Ficlet: The Meaning of a Gift
Title: The Meaning of a Gift Author: snapealina Word count: 1234! Rating: PG Disclaimer: They're not mine :( I would have treated them better! A/N: based on bonfoi 's prompt: "Here's a heart, here's a flower. Now go bother someone else." Ok, so I know I missed the "deadline" in my own time zone, but it's still the 13th where most of you are anyway, so I hope you don't mind. ;-)
The Meaning of a Gift
"Here's a heart, here's a flower. Now go bother someone else."
Out of nowhere, a heart-shaped box and a rose were thrust into Severus' arms and, just as quickly, someone who looked like Remus Lupin disappeared behind a corner.
Evan Rosier snorted. "What in Salazar's name was that all about, Snape? Got yourself a Gryffindor boyfriend, have you?"
"How the hell should I know? And he is not my boyfriend," Severus hissed and threw the box and the flower on the floor. "Depulso."
The presents went flying through the room, and Severus rushed off to his dormitory before Rosier had the chance to say another word.
However, Rosier and Avery came into the room only a minute later, both of them laughing hard.
"I heard you are threatening Gryffindors into giving you Valentines, Snape," Avery chuckled. "I didn't know you had a thing for sissy boys."
"I HAVE NEVER... " Severus never finished his sentence, but instead sent a Tongue-Tying curse at Avery before leaving the room.
***
Fuming, Severus walked around the castle without any sense of direction. How dared Lupin embarrass him like that? What was the stupid boy playing at? What did he want from him? Minutes later, he found himself by a portrait of a fat lady.
The portrait swung open and out came Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and James Potter. Severus jumped behind a suit of armour before they had a chance to see him.
The three boys walked down the stairs as if nothing had happened. Severus was fuming. How could they? Didn't they know what they had put him through? He dreaded going back to the Slytherins where he knew Avery and Rosier would have told everyone by now. Lupin would pay for this!
He took his wand and pointed it at Lupin. "Tarantallegra."
Lupin's feet began to move uncontrollably and he fell down several steps.
Potter rushed after him and helped him up while Black turned around and fired a stunning spell that missed Severus by inches.
Black was searching for the source, but Severus stood absolutely still, holding his breath.
Finally, Black gave up and the three boys returned to the portrait and disappeared through it.
Making sure the boys were out of sight, Severus stepped forward and began his journey back to the dreaded Slytherin common room.
***
Suddenly, he tripped on something. He looked down and saw a heart-shaped box lying in front of him. Most of the chocolate had fallen out and had been trampled on. Without realising it, he picked up the box and looked at it.
"Someone gave you a Valentine, Snape? Who would be that desperate?" A snickering group of Ravenclaws walked past him.
Severus threw the box after them and walked with rapid steps to the entrance of the Slytherin common room.
He knew that Lupin and his mates were always looking for new ways to embarrass him, but the more he tried to ignore it, the more it annoyed him. What had Lupin meant by bothering him? Severus didn't do anything those stupid Gryffindors hadn't already done to him, and quite frankly, he couldn't remember any of them being directed towards Lupin in particular.
And a heart and a flower? What the hell? Severus was going crazy. He had to talk to Lupin.
***
He followed the three boys around the school for the rest of the day, carefully keeping his distance and jumping behind tapestries, corners and suits of armour if they so much as turned their heads in his direction. All while hoping he would catch Lupin on his own. That was easier said than done. Why did those three have to travel together all the time? It was impossible to get one of them alone, and Severus really didn't want Black and Potter around for this. This was between him and Lupin, and from the looks of it, the other two knew nothing about it. None of them were good enough actors to keep their faces straight in Severus' presence if they had known what Lupin had done to him.
Finally, Severus saw his opportunity when the boys were just about to leave the library. Lupin had been working on a school assignment while Potter had copied his work. Black, on the other hand, had sat there with his feet on the table, throwing a paper ball into the air for an hour.
Lupin was now gathering his belongings and Severus pointed his wand at Lupin's Transfiguration book, summoning it without anyone noticing.
The boys left the library and Severus grabbed the book and followed them. When the boys had almost reached the end of the corridor he called after them.
"Hey, wolfboy!"
The three boys turned around, all three wands raised.
"What do you want, Snape?" shouted Black. "Stay away from us."
"Aren't you missing anything?" Severus held up the book.
"Just go ahead, I'll be right with you," Lupin said and sent the other two on their way.
He walked towards Severus, who had not moved an inch since he called after them.
Lupin reached out to take the book, but in the same second Severus grabbed Lupin's robes and pulled him into the nearest alcove.
"How dare you do something like that, Lupin?" Severus hissed, pinning Lupin to the wall.
"Forgetting my book? I didn't realise that was a crime," said Lupin while squirming in an attempt to get away. "Let me go, Severus!"
Severus tightened his grip and pointed his wand at Lupin's throat.
"Bloody Gryffindors, always the innocent ones," he hissed. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Why are you so determined to ruin my life?"
"By giving you a gift? I didn't know gifts ruined lives."
Severus was fuming. "You giving me a gift makes no sense. You giving me a gift in public is just cruel. And since when have I bothered you?"
Lupin raised his eyebrow and then looked down at his broken nose.
"That was payback."
"I gave you flowers and a heart, you gave me a broken nose. How is that fair?" Lupin asked.
"You started it!"
"No, you did!"
"I certainly did not!"
"Yes you did! I told you to stop bothering me!"
"How the hell am I bothering you, Lupin?"
"I can't stop thinking about you and that bothers me!" Lupin shouted making Severus fall silent. "You walk around flaunting yourself in front of me every day, sneaking into my dreams and I can't stop it. It's driving me crazy!"
"Flaunting? That's likely," Severus snorted. Clearly Lupin was pulling his leg.
"I mean it, Severus!"
"So how would the gifts help?"
"I don't know," mumbled Lupin.
"You don't know?"
"Call it stupid and adorable Gryffindor bravery?" Lupin suggested with a stupid grin on his face.
"Must I?" Severus raised an eyebrow.
"At least I got you alone, didn't I?" Lupin smirked. "And now I'm not so sure I want you to bother someone else."
Severus tightened his grip even more. "Oh really?"
Lupin smiled. "Yes, because I don't want anyone else to do this."
Before Severus knew what was happening, Lupin's lips was pressed against his. Perplexed, Severus lost the grip on both his wand and on Lupin's robes. The other boy wormed his way out of his grip.
"If you want to bother me again, Severus, you know where to find me," Lupin said and ran down the corridor and out of sight.