felt a bit of color rise to his cheeks, though he had no idea why.
"Oh, it's alright, Ginny...I was just going to bed..." He grinned and gave her a wave. "See you, then!" He walked briskly up the stairs, wondering why he'd been so nervous around Ginny, of all people...
Ginny sighed and sat down on the couch. "See you..." She whispered softly. Why did Harry always run away when she was alone with him? Was she really that frightening? She hoped not...Sometimes she wished she wasn't Ron's little sister...If she wasn't, maybe, just maybe, Harry could see her for who she was...Maybe.
Meanwhile, in the halls near the teachers' quarters...
Snape stalked down the hall, head looking downwards, angry and not paying attention to anything around him. Suddenly, he hit something, and it fell down with an outcry and an 'umph' sort of noise. Looking up slightly, he saw what he had felled. Minerva McGonagall was sitting on the ground, books and papers scattered everywhere around her, glaring up at him. "Well, Severus, why don't you watch where you're going?" She began to get up, grabbing papers as she stood.
He glared back, but sighed, and reached for a book. "Why don't YOU? Here, let me help you..."
"And since when were you a helping sort of person, Severus?"
"My dear Minerva, such a low opinion of a fellow teacher...tut, tut..." He was thinking hard...if he was to ever manage to get a dance partner, now was as good a time as any...So, he cleared his throat and reached purposefully for the same book that she was reaching for. She didn't notice what he was doing until their hands brushed. Quickly, she pulled hers back, and Snape, smiling inside, did the same-all on purpose, of course.
"By the way, Minerva...I need a partner for this function Dumbledore has arranged...I don't suppose you'd be willing to go? As enemies, of course..." He gave a half-grin. "It would certainly be an interesting twist, and I'm sure you wouldn't have SUCH a terrible time...despite what it may seem like, I'm a fairly good dancer." He was using his softest tone possible, trying to keep the edge out of it. He had never really been very good with girls, although he'd never really tried since his Hogwarts days...
To his surprise, Minerva flushed ever-so-slightly and then looked suspiciously at him. "Well...I'm sure you must have some reason behind this, I KNOW you too well to think you'd enjoy my company...But I suppose going to a function with you has little meaning, so alright. Besides, I've had no other offers." Then she gathered the rest of the books and stood completely. "Good night, Severus." She turned and walked past him, into the darkness of the hall that led to her room.
Congratulating himself on a job well-done, Snape walked quietly into his own room. Thank goodness for the rumor of a wandering student, he thought...I'd have had no partner otherwise. Feh, let Remus see that he could still get a partner...not that it would be much of a revenge...Remus would be bringing Aleia, of course...curse him and his good luck. Snape did concede, however, that he HAD been rather undesirable then...clumsy, foolish, and with heart-on-sleeve...He'd been such an idiot then. Now, he had achieved the full potential of any Slytherin-skillful, cunning, and able to get revenge in even the smallest ways. He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes...
To Be Continued...
A Harry Potter Fanfic by Rachel Jones
All characters and concepts of the Wizarding World, except for Riya and Aleia, belong to J.K. Rowling, and this is not intended as infringement on her rights. It's just fanfiction. Oh yes, and this is gonna have some majorly fluffy romance scenes, so if you don't like that, stop reading.^_^ This is a Ron/Hermione, Draco/Riya(my character), Snape/McGonagall(In the books she has BLACK hair so she has to be in her 30's or 40's in normal people-years.Thanks to Rissa for telling me that wizards age slowly,and that she's older than she seems...Still,don't understand the choice of actress for her in the movie...) Lupin/Aleia(my other character), Harry/Ginny, and any other couples I happen to think of.^_^ Yes, I LIKE romance stories. But only fantasy ones.^_^ Oh,yeah...and Snape is NOT the bad guy here...:smiles:Oh,yeah, and at first Snape and Minerva 'hate' each other.^__^ Oh, and as a weird little side-note, the whole thing where Harry is mumbling about Ron standing up for Hermione isn't just based on the way he reacted in Book 4 with the whole teeth thing...it's also based on the fact that the guy I like is VERY like Ron, and many people tell me I am like Hermione, and he defends me sometimes during English class...and he reacted just like that when his friend questioned if he was defending me...but if you know him, don't tell him I said that!^__^ Not that I think anyone I know from school IS here...^__^
Weeks passed by with little event. Then, as Halloween neared, Dumbledore called for the attention of the school again. In a loud, clear voice, he announced that they would be holding a small dance and buffet for the teachers the upcoming week, and that the students would be given that day off to do as they pleased and enjoy themselves. Of course, all of the students cheered, and several buzzes of conversation-mostly wondering if any of the teachers would be going as couples-began.
Snape glanced sideways around the room. In the corner of his eye, he saw her-Aleia was standing in the shadows towards one of the hallways that led out of the Great Hall. His dark eyes narrowed-she was, as he suspected, exchanging a smile with Remus Lupin. Snape KNEW she would be going with the werewolf. He gritted his teeth. He'd HAVE to go with SOMEBODY...to prove to Lupin that he, Severus Snape, was desirable to SOMEone...that he COULD get a dance partner. He looked casually around the table...Hmmm, letsee...Professor Sprout? No...Hmmm...Trelawney was just TOO odd for his taste...and that only seemed to be leaving McGonagall. He glared in her direction, and she glared back. How was he supposed to ask a woman like HER? She hated him and he hated her.
"Bah." He mumbled under his breath.
Lupin chuckled softly. "Something wrong, Severus? Surely you can find someone to bring to this little party Dumbledore's managed to arrange. Unless you prefer the single life?" He grinned.
"Remus, leave my personal life out of this...it has nothing to do with this 'party', as you call it." He would have stood and left right then and there, but courtesy towards Dumbledore made him remain seated, a scowl on his face. As soon as Dumbledore dismissed everyone, he nearly leapt from his seat and began to walk briskly to his classroom...
Two days later, in the Gryffindor Common Room, nighttime-
"So, what are we going to do on our free day?" Harry asked, trying to think of something to talk about. Ron and Hermione had just ahd an argument over some Muggle book or something...one he recognized, really. 'Romeo and Juliet'. A VERY tragic story, and, being non-Wizard written, Ron knew nothing about it. Harry was trying to get them to talk again, which they showed little willingness to do.
Finally, Ron mumbled. "I guess Hermione'll be studying..."
Harry immediately knew this was the wrong thing to say.
Hermione glared at Ron, turned her head sharply away from him, causing her rather frizzy chestnut hair to fling about in a way that would HURT if you were too close. Her arms were crossed, and she was obviously angry. "I DO have other pasttimes than STUDYING, RON! You act like I NEVER do anything fun!"
Ron, who was beginning to go slightly red, muttered, a bit too loudly, "Well, that's all you ever seem to be doing!"
Hermione snapped herself around to face him, then, without another word, slapped him hard across the cheek, leaving a red handprint, and stormed off to the girl's section of the common room. Ron just stood there in disbelief, holding his cheek.
"W-what'd she do that for? I wasn't trying to insult her...Blimey...why'd she have to act like I was the biggest git in the world?"
Harry almost laughed, but refrained, knowing it wouldn't be wise to anger Ron while he was in this mood. "Maybe if you didn't act like all she does is study, you wouldn't have so many fights..." His voice dropped to a level at which he didn't think Ron could hear him, "We all can tell you two like each other...look at the way you stand up for her when someone else is being cruel to her...It's obvious..."
Ron turned the color of his hair. "What'd you just say, Harry?" He spoke softly, but there was a definite tone of 'I hope I didn't hear what I thought I did...' to it.
"Nothing, Ron, nothing...So, have any plans on what to do while the teachers are having a party?" Harry gave an innocent smile, as if to say 'I didn't say anything about defending anybody!'.
Ron shrugged, not really looking as though he was thinking of the day off. "Should I apologize when she comes back down? What do you think, Harry?" He looked sincerely at his friend, waiting for an answer.
"That sounds like a good idea...Do you think Dumbledore will have another Christmas ball this year?"
Ron groaned. "I don't know...I hope not..."
"Why? Too afraid you'll end up with a 'troll'?" Harry said jokingly, a mischievious grin on his face.
Ron shuddered slightly, then turned very red and muttered. "It's none of your business why I don't want to face another ball, Harry...Besides...who would YOU ask if there was? Cho?"
Harry's face went numb. He could never ask Cho...Besides, this was her last year at Hogwarts...She'd be going with some other guy...some guy HER age, no doubt. "No...I don't know who I'd take...maybe nobody...What about YOU?"
Ron flushed again and scratched his head. "I dunno...M-maybe...nobody,too...Yeah,nobody. Nobody'd go with me anyways." He gave a half-smile.
Harry sighed and shook his head. Before he could say anything, though, Ron yawned and grinned sleepily.
"Mmm...I'm going to go to bed, Harry...See you." He yawned again and slowly began to go up the stairs to the boy's side.
Harry smiled slightly in spite of himself. "Someone WOULD go with you, Ron, if you'd only find some more Gryffindor bravery and ASK her..." He whispered. Then his thoughts turned to what HE would do if there was a ball...Cho was out of the question...Suddenly, a quiet voice broke into his reverie.
"Oh, sorry, Harry...I didn't know anyone else was still awake." Harry turned, knowing as he did who he'd find standing there. Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, a 5th year Gryffindor. She was standing there in a green nightrobe, blushing slightly. Harry felt a bit of color rise to his cheeks, though he had no idea why.
"Oh, it's alright, Ginny...I was just going to bed..." He grinned and gave her a wave. "See you, then!" He walked briskly up the stairs, wondering why he'd been so nervous around Ginny, of all people...
Ginny sighed and sat down on the couch. "See you..." She whispered softly. Why did Harry always run away when she was alone with him? Was she really that frightening? She hoped not...Sometimes she wished she wasn't Ron's little sister...If she wasn't, maybe, just maybe, Harry could see her for who she was...Maybe.
Meanwhile, in the halls near the teachers' quarters...
Snape stalked down the hall, head looking downwards, angry and not paying attention to anything around him. Suddenly, he hit something, and it fell down with an outcry and an 'umph' sort of noise. Looking up slightly, he saw what he had felled. Minerva McGonagall was sitting on the ground, books and papers scattered everywhere around her, glaring up at him. "Well, Severus, why don't you watch where you're going?" She began to get up, grabbing papers as she stood.
He glared back, but sighed, and reached for a book. "Why don't YOU? Here, let me help you..."
"And since when were you a helping sort of person, Severus?"
"My dear Minerva, such a low opinion of a fellow teacher...tut, tut..." He was thinking hard...if he was to ever manage to get a dance partner, now was as good a time as any...So, he cleared his throat and reached purposefully for the same book that she was reaching for. She didn't notice what he was doing until their hands brushed. Quickly, she pulled hers back, and Snape, smiling inside, did the same-all on purpose, of course.
"By the way, Minerva...I need a partner for this function Dumbledore has arranged...I don't suppose you'd be willing to go? As enemies, of course..." He gave a half-grin. "It would certainly be an interesting twist, and I'm sure you wouldn't have SUCH a terrible time...despite what it may seem like, I'm a fairly good dancer." He was using his softest tone possible, trying to keep the edge out of it. He had never really been very good with girls, although he'd never really tried since his Hogwarts days...
To his surprise, Minerva flushed ever-so-slightly and then looked suspiciously at him. "Well...I'm sure you must have some reason behind this, I KNOW you too well to think you'd enjoy my company...But I suppose going to a function with you has little meaning, so alright. Besides, I've had no other offers." Then she gathered the rest of the books and stood completely. "Good night, Severus." She turned and walked past him, into the darkness of the hall that led to her room.
Congratulating himself on a job well-done, Snape walked quietly into his own room. Thank goodness for the rumor of a wandering student, he thought...I'd have had no partner otherwise. Feh, let Remus see that he could still get a partner...not that it would be much of a revenge...Remus would be bringing Aleia, of course...curse him and his good luck. Snape did concede, however, that he HAD been rather undesirable then...clumsy, foolish, and with heart-on-sleeve...He'd been such an idiot then. Now, he had achieved the full potential of any Slytherin-skillful, cunning, and able to get revenge in even the smallest ways. He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes...
To Be Continued...