CHAPTER 31
A/N: I'm back again after what seems like a century :-) Thanks a lot for your patience and your encouraging reviews! I passed my exams (four orals on Wednesday) and am delighted with the results. I'll be able to update the story on a regular basis again (2-4 times a week). This chapter is rather short because I have to prepare for the graduation ceremony on Saturday and return all the library books I borrowed, so chapter 32 will be more substantial. Thanks again for all your encouragement! I really missed writing Snarry…And before I forget: I deleted the "old" chapter 31 (my message about the exams), but your reviews for 31 did not get deleted. Please do NOT log into your fanfiction net account to review this chapter, otherwise you will only be notified that you have already reviewed chapter 31 – so you'll have to submit your comments in anonymous mode :-D
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Harry was nervous when he left for his duelling lesson. He didn't know how he could possibly look Severus Snape in the eye after that decidedly rampant dream. He entered the duelling classroom tentatively. The Potions Master turned, fixating him with his characteristic stare.
"Let us begin at once," Severus said, his black eyes radiating impatience. Harry nodded and opened his bag to take out his wand. A paper fluttered out, dancing its way timidly towards Severus, who picked it up and frowned. Harry rose to his feet, his wand in his right hand.
"What is this, Potter?" Severus asked coldly.
"Nothing incriminating – only a Soduku grid," Harry answered defensively, remembering the last time a piece of parchment – the Marauder's Map – had fallen into his teacher's unmerciful hands.
Severus's eyes narrowed.
"Manners, Potter. Who says that it does not have some, ah, additional properties?"
"I say so, Professor," Harry said boldly. It was the truth; there was nothing more to the paper than the Sudoku game, but it reminded Harry that the trust between them still had to be worked upon, especially on Severus's part.
"We have Sudoku contests in the common room," Harry added as Severus scanned the paper warily.
"I have seen some of these ridiculous games in the papers."
"Sudoku is not at all ridiculous! Have you ever tried it out?" Harry said.
Severus's lip curled.
"I have better things to do than waste my time on childish pastimes."
"In other words, you have never tried it out," Harry said slyly.
Severus handed the paper to Harry.
"You have five seconds to put away this irrelevant paper and to prepare yourself for our duel."
"One can participate in Sudoku duels," Harry said, stuffing the paper inside his bag. He straightened up and looked Severus very firmly in the eye. In spite of the dream.
"Really?" Severus remarked in a bored tone.
"I bet I'd beat you the first time around," he said daringly. Severus's black eyes glinted.
"Is that so, Potter?" His voice was silky with the faintest note of steel in it.
"I'm quite sure of it."
A hex flashed from Severus's wand-tip towards Harry, who whirled aside and countered with a Stinging Hex. Severus conjured a powerful Shield Charm.
"You got provoked," Harry said with a roguish grin. Severus walked towards him so that their faces nearly touched.
"Be careful how you talk to me, Potter."
"How can you know if something is a waste of time if you've never tried it? You're good at these kind of logical games."
"How very flattering," Severus sneered.
"I'm only being factual. It's difficult to forget your poetic Potions challenge in my first year…"
"Are you, Mr Potter, challenging me to a Sudoku duel?"
"Yes, sir."
"Mh. I see. But first, we will resume and end this duelling session. Afterwards, I will make sure to…" he moved his face, his lips nearly brushing the shell of Harry's ear, "knock you off your high broom."
A thrilling shiver ran through Harry's body as Severus's breath tickled his ear.
"I'll make sure to hold on and catch the Snitch," he replied boldly as Severus stepped back. They exchanged an intense stare before Severus raised his wand.
"Nine o'clock in my office on Saturday evening. There will be Anti-Cheating quills at our disposal."
"I'll be there, sir."
Severus sneered again and stepped away from his student. He raised his wand, and Harry braced himself.
An hour later, Harry tottered out of the classroom, sweaty and dishevelled. He felt extremely determined to get the better of Severus on Saturday. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after all.
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"You…challenged…Snape?" Ron spluttered. Harry nodded, grinning. Hermione looked very disapproving.
"Challenging a teacher…! And Professor Snape, of all people! He's going to flatten you out, Harry!"
Harry had a vision of Severus lying on top of him…He cleared his throat.
"I'll make sure he won't." Not yet, eh, Harry? a naughty voice piped up in his mind.
"Good luck, mate," Ron said bleakly, trying to steal a kiss from Hermione. She huffed and squirmed away half-heartedly. Ron tried again. Successfully. Harry blinked as they exchanged a full-mouthed kiss. The word "mate" started to take on another sense for him…Harry blinked again. The dream of Severus had definitely…unsettled…him. Severus's breath against his ear…
"Er, I've got to go to the library," Harry said, leaping up from the sofa, anxious to leave his friends to their own devices.
To his consternation, he met Marius Rivers on the way.
"Ah, Severus's protégé," the handsome wizard said smoothly.
Harry arched a cool eyebrow reminiscent of the Potions Master.
"Is there something you require, Mr Rivers?" he asked politely.
"Just a few words of sound advice, Mr Potter. Be careful in whom you place your trust."
Harry laughed softly.
"You, of all people, are telling me that?"
Marius's face tightened.
"I have seen Severus's…let's call it a tattoo…on his forearm."
A spike of anger stabbed Harry.
"And you consider yourself trustworthy? People who talk behind other people's backs tend to be rather hard to trust, Mr Rivers, in case that fact has escaped your attention."
Harry brushed past Marius with a flash of furious green eyes. How dumb does the man think I am? he fumed, and how could Snape possibly fuck an idiot like him? Wait a moment, what exactly am I thinking, and why…?
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