In Need

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After school had been in session for close to two months, Bill owled Megan to see if she was free to meet sometime during the weekend. Between his business travel and her class schedule, they hadn’t seen each other in well over a month. The extra training that she had done, both with DA (Harry had invited her in with the group on several occasions to help with some more advanced things that the group wanted to work on) and on her own with Severus, had worn her out and she was definitely ready to have some fun.

For a change of pace from their usual dates, she planned for them to go to a muggle dance club. Not only would Bill be able to have a novel experience and have a little taste of her world, but it was also one of Megan\'s very favorite things to do and she hadn’t been in ages. Bill agreed immediately, and they made plans to meet Saturday night.


Later that week, Harry and Ron asked her to chaperone an outing to Hogsmeade for them. They were allowed to go on unscheduled outings as long as they had a professor or other approved chaperone with them. “Sorry guys, I can’t - I have other plans already. Why don’t you ask Hagrid?”


\"He’s already busy with something for Dumbledore. Please come with us instead! We promise it will be fun! We\'ll treat you to whatever you want! Pleeeeeeease!\"


\"But - which part of \'I have other plans\' didn\'t you catch?\"


\"What are you doing? Are you going out somewhere else? Can we go along if we promise to disappear and leave you alone until it\'s time to come back? Come on Professor, we really need a break too.\"


She looked at their hopeful faces, their eyes locked on hers. She knew that they had a lot to worry about besides schoolwork, especially with the work of the Order intensifying, and really could stand to have some time just being kids for a change.


She caved in. Smiling, she said, “You can ask the girls too if you want, but no one else, ok?\"


\"Yeah! Thanks Professor, you\'re alright!\"


Megan owled Bill and let him know about the change. What she did not tell Bill was that she had decided to be open to whatever might happen with him. She had felt a vague feeling building up lately that she couldn’t really describe except to call it something like longing. She supposed it was probably that she had missed Bill when they hadn’t seen each other in so long, and that maybe the longing was for him. It perplexed her somewhat that when she tried to put the pieces together like that, there was no particular spark that confirmed her hunch, but she nonetheless decided to wait and see where the evening went. Maybe he would get his wish and finally spend the night on Saturday.


On Saturday evening, Megan welcomed the evening\'s respite from witches robes and dressed in black silk jeans that sat low on her hips and a low-cut white top that exposed her midriff. Her sandals had thick soles and she wore her hair - now fading past coppery red into auburn - in a twist with the ends loose. Bill came to collect her in her quarters and was silently bowled over by her muggle clothes. He gave her a kiss and resisted the urge to talk her into canceling and staying there with him in her quarters, silently hoping instead to return there with her if the evening went well. The anticipation of the evening out was exciting to him - his father\'s interest in muggle activities had rubbed off on him, and the added thrill of apparently getting through to Megan made it just that much better. They walked down to the main entrance to meet up with the kids, who were there and ready to go, and very excited to be having an evening away from the worries of classes and the Order.


The group apparated to Diagon Alley and then ducked through the hidden doorway that crossed them over into muggle London. Megan smiled as she entered the activity - the lights, the traffic, the sounds, the clothes - it was fun to have a visit among those things after being at Hogwarts for the last couple of months.


They went to a club that she had visited several times before when she had traveled with her family or friends to London. It was a safe bet - lots of activity, but nothing too wild ever happened there. Outside, they could hear the music throbbing within. The line was long, and the bouncer was turning a lot of people away. After covering the ground rules with the kids again and reminding everyone of her muggle identity, Megan walked up to the front of the line and flashed her smile, and they were all immediately admitted.


“Hey there Kelly! Good to see you back, love!” schmoozed the bouncer.


“Nice to be famous, eh?” Bill teased as they went into the club.


“Sometimes,” she said, rolling her eyes.

The bouncer spoke through his headphone and alerted the staff that Kelly Waters was coming in with her group. The place was already full, and both Megan and Bill drew immediate attention from the Beautiful Crowd, who came to flock around them. The group checked their coats and the young ladies checked their bags. They found a table, had drinks, and headed to the dance floor. The kids went off to the other side of the club and left Bill and Megan on their own, honoring their promise to make themselves scarce.


The pulsing music was heaven to Megan’s ears and was exciting to Bill. They moved together to the beat, and got into a groove.

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A discouraged man with a camera sat at the bar. His fledgling career as a paparazzi was not panning out. He had expected to see more faces at the club by now. He mentally tallied up the shots he knew he had, and calculated how many more he would need to sell in order to meet his monthly expenses. Sipping broodingly on his drink, he scanned the room once more and his mood immediately got better. Kelly Waters had come in with some handsome young guy, and the pair seemed to be hitting it off quite well. This could get interesting. But, he thought as he saw the empty bottles of water they left on their table, he might need to help them make it interesting...


After a brief conversation with the bartender, the photographer exchanged money with him, with the agreement that he could be the one to take the next drink over to her when Kelly Waters wanted it. The bartender knew that the paparazzi wanted pictures, and had no problem with it. He figured that it was just all the better that they were helping each other out - he took a little extra money, and the photographer got to get a little closer for his picture.


What the photographer didn’t tell the bartender, though, was the other part of his plan to get some interesting pictures.


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Megan checked in with the kids and was pleased to see that they were having a blast. She mentally noted that they would all have to do it again sometime and get some much-needed stress relief. Going dancing was cool and fun - and it kept that bunch out of whatever shenanigans they would otherwise be doing.


Megan signaled to the bartender for more water, and the photographer took his cue. He took a tray and carried the water over to them, opened already. Bill didn’t want his yet and put it back on the table, but Megan gulped hers thirstily down. She and Bill started dancing again, their bodies moving in sync with the tempo and their eyes locking. He wondered if tonight they would make a connection.


All of a sudden, Megan stopped dancing and her face drained of color. Bill was immediately concerned and asked her if she was alright.


“Bill - someone put something in my drink. You... you need to take the kids back right now,” she said, slurring her words a bit and appearing to be trying very hard to concentrate.


Now extremely concerned, Bill put his arm around her and led her over to thble ble and settled her in to the armchair. The photographer waited and staked himself out to get some good shots. “Megan, sweetheart, what do you mean? What’s going on?”


“Please Bill, I’m holding it off as best as I can, but I don’t know how long I can hold on. Ask Hermione to explain to Madam Pomfrey what a date rape drug is - I’m pretty sure that’s what was in my water. Hurry.”


Baffled, the photographer watched as Kelly’s friend went to the other side of the club and rounded up four teenagers and simply left with them, leaving her there alone. He followed them out the door, but they were gone out of his sight by the time he reached the street. He went back into the club to see what would happen with Kelly, and hoped to still get some good shots.


Megan was holding off the effects of the sedative as much as she could, but she did not have much experience resisting potions (she figured this was close enough to use the same techniques). After a couple of minutes, it started to make her very weak. She willed herself to hold on until Bill came back with help, and squeezed her eyes shut as the room began to rock and spin. Her tongue felt thick and heavy in her mouth and it was all she could do to resist laying her head down on the table to just rest a moment.


Fortunately, Bill was only gone a short while, but the help that he brought was quite unexpected.


Striding quickly to her table folloby Bby Bill was Severus Snape. People in the club looked wonderingly at him and quickly parted out of his way as he hurried forward, his black cloak swirling in his wake.


“Megan, can you understand me?” he asked in his deep voice.


She looked up at him and managed to nod. She answered him slowly, concentrating hard to make the right words come together and make her sluggish tongue form the words. \"Did Hermione tell you... what it is?\"


\"Yes,\" he answered smoothly, speaking softly yet somehow still remaining audible over the flood of music. \"I\'m not familiar with its exact ingredients, but I think that I have a safe compromise. You probably won\'t feel completely better,\" he said handing her a vial, \"but it should give you significant relief.\"


Bill helped her hold the vial steady and Megan gratefully drank the potion. She waited for it to take effect, resting her chin on her hand with her elbow propped up on the table. Severus watched her intently, and Bill stood by, still looking worried.


Sure enough, in just a short while Megan started to feel better. The room stopped lurching around, the sound of the music returned to normal, and life came back into her extremities. She was tired, but it was no longer an effort to focus. She looked into Severus’ black eyes as he looked at her in concern. He had such a commanding presence - even for as out of his element as he was - that she felt totally safe around him, a rare feeling for her. While there were many people that she loved and trusted, it was not the same as feeling that there was anyone who could capably back her up in the face of danger.


Megan laid her hand on Severus’ cheek and thanked him. \"I appreciate it so much - you knew exactly what to do. I\'m so sorry to have pulled you out here for something like this,\" she added, suddenly feeling terribly self-conscious. \"How did you get stuck with it, anyway? It\'s not like you don\'t have enough to do without being a medic too. I\'m really sorry.\"


\"It\'s quite alright,\" he said gruffly. \"I was the wisest choice considering that we weren’t sure how the substance worked.\"


\"And,\" he added mentally, \"I wouldn\'t have come out for just anyone, Megan Waters...\"


\"Okay then. I won\'t hold us up any more then. I think that I can apparate now,\" she said, standing up. \"Let\'s go.\"


\"Weasley, you see her home safely. I will finish our business here.\"


Severus watched as Bill put his arm around Megan\'s bare waist and guided her toward the exit through the busy club, saying, \"Come on, honey, let\'s get you home.\"


Severus briefly touched his cheek where she had put her hand, and exhaled heavily.


Turning to face the other direction, he swept over to the bar where the photographer now sat. When he looked into the eyes of the photographer and bartender and read their thoughts, he immediately understood what had happened to Megan... and he was furious.


Severus addressed them softly in his dangerously silky voice. \"Let\'s talk about what happens to people who drug unsuspecting innocents...\"

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When Megan and Bill arrived back at Hogwarts, he said, \"I\'m supposed to take you to the infirmary so Madam Pomfrey can have a look at you. The kids are all waiting there too - they want to make sure you\'re alright.\"


Megan cooperated, but was confused. \"Why does Madam Pomfrey need to see me? I thought that they\'d agreed to let Professor Snape handle it.\"


Bill snorted. \"I wouldn\'t actually say that they \'agreed\' on anything. He was making rounds when we got back, and originally was trying to bust the kids for being out unsupervised after hours. He wasn\'t listening to a thing they had to say in their own defense, until your name was mentioned. Then when Hermione explained about whatever that stuff is that was slipped into your drink, he was ready to hex me into next week for leaving you there alone.\"


Megan was surprised to feel a warm glow start to spread out from her tummy. Even for as scary as she knew he could appear when he got mad, there was something oddly touching and sweet to her, thinking of the aloof Severus Snape getting bent out of shape on her behalf.


Bill stopped outside the infirmary door and looked at her with a worried expression. “You shouldn’t have made me leave you there like that. I didn’t realize how strong that stuff was that you had been given.”


“No Bill, you did right. Severus was worried, but he knows that I can generally hold off my own if I need to. The kids were more important - at the time I thought that someone might have been after Harry and was trying to attack us in a place where he would be more vulnerable. If you had tried to debate with me instead of acting as quickly as you did, I probably wouldn\'t have been able to hold on for as long as I did.” He was reassured and led her into the infirmary.


The kids and Madam Pomfrey were glad to see that the potion had worked. Aside from being a bit tired, Megan felt fine. She was looking forward to just going to bed and sleeping the rest of it off - any interest that she had tried to kindle about spending the night with Bill had been doused by the evening\'s events…


…and by the sudden realization that hit her like a thunderbolt that it wasn\'t Bill that she wanted there next to her.


How could she have been so blind?


The vague nagging feeling that had been tickling her thoughts for weeks now suddenly became perfectly clear. It was Severus! He had captured her interest and imagination as she had become acquainted with him and his work. He was the one who both acknowledged her capabilities and encouraged her to continue to master her strengths. He was the silent and ready presence that watched over far more than most people realized. And he was the one she now realized that she cared for.


Stunned and eager to mull over this revelation in private, she told Bill goodnight, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and turned to walk away from him. He grabbed her hand and turned her back around, saying, “Megan, so much has happened tonight that I would really feel better staying with you. I can be discreet about it - and if you don’t feel like being close I will sleep on the sofa. I just want to be near you.”


His eyes pleaded with hers.


Megan dreaded hurting his feelings, but could not tolerate his company that night. “You are so sweet to offer that Bill, but I’m really alright. I just want to go get some rest.”


For his part, Bill was alarmed by the distance that had appeared in her eyes - he’d never seen it before. Her mind was clearly someplace else and he wondered where that was. He\'d felt like he had finally gotten through to her tonight, but now it all seemed to have changed. “Megan… I - I don’t mean to crowd you. Go get some sleep,” he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead, “and I’ll owl you.”


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Later, Sev Severus arrived back at Hogwarts, he briefly considered going to check on Megan, but then realized that he didn\'t know whether Weasley would be staying the night with her or not. He returned to his quarters and stared into the fireplace. As hard as it had been to send her away with Weasley, he knew that it had been the right thing to do. As as as he wanted Megan to look his way, he also cared enough for her now to simply want her to be happy, whatever she did. After awhile, he took his cloak off and picked up a volume of poetry from the chair where he had left it earlier, and began to read.


There is no deed I would not dare
Unloving, but to gain your smile,
No shame or sorrow I would not share
(Though withering in a wintry while)
If I could win your friendship’s grace
While Time’s slow pace is lagging still
Though my lost heart should leave no trace
Of Love on Heaven’s immortal will.

There is no death I would not crave
If thus I’d save your heart from tears;
To snatch your glory from the grave
I’d brave all fates and feel no fears
Although my heart be calm and cold
And feel no flame nor mirth of Love
Nor buoyed with hope be overbold
To seize and hold the shining dove.

But I do love you and I know
Nor any deed nor difficult quest
To try to compass, that would show
The fire that burns within my breast;
I cannot draw the dazzling blade
My body sheathes, Love’s splendid sword,
Lest you be blinded -- and dismayed
To silence fall my wounded word.

If I would do each desperate thing
Only to bring you ease or mirth
What pinnacle for Love’s strong wing
Towers above the heights of Earth?
I cannot give your soul belief
In the great visions of my heart,
I cannot and it is my grief
Do aught to please -- but depart. *



His eyes started to get heavy. He put the book down and was about to go to bed, when he heard a light tapping on his door. He opened it and was surprised to see Megan there.


“Are you alright?\" he asked. \"I assumed that you would have been asleep by now.”


“Yes, I’m fine. I just… Um…” Now that she was here, she felt a little silly, especially because she had no idea what to say.


Severus’ brow creased as he looked down at her and appeared to be preparing to take her pulse. “Are you sure you’re alright?”


“Yes… but I wanted to thank you. For helping me tonight. For everything, really.”


He didn\'t expect to hear that and was confused for a moment - she had already thanked him in the club. He watched her twisting the hem of her shirt in her fingers and gathered very little clarification from her stammering. But when her eyes met his, Severus stopped breathing for a moment. What she was having very little success explaining to him was written quite plainly in her eyes:

She wanted him.

Resisting every impulse to take everything that he knew she would offer him in the newness of her realization, he held back. He did not want to grab at something so fragile and new and risk crushing it and losing it. Tonight something had happened that he had hardly dared hope for, let alone ever believe in the possibility of.

His features softened and he looked at her gently. “You’re welcome. And thank you for all that you have given to me as well, Megan. Goodnight now - it is quite late. We can talk more tomorrow.”


Happy that he understood, Megan went back to her quarters. As they slept that night, they both enjoyed heavenly dreams.

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* (Joseph Plunkett 1887 - 1916)

A/N - Please stay tuned for more Snapey goodness.