Chasing Moonbeams. Ch5.

[pekeleke]

Title: Chasing Moonbeams.
Author: pekeleke
Pairing(s): Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Rating: NC-17, eventually.
Length: 82K+
Warnings: Extremely Slow burn. Pre-slash to slash. Enemies to friends to lovers. Pinning!Harry. Oblivious!Severus. Implied Bottom!Severus. EWE.
Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. I make no profit from writing fanfiction.
Summary: “Really?” Harry beams, green eyes wide and full of wonder. “You’re going to let me snog you to my heart’s content?”

“Of course not.” Severus replies contrarily, curling elegant digits around the brat’s neck and tugging him down low enough for a quick and dirty kiss before the Savior has a chance to protest. “I’m going to let you snog me to my heart’s content, Potter.”

Chapter 5.

 

If there is something that Severus Snape would be willing to say with perfect honesty about Harry James Potter to the entire world at large, is that the brat has terrible timing. Potter has the lack of decency to show up at Hogwarts’s infirmary while Severus is engaged in the most thought-provoking, potion-related discussion he’s ever had with anyone. He’s never even heard about the magical melding that can be achieved between gray scarab beetles and Symphytum Officinale when they are ground together on the third day of every third month of the year until master Bollingfrog mentions the idea to him, and patiently explains the stunning theory that led him to that discovery.

Severus is in awe. He is engaged in their exchange right down to his very toes, and the last thing he wants is to spare a thought for Potter. He is not even remotely interested in interrupting his stimulating discussion with Bollingfrog, or Emille, as the man had urged Severus to call him within two minutes of introducing himself; but Potter, as usual, either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care that he is unwelcome. He barges in, charming smile firmly in place, and proceeds to dazzle poor Bollingfrog with his famous scar, his famous hair, and his famous green gaze without so much as a by your leave.

Severus grits his teeth when Bollingfrog rushes to his feet and shakes Potter’s hand with effusive exuberance. Like everyone who hasn’t endured the thankless task of trying to teach the infuriating brat for six frustrating years, Bollingfrog is hopelessly impressed by Potter. The bright smile that has been gracing Severus’s face all morning long wilts upon witnessing his childhood hero’s unwarranted admiration of The Idiotic Brat Of Doom. It’s not like Potter won the war all by himself. He hadn’t even been alive for the first half, for Merlin’s sake!

Bollingfrog introduces himself to Potter, explaining how Severus is being used as a guinea pig for his experimental bone cure, and the Auror has the audacity to interrupt a bona fide eminence in the art of potion creation with a horrified cry: “Experimental?” The Gryffindor's entire body swivels towards Severus, who sits ram-rod straight on one of the two high-backed chairs Minerva has seen fit to furnish his bedside with. The vein on the side of Severus’s temple begins to pulse with anger, but Potter is too busy ignoring propriety, and raking Severus’s scowling form up and down in a rather rude and thorough fashion to notice Severus’s mounting fury. The idiot then proceeds to offend Master Bollingfrog even further by voicing a most ridiculous question: “Isn’t that dangerous?”

Thankfully, because Severus has promised Minerva to treat the brat kindly, and he’d be breaking that promise if he throws the savior out on his ear within five seconds of his arrival, Bollingfrog smiles reassuringly at Potter and bothers to reply to his asinine question before Severus can open his mouth. “Of course it’s not dangerous, Mr. Potter. Healing potions are, by definition, safe to use on the ill. Experimental brews may or may not be as effective as the ones they aim to replace, but they do follow the same basic recipe. Master Snape’s health was never endangered. I assure you.”

Potter chews his lower lip unhappily and ignores Bollingfrog’s amiable demeanor in favor of rudely staring at Severus some more. “But Snape was in a lot of pain when he first woke up. I remember thinking it was odd. I’m no stranger to Skele-Gro myself, and the professor shouldn’t have been in so much discomfort, Mr. Ballinfog.”

“Bollingfrog, Potter.” Severus snarls the very first words he’s said directly to the brat since the final battle. “Furthermore, my companion is not a mister anything. He is a master of his craft, and you shall address him as such.”

“Huh?” Potter has the audacity to look disconcerted, and Severus is further enraged by the gobsmacked look plastered all over the twit’s gormless face.

“Out!”

“Wha—why? I haven’t done anything! I haven’t even managed to say hello yet.”

“Are you deaf? I said out, Potter. As in get out of my sight. This instant.”

“Severus, please, I’m certain Mr. Potter meant no disrespect.” Bollingfrog tries to intercede on behalf of the savior, who looks at him in bewilderment. Dawning comprehension finally arrives inside Potter’s minuscule brain as he examines Bollingfrog’s embarrassed features. The Auror makes a distressed sound, rakes frustrated fingertips through his already messy enough hair and pulls so sharply on the short locks at the back of his neck that Severus’s scalp tingles in sympathy. Then Potter takes a deep breath and fixes that famous verdant gaze on Severus, managing to look equally pleading and defiant at once.

“I haven’t disrespected anyone. I was just saying that the experimental potion this man gave you was totally usele—

“Don’t. You. Dare. Finish. That. Sentence, Potter!” Severus hisses, beyond incensed now. He can’t believe the Auror’s cheek. Potter shrinks away from him and lifts both hands, palm out, in a contrite motion of surrender. Severus is in no mood to be appeased, or to act kindly towards an impertinent fool who has so blatantly displayed both his ignorance and lack of manners, promise to Minerva be damned. “Leave. Now.” He says coldly, and Potter has enough sense of self-preservation to listen to him this time.

The Auror utters no more challenging words. Voices no further disrespect towards either Severus himself or his distinctly uncomfortable guest. He looks at Bollingfrog briefly, heroic features awash with crimson-colored shame, but fails to offer the apology flashing across his contrite gaze. Severus watches the silent exchange sternly, feeling like a parent overseeing one naughty sibling refusing to apologize to the other one, and deeply resents having to play such a role. He is no longer a school teacher. He has no interest in disciplining the young. Or teaching manners to the unruly. If he wanted to do so, he’d still be haunting the dungeons of this very institution. Salazar knows Minerva would welcome him back to Hogwarts with open arms.

Potter looks towards Severus next with a wheedling air about him, but whatever emotion is plastered over Severus’s face is enough to make the brat flinch, instead of arguing his case further, and turn towards the exit. Potter’s walk of shame is thankfully short. But the discomfort he leaves behind has broken the excited, friendly atmosphere the potion masters had been enjoying before his arrival. Bollingfrog excuses himself soon afterward, citing a previous engagement, and Severus makes himself rise from his chair and smile blandly as he accepts the man’s handshake in farewell. He watches his childhood hero depart with a heavy heart, wondering if his chance of nurturing the rapport that had been oh-so-cautiously blooming between them before the Auror arrived is now gone forever.

Against his expectations to the contrary, Potter has shown up at Hogwarts. Severus doesn’t share Minerva’s crazy views on the boy’s motivations to do so, but he also can’t figure out the Gryffindor's angle. Severus only knows one thing for certain: Potter ruined his morning. Maybe he’s also destroyed his chances of establishing a cordial, professional relationship, even a friendship, with Master Bollingfrog. Severus has had enough. He’s got no intention whatsoever of giving the savior the time of day from now on.

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Comments

[teryarel]

Oh. No. No, no. Ugh. Harry! I really, really like Harry being protective of Severus. But this was truly, very ill-timed and ill-spoken. Alright, I admit that I don't know which one of our two men I want to shake and throttle more.

(I'm afraid this is truly just a short comment.)

I'm very much looking forward to see how Harry will get out of this mess! ;)

[pekeleke]

LOL. Oh, yes. Yes, yes. Harry definitely did it, my dear friend. He had to open his overprotective mouth and express his concern for Severus in the worst possible way. And Severus was so upset about Harry ruining his long-awaited meeting with his childhood hero that he wasn’t in the mood to be patient with Harry. Things didn’t get to a very good start in the Harry/Severus part of this story. Hopefully, Harry will find a way to fix the mess he’s made. :)

Thanks, as usual, for taking the time to both read and review another work of mine, teryarel. Your kind and lovely comment left me smiling from ear to ear. :)

[teryarel]

Yes (or no?)! That's it exactly - Harry behaved like a... uneducated twat! I feel so bad for poor Severus. But I also understand Harry's point. That's all your fault, pekeleke!

What do you mean "Hopefully, Harry will find a way to fix the mess he’s made." Hopefully? Hopefully?! Hopefully??! That should read: Certainly? Definitely. Without a doubt!

(I'm off to treat myself with another chapter!)

[pekeleke]

LOL. ”What do you mean "Hopefully, Harry will find a way to fix the mess he’s made." Hopefully? Hopefully?! Hopefully??! That should read: Certainly? Definitely. Without a doubt!”

All right, all right. I’m sorry, teryarel. I meant that Harry will certainly, definitely, and without a doubt fix the mess he’s made. There! Now you’ve made me go ahead and spoil the entire plot of the fic, you, fiend! I hope you are proud of yourself. :D :D :D

[teryarel]

There! Now you’ve made me go ahead and spoil the entire plot of the fic, you, fiend! I hope you are proud of yourself.
Umm, sorry? No, actually I am quite proud. :P