webmistresses (webmistresses) wrote in severus_sighs, @ 2010-02-12 20:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | event: anti-valentine's day 2010, ficlet, member: alisanne, pairing: severus/harry, rating: g |
Averting Disaster by Alisanne
Title: Averting Disaster
Author: alisanne
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Word Count: +/- 1150
Warnings: None, really.
Summary: Harry's not the only one with a 'saving people' thing.
A/N: Prompt 6: Valentine’s Day started out not so terrible, but was quickly heading towards disaster. Written for the severus_sighs Anti-Valentine's Day challenge. Thank you to sevfan for beta-reading and, as always, nothing you recognize is mine.
Averting Disaster
While the day hadn’t started out that badly, this was definitely a turn for the worse. “Trust you to somehow manage to get us involved in a Muggle crime scene,” Severus muttered. “Just don’t do anything foolish. I know how well developed your ‘saving people’ instincts are.”
Lying face down next to him, Harry rolled his eyes. “That’s not fair! How is this my fault?” he hissed.
“No talking!” snapped one of the masked robbers, gesturing menacingly with his gun before turning away to continue throwing jewellery into his sack.
Shaking his head in disgust, Severus carefully looked around, contemplating their options. They could easily Apparate away, of course, but then what about the Statute of Secrecy? They weren’t really in much danger, and the Obliviators took a dim view to having to work on holidays, much as Severus was loath to admit Valentine’s Day qualified as such.
He should have known that this day would be a disaster. Wasn’t it always?
It had started out innocuously enough. Waking him up with what Severus had to admit was a stellar blow job, Harry had managed to talk him into agreeing to dinner in Muggle London. Severus sighed. He really was too susceptible to Harry’s mouth.
They had finally settled on Italian food and Apparated to the designated restaurant, only to find that the place was overbooked, and since neither the name Potter nor the name Snape meant much to the maître d’, they’d had to go elsewhere.
The fish and chip shop they finally decided on hadn’t been bad, plus, Severus had fond childhood memories of his father bringing home fish and chips on those days where there had been money enough. That he was now enjoying a childhood treat with Harry was appropriate.
Of course, Harry hadn’t been able to leave well enough alone. He’d insisted they go for coffee, Severus’ weakness, and, in doing so, had sealed their fate.
On their way out of the coffee shop, Harry’s attention had been caught by the display in a shop window. “Wow, now those look like bonding bracelets,” he’d breathed, and Severus had to admit, the entranced look on his face made him want to drop to one knee and propose in that moment. He’d had actual bonding bracelets in his pocket for weeks, after all.
Severus would be damned, however, if he did such a thing on Valentine’s Day, for Merlin’s sake, so he’d bitten his tongue, knowing Harry would sense something if he objected too strenuously, and followed him into the shop. The shop, into which the robbers burst in a minute later, ordering all the patrons and workers onto the floor while brandishing their guns.
And so there they were. Severus sighed, hoping it would be over soon. He was too old to spend a lot of time on the floor like this; getting up was going to be hell.
“Right, now everyone will hand over their valuables!” one robber said.
Severus froze, the bonding bracelets in his pockets suddenly taking on more importance. They had been blessed and imbued with protective charms to ensure a long, happy marriage. There was no way he was giving them up.
“Don’t be a hero,” the robber continued. “Stay calm and no one will get hurt. Do anything ‘brave’, however--” he pointed the gun at the wall above Harry’s head and fired, smiling as plaster showered onto Harry, “--remember who has the power in his hands.”
Severus’ eyes narrowed. This situation was rapidly becoming dangerous, and while jewellery was replaceable, Harry wasn’t. I’ll show you power. Raising his head, he scanned the room, locating all the robbers. He took a deep breath. “Get ready,” he whispered to Harry, whose eyes widened.
“What are you going to--?”
“Shut up!” The robber who had threatened them earlier was right there. “Didn’t I say no talking?” He nudged Severus with his boot. “Let’s start with you, then. Get up so I can check your coat pockets. And hurry up or I shoot your friend here.” He pointed the gun at Harry, and Severus saw red.
“Of course,” Severus said, tone silky, dangerous. Pushing up to his knees, Severus reached into his Transfigured robes. “If you’ll allow me to retrieve it?”
“Fine,” the robber snarled, looking towards the clock on the wall. “Just hurry up before the police get here.”
Severus pulled out his wand and, after a pause, the Muggle laughed. Severus smiled grimly and, pointing it at the man, yelled, “Stupefy!” He collapsed, his gun rolling across the floor, and before the other robbers could react, Severus felled them, too, before casting Incarcerous on all of them and putting his wand away. He then helped Harry to his feet.
“The Obliviators will not be happy,” Harry said, peering around as confused Muggles began standing up and looking about.
“What happened?” the Muggle shopgirl asked, blinking. “What did you do?” She stared accusingly at Severus.
“We really should Obliviate them all,” Severus murmured. “The last thing we need is criminals being aware of the existence of magic, not to mention the others.”
Harry sighed, then nodded. “Yeah, that would probably be for the best.”
They separated, each going to handle the Memory Charms on the Muggles. Fortunately, they were done in a couple of minutes.
“Do we wait for the Obliviators and tell them we took care of it?” Harry asked.
“Perhaps not,” Severus said, dragging Harry towards the door. “The less they know about our presence here, the better.” They escaped into an alley just in time, Apparition cracks began sounding moments later, and Severus, relieved he wouldn’t be spending time answering questions at the Ministry, turned to Harry. “They’ll deal with the Muggles and sort out the criminals. Let’s go home.”
Harry nodded and disappeared. Severus followed immediately, landing next to Harry in their front hallway. “You were quite brave back there,” he said. “Maybe you have a bit of a ‘saving people thing’, too.”
Severus snorted. “It’s been a long day and I was in no mood to deal with the situation for any longer than necessary, that’s all.”
“Uh huh.” Harry pursed his lips. “So, is there a reason you didn’t want that Muggle checking in your robes?” he asked, smirking over at Severus as he removed his own robes.
He’s too perceptive by half. Severus raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said. “Now, shall we retire? Perhaps we can still salvage something of this disastrous day.”
As a grinning Harry went to prepare for bed, Severus’ fingers brushed the flat, velvet box in his pocket and he smirked. Yes, any other day but this one, he decided. February fifteenth should be a good day to propose.
~