Chapter 7
Severus Snape had just sat down at his desk with a warm cup of tea when a knock came at his door. "Enter," he barked, annoyed at being interrupted while trying to grade the first essays of the term. His annoyance turned into surprise when the tall form of Draco Malfoy entered his classroom.
"Can I help you with something, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked in his usual gruff voice.
Malfoy looked thoughtful. "No, sir, I don't think you can after all. I'm sorry I bothered you." Malfoy made to leave.
"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy. What could possibly be troubling your teenaged brain?"
Malfoy sat down and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I assume that you, as a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle, are aware of my . . . adventure . . . this summer.
Snape looked mildly surprised, but immediately hid the emotions under a tightly controlled facade. "I am. But not as a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle. The Headmaster has made sure I am quite familiar with the goings on of the Death Eater children at the school."
Now it was Malfoy's turn to look surprised again. "You're a spy?"
"Please, Mr. Malfoy, even I gave you more credit than that. Surely you figured it out before now."
Malfoy shook his head. "I had no idea."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Good God what a waste," he muttered under his breath so that no one could hear him. "At any rate, I believe you had something you wished to discuss with me? It had better be good, my tea is getting cold."
"Yes, Professor," said Malfoy. "I have come to ask your advice on a personal matter."
"Wait," said Snape, bringing his hand up to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your personal life or mine?"
"Mine," said Malfoy.
"Good," said Snape. "Continue."
"Well," said Malfoy, "there's this girl--"
"Mr. Malfoy, I highly doubt that I am the best person to ask for advice of this sort. Perhaps you should question your father; I seem to remember him having a way with the young ladies in his Hogwarts days."
Malfoy's face steeled and his expression became one of tightly controlled anger. "If you are aware of the events of my summer vacation, you must also be aware of their cause," there was cold fury in Malfoy's voice. "My father is dead to me."
Snape regarded the boy with an eyebrow raised. His eyes showed a glimmer of something, perhaps respect? "I understand, Mr. Malfoy. You may continue."
Malfoy resumed his discussion with Snape. "There's this girl. I keep having . . . dreams about her. Not those kinds of dreams, Professor," Malfoy noticed Snape's eyebrows raise about two meters, "I would never degrade her in that fashion. But, she's the most alluring girl I've ever met. Being around her drives me crazy, but not being with her makes me sick. I-I used to hate her. Part of me still does, I think, the part my father still controls; but - it's different now. It's like she suddenly went from being an animal to being human." Malfoy looked astonished that he had actually spoken those words. He hadn't intended to, he only meant to ask what color roses he should get at the next Hogsmeade weekend. Snape looked equally astonished to hear these words come from Malfoy's mouth.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape after a moment's silence. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of . . . experience . . . where the opposite sex is concerned, but I do know that women appreciate honesty. Have you told her how she makes you feel?" This was not said in a fatherly manner or even tenderly. It was very business-like and matter-of-fact. Draco was grateful for this. He could understand something stated matter-of-factly, but tenderness was completely foreign to him.
"No, sir, I have not. I'm almost positive she doesn't feel the same way. Malfoys are not accustomed to rejection," Malfoy also spoke with flat tones and minimal emotional inflections.
"Almost positive," said Snape. "You are a less than adequate Potions student, Mr. Malfoy, as I am sure you're aware," Malfoy blushed. He knew that Snape spoke the truth, "so I will attempt to accomplish two tasks at one time. What is the most important action when creating a potion?"
"You must observe it and, if necessary, experiment a bit," Malfoy was secretly pleased with himself.
"And what is the second most important thing when creating a potion?"
"You must . . . um . . . "
"Adjust to the potion, Mr. Malfoy. The potion will tell you what it needs. All you have to do is ask it and listen for its answer. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Malfoy simply gave him a blank look.
Snape sighed. "The same thing applies to life, Mr. Malfoy. Observe the girl, she may not be as unresponsive as you think. Take chances. Experiment with the situation. Listen to her body language. You can learn a lot from how a person walks and talks when they're around you. Always put her needs before your own. She may guess your feelings without you having to go through the humiliation of actually telling them to her. Treat her like, well, like the most important witch in the world."
"She is the most important witch in the world. I've never met anyone more dynamic or enticing or beautiful or--"
"I get the point Mr. Malfoy!" Snape quickly cut the boy off. He didn't wish to hear anyone's romantic ramblings, least of all Draco Malfoy's. (A/N: See if you can guess the double meaning here.) "The question is do you get mine?"
Malfoy nodded.
"Then I believe I am finished. Now if you'll excuse me, I have essays that need to be graded." Snape adjusted himself in the chair and turned his attention to the scrolls of parchment in front of him.
Malfoy stood to go.
"Mr. Malfoy?" asked Snape as Draco had his hand on the knob.
"Yes?" said Draco, turning.
"Do not underestimate Miss Granger," Snape said with an evil grin hidden behind his mug of now cold tea. "She is smarter than you think."
Draco paled, nodded curtly and left.
A/N: Sorry, about the unforgivable lack of updates! I have had the world's biggest case of writer's block. But today, I had an inspiration and I was all "That's it!" and my family got all freaked out because I yelled it out loud and they were putting away groceries. But don't worry; I have an idea for the next several chapters. The next two are mostly just going to be exposition. Please remember that this chapter and probably the next one or two all take place on THE SAME DAY!! That is highly important or you will all be confused. I hope to have the next chapter up tomorrow, because I basically already know what will happen. I hope nobody seemed too OOC in this chapter. My other full-length fic (Heart & Blood) had major OOCness and I'm trying to not let that happen in this one. I tried, I really did! Please review, your kind words mean a lot! Thank you so much to those of you who have review and said nice things about my story. As an author, that's the best praise I can receive. Thanks a lot! Review please!
Severus Snape had just sat down at his desk with a warm cup of tea when a knock came at his door. "Enter," he barked, annoyed at being interrupted while trying to grade the first essays of the term. His annoyance turned into surprise when the tall form of Draco Malfoy entered his classroom.
"Can I help you with something, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked in his usual gruff voice.
Malfoy looked thoughtful. "No, sir, I don't think you can after all. I'm sorry I bothered you." Malfoy made to leave.
"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy. What could possibly be troubling your teenaged brain?"
Malfoy sat down and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I assume that you, as a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle, are aware of my . . . adventure . . . this summer.
Snape looked mildly surprised, but immediately hid the emotions under a tightly controlled facade. "I am. But not as a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle. The Headmaster has made sure I am quite familiar with the goings on of the Death Eater children at the school."
Now it was Malfoy's turn to look surprised again. "You're a spy?"
"Please, Mr. Malfoy, even I gave you more credit than that. Surely you figured it out before now."
Malfoy shook his head. "I had no idea."
Snape rolled his eyes. "Good God what a waste," he muttered under his breath so that no one could hear him. "At any rate, I believe you had something you wished to discuss with me? It had better be good, my tea is getting cold."
"Yes, Professor," said Malfoy. "I have come to ask your advice on a personal matter."
"Wait," said Snape, bringing his hand up to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your personal life or mine?"
"Mine," said Malfoy.
"Good," said Snape. "Continue."
"Well," said Malfoy, "there's this girl--"
"Mr. Malfoy, I highly doubt that I am the best person to ask for advice of this sort. Perhaps you should question your father; I seem to remember him having a way with the young ladies in his Hogwarts days."
Malfoy's face steeled and his expression became one of tightly controlled anger. "If you are aware of the events of my summer vacation, you must also be aware of their cause," there was cold fury in Malfoy's voice. "My father is dead to me."
Snape regarded the boy with an eyebrow raised. His eyes showed a glimmer of something, perhaps respect? "I understand, Mr. Malfoy. You may continue."
Malfoy resumed his discussion with Snape. "There's this girl. I keep having . . . dreams about her. Not those kinds of dreams, Professor," Malfoy noticed Snape's eyebrows raise about two meters, "I would never degrade her in that fashion. But, she's the most alluring girl I've ever met. Being around her drives me crazy, but not being with her makes me sick. I-I used to hate her. Part of me still does, I think, the part my father still controls; but - it's different now. It's like she suddenly went from being an animal to being human." Malfoy looked astonished that he had actually spoken those words. He hadn't intended to, he only meant to ask what color roses he should get at the next Hogsmeade weekend. Snape looked equally astonished to hear these words come from Malfoy's mouth.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape after a moment's silence. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of . . . experience . . . where the opposite sex is concerned, but I do know that women appreciate honesty. Have you told her how she makes you feel?" This was not said in a fatherly manner or even tenderly. It was very business-like and matter-of-fact. Draco was grateful for this. He could understand something stated matter-of-factly, but tenderness was completely foreign to him.
"No, sir, I have not. I'm almost positive she doesn't feel the same way. Malfoys are not accustomed to rejection," Malfoy also spoke with flat tones and minimal emotional inflections.
"Almost positive," said Snape. "You are a less than adequate Potions student, Mr. Malfoy, as I am sure you're aware," Malfoy blushed. He knew that Snape spoke the truth, "so I will attempt to accomplish two tasks at one time. What is the most important action when creating a potion?"
"You must observe it and, if necessary, experiment a bit," Malfoy was secretly pleased with himself.
"And what is the second most important thing when creating a potion?"
"You must . . . um . . . "
"Adjust to the potion, Mr. Malfoy. The potion will tell you what it needs. All you have to do is ask it and listen for its answer. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Malfoy simply gave him a blank look.
Snape sighed. "The same thing applies to life, Mr. Malfoy. Observe the girl, she may not be as unresponsive as you think. Take chances. Experiment with the situation. Listen to her body language. You can learn a lot from how a person walks and talks when they're around you. Always put her needs before your own. She may guess your feelings without you having to go through the humiliation of actually telling them to her. Treat her like, well, like the most important witch in the world."
"She is the most important witch in the world. I've never met anyone more dynamic or enticing or beautiful or--"
"I get the point Mr. Malfoy!" Snape quickly cut the boy off. He didn't wish to hear anyone's romantic ramblings, least of all Draco Malfoy's. (A/N: See if you can guess the double meaning here.) "The question is do you get mine?"
Malfoy nodded.
"Then I believe I am finished. Now if you'll excuse me, I have essays that need to be graded." Snape adjusted himself in the chair and turned his attention to the scrolls of parchment in front of him.
Malfoy stood to go.
"Mr. Malfoy?" asked Snape as Draco had his hand on the knob.
"Yes?" said Draco, turning.
"Do not underestimate Miss Granger," Snape said with an evil grin hidden behind his mug of now cold tea. "She is smarter than you think."
Draco paled, nodded curtly and left.
A/N: Sorry, about the unforgivable lack of updates! I have had the world's biggest case of writer's block. But today, I had an inspiration and I was all "That's it!" and my family got all freaked out because I yelled it out loud and they were putting away groceries. But don't worry; I have an idea for the next several chapters. The next two are mostly just going to be exposition. Please remember that this chapter and probably the next one or two all take place on THE SAME DAY!! That is highly important or you will all be confused. I hope to have the next chapter up tomorrow, because I basically already know what will happen. I hope nobody seemed too OOC in this chapter. My other full-length fic (Heart & Blood) had major OOCness and I'm trying to not let that happen in this one. I tried, I really did! Please review, your kind words mean a lot! Thank you so much to those of you who have review and said nice things about my story. As an author, that's the best praise I can receive. Thanks a lot! Review please!
