A/N: Sorry this took so long. Damn summer college chemistry class. I'm glad you all seem to like my story. Those reviews were really awesome. Thanks. For anyone worried that this is nearing an end, the end of the past is coming up, but I plan to do a lot more with them in the present time after seventh year. No there will not be any student teacher relationships happening. So please stay with me once she gets back.
In response to a question: The 'Fight' part of the title referred to the argument with Remus. There was supposed to be more at the ball involving Malfoy but that got moved to this chapter. So read on to find out more.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Chapter 15: Every Rose has A Thorn
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Severus and Hermione came to a stop next to bench and sat, both slightly out of breath from the thrill of making their escape. As her wind returned Hermione took in her surroundings. They were in a garden of what looked like rose bushes, but being winter, there were no roses to be seen. She almost regretted that it was Christmas. She so did love roses. Only she never seemed to receive them from anyone. She gave an audible sigh, her breath misting in the cool air.
Severus caught the sound and looked around at her. She was staring at the rose bushes across the path, almost longingly. Suddenly he was struck with an idea. He only hoped he was right in guessing her favorite flower. Pointing his wand at his hand behind his back he muttered a quiet spell and felt a soft weight come to rest in his palm.
He cleared his throat to get her attention, and when she turned to look at him, said, "Elizabeth, I would like to give you something." In a singularly graceful movement he removed his hand from behind his back and presented her with ... a rose.
Hermione gasped at the beautiful creation. In the moonlight the white petals seemed to glow with their own luminescence. The stem was long and elegant, a deep emerald green, and when studied closely seemed to be without thorns. The bloom was caught in stasis, with the look of having only just been released from the bud. It was the most perfect rose she had ever seen.
To her surprise the petals began to change color. They swiftly became a glittering orange the base and tip of the petals a deep red. She was so focused on the rose that she failed to notice the blush that washed over Snape's features when he saw the color change. His hands were almost trembling when she took it from him.
She gasped in surprise again as the petal once again began to change color. This time it became the deepest, darkest red. Her feelings of love overwhelmed her so a single tear trickled down her cheek. She only managed to stutter out a thick, "Thank you."
Ever the inquiring mind for knowledge, she over came her outpouring of love to ask, "How does it change color? What triggers it?"
The blush gone, he looked her straight in the face and said, "It is not a true rose. It is a conjuration. It is charmed to change color to reflect the emotions of the one holding it. White it the neutral color of when it is not being held or newly made. Orange with red represents...er...passionate feelings. Bright red would mean anger. Dark red is ...love. The deeper the red, the stronger the feeling." He paused as she blushed realizing that the rose had turned a very dark shade of red. His heart warmed when she did not deny what the rose told them both. He continued his explanation, "It would turn pink if you were just happy, yellow for ...flirting and friendliness. Blue is sadness or if you are tired. Deep green is guilt or envy. Bright green is fear. Um...it would turn black if you were hiding your feelings or thinking...cruel thoughts. Purple is confusion of your feelings. You never want it to turn grey. It would mean you were dead or had no soul. I hope it never turns grey for you."
If it were possible the rose would have gone ten shades deeper, but being at its limit it stayed the same despite the flood of love she was feeling towards him right then. She never wanted to leave. This was perfect. She did the only things she could think of to show how she really felt.
He completely lost his calm as he was suddenly pulled forward into a passionate kiss. He reveled in the feeling of her lips on his as he pulled her closer. As if the gift had triggered his senses he noticed that she her hair smelled faintly of roses and vanilla. It only made him kiss her harder in return. They were lost in their own world, of a swirling kaleidoscope of feelings, not noticing that the rose they now both held turned a shining gold.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Lucius Malfoy had to contain his hatred as he caught a glimpse of Snape's back and a girl in a fiery dress sneak around a corner. He had a suspicion of who it was and couldn't believe Severus would have the nerve to invite Her to the purest of society's ball. He had thought he had beaten that stupid notion out of his head. The Dark Lord would not be pleased if Lucius brought a mudblood loving git into the fold. He had to put a stop to this once and for all.
As the song ended, he released himself from the grasp of the beautiful but cold hearted Narcissa Black. Making the excuse of needing the bathroom he left and followed the path of Severus and Hermione.
He knew where Snape would take her. The gardens. It had been his favorite hiding place as a child. As children they had been supposed playmates. Though their parents believed it so, they were never friends. Lucius was always the charming suave one, ready to take control of the situation. Severus was awkward and a bit clumsy. He was easily pushed around and was always reading books instead of stealing wands or brooms to practice with. It was just a competition. One that Lucius had always won.
He always got what he wanted in the end, one way or another. This would be no different.
Silently, he approached the garden terrace doors. He bit back a surge of disgust at the sight of Severus in a full fledged snogging session with the mudblood. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he did register that she looked very beautiful in that dress, before the thought was squashed out of existence.
When he couldn't take it any longer, he slammed the door open and broke the scene with a harsh, "What the hell are you doing?"
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The couple sprang apart at the resounding crash of the door being flung open and whirled around at the voice of Malfoy saying, "What the hell are you doing?"
They both jumped to their feet. Unconsciously Severus moved to stand half in front of her. While she appreciated the gesture she regretted that it blocked her wand hand. She wanted nothing more than to hex this interfering, slimy, evil bastard to the next world for interrupting them. Could they never get a moments peace without some git getting in the way. Obviously not.
The rose turned a brilliant shade of red bordering on orange as her anger grew. The Gryffindor rashness took over as she sneered, "We were having a good time. But then a white worm showed up and ruined the night. What a pity." This was plainly an insult to him as he was wearing sparkling white silk dress robes.
Eyes snapping in cold fury, he glared at her but directed his reply at Snape, "Do I hear a dog barking? I didn't know you had acquired a new bitch for breeding?" He stepped back a pace as the taller boy lunged toward him, a snarl of hatred twisting his mouth.
Hermione had to use all her strength to hold him back, with half a mind to let him beat the crap out of Lucius. She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Let me handle this. He won't go unpunished." As the young man in her arms stopped fighting, but still tensing in anger, she said out loud, "Puppies recognize their mother by their bark didn't you know. But then you should already know that, because you remember the sound of your own mother."
With a snarl, Malfoy whipped out his wand and pointed it straight at her heart. "You'll pay for that you mudblood whore," he screamed hoarsely. He started to cast a spell but had to stop as he was suddenly facing a dark ebony wand pointed right between his eyes.
His eyes darted down the black clad arm to the enraged face of his newest enemy. He bit back his fear at what he saw in those dark eyes. "You wouldn't dare hurt me," he said, trying to sound cocky and cold, failing miserably.
His voice almost a whisper was none the less heard in the ringing silence that surrounded the scene, "You insulted a lady and attempted to hex a guest in my house. You want to bet on that?"
Malfoy sneered, while backing away from Snape. "So that's why you're doing this. I can't believe you even remembered. Don't you know it doesn't count after six months go by?" he said, almost mockingly.
"What the hell are you talking about Malfoy?" Snape growled.
Lucius gave a knowing look, and said, "The bet of course. Last spring during the party after the exams you bet that you could get a mudblood to sleep with you. As I remember you failed to fulfill that bet and owed me twenty galleons. It's too late now. Though I do have to say working on a new one instead of Evans is an ingenious idea." He smirked as he let it sink in.
Severus' scowl deepened as he remembered what that git was referring too. His cheeks darkened in embarrassment as Hermione said, "What bet? Severus what bet? Please tell me this isn't about a bet?" Her voice was pleading and his heart broke to at the thought that she would believe he had done all this because of a bet.
The rose slipped in her hand a little, and she bit back a cry at t prick on her finger. She looked down, and noticed there was one thorn hidden beneath the blossom.
Looking her straight in the eye, so she could see he did not lie, he said, "No, this is not because of a bet. That was a long time ago. I refused to go through with the...deed. I would have hated myself. I didn't even remember it until he said something. Don't believe a word that comes out of this snake's mouth. It will only be lies."
He gave a diffident shrug then said, "Oh, well. Guess you're still too chicken. You have no honor if you go around snogging every mudblood whore just for fun. You don't even get anything out of it. And you! You conniving little mudblood bitch! You are corrupting our best men. You go around flaunting your mudblood face, taunting us! You mu..."
THUMP!
He was suddenly sitting on the ground. He felt a sense of déjà vu as he looked up into the wand and face of and infuriated Hermione Granger. "Don't you dare call me that foul name again or you will regret it," she hissed.
He dared her mentally to even try it. He didn't think she would have the guts to hex him. Eyes narrowed he said, "Mudblood."
BANG!
Snape looked around in bewilderment. Malfoy was gone. He searched the nearby bushes with his eyes straining to hear noise of movement. His hypertensive ears caught the sound of a high pitched squeaking. He looked down at the ground and saw to his surprise, a pure white ferret sitting where Lucius had been a moment before.
He looked at the witch standing next to him incredulously. "You...you just....just ...What did you do Elizabeth?" he stammered.
She looked at the ferret a slow, satisfied smirk crossing her lips. "I turned him into what he really is. What do you think? Should we release him into the wild? Set him free?" she replied.
Slowly the humor of the situation hit him. He smiled at her as she started to laugh and he was soon joining in. As they calmed and settled for just beaming at each other he said, "You're crazy you know that? But I love you anyway." Laughing he grabbed her hand with the rose in it and pulled her into an embrace. "I love you, Elizabeth Gordon," he whispered into her hair.
Unseen tears sprang to her eyes. "I love you too, Severus Snape." No one noticed when the rose once again became a shimmering gold.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
A/N: You may ask 'what does gold mean?' Well...I won't tell you. It will be revealed in a later chapter. Let's just say that even Snape doesn't know yet. Sorry this is so short, but it seemed a good place to stop and I didn't want to wait any longer to update. 16 will be coming shortly.
PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks!
