A big thanks to everyone who's responded so far! :) I wasn't expecting much more than a couple or two hating what I wrote so I was positively surprised! :) And since you all have been so nice to me I'm posting two chapters today! :)
Greetings, Restina
Part 4
It was Friday and the first potions class with the sixth year Slytherins and Gryffindors since the holidays. Severus was dreading the very thought of spending two endless hours in the same room with the one who knew his secret. Or part of it to be exact. Severus had bought the young man some time, a couple of months, maybe three, or four even- if he was lucky. That depended on if Harry wasn't starting to snoop around by himself. But whom was he kidding. Had Harry ever kept his hands in his pockets and kept it cool when there was something mysterious going on? No, he was probably tending to his very own little research already. Why couldn't he just leave dangerous things be?
The lesson started well enough. Severus wrote the ingredients for the day's potion on the blackboard and tried to relax. He'd noticed Ron and Harry weren't sharing a desk today and was wondering why. But it was obvious they weren't the best of friends at the time being. Miss Granger's stare from one to the other was a clear enough sign of that. She sat by Neville's side as usual, always ready to help the miserable goon from screwing up. Severus faced the class with a sharp intake of breath and explained what they would be doing the following hours. His hands were starting to stir ever so small when he felt Potter's eyes locked on him. He forgot what he was saying and stuttered a bit, a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Five dreadful minutes later the students started their chores and Severus fought with an intense urge to just vanish from the face of the earth. For god's sake, he'd been stuttering! He, Severus Snape, the fearsome bat who always knew just what to say and how to strike down on you exactly where it would hurt the most!
He got his chance though. Hermione seemed to have a lot on her mind today and she hadn't been watching Neville carefully enough. Therefore the dear Mr. Longbottom gave him the perfect opportunity to restore himself on the throne of absolute horribleness as he made fun of the poor boy in front of the whole class. He resented himself for it. He saw the tears well up in Neville's eyes as he tried to explain the mistakes he'd done. But Severus Snape had been doing this for so long he didn't know how to stop.
"I expect your grandmother is very proud of you, Mr. Longbottom! I've never seen such a talent for utter failure as I see in you!" There were no expression on Severus' face as he said this, why would there be? He'd trained for years to keep all such things as feelings deep inside him. A curling smile entered his lips as he went therefrom, the students might as well assume he was gloating.
"Sir, if I were you I would treat Neville a little more kindly!" The voice came from the back row. Severus didn't need to turn to know to whom it belonged.
"Is that a threat I hear, Mr. Potter?" He turned slowly looking as terrible as ever with his hard eyes and expressionless features.
"No, I'm just telling you to treat others the same way you expect to be treated!" Harry answered, looking him dead in the eye. It was a look telling Severus Harry wasn't afraid of him. He had something on him and if Severus acted in any way that was not pleasing to him he wouldn't hesitate to use this information against him.
His head started to spin as he tried to look as calm as ever. But Potter had struck a nerve. Severus was balancing on a knife's edge and Harry could very well destroy his very own last months of freedom if he continued like this. In a few weeks time Harry's life would change forever, no matter how he himself felt on the matter. He would be stamped as the father of a freak child and the whole world would know about his destined soulbonding with his old fiend and teacher. Why couldn't he just let it rest, for his own sake?
"I don't need you telling me what to do and what not to do Potter. I'm old enough to make my own decisions," Severus said in the silkiest of tones:
"This IS my classroom if you hadn't noticed." A curl on his lips and warning eyes. Harry said no more.
*-*
Ron and Hermione caught up with Harry as he entered the stairs heading for the dormitory.
"I'd watch my step if I were you!" Ron said as he settled beside him climbing the stairs. It seemed like he'd forgotten their quarrel a long time ago. "But I have to hand it to you, nicely handled!" Ron laughed and patted Harry on the back.
"If you ask me," Hermione said, joining Ron's left side: "I'd say Professor
Snape is afraid of you somehow, Harry."
"What, the old bat afraid!?" Ron exclaimed in disbelief: "I'll believe that when Snape tells me it himself!"
"But come on!" Hermione eagered: "There's something going on between you and Snape, Harry! I see it the way you two look at each other." Harry had kept quiet under all this but now he needed to speak.
"Let's just say Snape has a secret he isn't to eager to let get out," Harry whispered very aware of the fact that the walls of Hogwarts usually had ears. Both Ron's and Hermione's eyes reached the size of dinner-plates.
"I knew that slimy old git was up to something!" Ron announced proudly and gave Hermione an albow in the side.
"Cut it out!" Hermione snapped and pushed Ron so he bumped into Harry: "Just because Snape has a secret it doesn't mean he's up to something foul!" Harry couldn't but smile at the two of them. They were so obviously in love, but they tried to hide it from each other with all the bickering.
"Listen, I would tell you if I could, all right? But at the time being I can't. I've written to Sirius and won't do anything or tell anything before
I get his answer."
"You've written to Sirius? Then there is something big going on then!" Ron gave Hermione a snide look.
"That's alright, Harry. Tell us when you can," said Hermione and smiled.
Harry gave her a silent thanks. Now that Hermione had approved the situation Ron would do no less, which was a simple fact. Now all Harry had to do was to sit tight and wait for his godfather's reply.
*-*
Severus was in a really bad mood. He'd just received dieting tips from Minerva! The nerve of that woman. Of course she'd just been joking, but Severus wasn't keen on being fooled around. It was enough with all this bulimic nonsense flying around the halls if now he had to listen to other people giving him hints he was getting fat! He had considered a shrinking spell to reduce the visual effect of the pregnancy but he was afraid the spell could affect the baby. He had settled with a simple enlarger spell instead, on his clothes. This way his clothes would fit, or at least for the time being. Even clothes had its limits when it came to enlarging.
Severus plummeted down in his office chair with a sigh. He was dog-tired after another day of great acting. He was starting to wonder if there was any use in trying to hide all of this. He was keeping the one true love of his life in the dark about something that should really be a blessing for the both of them. But then again Severus had made his choice years ago. When he had first laid eyes on the boy he knew he would work against their joined destiny out of pure pity for the boy. How could he claim a twelve-year-old who'd lived most of his life without his parents, who was his dark master's most hated enemy? He had set the boy free. And now this cursed thing called destiny was going to lay all his hard work in ruins, and probably destroy his soul mate in the process.
A small movement from inside his belly made him forget his troubles for a couple of seconds. It was a light movement like the brush of a wing, and it had a calming effect on the tired man. How could he not love this miracle?
He knew he was getting soft, that the old Severus Snape would have kicked him in the arse and told him to stop acting like a googly jellyfish. But the pregnancy was changing him. The true Snape was slowly floating to the surface. And how could he not love the child of Harry Potter, his soul mate?
¤You'll continue you games, Severus. For the sake of the boy. He will have his freedom as long as I can bear it. How could I deny him this when I for sure will ruin the rest of his life?¤
Greetings, Restina
Part 4
It was Friday and the first potions class with the sixth year Slytherins and Gryffindors since the holidays. Severus was dreading the very thought of spending two endless hours in the same room with the one who knew his secret. Or part of it to be exact. Severus had bought the young man some time, a couple of months, maybe three, or four even- if he was lucky. That depended on if Harry wasn't starting to snoop around by himself. But whom was he kidding. Had Harry ever kept his hands in his pockets and kept it cool when there was something mysterious going on? No, he was probably tending to his very own little research already. Why couldn't he just leave dangerous things be?
The lesson started well enough. Severus wrote the ingredients for the day's potion on the blackboard and tried to relax. He'd noticed Ron and Harry weren't sharing a desk today and was wondering why. But it was obvious they weren't the best of friends at the time being. Miss Granger's stare from one to the other was a clear enough sign of that. She sat by Neville's side as usual, always ready to help the miserable goon from screwing up. Severus faced the class with a sharp intake of breath and explained what they would be doing the following hours. His hands were starting to stir ever so small when he felt Potter's eyes locked on him. He forgot what he was saying and stuttered a bit, a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Five dreadful minutes later the students started their chores and Severus fought with an intense urge to just vanish from the face of the earth. For god's sake, he'd been stuttering! He, Severus Snape, the fearsome bat who always knew just what to say and how to strike down on you exactly where it would hurt the most!
He got his chance though. Hermione seemed to have a lot on her mind today and she hadn't been watching Neville carefully enough. Therefore the dear Mr. Longbottom gave him the perfect opportunity to restore himself on the throne of absolute horribleness as he made fun of the poor boy in front of the whole class. He resented himself for it. He saw the tears well up in Neville's eyes as he tried to explain the mistakes he'd done. But Severus Snape had been doing this for so long he didn't know how to stop.
"I expect your grandmother is very proud of you, Mr. Longbottom! I've never seen such a talent for utter failure as I see in you!" There were no expression on Severus' face as he said this, why would there be? He'd trained for years to keep all such things as feelings deep inside him. A curling smile entered his lips as he went therefrom, the students might as well assume he was gloating.
"Sir, if I were you I would treat Neville a little more kindly!" The voice came from the back row. Severus didn't need to turn to know to whom it belonged.
"Is that a threat I hear, Mr. Potter?" He turned slowly looking as terrible as ever with his hard eyes and expressionless features.
"No, I'm just telling you to treat others the same way you expect to be treated!" Harry answered, looking him dead in the eye. It was a look telling Severus Harry wasn't afraid of him. He had something on him and if Severus acted in any way that was not pleasing to him he wouldn't hesitate to use this information against him.
His head started to spin as he tried to look as calm as ever. But Potter had struck a nerve. Severus was balancing on a knife's edge and Harry could very well destroy his very own last months of freedom if he continued like this. In a few weeks time Harry's life would change forever, no matter how he himself felt on the matter. He would be stamped as the father of a freak child and the whole world would know about his destined soulbonding with his old fiend and teacher. Why couldn't he just let it rest, for his own sake?
"I don't need you telling me what to do and what not to do Potter. I'm old enough to make my own decisions," Severus said in the silkiest of tones:
"This IS my classroom if you hadn't noticed." A curl on his lips and warning eyes. Harry said no more.
*-*
Ron and Hermione caught up with Harry as he entered the stairs heading for the dormitory.
"I'd watch my step if I were you!" Ron said as he settled beside him climbing the stairs. It seemed like he'd forgotten their quarrel a long time ago. "But I have to hand it to you, nicely handled!" Ron laughed and patted Harry on the back.
"If you ask me," Hermione said, joining Ron's left side: "I'd say Professor
Snape is afraid of you somehow, Harry."
"What, the old bat afraid!?" Ron exclaimed in disbelief: "I'll believe that when Snape tells me it himself!"
"But come on!" Hermione eagered: "There's something going on between you and Snape, Harry! I see it the way you two look at each other." Harry had kept quiet under all this but now he needed to speak.
"Let's just say Snape has a secret he isn't to eager to let get out," Harry whispered very aware of the fact that the walls of Hogwarts usually had ears. Both Ron's and Hermione's eyes reached the size of dinner-plates.
"I knew that slimy old git was up to something!" Ron announced proudly and gave Hermione an albow in the side.
"Cut it out!" Hermione snapped and pushed Ron so he bumped into Harry: "Just because Snape has a secret it doesn't mean he's up to something foul!" Harry couldn't but smile at the two of them. They were so obviously in love, but they tried to hide it from each other with all the bickering.
"Listen, I would tell you if I could, all right? But at the time being I can't. I've written to Sirius and won't do anything or tell anything before
I get his answer."
"You've written to Sirius? Then there is something big going on then!" Ron gave Hermione a snide look.
"That's alright, Harry. Tell us when you can," said Hermione and smiled.
Harry gave her a silent thanks. Now that Hermione had approved the situation Ron would do no less, which was a simple fact. Now all Harry had to do was to sit tight and wait for his godfather's reply.
*-*
Severus was in a really bad mood. He'd just received dieting tips from Minerva! The nerve of that woman. Of course she'd just been joking, but Severus wasn't keen on being fooled around. It was enough with all this bulimic nonsense flying around the halls if now he had to listen to other people giving him hints he was getting fat! He had considered a shrinking spell to reduce the visual effect of the pregnancy but he was afraid the spell could affect the baby. He had settled with a simple enlarger spell instead, on his clothes. This way his clothes would fit, or at least for the time being. Even clothes had its limits when it came to enlarging.
Severus plummeted down in his office chair with a sigh. He was dog-tired after another day of great acting. He was starting to wonder if there was any use in trying to hide all of this. He was keeping the one true love of his life in the dark about something that should really be a blessing for the both of them. But then again Severus had made his choice years ago. When he had first laid eyes on the boy he knew he would work against their joined destiny out of pure pity for the boy. How could he claim a twelve-year-old who'd lived most of his life without his parents, who was his dark master's most hated enemy? He had set the boy free. And now this cursed thing called destiny was going to lay all his hard work in ruins, and probably destroy his soul mate in the process.
A small movement from inside his belly made him forget his troubles for a couple of seconds. It was a light movement like the brush of a wing, and it had a calming effect on the tired man. How could he not love this miracle?
He knew he was getting soft, that the old Severus Snape would have kicked him in the arse and told him to stop acting like a googly jellyfish. But the pregnancy was changing him. The true Snape was slowly floating to the surface. And how could he not love the child of Harry Potter, his soul mate?
¤You'll continue you games, Severus. For the sake of the boy. He will have his freedom as long as I can bear it. How could I deny him this when I for sure will ruin the rest of his life?¤