Chapter 14: The Hogwarts Ball
Severus have learned to trust Rose. When she said she would do something, she would follow through. However, as Severus stood alone in the entrance to Hogwarts waiting for Rose, it occurred to him that maybe she was not being honest with him. Maybe she never was planning to come to the ball. It was ten minutes past six. Severus stood back with a que of other stray men. Rose had forgiven him much easier than he expected. Perhaps this was just a cruel trick that women play. Perhaps she planned to leave Severus standing there, waiting for her, like a fool.
Severus turned his back to the door angrily. He was tired of watching as witches and wizards, who were not Rose, walked in.
"Merlin's beard," A wizard to the left of Severus muttered. Severus could see the man from his peripherals staring at something, wide eyed and mouth slightly ajar. In fact, several of the men beside him seemed to have their eyes locked upon the same thing.
Severus sighed and turned to see what the wizards were gawking at.
It was Rose.
She had just walked in and the air seemed to be sucked from the room. True to what she said, Rose had gotten a dress. Most of the witches wore dress robes. Rose had clearly purchased her outfit in a muggle shop. Her dress was as red as the flower she was named. It had a corseted bodice, which emphasized the womanly curves of her body. Delicate, sheer fabric cascaded from her pale, smooth shoulders. Her dress was floor length, with a skirt that only slightly strayed from her body. A slit was created on one side of the skirt that ran to the middle of Rose's left thigh.
Rose had styled her hair in ringlets, that she pinned away from her face so that her long curls ran down her spine. She wore little makeup, she didn't need it, certainly less than when Severus had found her at the nightclub. Rose's face was sweet and honest as she scanned the room with her gentle eyes.
The moment her gaze fell upon Severus, her whole face lit up like she was looking at the greatest thing in the world.
Severus shifted once as he stood. A few people were following Rose's gaze, wondering what this exceptional beauty had seen to make her look so happy. To their surprise they found Severus Snape.
Rose walked quickly over to where Severus stood as if she did not want to be separated from him a moment longer. "Hello Severus," she said in a soft tone.
"You're late," he replied as he looked down at her.
Rose narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not the response she had been looking for. She was very aware of the other eyes on her. "Well hopefully, I was worth the wait," she told him.
"Let's go into the hall," was his quick reply. He then turned his back on her and began to walk away.
Rose smirked and followed him, just a few inches behind. Severus was wearing dress robes, that were very similar to the robes that he already owned with a high neck and tight long sleeves. The only difference was that the robes were perhaps more tailored and made of slight nicer quality of fabric. However, Severus had taken Rose's advice and washed his hair.
Severus Snape was not much to look at, Rose knew. He had sallow skin, a hooked nose and length black hair that curtained his face. But Rose also knew, that she had not been this attracted to a man since Tiberius.
Tiberius was extraordinarily handsome. He was tall, blond, and fit. When he used to look at Rose with his gray eyes, she would fall apart.
Her attraction to Severus was different, but by no means less intense. Rose first respected him for his goodness, though often times hidden. Severus was self-sacrificing, devoted, and brave. Then Rose started noticing other things about him.
She liked how deliberate Severus was, everything he did or said seemed to be well thought out and planned. This made Severus intriguing to Rose and often left her thinking about Severus long after they parted, wondering what possibly was running through his mind.
But then there were the times that he seemed to let down his guard with Rose, where he would just say something or act upon instinct. These were special moments for Rose; they let her know that Severus trusted her, which made her feel proud because his trust was not easily gained.
And of course, Severus was one of the most intelligent men she had even met. He challenged her and taught her new things. Rose would eagerly anticipate each new conversation.
Rose soon developed physical attraction towards Severus. At first, these feelings seemed nonsensical to her. She found herself thinking about his mouth. When not distorted into a scowl, Severus had a shapely pointed upper lip and a full lower one. Rose thought about running her fingers over his month. She wondered what it would be like to press her lips against his.
Rose spent too much time thinking about Severus's hands, long fingered and strong gripped. She would reminisce upon him holding onto her for balance and would experience new feelings with each memory.
Then when Severus's black eyes fell upon her, Rose could feel herself begin to unravel.
She felt guilty for how much time she spent thinking about Severus, because that was time she was not thinking of Tiberius. She hoped that Tiberius would not be angry with her for having these feelings. After all, she did not plan to be attracted to a cranky man, over ten years her senior, who was in love with another woman.
Rose hated Lily Potter, sometime. Then she felt awful for doing it. Other times, Rose felt grateful that Severus would never be interested in her; it made Rose's feelings for him harmless because nothing could ever become of them. At least, if Rose never acted upon what she wanted to do with Severus Snape, then she wouldn't have to worry too much about offending Tiberius's memory.
Severus turned to look behind him to make sure Rose was following.
Rose smiled back at him.
Severus turned back around.
Right outside the entrance to the Great Hall were hundreds of photographs, both magical and muggle. The pictures levitated a few feet from the ground, lining a long stretch of wall. Candles floated in front of the many depicted faces. This was a memorial to the dead.
Rose's heart sunk as she looked upon the many smiling faces in the photographs, all oblivious as to what would become of their lives.
Rose touched Severus's arm to stop him. "Wait," she said.
Severus scowled. He had been actively avoiding that wall of pictures and now Rose was being pulled towards it. Severus did not want to see all the faces he knew, staring back at him with questioning eyes, silently asking him if he could have done more to save them.
"I know them," Rose said under her breath as she stared down at one of the photographs.
"I'm sure you will recognize many people," Severus said bitterly, still trying not to focus on any one picture.
Rose kept staring. Curiosity got the better of him and Severus moved to see what had captured Rose's attention.
Two familiar faces smiled back at Severus. The picture was of Remus Lupin and Tonks. It was them on their wedding day. Both of them happy, perfectly content in that moment.
Rose had met Mr. and Mrs. Lupin one day at St. Mungo's. She was assigned Remus Lupin's case because everyone knew that she had no hesitation in treating anyone, even werewolves.
Remus Lupin came to her after a full moon, covered in self-inflicted injuries from when he was in his wolf form. He was dehydrated and weak. Tonks, as she had told Rose to call her, explained that her husband had been locked in a room for the duration of his condition. Marks from where chains had been cast, were visible on Remus Lupin's ankle's and wrists. Tonks had become tearful as she told Rose this and Remus reached out to console her.
Rose treated Remus Lupin's injuries and provided him with regenerating potions. The couple was so kind. Rose told them to come see her before the next full moon and she would brew them wolfsbane potion. Very few people were able or willing to create this potion, but Rose prided herself on being able to brew anything; even though, it took her several batches before she got the wolfsbane potion right.
Rose saw Remus and Tonks monthly for 4 months. They had told her that Remus had been taking the potion before, but their supplier was no longer available to make it. They said this in such a way that made Rose wonder what had happened to the person who used to brew the potion for Remus.
"She was pregnant," Rose said sadly.
Severus wondered how Rose could have possibly known the Lupins.
"My understanding," Severus began, "is that the baby lives with her mother and Harry Potter is his godfather."
Rose tore her eyes from the photograph to look up at Severus. "You know- I mean, knew them?" Rose asked.
"I went to school with him," Severus said, staring at Remus Lupin's placid face. Rose detected a slight bitterness in his tone. Remus had never tormented Severus during their school days like his friends James and Sirius, but Lupin never did a damned thing about it. Although, Severus had more than made him pay for it in their adulthood. Even with him making the wolfsbane potion for Remus.
"They were extremely kind people," Rose whispered. "I'm really sorry for them."
Severus took in a deep breath and pulled out his wand. He produced a candle out of thin air, made it float in front of the picture of the Lupins, and lit it by magic.
Rose smiled sadly at Severus and then nodded once, indicating that she would follow him into the Great Hall now.
Severus did not walk in front of her this time, but beside her.
The Great Hall was dressed for the occasion. It was decorated in silver and gold, colors of victory. Candles floated above them and the ceiling was a starry night sky. The long house tables had been replaced with many round ones, that seated ten people.
Floating fairy lights twinkled around them. It took Rose a moment to realize that the lights were actual fairies and they danced beautifully on the air around the witches and wizards.
A stage stood in the back of the hall. At the moment, a piano, and string quartet was playing of their own accord. Rose had heard that the Weird Sisters would be preforming later in the evening.
As Severus and Rose took a few more feet into the hall, two cards came floating towards them. Severus caught them both out of the air. One read 'Severus Snape, Table Two,' the other said 'Rose Rosamond, Table Two.'
Heads turned as they walked deeper into the hall to find their seats.
Rose was very aware of the eyes of men crawling on her. Although, she noticed that many of the witches and wizards staring were looking at Severus, some with looks of caution, others with looks of outrage.
Rose could feel Severus's body tense beside her. Though his name had been cleared, there were still many people who questioned his loyalty. Rita Skeeter's best seller didn't help matters. Rose knew that this ball was probably the last place in the world that Severus wanted to be. Even though he had asked her here, she was still surprised. Did he really just come for her, because he knew she would like it?
Little did he know, that she would have been happy to be anywhere with him. Or maybe he had figured it out. He must suspect, otherwise he would not have been so upset about the silver doe.
Rose hesitantly took Severus's arm, silently telling him that he didn't have to face anything alone tonight. Severus sent her a quick peripheral glance and kept walking. Rose was encouraged that he didn't pull away from her.
Severus and Rose stopped in the front center of the room. Table Two was already mostly occupied. Rose recognized three faces, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. A pretty redhead girl sat beside Harry Potter. There was a girl with dirty blonde hair, wearing neo green dress robes. To the girl's left were two more boys and a blonde girl with a sweet face. All the people sitting at the table appeared to be under the age of 20.
Rose leaned into Severus, before they were noticed by the other's. "I feel like we are a bit out of place," she whispered.
Severus didn't see how he needed to be surrounded by his students. His mere presence would surely afford them an awkward night. Rose, however, was not much older.
Severus pressed his lips together as Hermione Granger noticed them and nudged Harry beside her.
Harry Potter turned his attention towards Severus and Rose, causing the rest of the table to follow suit.
"Good evening, Professor," Hermione said, looking from Severus to Rose curiously.
Ron Weasley's eyes slid from Snape to Rose with a look of confusion evident on his face.
Rose could sense Severus's conundrum. "Hello, everyone," Rose said, giving the table a little awkward wave. "It's good to see you, three again," Rose spoke to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"And you," Harry replied. He, too, had an air of puzzlement about him. "Everyone, this is Rose, Professor Snape's er…" He trailed off and looked at Rose desperately.
"Friend," she said gently.
"Right," Harry agreed. "Anyway, this is Ginny, Luna, Dean, Neville, and Hannah."
"Nice to meet you all," Rose said, taking a seat next to the blonde girl named Hannah, leaving Severus to sit beside her with Ron Weasley to his right.
Shortly after they were seated, dinner was served, leaving little time for awkward conversation. The food magically appeared on their plates like it usually did at Hogwarts.
Severus was relatively quiet throughout the meal, which seemed to suit everyone just fine. Rose, however, spoke animatedly to everyone. She seemed thrilled to be there. She ate each course enthusiastically. She smiled often and every time she could, she tried to pull Severus into the conversation. Severus spoke infrequently and in the least number of syllables possible. However, to his surprise, he did not feel bitter to be there. He was just content watching Rose and listening to her speak to the others. He did not want to disrupt the equilibrium she created around the table.
Rose especially seemed to get along with Hermione and Neville. Hermione, Severus could have guessed, for they shared a brightness and eagerness to learn.
However, Rose, Severus learned, had a great interest in herbology as did Neville Longbottom. It addition, there personalities seemed to complement each other's. Both Rose and Neville were extremely patient and spoke gently.
Something about seeming Rose and Neville speak made Severus feel a mixture of regret and frustration.
Severus had always found it very hard to be around Neville Longbottom. For every time he looked at him, Severus saw the boy the prophecy could have been about. Neville was a boy born at the end of July and his parents had fought against Voldemort before. The dark lord could have targeted the Longbottoms and marked Neville as his equal. If it had been Neville, Lily still would have been alive.
Severus had repeatedly punished Neville for his narrow escape. Severus always knew that wishing for the ill fate of one person in exchange for another, especially a child, was an atrocious thing to do. However, his extreme bitterness and anguish blinded Severus to his treatment towards Neville Longbottom.
But as Severus sat beside Rose and watched her talk to Neville about various herbs and fungus, he realized that in that moment he neither felt bitter nor tormented. It was that calming effect that Rose had over him. Pulled from the whirlwind of his own agonizing thoughts, Severus found that he felt ashamed of how he had treated Neville all those years. Severus wondered what Rose would think of him if she knew how poorly he had behaved towards her new acquaintance.
Neville did not waste much energy looking, speaking, or acknowledging Severus, which was probably for the best.
After the feast, Kingsley Shacklebolt said a few words about the reformation of their world. Minerva McGonagall spoke about the reopening of Hogwarts in less than a month.
Everyone in the room cheered for the speakers.
Then, without further ado, The Weird Sisters came on stage and the room took on a new energy. The teenagers at the table got up to dance.
Severus watched Harry and Ginny Weasley, Ron and Hermione, and Neville and Hannah Abbott. He thought to himself that they all were going to be alright. Even spacy Luna Lovegood and Dean Thomas, who didn't actually appear to be on a date, seemed to be content.
Severus wondered at how easily people seemed to move on after so many bad things had taken place, after so many loved ones had died. He couldn't say if it was resilience or forgetfulness.
Rose swayed to the music beside Severus. She followed the line of his gaze. "They all look happy," Rose commented.
"Yes," Severus agreed.
Rose looked at Severus for a long moment. "What about you?" she asked.
"What about me?" Severus returned.
"Are you happy?" Rose asked him.
Severus frowned at her. 'What kind of question is that?' he thought. He opened his mouth to speak with no real idea as to what to say.
"Would you like to dance?" A voice came from behind them, saving Severus the trouble of answering.
Both Rose and Severus turned.
A tall wizard with tan skin and dark wavy hair, stood at Rose's side.
"Oh," Rose said in surprise.
"You are far too lovely to be sitting out," the handsome young man said to Rose.
Severus stared at the man with disbelieve. He was certainly laying it on thick.
"Thank you for the complement of coming over," Rose told the man politely, "But I'm here with Severus." She gestured to her other side.
The man turned his attention to Severus as if just noticing him there for the first time. "Oh," the man said with the same look of confusion Ron Weasley had been wearing earlier. "Okay then," he said before walking off.
Severus scowled deeply at the man's back. "You could have gone with him," Severus tested.
Rose eyed him suspiciously. "Would you have liked that?" she asked.
"It wouldn't have matter to me one way or the other," Severus replied coldly.
Rose crossed her arms across her chest. "Well it would have mattered to me," she told him roughly. She didn't know how to express to Severus that out of all the smiling, lighthearted men in this room, who would have been thrilled to dance with her, she would much rather sit with him, cranky and difficult as he was. Rose let her arms fall to her sides. "I like to be around you, Severus," she said, she hated how shy she sounded.
Severus looked up at the ceiling with his brow furrowed. Then he let his eyes fall upon Rose. She was staring down at her hands in her lap. "You make absolutely no sense to me," Severus said under his breath.
Rose looked up at him. "I could say the same about you," she replied.
Severus studied her for a moment, his face was unreadable. "To answer your question from before," he said so only she could hear, "In general, I would not classify myself as a happy person. If you saw some of the things I've seen, maybe you would understand. I have lived the last twenty years of my life with a constant feeling of dread. It's become a habit to feel that way." Severus's eyes bore into Rose's. "Yet there's something about the absurdity in you that makes that feeling of constant dread go away, if only for a little while."
Rose was speechless. Severus had called her absurd yet somehow made it sound like the greatest complement she had ever received in her life. She hesitantly reached out and grabbed his hand that rested on the table. Severus stared at her hand resting on top of his for several long moments before gently pulling away. He stood from his seat.
"Come on, then," he said to her, gesturing to the crowd of people dancing.
A slow ballad was being played.
"Really?" Rose asked in surprise.
"Yes, really," Severus said impatiently. "Come on, before I change my mind."
Rose stood too and followed Severus onto the dance floor. The witches and wizards around them were holding onto each other as they swayed from side to side.
Rose eyed the couples around them and then looked back at Severus. He slowly moved into her and eased one hand onto her waist. With his other hand he grasped hers.
Rose held onto Severus's shoulder.
Severus led Rose in a few simple steps, but neither of them really knew how to dance properly.
That smell that she loved so much wafted from Severus's skin. Rose drew herself closer, taking in every precious moment, not knowing if she would ever get a chance like this again.
Rose hear whispers around them. Her ears caught hold of someone uttering Severus's name. Rose slid her gaze off to the side and then back at Severus. "People are staring at us," she told him
Severus's eyes flicked to the side as well. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were not even pretending not to gape at them. Other witches and wizards would look and then quickly look away as if nothing had happened. "It's because I am behaving very unlike myself," Severus told her. "Plus," he said with a slightly irritated tone, "Every man in this room is undressing you with their eyes."
Rose raised her brows at him. "Is that some sort of backhand way of telling me I'm pretty, Severus," Rose mused.
The corners of Severus's mouth twitched before he took Rose and spun her around once. He didn't know what made him do it, but he was glad he did. She laughed with delight and beamed at him.
Severus smiled back, a true broad smile that transformed his whole face. He looked younger and there was a whisper of the person Severus truly was behind the anguish and torment of his past.
Rose had never seem Severus smile like that. Occasionally, Rose could see the amusement in his eyes, like somehow, despite himself, she had forced him to feel something positive. However, what just appeared on Severus's face was beautiful, pure happiness and it made Rose want to cry.
They both were frozen, just standing there, holding each other, looking at each other. The smile faded from Severus's lips, but something still sparked behind his black eyes.
Rose reached up and placed her palm against Severus's cheek. He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes briefly, taking in her gentle touch. When he looked at her again, he's brows were knit together, asking her a silent question.
Rose nodded once. Her eyes pleading with him. He wrapped both his arms around her waist, bringing her into him. She stood on her tiptoes, leaned in, and kissed Severus Snape.