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webmistresses (webmistresses) wrote in severus_sighs, @ 2013-02-15 07:08:00

Sweet Solutions by alisanne
Title: Sweet Solutions
Author: alisanne
Pairing: Severus/Harry
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~900
Warnings: Silliness
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters and their worlds belong to their original writers and no copyright infringement or offense is intended. No money was made from this story.
Summary: Severus despises Valentine’s Day. And now everyone knows it.
A/N: Written for prompt #1: Instead of glaring or cursing or scathing comments that make children cry, Severus is smirking and passing out candy to his friends. Well... his kind of candy, anyway ;)
Thank you to lilyseyes for looking this over for me, and to the lovely mods for their #encouragement. :)


Sweet Solutions


Harry was grumpy. He’d not wanted to get out of bed that morning but had a pile of parchment work to do. And now, before my first coffee, I’m being accosted.

“You have to do something!” the woman who had identified herself as Hyacinth Allen repeated. “It has to be against the law. My Hannah doesn’t even know that word!”

She does now, Harry thought, biting his inner cheek hard. He coughed. Why had he decided to walk though Diagon on his way to work anyway? And in his Auror uniform no less. I should have known better. “Madam, I understand that it’s disturbing, but it isn’t technically illegal.”

Hyacinth sputtered. “But it simply has to be! Honest people go into that shop and to have that kind of thing sitting around for anyone to see is--”

“I’ll investigate,” Harry interrupted, realising she wasn’t going anywhere until she got the response she wanted. It wasn’t his jurisdiction, but since when did that matter? “Which shop was it?” Although he knew very well which it was. Which was it always, after all?

As he started for the appropriate section of Diagon Alley, he began encountering others who seemed perturbed, and as he turned the corner he almost ran over a woman who was practically sprinting, her arm around her child. “But, Mummy, why does it say that?” the boy asked, clutching something in his hand.

“Because that is a mean man, Johnny. No! Don’t eat that awful sweet.” Snatching the sweet from him, she threw it onto the pavement directly in front of Harry. “If he weren’t the best brewer in England I swear--”

Harry, who had stopped to eavesdrop, sighed. The sweet, one of the heart-shaped ones commonly distributed for St Valentine’s Day, was black and read ‘dead’. Bending down, he picked it up, slipping it into his pocket. Oh, Severus.

By the time he arrived at Severus’ shop, there was a small crowd gathered. Forcing his way through, he entered the store, spotting Severus behind the counter. He looked...unrepentant.

“..my Jimmy’s just a child!” a woman was shouting at him. “I can’t believe you gave him a sweet containing profanity!”

Severus nodded towards a sign prominently displayed on the wall that read ‘no children allowed’. “This is an adult potion shop, Mrs Morris, as I have made clear on many occasions. Children are not welcome here. Any who choose to ignore that do so at their own peril.”

“It was only for a moment! Long enough for me to pick up my--”

Severus smirked and Harry braced himself. “Which is why the sweet did not say something worse.” His voice softened dangerously. “Of course, if you wish to lodge a complaint, then you may take your potions requests elsewhere. Unfortunately, since my formulae are proprietary, you shall have to find someone else to provide for your...specialised needs.” He looked her up and down. “And they are quite specialised if I correctly recall?”

Mrs Morris blanched. “Well, I never--”

Severus sneered. “That much, madam, is obvious.” Reaching into a cauldron that was sitting on the counter, he handed her what looked like a bag of the sweet hearts. “Perhaps these will offer some useful suggestions to Mr Morris.”

As Harry moved forward he heard another customer say, “Look! It’s Harry Potter.”

“Is he here to arrest him?”

Amidst the murmuring, Harry approached the counter. “Mr Snape. A word?”

“Auror Potter.” Severus inclined his head. “Everyone out! The shop is closed for the day.”

There was grumbling, but everyone left in an orderly fashion. Once they were alone, Severus waved his wand, locking the door.

Harry sighed. “Severus, we’ve discussed this. I know you hate Valentine’s Day--”

“I more than hate it,” Severus huffed. “I despise it.”

“I’m aware.” Harry deadpanned. “As is the rest of Diagon Alley.”

“And yet they persist in wishing me a ‘happy Valentine’s Day’,” Severus snorted. “I had to do something.”

“So you decided to create profane Valentine’s Day sweets,” Harry murmured, moving around the counter.

“Indeed.” Severus didn’t budge, not even when Harry sidled right up to him. “So, are you going to arrest me?”

Harry smiled. “Why would I do that? I’d only have to bail you out afterward to take you home.”

“You could always leave me there.” Severus smirked. “The Ministry can be quite peaceful.”

Harry laughed. “You know how much I hate sleeping alone.” He shook his head. “Although, a suggestion? Maybe next year you should just close the shop Valentine’s Day to avoid any more issues.”

Severus’ arms slid around him. “And will you take the day off as well? Spend it with me in bed?”

Harry grinned. Just before Severus’ mouth met his he whispered, “It would be my pleasure.”

~