La Symphonie d'Amour
Demeter
Part 2: An Armful of Flowers
Warnings: slash, angst, dark, humor, romance, SS/RL, HP/DM, RW/HG, PW/OW, and whatever other couples I decide to throw at ya'll
Archive: Someone suggested I do this: Anywhere as long as Snape's beloved. Just drop me an e-mail so I know where.
Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Harry Potter are trademarks and property of J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Warner Brothers, Bloomsbury Books, Raincoast Books and associated parties. The author claims no legal responsibility for problems associated with using this work. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The original story and characters and relationships within the fic are copyright of Demeter.
Thanks to Zebee for betaing this fic! You're the Goddess!
~*~*~*~*~*~
Hogwarts had seen many pranksters, many Head Boys, many Quidditch champions throughout it's long, long history. There was no doubt that there were more powerful wizards before Voldemort and there was no doubt that in the future, more evil wizards or witches would vie for the position as 'Lord' of the wizard community.
But even so, many considered Voldemort's silent reign one of the most horrific periods in the wizarding annals of history. The every day doses of death were constant and for more than one, fear of their lives dripped from every nuance of their daily routine.
The usage of the Unforgivable Curses had caused the rooms in St. Mungo's to be filled with their victims. The cells in Azkaban shrieked with screams and insane laughing. Those were some of the casualties of the First Wave (as many who believed he had returned, were apt to divide the parts of Voldemort's reign).
And the Second Wave was still continuing.
With Harry Potter smack-dab in the middle.
He was a boy still. Only seventeen and he was battling the 'ultimate' evil that had come to his hands at the tender age of one. But Harry didn't complain. He had his fortune, his friends, his school, his quidditch, even his soul mate. How could he whine about anything else?
Besides, he was a very astute young man; even if he did complain, nothing would have come of it. Best to take on the oddly muggle-like quote of his boyfriend, "If life hands you lemons, make lemonade out of them".
Draco had the oddest fancies with the muggle world sometimes.
"Harry?"
The aforementioned boy twisted around to see Hermione flipping absently through a thick, leather-bound book, her eyes glued on the clock opposite his head. She had insisted they go to the library that day; but it seemed that even she wasn't much in the mood for studying.
"What?"
"Are you absolutely sure you want to hold your wedding at Hogsmeade? I mean, I was thinking more of a floral church theme… or why not here at Hogwarts? There would be all those nostalgic connotations." Hermione gave up all pretense of reading and now was sitting forward earnestly, all her attention focused on the day when she could see Harry and Draco walk down the aisle together.
Together.
Hermione could admit to feeling doubt, horror, and dismay when Harry broke to her and Ron about his relationship with Mal – Draco now – before Christmas. Consequently, Ron had spent his yuletide cheer staring into space with a horrified glint in his eyes. Even with her own misgivings, she enjoyed torturing him with unwelcome mental images of Harry and Draco snogging each other.
Snickering now, she ignored the look of 'are you insane' being passed to her by Harry. She stretched in her chair, wistfully wondering if Ron would ever propose to her. She didn't have the doubt that they would get married someday. It was like… well, it was like Harry's parents. From what she learned from Remus and Sirius was that Lily and James had been destined for each other; insomuch that they had acted like a married couple from sixth year on.
"What's so funny?" Harry asked, his face wrinkling with curiosity.
"Nothing much. Still wondering whether we should order lilies or chrysanthemums… what does Draco want?" For all the blonde's participation in the actual wedding preparations, it would seem more like Hermione was the one getting married to Harry… blushing at the thought, she turned her attention to Harry.
He waved his hand vaguely at her words and muttered absently, "No chrysanthemums. They mean slighted love."
Hermione blinked.
"They mean what?"
Harry looked up from his preoccupied state and furrowed his forehead. "What did I say?"
"You just said that chrysanthemums meant slighted love!" (1)
Harry paused, and then flushed a vivid red. Muttering, he said, "Er… Draco told me. He's developed this weird obsession for flowers."
There was a moment of silence before Hermione burst into laughter. The idea of Draco Malfoy, Mister-I-am-beautiful-and-perfect-so-bow-and-lick-my-boots being into something as trivial as flowers seemed to be the ultimate antithesis. Gathering her books and ignoring the withering scowl Harry cast her, she racked her mind for a few more details.
"Well, then I'll leave the flowers to Draco and make arrangements for the rest. I know Sirius and Remus will want to help." Hermione waited for the predictable grin that always came to Harry's face when his godfather was mentioned. Sirius had come in earlier that week, surprising Harry and Ron while they were working on their homework. She had been practicing her charms in a corner of the room when she had spied Sirius and Remus sneak in quietly as man and dog.
Her first reaction was to squeal, but Remus had placed a finger to his lips. Ron had also noticed them, but Harry was too preoccupied with Snape's essay on "The Ten Uses of Gillyweed" so very specially assigned to him. Seeing no one else around, Sirius had shifted back to his human form, his gaunt face seeming to fill with flesh under the soft pleasure of seeing his only godson.
"Harry."
She remembered how Harry had frozen, his robes stilling and his shoulders growing rigid. She remembered how he had turned toward Sirius and Remus so slowly, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing or seeing.
And she remembered, with startling clarity, of just how young Harry looked at that moment, the lines of early trials and tribulations finally smoothing away in pure, unadulterated joy of seeing Sirius. Harry had bolted toward Sirius and wrapped hungry arms around his godfather, his face hiding in the crook of Sirius' neck, where a much younger version of himself had been cradled.
Years ago.
Hermione had felt perilously close to tears after she, Ron, and Remus had exited quietly, knowing that Harry needed to be alone with Sirius for a few precious moments. They had conversed quietly outside the portrait, their eyes watchful for other students who might have been returning late from the library or elsewhere. Mostly they spoke of the upcoming marriage, making no references to the absolute danger of it.
There were the Death Eaters, Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort, and so many who wanted either one or both dead. Hermione was surprised that so far no mishaps had been reported. Even Rita Skeeter, under a dire threat from Hermione, was behaving quietly.
Hermione sighed.
It was really unfair sometimes. She could see hundreds, maybe even thousands of couples go from dating to love without any of the problems Harry and Draco had to take on. Draco was still receiving howlers once in a while, each wailing about how his "Slytherin Evil" was destroying The Boy Who Lived.
The first howler had ignited a wave of fury from Harry. That was the only time she could remember Harry getting so angry. He had taken it personally and issued a scathing statement to the press that basically consisted of "Leave us alone you vultures".
Nodding to Harry, she exited the library, intent of going back to the Gryffindor tower, when she spotted Remus walking toward the dungeons. She paused, indecision warring within her. There had to be a reason why he would venture anywhere near Snape's lair… and she knew he couldn't be going back to his rooms. Didn't he say earlier that Dumbledore wanted him out on the grounds as much as possible outside of meals? She supposed she should follow quietly and offer backup in case Snape decided to get nasty.
Hermione winced.
As Snape probably would. The man had been horribly malicious lately. Even to Draco.
The first dinner with Remus back had been a strained, nasty little affair. All the Houses had been unnaturally quiet at the glowering stance Snape had adopted. Even moreso at the constant growling of the 'pet dog Lupin had brought to Hogwarts'. Eventually, Snape had stormed off at a comment from Professor Vector (Hermione could swear she saw an evil grin on her usually-stern Professor's face). He wasn't missed much, but his presence was still definitely tangible.
Hermione sighed. Everyone knew that he hated Remus… but there were only a few who knew why. They whole Whomping Willow incident was probably playing fresh in the git's mind. A bloody good mind, but a git's mind all the same.
Shifting her books into a neat stack by a suit of armor, she slithered quietly behind Remus, making sure to remain a good distance away. His being a werewolf undoubtedly gave him a keen sense of smell and she didn't particularly feel like testing it out at the moment.
He paused in front of the oak door that was ominously shut and she could see him hesitate before it, as if debating whether to actually knock or just leave and let sleeping dogs sleep.
Hermione started.
Where in the world did that come from?
But apparently he had more courage then she did, because he raised one hand and rapped his knuckles on the wood. There was a short moment of silence before the doors creaked open in protest, their hinges groaning about being moved.
Snape peered out, his black eyes immediately zeroing on Remus' slight figure. His face broke into a dark scowl and he said something Hermione couldn't hear but could imagine to be rather belittling judging from the shadow that passed over Remus' face. He said something back that Snape waved his hand irritably to before attempting to go back to his rooms.
Then Remus did something that made Hermione want to gasp. He clasped one hand on Snape's arm, his face entreating. Snape had snapped his head at Remus before narrowing his eyes. His lips curled into a snarl and he rather violently shook his arm away and finally, within a wisp of wind that was traveling from the dungeons, she heard, "Stop pretending Lupin! It's never going to be the same again!"
Now she did gasp, but luckily, they were so preoccupied with each other, that they didn't notice the small shadow scrunch even smaller as her eyes glued itself to the two figures.
Remus murmured something that left a storm cloud on Snape's face, one that nearly made Hermione back away, even when it wasn't directed at her. She strained to listen to his reply, but all she could make out was, "Don't… stupid… werewolf!" The last word seemed to be spat out and then he closed the door firmly on Remus' face.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus stood there for long moments and never noticed Hermione steal away, her entire frame shaking.
He was far too occupied with morose and rather depressing thoughts.
So it seems that Severus won't even talk to me.
A sigh that curled from his toes to his lips escaped and once more, Remus found himself walking up toward the main hall, alone.
Always alone.
He had tried to coax Severus into coming to dinner with him; he had observed that ever since he and Sirius had arrived, Severus was noticeably absent during most meals. The meals he was at, he pretended Remus didn't exist and that the big, black dog next to him was merely an illusion.
The students had begun to gossip, undoubtedly because Snape had always belittled the past Defense Against the Dark Arts professors. It was unlike him to completely ignore the new one.
All in all, Remus felt a bit depressed. He was used to people ignoring him, belittling him, or even outwardly hating him… but it was different with Severus. Maybe because Remus could remember better days, days when they hadn't been so willing to forget a friendship forged under the most unlikely circumstances. A brief, melancholy smile flitted across his face. Undoubtedly, even the most mundane memories held brief wisps of friendship between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor.
~*~
"Damn." James turned at the sound of books being dropped and saw that the pile Remus had been carrying in a precarious balance had finally toppled to the floor, books scattering in a flutter of yellowed pages.
He was about to move back to help Remus when the tawny-eyed boy waved him off. "Go back to the common room. I'll be after you."
James gave him a doubtful look, but dutifully went toward Gryffindor Tower with the intent of coming back to help Remus. But first, to look in on Lily…
Remus sighed and resumed stacking the books into a nice pile. He knew he should have been less greedy and settled for a smaller stack instead of insisting on taking them all. Madam Pince had warned him about being so eager.
He staggered up and under the weight; he thought for a moment that everything would fall once more. But he was far luckier this time; the books stayed in their perch, he kept upright, and he continued on his way toward Gryffindor Tower.
"No, Lucius."
Remus stopped and his wolf senses immediately zeroing onto the alcove where the murmur had come from. Forgetting about the pressing weight of the books, he strained his eyes, and through the shadowy curtains, he could make out two figures facing each other, talking in low, but heated voices.
Shifting the books to the ground, he moved toward them, his glide silent and completely unheard. There were a few advantages of being a wolf and this was one of them: the ability to move without anyone noticing that he was in the vicinity.
"I told you already, Lucius. No."
"Severus. Consider it. No matter what, consider it."
Remus finally knew who these two were. Severus he knew of course; the fifth year Slytherin student had been asked to tutor him in Potions. It wasn't that Remus was incapable of learning that particular branch of music. His wolf senses made his nose sensitive and at times, the ingredients for various potions was nauseating. Therefore, some of the more advanced potions had to be learnt by rote as he watched Severus concoct them. With that, he managed to scrape by in Potions. To the Slytherin, the problem was easily explained away by allergies.
And of course Lucius Malfoy, the cold, arrogant, aloof, undisputed lord of Slytherin house, regardless that he was only a sixth year.
Remus watched curiously as Severus turned a whiter shade of pale and start hissing intelligibly to the older Slytherin. He leaned in a bit closer to listen.
"Lucius, if you believe for one moment I would even trust you, you're idiotically mistaken."
There was a pause then an amused laugh. "Really, Severus? Then you don't believe me when I say that Dumbledore's an old fool and there will be no chance in hell he'll give Slytherins the chance?"
Remus could see Snape's jaw clench and then something interesting happened.
"I doubt you're much of a judge, Malfoy." With that, he tossed a terribly enigmatic smile at his 'friend' and marched out amid a royal flutter of black and green robes. Remus pressed himself back against the wall and watched as Lucius exited swearing and sweeping past Severus violently. Remus could almost imagine hearing the usually indifferent boy snarling.
As soon as Lucius had disappeared, Snape seemed to deflate. He leaned against the nearest wall and held his hair away from his face, the weary lines appearing from nowhere. Snape knocked his head lightly against the wall and muttered, "Fool," below his breath.
At that exact moment, James decided to show up again.
"Hey, Remus, I'm back to…" His voice trailed off when he saw Snape standing rigidly, his body snapping to attention at the sound of one his enemy Gryffindor voices.
"Er… hey Snape."
"Potter." Snape nodded barely a fraction of an inch before something akin to a suspicious light started rolling in his eyes. "Did you say Lupin?"
"Uh, yeah. He was here waiting for me to help bring some books up."
Snape's eyes narrowed and he turned around. With his concentration focused on Remus, he easily found the boy hiding in the corner.
Remus 'eeped'.
There was rage mottling Snape's face and for a moment, Remus was afraid that he would be hexed in one way or another. James looked between the two, seemed to figure something out on his own, then chuckled.
The two turned to him with near-identical looks of bewilderment. He clapped his hands together and then started jogging back toward the Gryffindor Tower. "Well, I'll leave the two of you together."
Remus could scarcely believe his ears. James had just *left* him there?
"Well, Lupin. Look at this. It seems that I have a spy."
"Er, Severus… I didn't mean to overhear anything. It was purely an accident."
"Oh? Then kindly explain why you're scrunched in a corner."
"…I'm practicing my slinking?"
Snape snorted and then stalked over, his face as unreadable as before. He stuck out a hand and Remus stared at it in bafflement. What was he supposed to do? Allow Snape to chuck him into oblivion?
With an exasperated sigh, Snape grabbed Remus' hand and tugged him up.
Oh.
Muttering thanks, Remus stood and brushed the dust off his robes. Flashing a semi-brilliant smile, he said, "You know Severus, I never knew you had such a soft side."
He got the desired response as Snape reddened at the sly undertone of the seemingly innocent remark. With a withering glance, he stooped to gather some of the books Remus had and then snorted as he bothered to read the titles.
"Bloody hell Lupin. These books are worthless." He regarded them with distaste and then placed them gingerly in Remus' waiting arms.
With a sigh, he said, "As well stocked Hogwarts is, it's distinctively lacking in books beyond the dry, educational kind."
"So you had to resort to reading 'Conspiracies of the Hogwart's Ghosts'?"
"Er… I think that one's James."
"Ah yes. Famous Potter."
With minor rebuke coloring his face, Remus shifted the books into a more comfortable position and started walking, his voice chattering about various items of interest in the local gossip circles. Outwardly, Snape professed little interest for the petty news of Hogwarts, but Remus knew that he stored and filed the information away carefully. Eventually, he found some useful way of exercising the tidbits.
Remus was more than glad to help; several people had become 'better' people because of Snape's meddling.
And through the rest of the afternoon, they passed it peacefully by arguing the merits of Lily and James dating.
~*~
Remus sighed.
Years ago. That had happened years and years ago. Sometimes he wondered wearily if anything was worth going so far back. What little of his memories that wasn't ruined by the lingering black cloud of loathing and hatred that had permeated his life after the Shrieking Shack incident, was now tainted with Peter
The 'incident'.
The one event that had completely stripped the bare elements of trust away from his and Severus' relationship. What little they had in the first place. From then on to now, they had goaded each other with taunts, pain-filled screams, and attempts to protect while simultaneously attacking.
It hadn't been a particularly good two years. And the fact that Remus had had to endure the anxious glances of James and Lily, arrogant snorts of Sirius, even the pitying looks of Peter, made it no better. All he had wanted was to talk to Severus about that night, apologize for that night… he had entertained thoughts of taking Sirius with him and chaining the boy to the wall… just to prove to Severus that he had hated Sirius for it as much as him.
Hated while hiding those darkest thoughts.
Sleepless nights had plagued his sixth and seventh year. The Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry had grown to intense proportions. Even though Snape had been forbidden from telling anyone that Remus was a werewolf, the story of the 'golden Gryffindor four' playing a horrible 'prank' on Snape had leaked out. No doubt Sirius, insufferably proud of the fact, couldn't resist telling everyone a revised version.
And Remus could still vividly remember the hushed derision directed at the Slytherins afterwards. Many of the younger Slytherin students couldn't understand why Sirius had not been punished… and many grew embittered from the fact. Never mind that Snape should have been done justice, but Slytherin had been stripped of fifty points while they were at it!
Remus had hated those days, the dark days when many of the Slytherins had withdrew from school, each time saying goodbye to the Gryffindor 'Boy-Gods' (2) with spit on the floor, with an accompanying litany of curses, hexes, bitter words. He could still see a girl who Sirius had 'bedded' and then abandoned amid jeers of that she 'was the Slytherin slut'.
She had come forth, her eyes dark and burning with hatred. With barely a pause, she had pulled her wand out, pointed at Sirius' heart, causing the Gryffindors around him to gasp and pull out their own wands.
And he remembered her words.
"Someday, Black, I'll get my own back. I swear on the House of Slytherin, on the Four Founders, on my mother's grave, that you'll get what you deserve for all you've done."
She had then pushed her wand so hard into his chest, that sparks had flown out and burned his beautiful face. Sirius had yelped and snarled for someone to give him his wand. She had been far too quick however. Moving at speed that Remus didn't remember her having previously, she had cast a body-bind on him and with a muffled curse, he had toppled over. Peter had rushed over to help him, but the damage had been done.
She had exited laughing… and Remus could swear that it was actually sobbing.
Things had changed after that. Remus found himself growing distant from James, Peter, even Lily. As for Sirius, Remus was unable to speak to the popular boy without the horrible sensation of wanting to retch.
And of course that, he thought bitterly, was the turning point.
Sirius considered him – the werewolf, the dark beast – the traitor.
He persuaded James to switch the secret-keeper from himself to Peter instead of the logical choice of Remus.
He hadn't told Remus because he thought Remus was the turncoat.
Peter had betrayed James.
No one knew.
Voldemort killed James and Lily.
He in turn was 'killed' by some strange force Harry controlled.
No one knew that the one who had been the traitor was actually Peter.
Not even Dumbledore.
Sirius didn't have the protection Severus had.
Sirius realized that Peter had betrayed James and Lily.
He went after Peter.
Peter tricked the entire magical community.
He faked his own death.
Screamed those damning words, 'Sirius! How could you? James and Lily!'
Blew up his wand.
Killed thirteen muggles.
Turned into a rat – once again, the Animagus causes trouble – and escaped.
Sirius had been accused.
He had pleaded his innocence, screamed about the real betrayal.
No one had believed him.
He had gone to Azkaban without a trial.
And Remus had found himself in a world unfriendly toward werewolves, had lost all his real friends in the space of one night, had discovered that the 'Gryffindor golden boy' who had ruined his life in the first place had been the true traitor.
Snape had been right for the longest time.
During the winter of their seventh year he had, completely under the hands of fate and coincidences, met up with Snape in the darkened hallways during dinner, when everyone else was eating and laughing… he and Snape had happened across each other, both tired beyond repair, both ebbing at their lowest points.
And he had tried – he really did – to apologize.
"Black will betray you again. One day, he'll show everyone what he's really like. Black, Potter, Pettigrew, you… all of you will fall and then I'll laugh. I'll laugh because I was the one to know from the beginning that he was evil."
Severus had swept off, his dark robes billowing much like how it fluttered now… Remus gave a brief, humorless smile. Even then, Severus had been prone to dramatics. Not as much now. The pain had been too raw when they had haunted the hallways as students, but time had a way of assuaging it into a long-simmering hate.
Hate for the werewolf that nearly killed him.
Hate for the boy-god who had sent him to his near-death.
Loathing himself for his journey into the dark resulting from that incident.
In the end, they still came back to Dumbledore. Remus had made it a point of keeping some tabs on Snape through the thirteen-some years they hadn't seen each other. He knew that the Daily Prophet had announced that Snape was taking over the position of Head of Slytherin House and the title of Potions Master at Hogwarts. He had heard the rumors, the gossip, the horrible accusations of treachery and writhing blackness that people said lurked within Snape.
And he believed and yet, did not believe.
He didn't know what to believe.
Remus sighed. That was the past. This was the present. It would do no good to whine and bitch about what had happened and what might have been. Shrugging his sore shoulders, he moved back to the Grand Hall, needing nourishment in his body.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Harry! Harry!" Hermione came rushing back into the library, her books still cradled precariously in her arms. Her hair had escaped its messy ponytail and was now flying everywhere. He looked up from his book, now annoyed at being interrupted for the second time that day. Really, no one could get work done in the library anymore!
"Shh!" Madam Pince glared at them from her desk, before resuming her methodical stamping of returned books.
"Harry." Hermione's voice was now lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "You won't believe what I just saw."
"What?"
"Remus and Snape!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Er… That's important how?"
Hermione waved aside his confusion and leaned in. Her eyes were sparking with an intense interest and for a moment, Harry was reminded of her obsession with House Elves during their fourth year.
"Snape and Remus… I think… Harry… I'm pretty sure they're like you and Draco!"
Harry's mouth dropped open and all he could do was gape at the sudden sentence. Like him and Draco? Remus and… Snape? That was completely bizarre. Then he considered him and Draco. They had hated each other for so long. And then all the sudden, the loathing had turned to passion and eventually love. If he thought about it carefully, it wasn't much stranger than him and Draco.
But Remus… and Snape.
It was like an antithesis of all that was right.
"Hermione… are you sure? I mean… this is Snape we're talking about!" He still couldn't completely wrap his mind around the dizzying concept of Professor Snape with Professor Lupin. Though the thought's rather kinky
Harry paused.
He decided not to dwell on that particular thought. Draco would castrate him if he knew.
"Harry! You are blind, aren't you? I can't believe Draco was right!" Hermione huffed before going on. "And besides, if you and Draco can get together, then anyone on the sodding planet can! And think about it! It makes sense! Professor Snape and Remus acted so weird toward each other third year. Remember? There was all that history. I bet my final exams that Sirius was the reason they split up!"
"Sirius? Why would Siri… Oh."
Hermione grinned. "'Oh' is right. The Shrieking Shack incident where Sirius almost killed Professor Snape. It probably triggered something. I've been trying to do connections for the past few minutes and I think that the reason why Sirius didn't make Remus the Secret Keeper is because Remus was in love with Professor Snape and Sirius thought Remus was in league with You-Know-Who!" She finished triumphantly, her eyes gleaming.
"Hermione. I'd hate to burst your bubble but… is this based on fact or is it just your own theory?"
There was a pause and she completely deflated. "Well, it's mostly just speculation. But it would make so much sense… and Harry! Think about how romantic that is!" She beamed widely, her face shining and her eyes going to a hazy sort of mistiness. "Two enemies separated by house, separated by years, separated by friends. Then to find each other again after thirteen, fourteen years! It doesn't get any better than that!"
Harry frowned. "When I told you and Ron about Draco and me, you weren't this thrilled."
"You and Draco are different."
"How so? He's Slytherin. I'm Gryffindor. We hated each other for years. Then we got together. What's not the same?"
Hermione wrinkled her nose a bit, before saying, "I'm sorry Harry, but you and Draco… well, you guys are just too cliché. I mean, teenagers. Different houses. Too Romeo and Juliet for my taste." (3)
With an affronted look on his face, he set his book down and said rather huffily, "Well, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you thought our relationship was so cliché and boring."
Hermione giggled. "Harry! You know I didn't mean it that way! I just think that Professor Snape and Remus have a longer relationship that's based on something other than lust…" She paused at the sulky expression on Harry's face and then hastily added, "Not that you and Draco aren't together because of love, because I am totally supporting you and I think you guys are in love… and I think I'll shut up now."
There was a moment of appraising silence as Harry gazed at her. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair before risking a glance at his shuttered face. Then it broke into a large grin. He swung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Hermione smiled softly and allowed him to pull the two of them together. Their foreheads touching, Harry asked with a serious tone in his voice, "Should we get them together?"
"I don't think so." Now Hermione sounded rather discouraged. "Snape didn't seem… too receptive to Remus' words. I didn't catch it all… but I think there's something going on between the two of them that's not resolved."
"What do you mean?"
"They're… Oh, Harry, I don't know. When I saw them together, I just got the most awful feeling. It wasn't nice and friendly, I can tell you that."
Harry's eyebrow furrowed. "Nice and friendly? That can't be used to describe Snape even if he and Remus were together."
"You know what I mean. But… I think I want to nudge Professor Snape in the right direction."
"What do you mean by nudge?" He asked, his voice curious.
With an evil grin, Hermione leaned over and whispered her master plan into his ear.
Harry gaped at her, his face twitching. "You're insane!"
"I said the same thing about you and Draco when you told us and look how you two turned out."
Pausing to concede, Harry wondered out loud, "But this is Snape. You seem to keep forgetting that. I mean… even if it does work, think about what he'll do to us afterwards."
With a giggle, she replied, "If things go my way, he'll be too busy snogging Remus to have anything to do with us."
His face going a strange gray pallor, Harry swallowed. "I just got the strangest mental image."
"I know… isn't it cute?" Hermione sighed romantically and gazed dreamily at her inner image of Severus Snape and Remus Lupin making love on a rug. In front of a hearth fire. With whipped cream. And chocolate. And maraschino cherries. (4) Her face flushed to a delicate pink and Harry goggled at her before shaking his head.
"I don't know what it's about with girls thinking about two guys shagging. I mean, it's like all they can do is to have indecent fantasies about us… did you know that Hannah Abbot asked Draco and me to pose together shirtless? She offered to buy us all the Honeyduke candies we wanted!"
Hermione laughed and in a mock co-conspirator voice, she said, "It was all us seventh-year girls pooling together money and resources. The daughter of the Honeyduke owner promised us a discount if we got her a copy." She burst into quiet peals of laughter at Harry's contorted expression and then patted his cheek. "Don't worry. We won't attack the two of you in the middle of the night. Even Lavender hasn't gotten to that point."
"Lavender?!"
"She and Parvarti have developed their own obsession with you two. It's quite sweet to see them working out various plans to catch the two of you snogging."
Harry's horrified expression was almost too classic and Hermione had to press her lips together to prevent herself from going into hysterics.
"They… They're not spying on us are they?"
"Oh, no… but I wouldn't shag Draco anywhere near Gryffindor Tower." With that airy reply, she sauntered off, her mind busily making plans about who to get involved in "Operation Snog". Ron obviously, though she would have to persuade him with a few kisses and coy looks. Not to mention a bit of puppy-eye pleading. And Ginny; there wasn't anyone else in the school who could run circles around people – men – better than she could.
Draco could help quite a bit; he was after all, Snape's favorite student. And… Hermione then frowned, her countenance going troubled. Sirius was at the school also and that would present a few problems she didn't quite know how to deal with. Perhaps if Harry talked to his godfather… after all, Sirius would do anything for Harry.
There was also the problem of making sure to do this without any of the 'questionable' members of Slytherin House noticing. Not to mention Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. Ever since she had overheard Draco murmuring to Harry about Pansy's defection from You-Know-Who's side, she had been wondering whether their old innate prejudices against Slytherin had caused a backlash of being unable to see those who supported You-Know-Who in other houses…
There was a hesitation in her thoughts.
So far, she didn't know much of Pansy's involvement in The Order of the Phoenix yet. They hadn't had another meeting since December and she had learned about Pansy's induction a little after Christmas. Hermione had rather mixed feelings about the Slytherin girl. Pansy had once been her main antagonist… with a brief smile, she realized that so had Draco. He still was… but it was in that friendly way that she knew was Malfoy. Any other way and it wouldn't have been the boy Harry fell in love with.
And she didn't give up all hope that someday he would stop insulting her.
But Pansy.
Here, it got a little bit personal. The girl had made fun of every aspect of her personality and brains. As for her physical appearance, there hadn't been one insult Hermione hadn't heard from her hair to her teeth. Not only had it been an extremely enlightening experience, but also Hermione had developed a rather strange fixation on brushing her teeth three times a day and using a wizard-concocted intense conditioner.
And now Pansy Parkinson was part of The Order of the Phoenix.
I wonder whether she'll be at the next meeting. There was one scheduled in a week, but did… could Dumbledore really trust a Slytherin?
Musing, she worked her way back to Gryffindor Tower, a very specific plan starting to take root in her illustrious mind. Once this was over, Hermione would make sure Professor Snape came to class everyday with a flushed face and a leering smirk.
And if things didn't go her way, there would be hell to pay.
~*~ FINIS ~*~
A/N:
1. Chrysanthemums mean slighted love, yes, but it also depends on which one. Only certain kinds mean Draco's slighted love ^__^, and some have much darker ones. But don't take my word for it! *wink*
2. The term 'boy-gods' is partially in reference to how her2eternity describes the Marauders during their days at Hogwarts to Snape. She has an excellent series called "The Lovers Quartet'. One of my favorites if anyone's wondering. This is a nod to a great series.
3. I love Harry and Draco. Don't get me wrong. The ones that are well-written, they're fantastic. However, there are enough fics that are so badly executed that I've become rather wary of this pairing. My own personal little pet peeve in fics. ^__^
4. Maraschino cherries. A homage to end of a great fic. *pauses* Let us have a moment of silence for Sushi's Harry/Snape epic, "Civil War". *bows head* Damn, I really like that fic. *wipes tears away*
Since this story was intended to be light-hearted in a way, I've decided to put little homage's, nods, references, etc. etc. to my favorite fics and moments in fics. It'll be explained at the end of each chapter, and I hope this free plugging will get them read and encouraged to write more fics!
Reviewers:
Elizabeth: I actually don't hate Valentine's Day. I just think it's a useless day of prejudice and biases. ^__^ I captured Snape well? *beams* You don't know how much that means to me!
Glimmermaid: Pansy is my favorite Slytherin next to Severus and Draco after all.
Nostradamus: I can do fluff, but I do angst and Snape-characterization so much better. ^__^. That's actually one of my favorite lines too. I suppose it arises from my own bitterness about how shoddy Slytherins are treated.
J: Thank you! I have actually changed it due to your and several other peoples suggestions.
Tinderblast: *grins* It's because of your pieces of advice that I changed betas, reedited the fic four times, and now… I'm all-happy! Unfortunately, no, this does not tie in with 'Her, Amid The Slytherins'. That particular fic is written parallel to the books and I have no intention yet of deviating off the canon events (not yet anyway). So if Pansy becomes a Death Eater, I'll be going along for the ride… of course, if I'm intensely unhappy with what Rowling does I may stray from the paved road… otherwise, probably not. You like Remus and Severus? ^__^. As do I!
Lexin: Snapey eh? *beams* Now that's a compliment. As long as Snape is written correctly enough that other people like him, I'll be a melting mass of gooey happiness. As for the author's notes; took those out and put them at the end!
Akutuin: I love Snape and will love him until the end of time… unless Rowling kills him off. Then I intend to have Harry or Remus go to the underworld to retrieve him. ^__^. I figured that Harry and Draco needed some sort of happy ending due to the fact that so many people put them through agonizing amounts of pain.
Emma: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Melodie: I will. I intend to finish if not do several spin-offs too.
Zukatze: Naming a character after me? *shrieks* I love you! It'll be such an honor! *grins* Who else would I hook Snape up with? I'm a split Harry/Draco and Harry/Snape shipper, but since I prefer to have everyone have someone, I can put Harry with Draco, and Snape with Remus. And besides, Snape and Remus have all that history; makes it extremely fun to torture them with memories.
Zebee: That's why I like her. Any girl who's forced to play 'prop' has my sympathy. It's hard to be a female who's family expects you to marry high. *makes face* Especially if she doesn't want to, but has no idea of what to do. My whole belief in the relationship between Snape and Dumbledore is this: Dumbledore, in Snape's eyes, is his savior, his salvation. Which is why he will probably do anything for the Headmaster.
Youko Gingitsune: Sorry for the slow update. I was dealing with my g-pa's funeral and things got lagged behind. I love Sevvie and Remus too. Aren't they just adorable? *beams*
Lothlorien: Thank you! I've read some of your fics and it's a great compliment to have you think my fic is partially good. ^__^
Bwaybaby79: Due to a few early fanfics that I read, that image of Draco as feminine will never leave my mind. It's like indelibly sketched there. I think Pansy has potential and I want to stretch that potential before Rowling decides to cast all the Slytherins as the bad guys… I'll be awfully disappointed with her if she does, but it won't be completely unexpected.
Leenk: Well, I got into Remus/Snape fics due to another writer, so I'm not surprised that it's not original. But I'd like to think that I've added in my own style and mixed it up with furor. ^__^. Favorites? Thank you!
Daybreak-impression: Well, to prove that love can be spread in the strangest ways, I love you too! ^__^ Snape and Remus are my absolute favorite slash couple at the moment. (emphasis on 'at the moment'. I like to leave myself room for change) They have all this potential that's not explored in the canon books that I'd like to see… though I doubt Rowling will ever introduce any of her characters into slash situations. Pity. Fred and Draco? Hm, I'll have to pop over and read it. The twins get around don't they? And thank you!
Slytherin Mud Blood: Or AKA Aria, right? ^__^ Thanks for IMing me! I love slash too. It gives me a ton of freedom over what I write and who I choose to write about. Of course, I'm also a major lover of Draco/Ginny and Hermione/Snape fics. *pauses* I hope I don't get in trouble with the R/H and H/H shippers out there when I say that. I like those two a lot, but it has to be under the right situation.
Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers!
And review more! I live for them!
BTW, to make a thing clear to a certain reviewer of some of my other Slytherin fics, who shall remain nameless. I don't care if you don't like Slytherins. I really don't. But if you have a problem with them, I suggest that you don't bother me about it. I'm not known for having the calmest temper. And when confronted with another sneering Gryffindor about Slytherin, I won't be inclined to be nice as I normally would be if you had calmly explained your reasons instead of screaming about how 'Slytherins suck'.
Anyway, I love Snape. Plain and simple.
Demeter