Fantasy fest drabble: The Meaning of an Apple
The Meaning of an Apple
Pairing: Severus/Remus Rating: PG Genre: Romance/humour Word count: 486 Prompt: An apple for teacher
«Good morning» Severus Snape addressed his morning class. The students merely muttered in reply.
Severus frowned. «I said good morning!»
«Who gave you that apple?» Seamus Finnigan broke in before the class could respond.
«What apple?» Severus had no idea what the boy was talking about until he noticed an apple with a red ribbon around it on his desk.
«Looks like Professor Snape's got a secret favourite,» Seamus chuckled. “I bet it's Parkinson. She's tired of Malfoy getting all the attention.”
«Quiet, Mr Finnigan, and twenty points from Gryffindor.» Severus snarled. He picked up the apple and threw it into his desk drawer. He would have to find out who would embarrass him like that.
***
Each day in the following week started with a fresh apple on Severus' desk, and he could even swear they sparkled.
Tracking spells didn't work, so Severus' decided to put a simple intruder alarm on the door to his classroom to see who sneaked in the apples.
At four o'clock the following morning, Severus was brutally awakened by a terrible alarm ringing right in his ear. Severus jumped out of bed and threw on a night robe. He stormed to the classroom where he ran into a terrified looking house elf.
«What are you doing here?» Severus asked sternly and looked at a brand new apple on his desk.
The house elf started shaking. «Tinko is just following orders, sir.»
«Who gave you the orders?» Severus continued.
«Tinko is promised not to tell, sir,» Tinko shivered. «Master told me not to say who he was.»
«He?» Severus wondered. «Who told you to bring me apples, elf?»
Tinko covered his eyes and started rocking back and forth while he hit himself in the head. «Oh no! Master told me not to say anything and Tinko let him down. Now he's going to bite me on the next full moon.» Tinko screamed and vanished with a pop.
***
«Lupin,» Severus stormed into the staff room, yelling. «My office! NOW!»
Remus Lupin jumped up, and with a mischievously smile on his face he followed the Potions Master.
«What is it, Severus?» he asked when they had reached Severus' office.
«Oh, you know very well, Lupin.» Severus scowled. «Why are you sending me apples?»
«I thought that was obvious, Severus,» Lupin smiled.
«Do you find it funny to embarrass me in front of my own students?» Severus snarled. «And stop grinning, I am not at all amused.»
«I didn't want to embarrass you, Severus.» Lupin said softly. «But I sent you apples because that's what you're suppose to give a teacher when you like him.»
«What?»
«You heard me,» Remus winked and turned to leave.
«That is incorrect, you daft werewolf.» Severus rolled his eyes. «If you give a teacher an apple it means you are a suck up.»
«Is that a request, Severus?» Remus grinned widely and walked back to the staff room.