AN: I'm sorry for the length of this chapter, but it has important content that I really didn't want to mix with anything else, so tell me how you think things are coming along, and enjoy

AN: I'm sorry for the length of this chapter, but it has important content that I really didn't want to mix with anything else, so tell me how you think things are coming along, and enjoy. –Richard S.

Picking and Choosing (Tales of Hogwarts Romance) Chapter 30

"I ate twenty-three puddings last night!" Killious informed Snape with exuberance.

"I really am more concerned with getting myself shipped off to Azkaban for the murder of an entirely perverse and disturbing excuse for a teacher." Snape muttered as he pushed Illy off of himself without much thought towards what she had just said.

"She said she just ate twenty-three puddings!" Fred and George scolded the impending Snape.

"And she was joined in her late night escapades off to the wrong dorm at a ridiculous hour by a teacher!"

"Servius, she spent the night away from Malfoy, had no bad dreams, ate more food than anyone else could, and she woke up happy to see you of all people." Lupin rolled his eyes and shook his finger at Snape sarcastically, before retreating back to the room with a smirk. Suddenly the realization crept in. Snape turned around and glared at Illy.

"This…Is entirely your fault miss Enquirous, to my office immediately!" He demanded, but fooled no one, as he stormed towards the stairs with Illy's wrist in his hand. She flashed a grin back at everyone and tottered down the stairs with no resistance.

"That does make me wonder though…" Said Hermione suddenly, before turning back towards Lupin, who was lounging in a squashy chair. "Why did you sleep here last night?" She inquired sternly. He just shrugged and raised his hands,

"I missed this place. I spent seven years here, and besides, I just slept on the couch, and I made everyone else go to their own bed just for the sake of making myself appear less creepy." He smiled at her and leaned his head back into the chair.

"Please Hermione, don't start citing rules to our best defense against the dark arts teacher yet." Ron complained to her.

"Oh fine, but only because it's break and he's technically off duty."

"What on earth would posses you to do something so stupid?" Snape demanded from Illy. She only threw up, yet again into the bucket he had gathered for her in his office. About five minutes after she woke up Killious discovered that her giddy high spirits had been less actual joy and more an odd bodily preparation for more nausea than she had ever lived through. Snape had ended up carrying her most of the way down to his office, where he was brewing a potion to calm her stomach and scolding her at the same time.

"Have you no common sense?" He asked again. She just looked up at him from the bucket and glared.

"What did you expect Ike? You consume one eighth of the average student's diet every other day and then you decide to out eat a pack of teenage boys and a wolf man?"

"Don't forget Hermione…ugh" Illy gagged and began to vomit up more pudding.

"Haven't you ever seen malnourishment at work?" He asked with another disapproving look that was somehow countered by his rubbing her back and holding her hair for her. She wiped her mouth on her flannel sleeve and struggled to reply,

"Well, I played…a…lot of…quidditch that night….I…ugh" She spit up a chunk of cherry with which some of the puddings had been topped, "thought…that maybe it would…sort of…burn up the food…" Snape just shook his head and smiled. Even Illy wasn't totally used to his smile, it was thin and jagged, but so genuine when it came that it seemed to counter-act the rest of his demeanor and confuse onlookers into believing that they had never even seen it.

"Ike…" He cleared his throat before continuing, "I'm glad you had fun, and I'm really glad that you ate something, but you've got to be careful for me." He gave up crouching on the floor with her and finally sat down just behind where she knelt. "I woke up and went to have you deliver something and you were gone." His voice sounded like he was about to show actual sadness as opposed to just cynicism. "And so was Lupin, and we both know what he is. He could have really hurt you, well I guess he did in that game, but you get the gist." She sat up from the bucket and leaned back into Snape's shoulder.

"He's a good guy. Admittedly, he doesn't really listen to people or understand tact, but he's had to spend his life ignoring everyone's mockery and bias. How can he listen to himself alone?"

"Exactly my point, and look at you. You run around this place like you can buy the world with your body or something, how is he supposed to respond to that? Think for me please."

"I do not."

"Ike I don't mean that you're…I'm not trying to say tha-"

"That I'm a whore?"

"I would never call you that."

"But finding a term to substitute was taking too long so I said it for you."

"Don't get mad at me just because you're having a natural reaction to overfeeding an anorexic."

"Can we keep on subject? You think I'm sleeping with every guy in this school to get what I want, or at least I think that's where we were."

"No it's not, I was just going to say that you don't have to act the way you do. You're smart Ike."

"Damn it! I'm not like you! Don't you get that, I'm not going to live out my life celibate and hiding behind an angry façade."

"Stop getting mad at me for trying to talk to you."

"Stop prying into my business because you think that you're my father." Illy snapped, but the instant the words had left her lips she found herself stabbed with guilty anguish. Snape started to get up from the floor. She turned and flung her hands around his neck frantically.

"No. I didn't mean it I promise. You're right, I'm defensive because you're right and I know it. Please, forgive me, I'm sorry. You're not trying to be my father." He rose anyway, and moved to the potion he had been brewing with an icy calm.

"Actually, you're right. I do find myself prying into your business too much, and I do act like I'm your parent sometimes. I promised your mother I'd watch out for you, should you ever exist."

"You promised her that you'd watch out for me before you knew I was born?"

"Not exactly. I promised that I'd make sure that any children she had would be personally watched over. I made some mistakes in that promise, so I'm reluctant to let them happen again."

"The accident?"

"Among other things. Now drink this." He handed her a glass of the powder blue liquid. "It should help you keep the rest of that food down."

"Too bad, I was hoping to vomit the rest back up before I gained weight from it." She jeered. Snape was horror stricken. Apparently he didn't get the joke. "Kidding Servius. I may have some things wrong with me, but I'm not bulimic." He relaxed his muscles and took a seat behind the desk. Illy drank the glass silently before speaking again.

"You should get a cot in here for me to skip class on."

"I will do no such thing."

"Fine, but at least don't be so hard on Lupin, he made sure we all went up to our dorms, and he took his medicine like a good puppy."

"There is still the matter of your sneaking into the kitchens and staying in another dorm."

"Yeah, because me and Hermione got really crazy last night." She rolled her eyes and took a seat in one of the chairs opposite Snape's desk.

"The point is that you continually skirt the rules with no regard for the fact that they are punishable."

"So punish me, I don't care."

"That would be the problem."

"Fine, no more late night quidditch with werewolf's followed by pudding eating contests."

"I'm not going to get a promise of your staying only in your own dorm from now on am I?"

"With those newly discover house elf access' to things? No."

"Fine, can I get a promise that you'll behave less promiscuously?"

"It depends, what would that entail."

"Longer skirt, looser shirt, less use of physical contact to avoid confrontation or responsibility, less leading both Harry and Draco on, less public affection towards both of them in general, the dismissal of goobye bear hugs and kisses, and the cleaning up of your mouth." Snape raddled off the list as though he had gone over it several times before.

"Was that prepared ahead of time?"

"Most certainly."

"Then no. Sorry but I'm simply too absorbed in leading on young gentlemen's and shunning responsibility to lengthen my skirts." Illy smiled and put both of her bare feet onto Snape's desk.

"For someone who thinks that Lupin is a perv, and you know you do so don't protest, you spend a lot of time with me."

"We're old friends, there're exceptions for that."

"He's part animal, are there exceptions for that?"

"Not even in Hades."

"I'm kidding Servius, he's sub-par for my teacher affair standards." Illy folded her fingers together, as though she were discussing a serious matter.

"Good to know." Snape replied with no emotion.

"So are you, but only because we're old friends." She raised her eyebrows in simulation of suggestive look.

"Pass me that bucket I feel sick." He said with stoicism.

"I'm just kidding." She smiled and chuckled at her own joke.

"Ike, one day you'll realize that you can just be you, without using anything else to guard yourself."

"I wonder what will make me realize that."

"Oh, I'd say something over your summer might kick that brain of yours into full gear, and then you'll be so mad at everyone, myself included, for letting you go on the way you have, that you'll be a force for even the dark lord to recon with."

"I'll never stay mad at you…merlin knows I've tried, but I can't hold a grudge."

"One more thing that is too dangerous about you for your own good."

"I think I'm going to go take a n-na-naaah-nap" Illy said through a yawn. "Hermione and I didn't get all that much sleep, so I want to catch a bit of it up." Illy pulled her feet back down from Snape's desk and made her way around to where he sat. "Now give me a hug." She put her arms around his neck again, and he wrapped his around her waste. She gave him a smug smile and closed her eyes to concentrate her best of sending him a thought.

"I'm nothing like him. Now get out of my office before he has as much reason to tear off my head as I do his." Illy smirked and skipped out of the room, feeling once again, perky and blithe. The realization hit Snape just as she slipped from the door. "Did you say that out loud?" He shouted down the hall after her.

"What did I say?" She called back, stopping in place to speak with him.

"You told me that I was just as much of a perv as Lupin." He seemed suddenly confused by hearing the words out loud for the first time.

"In that case, no I didn't say that. But I'm glad that you heard it." She winked and continued on, leaving Snape blissfully proud but terribly sick with worry.

"Illy, come sit with us!" Ron called to Illy, who had just woken from her late morning nap and stumbled down to lunch in an a-line sleeveless, knee length, white dress with black trim around its high wasted belt and lay flat collar. She nodded to him, adjusted her black cardigan, and smiled inwardly as she listened to her black sling backs click across the floor of the great hall.

"Any reason for that criminally good looking dress?" Fred questioned as Illy took her seat gracefully.

"Actually yes, Professor Snape had a talk with me this morning about my precocious clothing."

"So what?" George persisted.

"So, I figured that a dress might appease him." She responded with a wave of her hand.

"But I can see straight down to your bra, and so can anyone taller than you…it's light purple." Fred responded.

"Lavender actually, but it's not like you can expect me to be able to replace my entire wardrobe in a matter of hours during which I was napping."

"I don't care either way, it's a smashing dress." Harry offered in encouragement.

"Thank you Harry, I'm glad someone thinks so."

"We think so!" Said Fred and George sounding appalled.

"And so do I, and I bet even Hermione does." Ron added with a pink grin.

"I do, but I would suggest an undershirt." She said with a scolding tone.

"I'll just button up another button." Illy said with a role of her eyes, before closing a black button over the spot where her cleavage had just been showing itself off. A hushed "aww" of disappointment went around the table, and Illy giggled.

"What are we doing after lunch?" Illy asked as the meal slowly came to an end.

"Nothing until you eat something." George replied firmly.

"I've been advised to watch how quickly I try to adjust my diet." She said with a brief smile, just before sighing and taking the fruit salad he offered pushily, though she ate none of it.

"I think we're just heading out for a bit of snowballing." Said Hermione with a sigh. "Maybe we can break a limb this time."

"Don't over react Herm, we're all bruised up enough that I think we'll only be planning on light fire. For you, Fred and George, that means that you may not bewitch the snowballs to rapid fire at anyone." Illy said firmly.

"Well, I'm done are you all ready to go change?" Ron said, shoving his plate from him.

"Yeah I guess so." Harry shrugged and stood up. Everyone at the table followed his example as he headed out of the hall, shaking slightly. He could feel his heart in his throat, thumping against him as he gasped for air. He stepped just outside, stopping in the ever familiar spot that the group often loitered around before breaking for their separate dorms. His hands shook by his sides and he could feel a cold sweat beginning to trickle down his face.

"You alright Harry?" Killious asked with concern, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Huh? Wha, oh yeah, yeah I'm all right, just a bit nervous." He replied honestly. The group behind Killious closed around the couple in a circular formation.

"What is it?" She asked, though she had a pretty good idea what had him tugging at the bottom of his shirt.

"I actually wanted to ask you something." Everyone's eyes now drifted from Harry to Illy, waiting for her to egg him on.

"And what would that be?" She tried to sound calm and unsuspecting, but it only earned her a hardened look from Harry, who seemed to be reminding her silently of a few conversations they had, had in private before.

"See we've been friends for a while now…and…I was wondering…" His voice drifted off. No matter how sure he was that this conversation would end in his favor he still felt anxious and worried.

"Yes Harry?"

"I wanted to know if you'd go out with me, like you know…steady, be my girlfriend and all?" His sheepish grin was endearing and the eyes of the group once again traveled to Killious, who stood utterly still and speechless. Harry smiled at her and mouthed out the words, 'don't embarrass me' before giving her a nod to coax her along. She swallowed and looked down at his now balled fist.

"Erm…of course Harry." She breathed. He smiled and put both arms around her waist.

"Nicely done Harry." Ron encouraged, slapping a hand on Harry's shoulder. Hermione smiled tightly at Illy, whose hands were still limply hanging at her sides. Fred turned to leave immediately and Geroge followed after him in hushed conversation.

"I'm glad you said yes." He whispered in Illy's ear, sending chills up and down her spine. She nodded and folded into the hug reluctantly, and still in shock. "Now why don't you go get changed so we can have a snow ball fight with our friends." He said at a more audible level, before giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. His hot lips sent a sickening bolt through her stomach, and twisted her insides into a finite number of knots. She shuddered but nodded and silently went back to her dorm, her slow, soft steps clicking down the empty hall.

The common room had very few stragglers in it. Most of the students were home, but those that were staying for the holiday had already headed outside or to the library for the afternoon. Illy headed up to her room changed into jeans and a sweatshirt of Draco's in just a few moments. It felt almost wrong to wear something that belonged to another boy after the situation that had just taken place, but his scent and the feel of the old garment he worked out in calmed her and gave her the little boost she needed to face her new boyfriend. She pulled her hair into a pony tail and grimaced in the mirror before walking back towards the common room. The room had a few more people in it now, playing chess and such, but she was still surprised to be greeted at the door by Matty, who was a pale gray shade. She started talking before Illy knew what was happening, placing her hands on Illy's shoulders and looking fervently into her eyes and she spoke.

"Illy, I know we don't talk much, and I know that you're friends with Draco and all but…" She stopped her fast paced words for just a moment, but Illy still couldn't tell what it was she was on about. In truth Illy was still mulling over the possibility of Harry or someone else recognizing Draco's sweater in her mind. "Well I thought maybe, since you're friends with even Gryffindor's and mudbloods and all, well maybe we could go out sometime." Her words rushed together so that Illy could barely understand what she was saying, even though she was now paying them a bit more mind. She struggled to make her distant thoughts focus on what was happening and to decipher the word mush that Matty had presented.

"Like what? Like me and you and some friends or something?" She tried, but Matty's expression fell. She had just severely disappointed this odd little blond girl apparently.

"No, just the two of us, as a date, maybe to Hogsmead or Diagon Ally when school is out." Matty tried again after regaining her spark of excitement.

"Oh…actually…" Illy searched for something to say in lieu of 'even if I dated women I wouldn't date you because you're clearly deranged'.

"Actually, I'm dating Harry Potter right now…but I'll um…I'll keep you in mind if…I need to go." She said, dismissing herself from the room, out to the front of the castle where everyone laughed about the situation for three full minutes before beginning less of a snowball fight and more of a snowball war that waged for the entirety of the remaining daylight and resulted in more bruises, nicks, and even a tumble down a hill that left Ron and Illy incapacitated for several minutes due to ankle sprains and headaches produced by their colliding with one another's heads.

But during all of this fun a very single and very vengeful Matty Melrose was sending a pointedly biased owl off towards Draco Malfoy, explaining in rather vulgar and exaggerated terms that Killious Enquirous was now dating Harry Potter, which also resulted in a tumble down a hill that sprained Draco's ankle and gave him a headache, though his was set in motion because he was so shocked at the owl he had received he lost his footing on a hillside path, tripped over his own foot, and rolled smack dab into a rather thick tree, rather than being hit by a playful snowball from a friend. Shortly after recovering from this fall, and prying his mother off of his frame said Malfoy went to his room and composed a remarkably loud howler, for said Enquirous to wake up to in the morning.