Three\'s A Crowd

Part - 8


It had been almost three weeks since the incident with Snape\'s father. Things had settled to something like normalcy. Even if Severus was tired, he was not going to let anyone know just how much it was effecting him.

Once again, Snape had been proven correct. Harry Potter could not keep his eyes off of his teacher. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon your point of view. No one noticed, because no one else in the room could take their eyes off him either.

Severus felt as if he were trapped under a microscope. The fascinated students observed his every movement in minute detail. What were they expecting? Did the dunderheads think that after being pregnant a few weeks he was going to suddenly drop three fully formed babies in class?

Snape was annoyed at the other students. He could ignore them.

But not Potter. He turned away from the brat, wishing that he could forget that Harry Potter existed.

He could not. Every time those green eyes caught his, Severus felt the almost overwhelming desire to touch him. To shed his heavy robes, spread his legs and let Harry Potter ravage him.

He forced down the degrading arousal that threatened to ensnare his mind. He also ignored the stares of the students and went on with the lesson. \"Now, if all of you can manage it, please stir the lace wings into the potion.\" He turned to find something to distract him. He found it. \"Slowly please, Longbottom, the mixture is volatile, and despite my unfortunate condition, I would prefer to remain in this world a while longer.\" He took solace in the familiar act of berating the oversensitive Gryffindor.

With shaking hands, Neville tried to make sure that the insect parts did not go too quickly into the caldron. \"Is-s that c-correct, sir?\" he stuttered.

\"Hmm, the mixture should be turning green now, Longbottom.\" Severus smirked at the bright pink potion. Yes, now he had something else to keep his mind occupied. Something to take everyone else\'s mind off of him. \"This should be interesting,\" Snape noted. \"What in Merlin\'s name did you put in this potion to make it this hideous color?\"

\"Just what you told us to, sir,\" said Granger from his left.

\"I did not ask for your opinion, Granger. Five points from Gryffindor for sticking your nose where it does not belong,\" Severus said with a snarl. \"Tell me, Longbottom, how did you manage to ruin this childishly simple potion?\"

\"Neville is trying his best!\" snapped Harry Potter angrily. \"Do not insult or yell at him, just help him. And you should not have taken points from Hermione for being right.\"

\"You have your points back, Granger,\" Snape said softly. Then, turning stiffly from Potter, Severus studied the remainder of Neville\'s ingredients. \"You have obviously used too much powdered wormwood root,\" he said calmly. Everyone gaped as if he had grown another head. \"Put in a cup more eel scales to compensate.\"

Nervously, Neville did as instructed. His potion slowly turned from pink to a dark green. Not the light green that Hermione and a few of the better students had, but much closer to correct.

Snape turned to glare at Harry, who looked smug. \"Bottle your potions, clean up your mess, and get out.\" The assumption was that he spoke to the entire class, but his black eyes were fixed on Harry.

He could almost feel the young man\'s hands entwined in his hair. Taste the silken skin...

Severus fumed. He wanted to shout at Potter, to vent his anger at being made to do something against his will. At jeopardizing his status with the Death Eaters! And worst of all, for Potter forcing him to endure such desire.

How dare that horrid brat make Severus want him!

Very quickly, he decided that the situation was awkward enough without calling more attention to it. The students were already wondering why he had given in so easily. If he exploded at the boy, and Potter gave him another order... He turned at stalked back to his desk.

Draco Malfoy glared at Harry with barely contained fury. When they exited the room, Malfoy came up behind Potter. \"You have no right to speak to Professor Snape that way, Potter.\"

\"I can speak to him any way I like, Malfoy.\" Harry had actually felt bad about it. Not about helping Neville, but for calling attention to the situation. As satisfying as it had been to watch Snape squirm, he should not have done it. Dumbledore and Snape would have a few choice words for him later.

Besides, Harry did feel slightly ashamed, until that day he had actually managed to control himself. But now he had taken advantage of the situation and giving Snape orders in public.

However, his negligible guilt at what had happened was not going make him admit to Malfoy that he did anything wrong. Besides, the look on Snape\'s face had been priceless.

And it took his mind off his crotch, and Snape\'s.

\"Professor Snape is Head of Slytherin House. You and your filthy werewolf are not fit to lick his boots.\"

\"So that is why you have looked like a constipated grindylow?\" Ron laughed. \"What is wrong Malfoy? Afraid that when Snape marries Remus you will not be allowed to kiss his arse anymore?\"

\"Stay out of this, Weasel!\" Draco\'s pale skin was a livid red.

\"Fuck yourself, Ferret!\" countered Weasley, face almost a red as his hair.

\"Ten points from Gryffindor for using obscene language,\" hissed Snape from the doorway. \"Now get to your next class, and stop cluttering up my dungeon!\" Snape disappeared back into the classroom, slamming the heavy wooden door behind him. He was not going to give Potter a chance to contradict him.

\"Come on, Ron. We have Transfigurations in five minutes.\" Hermione grabbed his and Harry\'s arms and dragged them down the hall.

After several deep breaths, a slightly calmer Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle just behind, went back and knocked on the classroom door. After a moment, a very weary Professor Snape opened it. \"Draco?\" He relaxed slightly when he saw that it was not Potter come to torment him. \"What may I do for you?\"

\"May I speak to you alone, sir?\"

\"Of course.\" Snape opened the door and Malfoy stepped inside. His large associates started to follow, but were surprised when the door slammed shut in their faces.

\"How may I help you?\" asked Snape, sitting on the edge of his desk. His feet were starting to hurt, and he felt tired. Neither of which were likely associated with his pregnancy at this stage. These were probably due to his problems sleeping.

Thanks to the pregnancy, he could not take the Dreamless Sleep potion or any other potion that he had, and the stuff Pomfrey gave him was pathetically weak. He barely slept, and his restless dreams made sure that he was always tired.

Yet another reason to be annoyed at Potter and his Gryffindor friends.

How dare the bastards invade his dreams and molest him! He would not be surprised to find out that Black was somehow doing this deliberately.

\"We have all been worried about you, Professor Snape,\" Draco began.

\"Your concern is appreciated, though unnecessary.\" Snape sighed.

\"Is there anything that I can do for you?\" Malfoy had a strange look on his aristocratic face.

\"No, there is not.\"

\"Are you sure? There are some, associates that we both know through my father, that could surely help with your, problem.\" His eyes darted to Snape\'s flat belly, then the stormy gray eyes looked up into deep black ones.

\"Dumbledore has made it clear that if anything were to go wrong with my condition, that I could find myself in very serious trouble. Perhaps even, incarcerated.\" The Head of Slytherin did his best to sound as if he were disgusted. To protect the children from over eager Slytherins that would gladly slip him something to abort them, and probably kill him in the process, he had to make it sound as if Dumbledore were threatening him with Azkaban if anything happened to the babies. \"But you may assure your, associates, that though I will be under a great deal of scrutiny, I still know where my duty lies.\"

\"No one doubted that, Professor.\" Malfoy sounded sincere. Severus smirked; knowing that the young man\'s assessment was incorrect. Voldemort had suspected him from the moment he returned to the fold.

\"Then I can count on you to help me, fulfill my obligation outside these dreary walls?\" asked Snape softly. \"If I should, in strictest confidence, need to get some information to someone?\"

\"Of course!\" Draco puffed up with pride. \"I will help you in any way that I can, sir.\"

\"I knew that you would. Here, let me give you a note. You are going to be late to your next class.\" He turned to the desk and found his quill and paper. \"We do not want McGonagall to have any excuse to take points from Slytherin.\"

\"Of course.\" Draco took the note and left the room with a smug look on his face. Severus sighed. That, at least, had been easy. Draco would happily send whatever information Severus gave him back to his mother, who would report to Voldemort.

---

\"Mr. Malfoy is eager to be of service.\"

\"Just as we thought. He will see this as a way to get into Voldemort\'s good graces as well as please you.\" Dumbledore was smiling.

\"I feel as if I am using the boy, pushing him deeper into this nightmare.\" Severus admitted.

\"He chose this path Severus. Perhaps you will be able to use this as an opportunity turn him from Voldemort...\"

\"He is a Malfoy,\" Severus said sadly. \"He truly believes that Purebloods are superior to Muggles and should rule our world. He will not change.\"

\"Perhaps.\" Albus sighed. \"Now unless you have something else to impart, you should go to bed. Pomfrey wants to be sure that you get enough sleep.\"

\"Does she have another potion that I can take? The one she has been giving me is ineffective, and I cannot find anything in my books that would be safe.\"

\"As a matter of fact, she gave me one for you.\" One that she would not give directly to Snape for fear that he would explode.

Severus looked at the neon pink potion. \"I see why she gave it to you.\" He grimaced. \"Something from the Maternity Ward at St. Mungo\'s?\"

\"Along with prenatal vitamins and some strength potions,\" said Dumbledore, glad that Severus had not exploded. He was being very calm, almost too much so. \"My friends at St. Mungo\'s would like to come out next week to examine you, Severus.\"

\"The ones that are so keen on male pregnancy I presume.\"

\"Yes. They have treated men who took a potion to become hermaphrodites in order to bare children, but your situation is unique.\"

\"Certainly, bring them here. Tell them to bring their friends and make a day of it.\"

\"Go on to bed, Severus, you need rest.\" Dumbledore patted his shoulder gently. He watched the younger man carefully. He looked so thin and worn. \"After we go to the kitchen. You are going to have one full meal when I can watch you eat.\"

\"You really are bored to tears, aren\'t you, Albus.\" He sighed as his arm was taken and he was lead toward the door.

\"Certainly not, my boy.\" The older man smiled brightly. \"I have always enjoyed your company.\"

\"Even when I am annoyed?\" One eyebrow raised.

\"Especially when you are annoyed.\"


tbc