The Catch

Chapter 8: The Date

Ron glared at his reflection. His tan was starting to fade, making his freckles stand out more prominently. Slightly displeased, he rubbed his cheek softly, silently wishing for the damned freckles to go away... even only for one night. Too bad the freckle-removal charm was still in the experimental and highly dangerous stage. He could surely use it right now.

For tonight was IT--his momentous date with Professor Severus Snape.

"Ron, the day your freckles disappear will be the day they hire me as a shampoo model," Harry said dryly. He moved from his position on the bed and stood beside Ron, his head of messy black hair only reaching his friend's ears.

"Shut up, you git! I still haven't forgiven you for the mess you made at breakfast." Ron tightened his robe and glanced at Harry, who merely grinned at him cheekily.

"Maybe not now. But you will. You always do." Harry patted Ron's back and led him out of the door. "Now stop primping. You've been standing there for hours and the mirror is starting to look extremely disgruntled. It's almost seven."

Ron patted his head anxiously. "But my hair... I haven't finished--"

"Oh, for Pete's sake... You look fine. Now go!"

With one last push by Harry, Ron found himself alone in the corridor. The Fat Lady squealed as Harry slammed the portrait door shut. Before Ron could even grasp the sequence of events, Harry's head appeared again in the portrait hole.

"Here, I forgot to give you this. Make sure you give it to him." The brunette shoved a single long stemmed white rose into Ron's hand before slamming the door once more.

The Fat Lady muttered something about annoying little teenagers but it was all lost on Ron as he started to walk towards the Slytherin dungeons. His right fist was tightly curled around the flower's stem, his knuckles as white as the petals.

There was no backing out now. He fervently prayed that nothing would go wrong.

***

I am not nervous.

Severus Snape told himself that for the hundredth time as he snuck another glance at the looking glass. In spite of his original plan to treat this "date" as nothing special, it seemed that his subconscious controlled his body while he prepared earlier.

He stared at his reflection. He looked extraordinarily... clean. There was no other way to describe him. Instead of crawling around his face in tangles, his hair fell straight and shiny to his shoulders. His robe was still black (any other color was out of the question) but it was neatly pressed and dropped in folds to his shiny, black, dragon-hide boots.

How old do you think you are, Severus? Wasting precious time on vanity just so you could please a silly teenager. He whipped his head away from the mirror and frowned at his boots.

This is stupid idea. Why did I ever agree to this? I should change back to my work-clothes and...

He heard three sharp knocks on the door. Any plan he had to ditch the date was abandoned as Snape shakily stood up and walked to the door. Just before turning the knob, he breathed a couple of times to compose himself.

The old oak door creaked slowly and revealed the tall young man waiting outside. A smile lit up Ron's face as he saw the effort Snape took over his appearance for tonight. His eyes traveled over the Professor as he took in the view from the sweet-smelling hair to the shiny toes of the dragon-hide boots.

The butterflies started flying around Snape's stomach as soon as he laid eyes on that smile. He almost gave Ron a weak grin in return but stopped himself in the nick of time. Irritated with himself, he tried to squelch the funny sensation and sniffed arrogantly at the Gryffindor.

"Like what you see?" Snape asked sarcastically, still holding the door open.

Refusing to be baited, Ron smiled graciously and offered him the rose. "As a matter of fact, I do. Here's a token of my appreciation."

Snape accepted the rose, both eyebrows raised. It reminded him of the terrible embarrassment Ron had caused in the Great Hall at breakfast. All those flowers... and the glitters! He'd never live it down.

"You can put it in the vase before we go," Ron suggested helpfully, gesturing to the brass ornament on the coffee table.

Snape felt his face grow hot. He had been standing by the door just staring at the rose for almost a minute.

Great Severus. Just keep your idiocy up and the kid will think that you've never gone on a date your whole life.

Which, unfortunately, was exactly the case.

Arranging his face in his usual dignified _expression, Severus Snape placed the rose on the small brass vase and joined Ron outside.

***

"May I ask where are we going?" Snape asked primly as he sat across Ron in the hired carriage.

"It's a surprise." The redhead flashed another winning smile at him.

Snape looked out of the carriage window in annoyance. He never liked surprises. In his opinion, everything should be planned and arranged in an orderly fashion. How else was one to have peace in his life?

As he watched the darkened fields go by outside, Snape could feel Ron's eyes watching him. He felt a little tingle of discomfort at the fact. But, proud as he was, he didn't dare look back. He was a little afraid of what might happen if he did.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" He angled his head towards the Gryffindor.

"I would really appreciate it if you call me Ron. After all, we won't be strangers by the time the night is over."

Refusing to acknowledge the involuntary thrill he felt at those words, Snape nodded coldly. "Ron, then. Was that all you needed to ask me?"

"Actually, no." Ron reached out and touched his hand. Snape nearly jumped in surprise. "Easy... I just noticed that you were a little too tense. Relax a little. This is our date remember? I won't bite." Ivory teeth gleamed as Ron grinned once more.

Snape swallowed nervously. "I am relaxed."

A few minutes passed with neither one of them speaking.

"Professor?"

"Hmm?"

"May I call you Severus?"

Five seconds of tense silence.

"Yes."

"I'm glad."

For the second time, Ron reached for his hand. This time, Snape didn't pull away.

***

"We're dining here?!?" Snape stared disbelievingly at the marble steps of the entrance of the swanky restaurant before them. Swirling gold letters shone above the tall glass doors: The Unicorne.

"Yes. Don't you like it?" Ron asked, slightly worried. He had planned the best tonight for Severus but the black-haired man seemed to balk at the idea of entering the restaurant.

"I like it but..." Snape looked down at his simple robe. "Am I not underdressed?"

Ron laughed, relieved. "You look perfect. C'mon, let's go or they'll assume that we've waived our reservation."

They linked hands once again, the redhead pulling the brunette along gently as they entered the building together.

A spindly, long-nosed maitre d' in flowing burgundy robes welcomed them.

"May I help you, sirs?"

Ron nodded. "Yes, thank you. We have a reservation for two at 7:30 in the evening."

A parchment appeared out of thin air in front of the maitre d'. He peered through his gold-rimmed glasses at the list before nodding. "Ah, yes. Weasley, I presume?"

"Correct."

The crane-like man faced Severus, flicking a disapproving glance at his modest attire. "Would you and your son prefer to be in the smoking or non-smoking section?"

Aghast, Snape cried, "What?" He couldn't believe what he just heard.

The waiter sighed and repeated his question slowly, as if speaking to an idiot.

"Would. You. And. Your. Son. Prefer. To. Be. In. the. Smoking. Or. Non-smoking. Section?"

As he spoke, Snape was quickly turning brick red in anger. Ron was frantically turning from Snape to the maitre d', wondering who he should stop first before hell broke loose.

A split-second before he nearly turned the obnoxious maitre d' into something small and slimy, Snape got a hold of himself. Without another word, he spun around and stalked out of the building.

A few seconds later, Ron followed him, running down the marble steps. "Wait, Sev..." He stopped just behind the Potions Professor.

Snape exhaled slowly and faced Ron. To the young Weasley's surprise, Severus didn't look the least bit mad for being insulted. Rather, he looked somewhat tired. And beaten.

"He's right, you know."

Ron's brow furrowed. What was Severus getting at?

"I am too old for you." Snape turned towards the deserted road. "We should go back to Hogwarts. This was a mistake."

"No." Ron grasped Severus' arm and held on tightly. "He's wrong. Why are you doing this?"

"Why did you ask me, anyway?" Snape raged, refusing to face Ron. "Did it give the whole Gryffindor Tower a kick to see their most hated Professor succumb to your childish flirting? Or maybe you just wanted to embarrass me for your personal delight. God knows I've given you enough reason."

"You know I would never do that," Ron said softly.

He stepped closer to Severus and touched his cheek. "I asked you to be with me tonight because I saw something unique in you. Something I liked. Very much. So much that I didn't care how young and stupid I am compared to you. I didn't even think about what other people may say. They're just a bunch of bloody shits anyway. I just knew that... I liked you. A lot. And... and I was hoping that maybe by tonight, I might get you to like me, too."

Several minutes passed but Snape didn't avert his eyes from the road. Ron sighed, letting him go. His hands felt painfully empty.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I dragged you all the way out here. I'll go find a cab."

Just as he was about to walk away, Ron felt long, warm fingers close over his own.

"You're wrong." Severus smiled gently. "I'm the one who's stupid."

They didn't speak for a while. They just stood there, holding hands in the chilly night air, giving each other silly little grins.

Snape cocked his head towards The Unicorne. "There seems to be something going on there. I think I can hear a few screams."

"Oh, it's nothing," Ron replied easily. "Just a few diners shrieking at the maitre d'."

"What have you done?" It was Snape's turn to gasp.

Ron flicked his wand. "The Wedgie-DoubleHop spell. There's a counter curse but it may take a while for them to figure out. That crane dared to insult my date."

They roared in laughter. After a while, when their laughs mellowed into giggles, Ron brought up the topic of dinner.

"Where should we go to eat?"

"What about The Three Broomsticks? I love their sautéed seafood. We can get all the drinks we want, too. I'm sure Rosmerta would treat us better than that underwear-hopping bird in there." Snape suggested.

"I've no problem with that but..."

"But what?"

"It's a five mile walk from here. And I don't see any carriages coming."

"That's okay." Snape touched his arm. "It's a nice night for a walk."

Ron didn't need any more convincing. "All right, then. To The Three Broomsticks."

***

The Three Broomsticks turned out to be the best idea Snape had that night. He and Ron had a blast. They had entered flushed and hungry from their walk. Instantly, a tearful Rosmerta bounded upon them and hugged the two men before they could even ask for their order. Apparently, the Hogwarts grapevine traveled fast and far and now, the whole town of Hogsmeade knew about Severus Snape and Ron Weasley.

After bussing the both of them on their cheeks, Madame Rosmerta led them to an intimate corner table near the stage. Motivated by the other patrons, the Weird Sisters started singing a love song.

Ron leaned across the table. "It's a pity it's too dim to see properly. I would have loved to see you blush."

"I never blush," Snape answered primly.

"On the contrary," Ron countered. Quickly, he leaned even further and gave Severus the softest of kisses. He breathed as he lifted his head.

"I can practically feel the heat," he teased.

"You're too forward." Snape sipped from his mug of cold butter beer, hoping it would help cool him down. Indeed, Ron seemed to have an unusual talent with temperatures--raising his body heat in particular.

Ron was saved from answering by the arrival of the food. Snape was right. The seafood was excellent. And so was the wine. Madame Rosmerta had served them a special vintage--on the house.

***

After three hours of chatting, eating, and holding hands under the table, Ron Weasley and Severus Snape stumbled out of the portal behind gargoyle's hump at Hogwarts.

"This is a clever little path you've shown me." Severus' words were more than a little slurred. "I wish I'd have known about this back when.. ouch!"

"Sshhhh!" Ron giggled as he lay sprawled over Snape's prone form. "They'll hear you."

"Well then, we better stand up and walk."

"You go first."

"Can't."

"Why?"

"You're lying on top of me." Pause. "And your hand is on my..."

"Your what?"

"Tee-hee. That tickles!"

More giggling and frantic moving around the floor as Snape, unsuccessfully, tried to get away from Ron's naughty fingers. Finally, after several minutes of trying to wrestle his way up, Snape grabbed the gargoyle's statue and hoisted himself up with difficulty.

"I think we drank to much," he stage-whispered at Ron as he helped the young redhead on his feet.

"Yeah." Ron burped, sending the both of them into another giggling fit. "C'mon, I'll bring you to your room."

After much tripping and banging into walls, Ron and Snape half-walked and half-dragged themselves to Snape's bedroom door. Snape fumbled with the keys, laughing slightly as he practically fell into the room as soon as the door swung open.

His drunken eyes stared at Ron blankly as the redhead followed him into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Whatcha doin' in here?" Snape asked facetiously as the youngster locked the door.

"Bringing you to bed."

"I can help myself." To prove himself right, Snape crawled towards the bed and sprawled on the satin covers, sighing. A moment later, he felt the weight of another body next to him.

He turned to his right and stared at Ron's half-naked form. Somehow, the boy had managed to get his shirt off before jumping in next to him. Tentatively, Severus reached out and touched the smooth, tanned arm.

"You feel nice." His hand traveled to Ron's chest, slowly making its way across the boy's touch-sensitive skin.

Groaning, Ron turned over and trapped Severus between his arms. They stared at each other for a moment silently, the laughter gone. In its place was something alive, crackling between them as their alcohol-scented breaths mingled in the air.

Ron slowly bent down... past Severus cheek and softly kissed the tip of his ear.

Severus felt a strange, unfamiliar heat travel from that spot down to his toes. The warmth circled in his body, forming a delicious pain in his groin. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around Ron, drawing the young man closer, feeling the heat of his naked skin through his robe.

Ron's tongue flickered and traced a wet path down his neck, his lips and teeth sucking... biting with abandon. Severus gasped as every press brought a unique sensation through his tortured body. He spread his legs, his drunken mind knowing only one thing: that he wanted Ron. Now.

Ron stopped his exploration of Severus' collarbone and raised his lips once more to the man's ear.

"You're mine," he whispered roughly.

Snape could only moan in response. He was way past talking.

At that moment, he heard another sound.

He heard a series of soft... snores?

His drugged mind registered the fact that his passionate Casanova had fallen asleep in his arms mid-sex before he himself succumbed to sleep.

***