Author's Note: Ah, I might as well give ya'll this one, too. It really is part of the last one. Thank you for the lovely reviews/notes! I am stoked to hear from several of you that my writing seems true to the characters and their actions believable. That is awesome - it is really important to me to capture them and not completely turn them into other people. Hurray!
Enjoy...
The Aftermath
Severus stood frozen in the path as he watched Petunia going back to the castle. His limbs felt heavy, as if being pulled to the earth. His arms hung at his side. His heart was beating like a raging beast in his chest. He could barely breathe. A storm of emotions warred within him: Fear, embarrassment, doubt, joy, love, ecstasy. What had he just done? Had he given away his feelings? Had he unintentionally crossed the line of teacher and student? He frowned, tormented by this thought. But he was not left to consider it long; in a moment he heard Hagrid's voice calling to him as if through water.
"Headmaster!"
Severus turned around and saw Hagrid standing within his doorway again, the door wide open. He looked as if he wanted to run up to him and ask a million questions. He's positively giddy, Snape observed. He's going to want to know how everything went. He sighed. Well, Hagrid had done him an enormous favor in helping him to pull this off. He could not have done it without Hagrid. He supposed he owed it to him to at least be willing to 'debrief' with him.
He went back to Hagrid, who was indeed clasping his hands excitedly, his eyes twinkling. He wore a huge grin that annoyed Severus, but he ignored this. It wasn't Hagrid's fault that today was so strange and wonderful and awful at the same time.
"Well, Hagrid?" he said casually.
"Well?!" Hagrid screeched, incredulous. "I should be asking that! How did she take it? Did everythin' go all right? Did the unicorn appear?"
"Yes, to both," said Snape, ignoring the first of these questions. But he knew Hagrid would not be so easily dissuaded. He was right. Hagrid gave him a reproachful expression.
"Come on, Professor Snape, you know exactly what I mean. Are ye really going to keep all the details to yourself?" The guilt trip was effective.
"No, Hagrid, of course not. She was absolutely enchanted. The unicorn sat with her in the clearing for a while with its head in her lap. When we left, she was speechless."
Hagrid looked overjoyed.
"Tha's wonderful," he said.
"I owe you, Hagrid," Severus admitted. "That was quite a big favor you did for me. I can't imagine how hard it must be to determine when and where a unicorn will turn up, without capturing it."
"Which I wouldn'a never done," Hagrid said firmly.
"I know. And it wouldn't have made nearly the same impression. I think she is very happy. So…thank you." Severus hoped this sounded like the end of the conversation to Hagrid, but the enormous man wasn't having any of it.
"Professor Snape, now ye know I'm going to ask you what yer' going to do next," Hagrid warned.
Severus tried to look as if he had no idea what Hagrid was talking about. I really wish I didn't, he thought.
"Next?"
Hagrid looked like a volcano about to explode. What little of his face could be seen grew very red, and he swelled up like an angry bull.
"Now Professor, don't yer be coy with me!" He growled dangerously, and Severus was a bit impressed; his intimidation was pretty effective. He was not often intimidated by Hagrid…but then, he was part giant.
"Hagrid, if you mean to suggest that tonight was about anything other than doing something important for my student –"
"That's exactly what I mean to suggest, and yer an idiot, pardon my saying so, if you really don't realize it yerself." Severus raised his eyebrows and Hagrid deflated a little. "Look. I don't mean ter be all nosy and in yer business, and I'm not tryin' ta hound you or anything. I just wondered – I just thought –" He seemed to struggle for a moment to find the words. "I thought that what ye did for Miss Petunia just now was very special, not the kind of thing a person might do fer just anyone. Especially not you, if ye'll forgive me for sayin' so."
"I understand, Hagrid," Severus sighed, still trying to appear nonchalant. "As usual, no one can seem to imagine any friendship between men and woman that isn't somehow going to eventually become something more. I assure you," he said honestly, "that I had no ulterior motives in mind for tonight." That wasn't untrue. He did not expect anything more to come of it. He had simply wanted to enjoy her happiness, and know that it was because of him.
Hagrid looked surprised, then embarrassed.
"Oh no, Headmaster, no, of course not! I was just curious if perhaps – if there were something more, and if you'd told her, and if so, how it went. That's all. Just curious as a friend," he said humbly.
"I appreciate that, Hagrid. No, there was nothing else discussed. She had an experience, and it had nothing to do with me."
"Not nothing," Hagrid challenged, stern once again. "Not nothing, Professor Snape." And Severus found he could not maintain his false innocence so well anymore. He was tired; and honestly, did he really care that much? As long as no one tried to interfere with Petunia or put silly ideas into her head, a little gossip among adults should not do much harm. It wasn't as if he could control it.
"No," he conceded. "Not nothing. But as far as she should be concerned, that's all it was." He said this meaningfully, was glad to note that Hagrid was nodding and seemed to understand that this was not up for any further discussion.
"Well," Hagrid said, after a moment, "All I can say is, that was a very special gift ye gave her, Professor Snape. Whatever ye decide to do, at least she'll know that you…er, 'care' about her. About her well-being, I mean." Of course, they both knew that was not what he meant. I'll take it, Severus thought.
"I suppose there's no real harm if she comes to that conclusion. Good night, Hagrid. And…once again, thank you." Hagrid nodded somberly and Severus left, relieved that Hagrid was willing to leave the conversation there. The moon was rising, and the sun had gone down, making the horizon pink and red. Just the right kind of evening for him to relive those intimate moments with Petunia, and bury them deep as a treasure in his heart.
