Chapter 31: Family, Friends, and Girlfriends, Part One

Family, Friends, and Girlfriends, Part One

Sage eyed his uncle warily over his book, his eyebrow arched.

Severus was stalking around, muttering to himself, probably profanities. He was fixing his cuffs, which were, of course, not in any need of fixing. Severus turned quickly on him, and Sage was only as fast directing his eyes back onto his book, feigning complete disinterest in whatever Severus was doing.

"Are you simply going to sit there?"

Sage lowered the book again, looking slightly confused, "I'm reading, sir." He almost pointed to the book cheekily, but refrained.

Severus scowled loudly, "Don't state the obvious, Sage. You need to get ready. I won't have you looking like a Weasley."

And he hadn't even seen Ron Weasley's dress robes…

"Sir, I'm not due to pick up Mandy, around the corner, for another hour. I just have to change robes."

"You will get ready now, and you will do something with that hair. And, take those things out of your ears as well."

Instinctively, Sage put his hand up to his left ear, covering his two earrings. "Sir, everyone's seen them already."

"Yes, and as this is a formal occasion, they will see you without them."

Sage grumbled but then took the silver hoop off and put it in his pocket, followed by the diamond stud. Then he stood up and walked out of the room to change, not wanting to argue with his uncle when the man was in such a foul mood.

Severus stared after him in irritation.

Sage returned scarcely fifteen minutes later, completely transformed. There was slight silver accents around the collar and cuffs of his dress robes. His hair, which was long enough to just touch the top of his cheekbones was pushed back from his face, but not plastered like Malfoy's.

"Do I pass your inspection, sir," he asked with a simple hint of sarcasm.

Severus narrowed his eyes at him and growled, "I'm not in the mood. These things disgust me. They are merely an excuse for students to give in entirely to their hormones and break rules."

Sage moved back to the couch and sat down to his book once more, with more than forty minutes to spare. "I'll take that as a yes then, Uncle."

Sage found himself staring at Krum, he certainly looked horrid with Hermione standing next to him. Her looks drowned Krum's out completely, well, whatever he had in the first place, not much. Sage scowled, he couldn't help but feel that Hermione was doing this to spite him. As if Krum were the right person for her. He had not said anything to her when she had told him that the Durmstrang champion had asked her. He did not even truly understand why he cared or why she seemed to think it was his business.

He slapped himself mentally. If Krum was who she wanted, he was fine with it, as long as she did not want him anymore.

Or was he fine with it? He shook his head once more and felt Mandy squeeze his hand.

He offered her a slight smile. She looked so perfectly beautiful, and she was merely content to look at him warmly and not pry into what he was experiencing. Her gown was a dark midnight blue that had a silvery appearance to it. Her dark brown hair was tied half up, cascading down her back into elegant curls. It made her hazel eyes, with all their colors, stand out.

Much to Hermione's surprise, she felt much more secure having Viktor Krum at her side. He was a nice guy after all, and the purpose of the tournament was to make ties and meet wizards from other nations. She was simply doing so, or that's what she kept telling herself. It felt slightly strange to her that she was much more concerned over what was going on with her male friends, than with Viktor Krum.

She was still a bit angry with Ron for assuming that she had not found a date, and spontaneously realizing that she was a girl after four years. The only boy to ever show any real interest in her had been Krum. Well, there had been Sage. He had kissed her, and she definitely thought that he felt something for her that he was trying to. Perhaps she had been being a bit pushy with him…wanting him to talk to her about private things. She should have known that he would resent her for that. He was a Snape. They did not seem like the type that liked to be prodded the wrong way, young or old.

Hermione nearly jumped a mile when Krum poked her gently to tell her that it was time for them to start the dance. She smiled and placed her hand in his, allowing herself to be directed onto the floor. She vaguely caught Ron shoot her a dirty look as she passed by, and that only made her feel a bit self-conscious.

Sage glanced after Mandy as she walked off with one of the other members of the Slytherin Quidditch team for a dance or two. He was a little relieved to have a dancing break. He really wasn't the dancing sort, even if he was a more than adequate dancer by his visual comparison.

Mandy seemed a little put out that he did not seem to mind her dancing with someone else. Why should he mind? It was not as if she belonged to him. He snorted at the thought. Perhaps she wanted to feel like a prized possession of sorts. Then he tilted his head as a deeper thought crossed his mind, that may not be far from the truth as most pureblood wives were rather trophy wives. It was a strange thought, but could that be why she was so, so submissive? How off-putting.

The only thing keeping him from worrying that her father had instructed her to get close to him, was the fact that her father had not liked him in the very least.

Pushing his thoughts away from that, he began to walk in search of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He really did not have many others to talk to and would not mind a chance to talk to the two other Gryffindor boys, even if they were thick. His other choice was Malfoy, and he was busy entertaining Pansy Parkinson.

He turned away from the dance floor and walked gracefully towards the tables around the edges. As the trio came into view, the first thing that he noticed was that Weasley's face was bright red, and Hermione was shaking a finger at him. They were having yet another row. As always, Harry was just sitting there staring at the two of them, not having enough inside of him to tell them to stop.

Shaking his head slightly at their juvenile behavior, the boys at least, Sage pushed an errant piece of black hair off his left cheek. None of the Gryffindors noticed him approaching.

Just as he was within seven feet of them, Hermione spun around, and almost ran straight into him as she walked indignantly away from Ron. Instead of passing him straight by, as he expected, she grabbed his arm and sleeve with great force for a girl and spun him around with her.

"Dance with me," She instructed, apparently trying to hold her emotion in.

He let the ordering pass. She was upset and wanted someone to be a shield of sorts. Girls were sometimes like that he was beginning to figure out…yelling at you, wanting you to dance with them, from one moment to the next. Did you ever know if you were on their good side or bad?

"Woah, hold on a bit, and take a breath," he answered, properly taking her hand so that she did not look as if she were dragging him. Nobody dragged him around, nobody. Well, his uncle did, but that was another matter. He stared down at her, his eyebrow arched. Her cheeks were very pink.

She didn't even look at him until they were on the dance floor. When she did he realized why she had grabbed him to come dance with her. Her eyes were watery, and she was trying to hold back tears. It was a slow song and they were near the end of the dance floor, so it was pretty easy for her to hide behind him. He pulled her in a little closer so that she could conceal her tears better. Hermione was not one of those girls who liked to cry.

"Ron is such a prat. He wouldn't even consider asking me to go to the ball until he had no one to go with, and then he didn't believe that I was coming with someone. It seems like no one realizes that I am a girl too. Ron seemed to have just stumbled upon it on accident."

Her tears were flowing quite eagerly now. Sage felt his stomach doing twists on him again. How could Weasley be so stupid?

"You, you and Krum are the only boys who seem to see that I'm a girl. I mean, well, you kissed me, you must see me as a girl," she was mumbling, only half making sense, but he understood her.

"Of course I've noticed that you're a girl, Hermione. How could one not? Don't let Ron bother you because he is idiotically immature. You're beautiful and that's his fault if he doesn't choose to see it. Look at you, you look even more gorgeous, and every male here certainly noticed that you're a girl tonight."

"Really?" She sniffled.

He raised an eyebrow and put his hands on the side of her head, looking her in her soft brown eyes. "Yes, really." He leaned over and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Would I lie to you just to make you feel better?"

Her eyes started tearing up again, and she pulled in close to him, putting her head on his chest. A bit in shock, he put his hands around her back and continued to sway her back and forth to the music, trying his best not to look conspicuous. Strangely, he felt his heartbeat speed up substantially, enough to make him feel odd.

"No, you wouldn't lie," she finally answered. Then she smiled slightly, looking up at him for a moment. "Perhaps you would lie to make me feel better, just because you are my friend."

He snorted and then put his chin down near her ear, "No, because I am your friend, I would tell you the truth."

He felt her nod into his chest and sigh.

"Do you feel better now," he asked.

She moved away from his body and looked at him with a small smile on her face. "Yes, thank you." She squeezed his hand.

"Then I suggest that you head to the bathroom to fix your makeup. Unfortunately, you did not charm it to be tear-proof. You wouldn't want Krum to see you looking like a the Hufflepuff badger?"

"No," she giggled.

He gave a slightly evil grin, "And I don't think that our respective dates would like to see us together like this."

She nodded and squeezed his hand once more before walking away from him, trying her best to avoid the crowds.

He turned around to find a silent corner. He really needed a breather. What had he just done? He was not acting like himself, or rather like he was used to acting. He could not believe how hard his heart was racing. All sorts of foreign thoughts were going through his mind. All sorts of foreign feelings were…well, they were.

He was worried about her? Mad at Weasley? He hadn't felt so strongly in a long time. He hadn't had so many different feelings simultaneously, and he was highly incapable of processing them.

He leaned his back against the wall, not noticing any of the figures dancing nearby. Perhaps it wasn't so foreign after all. It reminded him of Quidditch, or playing his quitar, or even playing chess with Ron. He took a deep breath. It reminded him of things that he enjoyed, or things that he had used to enjoy before the prophecies.

A sudden rap on his shoulder jumped him out of his thoughts. He glared to his right side, at whoever had decided to bother him. It was Krum.

"Can I help you," he said, staring at Krum. He said it with a little more venom than he probably should have, seeing that Krum was Hermione's…boyfriend? Date?

"Var is Herm-own-ninny, de said she vas vith you?"

His brow furrowed, "She went to do whatever it is girls do together in the loo." He did not want to betray what had happened.

"Ah… You are related to Professor Snape?" Krum asked.

Sage raised an eyebrow, "Yes, I am his nephew. Why?"

"Your father iz Jace Snape?"

Sage glowered at him. What did he want? "Yes."

"He vas great Quidditch player, my father tells me. He played against him many times."

Sage nodded, not sure how to answer.

"I like you, you embarrass Karkaroff. I cannot stand 'im."

"Can anyone," Sage retorted sarcastically.

The surly Durmstang student gave an amused smile. His malice towards Karkaroff, however, blazed in his eyes.

Krum changed directions, "Is Herm-own-ninny all right?"

Sage raised an eyebrow. The Bulgarian was more perceptive than he gave credit. "She's all right, but do yourself a favor when she comes back."

"Vat?"

"Tell her that she looks wonderful. Better yet, that she is the most beautiful girl here. She needs to hear that."

He nodded to Krum and walked away before Krum could answer him. More than anything he just wanted to be left with his thoughts. A ball was not a good time to want to be left with your thoughts.

Walking in and out of revelers, he tried to get near the doors to outside. He had no doubt that it would be quieter out there. But, before he could make it there, he felt a tentative hand grab his forearm. He turned around, it was Mandy.

"Where are you going?"

She moved in closer to him.

"I think I need to get some air."

She shook her head slightly and sighed. He knew, at that point, that something was about to go very wrong.

"You still have feelings for her."

Sage's eyebrow jumped up, "What- Who?"

"Don't play games. You know who."

"Hermione? I don't, Mandy. She's my friend, she was upset. What was I supposed to do?"

Her face suddenly turned a bit hurt. He did not want to have to deal with this. He bit the inside of his lip.

"Oh yes, you suddenly develop a softer side. You don't look at me that way. You've never kissed my forehead."

He scowled slightly. "You've never cried to me before," he answered challenging her.

"Do I have to? To have your attention like that?" Her eyes were wide.

"Of course not."

"Then why haven't you ever kissed me?"

He had no idea what to say. Truth be told, he had never really thought about kissing her before. Was that strange? Did he want to kiss her? He shrugged mentally, why not? She was his girlfriend.

"We've never been alone, Mandy. I've been grounded and under eyes constantly, in case you forgot."

"Are you sure that you want to be with me?"

His heartbeat sped up again. "Yes," he answered, far more confidently than he felt. "You make me feel comfortable, calm, like me. I like to be with you."

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow at him. She held onto his hand and then squeezed it. She gave him a slightly mischievous grin. Her hazel eyes looking humorously wicked.

"Well then, let's go get that fresh air you wanted. If you aren't going to kiss me, then I am going to kiss you."

He was stunned. No girl had ever been so forward with him. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. They might as well kiss, they were together and all. It was only natural. Returning a slight smile, he walked with her out into the darkness of the night. Again, far more confidently than he felt.

Author's Notes –

If this seems a little OOC for Sage, think back to the way he was towards the last couple chapters of Snape's Student Sage, and you will realize that it is just OOC for his last few months. Also, he's sixteen and girls are not his best subject. Even Sage can get flustered. He was caught by surprise in both instances. You'll understand more in the next chappie or two. Full explanation and plot pending, I promise. You should be noticing some parallels going on with everything. I also hope that you are a little more clued in as to what is happening than my teenage characters are. ;-)

If you are really experiencing problems, and can't wait, reread the last two chappies of the last story. Then read Sage's letter to Hermione again, and maybe some of the stuff in the middle about Mandy. ;-) That should help.

Sorry for the cliffie by the way. I promise to try and update soon.

Let me know what you think! This one was especially difficult to write. Particularly because none of my characters know what is going on! Hee hee. Poor teenagers, so confused. ;-)