Marr Yanis- grin I am trying to imagine a quaing Musketeer-like duel, but all sorts of images keep flashing to mind. One of them being of course, the " I am your Father, Luke," scenario. Now I keep having images of everyone going Fight! Fight! while the wands make lightsaber sounds!

excessivelyperky-I had a hard time with the second. I tried it with Harry Potter, of course, but just couldn't seem to be able to write him very well. Although I do think it would be a funny situation to have this desirable girl there, being fought for by all of her ex-beaux! And thanks to you for reminding me of Umbridge so that i could tie up that loose ministry end with her name and make Adrien completely unlikebale:)

SeverusSnape'sLove-Yeah, but anything that is an insult from Snape is usually a compliment elsewhere:)

dubtheunforgiven-Yeah, they ares starting to know each other pretty well!

-Between a Challenge, And a Duel,

There lies,

The Universe, and my purpose, reflected

In your eyes.-

An hour later, Ginny Apparated into her house alone.

There was not enough time to wait for Remus and Hermione to return home from their stay at the Granger's, and Ginny's suggestion that they be polite and owl them was greeted with a rather sullen glower from Snape, who did not believe in practicing patience when, and if, it could be avoided.

After a time-consuming and immature argument, Ginny finally convinced Snape to wait until morning before they burst in un-announced on the Granger's. People were generally a little more forgiving in the morning than in the middle of the night.

She had suggested that if he didn't want to wait, that he could ask one of her brothers. . .but he had scoffed and reminded her of the twins remarks. She had reminded him that she had four other brothers, he reminded her right back that technically she only had three other brothers unless she was actually suggesting that Percy had been re-accepted into the loving embrace of the Weasley clan. She had retorted hotly that she thought he owed Bill a favor, since Bill had generously given him a reward for his d clever trick on Remus.

" I don't consider offering someone the opportunity to be killed by a badly aimed hex to be a favor." he had answered sullenly.

" You're not supposed to aim hexes of your second. " she retorted.

" You now good and well what I meant. But if you are so anxious to be rid of one of your siblings, just name me the one and if Lupin refuses then I will consider it."

" I do NOT want to be rid of anyone, I was only-" she was cut off when he pulled her close and planted a brief kiss on her forehead.

" You are undeniably fascinating when you are angry, and I look forward to finishing this discussion as soon as possible. However, since we have decided to wait until morning , I have plenty of time tonight to revise my will, in case of death.."

" Don't even say that!" she said quickly.

" It is just a precaution." he assured her. " and another precaution is that I am not leaving until I am certain that you are safely Apparated home. "

" Yes, Mother." she replied, but she smiled to herself anyhow. He was quite the authority figure, having drawn himself up to his full height, and crossed his arms over his narrow chest. His sallow face wore a scowl that didn't quite make it to his eyes. She noticed that he was having more and more difficulty these days creating a believable scowl.

She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, and his frown sagged a little.

" Go on, girl. I have business to attend to." his said in what for him was an almost teasing tone of voice.

Ginny had not been able to sleep due to nerves, so between her and Sevvy-baby, they had emptied a small bottle of wine. However, whereas Ginny was perfectly capable of drinking with the best of them, going to bed, and being fine in the morning. . .Sevvy-Baby wasn't accustomed to social drinking, and could only hang limply over her arm, his tongue unrolled, by the time she stumbled them both down the hallway to the bedroom.

He wasn't as argumentive as the real Severus, but at least she would have one Snape with her tonight , she thought as she fell onto the pillow and into sleep.

When Snape broke through her sloppily placed wards three hours later, he found her lying face down in what was now technically his pillow, with that ridiculous reptile laying over her thigh. He left her undisturbed, but took Sevvy-baby into the kitchen, where he transfigured him into a glass paper weight, and sat him on top of a hastily scrawled note, informing her that he had settled his affairs, and that in case of his death, all of his possessions would go to her, after his debts were paid, etc.etc. and that he would be expecting her dressed and ready to accompany him by seven thirty in the morning.

It sounded pleasingly tart, and with a little tremor of satisfaction at the knowledge that the briskness would irk her, he had Disapparated from the her house, re-setting her wards behind him.

At Seven thirty sharp the next morning, he appeared in her kitchen, where he found her waiting, a stern look of disapproval on her face, his note in one hand, and Sevvy-Baby, who was still a palm-sized paperweight, in the other.The sunlight from the window was refracting through him, sending beams if prism-rainbows across the room.

" First of all..." Ginny said, holding up the letter. " This is morbid."

" It's traditional, and practical." he countered, leaning in for a kiss.

She shook her head, pulling back out of his reach. Her face was serious, but her eyes sparkled.

" No. . .not until you remedy this." she sat the paperweight in his hand. " I tried everything, but I couldn't get him to do more than glow."

" Quite the improvement." He replied, setting the lizard down on the counter before muttering a wandless counter-charm, which melted Sevvy-Baby back into his old scaly self. Unfortunately, the spell didn't deem to have sat too well with the wine that he had imbibed the night before, and as he tried to walk toward his mistress, he gave what might have been a hiccup, side stepped too far to the left and fell off of the counter, and onto the rug with a soft boneless thump.

Ginny and Severus looked at each other for a long moment, before sharing the amused look and laugh of parents whose offspring has just done something embarrassingly and dangerously adorable. Sevvy-Baby, apparently more bruised of pride than of body attempted to disappear under the sofa, but Ginny caught him before he could disappear.

" I am taking him with me. I think the fresh air will do him good."

" I can see now I am going to regret having ever given him to you. " Severus sighed, pulling her close against him so that they could Apparate.

" Do you know where we are going?" he asked.

" Yes. There is a private back yard, we can navigate right into it, and no one will see us." she said, purposefully teasing him by rubbing her face across his chest.

" Good. I will guide us navigate us generally, and you try to land us in the yard."

" On the count of three, Professor?"

A loud crash sounded from the dining room of the Granger's house. It was followed by the sounds of two people, bickering.

" I thought you said you knew where you were going." a man said.

" No, you said you were going to handle navigating us. I thought you could find the back yard!" a woman retorted.

" How can I know for sure where the back yard is , when I have never been here before?"

" Well, so much for knocking politely on the door and say- Oh, hello Hermione!" Ginny smiled.

' Ginny? Severus?. . .what are you doing?" Hermione had a piece of toast in her hand, and looked particularly bushy haired.

" Oh. . .well, I think it's best if he tells you." Ginny nodded at Severus.

" Me? Why should I always be the one who has to do the explaining?"

" Fine. It's rather important, you see yesterday we met-." Ginny began.

" I thought you said I was going to explain?" Severus interrupted.

" You said you didn't want to!" Ginny said in exasperation.

" I said nothing of the sort. Besides you will explain it incorrectly."

" Do you have to argue about everything?" Ginny asked.

" I wasn't arguing."

'' Yes. . you were. I said-"

" Excuse me?" Hermione waved her hand between them, laughing a little." Let's go into the kitchen, and then you can begin with why the two of you are here. "

Hermione held open the door to the pristine white kitchen and Ginny and Severus entered, and were met with three sets of confused eyes. Remus Lupin was seated beside Mrs. Granger, who had been showing him a photograph album. Mr. Granger had been in the process of raising a teacup to his mouth.

Mum, Dad, we have company." Hermione said around a mouth full of toast. She pointed to Ginny. " Of course you remember Ginny." Ginny shyly waved the hand that was not holding Sevvy-Baby.

" And this is Professor Severus Snape. Apparently they have some ' rather important news.' "

" Is it anything that needs to be discussed in private?" asked Mrs. Granger, politely.

" Oh, no. . .it's nothing of that nature." said Ginny, before Snape had a chance to bluntly say ' yes' ."

She sat Sevvy-Baby down on the cold tile floor, and watched as he staggered around carefully. He was still partially hung over, and half stunned from having been turned into a glass paperweight. But at least he had stopped vomiting. ( Ginny hoped Mrs. Granger didn't notice the dining room carpet.)

" Is he all right?" Hermione asked, brow furrowed.

" Oh he will be. He had a little bit too much to drink last night." Sevvy-Baby let out a small reptilian noise that must have been approximate to a belch. Mr. Granger's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

" Interesting." he remarked.

An awkward little silence fell. . .until Ginny nudged Severus and tilted her head toward Remus.

" Well. . .go on." she whispered.

Snape cleared his throat, and tugged his collar away from his throat.

" I seem to have been challenged to a duel, " he began. " And I have accepted. "

Hermione opened her mouth to protest that dueling was illegal, even in the Wizarding World. But Lupin managed for once to speak first.

" Challenged? On what grounds?''

" I called someone a coward. "

" Who?"

" Whom. It was Adrien Cusp."

A collective ' ohhh ' went through the group. Apparently Snape was the only person who had not known Cusp well enough to dislike him fully.

" I have accepted, because he..., before he. . .challenged me, he insulted Ginevra."

Ginny glared at him for choosing to use her full name, but she didn't interrupt. The whole thing looked remarkably painful to Snape.

" And it would be. . .an honor. . .Lupin," he drew in a deep and bracing breath before blurting out the rest of the

sentence; " an honor if you would accept the position as my second."

The entire room went silent, and everyone turned expectantly to Remus, who looked as if Snape had just proposed to him. He had pulled back in the chair and was contemplating Snape with a look of sheer suspicion. He opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a sniffle from his wife. Everyone turned to Hermione, who had out a handkerchief and was crying rather openly into it.

" Hermione, what is the matter?" Remus asked, bewildered.

" Oh, that is so. . .I mean , he is willing to die for her just because someone insulted her. That is so, sniff romantic. No one has ever offered to do that much for me!" she said, looking at her husband in almost an accusatory fashion.

" Hermione, I would gladly do the same for you. . .' Remus gave a nervous little laugh, blushing slightly.: But, Love no one has insulted you." he patted her arm.

" If I survive I might try to remedy that." Snape said irritably.

" No, don't bother. I don't know what is wrong with me. " Hermione wiped her eyes, and smiled affectionately at Remus.

" Hormones." Mrs. Granger said knowingly. " Why when I was expecting Hermione, there were days when I would just cry for no reason at all, I could just look at the wallpaper and want to cry." she laughed.

I could look at your wallpaper and want to cry as well, Snape thought, but he didn't dare speak it aloud.

" May I have your answer?" he asked instead, hoping he sounded at least remotely civil.

The eyes turned against to Remus, who was rubbing the back of his neck vigorously.

At last he met Snape's eye, and with a deep and mournful sigh he replied;

" No."

" NO! What do you mean NO? demanded Snape after a moment of shocked silence.

" I mean no. "

" You can't refuse!" Snape insisted indignantly.

" Oh yes I can!" Remus argued adamantly.

" On what grounds?" Ginny interjected.

" I. . .have a dentist appointment."

The excuse was so absurd, and so intentional in it's absurdity, that everyone at the table blinked in surprise for a moment. Then Hermione snickered, and the laugh was picked up by the others, especially the dentists, until everyone except for Severus was smiling. He had smiled, and given a little hiss between his teeth that was as close to a public bout of gaiety as he was going to get, but he had recovered quickly, and was now glaring at Remus.

" Is this your idea of a joke at my expense?" he asked him.

" Absolutely not. Last year I would have gladly accepted. But I have Hermione now, and a child, to think of. I can't volunteer myself so readily for death, when I have just discovered something to live for."

Hermione gave a little sob and buried her face against Remus' shoulder, and Snape's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile.

" Lupin, you are the only person that I know, who can make a coward's out sound like a noble sacrifice." he sighed in defeat. " Well, then may I ask if you could recommend someone else?"

Ginny suddenly jumped up from her seat, smiling excitedly.

" I didn't think of it before," she slapped her forehead." but I could be your second."

" Absolutely not!" Snape said.

" Why not?" she demanded hotly. " Is it because I am a woman?"

" No! And . . .at the same time yes!" he said beginning to pace in agitation. " Not because you are a woman. .. because you are the woman, and I don't care how skilled you are, you would be in an incredible amount of danger."

" From what?" she asked.

" Have you ever seen Cusp use a wand properly?" asked Lupin. " He is a menace, one of the spells could ricochet off ofa tree and kill everybody."

" Thank you, that is very comforting." Snape murmured.

" Pleasure."

" I didn't know you were acquainted with Cusp."

" Certainly. He was quite a nuisance, working for Umbridge and all. Nasty ideas for what should be done with werewolves, centaurs,. . .Muggles. " Lupin waved a hand. " He had a lot of people arrested for piracy,

thievery. . .including Fletcher. Remember him? "

Snape gave a little grunt that said he could care less about the now whereabouts of Mundungus Fletcher, ex-Order member.

" I still think that I could-" Ginny tried in a more seductive tone.

" No."

" Fine. Get killed, see if I care. " she sat down at the table and pouted, her chin on her folded arms.

" Might I suggest Harry?" Lupin tried. " He is responsible in a way and-" he stopped when he saw the horrified look on Ginny's face.

The last thing she wanted was to have three of the men she had dated all in one triangle. The only thing that would make that nightmare complete was if Michael Goodlong, Francis Wolf, and Dean Thomas showed up to cheerlead the spectacle.

" Or maybe not." Lupin amended, with a shrug.

" Isn't dueling illegal?'' Mr. Granger piped up from his side of the table, and was instantly bombarded with glowers from his wife and daughter.

" So I am told. " Snape answered. " well, if no one an offer a better solution, I will ask one of Miss Weasley's brothers."

" Oh, you don't mind getting one of them killed!" Ginny huffed.

" You were the one who suggested it to me this morning."

" That was before I knew you were going to be so arrogant."

" Well, we wouldn't be in this absurd position if-" he began.

" You hadn't tried to kiss-" she replied.

" -if you hadn't set those rules-"

" -so impatient at the picnic-" they were both talking at the same time, and their voices were growing louder. Un-noticed by both of them, Remus and Hermione were talking quietly to the side, and she was biting her lip and frowning. At last she nodded her head, and he sighed, looking for a moment the memory of his old tired self.

She spoke something to him, that he had to lean in close to hear, because now Ginny was talking exceptionally loud, with her wand in hand. . .and both of the Grangers had stepped safely back against the wall.

" Ginny? GINNY?" Hermione bellowed at last, and Ginny clamped her mouth shut.

Hermione now stood, sternly regarding her friends, hands on hips, and her old bossy look in place, across her pretty face.

" Even though the two of you are impetuous, uncontrollably presumptuous, ill-tempered and the very source of chaos;" she began. " And even though at the moment, with the way you are behaving, I can't think of one good reason why either of you deserve assistance, we have talked it over. . .as well as we could. .." she shot a look at Ginny, who blushed.

" And yes . . . I will be your second." Remus said in a weary tone. The words; " so that maybe some of us will get some peace at last" hung unspoken after his sentence.

" But of course, I expect you to be eternally indebted to me." he said instead, offering a light smile, at Severus' look of relieved gratitiude.

" I will kiss your feet." Snape said sarcastically, and they shook hands.

" And I'll bring a camera." Hermione snorted.