Against His Nature

CHAPTER 4

“Do you guys have to do that?” Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he tried to keep his gaze away from his two smooching best friends and out of the window instead.

“You wouldn’t be complaining if Ginny were here.” Ron teased, as he and Hermione finally broke apart for air. Harry rolled his eyes and settled back in his seat as he watched the world flash by the train window. Ginny was with her younger friends in another compartment catching up on the summer holiday gossip. In a way Harry was almost relieved the young red headed girl had sat with her friends for the majority of the trip. Since Ginny had asked him out on his birthday Harry hadn’t had a moment to himself. Everything they’d done it had been done together. Quite honestly Harry was almost happy to be returning to school where he’d at least get his classes away from Ginny. Harry hadn’t ever had a serious girlfriend but he was sure relationships weren’t supposed to get this heavy so quickly. To Harry it felt as if everyone was pushing he and Ginny together closer and quicker than Harry had time to comprehend.

“Ah there you are scar head…” Harry rolled his eyes and sighed heavily as he felt the door to the compartment roll open and a familiar voice filter into him.

“Fuck off Malfoy haven’t you got anyone else to play with?” Ron spat sharply at the blonde who was leaning casually in the entrance to the compartment, his two meaty bodyguards standing just behind him for support.

“Go screw yourself Weasley, hasn’t anyone told you it’s dirty to handle mudbloods.” Draco smirked cruelly as Ron went to lunge for him only to be held back by Hermione who was glaring at Draco angrily.

“What do you want Malfoy?” Hermione snapped once she’d ensured Ron wasn’t going to try and throttle the other wizard, or worse attempt to hex him. Draco shrugged his shoulders flippantly before turning his attention to Harry who was ignoring them all in favor of staring out of the window.

“Just thought I’d drop in and see if Saint Potter here has found anyone blind and stupid enough as to be his partner yet?” This caught Harry’s attention and the boy turned to stare in confusion at Draco who was smiling smugly in the doorway.

“That’s none of your business Draco.” Hermione rose to her feet quickly and was trying to push Draco out of the compartment while Ron tried to close the door, both friends glancing cautiously back at Harry.

“Time’s ticking Potter, the Ministry won’t wait forever…” Hermione finally pushed Draco out of the compartment and Ron slammed the door closed and flicked the latch. Harry watched as both Hermione and Ron sat back down on the opposite seat each cautiously glancing at the other before both looked at Harry.

“What was that all about?” Harry muttered suspiciously as he watched Ron glance at Hermione for what appeared to be an answer.

“Just Draco being his usual obnoxious self, it’s probably gotten out about you and Ginny being together.” Harry frowned deeply in confusion as Hermione deliberately avoided looking him in the eye her hands twisting nervously in her lap. Harry knew he was being lied to. First Remus had lied to him and now his best friends were lying to him. Something was going on and Harry was going to see to it he found out what.

“Oh, yeah I didn’t think of that.” Harry shrugged his shoulders uncaringly noticing how his friends visibly relaxed their secret still safe.

Harry didn’t speak for the rest of the journey to Hogwart’s instead he sat staring at the darkened world beyond pondering what surprises this year at Hogwart’s would hold for him.

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The train lurched to a stop at the station and Snape sneered in mild disgust as he heard the excited twittering of students as they began to disembark.

“Welcome to Hogwart’s!” The half giant beside him roared his familiar welcome and Snape rolled his eyes as the usual gasps of surprise echoed from the first years stood nervously on the platform. To avoid being trampled by over anxious first years and the clumsy oaf of a half giant Snape stepped away from the massing group on the platform and over to the Thestral drawn carriages that were lined up on the road waiting for their payloads. Snape couldn’t remember his first year at Hogwart’s. His subsequent years of teasing, abuse and mental anguish had quite overshadowed the defining moment in his wizarding life. Sighing heavily Snape glared at a few fourth years that scrambled giggling into the first carriage, their shy glances in his direction a sure sign of what had transpired over summer. Glancing over the crowd of students now waiting for the carriages Snape noted with irritation the high number of couples standing close together waiting their transport. It was altogether a disgusting display of hormones that Snape could only see getting worse in the coming weeks. Teenagers at the best of times took any opportunity of fawning over each other without having expressed permission to do so by the Ministry of Magic.

Slowly Snape oversaw the filling of carriages with his usual distain and snarling remarks. It was only as the crowd thinned that Snape noticed one particular absence from the masses of faces he’d just seen.

“Potter.” Snape growled low in his throat as he spun around to search the platform behind him. The potions professor was stunned as he came face to face with the boy who lived standing directly behind him.

“Professor Snape.” Harry acknowledged quietly with a nod of his head his eyes flashing with their usual cold regard towards the professor. Snape couldn’t bring himself to say anything as he watched Harry climb into the last carriage purposefully leaving the door open for Snape. Snape’s eye twitched in irritation as he realized that he’d been left to ride alone with Harry back to Hogwart’s. On another night other than this Snape would have gladly walked rather than share a carriage with the boy but it was raining and his cloak was premium wool.

The tension in the carriage was thick and Snape pointedly avoiding making small talk. In the darkness of the carriage it was easy for Snape to look at the boy, Potter’s attention firmly rooted on something outside. As much as Snape hated to admit it Potter had grown over the summer, and although he would never be as tall as Snape he was at least now on an equal level. The boy had lost weight too, no doubt the last of his childhood puppy fat that had kept him looking more like a boy than a young man he had become. His face had narrowed slightly, his chin more defined and bearing the traces of a five-clock shadow. His clothes hung from his slender frame like oversized curtains, his robe far too short after his growth over summer and far to wide to fully show off the masculine physique he’d developed in his absence from school. The boy’s hair still hung in unruly untamed curls about his face and his beautiful green eyes still flashed with a hidden intensity. Aside from all the changes the boy had undergone over his holiday there was no hiding however the slight droop of his eyelids, the tightness of his lips and the darkened shadows under the boy’s eyes. Every summer Potter returned to Hogwart’s in a similar state. Exhausted and tired from lack of sleep due to concern, worry and anxiousness over what would lie ahead of him this year.

Snape felt the twinge of sympathy for the boy but squashed it quickly with a shake of his head. Potter needed many things in life but he certainly didn’t need more sympathy.

Finally the carriage pulled to a stop outside the doors of Hogwart’s and Snape hastily climbed out, leaving Harry to trail behind him at his own pace. It was strange that the boy hadn’t traveled with the usual golden trio. By passing the main entrance into the hall Snape took the staff entry and slunk into his seat beside McGonagall. Like always Snape passed a cursory glance around the hall. When he’d first began teaching it was to see the new faces among the crowd, now though it was to see whom had not made it back this year. Snape’s gaze finally fell onto the Gryffindor table where Potter now sat with his regular group of friends. The Weasel and Granger were holding hands beneath the table and Snape tutted in disgust as he took in their sickening display of affection. It was little wonder why Harry had decided to travel alone if that was what he’d had to endure on the train.

A flash of blonde caught Snape’s gaze drawing his attention from the Gryffindor’s back to his own house. This year in particular the benches had begun to look bare, his student body rapidly diminishing as Voldemort influence of the Slytherin families grew.

“Professor.” Snape snapped his attention to the blonde now standing in front of the table. Draco Malfoy was his usual self, immaculately dressed, perfectly poised and stunningly beautiful. Snape recognized instantly the boy’s new robes, his hair brushed flat and his face blemish free. It seemed Lucius has instilled a new sense of self-pride in his son over the summer and Snape had a sinking feeling that it was done for his benefit. Temptation never came in such a perfect package as Draco Malfoy.

“Yes Draco.” Snape snapped irritated by the fact Lucius had not heeded his earlier declaration and was serving Draco up like a platter of meat.

“I went to Belgium this summer,” This was not new news for Severus, he himself having pushed Lucius into sending the boy to the exclusive camp to learn defense and dueling. “Dad said you liked these so I brought you back a box.” Severus’ lips thinned impossibly tight as Draco slid the beautifully wrapped box of chocolates across the table to him. It took Severus every inch of his willpower not to scream as he stared at the flamboyant bow, and the sickly yellow wrapping on the box. To anyone who was watching the gift clearly had a message. Severus couldn’t bring himself to answer the boy who stood coyly staring at his hands twisting in his lap.

“Oh Severus they’re Brandy Cherries, how delightful.” Severus’ eye twitched as the headmaster reached over and carefully inspected the contents of the box. Severus could already hear the few whispers that had broken out around the hall, but thankfully most of the student populace was still engaged in their own conversations to notice the situation Draco had put Snape in. “Well Severus aren’t you going to thank him?” Snape turned to glare at Albus, whose eyes sparkled with knowing amusement. Snape could hardly believe that the headmaster was actually enjoying watching Snape suffer. Snape ground his teeth angrily but showed no outer emotion to betray his angry thoughts. With a forced smile Snape turned to look back at Draco who looked far too innocent as he looked up from beneath his eyelashes.

“Thank-you.” Snape gritted his teeth as he spoke causing Draco’s familiar Slytherin smile to return with force before the boy turned to strut confidently back to the Slytherin table. Snape slumped in his chair and glared menacingly at everyone in the hall as Dumbledore clapped his hands and began the start of term routine. Lucius had won this round but Snape would be damned if he won the next one.

TBC>>>>>>>