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Vera The week went all too fast. Between making lesson plans, indulging himself in every missed sight and last minute trips to the Grangers' and fittings, there was no time to settle things between them. Ron watched desperately for Snape, but the man had made himself scarce. Whether or not it was on purpose was impossible to determine. With the hectic final days of putting the school back together, even Draco was pressed into service, cleaning Snape's classroom and making an insurmountable amount of potions used in the every day functioning of the massive education machine. Even Percy became a scarce commodity after he returned to St. Mungo's. He had been surprised to find that they not only wanted him back now that he was cured, but they offered to front the money for his education to become a medi-wizard. They were woefully low and many of those who were getting re-educated preferred to steer clear of occupations of blood. By the time the morning of the wedding came round, Ron wanted nothing more then to sleep, corner Snape and have a long conversation with the spindly wily potions master. Instead, he had to gather himself together, dress in formal robes and Apperate to a lovely catering hall. With a series of shaken wait staff, he managed to locate the bride, who had dissolved into fits of tears. "Oh, Ron..." Hermione threw her arms around him. "I'm so nervous." "Now, now, love. No need for all this." Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ginny making frantic gestures. She looked more a wreck then the bride, probably having suffered an hour or so of this already. "I'm getting married! There's plenty of reason! I'm going to have a child and a husband and all sorts of trouble and what if I'm doing the wrong thing..." "Major General! Pull yourself together." She sniffed. "Did you just pull rank on me?" "Damn straight." They both held serious faces for about three seconds more, before letting loose gales of laughter. Only six months ago and that snap of orders would have led to a serious dressing down, but today, with her in a lovely white gown and he in his fine new robes, it was only a ridiculous reflex. "I feel worlds better now." She said through hiccupping giggles. "Ginny, be a love and wet me a handkerchief. I'll retouch my makeup and be ready to go." "Of course, 'Mione." The young red head scuttled off, shooting daggers at her brother. "I hope you plan on apologizing to Harry, Ronald. He's been an absolute mess since you made that scene in his office." "My business is my own. I won't have you scolding me like a child." Ron growled. "Go make yourself useful." The glares burned between them until Ginny retreated. "She's right you know. Silly and mother hen like, but right." Hermione had already conjured a moistened towel and was making inroads on her ruined mascara. "Harry didn't mean to upset you. He was only doing what he thought was right." "I know. But, I also know that he did it for his own good, not with any thought of my request on the matter. I don't owe him an apology." "But you do owe him the chance to say his own." When he nodded in agreement, she pressed on. "And you certainly owe one to his secretary. That poor girl was only doing her job." "Fine." He said through gritted teeth. "Only because it's your wedding." "Thank you." As it happened, Harry was the first person he ran into on leaving the bride to her newly arrived mother. "Ron! Your eyes are healed! That's phenomenal!" "Hello, General." Harry's expression automatically stiffened. "Don't be like that." "Then don't act like it. I'm not yours to command anymore, Harry." "Ron..." The Minister pushed messy black and silver locks out of his eyes. "You know that I didn't copyright those things to hurt you. I may be too used to things going as I order, but you have to know that I wanted to do what was best." "And I appreciate that. I really do. But you shouldn't have done it, Harry. I've already begun to fight interviews and fame grubbers and that's only through owl. When people figure out where I am...." "How could they?" "Didn't anyone tell you?" "Tell me what?" "I'm to be the new Charms professor. Dumbledore asked me the same day I stormed your office." "Oh, Ron, that's great! And don't worry about being inundated. I've already ordered a media silence area for all the schools. I don't think the kids should be exposed to that type of swarm." He sighed wearily. Ron's resistance crumbled under the power of that sigh, remembering all to well when it had been the only sign of a weakening spirit. "Good. So..." "I'm sorry." "You're forgiven." They shook hands before pulling together for a hard, brief hug. Now they could stand united by Hermione's side. If only things were so easy with Snape. "Are you sure, Drake?" Percy asked Long blond hair fell over the slender face, hiding his features entirely. "I don't do well with crowds." He said again stiffly. "Please, Percy...." "I'm not leaving you here alone..." "There's no need to keep me company, I can function well enough by myself." "I didn't say...Look, what if I promised not to leave you for a moment and if you feel the least bit uncomfortable we can come straight back." "But..." "Love, you've barely left the dungeon in twenty years. If you never do, you'll be here in twenty more." "Percy...." "Potions!" "What?" Draco looked about bewildered. They were in the living room and despite numerous texts, there were no bubbling cauldrons in sight. "I'm getting a bit of a salary now, right?" Draco nodded. " For every ten minutes you give the wedding a chance, I'll buy you an ingredient. Anything you want." "You're bribing me." "Is it working?" "Not really, no." Draco sighed. "And you're not understanding me." "Then explain!" "Oh." Draco sat hard on the couch. "That's what this is about then." Gently, Percy kneeled at the blonde's feet. "No, no. I don't want to pry into ugly things. I just want to understand, is all. There are so many things I want to show you in the world, but it's no use if you're terrified out of your wits." "I don't trust easily and I don't think I ever will." Draco grasped one calloused hand in his. "There are times when even here, I have terrible memories...attacks that I can't shake. How do I deal with that outside?" "Oh for Merlin's sake, I'm not asking you to get a job and function. More a date or something...dinner or a walk.... and there are so many fine places in the world to see. Things I saw in my travels that I want to show you." "Perhaps you'd be better off with someone who isn't so useless then." Was the bitter return. "I don't want anyone else!" The older man buried his face against one thin thigh. "And if that means living down here for the rest of my life until death takes us then so be it." "Do you mean that?" "Yes." "All right then. Let's go." "What?!" "To the wedding. An ingredient for every ten minutes, you said. That's going to be quite the bill..." Percy blinked. "What just happened here?" "I believe, Mr. Weasley, that you've just come against a very formidable, if housebound, Slytherin." The gravel of Snape's voice brought their attention to the door. "Draco, don't play with your food." "Yes, sir." "And Mr. Weasley, you'd be well advised to let Draco make his own decisions. He'll tell you anything you want to know when he's ready and I have always been confident that he will not live out his days in my dungeons." He growled at his son's suitor. "Now then, are we all ready?" "Yes, sir." The two chastised boys intoned and followed the Professor to their portkey. They arrived at the wedding in a jumble and Snape quickly lost track of the younger pair. Draco was naturally overwhelmed, but appeared buoyed by the particular Weasley presence. Resigned to watching the wedding from afar, he settled himself in an empty back row. Being a man of punctuality, he was pleased when the wedding party began their march promptly. Only a few other lone stragglers joined him in the back seats, so he was able to get quite a clear view of those coming by. There were a few nitwit girls clinging to simpering fools arms coming to stand at the front of the auditorium. A Muggle tradition, no doubt. And then came the witnesses as per the wizarding tradition. He couldn't place Regulus' witnesses as they passed, a pair of unsmiling men, typical of the day in the aged before their time sort of way. Potter and the lone Weasley girl followed up and by their exchange of glances, he was sure that it was their wedding he'd be next attending at Albus' skillful prodding. Good for morale indeed. And by all that was good... Ron walked alone. They must have been out of bloated girls. Only a few months ago, he was a black clad demon, built of strength and sorrow. Now, he clothed himself in beautifully tailored green robes, red-gold hair brushed down to his shoulders. The robes had been made to open to over his chest, closing from breastbone to his equally fitted pants. They were trimmed in silver. Snape could not look away. A Gryffindor in Slytherin colors? Or was the other man trying to send a message? And if so, to whom? And why here and now? "Lovely young man, isn't he?" A plump elderly woman whispered to him. "More the sort I always expected our Hermione to end up with. I believe they even dated for some time. Strange how love is, isn't it? Should be two fine young ones like them today. Instead that sad looking creature got her. " Briefly, he tore his attention from Ron to cast his glance to where Regulus stood waiting for his bride. A weaker, copied image of Sirius without a doubt and there was a lingering stamp of ugly years past in his features, but he did look quite pleased with his nuptials. "Things are not always what they seem." He informed the grandmotherly figure. "No, not always. Still and all, why a young pretty girl would settle for such a careworn...." "He's my cousin." He said suddenly, feeling perverse and quite pleased with curdled look of horror settling in a wave over her face. She attempted to backpedal, but Severus contented himself with returning his eyes to the wedding party, easily picking out the single redhead from the mass. A white ball of taffeta under which Ms. Granger presumably lurked, made its way to the front. The ceremony proceeded quickly after that. Words were said, spells were weaved and the witnesses gave testimony. In the end, they were mated and set before the crowd as Mr. and Mrs. Black. As the couple walked down the aisle together, light brown eyes caught his own and the red head smirked and rolled his eyes. Before he could stop himself, the corner of his mouth quirked up in an answering derisive smile. "Ah, so that's how it is then." The old woman was patting him on the arm. "You're a lucky man." He stared at her as she turned to fight her way from the crowd. There were many things he'd been called in his life, most of them unflattering, but no one had ever thought him lucky. "Papa?" "There you are." His son looked paler then usual, his skin covered in a fine sweat, but there was a small triumphant smile on his face. "Are you quite all right?" "Of course." Was the stubborn reply. "He held up quite well." Percy chimed in, gently prying his hand free from Draco's death grip. "But I think it's best we head back to the dungeons." "I'm ready to leave as well." "Now, now, Severus." The Headmaster appeared in series of silent curses on the part of the potions master. "You wouldn't want to disappoint the rest of the faculty. We were so looking forward to being all together at a pleasant gathering for once." "I'd really rather..." "And besides, you wouldn't want to show disrespect for your cousin, would you?" The twinkle only flamed Snape's desire to tear that kindly eye from the socket. "I shall be there." "Excellent. Now, I really must go congratulate the children. They do grow so quickly." Percy nudged Draco. "Does that vein in his forehead always pulse like that when he's angry?" "Only when it's with Dumbledore. It's a father/son pseudo relationship thing." The blond replied coolly. "It gives Papa someone to rebel against without doing any real damage." "I do not...Oh, just go home and leave me to my misery." He stalked off to the sound of the two boys giggling together. Two months ago and Draco would long ago have suffered a panic attack. Despite himself, he was glad of Percy Weasley. Damn Ron for being right. The party was as horrible as Snape had foreseen. Watching his colleagues get smashed and make collective arses out of themselves was bad enough, but it had the added horror of allowing Trelawney to lose all sense and reason. At some point in the evening she'd apparently 'seen' that Snape was the most eligible bachelor at the party. Hooch thought this incredibly entertaining and, since she was holding a bit of vendetta against the potions master for some petty incident, she egged on her loopy peer. If only McGonagall wasn't occupied on the dance floor or if Sinastra hadn't already left with a husky middle age specimen, they would have come to the rescue. If only for the favors Snape would owe them for years to come. "And then I told him, 'I see your end is near, fast like lightening'. Well, he didn't believe me at all and just as he was walking out of the pub, bam! Struck by lightening." A red painted, sharpened tool of death poked him in the chest. "And did that get me any more customers? Course not, had the whole bloody crowd turn on me. Chased out of the town with torches! Torches!" "Remove your foul claw from my person immediately!" "Oh, you!" She batted her eyelashes at him. "You always were such a kidder." "I assure you that I am not joking." Somewhere outside of Snape's field of vision, the band got back from their break and began to play a waltz. "I love this song!" She cooed. "Let's dance!" "I will not, you preposterous strumpet!" As he protested, she wobbled to her feet and with a strength he would not have believed possible, yanked him out of his chair. "Excuse me, Severus." And there was his savior! Stunning in green and silver, one eyebrow quirked in amusement, the caress of his first name still lingering on grinning lips. "But I rather wanted to talk to you." "Get lost, Weasley." Trelawney said tartly. "We're going to dance." "No, I don't believe you are." One hand swept through long red locks, revealing a silver charm tucked at the nape of his neck. He brandished it like a sword and poked her in a fleshy arm. "Sobrias." Instantly, Trelawney blinked back to whatever passed for her usual reality. Her cheeks flushed bright red and she redid up a few buttons. Her mouth opened to say something, anything, but in the end she picked up her things and ran from the room. Hooch was beside herself with laughter and the rest of the faculty was beginning to take more interest then Severus would have liked. "Shall we go somewhere else to talk?" "Do you mind if we walk outside for a bit?" Severus nodded acceptance and together they left behind the rapidly building scenes of chaos that usually came when magic was mixed with far too much liquor. " You need not stay with me, you know. I was merely offering you an out." "No, if I go outside, I can Apperate before Dumbledore catches me." "Hermione for me. She's insisting that I not leave until most of the guests are gone. I think she's afraid to be left alone with Regulus." He chuckled. " Now that they're husband and wife, he can't stop gazing at her with worshipful puppy eyes." "Runs in the family, I suppose." "Do you ever...no, sorry. I shouldn't pry." They exited into a lovely courtyard, the night slightly chilled. "You saved me from a fate worse then death, a simple question will not put you out of my good graces." "I was just... I don't know. Seeing how happy they were, having my sight back, and the job... I feel like I have a future. I want to believe that I do, any way. Do you think it's possible? After all of it." He kicked at the grass, sending a flurry of dewdrops into the night. "You'll find your place. There's no way you could not. And there will always be a few sleepless nights and ugly flashbacks, but soon enough you'll be a settled, fondly remembered hero with all the family you could want." "I have quite enough family." His teeth gleamed briefly in the night. "Severus..." "What?" "Nothing. I was just thinking that I like your name. My parents have a propensity towards dry, formal names." "My parents enjoyed alliteration. My sisters are Sylvania and Svetlana." "Where are they now? Your parents and your sisters..." "'Lana lives in Spain with her husband, Sylvania was committed over two decades ago for trying to kill our father. As for my parents..." He shrugged. " at last notice, they were both still alive and 'Lana believes they're living in Russia." "Oh." The younger man looked chagrined. "I don't know what I'd do without my folks, despite all their oddities." "Did they know about Blaise?" The question was so sudden, it seemed to take even Severus by surprise. "Yes. There was never time to really talk about it, but I always got the feeling they were disappointed. Weasleys are breeding stock." He intoned the last in Arthur's serious, exuberant tones. "They're already making noises about me finding a nice girl to settle down with." "And will you?" "Certainly not!" He rubbed at his eyes like a child. "Even if I was interested in the gender, what would I have to offer? A scarred wreck of a body and a mind so twisted, Mad-Eye looks sane in comparison?" "At least you've got your youth and a steady job. That's enough for most." "What about you then? Has there been any one since..." "Remus? No. There...it didn't seem right. If you had ever met him, you would understand. There are very few people like Remus in the world and none of them besides him would condescend to be with the likes of me. To this day, I'm not quite clear as to why he chose me." "Why wouldn't he?" Ron spun so they were facing each other and Severus took in a tight breath. "I was something of the school pariah and it wasn't any better after we graduated." He snorted. "His best friend was my worst enemy and yet, he picked me." "I can see why. You know, when you're all cleaned up and half-way pleasant, you're a very attractive man." Ron laid a hand on his arm, slowly, softly. "Don't think I haven't noticed. You try hard enough to hide it." "I've...noticed you as well." "Have you then? That works out nicely then." Before another word could be said, Ron leaned up the inch that separated them and brushed a kiss over thin lips, more purposeful than his aimless first. Awkwardly, Severus placed a hand on one rounded shoulder, leaning into soft, brief touch. "RON!" They jumped apart. Hermione appeared in the courtyard, apparently having seen nothing as she went to drag him inside with only a perfunctory nod for Severus. Ron mouthed a 'later' to the older man, before allowing the bride to harangue him for going missing. Severus stood alone in the moonlight for a long time, only thinking to Apperate home when the chill shook his teeth together, killing all the heat that had flushed his cheeks for the first time in over a decade. Nothing came of the night for yet another week and Ron didn't even have time to regret it. The arrival of the children sent the whole school into an absolute frenzy. With classes to teach, crying first and second years to constantly console and a total reworking of lesson plans as he realized he had been far to ambitious, there was barely time to eat, let alone make inroads into what promised to be a fairly complex relationship. He dropped exhausted into bed each evening and rose, defeated, to the clock every morning. The only thing that kept him going was the caught moments. A glance over breakfast, a brushing past in the hall was all fodder for his weakening internal engines. By the time the weekend came around, he no longer had any reservations about his plans. If it didn't happen this weekend, Dumbledore would have to find a new Charms professor as his current one would have expired from anticipation. He recalled dimly weeks of waiting for battles in wet, densely crowded camps and spelling food to stretch just long enough and still being able to joke with Harry. Apparently he had no such patience when it came to courtship, which really was a different sort of battle altogether. "Percy, a word." The fire sparkled merrily, catching a thin nose with dipping glasses staring intently at a casebook. "I'll be there with Draco in a matter of hours, can't it wait?" "No. I need you to take him out tonight. Anywhere. For as long as you can." "What? Why?" Percy's eyes widened. "I've got plans for his Papa." "Oh...that was remarkably sleazy, Ron." "You don't sound surprised." "I like to think of it as inevitability." "...You know what? I don't care. Can you get Draco out of the dungeon?" "I was planning on taking him out to dinner. You know, somewhere secluded and romantic..." "Perfect. You get a nice date without the irate father breathing down your neck and I get...well... the irate father breathing down my neck." "Strange. All these years, I've wanted to be a part of the Weasley brother camaraderie. Now, it turns it out it's all about sex." "You're surprised? Mum and Dad had seven kids for a reason you know." "Oh, ew. I'm going now. Good day, Ronald." The conversation kept him going through fifth year Hufflepuffs and a dinner ten seats down from the cool potions master. As he expected, Severus retired from the table early with the other heads of house for their end of the week conference. They preferred to get it over with on Friday evening, so to leave the weekend clear. With this first week they would be jabbering for two hours at least. The dungeon had never seemed so welcoming. Draco was happily grooming himself, brushing out his long white gold hair and scrubbing potion residue off his fingers. For a moment, Ron took in the sight of him and felt a surge of envy. From his aristocratic features to his immaculate dress, Draco would always look like a prince from a syrupy girl's fantasy. He could see what Percy saw in him, besides looks even. The innocence in his eyes, the scarless flesh, were all appealing to a man of war. Ron couldn't imagine being with someone who couldn't understand the horrors he had witnessed and taken part of, but to each his own. "Primping for your boyfriend?" He teased. Confusion passed briefly over the finely featured face. "Drake, are you ready?" Percy emerged from the bathroom, not looking bad himself. "Ron, we'll be out of your way momentarily." "I can't believe it took you two six months." Draco complained, brushing an imaginary bit of dirt from Percy's shoulder. "I lost a very expensive bet with the Headmaster." "Well that'll teach you to bet against the man once described as 'the closest thing to all-knowing a wizard can hope for.'" Chided Percy. "Come on then, we've reservations." "I hate you both." Ron informed them without vehemence. "Go have a nice time and come back pleasantly late." They flooed out to his wave. The moment they were out of sight, he flitted about the rooms setting the scene. Having gleaned most of his sexual experience in the trenches, there were a few things he was foggy about when it came to a more intimate, indoor, setting. Thank Blaise for having taken time to improve his nebulous skills as best he could in the time allotted them. As he bustled about, more for something to do then for any real plan, he said a quick prayer to his former lover, should the foxy ghost be lingering nearby. If this night was a failure, he was going to have to move out in shame. At last, there was nothing more to do, but wait and listen to his heart beat irregularly. next part last part << |