Downside of Aging Potions - Chapter Thirteen
"I need to talk to someone new.
I need a different latitude.
And I suffocate... Can't come down...
Oh no, there's no way out."
-Otep, My Confession
Hermione decided to take another stab at the journal-thing.
'It seems that Snape loosened up a bit. I don't know if it's because he's younger or what. Maybe it's because he doesn't feel he has to maintain an image anymore. Maybe it's a chance to relive his child hood or something. I don't know. Don't know how he thinks Don't know anything.'
She sighed, that kind of helped. Except that was what she was thinking already. Suddenly becoming irritated, she threw the journal at her door.
Only, the door didn't catch it; Snape did.
She covered her mouth and rushed to him, "Oh my God, I'm sorry." She picked the journal up off the floor and tossed it back onto her bed. "I'm sorry."
He rubbed his forehead in the spot she'd accidentally targeted. "Good arm, Granger. You know, the Slytherin team needs a new Chaser."
She grinned but offered, "Here." She went to her dresser and picked up a tissue from the box on the top. She used a spell to dampen a corner.
"I'm fine." He said, but making no move to protest.
She sat him on her bed, "You're bleeding."
Pressing the tissue to his forehead, he winced. "Not so hard."
She smiled, "I thought you were fine."
"I am. But that doesn't mean the corner of a three pound diary to the head doesn't hurt a little." He pointed out.
She laughed and dried his forehead off. "Let's see... Do you want the bunny Band-Aids or dinosaur ones?"
"Oh, the bunny ones, naturally." He said.
She laughed and healed the cut with a simple spell and threw the tissue in her little garbage can.
"So, what's up?" She asked, putting her diary away.
"Well," He sighed heavily, "I had some- problems on the way here. Both involved two rodents."
Hermione laughed, "You aren't talking about a ferret and a weasel, are you?"
"Let's see: tonight, I am apparently fighting Malfoy at the Astronomy Tower and Weasley had a conniption."
She sat down at the chair on her desk and asked, "You're not really going to fight are you?"
He grinned, "Oh no, I was thinking of something better."
"Such as?" She raised her eyebrows, thinking of a million possible things.
"Tip Filch off."
She laughed. How like him. How incredibly like Snape.
'The tattle-tale', she thought amusedly.
She shook her head, "At least you're not fighting. So what did Ron say?"
He rolled his eyes, "Asked where you were. I said I last saw you in your room. He made it a big deal. I left," He sighed, "He's getting quite tiresome."
"Sorry."
He shrugged and got up, "I suppose I'll go have a little chat with Filch."
"Have fun."
He snorted, and left her room, never mentioning the fact that he saw his name in her journal.
!
That night, a cold wind blew through the Astronomy Tower where Snape hid in the shadows.
Malfoy didn't see him, and so was impatiently looking around constantly.
"Chicken shit." Malfoy decided, starting to turn around.
Double-checking his watch to make sure there was enough stalling time, Snape stepped out, "Leaving so soon, Malfoy?"
Instantly alert, Malfoy turned around with his wand at the ready and smirked, "Sloan, didn't think you had the balls to show."
"Oh, I have the balls, Malfoy. Pity you forgot your talent."
Accidentally, he had touched a nerve.
"Prick. You think you're so great because you can freeze spells. Well, I can do much more than that. My father-"
"I'm hardly frightened of whatever spells Lucius taught you, Malfoy."
Draco looked confused, "How do you know my father?"
Snape cursed silently. He needed to recover... "Who doesn't know the Malfoy's?" That might work.
Draco 'hmph'ed and looked around behind Snape, "Where's your second?"
"Oh yes, I forgot to mention. I'm not fighting."
"What?" Draco blurt angrily.
Snape checked his watch casually, "In fact, Filch will be here in... Ten seconds."
"You- Delgamo!" The spell rushed at Snape and he could nothing but dodge it. Except, when one dodges something, it will hit whatever or whomever is behind the one who dodges.
And Filch just so happened to be behind Snape.
Seven seconds early, damn him.
Snape got up and looked Filch over. The Delgamis Curse was not a light incantation. The purpose was to, to put it bluntly, disable or retard the victim.
It appeared to have been successful. Filch was staring up in wonder and making inaudible sounds.
When Snape tried to glare back at Malfoy, he found that he was gone.
Trying to lift Filch to get him to Madame Pomfrey, Snape cursed.
He took his wand out of his pocket and levitated Filch to the Hospital Wing.
!