Summary: Harry and Severus hide out in Muggle London on Dumbledore's orders. They run into Harry's not-exactly-ex-boyfriend, who wants to propose to Harry. How will Harry get out of this mess? What does Severus have to say about all this?

Marriage

Chapter 6: A Ring

Snape stalked out of the restaurant, Harry trailing after him. He didn't know what had happened between Snape and Malcolm in the restroom, but it couldn't have been anything good. Snape looked like a – well he looked really, really angry.

"Keep up, Potter!"

Harry frowned. He would be able to keep up if Snape would just bloody slow down….

Thankfully, a red traffic light forced Snape to stop moving. Harry trotted up to the corner and pointedly ignored the nasty look that Snape threw him. Harry was just wondering if Dumbledore would believe that Snape had fallen into oncoming traffic by accident when he caught sight of Mrs. Dower standing on the opposite side of the street. She hadn't spotted them yet, but it would only be a matter of time before the light changed.

"Hold my hand," said Harry quickly, grabbing for Snape's clenched fist.

"Unhand me this instant, you –"

"Just hold my sodding hand, you greasy git!"

"Potter, what is the meaning of this?"

"Malcolm's mother, she's right there!" Harry hissed, pointing rather obviously. His movement caught the attention of the bag-toting woman, and she waved back enthusiastically, apparently interpreting Harry's wild gesture as a greeting.

"Oh, shit," moaned Harry.

"Do tell me how you manage to get yourselves into these situations, Potter," said Snape with a cheery smirk.

"Just shut up and hold my hand, please."

"Now, now, Mr. Potter, no need for begging. Although I admit, I quite enjoy the sound…."

Harry flushed, but otherwise refused to respond and instead plastered a smile onto his face. "Act like we're on a nice afternoon stroll," muttered Harry out of the corner of his mouth. He seized Snape's elbow and clung to him as they crossed the street. To Harry's dismay, Mrs. Dower did not cross, instead choosing to wait for Harry and Snape to reach her.

"Oh, Harry!" she cried rapturously.

"Er, hello," said Harry, his smile wavering. Snape smirked.

"And Mr. Snape!" Mrs. Dower exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Oh, how is the happy couple?" she asked, looking up into their faces, her own shining with exhilaration.

"Ecstatic," said Snape.

"Oh – yes," said Harry, feigning ecstasy. "Yes, it's been, er, so great. It's really, um, wonderful –"

"Oh you must let me see the ring, Harry! I've been just dying to see!" She peered down at Harry's left hand anxiously. Harry paled.

"But where is it? Surely you've bought the boy a ring by now!" Mrs. Dower exclaimed, swiveling up to look at Snape, her mouth rapidly pursing with disapproval.

"Of course," said Snape, drawing himself up to his full height. "The ring needed to be resized."

Mrs. Dower's eyes widened and her mouth opened as she nodded, digesting this information. "Yes, that can happen sometimes," she said wisely. Harry shrugged and smiled apologetically.

"Well I guess I'll just have to see it some other time!" she said, perking back up. Harry's smile vanished.

"Yes, yes, that will do nicely. I'll just see it another time then! Oh, but look at the hour! I must be off – I'm meeting Malcolm soon – I'll pass on your greeting shall I?" And with a beaming smile at the pair of them, she bustled off across the street, oblivious to honking horns and angry shouts.

Harry and Snape stood together looking very much like the mannequins in nearby store windows, watching Mrs. Dower weave in and out of the crowd before finally disappearing. Harry wasn't aware that he was still clinging to Snape's arm until Snape abruptly shook him off with a surprising snarl. Harry turned to stare at him, slightly alarmed at the expression on Snape's face.

"DAMN! Damn it all to HELL!" Pedestrians leapt out of the way to avoid Snape's spit as it flew to the pavement. "As if I've got the gold to buy you a ring–"

"I'll pay for it," Harry cut in, anger starting to cloud his features. "No one said you had to–"

"Of course I do, Potter, it has to look legitimate!"

"Well then we'll split the price! I've got money, I've got plenty–"

"Of course you do," said Snape, his mouth twisting bitterly.

"Don't start – look, let's just get it over with now – look, there's a jewelry store, let's just–"

"God DAMNIT!"

An annoying chime rang through the brightly lit jewelry store as Harry cautiously pushed open the door, Snape skulking behind him. Glancing around, then breathing a sigh of relief after noting that no one else was present, Harry entered the store and quickly moved towards one of the transparent countertops.

"Okay," he muttered, bending over and peering at the velvet display. "Let's just pick one and be off –"

"Oooo, customers!"

Harry quickly stood up straight and turned to see a tall, thin young man bound out from behind a curtained doorway. He hurried up to them, his hands flapping with excitement; he gave the impression of being made of tissue paper. Harry chanced a peek at Snape. The older man's eye was twitching.

"Looking at rings, are we? Getting engaged? Oh, how sweet, you brought your father to help you!"

Harry began to cough violently, not daring to look at Snape.

"Er, actually, we – er, what I mean to say is–"

"We wish to purchase rings with which to signify our domestic partnership, as well as an engagement ring," said Snape with a surprisingly dignified voice. Harry looked up at him to see Snape's earlier fury masked impeccably.

The salesman's expression flickered before hitching back into place, his smile even more manic than before, and he flung his hands into the air with a joyous whoop.

"Oh, how delightful!" he exclaimed. Harry was relieved that they were the only customers in the store. "We have some new designs that are just perfect for the modern-day couple!"

Harry was just about to mutter that there was nothing modern-day about Snape before the man in question stepped forward after the salesman, who had materialized behind a counter near the back of the store.

"Feast your eyes on these!" ordered the man, sweeping his hand grandly over the counter. He reached into the glass case from behind and quickly pulled out several velvet bases, each containing three rings. Quite honestly, Harry thought they all looked the same, but the salesman began to expound upon all the little details that made each ring unique. Harry began to fidget – he didn't really care which ones they bought, he just wanted something cheap so that Snape wouldn't gripe…. He couldn't help but be annoyed that Snape looked quite interested. Damn, the man was a good actor….

"Er," said Harry, cutting off the salesman's monologue on the symbolism of one inlayed diamond versus two inlayed diamonds. "Which one is the least expensive?"

The salesman looked mortally offended.

Snape chuckled next to him. Harry gaped at him, more shocked by the warmth in his voice than anything else. "My young love is so thoughtful – I am a professor, you see… he worries that my modest budget will not allow for such finery – but I have told him time and time again that no amount of money could limit our love." Snape looked from the salesman (who looked disturbingly enchanted) to Harry with an adoring look. It was only his eyes that gave him away, which were communicating "shut UP!" in unspoken directness. Harry raised an eyebrow at him, then said spitefully, "Fine then. Which one is the most expensive?"

This request did not seem to offend the salesman at all.

"Well if you are looking for finery," he said with a jaunty wink at Snape. "Then you need to look no further…than this!" The salesman whisked out a velvet base from under the glass counter as though revealing a rabbit from a top hat, looking quite smug. Harry couldn't help but be impressed – he had been expecting something covered with gaudy jewels, or at least something obscenely large. The ring's band was a shiny gold color and formed an infinity symbol at the center, with two perfectly proportioned diamonds, one in each loop of the infinity, twinkling up at them. Harry found himself quite transfixed by the sight; it was unlike any other ring he'd ever seen. The salesman's voice dropped to a hushed whisper, and words drifted in and out of Harry's consciousness.

"White gold…fourteen karats…brilliant cut diamonds... elegant…unique…symbolizes eternal, never ending love… nine-hundred and eighty four pounds."

"We'll take it," said Snape.

"NO!" Harry whirled around, jerking out of his trance. "It's way too expensive! I don't want it – we aren't even–"

"And I'll take two of those gold bands there, please," Snape continued, ignoring Harry. The salesman hurried to comply.

"Stop it, Snape! You can't afford this!

"Hush, Potter–"

Harry seized the front of Snape's jacket, looking up at him desperately. "I don't want it – it's too expensive – it's ugly–"

"You don't think it's ugly, you were positively enamored by it–"

"No I wasn't! I don't want it; honestly, you could give me a plastic ring from one of those coin machines at the grocery store if you wanted!"

"Potter, stop being hysterical or I will be forced to sedate you. And let go."

Snape pried Harry's fingers off of his jacket and Harry stood there feeling deflated as he watched Snape exchange money with the salesman. Harry noticed rather numbly that the galleons changed to paper pound notes on contact with the salesman's hands; the salesman appeared oblivious to this as he chattered on about how lovely Snape's purchases were, and how he hoped that Snape and his husband lived in wedded bliss for the rest of their lives. Snape was looking politely interested, nodding and murmuring his appreciation at the right moments. Harry felt rather sick, and he turned and walked stiffly out the door, muttering about needing some fresh air.

TBC.