Outside the Fire

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. I\'m not making any money on this, more\'s the pity.

A/N: Thanks to my lovely husband, who\'s being very tolerant with me, and for checking my work, regardless of the fact that he\'s not keen on slash pairings. To Sunglow for encouraging me and beta reading (I know you only do it because you\'ve got writer\'s block yourself!), and to all my reviewers out there who have shown such enthusiasm for this fiction.


Outside the Fire

Chapter 3 - Chocolate and Cigarettes

Severus Snape prowled the dark corridors, hoping to catch students out after curfew. He\'d already checked the Slytherin common room, and noticed that his Quidditch team weren\'t there. Knowing them, they\'d probably sneaked out to Hogsmeade to drown their sorrows. Well, as long as he didn\'t catch them coming back in, he\'d turn a blind eye. He\'d also have to have a word with Draco to make sure he stopped letting Potter distract him.

He knew they were in a relationship, but that shouldn\'t affect their competitiveness. It didn\'t in the Potions classroom, where they were regularly paired up together. Since the beginning of term, Potter\'s potions were consistently better than they had been in the past. Pity the same couldn\'t be said about Longbottom. Snape\'s face darkened at the thought of his worst student. If it weren\'t for him, Snape wouldn\'t still have that disgusting addiction problem.

Eleven years it had been before he\'d felt compelled to start again. That first lesson when the idiot had blown up his first cauldron, Snape had retreated to his rooms with shaking hands, nerves shot to pieces. The first drag had had him coughing his lungs up, but the nicotine rush had calmed him somewhat. That packet had been sitting in his drawer for eleven years, since Voldemort had been defeated the first time. It had been hard to give them up then, but he knew that once Longbottom had graduated, he could give them up again. It may take him most of the summer, but he despised being dependent on them. They were safer that the alternative, for Calming potions had an addictive side effect.

The first packet had lasted a month, used mainly after Potter\'s class on a Friday, but now he was up to ten a day, whenever he could find time in his busy schedule to take a break. He hated the fact that he had no self-control over it. His fingers were stained yellow, as were his teeth, but as he had no illusions over his looks anyway, he didn\'t care. He felt the craving now, and scowled to himself. Why did everything happen to him? He was coerced into teaching in the first place, when research was his first love, and then when Voldemort was finally defeated and his role as a spy made known, he was still bloody teaching! Dumbledore had a way of makhim him feel incredibly guilty about his wish to go back to pure research, and he was sure it couldn\'t have been that difficult to find another potions teacher! Well, tough, as Muggles were so fond of saying. After this year was finished, he was out of here. He had enough money saved for independent research for years. He had no family apart from himself to support, and his needs were few. His ancestral home was adequately furnished and came equipped with a house elf, and best of all; it was in the middle of nowhere, hidden from view in the middle of Dartmo

He sighed as the craving slowly faded at the thought that it would only be a few more months before he could escape. No more idiot children to control, no more detentions, no more bright, eager brown eyes staring at him as if he held the answers to the universe... He stumbled slightly and stopped, leaning against the wall. Where had that thought come from? He pushed away and headed back down to the peace of his rooms. He needed a cigarette, and soon. As he passed the entrance to Gryffindor tower, he felt the presence of a Silencing charm and was suspicious. What was going on in there that warranted the use of one, and at this time of night?

Casting an invisibility charm over himself, he entered the common room via the Teachers\' entrance and stood in the shadows to watch what was happening. The bright red and gold of the room offended his eyes and he winced at the garish colours. Green and silver were a much nicer combination, and he preferred the coolness of the dungeons. His eyes widened slightly as he spotted..Zabini?..with the Weasley girl. Casting a quick glance around, he saw most of his team about the room. Ah, there was Draco, just coming down the stairs with Potter. No prizes for guessing what they\'d been doing, from the flush on Potter\'s face to the mark on Draco\'s neck; he really would have to tell Draco to be a little more discreet. What in Merlin\'s name was Bulstrode doing with the other Weasley? Didn\'t she have more taste? And call that dancing? He snorted silently in amusement; watching the Gryffindors trying to dance was extremely entertaining, and who was that in front of the group?

Ah, Miss Granger. Showing off, as usual. She did move rather well, though, and she was being more patient with them than he would have been. She was moving through them gracefully, adjusting arms and legs here and there, her skirt swirling around her knees. Severus swallowed as he recalled those same knees being flashed at him when she fell off her seat in the Quidditch stands. She\'d certainly matured over the last two years; her incessant questions didn\'t annoy him quite so much, and at least they were more intelligent now. He\'d overheard Minerva and Poppy discussing her desire to become a Healer and knew that she spent time in the hospital wing from when he\'d encountered there occasionally.

He pulled back closer to the wall and further into the shadows as Draco threw himself in a chair not far away. Potter looked like he was getting them a drink, so it looked like he\'d be stuck here a little while.

Harry brought two drinks back to Draco and settled himself on his boyfriend\'s lap, sitting sideways so he didn\'t squash him too much.
\"Are you sure Hermione hasn\'t got any more?\"
\"Positive. I know all her hiding places, and if she says that was the last bar, it was the last bar.\"
\"Pity.\" Draco paused, \"How do you know all her hiding places?\"
\"I\'m her best friend, aren\'t I?\"
\"Harry.\" said in a warning voice.
\"Okay, I was in her room once on a dare.\"
\"What kind of dare?\" two pairs of ears were now listening intently.
\"You saw how she is about her chocolate?\"
\"So?\"
\"Ron knew she had a stash somewhere in her room, and you know what he\'s like about chocolate frogs. He\'d run out and was convinced she was hiding one from him.\"
\"But she hates frogs.\"
\"You know that, I know that, but Ron was desperate. He dared me to stay in her room alght ght to find out where she hides it.\"
\"So you spent the night in Hermione\'s room.\"
\"No. She caught me.\"
\"Before or after you found the stash?\"
\"After. Merlin, that girl\'s got a nose for chocolate worse than Snape has for finding troublemakers.\" Harry said.
\"You did have your cloak, didn\'t you?\"
\"Of course.\"
\"So how did she find you?\"
\"She booby-trapped the hiding place.\"
\"I gather she wasn\'t happy.\"
\"I\'ll say.\"
\"How bad?\"
\"Think Snape after Neville\'s blown up a cauldron to the power of ten.\"
\"That bad?\"
\"Must have had PMT.\" Harry shrugged. Severus nearly made his presence known at that remark. Did these idiots assign everything a girl does down to a monthly cycle? How about the invasion of privacy on someone\'s property? And these morons called themselves her friends?
\"Shame about the chocolate though.\"
\"Yeah. Perhaps I can owl her mum to send us some?\"
\"What other kinds can you get?\"
\"Whole Nut\'s a good one. Then you can get either plain or milk chocolate. Mars bars are a bit sweet, and if you like toffee and biscuit, there\'s Twix. Perhaps we can go to London over the Christmas break and stock up. Oh, and I\'ll have to take you to Thornton\'s. You can sample the goods in there.\"
\"Really?\"
\"Yes. Their Belgian\'s are really good.\"
\"They can\'t be better than Honeyduke\'s.\"
\"Just different. You\'ll see.\"

Severus tuned out their discussion of chocolate and shifted slightly. He was stuck here until they decided to move, so he looked around the room again. Miss Granger was shepherding the first through third years to their dormitories as it was past midnight and the music was quietening down now. Small groups were drifting back to the food tables and oh, how nauseating, Zabini was feeding the Weasley girl a strawberry. Someone please throw a bucket of water over them, oh, thank you, Miss Granger, for interrupting them and saving my eyes before I go blind.

\"Harry, can I borrow your cloak?\" Ron was shifting from foot to foot.
\"Sure.\"
\"No questions?\"
\"I presume you\'re escorting Millie back to Slytherin?\"
\"Yes, not that I don\'t trust Draco to get her back safely.\" Ron\'s ears were red.
Draco looked at his watch. \"Hmm, it\'s one o\'clock. Sev should have finished his rounds by now. It should be safe enough for you. Just watch your step as you go past his office, sometimes he\'s still in there.\"
\"What about you and the rest?\"
\"We\'re Slytherins, Weasley.\" as if that answered everything.
\"Oh, okay. I\'ll see you later then.\" Ron strode over to the boys\' dorm and came back a few minutes later holding a familiar object. Severus frowned in the darkness, and then a smirk crossed his face. It looked like his night was going to improve no end, with the detention of a Weasley, caught sneaking back from the dungeons after curfew. Oh, the life of a teacher had its moments, definitely. He waited in the shadows again until Harry got up off Draco and pulled him to his feet.

The party was winding down, and Harry could see Hermione was beginning to tidy up. She hated to give the house elves too much work, especially as she\'d been unable to persuade any of them to accept her gifts in her fifth year. Now all she did was make sure Dobby had all the socks and hats his heart desired; for apart from Harry himself, she was his favourite person.

Harry pulled Draco over to his friend and insisted Draco help tidy up. Draco looked down his aristocratic nose at the thought of dirtying his hands, and drew his wand. A few flicks, and his share don done, smirking as both Harry and Hermione were doing it by hand. Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry, but did the same, clearing the mess up quickly and efficiently.

She circled the room, making sure everything was tidy and in its place and then she stood by the portrait hole as the Slytherin team gathered to leave.
\"Don\'t forget you owe me, Draco.\"
\"You\'re not likely to let me forget, are you?\" Draco tugged a lock of her hair.
\"No. Nougat, plenty of nuts.\"
\"Providing you get your mother to send me some of that chocolate.\"
\"You\'re not in a position to bargain, Draco, but because it\'s you, I\'ll think about it.\" she jerked her head towards the open hole, \"Now clear off and let me get to bed.\"
\"Yes, dear.\" he gave her a cheeky grin and climbed out of the hole, leaning back in to give Harry one last lingering kiss. \"See you tomorrow.\"
The rest of the team followed and then it was all quiet in the Gryffindor common room.
\"You go on up, Hermione. I\'ll just finish up in here.\" Harry pushed her towards the staircase. He puttered around for a little while, making sure everyone was gone, and then he made his way up to his own room.

Severus emerged from the shadows and quickly exited Gryffindor tower. There was a shortcut back to the dungeons, and if he hurried, he could catch Weasley before he disappeared under that damned cloak of Potters. He stopped a few metres from the entrance to the Slytherin common room, just in time to see most of his team disappearing through. Weasley and Bulstrode had paused until they were alone. Or thought they were alone.
\"I enjoyed tonight.\" Ron said in a quiet voice.
\"So did I. You Gryffs throw a good party.\"
\"I\'ll make sure you get an invite to the next one then.\"
\"Will it be a personal one?\"
\"I guarantee it.\" Ron bent his head and brushed his lips over Millie\'s.
\"Good. See you at breakfast?\" Millie ran her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. Ron slid his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
\"Of course.\" He kissed her again; pleased he didn\'t have to bend down too far.

They sprang apart as a throat cleared nearby. Ron swallowed as he turned to see his worst nightmare standing there.
\"You have ten seconds, Miss Bulstrode, to get to your dormitory.\" Professor Snape said quietly, but firmly. Millie sent Ron a sympathetic look and disappeared. \"You, Mr Weasley, are out after curfew. You have a choice. Fifty points from Gryffindor, or a detention with Mr Filch.\" Either way, Severus won.
\"I\'ll take the detention, Sir.\" Ron stood up straight. It was a fair cop, after all, but he just wished he knew how Snape did it.
\"See me after class on Monday for the details. Now go.\" And he waved Ron away.

As soon as the boy had disappeared round the corner, Severus retreated to his rooms. He sank into the armchair beside the fire and summoned a pot of tea. Pulling a white packet out of his robe pocket, he drew a slender cylinder from it and lit it with a taper from the fire. Taking a deep drag, he sat back in his chair and allowed the smoke to curl around him. He stared at the end of the cigarette in his hand, his dark eyes brooding.

He didn\'t want to think about how the sight of Weasley and Bulstrode wrapped around each other made him feel. It seemed like most of the sixth and seventh years were pairing up, just as they did every year. It had been the same when he was at school; relationships forming, some even lasting past graduation, but not him. He had held himself aloof, scorning the emotional mess that came with break ups. Why would anyone want to be dependant on another\'s happiness? It just didn\'t make sense. You were much better off alone.

The ash burned down and he flicked it into the fire, taking another deep drag before tossing the butt into the flickering flames. Drinking his tea, he loosened his collar and sighed again. Just a few more months, that was all he had left. He could survive that.

~~@~~

\"I got caught.\" Ron tossed Harry\'s cloak onto his bed.
\"What? How?\" Seamus sat up in bed.
\"Snape. He came along just as I was saying goodnight to Millie.\"
\"And?\" he now had Dean\'s attention.
\"Fifty points or detention with Filch.\"
\"What did you take?\" Harry was curious.
\"Detention.\"
\"Wow. You must really like Bulstrode.\" Neville was awed. A smug smile crossed Ron\'s face and he flopped back on his bed, arms spread wide.
\"She\'s worth every second of that detention.\"
\"At least you didn\'t lose points as well.\" Dean said.
\"I know. I was surprised he didn\'t take them as well.\" Ron lifted his head to look at the others.
\"Perhaps he was in a good mood.\" Neville settled down against his pillows as the others started laughing.
\"Yeah, and I\'m shagging Malfoy.\" Seamus spluttered.
\"Oi! You\'d better bloody not be!\" Harry threw his pillow at the Irish boy.
\"Seriously, he didn\'t look as bad tempered as usual.\" Ron sat up again.
\"Perhaps it\'s his age, you know, mid-life crisis.\" Dean said.
\"You are such a Muggle, Dean!\" Ron laughed, \"Everyone knows wizards don\'t reach middle age until they\'re about ninety. Snape\'s only, what, forty?\"
\"Thirty eight. He went to school with my parents.\"
\"Youngest teacher in the history of Hogwarts, according to Hermione.\"
\"How come Hermione knows so much about him?\" Seamus wanted to know. The five boys looked at each other.
\"Hogwarts: A History!\"

~~@~~

Sunday was a lazy day for everyone, usually starting with a lie-in and a leisurely breakfast. Any unfinished homework was hurried through to leave the rest of the day free. All thventventh years were studying for NEWTS so they had far more than when they\'d had their OWLS.

Hermione spent her free time with Madame Pomfrey, as she had hinted she was willing to take on an apprentice. Hermione\'s talent was such that all the teachers were willing to give her the extra work she was happy to take on in order to get the best marks she could. All the teachers except Professor Snape. She could still see the look on his face when she\'d approached him at the beginning of term, explaining that she would be happy to assist him for extra credit.

He\'d looked down that long nose of his at her as if she was mad. And then had stated that if he wanted an assistant he\'d ask Mr Malfoy. Bastard. She refused to let the lump in her throat and chest get the better of her, though. So what if she was Muggleborn? She was easily the brightest student he had, even better than Draco, but since when did that matter to Snape? Favour a Gryffindor over a Slytherin? Ha!

He made her so angry sometimes that she just wanted to punch something. Preferably his nose. Her fingers clenched into fists as she remembered the supercilious look on his face after the Quidditch match yesterday. She would have to make an idiot of herself in front of him, wouldn\'t she? How on earth was she ever going to work with him if she came back in September to start her apprenticeship with Madame Pomfrey? Hermione knew that she worked closely with Snape from the amount of times she\'d ran into him while she was with Poppy, as Madame Pomfrey had insisted on Hermione calling her in private.

She had listened to their discussions about the different potions needed, so she knew he could speak civilly to adults. Why wouldn\'t he give her the courtesy of doing the same? Hermione gathered her hair in impatient hands and braided it in a French plait, hoping it would behave for once. Crookshanks meowed at her from his position on her bed and she sat down next to him, stroking his longish fur.
\"I know, I know. Don\'t let him bother me.\" she sighed and he purred at her, green eyes blinking.
\"I\'ll bring you back some bacon.\" she promised him, and pulled on her robe to go to breakfast.

Students straggled in to breakfast in ones and twos, friends from different houses often sitting at each other\'s tables in the more relaxed atmosphere. So when Harry and Ron finally emerged from Gryffindorer, er, Draco and Millie were reserving two places at the Slytherin table. This didn\'t surprise Hermione in the least that Ron was now included amongst them. His association with Harry and his own status as a Pureblood guaranteed their acceptance of him, especially as it looked like he and Millie were to become a couple.

She wrapped up some bacon for Crookshanks and headed back to her room, nodding to some first years on the way out. As the door swung shut behind her, Draco looked up.
\"She\'s gone.\"
\"Oh good, I\'d hate for her to know we\'re talking about her behind her back.\" Ron said ironically.
\"Why are we talking about her anyway?\" Millie asked.
\"Draco got me thinking last night.\" Harry started and Ron almost choked on his eggs.
\"Is that what you\'re calling it now?\"
\"No! I mean really thinking! It seems that everyone has paired up recently, but not Hermione.\"
\"Neville hasn\'t.\" Ron pointed out.
\"He\'s seeing Susan Bones.\" Blaise said.
\"How do you know?\"
\"Caught them in the Astronomy tower last week.\"
\"Okay, so everyone\'s pairing up. What has that got to do with Hermione?\"
\"Well since you, Ron, she hasn\'t been seen with anyone.\" Harry pointed out.
\"So? Perhaps she likes ite the that.\" Ron shrugged and Millie punched him on the arm.
\"Don\'t be so insensitive, Ron!\"
\"So why does it bother you lot so much?\"
\"We\'re her friends, Ron. We should be making sure she\'s happy.\" Harry leaned forwards.
\"Has anyone thought to ask her what would make her happy?\"
\"We should set her up with someone.\" Draco said.
\"Am I the only voice of reason?\" Ron put his fork down. \"Does Hermione really want a boyfriend? Surely that would distract her from her studies?\"
\"He could help her relax.\" Blaise started to become enthusiastic, \"Take her mind off them.\"
\"She\'d hate this, you know. Us ganging up on her.\" Ron\'s appetite was gone.
\"It\'s for her own good, Ron. She needs someone.\" Harry said.
\"I don\'t like it. And she won\'t thank you for it either.\"
\"She won\'t know, honest.\" Draco said.
\"You wouldn\'t know honest if it stood up and bit you on the arse, Draco.\"
\"Please, Ron?\" Millie placed a hand over his. He looked into her eyes, and then round at the others.
\"Oh, all right. But no losers, or brainless idiots. And no one desperate, either. No Quidditch players, you know she\'s not that keen on it.\"
\"That leaves out most of the sixth and seventh years then.\" Blaise said under his breath. \"You drive a hard bargain, Ron.\"
\"So who do you hin min mind?\" Ron asked.
\"You\'ve just cancelled out most of the candidates, Ron, perhaps you can think of someone?\" Draco said.
\"No.\"
\"Are we worried about age difference?\" Millie asked.
\"Thinking of someone who\'s graduated?\" Draco asked.
\"Yes. Perhaps someone who\'s lived a bit.\"
\"Well, there was Krum a few years ago.\" Harry said.
\"Quidditch.\" was Ron\'s answer.
\"That didn\'t matter at the time. They did talk a lot.\"
\"And what is this gathering id ofd of?\" Professor Snape somehow materialised out of nowhere. They tried not to look too guilty.
\"Breakfast, Sir?\" Draco looked up.
\"Breakfast is nearly over, Mr Malfoy. I suggest you all find something better to do.\" Severus cast a glance over them and then swept away, a dark figure in the bright sunlit hall.
\"I wish I knew how he did that.\" Ron said.
\"Did what?\" Blaise turned curious eyes on him.
\"That swirling thing with his robes. Very impressive.\"
\"I thought you hated him?\" Harry said.
\"I don\'t like his attitude, and the fact he keeps deducting points from us. That doesn\'t mean I can\'t appreciate his sense of style.\" Ron went back to his eggs while the others stared at him. When had Ron become so reasonable? And why hadn\'t they noticed?
\"What?\" he looked up when they had been silent for too long.
\"Are you sick?\"
\"Look, after what he did for you and Draco, I\'m not going to hold a grudge, that\'s all.\"
\"I think we should get him to the hospital wing.\" Draco looked at the others.
\"No, St Mungo\'s.\" Millie shook her head, feeling his forehead. Ron rolled his eyes and batted her hand away, grinning.
\"Leave off, the lot of you. Next you\'ll be suggesting we set Hermione up with Snape!\" he stood up and grabbed a piece of toast. The others looked at each other.
\"That\'s a brilliant idea, Ron!\" Draco said. Ron choked on his mouthful and had to be pounded on the back.
\"Only kidding.\" Draco said with a cheeky grin, and started laughing, backing away as Ron started after him. The others followed as Draco was chased out of the hall, and Harry brought up the rear. No one noticed the thoughtful expression on his face.

~~@~~

Harry thought about little else over the next two weeks. Draco could see he was distracted, and waited patiently for Harry to tell him what was bothering him. Two weeks was his limit though, and then he confronted him.
\"Okay, what\'s the matter, Harry?\"
\"Nothing.\"
\"You\'re keeping something from me.\" Draco folded his arms across his chest and drummed his fingers impatiently. Harry looked around and then dragged him into an empty classroom.
\"All right, all right. I\'ve been thinking.\"
\"Again? People will talk.\"
\"Shut it, Draco. About Hermione.\"
\"I thought we\'d decided to forget about that plan?\"
\"Says who? I think Ron had the right idea.\"
\"Pardon? You\'ve lost me.\"
\"Snape.\"
\"What about him?\"
\'s i's ideal for Hermione.\" Harry couldn\'t understand why Draco was laughing so hard he fell off a desk. \"Draco!\"
\"Sorry..Harry,\" Draco wheezed, \"for a minute..there..I thought..you said..Snape was ideal..for Hermione!\"
\"He is.\"
\"You\'re serious.\" Draco sobered suddenly.
\"When have you ever known me to joke about things that are important to me? Hermione is important to me.\"
\"But why Snape? She hates him, and he hates her.\"
\"You said she lacked passion.\"
\"So?\"
\"Not where he\'s concerned.\"
\"Not that kind of passion, you idiot. We\'re talking sex, not murder.\"
\"I am talking about sex. Look at us; for six years we were at each other\'s throats, now I can\'t get enough of you.\" Harry rubbed his hands up and down over Draco\'s upper arms, pulling him closer.
\"Well, I am irresistible.\" Draco smirked.
\"And so modest, too.\" Harry smiled.
\"It won\'t work, Harry. He\'s a teacher. It\'s against the rules.\"
\"Since when have the rules applied to us?\"
\"I still can\'t see Snape and Hermione together.\"
\"No? He\'s just as intelligent as she is.\"
\"But he\'s twice her age.\"
\"Ron said wizards don\'t reach middle age until their nineties. He\'s still a youngster then.\"
\"And what do you think Ron will say about your idea?\"
\"Not sure, which is why I wanted to discuss it with you first.\"
\"I think it\'s crazy. Impossible.\" A sly grin stole across Draco\'s face, \"When do we start?\"
\"You\'ll help me?\" Harry hadn\'t been sure he could persuade Draco.
\"Hey, if anyone needs to get laid, it\'s that pair.\" Draco shrugged, \"But I don\'t know how we\'re going to do it.\"
\"That\'s what I\'ve been thinking about.\" Harry locked the door, just in case, and cast a Silencing charm.
\"Have you ever heard about Legilimency?\"

TBC

A/N: Okay, I know it\'s a cliffhanger! Next chapter; Harry\'s plan.