Through The Open Door.
Dec. 1st, 2012 10:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pekelekeTitle: Through The Open Door.
Fandom: Harry potter (Snarry)
Characters: Harry Potter, Minerva Mcgonagal, Severus Snape.
Author: pekeleke.
Rating: G
Word count: 662
Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. No money is being made out of this work.
A/N: Unbetaed. Written for the adventdrabbles 2012 Prompt 1: Gingerbread House.
This is the first part of my Seeking home series.
Summary: Harry finally makes his offer. Severus responds to it in his own, inimitable, way...
Through The Open Door.
“It didn't work, Minerva! He sat there, rigid like a stone, and didn't even look at it. I don't understand it”
The Headmistress examined Harry's rather elaborate gingerbread house with sorrow-filled eyes. Harry had put his heart and soul into baking every panel with an extra smattering of cinnamon and clove, just the way Severus preferred it. It had taken the boy ages to recreate this wonderfully detailed replica of Hogwarts and she'd hoped the lovely gesture would be enough to bring the last of Severus' defences crumbling down... Now, judging by the discouragement that had appeared in Harry's eyes, she could tell that hadn't been the case.
“He ignored it altogether? That can't be right, Harry. Everyone knows that you could poison Severus with gingerbread. He's... incapable... of resisting it.”
“He was definitely immune to mine. This means he'll never give me a chance, doesn't it? If he managed to restrain himself from taking a single bite of this concoction, just because I baked it, then how am I ever going to convince him to start a relationship with me? I've been a fool, Minerva. It's obvious he still hates me while I... I... I don't know what to do!”
She frowned, puzzled. And looked at the gingerbread house with deep confusion. She couldn't understand what had happened, either, but Harry couldn't be right. Severus was definitely interested. He'd been looking at the boy, when he thought no one was watching, for a while now. They had gone down to the pub together a few times and, last Summer, her Potions Master had spent his precious vacation moping in his dungeons every single day of the fortnight Harry had spent at the Weasleys...
Something caught her eye at that moment, something strange. She pushed herself forwards in her chair and studied the gingerbread house carefully, before turning her bright and hopeful eyes back towards Harry.
“I thought you recreated every window and door in the castle, every chimney...”
“I did. You know I did. I wanted my... offer... to be perfect”
“Then it's rather odd that the door to Severus' own quarters isn't here”
“What?” Harry jerked forwards, urgently searching his carefully constructed replica. “It's gone! He must have taken it. What does that mean, Minerva?”
“I honestly don't know, Harry. But... this leaves his doorway wide open, doesn't it? If he tried so hard to ignore it, if he touched nothing else, then it's strange he picked that one door. I believe Severus is too subtle for his own good most of the time. He is too cautious for us, gryffindors. I'll never understand why he doesn't confront things up front. It's like a self-defense mechanism of some sort...”
“So this is a test? I press forwards and he responds in oblique ways, then retreats to see what happens... I wonder how many people he's already lost like this”
She looked down at the gingerbread house, remembering something Albus mentioned long ago.
“I'd imagine that's the point. Severus craves blind faith, unwavering loyalty, wholehearted acceptance... Only those who won't give up can give him that”
Harry smiled softly at that. Index finger coming forth to touch the space where the missing door to his colleague's chambers left a gaping hole in Hogwarts.
“So he's opened his door. Now all I've got to do is go down and knock on it.”
Minerva grabbed his wrist, as he got up to do just that. She cared for this boy very dearly. Cared for them both, really. She hoped they could make it, but...
“This won't be easy, Harry. Severus is a very difficult man.”
He cupped her cheek with the kind of gentle tenderness that she knew would be Severus' downfall.
“I love him. I have to try. Severus might not be easy, but... he's worth it, Minerva. He means everything to me and I... I won't ever be the man I want to become if I give up on him now...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-02 07:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-03 08:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-04 07:42 pm (UTC)And glad that Minerva was there to help him!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-04 09:40 pm (UTC)I've been missing you lately. I'm glad that you are enjoying this story so far. It's true that they wouldn't have gone very far without Minerva. Let's hope she continues to give them a helping hand. Thank you, as usual, for your lovely and enthusiastic review. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-04 09:48 pm (UTC)Yeah I've been busy. University finals coming up and all. So end of term papers and projects are attacking me like non-other...and it's harder now 'cuase I'm studying abroad *dies*
And you're welcome about the lovely and enthusiastic reviews :D
They give me something else to think about besides school. hah!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-04 09:58 pm (UTC)