Part 1
Sweet, funny, romantic – it has all the things I want in a Snarry story and then some!
When it starts out with poor naked Ghost Snape (why’s the poor man naked?!) wandering around trying to figure out why he had not gone on to his blessed reward, I was feeling mystified as well and wondering how the devil you were going to get him together with Harry. The slow unfolding of the story was delightful as Snape decides that he needs to help Harry find happiness so that he can finally pass on. Snape resolves to hook Harry up with the very available Hermione so the two can live happily ever after and he can rest in peace at last.
Ah the best laid plans of mice and men! ::chuckles:: I loved how Snape uses the language of flowers as the means in which to enact a courtship between Potter and Granger. And I laughed gleefully at all the ups and downs of his plan and how eventually Harry and Hermione realized something fishy was going on.
Considering the brat had not understood nor even bothered to attempt to understand Snape's most heartfelt apology ever, which he'd presented Potter with on the very first day he had met him face to face, Severus had little hope the man Harry had grown into had rectified his ignorance.
Huh? ::confuzzled:: When did Snape apologize to Harry on that first day?
which infuriated Snape who had suffered insomnia since he was a boy.
Oh, poor Snape. :( It explains a lot.
Snape groaned as Granger ran off. That was not the reaction he had been hoping for, although, it had seemed so promising at first.
After the disaster of the day before, Severus felt stroppy. He did not follow the pair when they left. He filled each room with anemone and white carnations. What else was there for a bored, naked spirit to do?
::hehehe:: Snape’s doing his best, but Harry and Hermione are just not cooperating!
"Accio, Resurrection Stone!" "Ron was right, you are brilliant, but scary."
::blinks:: I agree. Excellent use of the Resurrection Stone! I enjoyed their exchanges with Dumbledore and Eileen Snape.
"It's clear to me and I'm dead as ditch water. He's probably in love with you two, innee?"
You tell ‘em, Mama Snape!
Instead, he croaked, "When did... you both... get so old?"
::bounces:: Yesyesyes! He’s back! He’s back! He’s baaaaaaaaack! And still as snarky as ever. Wheeeeeeeee!
This was the bestest thing I’ve every read:
"Oh my God!"
"What?"
"Maybe he is the same man. He's been using symbolism all along." She took Harry's hand in hers and reminded him, "What was the first question he asked you in class, in First Year?"
Harry frowned slightly. "He asked what I would get by adding asphodel to an infusion of wormwood."
"Yes."
He blinked owlishly at her, and Hermione groaned.
"Oh, Harry, I didn't know Severus was into symbolism at the time, but... Asphodel symbolically means death, Harry, especially the death of someone beloved to the person who offers asphodel. Asphodel is also a lily."
"A lily?" He sat up straighter, looking stunned. "What does wormwood mean?"
"Bitter sorrow."
Harry tightened his grip on her hand and she responded in kind as he began to tremble. "So... Snape was asking me if I knew what death and bitter sorrow are? My mom's death added to bitter sorrow."
"Well, in essence, he was asking if you knew what death steeped in bitter sorrow is. Or put another way, he might have been trying to tell you that he had loved Lily and that he bitterly regretted her death."
"Oh, God, and I sat like a dumb lump and said I didn't know and he thought I was rejecting his apology."
"Actually, he thought you were an ignorant boy like your father had been, neglecting your studies, happy to skate by on your celebrity."
::jaw drops:: Oh. My. Goodness. This is…wow. ::bowled over:: Incredibly well thought out and utterly plausible. Brilliant! Thank you.
"Oh, but that makes sense," Harry suddenly interjected. "You were entombed, Wizard-style. They just wrap your naked body in a sheet."