Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

A Marriage of Convenience	By : NinaSweets Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 159377 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 45
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters and places all belong to JK Rowling this is a not for profit story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Why hello everyone, a new update. Twice in a month! Madness I hear you cry! No just sleep deprived inspired-ness. Hope you enjoy the chapter; it’s a little different so tell me what you think. Nina

Chapter Seven
The woods around Riddle Manor were quiet. Not even a group of rowdy teens would dare think of trespassing tonight. In fact the whole town of Little Hangleton found reasons to be inside tonight, not that they knew exactly why of course.
The cause was inside the long abandoned Riddle Manor, sitting curled up on the wingback chair that had once been a favourite of his grandfathers.
Lord Voldemort growled softly as he watched his beautiful familiar, Nagini swallow up some mice she had caught. She’d been eager to show him what she had caught; he had praised her and politely declined when she offered some.
Wormtail was somewhere stoking the fire avoiding his master’s gaze. Unfortunately Voldemort didn’t have much else to look at. He couldn’t move from the position he’d been placed in and that irritated him to no end.
“Master,” Nagini said and Voldemort turned her as best he could.
“Yes pet?”
“Someone approaches,” she said looking to the far window. They were in the upstairs study of Riddle Manor. The study window overlooked the main drive and the surrounding forest to the east.
“Friend or foe?” Voldemort asked and Nagini let out a little hissing chuckle that had Wormtail flinching. It always unnerved the fat man when he spoke to his familiar in the language of snakes, most things about him unnerved the man which was the way he liked it.
“Master, everyone is your foe,” Nagini said and Voldemort gave a small nod of agreement.
“True my pet but do you recognise their scent?”
“It smells wrong, like your funny water,” Nagini said
“Ah, potions,” Voldemort replied and Nagini nodded her head.
“Shall I go have a look?” Nagini asked
“No, Wormtail will,” Voldemort said, he switched from Parseltongue to English “Wormtail, there is someone in the grounds, go have a look.”
The fat balding man stood with a small squeak and left the room as quickly as he could. Not many people wanted to spend more time then they had to in Voldemort’s presence. He understood, he could barely stand to some days. Especially when trapped in this helpless form, trapped as he had been for thirteen years between life and death. Thanks to one Harry Potter. He had survived but was this really surviving? All would be well when he had his body back.
Wormtail returned quickly, Voldemort was used to the sounds his servant made as he wandered around, and he was accompanied by unfamiliar feet.
“My Lord, its Barty Crouch Jr.” a voice greeted softly.
“Ah, come in,” Voldemort said.
The man came around the side of the chair and knelt down in front of him. His black hair was pushed off his face haphazardly; he was wearing clothes much too big for his thin emaciated form. He had been out of Azkaban for years now but the horrors of Azkaban were still etched in to every piece of him. Voldemort valued that in his followers; any who braved Azkaban for him rather then turn on their fellows was to be rewarded with his mercy.
“How did Potter go in the first task?” Voldemort asked.
“My Lord, there is much we must discuss,” Crouch said.
“Hmm?” Voldemort said trying to sound disinterested. Crouch sounded worried, worried about talking to him. Crouch had nothing to fear, he was a faithful follower. Devoted to Voldemort’s’ cause, willing to risk everything over and over again to help Voldemort get his body back.
“About Potter,”
“What about Potter? He didn’t die did he? That would be horribly ironic. The Boy Who Lived, eaten by a dragon just when I need him alive,”
“He didn’t die...” Crouch said his voice still soft. It irritated Voldemort; his voice was powerful, cool, like an icy river flowing over smooth stones. Crouch sounded like he hadn’t hit puberty and for a man who had spent the better part of ten years behind bars screaming his way into sleep every night it wasn’t right.
“He didn’t die...” Crouch cleared his throat, “because he’s not competing,”
“WHAT?!” Voldemort roared. The fireplace let out a large burst of fire nearly singeing Nagini who let out an awful hiss of pain.
“My Lord!” Crouch said staring at the fireplace with wide eyes. “Please,”
“Wormtail, check Nagini,”
“I’m fine master, but if he touches me he won’t be.” Nagini hissed at the man approaching man. Wormtail shied away, black beady eyes going to Voldemort for what to do.
“Nagini, come,” Voldemort ordered.
Crouch and Wormtail watched the snake with fear as she slid over. They didn’t know what he was saying; he could have just ordered their deaths via her poisoned fans.
Nagini slithered up onto the chair and wrapped herself around him hissing softly.
“I didn’t hurt you?”
“No Master,” she said and he nodded pleased by that. She was special to him, important.
“Now, Crouch, why isn’t Potter competing?”
“He found a way around the rules,” Crouch replied, his eyes never leaving Nagini’s long thick body as it slowly curled around Lord Voldemort.
Voldemort stared at him waiting for him to continue despite the man’s obvious reluctance. He probably thinks I’ll kill him, maybe I will...
“Well there are several ways around the binding contract the Goblet creates when your name falls out. You have to be at a serious disadvantage to your other opponents, like missing an arm or a leg or being a five year old with seventeen year olds,” Crouch went on.
“Not enough for Potter though?”
“No, that’s not how he did,”
“Get to the point!”
“Your spouse can forbid you from entering. The spouse has to be stronger then you magically to override the Goblet’s contract.”
“So Potter married a man...” Voldemort said and Crouch nodded.
“It must be his blasted Godfather, Wormtail; I think you need to pay your old friends a visit,”
Wormtail paled but didn’t open his mouth. The fact that his two former friends Remus Lupin and Sirius Black had promised to kill him when they next met definitely put a knife of fear through his heart.
Voldemort knew he only had Wormtail here out of fear of his friends; he wanted the Dark Lords protection from them. He didn’t mind, fear was a very powerful motivator.
“Not Black,” Crouch said spitting the name out like it tasted foul on his tongue.
“Who? They have to be a man, no mere school boy is more powerful then Harry Potter. Dumbledore? No he wouldn’t he’d find that immoral.”
“Severus Snape,” Crouch said.
“Severus Snape?” Voldemort asked and Crouch nodded, his face pulled into a wince waiting for a blow to come.
Voldemort frowned processing this information carefully. He hadn’t seen Snape in thirteen years. Not since the man had come to him, on his hands and knees, begging and pleading to spare the Mudblood Lily Potter’s life. Voldemort had patted his head and told him to rise; Snape was precious and so very loyal.
“I only want the child Severus. Your precious Mudblood will be spared. However, if she stands in my way...” Voldemort had trailed off but Snape had known that was good enough. It was more than anyone else could ever hope for. Snape had bowed and left and he’d never seen him again.
He’d gone crawling to Dumbledore, been spared Azkaban unlike most of his other followers. A few had escaped the fate of their fellow Death Eaters, naming names or buying their way out like one Lucius Malfoy. Snape was resourceful though, he was a survivor and he had gotten Dumbledore to trust him so deeply the old man had gone up against the Wizengamot and the Minister to keep Snape out of jail.
Snape would do what it took to survive. Even if it meant marrying a teenage boy so Dumbledore would trust him.
He had no way of knowing what Voldemort was planning, that was the point and now it had made an even bigger mess of things. He would need to see Snape, explain things, but not yet, not before everything was ready. He would reveal himself to his loyal followers first all at once, that was how it needed to be. They should know that time was coming soon.
“Wormtail, your arm,” Voldemort said
Wormtail shuffled forward and raised his left arm where the Dark Mark, Voldemort’s mark was etched into his skin like every other Death Eater across the country. He lifted a small frail arm and trailed his fingers across it gently. It was not hard enough to summon them to him. It was just enough to get them noticing something they probably hadn’t thought about in years.
As he stroked Wormtail’s arm he turned to Crouch, “We need to get Potter and he needs to be alive. I don’t know how much faster my plan can go, I have waited years and everything must be timed perfectly. What’s the next task?”
“Something to do with the Merfolk,” Crouch replied
“Find out exactly what it is. Perhaps Potter can find his way into that task somehow. When is it?”
“Late February,”
“Wormtail, can we skip ahead a few months or does it have to be June?”
“I’m not sure if the reeds will have matured enough My Lord,” Wormtail replied
“What happens if they’re not?”
“I don’t know, this potion was only written as theory it wasn’t ever meant to be used because it was thought no one would need it,” Wormtail said and Voldemort frowned at him and pressed harder on the mark. Wormtail gasped in pain as did Crouch, clutching his left arm.
“Well someone does need it. Me. I am not a man of theory Wormtail. I take action!” Voldemort said “Crucio!”
Wormtail writhed on the ground in pain, Crouch feeling the pain through his mark slumped down whimpering and all across the country Death Eaters were doing the same.

Harry shot up in bed, a hand pressed to his forehead as his scar burned painfully. He gasped, it hurt so much. He pulled his hand away, it was wet.
The lights flicked on and Harry turned. Snape was staring at him; his black eyes were alert, tracking Harry’s face quickly before settling on his forehead. Snape was either a very light sleeper or he hadn’t been sleeping.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Harry said quietly.
“Move your hand,” was all Snape said
“What?” Harry asked but Snape grabbed Harry’s right hand and pulled it away from his face.
“Your scar is bleeding,”
“Ugh” Harry said looking at his hand, “he’s mad... really mad.”
“The Dark Lord? Did you see something? What did you see?”
“I... can’t... he was talking to Wormtail, something has messed up his plans... someone... me I think...”
“You always do that though,” Snape said dryly as he held up a cloth to Harry’s forehead.
“Yeah... but he’s really mad about it. It’s never bled before,”
“This happens a lot?”
“Not the bleeding part, but the seeing things? Sometimes... it just seems like dreams but I know they’re not. They’re too real, too cold too... awful,” Harry muttered. Snape said nothing just held the cloth tighter to his head and leant over to his bedside table. He rummaged around before coming back with a vial of watery green liquid. He pulled the cloth away and shook some of the green water onto it. He then held it back up to Harry’s head
“Ow,” Harry complained as it stung sharply. Snape just raised an eyebrow so Harry quietened down.
“This isn’t good,” Snape said,
“Actually it feels great after a few seconds, what is it?”
“Not that!” Snape snapped, “The Dark Lord.”
“Oh yeah,”
“He’s getting stronger.”
“You feel that too?” Harry asked and Snape glanced at his left arm.
“He’s warning us,” Snape said softly more to himself then to Harry so Harry didn’t reply. It felt too much like intruding on another person’s conversation.
“The bleeding stopped,” Snape said suddenly and took the cloth away. Harry rubbed his hands over the scar tiredly
“Thanks,” he said quietly.
Snape just kept staring at him, his eyes watching Harry’s scar intently. He was going into off mode, thinking deeply.
Harry decided he didn’t need to stare like the man was doing to him. He slipped out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. He washed the blood off his forehead and rinsed his mouth out. Those dreams always left a bad sour taste in his mouth. He just needed to feel like himself again, he was still too connected to Voldemort. He could feel the man’s angry thoughts pushing against his own mind. He rubbed his hand over his scar trying to ease the headache he could feel forming. Rubbing the wound just aggravated it more, making Harry wince.
“Headache?” Snape asked
Harry gasped and turning to face him.
“I don’t know why you’re always constantly surprised at seeing me in my own quarters,”
“Professor even you have to admit you’re a pretty surprising guy,” Harry said with a shrug. Snape frowned and walked over to him,
“I don’t think I understand.”
“You’re so... you...” Harry said, “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. Everything you do is so mysterious and foreign to me,”
“Don’t worry it shall remain that way.”
“Do you do it intentionally?”
“What?”
“Be you?”
“Do I intentionally be myself?” Snape repeated slowly so Harry would know exactly how stupid he had sounded.
“I... am very tired...” Harry muttered.
“Yes, you are,” Snape said and turned to rummage through the cabinet. He pulled out a potion and handed it to Harry.
“This will help you sleep,”
“Thank you,” Harry said taking the vial from him. He downed the small amount and handed the empty bottle back to Snape who set it neatly aside to clean and reuse.
Snape then led Harry back to bed extinguishing the lights as they went. Harry settled on his side of the bed watching as Snape doused the lights with a wave of his wand.
Harry heard Snape get settled and his breathing soon evened out into sleep. Harry bit his lip and shuffled closer.
He couldn’t help but thinking how nice it had been to have someone care for him after a vision like that. He imagined it was how his cousin Dudley felt every time he woke from a nightmare to have Aunt Petunia soothing him back into sleep.
Harry had enjoyed feeling just a little bit of that but he selfishly wanted more. He shuffled closer to Snape again. He wasn’t quite sure what he was hoping for but he got it as he realised Snape wasn’t actually asleep. He was moving and within two seconds Harry was moved into the man’s arms his head resting Snape’s chest. He sighed softly in contentment and snuggled his head around like a happy cat. This made Snape sigh.
“You’re actually quite heavy for someone so petite,” Snape muttered.
“Am I hurting you?” Harry asked rising up on his elbows to peer at the man in the darkness.
“No, no,” Snape said, pulling Harry back so he was lying down once more.
Harry easily settled into sleep drifting off with the sound of Snape’s heartbeat thumping in his ear.
He awoke the next morning alone in bed. He sat up stretching idly before slipping his glasses on and just sitting till he woke up a little more.
Harry could hear the water running so Snape was in the shower. That was good, it meant he wasn’t late. He quickly dressed in his school uniform and grabbed his bag heading off up stairs.
He walked into the Great Hall settling at the Gryffindor table beside some other early bird students. After a half hour of sitting alone more students began to trickle in among them Ron and Hermione.
“Morning Harry,” Hermione said brightly while Ron just yawned and nodded at him.
“Morning guys,” Harry replied
“You’re here quite early, you’ve even beat Snape,” Hermione said
“He’s got the NEWT class this morning. He’s always late when he sets up for the seniors,” Harry said, “Ugh I hate that I know that.”
Hermione let out a small laugh and shook her head.
“I was leading up to a typical you look tired. Have you been sleeping enough?”
“Not really,” Harry said glancing around, “it’s Voldemort.”
Hermione and Ron both flinched when he said Voldemort. There was such a fear of the man that even after being assumed dead for thirteen years people were still too scared to say his name. Harry ignored them as he did everyone else who shuddered at the name. He didn’t see how saying his name made the slightest bit of difference.
“He’s getting stronger and angrier,” Harry said
Hermione and Ron exchanged a worried glance.
“What do you think it means?” Hermione asked worriedly.
“I don’t know I haven’t a dream... vision... connection thing since the summer. Last night I got little bits and bobs of his emotions and things but nothing concrete. He’s planning something and last night there was a setback, he’s angry.”
Ron frowned and Hermione looked down at her toast.
“You should write to Snuffles,” Hermione said, using the name Sirius had told them all to call him if they were talking aloud.
“Yeah, I think I will,” Harry said, he knew Sirius couldn’t help but it was really nice having someone care. He thought about Snape, last night how wonderful it had been to be held. He had felt very cared for last night. It was really crappy that Sirius couldn’t be that person but Harry actually liked that Snape was.
Harry borrowed some parchment from Ron and scribbled out a letter to Sirius. He wasn’t sure what he was writing but once he started he couldn’t stop, it turned into a little essay of his feelings but he felt instantly relived after writing it all down.
“I’m going to go and mail this, I’ll see you in Herbology” Harry said Hermione smiled at him, happy to have cheered him up and little and Ron just nodded having gone back to his food after the serious conversation had finished.
Harry left the Great Hall and climbed the stairs to the Owlery. He was coming up on the last stair into the Owlery tower when he crashed into someone.
“Sorry,” he blurted out immediately.
“Oh it’s all right really, my fault.”
Harry glanced at who he’d crashed into and stopped. It was Cho Chang, the Seeker on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. She was smiling a small embarrassed smile while rubbing her head where she’d hit Harry. Her long black hair was hanging loosely down her back; she always wore it in a high ponytail for Quidditch matches.
“Oh, Cho... hey, hello.... hi,” he said then frowned and stopped, “Hi.”
“Hello,” she said with a small laugh.
“Hi. I said that already didn’t I?”
“Yeah, we must have hit heads harder than I thought, are you all right?”
“Yeah, yeah course. Fine completely fine...” he said and smiled. She smiled back and tilted her head to the side.
“You’re blocking the door,” she said
“Oh! Sorry, sorry... I am... hello,” he said and she laughed. He stepped aside and let her walk past him.
He watched her go down the stairs and then she turned left and disappeared from sight. He sighed and turned back to the Owlery. It was large turret overlooking the grounds, there were hundreds of little cubby’s in the walls for the owls to settle in and the ground was always covered in owl droppings and straw.
Harry looked around and found his pet owl Hedwig; she was easily spotted as she was a beautiful snowy white and stood out against the stone of the room. He climbed up the steps toward her thinking about Cho Chang. She was quite pretty, with her dark oriental eyes and that silky dark hair. Her laugh was amazing...
He couldn’t help wishfully thinking about how maybe if it was different perhaps he might have worked up the chance to ask her out to Hogsmeade once.
The thought of asking someone out though immediately filled him with dread, his hands sweated and he could already feel his tongue tying. He shook his head; he wouldn’t be asking anyone to Hogsmeade with him any time soon so it would be all right.
There was a soft hoot in his ear and he jumped.
He turned to see Hedwig had landed on his shoulder; she was squished against his face as his shoulder wasn’t quite big enough for her to perch on. He held out his arm and she shuffled along being careful with her claws.
Harry smiled at her; he had been deep in thought so deep he hadn’t even noticed her landing on him or her feathers against his face.
“Take this to Sirius all right? And wait for him to write back” Harry said, she hooted and took the letter in her beak before launching herself out the window. Harry watched her go and then headed off downstairs and outside to the greenhouses.
Ron and Hermione were waiting with the other Gryffindors of their year; the Hufflepuff’s stood opposite them mostly ignoring them.
The Hufflepuff’s had been angry at Harry for stealing Cedric’s glory, then he’d gone and married the meanest teacher at the school. All up they just weren’t quite sure how to deal with Harry so they ignored him for the most part.
Though they made no effort to hide their snide comments from him they didn’t go out of their way to be nasty.
“I just can’t believe he’s still failing Potions when he’s sleeping with the teacher,” Ernie McMillan was saying quietly.
“Maybe he’s bad at that too,” Hannah Abbott giggled.
“Hey! Leave Harry alone. He can’t help who he loves!” Neville Longbottom said loudly. Harry looked at Neville in shock as did everyone else in the class. Quiet Neville Longbottom had just stood up for Harry.
Poor Neville was a round faced rather forgetful boy who didn’t really stand out anywhere. It was a shock to everyone, including himself, when he’d been put in Gryffindor the house of the brave and bold for Neville was rarely ever either. He shined in Herbology where he was most comfortable and confident and it was usually in this environment that he’d startle everyone by showing how Gryffindor he was.
“Thank you Neville,” Harry said with a small smile.
“I don’t understand it myself but I’ve never seen you happier then you are now and if it’s Snape that’s making you happy well then it’s a good thing in my book.”
“I’ll tell Severus you said that,” Harry said
“Please don’t! He’ll find a way to give me a detention I know it,” Neville said panicking. Harry smiled and nodded,
“All right I won’t say I promise,” he said and Neville looked relieved. He smiled at Harry and then went back to reading his textbook.
“Well you don’t need me around to defend you then you either do it yourself or Neville jumps in,” Ron said and Harry laughed
“I’ll always need your hot head around Ron. How will I know when I’ve been insulted if you don’t immediately rush to defend me? I’m quite slow,” Harry said and Ron nudged him with his shoulder grinning at him.
Herbology went by smoothly, Neville, embolden by his defence of Harry soared through the class earning Gryffindor fifty-three points courtesy of a beaming Professor Sprout.
They headed off to lunch together Neville sitting beside them and helping Hermione go through the notes she’d just taken in class.
After lunch was double Transfiguration.
McGonagall was brutal making Neville completely loose his hot streak and he wound up just completely giving up on the spell they were learning.
McGonagall seemed to give up on them too toward the end of class and didn’t bother telling off Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil who were gossiping up the back.
“Students, a quick announcement before you leave,” McGonagall called the bell rang which was the signal for everyone to start ignoring her as they gathered up their books. McGonagall simply spoke louder over the noise and within a sentence had the whole class’ attention.
“Now, the Yule Ball is fast approaching. It is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and provides us with a wonderful opportunity to socialise with our foreign guests. It will be held on Christmas night and is open to fourth years and above though you may invite younger years if you wish. There will be more details posted in your common rooms about Hogsmeade weekends leading up to the dance. That is all, class dismissed,” she said.
Lavender and Parvati were chattering excitedly about dresses and potential dates already. Harry blanched as they looked him up and down as well as Ron before turning and giggling to one another.
“Potter! A word!”
Harry sighed and trudged to the front of the classroom. McGonagall waited until Ron had shut the door behind himself before turning to Harry.
Harry waited until the woman had finished packing up her own papers and she had stood up to look down at him. She gave him a small smile to let him know he wasn’t in trouble.
“Now Potter, ordinarily the Champions of the Tournament open the Ball. However, as you are no longer a champion-”
“I don’t have to dance? Or even go at all if I don’t want to?” Harry asked. He was already dreading going, who on earth would he take? Ugh, no, dances were not for Harry Potter.
“However!” McGonagall said as if he hadn’t spoken, “as you are no longer a champion you are still married to a member of staff. So you must attend because your spouse is attending. It is entirely up to Severus whether or not you dance.”
“Professor I-”
“Potter you’re not married to me. If you didn’t want to go I’d let you stay in your rooms. It is up to your spouse whether he wants you there or not and odds are he will. Don’t worry though Severus is an excellent dancer. You needn’t worry about making a fool of yourself.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about. I’m worried about going to a school dance with my teacher as my date.”
“He’s a wonderful date to have,” McGonagall said
“Have you dated him?” Harry asked
“Of course not he was my student,”
“I’m his student!” Harry protested.
“Don’t plead your case to me Potter, go to your husband,” she said and Harry narrowed his eyes at her.
“I think you enjoy me being miserable,”
“No I don’t. I enjoy Severus being happy and your misery is an unfortunate by product,” McGonagall said
“Is he really acting different?”
“All I know is that you’ve changed something in him for the better,”
“Really? He’s still a git toward me,” Harry said and McGonagall smiled
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you call Professor Snape a git.”
“No I called Severus my husband a git,” Harry said with a grin, McGonagall shook her head and shooed him away.
Harry left the classroom to find Ron and Hermione waiting in the corridor.
“What did she want?” Hermione asked
“Just to talk about the ball. I thought I was going to get out of it but I actually have to go because Snape needs a date,” Harry said leading the way down to the Great Hall for dinner.
“Well that’s great for you mate but what about the rest of us who need to find dates?” Ron asked
“You’re on your own, unfortunately,” Harry said with a shrug.
“Ugh, I was hanging on for your fame to get us dates though. You would have the prettier girl of course and I would have gone with her slightly less attractive friend.”
“You keep hoping Ron,” Harry said
“You can just go on your own. That’s what I’m planning to do,” Hermione said quietly.
“Like that’s not pathetic,” Ron said and shook his head, “no, I need to find a date.”
Harry couldn’t stop Ron in time; the words were tumbling out of the ignorant red heads mouth before he could do anything. Hermione’s face went from shocked and hurt to indignant very quickly. So quickly Ron missed it entirely but Harry saw it. He thought about how to fix it but Hermione was already snapping back at Ron.
“I don’t need a date to have a nice time,” she said crossly.
“Right whatever,” Ron said dismissively and Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Well Hermione, Snape will probably be busy guarding the punch bowl or something so we can dance together a little,” Harry suggested.
“I’d really like that Harry thank you,” Hermione said and Harry smiled. They walked into the Great Hall and found it was complete chaos. Girls were hurrying all over talking to their friends and sitting in large packs all chattering excitedly about the dance.
“Ah why do they have to sit in groups? It makes it harder,” Ron sighed leading them over to the Gryffindor table.
“Well girls will think it’s brave if you go up and ask them when they’re surrounded,” Hermione said
“That’s so dumb,” Ron muttered dejectedly and Hermione sighed.
“I hate this stupid ball already and it hasn’t even happened yet,” Hermione said quietly. Ron was ignoring her but Harry heard and patted her shoulder sympathetically.
“Do you have a dress yet?” Harry asked trying to cheer her up a little.
He sometimes felt bad for Hermione because she didn’t really get along with the other girls in her dorm. He knew they’d picked on her in first year and it hadn’t really let up much, Hermione had just gotten better at brushing it off.
He didn’t really know how to talk to girls or make them feel better but seeing Hermione’s face brighten up at the talk of dresses he knew he’d guessed the right thing to say.
“No of course not I only just found out about the dance,” she said
“Oh well dress robes were on the list for me and Ron I thought something similar for you.”
“Well, yes, but I didn’t know what it was for so I didn’t see the point in getting anything. Now I wish I had, my mother has this beautiful cocktail dress I’m sure she’d have lent to me.”
“We’ll find you something nice in Hogsmeade but I don’t know a lot about dresses,”
“Yeah,” Hermione said quietly. Harry stared at her hopelessly and she gave a small smile to show she was all right. She turned to Ron and the smile fell off. Ron was busy ignoring them; he was staring at the other house tables weighing up potential dates.
“I’m not hungry I’m going to the library!” Hermione sighed and stood up in a huff.
“Hermione wait,” Harry hurried after her, he stopped her a few feet before the door, so they were far enough from Ron he wouldn’t hear them.
“I’m sorry I’m being silly. You’re being really sweet and I’m ruining it by being in a bad mood.”
“I’d probably be as bad as Ron if I didn’t already have a date. I mean no offence but your my friend so I do really see you as that first and then as a girl second,”
“Nice to know I’m one of the boys,” Hermione said with a smile to let Harry know she appreciated his honesty.
“Sorry,” Harry said and Hermione shook her head.
“No... I can just as easily ask him right? I’m being as stupid as he is,” she said looking down at her shoes.
“Don’t worry about Ron; you can have just as nice a time without a date remember?” Harry said and she nodded.
“You’re right, I don’t need a date. Besides it’s only the first day... maybe someone will ask me a little closer to the ball?”
“That’s right,” Harry said and Hermione smiled again
“Thank you Harry, and you don’t have to come dress shopping with me, I can take Ginny,” she said
Ginny Weasley was Ron’s little sister, she was really the only girl Hermione knew and got along with all right.
“It’ll just be me trying on a dozen things and you tell me which one makes me look the nicest,” Hermione said
“Oh is that all? Great I can do that,” Harry said and Hermione smiled.
“I know you’re only being nice because you feel sorry for me, but thanks, Harry,”
“That is not true,” Harry said, “and stop thanking me.”
“Then stop being so nice!”
“All right fine I’ll be a git,” Harry said and Hermione laughed
“Good then I’ll know you’re back to normal” she said, “Now I wasn’t just storming off in a huff I really do need to get to the library.”
Harry let her go and headed back to the Gryffindor table sitting down beside Ron.
“Where did Hermione go?” Ron asked
“Library,”
“She won’t find a decent guy in there,” Ron said
“She’s not trying to! She’s gone to study. Meeting guys isn’t important to Hermione. Besides she’s a nice girl she’ll meet a nice guy no matter where she is.”
“Well you and I know that cause we’re her friends but anyone else just glancing at her won’t notice that. Their eyes will gloss right over her and go to some pretty girl,”
“Hermione is a pretty girl,” Harry defended. Her hair was all over the place in a bushy brown mess and her front teeth were just slightly too large but Harry didn’t think that distracted from her at all. She was unique, pretty in the way she walked and talked not how she looked per say.
“You’re only saying that ‘cause you’re her friend,” Ron said
“Well you’re her friend too; don’t you think she’s pretty?” Harry asked
“What? No it’s Hermione,” Ron said like it was obvious.
“That’s not an excuse. You didn’t notice because you were too busy ogling the Ravenclaw’s but you really hurt her feelings,” Harry said
“By telling her the truth? She won’t get a date, better she hears that from a friend right?”
“No Ron, it’s horrible.”
“Well it’s easy for you to say, you’ve got your whole life set out for you fucking our Potions Master!” Ron snapped. He’d unintentionally said that louder then he’d needed because the whole hall had gone quiet.
Everyone was staring at them open mouthed waiting for Harry’s reply.
“Perhaps I’ll just go do that now then since that’s all anyone thinks I’m good for!” Harry replied and stood up. He wasn’t quite sure where to go once he stood up. He didn’t want to leave, Ron would consider that a win. He also couldn’t sit back down, that was just odd.
He turned to the Head table and saw Snape, for once offering him an out. The man was crooking his finger, beckoning him over.
Everyone was still watching Harry and Ron so they didn’t notice him helping Harry out. It just looked like Harry had been about to say something but changed his mind.
Harry stalked up to the Head table and walked around behind Professors Sinistra and Burbage to where Snape sat in between McGonagall and Flitwick.
Snape pushed his chair out allowing Harry to sit on his lap.
“You just don’t think before you talk do you?” Snape said quietly in Harry’s ear. Harry blushed and shook his head.
“Everyone is staring,” Harry muttered quietly.
“If you act normally they’ll think its normal. It becomes boring and they lose interest,” Snape said.
“I’m sitting on your lap though.”
“Well whose fault is that?”
“Um... mine?”
“Yes, we’re going to have a long chat about that mouth of yours. It gets you into trouble.”
“Gets me out of it too sometimes” Harry said defensively.
“Have some dinner then we shall go how much trouble that mouth of yours can get you out of/”
“Severus he may be your husband but he’s still my student. I really don’t need to hear that,” Professor Sinistra protested.
Harry blushed furiously and hid his face in the only available place, Snape’s shoulder. Harry was quite sure what Snape had said was a sexual innuendo and all his teachers had cottoned on much quicker than he had. In fact if the nice Astronomy teacher hadn’t said anything Harry would have been quite sure Snape’s sentence had been purely innocent.
“Did you want to talk about what happened?” Snape asked quietly, Harry shook his head. No he was happy to act like a five year old and hide his face pretending that what just happened hadn’t happened.
“Eat something at least,” Snape said.
Harry turned away from the man’s shoulder and picked up a roll nibbling on it while Snape finished off his Sheppard’s pie one handed. His left hand was curled around Harry’s middle, soothingly running up and down easing Harry into relaxing against him.
Harry turned in more so he was resting his head on Snape’s shoulder facing Professor McGonagall who offered him a small smile, he smiled back. He felt immensely grateful that none of the teachers were commenting, in fact the relaxed joyous ribbing of Snape by his fellow colleagues helped Harry relax even more. In fact he was almost falling asleep on Snape, which the man luckily sensed. He urged Harry up, took hold of his hand and led him through the door on the side the staff usually entered though. It led them into a small antechamber and from there out into the Entrance Hall. Once they were out of sight of the Great Hall Snape picked Harry up bridal style. Harry let out a squeak of surprise and gripped Snape’s arms.
Snape carried him down to their rooms and gently lay Harry down on the turned down bed. He took off Harry’s uniform and Harry let him, not quite sure what was happening. He didn’t think they were going to have sex. Snape didn’t seem like a very spontaneous guy he was more the kind to make a real evening of it.
Harry was correct when all Snape did was strip Harry down to his boxers and then easily slide him underneath the covers. When he straightened up to leave though Harry stopped him.
“Stay? At least till I’ve fallen asleep?” Harry asked. Snape lay on the bed on top of the covers and held an arm out permitting Harry to slide up against him.
The lights were extinguished and Harry felt his glasses being removed and gently placed on the bedside table beside him.
“Thanks,” Harry said quietly. His response was a soft kiss on the lips and a quiet order to sleep. He’d never been happier to obey.

So I’ve been on this site a while but I’m still not quite used to being an author on it. For instance I had no idea you’d all been reviewing. The first few I got they emailed me so I thought it’d be the same. Nope. So I honestly had no idea. But I had the nicest time last night just going through and reading everyone’s kind words. It kicked my butt into over drive obviously and I got out another chapter for you. Also most people again asked about updates, I’m sorry if you don’t have a twitter but it’s the easiest for me and I’m doing what I’m comfy with. Sorry. Also people who asked about Archive of Our Own, I’ve been on it once and I didn’t particularly like it so I’m not using it. I’m posting here and only here. So again sorry but I’m doing what I’m comfy with.
If you are really fussy about regular updates, you came to the wrong girl; I’m spontaneous and erratic with updates. Once a month... maybe. Sometimes when you’re lucky twice a month. So all I can offer is checking back on a month to month basis. It’s just how I work and I can’t write any faster than that it’s just not me. So again sorry.
This chapter kind of really got away from me, I honestly wasn’t going to have Harry and Ron fight but I thought they should, Ron is kind of a jerk and needed to be told off for being a jerk. So that’s how that happened and then the bit with Snape just fell out along with it. I have mixed feelings on it but I like it. It helps confuse Harry even more which is what I like. Anyway, let me know what you think I’ll actually read it this time haha, until next time guys, Nina.
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A Marriage of Convenience