CHAPTER 22
A/N: The Piano (1993) belongs to Jane Campion.
mYcAtCh22: Harry will get to know other sides of Snape during his piano lessons. Snape has to be snarky and insensitive – but sensual and sexy at the same time :-D
Dru Black: Yes, Dumbledore is rather omniscient…
Microfatcat: The scarf will make a reappearance…Read on to find out more ;-)
---
Nine o'clock on Saturday evening arrived. As usual, Harry chose not to use Floo powder, walking instead to the piano-room on the third floor, wearing sober black robes for a change. Snape, on answering Harry's knock, was similarly attired.
"That was five seconds too early, Potter."
"But you can't deduct points anymore," Harry reminded him blandly.
Snape gave him a level stare and gestured at the piano, where there were two seats, one at the corner of the piano and another in front of it.
"Kindly sit down on that stool," Snape said, pointing at the former. Harry obeyed.
"Properly dressed for a change, I see," Snape commented, elegantly resuming his own seat at the piano.
His slender fingers caressed the keys without pressing them.
"Have you ever touched a piano before, Potter?"
"No – never. The Dursleys didn't care much about music, and even if they had had a piano, they would never have let me near it."
He half expected Snape to say that the Dursleys would have made a wise decision to keep him away from the piano if they had had one.
Instead, Snape raised a fine dark eyebrow.
"Mmmmh, I see. A complete greenhorn at the piano as well. Move your stool and yourself over here, next to me."
Harry did so.
Snape took Harry's right hand with surprising gentleness, placed it on the keys and withdrew his own hand.
"Press any key. But don't bang it down." The second sentence sounded particularly threatening. Harry pressed down the key on which his index finger was lying.
"Louder. Not so timidly."
Harry followed the order. Snape, however, watched his face rather than his hand.
"Now, at your feet, Potter, you have got pedals."
Snape spent the first half hour of the lesson explaining how a piano was constructed and what the different parts were for. After the lecture, he made Harry give him a concise summary of the explanation.
"Well, you definitely pay more attention than you used to in Potions," Snape commented.
He played a scale, filling the room with beautiful music for a few seconds.
"You will need sheet music, of course, to practise. And a piano." His eyes glinted. "Now, this is not the only piano in the castle, but there are only two which are used and tuned on a regular basis. You will practise on another one. I will give you a password which shall enable you to access the other piano. It is just down the corridor."
"It seems to be a very musical corridor," Harry remarked. "And where do you keep the harpsichord?"
"There is an inner room which adjoins this one. That is where it is. You can look at it later. For now, I am teaching you how to play the piano. No interruptions. And do not even dream of scratching either of the pianos. They both belong to me."
Snape rose and deposited a pile of sheet music and a few tomes on top of a small commode.
"I want you to read all this, Potter. You are simultaneously my colleague and my student. I therefore hope you do a satisfactory job."
He locked eyes with Harry, who was pleasantly surprised that Snape had finally acknowledged their status as fellow-teachers.
"Now, you have agreed to learn from me, and I have told you that you need to trust me."
"I trust you," Harry said softly, "in spite of the dead rat."
Snape's dark eyes remained expressionless.
"If you work hard, Potter, then people won't have to cast a Silencing Spell for aural protection when you play the piano."
"I do hope they won't have to do that…But I also hope I'm not going to have to play in front of an audience?" His last sentence trailed away on a questioning note.
"Actually…" Snape said with a somewhat sinister smile, "I would like to test your skills after a few months. I think a few minutes in Enchantments will suffice to convince me or to disillusion me along with the audience."
Harry reddened a little.
"Erm…"
"Come now, Potter. You should be used to receiving attention by now."
"I'm not," Harry said wearily. "I feel uncomfortable with all the attention. I'm just me. Harry."
"Stay seated. We are going to play together. I will direct your hands."
Snape moved behind Harry, bending over him and placing his hands on Harry's.
"Follow my movements."
Together, they played the first chords of "Moonlight Sonata", Snape directing Harry's movements, his long fingers resting on top of Harry's and pressing them down onto the keys at the appropriate moment.
"No, don't resist, Potter. Just go along with my hands," Snape growled impatiently into his ear.
Harry tried to relax completely. It was difficult to accomplish this feat with the sensual Slytherin so close to him.
After a minute, Snape stopped and stroked his upper lip pensively.
"Close your eyes, Potter."
Harry shut his eyes, and felt something soft being tied around his face.
"That scarf? Again?"
"Yes, the scarf again, you recalcitrant brat," Snape breathed into his ear, making Harry break out into gooseflesh.
"Brat?!"
"Let us start again, Potter."
Playing with his eyes closed was completely different. It enabled Snape to have more power over him, more will to direct his hands – but it also made Harry feel the music more deeply. It seemed that with his sense of sight temporarily taken, his fingers and ears were more sensitive. Even Snape's presence distracted him less.
"Ah, very good. I do suggest that you play without a blindfold in the other room, Potter. Remove your hands now."
Snape lowered the lid and untied the scarf from Harry's face. Harry got up from the stool, standing with his back against the edge of the piano.
Snape languidly moved the scarf over Harry's neck.
"Practise every day, Potter. Otherwise-" here Snape looped the scarf around Harry's neck, bringing the young wizard's face close to his, "-otherwise, I will not be…very…pleased."
Harry flushed but didn't look away.
"I will practise," he declared clearly, picking up the books Snape had lent him.
"Good."
Snape folded the scarf, opened the door and closed it behind them, murmuring a protective spell.
"Thank you, Severus."
Snape studied him intensely for a few seconds.
"You have got potential, Potter," he said slowly.
Harry smiled.
"Well, you have interesting teaching methods."
"Read those books and sheet music thoroughly. Don't just skim through them. I demand a lot from everyone whom I teach, regardless of the subject," Snape said sternly.
"I realised that in my first year already."
"Your epiphanic moment didn't seem to have helped much back then," Snape commented. Harry laughed.
"By the way, would you like to watch a Muggle film with me one of these days?"
Snape raised both eyebrows this time.
"A Muggle film?"
"Yeah. I've got the equipment in my room. A cinema evening with popcorn, you know."
"Cinema evening?"
"Yes – that's what friends often do."
"Potter, are you teasing me?"
"Why would I? There's a movie which might interest you. It's called The Piano."
Snape remained completely still for a second or two. A strange look had come into his eyes at the word "friends". Friends. Potter considered him, of all people, as a friend. It gave him a very odd feeling. Maybe he had misheard the young man.
"What do you think?"
"Your offer is acceptable," he said at last.
Harry smiled.
"Great. Which time is convenient for you?"
Snape rubbed the bridge of his hooked nose for a moment.
"How long is the movie?"
"About two hours"
"Tomorrow evening. I will have finished grading those imbecile Potions essays by then."
"Perfect. Er…You don't mind that there'll be nudity and bit of sexuality?"
"I have not seen the film but I have read about it, Potter. I don't think my delicate sensibilities will be too affronted."
"Read about it?"
Snape sighed.
"Wizarding newspapers do bring reviews about Muggle films, Potter. We are not that isolated."
"Uhm, yeah, of course."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"The password is Amadeus."
"So you like Mozart?"
A tiny smile touched Snape's lips.
"Not bad, Potter. Not bad at all."
He marched away, leaving Harry behind with a satisfied expression on his face.
The next day, Harry made sure to carefully choose some elegant Muggle clothes. He opted for a pair of trendy faded blue jeans and a dark-blue shirt. He rolled up the sleeves and raised his arms to add a few finishing touches to his hair. His cupboard mirror squeaked happily.
"I can see your midriff when you stretch like that, dear!"
Harry immediately lowered his arms.
A few minutes later, the familiar peremptory knock sounded at his door. Harry opened it, revealing Snape in his usual black robes. The dark eyes summed up Harry in a rather appreciative way.
"Please come in. I just have to get the popcorn."
Snape snorted and swept inside without greeting his host. Harry went to the kitchen and came out with an enormous bowl of popcorn and two glasses of water on a tray.
"Popcorn has got lots of salt," he explained.
"Potter, I know what popcorn is," came the dry answer. "And I don't think it is good for one's diet."
Harry levitated the tray to the sofa, which was facing a large television set.
"I borrowed it from the Muggle Studies teacher," Harry explained, "together with the DVD-player, remote controls and the adapter."
Snape sat down on the sofa without comment. Harry joined him, drawing up his legs, remote control at the ready.
He had chosen the right movie. Snape showed no sign of boredom. On the contrary: his dark eyes narrowed often, and his finger stroked his lip or chin in the characteristic gesture which denoted thoughtfulness or scepticism. He did not eat much popcorn. Harry was actually glad about this. He stuffed himself happily with the salty snack.
"Stop munching, Potter," Snape growled at one point.
Harry resumed his snacking later. When he changed his position, his leg touched Snape's briefly. Snape didn't seem to notice. Harry maintained the subtle contact, refusing to move his leg.
He was sorry when the movie was over. He was starting to quite like Snape's presence in his quarters, even though he was tremendously domineering.
As they watched the credits roll, Snape leant back with a sigh and looked at Harry.
"Definitely above the standard Muggle trash they show nowadays, Potter. I liked it."
Harry smiled.
"I'm glad you did. I kind of knew you would."
Snape leant forwards.
"Potter," he breathed.
"Yes?"
"Your lap is full of popcorn, as are my robes."
"Oh!" Harry jumped up and dusted himself. Snape did the same. Harry magicked the crumbs away from the carpet, turned and found himself facing Snape.
"Want to dance?" Harry asked boldly, "I've got the soundtrack."
Snape's mouth curved into a seductive smile.
"Potter, are you attempting something along the lines of 'Hex me, Sexy?'"
Harry looked him in the eye.
"It all depends on your interpretation, Severus."
"Go ahead, Potter. Don't stamp on my foot again."
As soon as Harry had inserted the disc, Snape approached him and put one hand on Harry's waist and the other on his shoulder. Harry flushed a little at the close contact. They were not in a bar with other people. They were alone in the intimate atmosphere of Harry's rooms and flirting heavily with each other. Harry could not suppress a small gasp when Snape's hand moved down his waist and squeezed part of his bottom and hip after a little while.
"You know, Potter, maybe I should teach you how to play piano by…" his fingers played with the collar of Harry's shirt, "…making you remove a portion of your clothing whenever the music pieces become more advanced."
"No, you would have to remove your clothes since you are the teacher. That's how it worked in the film. And they were negotiating about the piano keys, not about the difficulty of the pieces."
"Such impertinence," Snape breathed. Harry shuddered with pleasure as the mischievous fingertips massaged the curved hollow space between his neck and shoulder. They reached the sofa. Harry gently made Snape sit down on it while he straddled his lap, exhilarated when he noticed that it was not only he who was aroused. Inquisitive fingers grazed his midriff as his shirt rode up a little. They stared into each other's eyes. Snape's pale face was slightly flushed.
It's now or never, Harry thought, feeling a little giddy as his heart raced, I have to kiss him.
Snape grabbed Harry's hips firmly, pressing them against his.
"So recalcitrant," he murmured, kneading Harry's knees and upper thighs, increasing the erotic friction.
Harry clutched at Snape, his arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders, his cheek pressed against the slim neck as he breathed hard into the long black hair and finely shaped ear.
"Severus…" he murmured, his voice thick with need.
Snape suddenly got up, making Harry stumble; he avoided falling when Snape seized his wrists, pulling him against his body.
"Potter…the next song on the disc started long ago, and it did not occur to you to finish the dance. You definitely have to work on your timing."
Snape released Harry, stepped back and settled his robes. The slight flush in his cheeks went away. His eyes seemed hard, clouded with pain and sorrow. The expression vanished, leaving them without feeling.
"Good night, Potter. I want to hear solid piano-playing from you next Saturday."
Before Harry could answer, Snape had left his quarters.
Harry buried his hot face in his hands for a moment.
Why is he doing this to me? Playing with me, toying with me? Making me aroused and then leaving? Damn him and his sexual games! he screamed in his mind.
What had happened on the sofa had been incredibly intimate. Like having sex, he supposed. He didn't know, but he could imagine it. Having sex with Snape. He choked and began to cough at the thought.
"Crap," he whispered, clenching his fists. "Next time, I'm going to make him stay."
---