After the week of being Susan's metaphorical and literal slave, it was almost a relief to be back at Hogwarts. Suddenly, I felt as though the N.E.W.T's presented less pressure than being Susan's maid of Honor. When studying for the test I knew an answer could be right or wrong, there were no grey areas. However, with Susan, she would insist, when picking out fonts, fabric patterns for table cloths, or frosting and cake combinations, that my opinion was important but suddenly when I would voice that I liked the bold font over the frilly loopy one, or I preferred the turquoise damask, or I liked the combination of strawberry cake with vanilla frosting, I was met with a disgusted look that signaled my valued opinion was clearly wrong.
I no longer had Mark for support in dealing with Susan's irrational behavior. He was always on her side and agreed with everything she said. Anytime Susan would leave the room and it was just he and I, instead of laughing at her irrational behavior together, he wouldn't acknowledge that I had said anything when trying to make light of the situation. It was difficult and awkward to be around Mark since our spat over Susan's health.
Upon entering the safe confines of the dormitory I threw my bag on my bed and soon after threw myself face first on the pillows. I reached onto my bedside table without looking and slid a textbook next to me on the bed. I hugged it, silently appreciating it for its unwavering contents. This book never said one thing but meant another.
"What are you doing?" I heard Susan ask.
I rolled over with the book still wrapped in my arms. I realized how odd I must look and put the book by my side.
"I should study," I said neglecting to add that I was admiring a book for not possessing the same qualities as wedding Susan. "But I'm tired. I was hoping that maybe if I slept with it in my arms that I might absorb information through osmosis. I've never tried that and who knows, maybe witches and wizards are capable of that."
Susan stared at me for a little, apparently waiting for the second half of this joke before simply saying, "I don't think so, Ruby."
She sat on her own bed and slid herself to the middle before laying on her back. She stared at the canopy over her bed, unmoving.
"Do you think I made the right decisions this week?" She asked. "About the wedding I mean."
My throat clenched and went dry. Oh God, was she actually having second thoughts about everything we worked towards this week? I couldn't go through the pressure of being told to be honest with her when she really meant that when I was asked for my opinion what she really wanted was to hear her opinion said to her in my voice.
"Of course." I said. "Your wedding is going to be the best wedding any of your guests have ever attended."
"Do you think I should have chosen more magic additions?" Susan asked. "I feel like I went very traditional muggle."
"I think you chose just enough magic to get it pop without overwhelming your non-magic families." I said, hoping that answer was good enough.
"I suppose." She allowed. "I'm tired."
"Me too." I said getting up to change into pajamas and get ready for bed.
The next morning I woke up to find that Susan's bed was already empty. I scrambled for my watch fearing that I was late. It was only seven and wondered what Susan was doing up already. I threw my covers off and dressed before going to the common room to see if she was there. She sat in front of the fire staring into the flames.
"What are you doing awake so early?" I asked as I took a seat next to her.
"Just thinking about things." She said.
"Do you want to go to breakfast?" I asked.
She nodded her head and we left the common room.
At breakfast Susan didn't talk much. Her eyes glazed over as she seemed to be automatically spooning oatmeal into her mouth. I could see that she was really working through some things in her head and I felt like I knew what it was.
In Charms she was distracted even though she didn't speak to me the entire time. Her odd quiet that was, I was almost certain, in no way my fault this time, even distracted me and made me unable to fully achieve the charm we were being taught.
She shrugged her goodbye before we parted ways for the rest of the day.
During potions I tried to not thing about the funk Susan was in and concentrate on the lesson. Forgetting about Susan was easier than I expected, though, concentrating on the lesson was easier said than done. For whatever reason Severus' presence was more distracting than usual. Every movement he made and every drawn out syllable made me want him. I, several times, shook my head and mentally yelled at myself to pay attention. Eventually though, I would catch myself with the same flame in my gut imagining him and I together in the Shrieking Shack, bodies entwined. I wasn't sure where this new intense need was even coming from but I wished it would go away, at least for the rest of the duration of the class.
I found myself almost relieved when Potions ended and I could cool myself off out in the brisk April air. After Sprout's lecture and time spent trimming our Sopopherus plants. Mine was close to having its first bean pod containing its signature single white bean resembling an overgrown mistletoe berry.
After Herbology I made my way up to the Ravenclaw common room. I had barely come through the doorway when I was bombarded by a smiling Susan.
"I've decided." She said with a beaming grin.
"What?" I asked still processing the complete change in her attitude.
"It's wrong." She said. "All of it."
"Uhh…" I said more confused. "And that's…good?"
"Of course not." She said. "We have to fix it. Mark is meeting us in the library and you two are going to play nice and we are going to pick out new fonts, table cloths, cake, centerpieces, ribbons, flowers, and food. Unfortunately, I am stuck with the bridesmaid dresses and tuxes and vests because they have been ordered so I'll have to work with those. We only have until the end of the week before everything needs to be perfect or I'm stuck with what I have. Let's go."
She tugged me back through the door I had just come.
I wasn't sure how I could protest that I would really rather spend the afternoon studying so that I would have time to spend with Severus this evening.
"Susan." I said softly. "I think I should study."
"Why would you study?" She asked pulling me down the stairs. "Today was the first day back and we barely have anything."
"We are a month and a half away from N.E.W.T's." I argued. "I have to do assignments and study for that test."
"So you want my wedding to be horrible." She said dropping my arm and turning to face me.
"No." I said. "I think your wedding is already great. How can you improve on perfection?"
"Perfection?" She asked. "I have orange table cloths."
"Ok…" I said. "You can change those then."
"No." She said. "It all has to change. I don't know what I was thinking ordering a chocolate cake for my wedding."
"Chocolate is great." I said.
She narrowed her eyes. "This is about Snape isn't it?"
"What?" I asked. "No, of course not."
"You know what, Ruby?" She asked putting her hands on her hips. "If you would rather spend time with some guy over helping your best friend with her wedding, then you go right ahead. I have Mark. I'm sure you'll understand if I don't want you to be a part of my big day at all."
She turned on her heel and continued on her way to the library.
I was left standing there. I threw my head back and sighed.
"Don't do that." I begged stomping in annoyance and desperation after her. "I'll help."
"I thought you'd see it my way." She said linking elbows with me as we continued to the library.
When we arrived Mark was already sitting at a table looking over one of his textbooks. I never thought I would feel jealous that someone else was studying and I wasn't.
Susan sat down and pulled me down next to her with Mark across from us. As usual, Mark was avoiding making eye contact with me.
"First, we are going to change the fonts on the name cards for the tables." Susan said taking several cards of sample fonts on the table in front of us.
I was disappointed to see that the original font I liked was no longer an option and that they were all completely new. Ultimately, it took an hour and a half for Susan to decide on a font that, I swear, was identical to the one she was replacing. I insisted we take a break to go to dinner and Susan reluctantly agreed.
Once we entered the Dining Hall, Mark split off in the direction of the Gryffindor table. Susan and I continued onward to the Ravenclaw table. I took my seat and glanced over the spread on the table.
"We should get back to the library, shouldn't we, sweetheart." Mark said.
I had only had enough time to get some roasted potatoes on my plate. There was no possible way that Mark had already finished eating. I turned around to look at him and in his hand he held two pieces of bread with a slice of ham in between. He lifted his sandwich to his mouth and took a bite.
"Great idea, Mark." Susan said grabbing her own bread and meat. "Come on, Ruby, let's go."
I looked down longingly at the gorgeously browned potatoes on my plate. They looked so crispy and delicious. I then looked at the standard sliced bread and the ham. I didn't really even like ham. I looked back down at the potatoes. They smelled incredible.
"Come on, Ruby." Susan nagged.
I let out a sigh of defeat and disappointment as I reached for the bread. I unceremoniously plopped a slice of meat on the bread and covered it with another piece. I stood up and took an unsatisfying bite of my sandwich.
Susan seized me by the elbow and pulled. I looked back at the pile of potatoes I was leaving untouched, untasted. I suddenly disliked Mark even more for making me give up my potatoes. I received a momentary glance with Severus before I was pulled from the room.
Susan and Mark were both finished with their sandwiches by the time we arrived at the library again. I, however, was only three bites in and I had no intention of eating anymore. My stomach growled in protest before I threw the remainder of my dinner in a wastebasket near the door.
We sat at the same table as before. The library was much emptier than when we had left since most students had the good sense to actually be eating dinner at this time.
"On second thought," Susan said picking up the card containing the newly chosen font. "I hate this lettering."
She tossed the new card over her shoulder and began laying out the rest.
Every day was nearly identical. I had classes immediately after which I was cornered in the Ravenclaw common room and forced into the library where we sat for hours making choices that we had already made. We had sandwiches every night for dinner. I was never in the mood for them. On Wednesday I actually snuck in a bite of chicken before I was pulled from my seat. After we were finished planning, we never were until it was time to return to the common rooms, I worked on assignments and studied for the N.E.W.T's until the early hours of the morning. A house elf had made a habit of bringing me a small plate of cookies when she came to clean the common room.
After I finished my classes on Friday I was walking my normal route through the halls to Ravenclaw tower when I turned a corner to find Susan and Mark having some sort of argument. Neither of them seemed to see me so I jumped back around the corner.
"Don't think that I haven't noticed the way you and Ruby have been since Easter." Susan said. "You need to let it go."
"No!." Mark shouted. "Why should I be the one to do anything? She's the one who needs to learn not to be so stupid. She's not a Healer. She can't just go around blasting people with spells she knows next to nothing about."
"Oh, come off it, Mark." Susan said. "At least Ruby had the good sense to do something about it. If you would have stepped in on Saturday when it was clear that I was not myself there wouldn't have been an issue at all."
"I'm going to be your husband," Mark snarled through his teeth. "Not your babysitter."
I looked around the corner momentarily to see Mark stomping away from Susan. She looked a mixtures of angry and sad. I wasn't sure what to do so I stayed hidden for a moment longer before turning the corner. I felt as though I wasn't supposed to have seen what I had been witness to so I pretended to not have.
Susan quickly covered her face in a neutral look when she saw me.
"How was your day?" I asked unsure what else to do.
"Wedding planning is cancelled tonight." She said. "Everything we have so far will have to do."
"What?" I asked falsely shocked. "Why?"
"Because I said so, Ruby!" She exploded. "…I'm sorry."
She waved her hand in apology before disappearing around the corner leaving me standing alone.
I contemplated following her but decided against it considering that she might want some time alone. I was sure that she didn't want me to be aware of their spat.
I instead continued up to the common room where I was finally able to work on homework while there was still sunlight streaming through the windows. Every time the door opened I looked up expecting it to be Susan ready to finally tell me herself what had happened in the hall. She never showed up. The sun began to set and I closed my potions book realizing that it had been a while since I had spent time with Severus and I missed him.
I ran my class supplies up to my room before I turned around and ran back down the stairs heading in the direction of Severus' dungeon.
I entered his empty classroom making a turn for the door to his office. I stood in the doorway for a moment watching his small, calculated movements over the cauldrons. His concentration was comforting. He turned to put a jar away when his eyes found me, my heart pounded hard.
"And you are?" He asked placing the jar on the shelf.
"Ha, ha." I said. "Very funny."
"It's just been so long since I've seen you." He said. "So much has changed."
"Oh, stop it." I lightly laughed.
"So, where have you been then?" He asked.
"Taken hostage by a deranged indecisive bride." I said taking a seat at the table.
"I hate when that happens." He said taking a seat in the chair next to me. "How is Susan? Is she feeling better?"
"Much." I said. "Thank you so much for the potion."
"It was nothing." He said.
There was a moment of silence during which we just stared at each other.
"What was in it?" I asked.
He smiled. "I told you not to ask."
"I've always been one to break the rules." I said with a smile.
"Liar." He said. "Do you really want to know?"
"I'm going to be a Healer." I said. "I like learning things like this."
"Alright." He said. "If you insist. Rain water and lemon juice."
"That's all?" I asked.
He shook his head. "The slime from an old banana peel, several crushed Himalayan beetles, pond scum, and…nothing."
"And nothing?" I asked.
"I really don't think I should tell you the last bit." He said.
"Why?" I asked. "They're just ingredients."
I was sort of nervous that something could be worse than having my friend drink crushed beetle juice.
"Do you promise you won't get angry for letting you give this to Susan?" He asked.
I nodded my head.
"Alright." He took a breath. "Toenail clippings from a fully grown mountain troll. You mix all of that together and let it sit in the sun for seven days."
"Troll toenails?" I asked absolutely disgusted.
"Hey!" He said jumping from his seat. "You promised you wouldn't be angry."
I shook my head. "I'm not angry. I'm relieved that I didn't have to drink it."
"Don't tell Susan." Severus insisted. "She already hates me."
"Of course I won't." I said. "She doesn't even know you had anything to do with that potion."
"Good." He sighed. "Keep it that way."
"Actually," I considered. "It might make wedding planning more tolerable if I can imagine her drinking essence of troll feet when she's making me pick a font for the thousandth time."
"At least she isn't angry at you for making her ill." Severus said.
"No," I considered. "She's not. Mark though, that's another story."
"Pay no attention to Wizenby." He spat.
"I caught them arguing about me." I said. "I pretended not to have heard anything or even have been aware that they had been fighting because I didn't think I should have seen it. That's why I'm not busy tonight. I was informed plans were cancelled."
"What, exactly, were they arguing about?" He asked.
"Susan was yelling at him for how he'd been treating me since the incident." I shook my head. "She said he should have stopped her from drinking in the first place and then he said he wasn't going to be her babysitter and stormed off."
"Do you think the wedding is cancelled?" He wondered.
I shook my head. "No, they've had arguments before, though, they have seemed to fade since the engagement. I'm sure they'll make up."
Severus nodded.
"Susan really does love him." I said. "It's sort of odd. She's younger than I am and she is making all of these grown up decisions while still doing school work. She's just stressed and I'm sure Mark is stressed too."
"Do you want to go somewhere?" He asked after a long span of silence.
I looked up at him. "What?"
"I've missed you." He said. "Susan has been taking all of your free time and I think you and I should go somewhere."
"Where?" I asked excited at the thought of being swept away by him again.
"If you agree," He said. "I'll take you to a destination of my choosing."
"Another place out of a book?" I asked.
He nodded.
"A pretty place?" I asked. "Without so much wind and hopefully no rain?"
"I am fairly sure that you will approve." He said with a grin.
"When?" I asked ready to leave that second.
He took a moment to think. "Meet me at the edge of the forest tomorrow morning after breakfast."
"Before breakfast." I insisted.
He smiled. "Alright, before breakfast."
I was instantly excited and not preoccupied with Susan or Mark. I jumped from my seat and made my way to the doorway.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I'm going to spend the day with you tomorrow." I said. "I should probably study and do some homework so I won't feel guilty about it tomorrow."
He smiled at me as I left his office.
I turned around and sprinted back in. "Severus."
He turned around at the sound of his name and I jumped, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck. I placed my lips on his cheek in a quick peck.
"Thank you." I said before turning and vacating his office again.