Chapter 15 -"Hey, wannamarryme?"

"Severus wake up."

Poking Severus Snape at a quarter to 7 in the morning was a dangerous act indeed.

Fuck off

"Uck foff."

"Severus, get up."

Severus who looked perpetually Ill these days opened one eye. It was Lucius. To prevent any further blinding from nightmare material of the morning Lucius, Severus shut his eye and rolled over.

"Fuck off."

Lucius grinned triumphantly. If Severus could say fuck off clearly it meant most definitely that he was awake.

It was an extremely cold morning, making it hard for anyone to move themselves from their warm beds as displayed in this particular dorm.

Evan was no where to be seen, but that was only because he was buried under a mass of bed sheets and dirty clothes. Aeolus's idea of clean was move it off the floor and onto a different surface. Aeolus was barely awake, moving back to bed for 2 minutes sleeps every 5 minutes. Lucius was up, dressed and showered. A marvel really. And Severus was identified as 'The lump over there.'

Sick, tired and cold, Severus saw no real point in getting up…

But then he came to.

October 30th. The Halloween ball was on in the evening. They weren't allowed to hold it on Halloween because the official feast was on Halloween eve, and it would be far too dangerous to have students roaming about everywhere on such a night.

Lily didn't care when it was, just as long as it fit in the category of 'Ball','Dance' or 'Social Gathering' she was happy.

Severus had decided it was it was a good opportunity to propose. True he hadn't given it much time or though, but he'd figured he'd spent his whole life analysing things to death- it was time for a change.

On his night stand among his various potions and medications sat a small black box. One would have to be particularly dense to not know what it contained. Lucius couldn't figure it out. He'd argued that it was probably earrings or something for Akira.

Lily had been shooting Severus glares ever since she heard about 'the box'.

Why was indeed a mystery.

A story could have been prevented if Severus had found out why. A nightmare preceding a heavenly dream could have been disallowed. Heartache would not have been necessary.

But many people in a world as magical as this still agreed that things happen for a reason- good or bad.

Moving from warm to cold Severus cursed incessantly.

No one noticed.

Aeolus was now finishing the morning ritual of dressing as Evan was only just starting and Lucius was organising for the day. All of this was done as if the boys were on autopilot. Or men really.

They had all approached a sort of line, a line separating Boy from Man. Half of the 7th years had stepped across the line noticeably while the other half were bordering on it or running full speed in the other direction. In any case the four boys in that particular dorm were across the line, despite their occasional relapses.

This would be why Severus was convinced he was ready for a commitment like marriage.

Which is admittedly a rather large one at that.

Running two fingers along the cold window sill Severus stared out the fogged window.

Autumn, it was getting colder.

A trail of newly spilled blood sat on the sill now amongst the dust.

Reaching up to the window he ran a finger over the fogged up surface, smearing blood on the glass.

Severus searched the sill, in surprised, looking for something sharp.

He looked at the cut, the opening in his skin. It was deep.

All of a sudden his stomach gave a funny jolt. The cut made him feel decidedly alive, reminded him he still felt and bleed, and it was good in that way.

"Severus, I'm going to breakfast, I'll save you a seat alright?"

Severus waved his other hand at Lucius dismissively, wiping his fingers discreetly on his night shirt.

"How did you do that?" The unnoticed Evan commented on the bleeding finger wryly.

Severus didn't answer. Evan had been quite patronising lately, as if he was suddenly superior. Severus believed deep down Evan had an inferiority complex.

Back turned Severus peered at the cut and marvelled at the relief it brought.

~~**~~

"Did I tell you about Mathew."

"How he cut his arm in half?"
"Yeah."

"Yes you did."

"Oh. Oh did I tell you about that Ravenclaw girl who left?"

"No."

"Oh well you know that girl who was bawling when we were outside?"

"Yes and her friend told us to 'make out' elsewhere."

"T'was a bit rude of her wasn't it?"

"… I mean we weren't even making out. Some people have most disgusting minds here."

"That's not the point Severus."

"Well it is for me."

"Anyway apparently her father died, so now they can't afford to send her to Hogwarts…. Hang on… Oh yes anyway now she has to go to muggle school. I think she was part muggle anywho."

"Oh, how.. terrible."

Akira had spent the better half of the lunch hour catching Severus up on the gossip.

Severus didn't have the heart to tell her he didn't really care, but he was going to have to tell her soon before her bony backside cut off the circulation in his left leg.

"Akira, get off me."

"No."

"My left leg is dead, you want a lame boyfriend?"
"What are you talkin' bout. You're already lame."

"Har ha ha."

 As Akira shifted from his left knee to his right knee, insistent on sitting on him…. To save seating which saves trees (Severus didn't understand the logic in that, but Akira thought it made sense.), Severus glimpsed a teary eyes Narcissa slipping out of the hall.

~**~

"You alright?"

"Go away!"

"How 'bout we go for a walk, after classes okay?"

Severus walked away from the darkened corner of the entrance hall, Where Narcissa stood sobbing.

~~**~~

"So are you going to tell Uncle Severus what the matter is?"

"No but I'm going to tell Uncle Severus to go to hell"

"If this is Lucius related, I'm not Lucius so don't treat me like I am."

"No, its not him directly, its everything but I will be fine…."

"If you say so."

"So are really proposing to Akira?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"I'm not.."

"Yes you are-"

"No I'm not.. I'm curious.. Oooh, let me see the ring."

"Where do you get this all from?"

"Let me see!"

Severus slipped his hand into the right pocket of his robes subtly and shook his head.

"I can't let you see if I don't know what you are talking about."

"Let.me.see!"

Narcissa, who had always an incredibly perceptive person, lunged at Severus, and skilfully pried a small black box from his hand after a moments struggle and some biting on her part.

"You'll have to watch out from now on Severus. I'm getting very good marks in divination."

Which would have to be true,  Narcissa had no real evidence that he was carrying the ring, or that there was indeed one, but here it was sitting in a box, in her palm. Severus however wasn't very concerned about it being in her possession as he had more important things to worry about such as the state of his dishevelled black hair.

Flicking the box open, Narcissa's eyes widened.

"Oooh, pretty."

Severus had made arrangements with a jeweller in France via owl.

It was a Marquise diamond with a 24 carat gold band, of course the brat Prince* gets an expensive ring to give to his brat Princess-to-be. Severus gave no concern to cost most obviously, and in addition to that, cast a spell on it.

Something he had mastered himself years and years ago, was colour enchantment.

He'd seen his father do it once for his mother. It was their anniversary if Severus's memory served correctly, and his father had remembered at the last minute. So he picked a rose from the garden and enchanted it. His mother was thrilled. The rose's petals, originally red, changed colour randomly and sparkled all different colours from time to time, like glitter.

Young children, always like pretty things, so Severus aspired to learn the secret to such enchantment.

Then after that, in a way that parents only have nightmares about, Severus went and enchanted just about everything in the house.

His father got a migraine from his photosensitivity.

His mother thought she was having an attack.

Severus got in a lot of trouble.

So with this talent Severus had bewitched the jewel to change colour and glitter. Not out of romantic thought though..

"Can I keep it?"

"You may certainly not."

 ~~**~~

Severus glanced around the hall looking for Akira. The Great Hall was packed with students, eager for the 'ball/social gathering/dance' to start. Unfortunately however, due to the disorganisation of some professors, it would be a while before everything was in place.

Snape was just going to propose to her before everything got started. He didn't put any thought towards picking the 'Perfect Moment'. He'd never been a romantic, and it was obvious.

"Severus!"

"I was getting worried about you." Severus stated, as Akira looped her arms around his neck.

"What that I'd poked myself in the eye with my eyeliner?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Indeed."

"Excuse me, that's my quote."

 Akira giggled at this as Severus lead her over to a quieter corner.

"You know you've been giving me a funny feeling all day Severus."

"And you've been giving me a funny feeling all year."

"What is that supp-"

Severus produced the famed black box and opened it to her.

Akira will you marry me?

"Hey, wannamarryme?"

*Brat Prince. Severus reminds me of the Brat Prince of Anne Rice's Vampire chronicals, Lestat who threw money about like leaves.

Narcissa scene had Lily in it and it was from a real role play, however to coincide with the story I had to cut half of it out because it that scene it was snowing and its autumn to the timeline.

Akira gossip scene from roleplay, conversation half cut out. Proposal modified.