Disclaimers: This is getting tiring. None of the characters from Harry Potter belong to me. At the same time – the song 'Spiders' by System of a Down also has nothing to do with me. Oh – and the Author's Note refers to an episode of Coupling where part of the discussion is about denial and the way people make it really obvious that they're lying about something. I don't own Coupling either…though I do really recommend it.
Chapter 3: All the Life Running Through Her Hair
Harry closed his eyes as the class finally disbanded at the end of the school day. The school bell was the one thing he didn't want to hear. Not that he really wanted to sit around and listen to Lucius all day either. Harry gazed upwards to the teacher as he slipped back into the office behind the school room, relieved that he was gone – but not relieved about the closeness of his son once he had left.
Draco slipped his arms around Harry's neck slowly and purred. "You're really brave to be facing Snape…do you know that?"
"Oh yeah…" Harry intoned. He didn't mean to sound like there was no emotion left him – but he really was beginning to think that it was a good idea after all.
The Slytherin's eyes widened and his hug about Harry got a little bit tighter. A soft kiss was placed on Harry's cheek before Draco moved back slowly. "I'd better let you go then."
Harry looked up, almost pleadingly. He really didn't want to go anywhere near Snape now that he was angry. What kind of awful things would happen? Harry was also curious to know why this was all happening to him. He didn't see any other students in such a dilemma. That told Harry that whoever had cast this awful spell was two things. Uninterested in anyone else…and a girl. He was distantly aware that none of the males who had been close to him recently were aware of what they were doing – and no girls had been near him at all. Oh…and if a boy wanted him to be doing these things they'd have to be his worst enemy (ruled out by the fact that both Draco and Voldemort were both unaware of the spell) or interested in him…but then he'd be trying to sleep with him too, no?
The other weird things that were happening just confused him though. They were all so impossible that they could only really happen in nightmares. Not even the magical world really had a place for these kinds of things. So were they mirages? No – they were quite material…they attacked… So maybe some kind of dreams?
It was a stupid theory. How could dreams possibly be coming into effect. What kind of person would have sick dreams about him and Voldemort? His question was answered barely after he asked it. A girl…that would explain why Voldemort had suddenly become so oddly attractive.
What the hell was he thinking? Yeuch…
Draco looked at Harry oddly. "Well?"
"Sorry?" Harry murmured – his eyes lifting back to the blonde Slytherin.
"I asked you if you wanted me to walk you down there…"
Harry's eyes flickered towards the door for a second and he finally conceded a faint nod. "I'm sorry…I was just trying to figure out who had cast this awful spell."
"Spells don't last very long, Harry…it'll probably wear off if you leave it long enough…"
Harry nodded and ran a hand slowly through his hair. This gave him another thing to worry about as he followed Draco down towards the Dungeons. He knew how spells worked after all. They were the means that helped to achieve the ends. If you cast a spell on a brush, it would clean your dishes for you. When the spell wore off the brush the dishes would remain clean.
The Gryffindor was worried that the spell might end and leave behind everything it had changed. It reminded him that it was probably best to try and help those who were on his side to return to Hogwarts than panic about detentions with an incredibly horny Snape.
Harry hadn't even been thinking about not panicking for very long before he'd panicked again – and then it was too late. He stood at the door and gazed slowly at it for a few moments. When he turned back around to say goodbye to Draco, the Slytherin was already gone. Harry closed his eyes and turned back to the door, knocking three times before he walked in. Then he immediately wished he hadn't…
Severus Snape was wearing nothing but black leather and silver chains. His hair was longer than it had been this morning and crimped too, falling loose around his bare head and shoulders. He wore long, flared leather trousers with silver chains criss-crossing over his bare chest and then extending over his legs. Harry assumed that he'd make a terrible noise when he walked. Yes…it was definitely like something out of a girl's fantasy. No guy would ever think of this…
A swallow was the only sound that Harry could achieve as the wet-dream version of Snape lifted his wand and flicked it in an oddly sexy way to close the door behind him. The wand was then used to motion for Harry to approach, which he did painfully slowly.
Harry hadn't felt so confused in his life. Half of him wanted to escape out the nearest window (which was impossible since he was in the dungeons) and half of him wanted to give into the other's wiles.
Snape's black eyes were already undressing Harry before he got within two meters of the upturned cauldron he was sitting on. The Gryffindor licked his lips – not having realized quite how dry they were. Snape did the same, but his lips were glistening and inviting already – the motion was hungry instead.
"Professor…I…"
Snape was on his feet and had closed the distance before Harry could do anything about it. "Don't speak…I know. The first time is always terrifying. But don't let it get to you. You could slay dragons, Harry. This is nothing."
Harry's throat felt dry. Snape was right – though he didn't quite understand the reasoning behind it in the same way Harry did. He was trying to find a way out already…but if he played along for a little bit then he might win the situation in the long run. He had to stick it out – and that was the hard part. But he could slay dragons and fulfil spells that wizards four times his age still couldn't manage.
But they didn't have to have Severus Snape touch them. The worst part of it all was that when this was all over those who had been forced to do things by the spell would forget them…and those who weren't forced would remember everything.
It was kind of like hell…he might end up enamoured to his teachers for the rest of his life. How would that look on his school record? 'Harry has not passed his Potions exam this year because he was too busy looking at the Professor's backside to put in the right ingredients.'
Harry shivered at the thought – only to find Snape's arm encircling him and tactfully undoing the clasp of his robes so that they fell to the floor. "I promise not to hurt you…"
Hell…Harry almost believed him when he spoke in that tone of voice. It was almost scary. It was a tone of voice Harry had never heard before – hadn't even thought about hearing…ever. He was quite sure he could have gone through life very happily having never heard it.
Snape's fingers were descending. It was almost terrifying feeling those fingers slide in such a manner – even if it was over his T-shirt. This had been so easy three hours ago so what was wrong now? Maybe it was the fact that Harry wasn't really sure he could manipulate this nightmarish creature into doing what he wanted. But then…nightmares never worked on your side did they?
Harry let a muffled cry of shock as something cold and sleek suddenly crept onto his heated flesh. Realization didn't take long to strike its prey: Snape's fingers had found their way under his shirt and were slowly lifting it.
Maybe Snape was so cold because the insidious temperature of his perpetual habitat had sunk into his flesh? It was definitely freezing in this room. Harry doubted that Snape saw any more flame than what was used to heat the cauldrons he worked with. He definitely doubted that there was a hearth in the Slytherin Professor's room.
"It's okay…" Snape repeated. It sounded more like an afterthought than truly trying to comfort his student. Although the description of 'captive' sounded a little more realistic...
Green eyes met black ones as Snape circled the Gryffindor, moving his other hand to join the first and pull the shirt over Harry's head. The youth shivered, forcing his gaze from Severus to the floor. The other closing the distance between them broke his new vision of the cracked, stone floor. It made Harry feel a little claustrophobic – though he knew it wasn't real claustrophobia. After all – he'd lived in a cupboard for a great portion of his life.
It was the feeling of sharp, black eyes exploring his bare chest that made Harry try to speak again. "M-maybe this isn't a good idea…"
Snape's voice hissed with enthusiasm as he let his fingernails trace red marks down the other's warm back. The feel of cold flesh against heated made both shiver – for different reasons. "You don't want this…?"
Harry kept his eyes lowered – even though he had to gaze at Snape's pale skin. It looked so inviting, as though it desperately wanted a source of heat. Harry was simply afraid that the icy touch might consume him.
"It's not that…" his voice cracked. What did he want to say?
"Then what is it…I can help you overcome it…" Snape's fingers had returned to their earlier profession, dragging snail trails of invisible snow over the other's chest until they began to circle the other's rosy nipples teasingly.
Harry found a moan falling from his lips instead of another attempt to convince Snape to stop. He forced his voice to come through the feeling and it sounded weak in comparison to the sound he'd just made. "It's a spell…and you'll regret it when the spell fades…"
"I don't think it will…I won't be able to remember it…" Snape's fingers had crept across from the other's chest to his wrists and circled them slowly – and Harry found himself with his back against the ground in a few moments. There was something oddly warm and fluffy spread out on the carpet and Harry found himself relaxing into it. But he was also thinking desperately. This Snape wasn't a real Snape after all…he was everything Snape was except he was also part of some kind of dreamscape. He was programmed (if perhaps it was right to think of it like that) to act like this…and programmed with the knowledge that he would forget everything. It was a trick to try to convince Harry that it was fine.
Harry was not going to fall for the trick. No sick, dreamer was going to get any kind of happiness out of him having his life turned upside down. No sir-ee...
He was going to fight the dreamscape for as long as he could hold off his obnoxious admirers…and that went for Draco too. The blonde had fallen completely under the spell.
Harry struggled under the other roughly, glaring up into those dark eyes with malice flaring in his own. "Get off me, Snape…I'm leaving."
"Oh…and we were having so much fun…" The professor didn't move back – he even moved closer.
Harry struggled a little more, glaring at the other still and then with a hiss he lifted his hand – even though his wrist was still pinned. "Accio wand."
Snape growled and moved his hand up further to pin the hand down so that it couldn't move to cast a spell. It didn't have to – it was Harry's left hand and with Snape distracted he'd got his other hand free with the utmost of ease, and punched the Death Eater squarely in the jaw.
The injured wizard rolled off the other clutching his jaw in pain even as Harry pushed himself to his feet and pulled his T-shirt and robe back on. By the time he was done a rather ruffled looking Severus Snape was glaring up at him from his place on the floor.
"You're turning down everything I offered you? Look at me, Potter…I'm the most gorgeous thing that you'll ever have the chance to touch."
Harry shook his head slowly and turned away. "I'm the famous Harry Potter…I may not have people falling at my feet now – but I'll grow up. It won't be long."
Snape narrowed his eyes. "And I don't have the chance to be in your posse? Am I not good enough for you?"
Harry licked his lips – he might as well try one last time. "Well…since Draco's at the top of my list, and he's quite willing…"
"Then I'll get him off the top of your list," Snape snarled, menacing.
"Don't hurt him. I don't mind you yelling at him, or putting him in detention…just – don't do anything which will scar him eternally…please." Harry had just remembered that Draco would retain any physical scars he got within this spellbound while. But mental scars wouldn't matter because Draco would forget everything.
Thank God for that – Harry didn't think he could stand Draco taunting him for the rest of his school life about his kissing. Not that he thought his kissing was particularly bad…but Draco kissed like…like something that had practiced for centuries…
"I won't scar him…but you have to give me a chance in exchange, Mr. Potter."
Harry swallowed. "What do you want?"
"I'll blackmail you when I decide it's appropriate, Harry…but right now…I think I'll ask for a goodbye kiss…"
The Gryffindor lifted his chin to gaze at the Slytherin Head of House with his eyes whispering hints of fury. But at the same time he was beginning to think that it wasn't so bad. At least if he gave Severus a kiss he might be able to get out of these dungeons with his virginity intact.
He slipped across the distance between them slowly, lifting a hand to the other's cheek and then leaning up as though he would place a tiny peck on the other's lips. He wasn't allowed to do such a thing, of course. Snape wrapped his arms tightly around the other, placing a furious and steamy kiss against the other's surprised lips.
The kiss lasted far too much tongue twisting and struggling for Harry's liking. He thought he'd never get to use his mouth again after the slight grazing and purging of his lips by the other. Finally Harry managed to slip back out of the kiss and push Snape back.
"That's enough…you do want me to sleep tonight, don't you?" There could have been several different meanings to that, and Harry decided that it was safe to leave it like that and not add another word. He slipped to the door, opening it and slipping out, closing the door behind him and walking some distance away. It wasn't until he'd covered the space between Snape's classroom and the Slytherin common room that he'd allowed himself to collapse – glad that he'd got all the way to the comfortable, green sofas in the lounge room.
Harry closed his eyes – not really noticing the figures that sank onto the sofa on either side of him. After a few moments of complete silence and relaxation, Harry finally let himself face the real world again, his green eyes opening so that he could look slowly at the other two occupants of his space.
"How did it go…?" Ron asked, clearly a little nervous.
The other Gryffindor raised a hand to his head and made a groaning noise. This had the desired effect. Draco's gaze turned to a furious glare. It wasn't for anyone in the room though – it was solely for Snape.
Ron was a little disturbed by this though. He questioned Harry about what it was exactly that had happened. Harry shifted and looked up to him, "I'd rather not discuss it in Draco's presence…"
Ron narrowed his eyes and glanced at the Slytherin. "When did you start calling him Draco anyway? Let's go upstairs so you can tell me…then we'll come down."
Draco looked angry with this – it only made sense – he was being forbidden from knowing something that involved his Harry. He none the less conceded and sank deeper into the couch, glaring at the green wall opposite him with increased fury.
When Harry and Ron got upstairs, Harry explained quite happily to his friend that it wasn't as bad as it could all have possibly have been.
"You see…it isn't that bad at all…I just want to make Draco angry with Snape. The way it was is this. I went into the classroom but Snape was in a state of undress – wearing black pants and with curly, long, black hair. He looked like some kind of wet dream…for someone who fantasizes about him, obviously – not me. He wanted to sleep with me…but I convinced him that it was a bad idea."
"How did you convince him?" Ron murmured, questioningly.
"I told him that I wouldn't drop further on my list if I could have my first choice."
"And your first choice is Draco, I hope."
"Yes…who else?" Harry knew that he hadn't told Ron about Voldemort's amorous intentions…and he wasn't planning on it. He was beginning to understand that his friend wasn't a great part of this spell and would most likely remember most of what had happened.
He was still trying to figure out who had cast it. Who would have nightmares about tentacles climbing out of toilets, or Ron being naked, or him being flirted with by most of the male population? Someone who secretly fancied both of them? He shook his head slowly. If so why weren't he and Ron up to stuff together? Maybe whoever it was wanted Ron?
Things were beginning to make a crazy kind of sense. But who fancied Ron?
Ron was looking at him oddly again. "Draco and Snape…they are the only ones, aren't they?"
Harry glanced back up. "What? What would give you the impression that there were any more? What a silly idea!" He laughed headily for a few moments and then shook his head, his laughter ceasing immediately. "No…there's no more people after me…" (Author's Note)
Ron eyed Harry nervously for a few moments. What was with that crazy burst of denial? He didn't believe him at all after that…he didn't think even Neville would believe Harry after that. Not that he asked…everything would be revealed no doubt. However – if it was too bad for Harry to tell Ron…then it had to be way worse even than Hermione fancying him.
Hermione…she was still in the ward, fast asleep. He hadn't been able to go and see her – what with the strangeness of things – but he had an odd feeling that Madam Pomfrey hadn't disappeared with the rest of the faculty.
Ron thought it'd be a good idea to change the topic, so he brought it up. "Do you think Hermione's still asleep?"
Harry glanced up to Ron slowly, blinking his tired eyes at the redhead. His mind was trying to notice something but it didn't register. "Probably…it's a shame she's missing all this. She'd probably enjoy figuring it all out…"
"I never understood why she didn't like chess with a mind like hers…"
"She doesn't not like chess," Harry reprimanded. "She just doesn't like chess with plenty of carnage…"
Ron grinned. "I can't imagine a game of chess without carnage, myself. How do you Muggles ever manage?"
Harry narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Neither Hermione nor myself are Muggles, Ron."
The other swallowed and nodded. "Yes – a wizard and a witch…well – almost."
"If we can get rid of the Death Eaters…we might even graduate next year. You know – I don't really want to have Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Dark Arts as the list of merits I receive. It seems a little ominous."
Ron nodded and then moved for the door. "We'd better get back downstairs…Draco will still be waiting for you like some lost puppy."
Harry glared at his friend for a few moments. "Why did you remind me…?" He shook his head and began to tug at his fringe for a few moments before he slipped after the redhead.
"Why do you torture me like this…?" Draco asked as Harry and Ron sunk down onto the sofa beside the Slytherin.
"Please, Draco…the last thing I want to think about now is you and implements of torture…"
"Why…?" Draco purred, moving almost snakelike onto the other's lap and hooking his arms around the other's neck.
"Because my imagination has far too much to do tonight…and if you give me another thing like that to think about then I'm never going to get to sleep tonight am I?"
Draco's eyes narrowed and he bit Harry quite hard on the nose. "And what exactly did Snape do to you that gave you so much to think about?"
Harry blinked at the harsh contact and lifted a hand to his nose to protect it from any more attacks. "He was wearing leather trousers."
"And?"
"Only leather trousers."
Draco shifted uneasily on the other's lap. "Do you want me to wear leather trousers?"
Harry made a sound as he turned his eyes away. "No…oh the torture…no sleep for me…"
Draco looked very happy with that comment and snuggled into the other's chest contently. Harry simply sighed and relaxed back, stroking the other's back as he glanced up to Ron. He managed a very slight shrug towards his unsettled looking friend. Cuddling Draco was a much better answer than having him trying something a little more daring.
Before Harry really had a chance to escape the position though, Lucius had made himself known to the group of students in the room. "It's time for dinner." His eyes caught on the two on the sofa and he narrowed his eyes.
"You two…again…" Lucius seemed to have gotten over his initial shakiness at what his son was up to. But now he knew what he was doing. He stalked straight over and grabbed his son, tearing him from Harry's chest and throwing him to the ground before slapping the Gryffindor twice across the face. "Don't you dare touch him again! Hear me?!"
Harry swallowed and sunk back in the chair, nodding. His face hurt but he wasn't going to give Lucius the pleasure of seeing him lift a hand to his stinging cheek.
When Lucius had tugged Draco back to his feet and left dragging the other along behind him, Harry finally lifted his hands to his cheeks and closed his eyes. Damn…he hadn't expected that. He glanced at Ron and then slipped out with the rest of the students, growling softly to himself unhappily about various things. The worst thing about it all was that it was bad enough to have the other's intentions…but he also had to deal with other people's jealousy or irritation.
Ron had the audacity to murmur to himself, "Damn well deserved that…"
When Harry cast him an evil look the redhead quickly covered his tracks. "Don't tell me that you're on his side?"
Harry looked a little confused for a few moments so Ron filled in for him. "Draco."
The Gryffindor looked back to the line of students before him and shrugged. "It's not really his fault. The thing is…Lucius is going to remember everything after he leaves."
"Who said Lucius is leaving, Potter?"
Harry let a silenced cry and turned to gaze at the Death Eater behind him. How had he not noticed that they were being so closely followed?
"W-what I mean is…" Harry began.
"Just explain it to Voldemort. After dinner." The Death Eater sunk back, disappearing into the shadows almost as though he had come out of them. Harry shivered and slipped back in beside his friend slightly more morose than he was a few moments before.
Ron glanced at his friend – and noting his mood decided not to go on with any kind of conversation.
When they reached the dinner room Harry was a little relieved to see that Draco was eating at the teacher's table beside his father. Lucius had probably easily got permission from the jealous Voldemort. Snape sat in his seat smirking like a cat that had just found a birdbath full of cream.
Harry shook his head and began eating his meal – for the first time quite comforted by the fact that nobody was close enough to him to try and eat his tonsils.
Obviously torture wasn't over yet though…even as he was enjoying his meal bad things began to happen. First the food slowly reverted to the state it was before it had been cooked – and then it began to link together into its original state. It then grew again into the form it was in when it was still alive. This was happening all over the hall. Several chickens were clucking unhappily and running havok about the room – and there were plants trotting around on their roots, making everything even more confusing. It didn't take very long for the Death Eaters to incinerate every living thing that wasn't human in the room to Harry's relief. It was all quite terrifying. Nightmarish – his mind corrected him.
Harry shook his head and stood up. He decided absently that he'd simply eat some of the leftovers he'd collected when he got back to his room. That wasn't to happen though, he reminded himself. He glanced up to the teacher's table and then quickly proceeded to the front of the room, eyeing Voldemort quietly. The elder man nodded and then motioned for Harry to follow him as he slipped through one of the back doors behind the table.
Harry seriously disliked being alone with these psychos. He wondered whether things would be easier if they only wanted to kill him and didn't couple it with wanting to rape him.
Voldemort directed Harry to sit down in a chair as he moved to his own on the other side of a desk. It seemed almost like a Muggle office. Strange – as Voldemort was desperately trying to avoid the fact that he had Muggle blood in him.
It was slightly more intimidating though, Harry acknowledged.
"So…what was this about Lucius leaving?"
"Your Death Eater misunderstood," Harry said, quite calmly. "I was discussing the spell and the fact that some people aren't being affected by it – Lucius included."
"Are you telling me that he was trying to dye his hair bright pink on purpose?" Voldemort asked, his eyes serious although his fingers kept messing with his long hair, trying to keep it behind his shoulders.
Harry coughed, trying to hold down the laughter that threatened to break free. This was serious and he needed to concentrate on what he had to say. "Maybe? He's a bit mad… Anyway – the thing is that when the spell dissipates Draco will forget everything that he was bound to do…but Lucius won't forget everything he saw…"
"And what does that have to do with him leaving?" Voldemort was leaning over the table. He looked like he desperately wanted Harry to mess up his reasoning.
"Well I was just…thinking…that maybe when the spell was over everyone would return to where they were before…It's quite powerful…"
Voldemort let a pleasant smirk move over his lips. It looked almost like the smirk of a hunter who knew that it had its prey cornered. "You're lying…"
"It is a powerful spell…" Harry murmured, pressing himself back in his seat.
"Oh, there's no doubt about that. Look at what it's done to me…"
The Gryffindor whined and scrambled out of his seat in the time it took for Voldemort to get around the desk. "Don't run away from me…"
"What're you going to do…blackmail me like your Snape's doing?"
"Snape can't have you…" Voldemort snarled, stalking after Harry as the other retreated.
The younger swallowed and glanced at the two exits of the room. One of them definitely went into the great hall and he wasn't too sure about the other one. He wouldn't risk it. But then – what would happen if he ran away?
"Are you going to let this spell overpower you? The great Voldemort?" he countered, desperately.
The suggestion didn't work – there was no reply and he found his back against the cold of the stone wall.
"You're my worst enemy…and I'm yours. You killed my parents…and I killed you…" Harry was getting desperate.
"Oh…can't we forget our differences for one night…"
Harry glanced for the door. He didn't care. He would even lick Snape's ass if it meant he didn't have to be anything to do with Voldemort or his lips. Unfortunately it didn't seem like he was going to get out of this very easily. "I want to see Hermione."
Voldemort blinked – his concentration broken. The out of topic words had confused him enough to snap him out of his stupor. He was distinctly aware of being uncomfortably close to his worse enemy and he slipped back quickly, lifting his wand and casting a silent spell. Harry didn't quite understand until Voldemort demonstrated by taking a step towards him – at which point he got blasted back by huge green sparks.
"You couldn't cast the same thing between me and Snape could you…?" Harry asked, looking up at the other.
Voldemort shook his head. He wasn't doing the youth any favors. And what if visiting his friend in the infirmary was part of his plot to get the Death Eaters out of Hogwarts. "Why do you want to visit her?"
Harry let a glare move over his eyes and then he shook it away. "Several reasons. One – she's my friend. Two – I haven't seen her since this mess started…and…of course! It's her isn't it! You dream when you sleep and she went to sleep just before this began!"
Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
"Think about it…what kind of person would imagine me getting into contact dilemmas with everyone I hate, hmm?" Harry's piercing green gaze was fixed on Voldemort.
"Only one of your sick friends, Potter." Voldemort conceded. "Feel free to visit her…it's not like she'll be able to help you in the state she's in."
Harry smiled and headed for the door. He had an idea. People could learn things in their sleep…so maybe if Harry repeated the same thing for long enough he could get Hermione to dream about it.
It was definitely worth a try after all…