A Little Friendly Competition
"WOMEN !" roared Severus Snape, slamming the door to his office and sending several bottles perilously close to the edge of the shelves. He was perilously in love with Rolanda Hooch and his attempt at a proposal had just been rejected. Rolanda had said she wasn't ready, even though she and Severus had been discussing the potential of marriage for some time. He just couldn't understand it; what was wrong with the way he proposed? Everything had been perfect! The light from a sunset streaming through the window, the romantic dinner, the candles, the roses (which he despised, but they made Rolanda happy) and romantic music in the background. What could have been better than that?
He threw himself into his favorite chair and summoned a glass of scotch from the side table across the room. From the shadows, Albus Dumbledore appeared, and Severus nearly choked on his drink in surprise. Dumbledore settled into the chair beside him and Severus summoned a bottle of butterbeer as he coughed.
"*Hack* Make yourself *gasp* at home, headmaster," said Snape said, his face returning to it's normal color as he choked down his drink.
"Something bothering you, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice came.
"I made sure everything was right. Music, ambiance, roses, dinner, everything. She turned me down. What *didn't* I do?" Severus sputtered, exasperation written all over his face.
"I've proposed to Minerva once before also. She claimed she wasn't ready. I was heartbroken," said Dumbledore. Suddenly, after a short silence, Severus came up with an idea.
"We'll make a bit of a competition of it then. The first one to get a yes from the woman of his dreams does the other's laundry for a month," said Severus.
"Don't forget the starch, Severus," said Dumbledore, calmly getting up from his chair to go.
"Extra fabric softener, Dumbledore," called Snape as the headmaster smiled and walked out the door.
That night, Severus looked over the preliminary plans he was making for his wedding to Rolanda. He had chosen several members of the wedding party already. That night, he contemplated sending an owl to his brother, Oran, whom he had chosen as his best man. At length, he wondered what Dumbledore had in mind that made him so sure that he would win.
"WOMEN !" roared Severus Snape, slamming the door to his office and sending several bottles perilously close to the edge of the shelves. He was perilously in love with Rolanda Hooch and his attempt at a proposal had just been rejected. Rolanda had said she wasn't ready, even though she and Severus had been discussing the potential of marriage for some time. He just couldn't understand it; what was wrong with the way he proposed? Everything had been perfect! The light from a sunset streaming through the window, the romantic dinner, the candles, the roses (which he despised, but they made Rolanda happy) and romantic music in the background. What could have been better than that?
He threw himself into his favorite chair and summoned a glass of scotch from the side table across the room. From the shadows, Albus Dumbledore appeared, and Severus nearly choked on his drink in surprise. Dumbledore settled into the chair beside him and Severus summoned a bottle of butterbeer as he coughed.
"*Hack* Make yourself *gasp* at home, headmaster," said Snape said, his face returning to it's normal color as he choked down his drink.
"Something bothering you, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice came.
"I made sure everything was right. Music, ambiance, roses, dinner, everything. She turned me down. What *didn't* I do?" Severus sputtered, exasperation written all over his face.
"I've proposed to Minerva once before also. She claimed she wasn't ready. I was heartbroken," said Dumbledore. Suddenly, after a short silence, Severus came up with an idea.
"We'll make a bit of a competition of it then. The first one to get a yes from the woman of his dreams does the other's laundry for a month," said Severus.
"Don't forget the starch, Severus," said Dumbledore, calmly getting up from his chair to go.
"Extra fabric softener, Dumbledore," called Snape as the headmaster smiled and walked out the door.
That night, Severus looked over the preliminary plans he was making for his wedding to Rolanda. He had chosen several members of the wedding party already. That night, he contemplated sending an owl to his brother, Oran, whom he had chosen as his best man. At length, he wondered what Dumbledore had in mind that made him so sure that he would win.