This grew out of me asking: "What would it take for Severus Snape to snog his Significant Other in public?"
A Little Tale of Snark and Romance
by Darth Stitch
DISCLAIMER: Just playin' in JKR's sandbox. Will put 'em back all nice and shiny when I'm done.
WARNINGS/NOTES: Slash of the HPSS variety. Fluff. Humor. As per usual. XP Oh. This is a stand-alone fic, not part of the Wacky Fluffverse.
Thanks for the Muse work,
lherelenfeline!
*******
Professor Snape was a cranky, greasy git.
It was a fact of life at Hogwarts, one that seemed unlikely to change in the past two decades he had been teaching. Most students learned very quickly not to piss him off and of course, he always managed to put the fear of God into the first years who came into Hogwarts' hallowed halls at the start of every term.
Of course, there was the occasional brave or foolhardy soul (usually a Gryffindor) who tried to pull a prank or two on Snape but that usually brought down not just Snape's rage, but also the wrath of Professor McGonagall down on their heads and the old cat was notorious for her sense of justice. She would not have any of her Gryffindors show any disrespect to any of their professors EVER - a shame on Gryffindor House etc. etc. The
Gryffindors had memorized the Minerva McGonagall Riot Act word for word and they all dreaded the detentions and point-taking that resulted.
Usually it involved filthy cauldrons and a toothbrush and no magic and no Quidditch practice. And how could they have a hope in hell of beating the Slytherins and winning the House Cup if that happened? The horrors!
The Slytherins, however, still pulled off THEIR pranks and plays - however, these were not aimed at their Head of House, who they could depend on to come through for them in a pinch. There was, of course, still the odd student or two who still had their heads stuffed with the "blood traitor" nonsense over the last and finally successful war where Voldemort was finally defeated - thanks to Harry Potter, naturally.
Of course, the rest of the Slytherins knew that without Professor Snape, Potter wouldn't even have come close to sending the unlamented Dark Lord to his final destruction. And on the whole, as their Head of House proved, the Slytherins learned the value of thinking for themselves and not being merely slaves to pureblood tradition and prejudices. So most of the Slytherins, many of whom, quite frankly, recognized the worth of their not-so-pureblooded Housemates, did a very good job of "convincing" their fellow snakes of the error of their ways. Keeping, of course, the utmost discretion and the
united front that Slytherin House presented to the rest of the world.
Snape tolerated his little snakes' escapades up to a point but he set a clear line on what they could or could not get away with and they all learned very quickly that while he would defend the lot of them to the end outside their House, he was pure poison if he perceived that any of them were a disgrace to the honor of Slytherin. And mind you, it was very difficult to pull the wool over Snape's eyes - it was almost as if he could see right through a student. Maybe there was something to the rumors that Snape could really read one's mind, after all.
So life went on at Hogwarts, which changed somewhat when Harry Potter returned to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and proved himself not only able to stay for more than one year but was also a very good teacher in his own right. Unlike that fraud Gilderoy Lockhart, Potter had definitely earned his formidable reputation, which he'd only managed to enhance over the years with even more hair-raising adventures.
"Trouble magnet," Professor Snape sniffed.
"I don't go looking for trouble - it just seems to find me. On occasion," sighed Professor Potter, running his hands through his perpetually messy hair in atypical fashion. On any other person, the self-deprecating words would have come off as false humility. But somehow, with Professor Potter, one could tell he really meant what he said and what with his unassuming features, the glasses, the occasional clumsiness and the absent-minded manner, it was sometimes hard to believe that this man was the Savior of the Wizarding World.
On the whole, Professor Potter was universally liked among the Hogwarts student population, even the Slytherins, being as he was perfectly fair to all Houses. While he was stern and tolerated no nonsense in his classroom, out of it, he was generally a good-natured sort of fellow - if a bit daffy on occasion. Professor Snape claimed, with a shudder, that Professor Dumbledore was a TERRIBLE influence on Professor Potter.
Of course, Professor Dumbledore twinkled happily at that and effusively thanked Professor Snape "for such a wonderfully apt compliment."
Which made Professor McGonagall throw her hands up in exasperation and tell Professor Snape that "You're only making him worse!"
In any case, the young Defense Against the Dark Arts master usually went on his cheerful way...until he and Professor Snape were in the same vicinity of each other.
And then the fireworks would start.
The boys enjoyed the bouts of snarking between the two of them and many of them, especially the Slytherins, kept a mental tally of who scored what point. Mostly, Snape won hands down but that was Snape for you - he was dubbed "His Snarkiness" for a reason. Said nickname was coined by the Infamous Weasley Twins Fred and George, whose names were most deeply revered by any self-respecting trouble-making Gryffindor for their valued contribution to house honor and reputation.
To their relief (Gryffindor had its good name to think of, after all), Potter had his moments as well and the young lions cheered each and every time their favorite Professor and most famous House alumnus managed to get that gobsmacked or nonplussed look on Snape's face.
The girls, being somewhat more perceptive and some of the shrewder boys, thought that the whole business smacked of serious UST ("What's UST?" " 'Unresolved Sexual Tension,' you dolt!"). Plus, wasn't it true that Professor Potter played Seeker for the proverbial "other team?" Sigh. What a pity, that, thought the girls, while the boys on the "other team" cheered.
The UST, of course, eventually gave way to a very discreetly kept romance and the less perceptive male half of the Hogwarts student population had to pay up their lost bets against the females when Headmaster Dumbledore formally announced at the opening of next term the marriage of Professors Severus Snape and Harry Potter.
Now most of the students thought that one of the major facts of Hogwarts life - namely, Professor Snape's legendary crankiness - would finally change. Of course the grouchy git would finally mellow down, now that he had found "true love" and all that stuff.
But they were proved wrong very quickly.
Professor Snape was still as grouchy as ever although one would suppose that he yelled less and was even known to (gasp!) award a point or two to a deserving Gryffindor.
Usually that was Margery Abbot, universally acknowledged as the Gryffindor House "brain" and was rather expected to make Head Girl as soon as she reached seventh year.
The girls (and some of the boys) all sighed at the romance of it all. And they rather thought that they would soon be entertained by the very natural sight of a newly-wed couple "cooing and billing at each other," as one somewhat twitterpated Hufflepuff girl put it. "Like in my Barbara Cartland romances - ooooh, lovely!"
Naturally, the girls rather found the notion of a tender, loving Snape quite
"swoon-worthy."
"Rather like Colonel Brandon in that Sense and Sensibility movie," said the very same twitterpated Hufflepuff, who happened to be a Muggleborn. "He was so very dashing!"
Professor Sprout was rather startled to find posters, pictures and magazines featuring the actor portraying Colonel Brandon circulating among the students. She rather thought it was Snape, at first - but was quickly disabused of the notion as Snape had never "looked so.... so.... nice!"
However, they were also disappointed in that respect.
Professor Snape was very conscious of his dignity as a Hogwarts professor, thus maintaining a careful facade of restraint and severity towards the student population. There were still students who had older brothers and sisters or close relatives who remembered having a very young Professor Snape teaching them, who was still very new at his profession and in fact had been their own schoolmate less than a year or two or three before. And so he had maintained that stern demeanor from the very beginning, to maintain order in his classroom and to stop troublemakers from following in the legendary Marauders' footsteps in making "Snivellus Snape's" life quite miserable yet
again. In fact, the tales of young Professor Snape laying down the law for recalcitrant students were the stuff of Hogwarts legend too.
And so the notion of Professor Snape doing any sort of "billing and cooing" at his spouse or any other sort of public display was really quite out of the question.
This made the straight boys breathe sighs of relief as the prospect of a romantic Snape was rather terrifying i.e. "MY EYES!!! AUGH!!! MY EYES!!!!" as one Gryffindor lad put it.
Professor Potter wasn't inclined to be demonstrative either. He was simply very private about his personal life and took pains to keeping it that way. Everyone knew about his bad experiences with that horrid cow Rita Skeeter and her libelous reports about Harry in the Daily Prophet. And it was also a Hogwarts legend of how Rita Skeeter, after Voldemort, had found out exactly how powerful Harry Potter really was. Harry had turned Rita Skeeter into a frog, in a stunning display of wandless magic.
She remained in her amphibian form for roughly six months... until she'd gotten kissed by Gilderoy Lockhart - who recently imagined himself as some sort of Prince Charming who was bound by duty to set free "princesses cursed by foul sorcery." Whatever that was. Everyone knew that Lockhart was madder than Martin the Mad Muggle.
In any case, there were no public kisses exchanged nor embraces between Professors Potter and Snape (both of whom used their old surnames for professional reasons). They didn't even indulge in that old classic Double H Double W (HHWW - Holding Hands While Walking). But there was the occasional exchanged look or a smile from Professor Potter or the briefest of touches on the arm or on a shoulder or the occasional whispered word that made Snape's lips curve into something that actually resembled a smile.
Despite the decided lack of "sappyness" - as one boy put it, there was no doubt in the eyes of the Hogwarts population that their two Professors did love each other very much. Somehow, that very quiet restraint on both their parts seemed even more romantic to the silly, sentimental girls (and some of the boys).
The determinedly straight boys of the school rolled their eyes at the antics of their female classmates. That of course earned them a cuff or two from the annoyed female classmates.
"No romance in your souls whatsoever," the young ladies sniffed. "Honestly!"
Soon enough, the novelty of their newly-married (read: romantic) professors wore off on the students and life went on as usual at Hogwarts. Professor Snape was still a terrible grouch who finally awarded points, however grudgingly, to Gryffindor if they merited them. Professor Potter was still his good-natured, unassuming self. Professor McGonagall was still as no-nonsense as ever and of course, the Headmaster remained a daffy old coot. And so on with the other Hogwarts professors.
And then, Something Happened.
No one was sure exactly what was the matter - even in the midst of their "courtship," Professors Potter and Snape's perpetual snarking and sniping at each other never reached the level of a "flaming row." At least, not in public, that is. But then, as Professor McGonagall had put it, that would be "conduct unbecoming of a Hogwarts professor."
No one was quite sure how it happened - jealousy, an unwise, hurtful remark, a careless deed or worse.
However it happened and whatever the reason, a chill seemed to have touched the wedded bliss of Professors Potter and Snape. Professor Potter lost the absent, contented smile that he'd been wearing ever since he was married (the girls had thought the expression "rather sweet"). And Professor Snape's temper was fouler than ever, if that were possible.
It started when he took points off Margery Abbot for being "an officious little know-it-all" which made Miss Abbot burst into tears. The students figured he was being in a particularly foul mood that day - but foul moods were par for the course for Snape.
But then, he started taking points off Slytherin. And he even gave THEM detentions!
And that was how the Hogwarts student population realized all was not well in the Land of Snape. And Potter.
Even the ceiling above the Great Hall seemed to reflect their Professors' moods - all dark and stormy and sad and gloomy.
Well, perhaps Professor Snape could qualify as "stormy." Professor Potter only looked very, very sad. There were dark shadows under his eyes and he looked a little paler than usual, as if he had not slept well for the past few days. He probably didn't - as a couple of students who'd snuck off to the kitchens for a midnight snack reported seeing him wandering the hallways. They thought he was going to catch them at it for sure but he
had only gone on his way.
"This can't go on forever," said Margery Abbot to her fellow Gryffindors. They were rather worried about Professor Potter. He did not look well - not at all.
"Something has got to give and it better be soon," muttered Marius Zabini to his fellow Slytherins. They were all rather edgy around their Head of House these days and they did worry about him too.
"They are absolutely impossible! Both of them!" Professor McGonagall told Headmaster Dumbledore over tea.
"Now, now, Minerva," said the Headmaster consolingly. "I'm sure our boys will sort themselves out in due time. I have every faith in them."
"They are not too old for us to give them detention," said Professor McGonagall in that Ominous Tone which all Gryffindors learned to dread.
"I'm sure that we won't need to take such drastic steps. Yet."
And then, Something Else Happened.
Professor Potter had come in to his fourth year Gryffindor/Slytherin DADA class looking even worse than usual, very pale, very thin and occasionally rubbing at his temples, as if staving off a monstrous headache. He looked at his students, sighed and told them that today was going to be a study period and that they should open their books to the chapter on werewolves, as they were expected to submit a five-inch essay on that for their next class.
As was his wont, Professor Potter stood up and began writing guide questions on the board that he expected the students to answer in their essay. Suddenly, he stopped, swayed alarmingly and before the students could even react, collapsed in a dead faint.
Professor Snape was in the middle of teaching his students how to brew a proper Pepper-Up potion ("instead of that swill you dunderheads somehow managed to conjure up the last time!") when Margery Abbot and Marius Zabini burst into his classroom.
"Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin for disrupting my classroom!" Professor Snape bellowed. "Miss Abbot! Mister Zabini! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Professor Snape -- "
"Professor Potter -- "
"Fainted -- "
"Dead -- "
"Don't know what happened -- "
"Get Madam Pomfrey! Now!" And with that order, Professor Snape was out the door, striding in the direction of the DADA classroom. The two panicked children ran for the infirmary.
Much, much later, there was much cause for dreamy sighs and swoons when Professor Potter's fourth-year Gryffindor class recounted how Professor Snape ran into the classroom, quite forgetting his dignity for once and looking quite panicked as he looked over his husband's unconscious form. And then he whispered something that sounded very much like an endearment to the onlookers and swept Professor Potter up in his arms, looking for all the world like a hero straight out from a romance novel, if you liked your heroes dark, brooding and with rather prominent noses.
Considering the healthy trade in photos featuring that actor who resembled Professor Snape so very much, it seemed that the female (and some of the male) students of Hogwarts definitely did like their romantic heroes dark, brooding and with rather prominent noses.
The students were all divided on exactly what it was that Professor Snape whispered to his unconscious husband. The boys all gagged at the notion that Snape said "My love" or "My darling." And even the girls thought that was a little too out of character for their infamously cranky professor, never mind how dashing he looked at that particular moment.
Finally, a young Gryffindor with very sharp ears announced with firm conviction that Professor Snape had whispered, "Trouble magnet" to Professor Potter, in such a tone that definitely left no question that it was, at least to him, an endearment.
"Now that's more like Professor Snape," Marius Zabini said, upon hearing the news from the Hogwarts grapevine.
It seemed that the incident served to reconcile the two men over whatever it was they had fought about. It certainly served to make Professor Snape a little more attentive towards Professor Potter, as if to make up for what he perceived to be his previous neglect of his beloved spouse.
Perhaps "attentive" was much too kind a word.
Maybe "ridiculously overprotective," as Professor Potter himself put it, was much more apt.
"Severus Snape, this is getting to be ridiculous," Professor Potter told his husband one day, while they were having breakfast in the Great Hall. From the way the latter was acting, it seemed that it was all that he could do from personally feeding Professor Potter his coffee and toast.
"Now what have I done to vex you this time?" Professor Snape answered in a tone that one could almost believe was plaintive. Except that this was Snape one was talking about after all.
The students glanced at each other uneasily. Oh dear. Was it going to start all over again?
"I am not, repeat, not made out of bloody porcelain!" Professor Potter growled. "At first it was very sweet of you, but really, all this fussing over me is getting out of hand!"
"I am not sweet," Professor Snape corrected him in what seemed a very mild tone for a man who could snap, sneer and verbally shred a person at the drop of a hat. "I am only seeing to your care. Madam Pomfrey said that it will only last for a month or two, if you're fortunate. Now would you like some porridge?"
Professor Potter rolled his eyes. "You'd carry me to and fro if I let you have your way. Morning sickness doesn't mean I'm a complete invalid, Severus!"
Morning sickness? The students and teachers exchanged shocked whispers. Was it true? Was Professor Potter actually -- ?
"If I wish to spoil you and our child-to-be completely rotten then I will. And you can't stop me," Professor Snape informed him loftily. And with that, he slid gentle fingers underneath Professor Potter's chin and drew him for a kiss.
Professor Harry Potter looked quite delightfully dizzy from that kiss as Professor Severus Snape stood up and glared at the enraptured other occupants of the Great Hall.
"And yes, you nosy benighted lot, Harry and I are expecting our first child and your good wishes would be appreciated. That does not mean, of course, that students are getting out of the quizzes and homework you have coming."
With another but briefer kiss to his husband, he strode out of the Great Hall in that trademark swirl of black robes.
"Git," Professor Potter said after him, in tones of great exasperation and fondness, even as the Great Hall erupted with cheers and congratulations.
"Now that," pronounced the twitterpated Hufflepuff girl to her Housemates, "was the most romantic thing of all."
- the end -
A Little Tale of Snark and Romance
by Darth Stitch
DISCLAIMER: Just playin' in JKR's sandbox. Will put 'em back all nice and shiny when I'm done.
WARNINGS/NOTES: Slash of the HPSS variety. Fluff. Humor. As per usual. XP Oh. This is a stand-alone fic, not part of the Wacky Fluffverse.
Thanks for the Muse work,
*******
Professor Snape was a cranky, greasy git.
It was a fact of life at Hogwarts, one that seemed unlikely to change in the past two decades he had been teaching. Most students learned very quickly not to piss him off and of course, he always managed to put the fear of God into the first years who came into Hogwarts' hallowed halls at the start of every term.
Of course, there was the occasional brave or foolhardy soul (usually a Gryffindor) who tried to pull a prank or two on Snape but that usually brought down not just Snape's rage, but also the wrath of Professor McGonagall down on their heads and the old cat was notorious for her sense of justice. She would not have any of her Gryffindors show any disrespect to any of their professors EVER - a shame on Gryffindor House etc. etc. The
Gryffindors had memorized the Minerva McGonagall Riot Act word for word and they all dreaded the detentions and point-taking that resulted.
Usually it involved filthy cauldrons and a toothbrush and no magic and no Quidditch practice. And how could they have a hope in hell of beating the Slytherins and winning the House Cup if that happened? The horrors!
The Slytherins, however, still pulled off THEIR pranks and plays - however, these were not aimed at their Head of House, who they could depend on to come through for them in a pinch. There was, of course, still the odd student or two who still had their heads stuffed with the "blood traitor" nonsense over the last and finally successful war where Voldemort was finally defeated - thanks to Harry Potter, naturally.
Of course, the rest of the Slytherins knew that without Professor Snape, Potter wouldn't even have come close to sending the unlamented Dark Lord to his final destruction. And on the whole, as their Head of House proved, the Slytherins learned the value of thinking for themselves and not being merely slaves to pureblood tradition and prejudices. So most of the Slytherins, many of whom, quite frankly, recognized the worth of their not-so-pureblooded Housemates, did a very good job of "convincing" their fellow snakes of the error of their ways. Keeping, of course, the utmost discretion and the
united front that Slytherin House presented to the rest of the world.
Snape tolerated his little snakes' escapades up to a point but he set a clear line on what they could or could not get away with and they all learned very quickly that while he would defend the lot of them to the end outside their House, he was pure poison if he perceived that any of them were a disgrace to the honor of Slytherin. And mind you, it was very difficult to pull the wool over Snape's eyes - it was almost as if he could see right through a student. Maybe there was something to the rumors that Snape could really read one's mind, after all.
So life went on at Hogwarts, which changed somewhat when Harry Potter returned to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and proved himself not only able to stay for more than one year but was also a very good teacher in his own right. Unlike that fraud Gilderoy Lockhart, Potter had definitely earned his formidable reputation, which he'd only managed to enhance over the years with even more hair-raising adventures.
"Trouble magnet," Professor Snape sniffed.
"I don't go looking for trouble - it just seems to find me. On occasion," sighed Professor Potter, running his hands through his perpetually messy hair in atypical fashion. On any other person, the self-deprecating words would have come off as false humility. But somehow, with Professor Potter, one could tell he really meant what he said and what with his unassuming features, the glasses, the occasional clumsiness and the absent-minded manner, it was sometimes hard to believe that this man was the Savior of the Wizarding World.
On the whole, Professor Potter was universally liked among the Hogwarts student population, even the Slytherins, being as he was perfectly fair to all Houses. While he was stern and tolerated no nonsense in his classroom, out of it, he was generally a good-natured sort of fellow - if a bit daffy on occasion. Professor Snape claimed, with a shudder, that Professor Dumbledore was a TERRIBLE influence on Professor Potter.
Of course, Professor Dumbledore twinkled happily at that and effusively thanked Professor Snape "for such a wonderfully apt compliment."
Which made Professor McGonagall throw her hands up in exasperation and tell Professor Snape that "You're only making him worse!"
In any case, the young Defense Against the Dark Arts master usually went on his cheerful way...until he and Professor Snape were in the same vicinity of each other.
And then the fireworks would start.
The boys enjoyed the bouts of snarking between the two of them and many of them, especially the Slytherins, kept a mental tally of who scored what point. Mostly, Snape won hands down but that was Snape for you - he was dubbed "His Snarkiness" for a reason. Said nickname was coined by the Infamous Weasley Twins Fred and George, whose names were most deeply revered by any self-respecting trouble-making Gryffindor for their valued contribution to house honor and reputation.
To their relief (Gryffindor had its good name to think of, after all), Potter had his moments as well and the young lions cheered each and every time their favorite Professor and most famous House alumnus managed to get that gobsmacked or nonplussed look on Snape's face.
The girls, being somewhat more perceptive and some of the shrewder boys, thought that the whole business smacked of serious UST ("What's UST?" " 'Unresolved Sexual Tension,' you dolt!"). Plus, wasn't it true that Professor Potter played Seeker for the proverbial "other team?" Sigh. What a pity, that, thought the girls, while the boys on the "other team" cheered.
The UST, of course, eventually gave way to a very discreetly kept romance and the less perceptive male half of the Hogwarts student population had to pay up their lost bets against the females when Headmaster Dumbledore formally announced at the opening of next term the marriage of Professors Severus Snape and Harry Potter.
Now most of the students thought that one of the major facts of Hogwarts life - namely, Professor Snape's legendary crankiness - would finally change. Of course the grouchy git would finally mellow down, now that he had found "true love" and all that stuff.
But they were proved wrong very quickly.
Professor Snape was still as grouchy as ever although one would suppose that he yelled less and was even known to (gasp!) award a point or two to a deserving Gryffindor.
Usually that was Margery Abbot, universally acknowledged as the Gryffindor House "brain" and was rather expected to make Head Girl as soon as she reached seventh year.
The girls (and some of the boys) all sighed at the romance of it all. And they rather thought that they would soon be entertained by the very natural sight of a newly-wed couple "cooing and billing at each other," as one somewhat twitterpated Hufflepuff girl put it. "Like in my Barbara Cartland romances - ooooh, lovely!"
Naturally, the girls rather found the notion of a tender, loving Snape quite
"swoon-worthy."
"Rather like Colonel Brandon in that Sense and Sensibility movie," said the very same twitterpated Hufflepuff, who happened to be a Muggleborn. "He was so very dashing!"
Professor Sprout was rather startled to find posters, pictures and magazines featuring the actor portraying Colonel Brandon circulating among the students. She rather thought it was Snape, at first - but was quickly disabused of the notion as Snape had never "looked so.... so.... nice!"
However, they were also disappointed in that respect.
Professor Snape was very conscious of his dignity as a Hogwarts professor, thus maintaining a careful facade of restraint and severity towards the student population. There were still students who had older brothers and sisters or close relatives who remembered having a very young Professor Snape teaching them, who was still very new at his profession and in fact had been their own schoolmate less than a year or two or three before. And so he had maintained that stern demeanor from the very beginning, to maintain order in his classroom and to stop troublemakers from following in the legendary Marauders' footsteps in making "Snivellus Snape's" life quite miserable yet
again. In fact, the tales of young Professor Snape laying down the law for recalcitrant students were the stuff of Hogwarts legend too.
And so the notion of Professor Snape doing any sort of "billing and cooing" at his spouse or any other sort of public display was really quite out of the question.
This made the straight boys breathe sighs of relief as the prospect of a romantic Snape was rather terrifying i.e. "MY EYES!!! AUGH!!! MY EYES!!!!" as one Gryffindor lad put it.
Professor Potter wasn't inclined to be demonstrative either. He was simply very private about his personal life and took pains to keeping it that way. Everyone knew about his bad experiences with that horrid cow Rita Skeeter and her libelous reports about Harry in the Daily Prophet. And it was also a Hogwarts legend of how Rita Skeeter, after Voldemort, had found out exactly how powerful Harry Potter really was. Harry had turned Rita Skeeter into a frog, in a stunning display of wandless magic.
She remained in her amphibian form for roughly six months... until she'd gotten kissed by Gilderoy Lockhart - who recently imagined himself as some sort of Prince Charming who was bound by duty to set free "princesses cursed by foul sorcery." Whatever that was. Everyone knew that Lockhart was madder than Martin the Mad Muggle.
In any case, there were no public kisses exchanged nor embraces between Professors Potter and Snape (both of whom used their old surnames for professional reasons). They didn't even indulge in that old classic Double H Double W (HHWW - Holding Hands While Walking). But there was the occasional exchanged look or a smile from Professor Potter or the briefest of touches on the arm or on a shoulder or the occasional whispered word that made Snape's lips curve into something that actually resembled a smile.
Despite the decided lack of "sappyness" - as one boy put it, there was no doubt in the eyes of the Hogwarts population that their two Professors did love each other very much. Somehow, that very quiet restraint on both their parts seemed even more romantic to the silly, sentimental girls (and some of the boys).
The determinedly straight boys of the school rolled their eyes at the antics of their female classmates. That of course earned them a cuff or two from the annoyed female classmates.
"No romance in your souls whatsoever," the young ladies sniffed. "Honestly!"
Soon enough, the novelty of their newly-married (read: romantic) professors wore off on the students and life went on as usual at Hogwarts. Professor Snape was still a terrible grouch who finally awarded points, however grudgingly, to Gryffindor if they merited them. Professor Potter was still his good-natured, unassuming self. Professor McGonagall was still as no-nonsense as ever and of course, the Headmaster remained a daffy old coot. And so on with the other Hogwarts professors.
And then, Something Happened.
No one was sure exactly what was the matter - even in the midst of their "courtship," Professors Potter and Snape's perpetual snarking and sniping at each other never reached the level of a "flaming row." At least, not in public, that is. But then, as Professor McGonagall had put it, that would be "conduct unbecoming of a Hogwarts professor."
No one was quite sure how it happened - jealousy, an unwise, hurtful remark, a careless deed or worse.
However it happened and whatever the reason, a chill seemed to have touched the wedded bliss of Professors Potter and Snape. Professor Potter lost the absent, contented smile that he'd been wearing ever since he was married (the girls had thought the expression "rather sweet"). And Professor Snape's temper was fouler than ever, if that were possible.
It started when he took points off Margery Abbot for being "an officious little know-it-all" which made Miss Abbot burst into tears. The students figured he was being in a particularly foul mood that day - but foul moods were par for the course for Snape.
But then, he started taking points off Slytherin. And he even gave THEM detentions!
And that was how the Hogwarts student population realized all was not well in the Land of Snape. And Potter.
Even the ceiling above the Great Hall seemed to reflect their Professors' moods - all dark and stormy and sad and gloomy.
Well, perhaps Professor Snape could qualify as "stormy." Professor Potter only looked very, very sad. There were dark shadows under his eyes and he looked a little paler than usual, as if he had not slept well for the past few days. He probably didn't - as a couple of students who'd snuck off to the kitchens for a midnight snack reported seeing him wandering the hallways. They thought he was going to catch them at it for sure but he
had only gone on his way.
"This can't go on forever," said Margery Abbot to her fellow Gryffindors. They were rather worried about Professor Potter. He did not look well - not at all.
"Something has got to give and it better be soon," muttered Marius Zabini to his fellow Slytherins. They were all rather edgy around their Head of House these days and they did worry about him too.
"They are absolutely impossible! Both of them!" Professor McGonagall told Headmaster Dumbledore over tea.
"Now, now, Minerva," said the Headmaster consolingly. "I'm sure our boys will sort themselves out in due time. I have every faith in them."
"They are not too old for us to give them detention," said Professor McGonagall in that Ominous Tone which all Gryffindors learned to dread.
"I'm sure that we won't need to take such drastic steps. Yet."
And then, Something Else Happened.
Professor Potter had come in to his fourth year Gryffindor/Slytherin DADA class looking even worse than usual, very pale, very thin and occasionally rubbing at his temples, as if staving off a monstrous headache. He looked at his students, sighed and told them that today was going to be a study period and that they should open their books to the chapter on werewolves, as they were expected to submit a five-inch essay on that for their next class.
As was his wont, Professor Potter stood up and began writing guide questions on the board that he expected the students to answer in their essay. Suddenly, he stopped, swayed alarmingly and before the students could even react, collapsed in a dead faint.
Professor Snape was in the middle of teaching his students how to brew a proper Pepper-Up potion ("instead of that swill you dunderheads somehow managed to conjure up the last time!") when Margery Abbot and Marius Zabini burst into his classroom.
"Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin for disrupting my classroom!" Professor Snape bellowed. "Miss Abbot! Mister Zabini! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Professor Snape -- "
"Professor Potter -- "
"Fainted -- "
"Dead -- "
"Don't know what happened -- "
"Get Madam Pomfrey! Now!" And with that order, Professor Snape was out the door, striding in the direction of the DADA classroom. The two panicked children ran for the infirmary.
Much, much later, there was much cause for dreamy sighs and swoons when Professor Potter's fourth-year Gryffindor class recounted how Professor Snape ran into the classroom, quite forgetting his dignity for once and looking quite panicked as he looked over his husband's unconscious form. And then he whispered something that sounded very much like an endearment to the onlookers and swept Professor Potter up in his arms, looking for all the world like a hero straight out from a romance novel, if you liked your heroes dark, brooding and with rather prominent noses.
Considering the healthy trade in photos featuring that actor who resembled Professor Snape so very much, it seemed that the female (and some of the male) students of Hogwarts definitely did like their romantic heroes dark, brooding and with rather prominent noses.
The students were all divided on exactly what it was that Professor Snape whispered to his unconscious husband. The boys all gagged at the notion that Snape said "My love" or "My darling." And even the girls thought that was a little too out of character for their infamously cranky professor, never mind how dashing he looked at that particular moment.
Finally, a young Gryffindor with very sharp ears announced with firm conviction that Professor Snape had whispered, "Trouble magnet" to Professor Potter, in such a tone that definitely left no question that it was, at least to him, an endearment.
"Now that's more like Professor Snape," Marius Zabini said, upon hearing the news from the Hogwarts grapevine.
It seemed that the incident served to reconcile the two men over whatever it was they had fought about. It certainly served to make Professor Snape a little more attentive towards Professor Potter, as if to make up for what he perceived to be his previous neglect of his beloved spouse.
Perhaps "attentive" was much too kind a word.
Maybe "ridiculously overprotective," as Professor Potter himself put it, was much more apt.
"Severus Snape, this is getting to be ridiculous," Professor Potter told his husband one day, while they were having breakfast in the Great Hall. From the way the latter was acting, it seemed that it was all that he could do from personally feeding Professor Potter his coffee and toast.
"Now what have I done to vex you this time?" Professor Snape answered in a tone that one could almost believe was plaintive. Except that this was Snape one was talking about after all.
The students glanced at each other uneasily. Oh dear. Was it going to start all over again?
"I am not, repeat, not made out of bloody porcelain!" Professor Potter growled. "At first it was very sweet of you, but really, all this fussing over me is getting out of hand!"
"I am not sweet," Professor Snape corrected him in what seemed a very mild tone for a man who could snap, sneer and verbally shred a person at the drop of a hat. "I am only seeing to your care. Madam Pomfrey said that it will only last for a month or two, if you're fortunate. Now would you like some porridge?"
Professor Potter rolled his eyes. "You'd carry me to and fro if I let you have your way. Morning sickness doesn't mean I'm a complete invalid, Severus!"
Morning sickness? The students and teachers exchanged shocked whispers. Was it true? Was Professor Potter actually -- ?
"If I wish to spoil you and our child-to-be completely rotten then I will. And you can't stop me," Professor Snape informed him loftily. And with that, he slid gentle fingers underneath Professor Potter's chin and drew him for a kiss.
Professor Harry Potter looked quite delightfully dizzy from that kiss as Professor Severus Snape stood up and glared at the enraptured other occupants of the Great Hall.
"And yes, you nosy benighted lot, Harry and I are expecting our first child and your good wishes would be appreciated. That does not mean, of course, that students are getting out of the quizzes and homework you have coming."
With another but briefer kiss to his husband, he strode out of the Great Hall in that trademark swirl of black robes.
"Git," Professor Potter said after him, in tones of great exasperation and fondness, even as the Great Hall erupted with cheers and congratulations.
"Now that," pronounced the twitterpated Hufflepuff girl to her Housemates, "was the most romantic thing of all."
- the end -
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 04:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:01 am (UTC)There's another kind?
Heeeeee. I love snarky Snarry. You rock.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:21 am (UTC)"Trouble magnet" - sounds like a Snapey endearment to me.
Thanks for posting this - it was lovely to read. :)
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:22 am (UTC)*flees the wrath of her Harry Muse*
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:27 am (UTC)(and some of the boys)
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 06:50 am (UTC)Taurus
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 08:26 am (UTC)so good
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:21 am (UTC)Glad you liked!
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 09:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 11:00 am (UTC)I am so glad to see a student POV ficlet where the characters are... in character.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 12:09 pm (UTC)"Now that was the most romantic thing of all."
Oh! And the side story of Rita-The-Toad was hilarious!
Just Gorgeous!!!!
Date: 2005-06-28 12:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 02:12 pm (UTC)*Sneakily friends you*
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 04:34 pm (UTC)I loved the romantic moment where Snape sweeps in to find Harry on the floor. I thought that would be the kiss, but you fooled me! Instead, it's over something ordinary. That is even more perfect.
Hope your Dad is feeling better, and eating lots.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 04:55 pm (UTC)I had this story languishing in WIP hell on my hard drive for AGES and I was trying to figure out how on earth I was going to end it! And then I thought of putting in that scene (I'm a sucker for Snape being protective) and then, Sev' did a Waverly on me. "If I want to spoil you and our child-to-be... etc." Hee.
Waverly does come by it honestly, I guess. XP
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:03 pm (UTC)Your WIP hell is my idea of heaven. At least, reading the things in WIP hell is my idea of heaven; especially when they are finished!
Well, off to work now. I have two tours today; the new hire tour that I ran this morning, and the corporate executive tour this evening. Plus, my boss will be there. *sigh* It's going to be a very long day, indeed.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:04 pm (UTC)Good luck at work today! May the Force be with you. XP
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:03 pm (UTC)Plus, I had a somewhat more limited POV to work with. I rather like doing the "fairy tale" style, as you put it. Makes me do something completely different. XP
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 03:07 am (UTC)First child? Hm. *looks guiltily at the Potter-Snape brood* Er. Right. I'm not contemplating giving them any more. Right? You guys believe me, don't you?
no subject
Date: 2005-06-28 10:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 03:10 am (UTC)Both of them did not know the unexpected and happy news until Harry fainted so dramatically in class. *cowers from the wrath of her outraged and embarassed Harry Muse* Shhh. Severus actually was pretty worried over Harry (thinking it was a symptom of God knows what kind of disease) and Madam Pomfrey wished she had a camera handy to catch the gobsmacked expression on his face when she informed the two of them that no, Harry wasn't going to die of some mysterious ailment - congratulations, they were going to be fathers! XP
no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 04:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 04:12 am (UTC)Then again, considering he's so completely whipped by mate, children and cats... um, he might just warn your Sev Muse of the Doom that awaits? *snickers*
no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-29 02:34 am (UTC)Re: Sorry for the long quote-age
Date: 2005-06-30 11:20 pm (UTC)But after watching the Sense and Sensibility movie - I realized what the fuss with Jane Austen was all about. Heh. I really should get cracking on an Austen book.
And I know "thanks" is such a bit of an answer to your comment.... but I mean it with all my heart anyway. Comments like yours keep me and my Muses afoot with more ideas for mischief. XP
Re: Sorry for the long quote-age
Date: 2005-07-05 07:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-27 07:52 pm (UTC)Great ficlet
Date: 2005-09-03 10:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-12 07:19 pm (UTC)*lets out stiffled squeals*
Date: 2011-04-08 08:19 pm (UTC)That was so adorable! *giggles* It's even funnier cause I've seen that arguement before between two people I love and adore.