Answer to TSS Love Eater challenge #3: Severus begs his friend Harry to pretend to be his boyfriend to get rid of an admirer. Post-war...Severus is seen as big of a hero as Harry.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to the wonderful, amazing, completely incredible J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing them.
A/N: Thanks to Tarallyne Moon a most incredible beta. Without her, this would be much harder to read.
Just a favor
Severus Snape sighed as he watched the small group of owls descend toward him at the teachers table. He looked over at Albus, the older man was watching the owls with very bright, twinkling blue eyes. He looked over at Severus and smiled, "More invitations to the Ministry Ball, I'm assuming?" he questioned.
Severus sighed, "They are all from the same person, Albus. She has been sending me gifts and notes for a week now," he answered. "I just can't seem to make the infernal woman understand that I'm not interested."
Albus laughed, "Have you tried telling her that you're not interested in women?"
He looked over at the headmaster, "I have told her that I prefer men, and she seems to think that she can change my mind," he snorted.
Albus looked thoughtful, "Why don't you tell her that you have a boyfriend?" he asked. "I'm sure that we can find someone to play the part," he said.
"Albus, how on earth are we going to find someone to play my boyfriend? I have been swamped with offers since the Dark Lord fell, anyone we find will actually want the position," he growled. "Not a single day, in the past two weeks, have I had a break from marriage proposals. Men and women all over the Wizarding World are trying to win my heart."
Albus looked over at the surly potions master, "I have someone in mind," he said. "I'm quite sure that he's having the same problem."
Severus exhaled sharply, "Albus, you can't be serious. Harry Potter would not pretend to be my betrothed." He got up from the table and stalked toward the doors.
"Severus, he will be here for dinner tonight. The four of us will be dining in my office," he told him gently. "Harry, Minerva, you and I will have dinner at 8."
For the first time since he and Professor Snape had felled Voldemort, Harry smiled. Mrs. Weasley had been very helpful, she had been screening all of his owls. There had been flocks of them, most wanting to marry him. Molly had been going through them and only giving him the ones that she thought he would be interested in, and that amounted to very few. She was still hoping that one of her children would catch his interest, and that he would marry into the family.
He stepped through the gates to Hogwarts and headed toward the castle. Albus had invited him to dinner tonight with a few of the professors, and Harry was looking forward to seeing them. He had graduated two years ago, but he had lived at the school for training until two weeks ago. Professor Snape had spent two years with Harry living in the dungeons and spending all of his time with him. They had been working on a way to destroy the dark lord, but they had developed a friendship during that time. During the past two weeks away from the school, he had begun to think that maybe he felt something more than friendship for the dour potions master.
Minerva met him at the doors to the school, "Harry, how have you been?" she asked, pulling the young man into a motherly hug.
"I've been just fine, Min. I've missed being here. I love being at the burrow, but Hogwarts was my first home," he paused and looked around the entrance hall. "This was the very first place that I felt I belonged," he told her.
"Well, you do belong here, and I think that might be what Albus wants to talk to you about. I believe that he's thinking about retiring, and hiring you as the new head of Gryffindor and Professor of either Defense against the Dark arts or Transfiguration. I'm hoping that when he offers you the position that you will accept. Severus will be the new Deputy Headmaster, so we will need a teacher that is able to stand up to him," she said as they walked up the stairs to the Headmaster's office.
Severus sat in Albus' office, wondering just why he had been invited to this little get together. He could hear the murmur of voices outside the door and turned to see who had arrived. As the door opened, he caught sight of messy black hair and the twinkling emerald eyes that were unique to Harry Potter.
"Severus," he said as he stepped through the door. "It's nice to see you, how have you been?" Harry asked as he sat down next to the sneering man.
"I am quite well, Harry. And you?" he returned.
Harry smiled and patted the older man on the shoulder, "Even better now that I'm here. I didn't realize how much I would miss it."
Two hours later, the group was sitting around the Headmaster's desk. "Now, Harry. I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in the position of Head of Gryffindor and your choice of teaching position," Albus told him. "Severus, we will be offering you the Deputy Headmaster position."
Harry smiled at him, "I'll have to think about it, Albus," he said, then turned to Severus. "Would you care to come to the three broomsticks, Severus? I could use a drink."
Severus stood up from his chair, "Why don't we head down to the dungeons, I have some wonderful brandy that Albus acquired for me," he said.
Harry stood up, "That sounds good, lead on."
The two dark haired men walked down to the dungeons, Severus stopped in front of a portrait of a dark haired woman and whispered the password. He led Harry into a beautifully appointed sitting room.
"Wow, Severus. This room is beautiful, why did we always meet in your office?" he asked as he sat down on one of the velvet chairs in front of the fire.
Severus walked over to the cabinet and pulled out two glasses and poured them each a healthy measure of brandy, he handed one to Harry and sat down in the opposite chair. "I invited you down here to ask you for a favor," he stated.
"What can I do for you, Severus?"
The older man took a sip of his drink and ran his hand through his hair. "Ever since we defeated Voldemort, I have been bombarded with letters from one witch, and she will not take no for an answer. I was wondering if you would pretend to be my boyfriend to get her to leave me alone."
Harry choked on the sip of brandy he had just taken, "I'm sorry Severus, I didn't mean to do that, but next time you spring something like that on me, wait until my mouth is empty," he sputtered.
Severus' face turned a pale pink color. "It was not my idea to ask you, the Headmaster suggested it."
Harry smiled, "Just what would I have to do?"
"Accompany me to the ministry ball, and we would have to look convincing to anyone that was watching," he said.
Harry smiled at him, "I have a few conditions," he started.
Severus paced his sitting room, wondering just why he had agreed to Harry's conditions.
Flashback
Harry smiled at him, "I have a few conditions," he started.
"And what would they be?" Severus asked.
Harry's face lit up, "Well first of all, I want to pick out your robes."
"I don't see why not, I'm sure that whatever you choose could not be that bad," Severus answered. "What else?"
"That you will come with me to muggle London and have a spa day," Harry said. He leaned toward Severus, "Facial, hair, and a massage. It will all be my treat," he explained.
Severus frowned, "And is that all?" he sneered.
"No, the last thing is that you will have dinner with me. Think of it as a date, I will take you to dinner and some sort of entertainment," Harry replied.
"I enjoy the symphony," Severus told him.
End Flashback
He stopped pacing and gathered his cloak, a deal was a deal. He would go to muggle London with Harry, and allow him to pick out the robes he would wear to the ministry ball. Tomorrow night it would all be over.
The night of the ministry ball was crisp and clear, Harry arrived at Hogwarts with only five minutes to spare. He brushed off his new green and silver dress robes and headed toward the dungeons. Half way down the stairs, he stopped in shock. Severus was coming up the steps, his silver and black dress robes were stunning. He had agreed to all of Harry's conditions, and had spent the day before in muggle London with Harry having his hair cut then to Diagon Alley to let Harry pick out his new robes. Then they had headed to the burrow to see Mrs. Weasley about a different shampoo for his oily hair.
"Severus Snape, I am going to be the envy of the ball," Harry whispered into the older man's ear.
Molly Weasley watched at Harry walked into the ball, on the arm of a handsome Severus Snape. She knew by the way he was staring at the older man that she could give up on Harry marrying into the family. He was clearly smitten with the potions master, and she decided that she would have to have a talk with Severus before the night was over.