In an Alternate Universe

Chapter 8 ~ Difficult Situations

“I assure you, Hermione, you are not responsible for this situation, nor are you under any obligation to Mr. Snape. The young man is an adult for all intents and purposes. He has to deal with the consequences of his actions. No one will blame you,” Albus Dumbledore said to the witch seated in front of him.

”He’s an idiot,” she hissed, “A hormone-driven dunderhead. A fool! How could he do this?”

Albus looked at Hermione.

”You don’t remember what it was like to be young, Hermione?” he asked her.

”I’ve never been young,” she replied, “I had no childhood. There were no times of blissful ignorance when I didn’t know how hard and unfair life was. My father beat it into me by the time I was two.”

Albus looked at her sadly. His Professor had such a hard time of it all her life, and still she worked hard to end Voldemort’s madness. Though her reasons were selfish, she could have shirked her painful duties. But she never did. What she suffered was horrible.

”There was a time, Hermione, when you . . . loved,” he said to her softly.

”He chose her over me. Lily Evans,” Hermione hissed, her eyes dark with hatred as she thought about the Muggle-born. She’d been dead nearly eighteen years and the witch still hated her. “What good did love do me? All it did was get me a tree on my back and more recurring nightmares than any one person should have to bear.”

“Perhaps if you had something other in your life than your memories of those dark times, Hermione, the dreams wouldn’t occur so often. You are always alone, in darkness. You need respite, joy, something that will bring you light. Distraction. Enjoyment,” Albus said softly.

Hermione looked at him suddenly, her eyes narrowed.

”You want me to engage that Gryffindor!” she accused the Headmaster.

“No. I would never presume to advise you on such a delicate, personal matter,” Albus replied, his blue eyes twinkling annoyingly, “No. Never. If Severus Snape never experiences a woman, never marries and never has children to comfort and care for him in his old age, it will be his fault. Youth is not an excuse when you make stupid mistakes in judgment, is it, Professor?”

”No. It isn’t!” Hermione snapped.

”Well then, you can just continue on as you have been with a clear conscience,” Albus said, “Once again I tell you, you are not accountable for Mr. Snape’s life path. Now, return to the dungeons and your work, Hermione. Thank you for telling me the situation. I am sure it will all work out.”

Hermione scowled at the Headmaster, then rose and stalked out of his office. Albus shook his head. As brilliant as the Professor was, she was sadly lacking when it came to matters of the heart. She closed herself up tight and wouldn’t let anything or anyone in.

She’d been hurt enough.

But what Hermione failed to realize that in order for wounds to heal, they needed to be allowed to be open, to breathe, to interact with the environment. This went for internal wounds as well.

No, Albus Dumbledore didn’t think it would be a terrible thing for Professor Granger to indulge herself with young Severus Snape. He was a brilliant young wizard and could offer her much more than a sheet tangle or two. He was sharp, inquisitive and challenging. He had a mind and loved to use it. That made him very different than other young wizards. It made him . . . suitable.

But again, it was Hermione’s decision.

Albus didn’t know if the witch would allow the young wizard to live out his life without ever knowing female contact, but he hoped in his heart, she wouldn’t. He hoped that somewhere inside the witch’s damaged psyche, there was a place that could feel and empathize. The Potions mistress knew what it was to want someone and not have him. Maybe she would remember what that was like and give the smitten young wizard the closure that she never had.

If she didn’t, Severus Snape was doomed to a very lonely existence.


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”You what?” Ron screamed at the pale wizard, his eyes bugging out of his head.
Severus sighed. This was why he brought Ron and Harry into his room to tell them what happened with Professor Granger last night. He knew Ron would blow up.

Even Harry was looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

”I didn’t mean to take the Oath, but she wouldn’t . . . she didn’t understand . . . and I was desperate,” Severus said to his friend.

“Of course she wouldn’t understand, Sev! The only thing that Granger understands is Potions and pain. You would have done better trying to explain yourself to the Grinning Gargoyle. I can’t believe this!” Ron said, dropping down on the wizard’s bed next to Harry.

“You should have just let her cut it off,” Ron continued, “At least there’d be nothing down there to make you want to shag.”

”If she doesn’t accept him, Ron, it’s like she’s cut it off anyway,” Harry said, looking up at Severus, who sighed.

”I don’t think she’ll let that happen,” he said softly.

Ron looked at him incredulously.

”Severus, this is Granger we’re talking about. Granger. She is not a normal witch. She has no soft feelings. She’s probably delighted that you’ll never dip your wick as long as you live,” the redhead said.

“I don’t intend to back off,” Severus said, “I’m going to make sure she’s aware of me for the rest of the time I’m at Hogwarts. I have to. Or . . .”

”Or you’re going to have very calloused palms covered in thick black hair from wanking off for the rest of your life,” Ron said. “You can wank off, can’t you?”

”Of course,” Severus spat at him, “Don’t be stupid. Masturbation isn’t considered sex. But then again . . . maybe it is . . . for you. Are you in love with your hand, Ron? Let’s see your palms.”

Ron scowled and stuck out his hands, wriggling his fingers.

”See. Nothing,” he stated.

Severus leaned closer, examining them.

”I see a few hairs. They’re just blonde,” he lied.

”What? Where?” Ron demanded, examining his palms, “I thought that was an old witch’s tale.”

Harry wanted to laugh, but didn’t. Ron wanked off so much it was a wonder he still had a foreskin. It should have been worn away by the constant friction. If his palms ever did grow hair, it would probably be quite long and flowing. Harry smiled at an imagined image of Ron wearing large misshapen leather gloves to hide his secret shame, tendrils of hair sticking out at the wrists.

“Anyway, I’m not giving up,” Severus declared, “I’m going to make Professor Granger want me just as badly as I want her.”

”One word. Well, two words. Imperio and Obliviate,” Ron offered, “Quick and painless . . . if you don’t actually look at her while you’re shagging her, that is.”

Ron shuddered at the thought of it. Gah!

Severus looked at Ron for a moment.

”Get out of my room, Ron,” he said, pulling out his wand and removing the wards on his door, “You are never supportive. Ever.”

”What do you mean? I am being supportive Sev. I told you not to say anything to her, but you did . . . and looked what happened. The only way you’re going to get any pussy now is if you buy a cat from the Magical Menagerie to keep you company.”

“OUT!” Severus bellowed at him.

Ron looked at him, hurt.

“Fine. Try to help a bloke out and this is what you get. The boot,” he muttered, then opened the door and left the room.

”He’s such an idiot,” Severus hissed, sitting down on the bed next to Harry.

”He’s Ron, Sev. You know how he is. He overreacts and doesn’t think before he speaks. But he means well, you know that. And he’d do anything for you,” Harry said to the pale wizard.

Severus sighed.

”I know. I know Harry, but why does all that loyalty and friendship have to come wrapped in such an annoying package?” he asked the wizard.

”That’s just the way it is,” Harry replied with a shrug.

There was a knock on the door.

”Who is it?” Severus called.

”It’s Luna. Luna Lovegood,” a soft, somewhat spacey voice responded.

Harry and Severus looked at each other, both mouthing “Luna?” before Severus stood up and pulled open the door.

”Luna? What are you doing here?” he asked the witch, his black eyes sweeping over her.

”I wanted to talk to you,” she said, then she noticed Harry.

“Oh, hi Harry,” she said, giving him a little wave.

”Hi Luna,” he said, then said to Severus, “Hey I’m going to go, all right? I’ll talk to you later.”

Normally, Harry would have given Severus a little eyebrow waggle at Luna asking to “talk” to him. But there would be no waggling on either Harry’s or Severus’ part in this case. The wizard was shut down.

“All right. I’ll see you later,” Severus said, stepping aside as Harry walked through the door.

”Bye Luna,” Harry said to her.

”Bye Harry,” the witch replied.

Luna looked up at Severus.

”Can I come in?” she asked him softly.

”Yes,” he said.

Luna wandered in and Severus closed the door behind her.

The witch turned to him.

”Severus. I’ve decided I want to do it with you now,” she said non-chalantly.

Both of Severus’ eyebrows rose.

”What? Now?” he said.

”Yes. I gave Seamus a shag the other day. My first one, and he was awful. When we were together, the way you kissed me and touched me was so nice. I didn’t feel anything like that with Seamus. He kind of pawed all over me, but I did it because I had been putting it off so long. And it kind of . . . well . . . wasn’t enough. Maybe . . . maybe big isn’t so bad. I mean, there has to be more to it than what I went through with Seamus,” the witch said, starting to unbutton her robes.

Normally, Severus would have jumped at this, despite his desire for Professor Granger. He was a young wizard, not a witch and wired differently. He saw nothing wrong with wanting to shag more than one witch. But he felt nothing stirring as he looked at her opening her robes. It seemed as if she wore nothing under them.

”Ah Luna, I can’t do it,” he said to the witch, “You’d better go.”

Luna stopped unbuttoning her robes.

”You’re mad at me. I figured you would be since I didn’t let you shag me the last time, but I promise I will this time. I don’t even have on knickers, Severus,” Luna said to him, her wide eyes resting on the wizard.

”I’m not mad. I just can’t Luna. I . . . I have my reasons,” he said lamely.

Luna buttoned up her robes again, but didn’t look perturbed about it.

”You’re mad,” she said confidently, “Wizards have their pride. You’re punishing me for getting you excited and then not doing anything. It’s all right, Severus. You’ll get past it. It’s childish but . . . there you are.”

She wandered back past the wizard and opened the door, turning to him.

”I’ll be back, Severus. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day before graduation. Until then . . .”

Luna flashed a rather large, shapely pink-tipped booby at him with a rather naughty smile.

“That’s just something to keep in mind. Bye Sev,” she said, leaving.

Severus staggered forward and closed the door, then back to the bed where he fell in face first. Of all times for Luna to finally give in. Shit!

”Why me?” he groaned into the bedsheets, his voice muffled by the mattress.


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A/N: lol. Thanks for reading.