ONLY ONE
CH. 2 - THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE IS
AN- I just watched Love Actually for about the hundredth time and I got this song stuck in my head. (big sigh) Alan Rickman rocks.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Love can be a many splendored thing
Can't deny the joy it brings
A dozen roses, diamond rings
Dreams for sale and fairy tales
It'll make you hear a symphony
And you just want the world to see
But like a drug that makes you blind,
It'll fool ya every time
The trouble with love is
It can tear you up inside
Make your heart believe a lie
It's stronger than your pride
The trouble with love is
It doesn't care how fast you fall
And you can't refuse the call
See, you got no say at all
Now I was once a fool, it's true
I played the game by all the rules
But now my world's a deeper blue
I'm sadder, but I'm wiser too
I swore I'd never love again
I swore my heart would never mend
Said love wasn't worth the pain
But then I hear it call my name
(The trouble with) The trouble with love is
It can tear you up inside
Make your heart believe a lie
It's stronger than your pride
The trouble with love is
It doesn't care how fast you fall
And you can't refuse the call
See, you got no say at all
Every time I turn around
I think I've got it all figured out
My heart keeps callin' and I keep on fallin'
Over and over again
The sad story always ends the same
Me standin' in the pourin' rain
It seems no matter what I do
It tears my heart in two
(The trouble with love is) The trouble with love, yeah
(It can tear you up inside) It can tear you up inside
(Make your heart believe a lie) Make your heart believe a lie
It's stronger than your pride
(The trouble with love is)
It's in your heart It's in your soul (doesn't care how fast you fall)
You won't get no control (and you can't refuse the call)
See, you got no say at all
(The trouble with love is)
Oh, yeah (It can tear you up inside)
(Make your heart believe a lie)
"The Trouble With Love Is" - Kelly ClarksonOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
For the next week or so, Severus tried to avoid Roni at all costs. He holed himself up in his chambers, only leaving for breakfast and dinner. He busied himself with brewing potions for Madame Pomfrey's needs, but that always led to thoughts about Veronica. He tried to do research on a new version of Wolfsbane for Lupin, but was never able to give it his full attention.
While attempting to study Most Potente Potions, Severus threw his treasured book to the ground in annoyance. He stormed over to his fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it in, watching the fire burn green.
"Dumbledore's office!" He bellowed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Veronica tried her hardest to corner Snape and speak to him, he turned and ran away. She was confused at his actions, and more hurt at his behaviors. Everything was going fine until they kissed, but she thought that's what he wanted. He kissed her the second time!
When she trapped him in the dungeons, he looked both annoyed and frightened.
"Severus, what's wrong?"
"I really need to get to my office."
"Please tell me." Was it because of the kiss?
"No." You're a great kisser, Veronica. It's me. He snuck past her and finally reached his chambers, Veronica not even attempting to follow him.
It's me. But why? What was wrong with him?
"Nothing," she whispered.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Severus stumbled into Albus Dumbledore's office, dusting his robes off as he acknowledged the headmaster with a curt nod. He grew to love the old man like a father, though he'd never admit it. Mostly because he wanted to keep the reputation he had, but also because he didn't want to be reminded of his own father. But that had nothing to do with the matter at hands.
"Ah, Severus, welcome. Lemon drop?"
"No." As an afterthought, he added, "Thank you."
"All right. What brings you here?"
"Well, sir, classes don't begin for another two weeks, am I correct?" Dumbledore nodded. "So, I really have no real reason to be here?"
"Severus, you must complete Madame Pomfrey's potions."
"I have finished most of them. I was wondering if I could possibly take leave for a week or so."
"But you just returned from a vacation not too long ago."
Severus sighed. He knew that the old twit would use that card. Just days after school ended this past year, Albus and Minerva sent him to Greece for a month. Though he told them he had a miserable time, he really enjoyed himself. Between swimming in the ocean and taking in all of the historic sights, Severus would lie on the beach reading, or just walk through the old towns. He returned to his miserable self upon arrival back at Hogwarts, but he looked and felt better than he ever had before.
"I know that, but this is for a completely different reason, Albus," Severus pleaded. "Completely different."
"In what way?"
Not sure whether to tell him or not, Severus looked wary. Deciding he could trust the man with his life, he confessed.
"Someone in this building has fallen in love with me."
"Well, my boy, that's fantastic! What's the problem then?"
"I think I love her, too."
"That's even better! Are you planning on taking her away with you?"
"Dear God, no! I'm going away to rid myself of her."
Dumbledore looked shocked. "What, why?"
"She can't love me! Nobody can! I'm a Snape; I'm a bloody Death Eater! Why… how could she even stand me?"
"Severus, son, you are not a Death Eater and you know that. You are a spy for the Order. And it's not hard to love you, my boy. I love you like my own son."
"But how can a woman love me? In a romantic way?"
"Ask her."
This caught Severus off guard. Staring at the only father he knew, he asked, "What do you mean?"
"Ask her why she loves you."
"But I can't! She doesn't know that I know! We were kissing and she was thinking about whether or not she might love me and…"
"You used Occlumency," he said, more of a statement than a question.
"Yes."
"Severus, go talk to her."
"No."
"Yes," he said sternly, making Severus walk away, grumbling.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"He deserves to know, sis."
Veronica looked at the ghost of her older brother and groaned. "Gods, Billy, I want to but I can't."
The ghost of William Jamison let out an exasperated sigh, his once blue eyes rolling skyward. "Roni, why can't you tell him? Snape is a bastard, yes, but he's also human, and humans have feelings, too. What if he felt the same way? He's the type of guy who probably keeps everything bottled up inside. That's what all the other gits do."
"Billy, Severus is a great guy, but… this is all just happening to fast." A small smile crept onto Veronica's face. "But when we kissed, there was something there that I've never felt before and it just… it felt so right, you know? It's just happening to fast. Too bloody fast. Sure, he might feel the same way, but what if he doesn't?
"Would he have kissed you if he didn't?"
"That's the thing! He-" She was interrupted by a knock at the door. She told whoever it was to come in and was surprised to see the shadowy figure of Severus Snape enter her study.
"Severus, hello."
"Miss Jamison." He looked curiously at the ghost. "I don't believe we've met before."
"Yes, sir, we have." Billy smiled. "William Jamison, Roni's brother. I was in Ravenclaw."
"Billy?"
"Yes, sir. That's me."
"Well, you've certainly changed." He cringed. "That was an awful thing to say, I'm sorry. Erm, it's nice to see you again, Mr. Jamison."
"You, too, sir." Billy turned to his sister, grinning. "I'll see you later, sis."
"Bye, Billy." Once he left, Veronica turned to Severus, who was studying in enchanted photograph on the mantle, and she took this time to study him. His angular features, the way his black hair framed his face, just as the black sweater framed his body.
"That's my niece," she finally said. "Annaliese. She's six."
"Is this Billy's daughter?"
"Yes."
"It must have been hard losing her father at such a young age." His face contorted into a face of remembrance.
"I believe it was." She took a deep breath and said, "Severus, we need to talk."
He nodded, sitting next to her on the plush couch. "I know. Look, Veronica, I'm really sorry for running away, but… you can't love me."
She gasped slightly. "Pardon?"
"When we were kissing, you thought that you might love me."
"You really need to stop reading my mind, Severus."
"I'm sorry. I truly am."
"Why can't I love you? Because I can give you reasons why I can."
"I'm a Snape, and Snape's are nothing but power-hungry gits who wish to rule the wizarding world, not caring about who they hurt along the way. I am also a Death Eater. Actually, I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix who is just spying on the Death Eaters. Oh, shit, I shouldn't have told you that. You mustn't speak of this to anyone, Veronica. It can get both you and me killed." He paused. "Is that not enough reason? Loving me could kill you."
"But it can also give me life. These past few weeks have been nothing short of magical. Spending time with you has made me feel so happy and my feelings for you have grown into more than just friendly. You are smart and so intellectual. I learn something new every time I talk with you. You are dark and mysterious and that is incredibly sexy." She smiled at his slight blush. "And whether you want to believe it or not, you are a really great guy. And that is why I think I love you."
He let all of that sink in and Roni watched numerous emotions flicker across his face, hoping that he would return the feelings. Her eyes followed his dark figure as he stood up and paced the study. She was still not used to seeing him in Muggle clothes without his usual robes billowing behind him. He finally settled for leaning against the doorframe, his black eyes staring into her own.
"I've never really loved anyone. In a romantic way, I mean. I loved my mother and I love Albus, the old bat, though he doesn't deserve it. And, I suppose, neither do I. In my early Death Eater days, women were forced upon me and Lucius Malfoy encouraged me to use them against their will. I never could. The woman and I would just sit in the room, not speaking or looking at each other. Those days took whatever love I ever held. Along with the death of my mother.
"But, ever since your return to the school and my life, I feel that love returning. It's a strange feeling. Whenever I'm around you, I feel like the man I'm supposed to be. I don't feel cold or cruel. In fact, I'm happy when I'm with you. You've really turned my life upside down and I will forever hold a grudge against you." Veronica smiled at this. "So it's really hard for me to tell anyone this and mean it like I do now. I love you, Veronica."
Time stopped, Hell froze over, and Elvis rose from the dead as Severus Snape said the unthinkable. No one- especially Roni and the man himself- would have ever believed that Snape could love a woman. But he did. And that woman was over the moon about it.
She got up and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately.
"Wow," she said after they broke apart. "I love you, too."
Life was good for Veronica Jamison and Severus Snape.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Severus had never really had a happy life. He had the occasional bout of happiness, but nothing that ever stuck with him for more than half an hour. Ever since he declared his love for Veronica and he found out that the feelings were returned, he was actually in a good mood. A great mood, even. For once, he didn't have a snarky comment to Remus Lupin's "Good morning, Severus" and he even managed to have a decent conversation with Minerva McGonaggal. Veronica noticed this and felt proud that she was the reason behind this behavior.
"So, how long have you know Professor Lupin?" she asked as the worked together on the werewolf's Wolfsbane.
"Um… Since our first year here at Hogwarts," he replied, bewitching the potion to simmer and leaning against the counter. "He hung out with three dunderheads, all of whom I hated with a passion."
"Who would they be?"
"James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew."
"Sirius Black, really?"
"May I please continue without further interruptions? Yes, Sirius Black. He was a prat. They called themselves the Marauders and they chose me as their punching bag. Lupin didn't participate in their taunting, and I respected him for that. But he didn't stop them, either."
"Oh."
"I consider him a friend now." He added hurriedly, "Don't tell him that."
Laughing, Veronica wrapped her arms around Severus's neck and kissed him lightly. "I'm bored."
"Are you saying that my story bored you? That my past is not entertaining enough for you?"
"Yes," she said dryly. "No, Severus, I'm just tired of working with potions. Let's go to Hogsmeade. We can bring Remus, too. You guys can have some male bonding and, when you guys get too manly for me, I'll knock some femininity into you."
"Knock some what? I don't believe 'femininity' is a word."
"It's not, but I just wanted to hear you say it." She smirked a smirk that could challenge the Potion Master's own.
He eyed the potion. "Since this has to sit for fourteen hours, I guess we could go to Hogsmeade."
"All right. Come on!"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As the three friends drank fire whiskey and talked of many different things, Severus found out something of his new lover.
"You've got a strange accent," Remus told Roni. "I don't mean to sound rude, but it doesn't sound like you're from around here."
"That's because I'm not."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"Nope. I'm from Texas. I moved to London when I was 10 and I guess I never picked up the whole accent. So, I sort of have a mixture of southern twang and British drawl."
"You're American, then."
"Sure am. I know that you two are pure Brits, though."
"I never knew that you were American."
"Would you still love me if you did know?"
"Of course I would," he said quickly
Remus grinned broadly and smacked the table with the palm of his hand. "I knew it! I knew you were dating! Bloody hell, Sev, how'd you do it?"
Veronica was slightly appalled by Remus's question. What did he mean How'd you do it?? Looking at Severus, Roni raised her eyebrows in question.
"I don't think I understand the question," he said, taking a swig of his fire whiskey.
"Well, it's been so long since you last had a woman in your life and I just wondered… I should be asking Veronica this question." The fair haired's amber eyes gleamed at her. "You must be a very special lady."
"She is," Severus said in a soft voice. "She is remarkably special."
AN- Fluff, fluff, and more fluff. There's enough fluff here to challenge all the fluffy bunnies of the world. Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been busy. But here is chapter two! I'm almost finished with chappie three so it should be up in the next week or so. School starts next week so updates will come later than usual. Stupid school.
I'll continue if I get… two reviews. It's not a big number so just press the little button.