A/N: I don't think I've said it in a while, so anything that you recognize isn't mine.

xJL

Chapter 33

Morning, as usual, came much too early for Andraste. She was woken by the sound of knocking at the door, and Severus informing her that it was, without a doubt, her turn to answer it. Begrudgingly, she pulled herself out of the bed and quickly prepared herself. As the only act of defiance towards Severus that she could think of, she yanked the covers off of him and tossed them off the floor as she left. When she got to the door, she was greeted by Ron, Harry, and Hermione, each carrying a tray.

"You weren't at breakfast," Harry said.

"So we thought we'd bring breakfast to you," Ron finished for him.

"They brought food," Hermione added, "but I brought the important stuff." She handed Andraste one of the cups off the tray of drinks she held. It only took one quick smell for Andraste to gratefully realize it was coffee. Judging by the color, Andraste was sure the other cup held tea for Severus.

"You're my hero," she said as she sipped at the hot liquid, "let me go get Severus." She turned to head back to the bedroom, but was saved the effort by him walking out, fully dressed.

"We either need to sleep more, or I need to learn to enjoy that vile drink," he said, referring to Andraste's coffee as he took his tea from Hermione.

"Now, could you please take my blood so I can have some of this food?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Sure," Andraste responded cheerfully. "So how do you want me to do it? I could poke around with a needle for a while and try to find a vein, or I can just cut ya." Ron and Hermione stifled laughter as Harry contemplated his unpleasant options. While he stared at the floor thinking about his choice, Andraste made a small metallic bowl appear in one hand and a knife in the other. Severus took the knife from her, and quickly grabbed Harry's hand, holding it over the bowl that Andraste held, and leaving a long thin slice across his palm. Before Harry had even completely registered what was happening, the bowl contained enough blood for them to make the potions.

"I've wanted to do that for years," Severus said, wrapping the boy's hand with the gauze that Andraste had given him. "It's a shame I never got the chance while I still hated you."

"I'm going to ignore that and eat," Harry replied, but the smile on his face clearly said that he was happy that Severus didn't hate him anymore. Everyone followed Harry's lead and focused on the food the three had brought in.

"So," Hermione said casually as she finished a small piece of toast. "Draegon sings?" Andraste laughed and pushed her plate away.

"Yes, he does. But right now we need to worry about class. You guys should go ahead, there's no reason for the other students to see us all come in together." Professor Snape agreed with her, and the three headed towards the potions classroom. Severus and Andraste waited a few short minutes, and then followed. Class was painlessly quick and easy, as seemed to be the norm since Andraste appeared. The students were progressing wonderfully, and finally showing the aptitude that Severus had wanted out of them for the previous five years. When class was through, Andraste asked Hermione to stay behind a moment, telling Ron and Harry that she would catch up. Once the students were gone, Andraste answered the curious look on Severus' face by sending him out of the room, too.

"Sit down for a minute," Andraste suggested, motioning to the chair that Severus normally occupied.

"Did I do something wrong?" Hermione asked weakly. Andraste laughed at that and waved it off as very unlikely.

"Actually," Andraste began, "I have a favor to ask of you." Hermione relaxed a bit, and Andraste continued. "Some people might feel that this is inappropriate since you are, technically, my student, but I also feel that we're friends."

"I like to think so."

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page there. If you're up to it, I'd like you to be my Maid of Honor on Saturday."

"Yes, of course, I'd love to," Hermione answered quickly, a huge smile crossing her face. "What do I need to do?"

"Tell you what. Why don't you come by around 11 on Saturday morning and you can help me get everything ready? Oh, and don't worry about your dress; I'm gonna make you one."

"Thank you so much Andraste. This really means a lot to me."

"I'm the one that should be thanking you. I'm sure we'll be friends long after you graduate, and that means a lot to me," Andraste said, sure that her smile was just as big as Hermione's. "I need to go catch up with Severus, but I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow." Hermione stood up from her chair, and gave Andraste a hug.

"Have a good night, Andi. And thank you for making him more tolerable." Andraste laughed and hugged her back, and then locked the office door behind her and went to go find her fiancé.

"So what was that about?" Severus asked once Andraste joined him in the living room.

"I asked her to be my Maid of Honor." Severus simply nodded his head in response and went back to the paper he was reading. Andraste, with her mind firmly on the performance that they were expected to give, took a seat in the chair across from him and leaned back, trying to decide what songs they should do. "I need a new guitar," she said eventually. "The kids will recognize the one I have."

"I can probably take care of that," he offered. "Let's go home for a bit." She smiled as he stood to retrieve his portkey, thinking how great it sounded for him to suggest they go home. If she could just manage to survive this war, there would finally be somewhere she could actually call home. He returned quickly, and soon they were standing in his yard. She followed him through the maze of hallways until they reached an oak door that they didn't go through on her last visit. When he opened it, she felt the need to pinch herself for a moment to be sure she wasn't dreaming. The room was filled with a variety of instruments, but over half of it was guitars – many she recognized as being expensive collectibles. "When I was younger," he explained, "every time I wanted to hear how a guitar sounded, I just bought it, and then I'd put it in here in case I ever wanted to use it later. As you can see from the dust, that didn't happen often." Andraste walked around the room, almost in a daze, before picking out several electrics and two basses. Every instrument she chose was either black or deep blood red.

"These should do nicely," she beamed.

"Very well," he said, looking over her choices. "But I'm going to suggest you bring that one instead of this one." He put one of the guitars she had chosen back in its stand and replaced it with a more expensive model. "This one has a much clearer sound." He walked over to a cabinet that Andraste had completely overlooked in her excitement, and began pulling out colorful envelopes. "Extra strings," he explained. When he was done, he put the guitars in their cases, each with two packages of strings; he shrunk them so that they would all fit into one of his pockets. Then he did the same to two large amplifiers, mumbling that he was sure she could get them to work somehow. Loaded up with everything they might need for the next two weeks of practice, and the eventual show they were expected to put on, they headed back to Hogwarts.

Once they returned, Andraste took it upon herself to change the small closet into a large music room, so that none of the equipment could be seen by visitors. When she was done designing the room to her satisfaction, she turned to Severus, a mischievous smile on her face. "I need to talk to Albus." Without any further explanation, she headed for the door, and he followed her to the Headmaster's office.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Dumbledore asked as they walked in.

"It's this show you want us to give, Albus," Andraste started. "I don't think you've thought this through."

"I can most certainly assure you that I have, Andraste," he replied as the common twinkle in his eye shown even brighter. Andi smiled at him, having known full well that that was exactly what he was going to say; and glad that she finally felt like they were on an even playing ground.

"We will respect your decision, Albus..."

"Of course you will," he interrupted.

"...But I wanted to remind you that I'm American..."

"I remember that very well," he said, nodding his head slightly and smiling.

"...Some Americans are a bit more...out there than you might expect."

"I'm counting on that Andraste. I have no doubt it will be a delightful show." Andraste shrugged her shoulders at him and left with Severus close behind her.

"What was the purpose of that?" he asked her as they neared the dungeons.

"Fair warning, he has it now."

"Need I ask what you have planned?"

"Sure," she said, walking past Salazar's painting and towards the newly formed music room, "the duet, not so much anymore."

"And what does that mean?" Andraste smiled brightly at him and picked up a bass, plugging it in and starting up the amp with a wave of her hand.

"It means," she said, picking a slow mysterious tune, "that those kids are gonna have the best Halloween ever." She laughed quietly and turned her attention to the guitar in her hand, saying that he should join her. He obliged, picking up the closest electric, and falling into the rhythm that she was playing. Finally, several hours later, they had sorted out the music for the song that Andraste had wrote, and laid out a full plan for the evening.

"I'm not sure," Severus said as he crawled into the bed beside her, exhausted, "what makes them think that I'm the evil one. If they had any idea the things you think..."

"That's why they can never know," she laughed with an exaggeratedly villainous tone as she snuggled up against him. A few short minutes later he began to say something to her, only to find in amazement that she was already sound asleep.