The date was on Ginny's one day off that week. She spent the morning sending messages in her enchanted notebook to Pertha asking for advice on what to wear and do with her hair. Truth was, Ginny didn't care much for her physical appearance and she rarely dressed to impress, but thought it might be nice to make an exception for Harry since they hadn't seen each other in years and this was his 'apology' for letting Severus pull her out of a tight pickle when he should have been there. It felt good to be wanted, Ginny thought slyly as she pulled on a pair of tight leather trousers and a t-shirt of the Weird Sisters. It had been a band that was popular in her and Harry's youth (they'd even performed at the Yule Ball) and Ginny decided it would spark conversation.
Harry said the restaurant would be a 'surprise' and Apparated to Ginny's doorstep overdressed in a perfectly tailored white button down and a pair of trousers with a belt with a golden phoenix logo. It was a stark contrast against her own casual attire; Ginny wished he could have at least warned her they were going somewhere 'posh'. A sinking feeling in Ginny's gut told her that this date was going straight to the drains in the Chamber of Secrets.
The second sign of trouble was when she and Harry Apparated to a fairly top status restaurant on the olutskirts of Cagailshire called Silver Fox. It was a very exclusive lounge and you needed to have made reservations a few weeks in advance to guarantee a table. But reservations were no trouble for Harry Potter-Savior of the Wizarding World.
They were seated at the most stellar table overlooking the gorgeous Solway Coast. The meal began with champagne and those tiny stuffed mushrooms with red roe on top. It was truly the fanciest appetizer Ginny ever had. She mentally began to forgive him as she polished off the last roe-egg with her finger.
Harry, on the other hand, made off-handed comments about how this was 'too much' and 'very excessive'. It didn't stop him from eating and drinking. Ginny found it funny that the one boy who was raised in a cupboard under the stairs couldn't at least try and be thankful for the opportunity to eat in such a nice restaurant. Perhaps London and becoming an Auror had changed him for the worse.
Ginny sipped her vintage red wine, picked at her steak and regurgitated conversation about the town and about what both had been up to since leaving Hogwarts; fishing for topics had been far easier to do after a few glasses of the burgundy.
It had been a while since she was sad to be tipsy. All her life she imagined that if she and Harry could just have a chance to date, she would be truly happy. Now she felt she couldn't have a proper adult conversation with him without a drink. Ginny realized, to her own horror, that she needed to find a new wizard. But it didn't make sense: wasn't Harry her best friend? The boy she wanted to marry eventually? The boy her parents thought would make the perfect partner? Molly and Arthur Weasley even told Harry to call them 'mum' and 'dad' and were both more than happy to welcome him into their family. Gods, what a disappointment this all was.
Ginny finished her glass and her eyes glued themselves to Mr Handsome. He could easily become her next wizard, since things with Harry were very clearly going to the dogs.
Holy Merlin, fuck! What was she going on about? Ginny had to shake her head because she couldn't have been staring at a man who was a dead-ringer for Severus Snape. He was dressed in a tailored suit and had his dark hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. His brows raised to show even darker eyes that captured every comment made by his breathtaking redhead companion. Ginny recognized her as the same witch whom Severus paid her to spill a drink on her lap some weeks prior. No. It wasn't possible. Or maybe, it was-how intimately did Ginny know Severus' private affairs. Putting two-and-two together, coupled with the alcohol, was clearly playing tricks on Ginny's subconcious.
The redhead grazed her fingers down Severus' chest, letting his silk shirt crumple at her touch— and slipped a kiss onto his cheek. He poured her a glass of white wine and smiled at a joke she made, leaning into her. Ginny imagined he might have changed up his cologne. He usually did smell fairly appearling and-oh gods, why would she even be thinking about that?
"Gin?"
Severus' had very lovely fingers. That wasn't an intrusive comment to make, was it? It was true; they were the kind that looked long enough for him to be a violinist. Long enough that he could cradle a witch's head when he kissed her. Now he flicked them on the redhead's chin, causing her to giggle and wove a strand of her hair through his fingers.
"Ginny!?"
"Gods, oh fuck!" Ginny muttered and stared a giant stain of red that dripped down her shirt and trousers.
"Maybe I should pour the wine from now on," Harry said gently, handing her a few napkins to clean herself.
"Yeah. Ugh! I knew this would happen," Ginny muttered, wiping herself clean. "I'm going to step out."
"Take your time," said Harry, frantically dabbing at the tablecloth before a waiter used a Vanquishing spell to dispose of it.
-xxx-
Ginny slipped into the lavatory, fighting back angry tears.
Harry was her soulmate. She had a crush on him since she was a firstie. He was her best friend. He got along with her parents. They shared mutual friends. So why did she feel so bloody miserable on this date? Miserable enough to oggle at Severus Snape, of all wizards.
She didn't even care about her wine stained shirt. Ginny used her wand to evaporate the stains from the front, then stared at herself long and hard in the mirror, contemplating her life choices. Deep inside, she knew coming to Cagailshire was a temporary move—a distraction until she could return to her normal life in Ottery St Catchpole. So why did she feel more at home here in Cagailshire than she ever had in the Ottery? She couldn't even imagine a life in London, married to Harry and having a family and a fancy house with him. This bar and her new friends were more home than anything else—they were the life she built, not one that was expected of her.
The door opened as Ginny was washing her hands in the sink and she looked over the shoulder to see Severus' date stand alongside her and begin charming her beautiful red hair back into its proper chignon on her head. When she finished, she fixed her eyeliner and lipstick.
Again, Ginny was convinced that Severus has the ability to hold power over any beautiful witch. She wasn't sure how, but his charms were certainly—effective.
"Oh, it's you!" said the redhead smiling. "From the Crooked Crone."
Ginny smiled. "Yeah."
"Marcia," she said, holding her manicured violet-nailed hand out for a handshake. "Can't tell you how much you helped me that day."
Apparently not well enough since you've still considered going out with Severus Snape on a date, Ginny thought bitterly, shaking Marcia's hand.
"You know, Ginny, we have so much in common," Marcia said kindly. Ginny was certain Marcia was going to mention that they both had red hair, but she said, "We both are real witches. I knew I could rely on you to tell me the truth about Severus when you saved me that one time."
"But you still considered going out with … him," Ginny said.
"First impressions can be faulty. Wizards change." Marcia twirled a curl in her fingers. "Besides, Severus is a catch. Take your own Mr Potter."
How did she know Harry, Ginny wondered. "Opinions could change, but gut instincts stay the same. You told me you have no interest in pursuing anything with Snape."
"Before. Now I see, he's quite handsome, quite charming and also very in tune with his emotions. He may have acted a scoundrel when we first met, but it was only to get my attention. I admit I am a bit of a princess when it comes to men. A witch likes to be convinced. Call me crazy! I like to be…pleasured. Reassured. Seduced. And Severus can do all that and more."
Ginny pulled back a smile. "I can't see how Severus could pleasure anyone."
Marcia sighed, smiling and lifting her brows in a 'you know what I meant' fashion.
"First looks can be deceiving," she whispered and left the lavatory.
-xxx-
The night out ended with a real-life orchestra playing for the entire restaurant. To the tune of João Gilberto's Desafinado, Harry reluctantly invited Ginny for a slow dance. As they rocked back and forth on the floor, Harry's breath on her ear, Ginny watched as Severus and Marcia took a spot across from them. Severus' attention was entirely on his witch as he spun her slowly to the beat of the music and did a calculated two-step to the tune.
Ginny watched his hands slide lower down Marcia's back, now massaging her arse as Marcia playfully pushed him off and whispered something in his ear. Ginny neck and cheeks burned, and she stepped out for air, out of Harry's embrace telling him she was going to be back.
Ginny walked down the corridor and found herself in what looked to be a conference room for traveling Ministry members. She went to the small balcony at the far end and pushed aside the curtains to unlatch the door and let in some cool evening air. She wasn't a smoker, but admitted it would have been nice to have something in her mouth to help herself calm down.
The rumbling of the doorknob behind her, sent her ducking behind the thick polyester curtains.
What were the odds that the two people to enter the room were the very two people Ginny was hoping to hide from. Severus practically stumbled into the room, slamming Marcia against the long conference table. Ginny assumed that's what the loud sound was because the next sounds sounded like they were passionately engaged in a makeout session. Ginny had yet to imagine what her former professor would look like kissing a witch, and hoped she'd never have to because the thought alone was making her neck and underarms sweat profusely.
She prepared to melt away or Apparate out of the room when she heard what she could only assume were Marcia's naked thighs slapping on the wooden table and a mix of deep panting. Of course she could do the polite thing: come out and apologize. "So sorry for ruining your night of passionate lovemaking. I'll be going now."
Ginny was just about to do that, when she peaked out of the curtain and saw a gigantic, black, swirling cloud hovering and shifting around Severus who was frantically trying to keep it at bay by use of a Patronus charm.
Severus ducked as a bookshelf tumbled and nearly crushed him under its own weight. That's when Ginny whipped out her wand and cast her own Patronus— a horse —to block the black thing from smearing Severus into the wall. One moment, and the creature flew out the open balcony window and Ginny was kneeling beside Severus, watching as he cast a Cooling charm over a particularly painful blow in the shoulder.
"Shite, the Obscurial is getting away," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
"Let's go," Ginny said.
And for once, Severus didn't try to stop her. Looping his fingers into hers, they Apparated into the night. Ginny smiled, and she didn't think once of Harry as her form turned to dust.
A/N: Hopefully this chapter comes as a more pleasant surprise after Ginny got into a kerfuffle at the Crone. More advancement in the romantic subplot. Enjoy!