Against His Nature

CHAPTER 32

“Tonight is the night Harry.” Hermione sang in a high-pitched girly tone that was very un-Hermione. Harry sat on the edge of the sink watching her slide the blood red lipstick on her lips before blotting it on toilet paper. Tonight was the winter dance, an occasion usually reserved for frivolity and good fun. This year however with the looming deadline for the Ministry’s laws it was a chance for those singles left alone to find someone to latch onto and save themselves the humiliation of being set up with a stranger by the Ministry. Harry wasn’t looking forward to it at all, despite knowing that Snape would be among the chaperone’s.

“So you’re going to do Draco.” Harry muttered flatly as he watched his best friend step back from the mirror and admire her dress. Since Hermione and Draco had first started going out Harry and the blonde had come to a truce of sorts. It was a tentative agreement on both their parts to try and get along for Hermione’s sake. It didn’t of course mean they gave up appearances, just that the pranks and insults bore less effort behind them. “I thought Snape warned you two not to be so public.” Hermione rolled her eyes, another un-Hermione like trait she’d picked up from Draco in the last few months.

“There’s going to be nothing public about what he and I are doing tonight.” Hermione snapped over her shoulder as she adjusted the straps on her dress before turning back to face her date for the evening. Harry wasn’t impressed at being taken to the dance by Hermione, it would make people talk and gossip was never a good thing.

“If you do it, won’t an official record be sent to the Ministry, and then won’t Lucius find out about you two?” Harry held out his arm and let Hermione loop hers through it as he escorted her out of the bathroom and down the grand staircase towards the hall.

“Draco says it’s all under control, Professor Snape’s going to help.” Harry paused on the bottom step of the staircase and stared at Hermione in horror.

“Help in what!” Harry demanded to know, causing Hermione to chuckle and shake her head at Harry’s obvious jealousy.

“Not that Potter, he’s going to help conceal the evidence from Lucius at least until he and you have……” Hermione trailed off realizing her mistake. Harry sighed heavily.

“You can say it Hermione, I know what I’m doing.” Harry lowered his voice as the pair of them passed through the doors into the great hall and got swept up in the flow of couples onto the dance floor. Harry glanced around the candle lit hall searching for Snape, but he couldn’t see any signs of the elder wizard as he danced easily with Hermione.

“Fine, once you’ve mated with him.” Hermione whispered against Harry’s collar, her hand on his shoulder and his arms around her waist as they swayed together in time to the music. “I’m sure everything will be fine Harry, I’m positive he’s doing this for more reasons than just the ‘law’.” Hermione took Harry’s extended silence as having ruined his mood and instantly set about restoring what little happiness he’d had before she’d thoughtlessly brought up the topic of conversation.

“It’s not love though is it Hermione. Not exactly what you expect for your future.” Harry muttered over the top of Hermione’s head as he continued to scan the crowd looking for Snape.

“Look around you Harry, how many of the couples in here do you think are in love? Well apart from Ronald, we all know he loves himself.” Harry refocused his gaze on the dancing couples around him, for the first time noting the awkwardness between some, and the downright loathing between others. Yet they were all still being civil to one another, dancing together and pretending to enjoy themselves in the face of the Ministry having arranged their futures for them. “Love’s not so much an instantaneous attraction Potter, it’s something you can learn to do. Perhaps you should just try to love Snape, incase we don’t win this war. If you die you don’t want to have never been in love.”

“That’s an awfully depressing and bleak outlook Miss Granger.” Harry practically jumped out of his skin as he felt a shadow fall across him and Hermione. Harry could smell the man behind him, could feel the soft brush of his robes against his own as the wizard shifted to avoid the dancing couples.

“Professor Snape, how’s your evening?” Hermione stepped back from Harry carefully observing the flicker of blue in Snape’s gaze as he glanced between the couple.

“Not quite as depressing as yours seems to be Miss Granger but there’s time yet.” Hermione smiled to herself at Snape’s dry joke as the professor led them both from the dance floor and over to the table to get a glass of punch.

“I came to inform you both that the Minister of Magic is here this evening.” Hermione sat down on a bench beside the wall while Snape and Harry stood together besides her sipping their drinks. Harry stood closer than was really necessary to Snape seeking out the man’s company having been deprived of it all day. Harry had become more dependant on Snape since they’d kissed, the pull of bond between donor and Vampire growing stronger now their feelings had been revealed to one another.

“What does he want?” Harry grumbled as he sought out the Headmaster and his Ministerial guests over by the snack table.

“Overseeing the creation of the next generation Potter. I think he’s actually pleased with himself. Does he really believe this law will only increase our numbers and not Voldemort’s too?” Snape shook his head as he sipped from the punch grimacing a little when he realized it had been spiked, no doubt by some enterprising student. Had he wanted Snape might have made a point of seeking out the perpetrator but at present he was neither in the mood nor the frame of mind to be hunting down rogue students.

“I hear St Mungo’s is expanding their pediatric wards, for the influx of births they’re going to be expecting over the next few years.” Hermione whispered, regurgitating the tid bit of information she’d read in the Prophet that very morning. Snape huffed a contemptible laugh and shook his head.

“Fools.” He whispered as he finished his spiked punch before grabbing Harry’s out of his hand before the boy could take a sip. Harry frowned in confusion but was silenced as Snape gestured for the door. “Master Malfoy is waiting for you in the Slytherin common room Miss Granger, the password is ‘points from Gryfindor’.” Harry tutted loudly at the password the Slytherin’s had chosen for their common room. Hermione blushed a little as she nodded and rose from the chair to leave. “I complete a dorm inspection at 11.30, I don’t expect to see you anywhere.” Snape finished as Hermione disappeared leaving Snape and Harry standing like awkward statues on the side of the room. “Come on Potter, we’re going for a stroll.” Snape turned and strode from the hall leaving Harry to scurry after him, dubiously checking to make sure no one had seen them leave. Snape it seemed didn’t care who saw him leave and it wasn’t until he was outside on the front path leading up to the castle that the wizard slowed his steps so that Harry could catch up.

“Where are we going?” Harry huddled down in his cloak as he fell into step beside his elder counterpart. Snape had dropped the glamour’s as soon as he’d come outside, his sky blue eyes glowing in the darkness, and the tips of his fangs catching the moonlight.

“We have three hours to kill before I have to go and do my rounds and I didn’t intend spending them in the company of Minister jackass and his hand puppets.” Harry chuckled as he jumped childishly down the steps that lead from Hagrid’s hut down to the lakes edge.

“Are you hungry?” Harry inquired teasingly as he bent down and picked up a few pebbles from the shoreline and began skipping them into the water.

“No, and don’t throw stones.” Snape snapped as he slowly walked along the edge of the water, Harry completely ignoring him and continued to skip the rocks into the inky depths of the lake.

“Do you want to make out?” Snape paused at Harry’s comment and glanced back over his shoulder at the boy, who was smiling cheekily.

”Do I look like a randy teenager Mr. Potter?” Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders as Snape went back to walking and Harry continued to skip rocks. Snape smiled as he heard the splash of water a second before a large wet projectile came hurtling out of the lake and hit Harry square in the head.

“Ow, fuck!” Harry swore as he held the bump on his head that the flying sea sponge had made, undoubtedly leaving a bruise.

“I told you not to throw stones didn’t I?” Snape chuckled not ever sparing Harry a backward glance to see if the boy was okay. Harry dropped what remained of his collection of skipping stones and jogged to catch up with the Vampire who was heading towards the edge of the forbidden forest.

“Could have warned me.” Harry muttered still rubbing the bump that had immediately appeared on the side of his head. Snape smiled crookedly but chose not to reply.

“Stay close,” Harry didn’t need an excuse to stay close to Snape at anytime but as they entered the edge of the forbidden forest, Harry dutifully closed the gap between them so that he was practically glued to the elder wizards side. Harry had never followed this particular path through the forest, the path weaving it’s way along the shoreline of the lake, where the shore met the edge of the forest. They walked in silence for a long time, Harry quietly listening to any signs of danger from the forest on his left and the lake on his right. Snape didn’t seem all that worried, even going so far as to close his eyes for a little while as he walked.

“Where are we going?” They’d been walking for a good fifteen minutes when Harry couldn’t stand the silence any longer. Snape glanced sideways at the boy who was tiring quickly of the walk.

“It’s just around this bend, wait and see.” Harry didn’t want to wait, and so took off at a run up the short incline and around the corner of the path. Harry slowed his run when he came upon a ramshackle stone lookout. The place was creepy, seemingly perched in the middle of nowhere. The stonewalls were covered in creepers and vines, effectively camouflaging it against the forest background. Rounding the outer edge of the lookout Harry found the entranceway looking out over the lake and stepped inside. Harry curled his nose up in disgust at the damp, mossy scent that lingered in the darkened hut. The place looked exactly like it hadn’t been used in millennia, and every surface was covered in dust and dirt. Harry silently wondered what the place had been used for originally so far removed from the castle and in the middle of the forest.

“It is part of the old Greenhouses.” Harry jumped automatically, Snape’s sudden presence catching him off guard.

“All the way out here?” Harry muttered as he walked around the various items left discarded in the hut.

“It’s not so very far away from the main castle Potter, and I am talking several hundred years ago in the founders time before the forest was planted.” Snape dragged a dangerously old chair over to the doorway and with a flick of his wand transformed it into a hanging love seat that rocked gently in the breeze blowing up from the lake. Harry smiled and dutifully joined Snape on the seat both of them staring out onto the lake. They sat in silence for a long time Harry staring at Snape, and Snape staring out at the lake. Finally though Harry began to fidget, the teenager’s attention span wearing thin very quickly.

“You do know what Hermione and Draco are planning on doing tonight, don’t you?” Harry muttered, carefully observing Snape’s reaction. Snape’s lips tightened a little as he glanced across at Harry, an almost sarcastic twitch playing at the corners of his eyes. Harry sighed heavily, okay so he knew. “I’m just surprised you’re letting it happen.” Snape sat back in the seat and folded his arms across his chest as he turned to stare at Harry, who was fidgeting with the cuffs of his cloak.

“I don’t have very much choice now do I Potter? Besides I believe what we will be doing in two days time is far more scandalous don’t you?” Harry frowned not quite understanding what Snape was referring to, and then it hit.

“Doing what!” Harry scoffed in shock as Snape rolled his eyes and pointed out at the surface of the lake, where the round reflection of the moon was rippling in the water.

“The full moon represents a time for heightened magical power in Vampire’s. It’s long been a time when ceremonies have taken place and is a perfect evening for…” Snape paused carefully selecting his words as not to offend the boy. “…It is customary Potter to take a mate on the evening of the full moon.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Harry muttered a little bitterly, still sore from having had Hermione’s depressing lecture on love or lack there of. Snape noted the boy’s slumped shoulders and sour expression. With a sigh Snape leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Harry’s unsuspecting lips. The kiss was gentle, tender, soft and not demanding, a far cry from the one they’d shared before. Harry hardly dared to breathe as Snape pulled away from him, the sky blue eyes meeting his emerald ones.

“I can’t promise you romance Potter. I confess I hadn’t intended on ever taking a mate what with my life dangling precarious in the pocket of the dark lord. I know I’m not an ideal partner, although I am told I have certain talents that make up for my unattractiveness.” Harry managed a smile, kissing was certainly one of Snape’s talents. “And I know this hasn’t been the ideal courtship but I will take care of you Harry. I can teach you things you never thought you’d be capable of doing, I can help you harness your magic and channel it through your Vampric blood.” Snape trailed off seemingly having realized how open he’d just been with the boy. Harry smiled as Snape stood up abruptly from the love seat and stepped out of the hut into the night air. Harry followed him, the love seat changing back into the rickety old chair it had been before Snape’s magic had transformed it.

“I think I’ve finally decided what I want in return for being your donor.” Harry whispered as he stood beside Snape staring out at the lake. Snape glanced sideways at Harry, encouraging the boy to continue. Harry sighed heavily, before taking another deep breath and turning to stare into Snape’s questioning eyes. “You.” Harry whispered as he reached out and took a hold of Snape’s hand, entwining his fingers with the potion stained digits of his potion professors. Snape stared down at their entwined fingers before glancing up and back out at the lake.

“Don’t think just because your being cute, your going to get me into bed sooner Potter.” Snape muttered, Harry’s sentiment not lost on him but the coy joke breaking the uneasy tension between them. Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes as he let Snape’s hand drop after a firm, knowing squeeze.

“A boy can try can’t he?” With a smile Harry turned to run but Snape was quicker and lunged at him, pushing them both over the edge of the short drop down to the lake. Harry screamed, prepared to hit the icy cold water but the impact never came, and when he opened his eyes he found himself sailing on the air Snape’s frame wrapped around his own, his cloak floating around him like papery wings. Harry laughed as he watched the world beneath him, Snape’s arms securely wrapped around his body. To Harry it was kind of like riding his broom, but much better in the company of Snape.

TBC>>>>>>>

A/N Yeah, I know I shouldn't lower myself to writing 'lovey dovey' crap but I thought the moment was right, before we get down to some hard core Vamp on Vamp sex, ooooh and Lucius Malfoy's just around the corner....*dirty little pervert*....

CHeers & thanks for all the lovely reviews.

RIFFRAFF