Despite It All.

[pekeleke]

Title: Despite It All.

Author: pekeleke

Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape.

Rating: PG

Warning(s): None.

Word count: 365

Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. No money is being made out of this work.

Written for: hogwarts365 Prompt #3 – Millicent Bulstrode.

Summary: Love doesn't follow rules. It doesn't listen to reason. It takes root wherever it wants to and it blooms despite it all...
 

Despite It All.

 

“Come on, Severus, don't be so shy about it. This is supposed to be fun.”

Severus snorted.
“How can you believe this ridiculous nonsense? Millicent Bulstrode is not an expert in relationships, Harry. She used her father's money to land her job in the Prophet, for Merlin's sake!”

“That doesn't make her advice any less sound. Finding out what kind of things you admire the most about me makes sense, Severus.”

“Millicent's questionnaires are intrusive, unhelpful and positively misleading. Love doesn't follow some ridiculous list of 'steps' and should never be measured by the random rules set forth by the Prophet's self-proclaimed agony-aunt.”

“Now I know you're stalling. What could you possibly like about me that is so embarrassing you'd feel the need to hide it?”

“'I'm not hiding anything, Potter!”

“Prove it, then. Tell me what you like best about me.”

Severus sighed warily before delivering a truly devastating answer with flat-toned brutality:
“I don't like anything about you.”

Harry gasped with shock:
“You must be joking.”

“I'm being perfectly serious.”

“But... we've been together for three years!“

“So? I haven't changed personality in that time and neither have you. I like serious, driven men who enjoy books, potions, the theater... I like calm, methodical people who actually understand the concept of privacy, Harry. You play Quidditch for a living because it's 'fun'. You read nothing but love-questionnaires, confide our private business to every bloody Weasley under the sun and wouldn't enjoy potions even if they tickled you...”

Harry lowered his gaze, looking utterly heartbroken.
“But... I thought you loved me.”

“I do.”

“That can't be true. How can you possibly love me when you don't like anything about me?”

“I don't know. I shouldn't love you, but I do. We've got nothing in common, Harry. Nothing. We're distressingly incompatible in every possible way and yet... I'm drawn to you. I miss you when you are not here. I'd have been bored to tears with a man like myself.”

“You'd have been compatible, though.”

“Compatibility isn't love. It's a number on a paper.”

“So... you love me despite my failings?”

“There are no 'failings' or 'reasons' involved, Harry. I love you because I do."

 

Comments

[fallconsmate]

truth. love isn't always rational...but it can be hotter than the hinges of hades.

good for severus for not falling into the "you have to like everything about your partner" trap!

[pekeleke]

You are right. Love isn't always rational and it's humanly impossible to like absolutely everything about our partners. Severus might have gone a tad to the other extreme here, but then I honestly believe that he's trying to make a point with his answer. He loves Harry despite the fact that the Gryffindor doesn't resemble Severus' own idea of the perfect man at all and that, right there, is probably the greatest love declaration that Harry will ever hear...

I'm glad that you enjoyed this drabble, fallcosnmate. Thanks, as always, for keeping up with my work. :)

Hugs
pekeleke

[soleo]

Harry seems so disappointed that Severus can't think of one thing he likes. *Pouty* of course like doesn't necessarily mean anything when relating to love. Millicent and her questionnaire don't know a thing about love either :p

I'm sure if Severus tried he'd be able to think of something- how Harry calls out his name, or the look on his face when he's concentrating really hard. Something silly, but super romantic. - and he just didn't want to say it because it's super embarrassing.

[pekeleke]

Yes Harry was truly devastated by Severus' answer, but then he was expecting to have fun while filling up a harmless little couples' questionnaire when Severus decided to spoil his lighthearted mood by turning all heavy on him.

I think Sev is impossibly picky in both words and intentions here. He's determined to make a point and it's using whatever twisted difference he associates with the words 'love' and 'like' to express something that he might have never actually found a better way of saying. Harry might not be the perfect man of his dreams in theory, but he happens to fill the position in reality and, although that might sound inexplicable to many, it works for both of them and it works well.

I think he owes Harry some serious petting now, though, or at least a long and loving snogging session to help Harry forget the moment of panic that his rather brutal answer obviously caused... ;D

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to both read and review another work of mine. Your lovely comment meant the world to me, my friend.

[dracdauter]

I love that Severus is wise enough to realize that just because you are compatible with someone doesn't mean you can love or fall in love with them. He admits he'd be bored with someone like himself. Opposites attract. Someone different from ourselves add spice and bring into our lives new ideas, thoughts and perspectives. I'm glad Severus took the leap of faith and went with his feelings of love for Harry instead of perusing someone just like himself.

[pekeleke]

I agree with you on the point that Severus was rather wise in choosing his partner with his heart instead of his head. Opposites do attract indeed, sometimes only our opposites can complement us in the precise way we need to become properly grounded.

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed this little drabble so much. Thank you for taking the time to both read and review. Your beautiful and insightful comment was a joy to read. :)

[sighing_selkie]

I think this makes sense on (your electronic) paper... but yes, there must be *some* things he likes... but I suspect he doesn't just *like* those, so perhaps...

umm, I'm always surprised when these things make me think 'heavy' thoughts :)

[pekeleke]

I think Severus was trying to make a point here. He was being difficult on purpose in order to express a sentiment that he might have been unable to say any other way. Harry might not be his perfect dream companion, but maybe dream companions are not real ones because a relationship with a person like them wouldn't have worked, anyway. Sometimes our likes and dislikes don't actually match our needs and it's probably for the best that Severus is at least conscious of the fact that, despite the misgivings of his head, his heart chose his partner wisely.

Thanks for taking the time to both read and review. Your lovely comment was greatly appreciated. :)

[barb2210]

This is just so adorable... I like that Severus doesn't like Harry, ROFL.
You know what I did, right? Lol. I'll post my translation right after you! :)

Hugs,
barb

[pekeleke]

LOL. Hello there, barb.

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed this little drabble of mine. I'll add this translation to my list, then. I'll probably post it on Ao3 at some point next week, whenever I update the next two chapters of Courting Disaster, so you don't have to wait too long to post your work.

Have a lovely weekend, my friend.
hugs
pekeleke

[mrs_sweetpeach]

You have a very wise take on love & relationships. Not to mention a talent for capturing Harry & Severus in a realistic and convincing way.

[pekeleke]

Oh... *blushes* that's such a lovely thing to say...
I'm thrilled that you enjoy the way I portray the boys. Thank you for taking the time not only to read my work but also to send me such a truly gorgeous comment. Receiving it made my day, you know? :)

[adafrog]

I was so sad for Harry, and almost mad at Severus, but then I thought about it. But it's kind of true. And I adore that Severus told Harry he didn't have any failings.

[pekeleke]

Woa!... Who are you and what have you done with my friend adafrog? I can't believe I finally managed to wrestle two entire sentences out of you, ada! :D

I can understand why you were sad for Harry and mad at Severus. He was a tad too harsh here, being difficult on purpose, wasn't he? I think he was trying to make a rather important point, though. He wanted to make sure that Harry understood that, although neither of them might be the perfect dream partner for the other in theory, they happen to still be perfect together anyway. Love isn't really measured in likes, dislikes, failings and virtues. Love is weighed in emotion and that tends to be rather illogical most of the time...

I'm glad that you managed to enjoy this piece, despite your initial shock. Thanks for gifting me with the wonderful pleasure of receiving such a magnificently long review from you! <3

[adafrog]

:)

[0idontknow0]

So cute. Severus is a sweetheart, sort of. He's brutal about it in a way.

[pekeleke]

It's true that Severus is rather brutal about delivering his point in this particular drabble. I'm thrilled you found him cute despite his harshness. Thanks so much for taking the time to both read and review. Your wonderful comment was greatly appreciated. :)

[myk_myk]

Tut-tut, Severus, it was a bit harsh.
I don't agree that you have got nothing in common. You are both warriors and 'Dumbledore's man'. You had similar childhood. You are both passionate about subject you love. You are both definition of yours House. You both had to sacrifice yourself. And much, much more. And I am pretty sure that you like something in Harry. Maybe the way he smiles at you? Or that he like to cuddle? x)
Brilliant as always, my dear.
Hugs,
myk

[pekeleke]

Hello there, myk! :D

I'm sorry that I haven't been around lately, but it's been incredibly busy around here...

I agree with your take on all the things the boys have in common and the truth is that Severus was probably a tad too hard on Harry here, but I think he just wanted to make a point of it. He loves Harry in spite of all the reasons why he shouldn't have ever felt that sort of emotion for a man who is not his equal in either intellect, age or attitude to life and I honestly think that's probably the greatest love declaration of them all... :)

Thanks, as always, for keeping up with my work, my friend. Your lovely reviews never fail to make me smile.
Hugs
pekeleke

[saevio_semper]

As soon as "like" was said, I hoped he was making a point regarding love. Of course there are things he likes, but he may also justify leaving them out as he rather loves those things.

It is nice to see someone address why Severus wants Harry. So often his focus is physical and develops into habit or reaction to being liked rather than an actual appreciation for Harry as a person. The intellectual gap in particular never seems to be addressed.

I want to read this making it up to him for his harshness in making his point. Sounds hot. :P

[pekeleke]

Hello there

I must confess that I was shocked, but honestly glad to see you here. I've received your PM's and I'm planning to respond to them as soon as I get the time to sit with them and think properly about your questions. I don't want to offer you a rushed answer, you know? Thank you for contacting me once again. It was thoroughly unexpected but not unwelcome. :)

Now, regarding this comment... I think there must be about a million things that Severus loves about Harry, but I doubt he considers 'liking' them a good enough description for his own emotions. He's a man of strong passions, isn't he?

He probably wanted to acknowledge the strength of his own affection to Harry, hoping to make his lover understand just how difficult love really is to define. Most of us love others just because we do, it's really that simple when we look at it, deep down.

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed this particular drabble. Thanks so much for taking the time to both read and review. Your wonderfully insightful comment was greatly appreciated.

Sincerely
pekeleke

[keyairreem]

Brilliant! So true yet so painful but hey that is LOVE

[pekeleke]

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed this particular drabble. Thanks so much for your lovely comment. :)

[patolozka]

OMG, that was... I don´t know what it was. I couldn´t breath when Severus said that he deosn´t like anything about him. I thought that I had to be misunderstand, but the ending... Oh! Great! That is our Severus... Thank you!

[pekeleke]

Hello there, pat! :D

Yes, Severus was a bit hard mean to Harry here, but I think he wanted to teach him the lesson that love isn't always logical and it can't be measured in terms of 'likes' and 'dislikes'. I'm glad that you managed to enjoy the story despite being initially so shocked by Severus' first answer.

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to both read and review another work of mine, my friend. I hope your competition is still going well.

Have a lovely day.
Hugs
pekeleke

[patolozka]

Thank you so much! Yes, I think that the competiton goes well, but the themes are more difficult than I´ve been foreseeing. Now we are nearly in the middle (3/7).;-)