Alia: I...Oh what the hell is there to say? My condolences and sympathies to all the students of VTech and their families. I'm in college and I know if something like that happened...Well, I really wish the best for all of you.
I'm having a REALLY rough time of things right now. I'm having some issues...yeah. Some issues. Right. So don't expect another for a while. It might be a short time, might be long. I don't know.
Anyway, this is more of a in between before anything juicy happens. As for me, I'm going to decide whether or not I should work on a paper for a class. Well a few papers. Oh and does anyone know a martial art teacher that teaches kids? I need the name for an article. Oh and I GOT PROMOTED IN JUJITSU! YEAH!!!
Now go ahead and read and review.
Title: Expecting The Absolute Weirdest
Author: Alia
Part 1/1
Rating: R
Pairing: Severus Snape / Original Male Character; Severus Snape / Harry Potter
Spoilers: I'm not exactly sure...HBP spoilers (just not the way you would think)!
Warnings: slash, language, angst, humor?, AU
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter. I would like to but JKR does and I don't think she's inclined to share.
Summary: Two men facing painful losses drown their sorrows, and make an already interesting rollercoaster much more interesting.
Author's notes: This is just a silly little story. I don't even know why I'm writing it. I think it may be one of those feel good stories. NO SAP. It makes me sick to my stomach. Ah well. Here goes.
Expecting The Absolute Weirdest
"Shouldn't you be a bit more surprised?" he mumbled.
"That you're a bastard? I have you severely out classed."
He snorted. "I doubt that. I don't think anyone has fallen as low as I have."
"Don't be so sure. I can guarantee that I have you beat."
"And where did you pick up your skills?" he said sarcastically.
His companion smirked. "Oh here and there. Dark wizards are good teachers."
"Can you please explain to me how we ended up in Diagon Alley when we were only going to tour Hogsmeade?" Severus grumbled as they made their way through the crowd. It usually wasn't that bad for either man. More than once had people stepped to the side to get away from Severus with black robes and habitual scowl.
Even Alex didn't have trouble with crowd control. There was something about the man that caused people to get out of the way even faster than they would for Severus. One of his employees said that it was that feeling of danger that caused it. Severus didn't believe it for a second.
He personally believed that Alex simply knew how to move. He'd seen Shacklebolt do it once before, shifting through the crowd with a long born experience. Alex had been an auror for the Greecian Ministry before he'd bought the pub. There was also the fact that his husband worked in a busy pub most nights. Alex was used to shifting his way easily through people.
"Well," Alex replied, "You weren't very happy that the apothecary in Hogsmeade didn't have your ingredient. I wanted to see Diagon Alley anyway, so here we are. You aren't regretting the decision already are you?"
"If I didn't need that ingredient today, I wouldn't bother running through cattle!" The older wizard snapped. Alex grimaced. Severus' temper had gotten a lot better since their marriage but the potions master's patience was becoming thin.
The wizard in white gave a sigh of relief when they reached the apothecary. He himself didn't like crowded places and that was the usual atmosphere for Diagon Alley.
Both relaxed as they entered the relative quiet of the apothecary. Severus immediately headed down one of the isles, ignoring the old wizard at the register. Alex followed sedately, barely glancing at the old man.
Severus observed the items on a low middle shelf critically as Alex stood off to his side, looking around curiously. He didn't love potions like Severus did, but the subject did interest him. "This brings back memories," whispered Alex.
Severus paused to look at him curiously before turning back to the jars filled with a black jell. "Of what?"
"Our fifth date."
Severus didn't even turn around. "Our fifth date consisted of watching you screaming abuse at your employees, dragging me through the countryside to get the correct shipment of wine, and having an argument with the owner of the vineyard. We barely got back before midnight after that little duel you had with the man's son."
"The little prat should have minded his own business! I was talking with his father and not once did I threaten the old man. I wouldn't have done anything like that." Severus had to stifle a response. "Besides, we finished at ten. You were the reason we barely made it back before midnight. You absolutely had to go to that night market."
"It had fresh and rare ingredients. It was also highly suggested at the conference."
"And we spent two hours combing through all the items they were trying to shove our way." He smiled. "It was a bit fun though. You were nicer at the market than you were when we went to the apothecary in Athens."
"You shouldn't have interrupted me."
"I didn't know things were that delicate. I didn't think an ingredient would fall apart because of sound waves. It's ridiculus! And I'm not getting into when I came into your lab while you were working."
"As if you were any less grouchy when I tried to talk to you while you were in your office writing up expenses for the pub."
Alex grimaced. That had not been pretty. He had been a real bastard and hadn't even known it. Severus had stormed out of the room and didn't speak to him for the rest of the day. It had taken a lot of groveling to get things straightened out. "Okay. I'll admit that I'm not much better. Both of us hate being disturbed while we're working."
"That's because we both enjoy it." Plucking a thin vial with a cloudy peach liquid inside, Severus headed to the front of the store. Alex nodded in understanding. Despite their complaints, both men really did love their jobs.
"Severus?"
Alex and his husband, who had just finished his purchase, turned to look at the tall blond standing in the doorway. A pleased look came over Severus' face as he nodded to the man. "Draco. What brings you here?"
Smiling, Draco moved closer to his godfather while observing the man to Severus's side. /A bit close isn't he?/ "I saw you through the window and thought I would stop and say hello. I wanted to see how your trip to Greece went also."
Seeing Draco and Alex staring at each other, Severus sighed. "Alex, this is my godson."
The man's eyes seemed to light up with understanding. "Oh! I'm sorry, Severus. I forgot."
"Severus?" Draco asked slightly confused.
Clearing his throat, Severus said, "Draco, this is Alexius Agathon." He sighed. "He's my husband."
Alex chuckled as Draco stared at Severus. "Did you get this reaction from your colleagues?"
"It looks like I'm getting it from everyone," mumbled Severus as he watched his godson regain his senses.
"Your husband?" Draco exclaimed. He tried to overcome his startled reaction as he continued questioning. "When did this happen?" He stared at the smiling man beside Severus, then turned to the older man.
"Over the summer, while I was away."
Draco shook his head as he tried to figure out what to say. Alex nudged Severus forward. "Why don't we go for lunch, Severus? I think your godson deserves something resembling an explanation."
In the end, they decided to tell Draco the truth. The real truth, not the vague facts that led the inhabitants of Hogwarts to their ideas.
Stunned gray eyes stared at them in shock. "What?"
Alex tried to smother a grin while Severus nodded seriously.
Draco shook his head in disbelief as he continued staring at the married couple. He stopped as his mind finally caught up then glared at them. "You did what?!" he shouted. He was loud enough to catch the attention of those at the other tables.
"Draco Malfoy, keep your voice down! You're a grown man. Stop shrieking like a child," snapped Severus as Alex said, "I guess we handed you quite a surprise."
Draco snorted and took a small sip of wine. A disapproving look was shot at the two men. "How did you expect me to act after telling me why you got married, Severus? You don't just get married because you felt like it!"
"Why not?" asked Alexius. "We get along, and we're compatible enough." He decided not to mention anything about sex. "It's not as if we have anyone else."
"There is the fact that," Draco paused to shake his head. He brushed his hair from his face. "Do you two love each other?"
"Draco, you do not have to be in love to be married. But..." Severus and Alex shared a look and a small smile. Draco sat back in his chair as he was surprised to see it. "We are happy with each other. We care about each other. That's enough for now."
"It simply wasn't something I would expect from you, Severus."
"You mean after Potter left me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Malfoy blinked in surprise at the calm tone in which his rival's name was said. After Potter had abandoned Severus to be with Ginny Weasley, the potions master hadn't been able to speak of the man without a hint of anger, hatred, or bitterness in his tone.
"Draco, I admit that we were..."
"Drunk?" Alex suggested with a grin.
"Slightly inebriated," Severus continued with a scowl at his husband, "when we made the decision to marry, but it's rather obvious that we still agree with our original assessment. It was the right thing to do although it was foolish in how we went about it."
Draco stared at him then looked at Alexius. "I still have to wonder how the two of you can still be so absolutely sure of this. You can't possibly have a good marriage after knowing each other for that short amount of time!"
Alex shook his head. "That's where you're wrong." He raised a hand to halt Draco before he could start talking. "Let me explain. Severus and I spent that drunken night talking about our history. It was because we had so many similarities that we thought we were compatible."
"Similar experiences can only take you so far."
"That's true. That is why Severus and I have done our best to get to know each other."
"And we know each other well, Draco. We understand each other."
"And you love each other?" Draco was not going to let Severus end up in an unhappy relationship. He already had Potter on his list. Draco didn't want to have to add another name.
"We care for each other. We're happy with each other. That's enough for now."
He knew they were arguing because they were in shock. Who wouldn't be, but he was extremely surprised that he was yelling at the dark haired man before him. He shouldn't be but he was.
He had learned to keep his temper the hard way. People didn't believe he had control but he did. He had to. But after so much time, it was startling to be screaming and throwing insults at his new husband and not have that control in place.
But the man before was giving as good as he got, especially since he had started the argument. Even as they stood only inches apart screaming, he didn't have a look of fear in his eyes.
The man before him, yelling insults and obsenities, wasn't afraid of him. He didn't cringe in fear, start crying, or run and hide.
It made him realize that no matter how drunk they'd been, perhaps they'd made the right decision.
TBC
Alia: I felt generous to day. Next chapter: More info on Alex and a chat with Dumbledore. REVIEW!!!