Yes
Title: Yes
Author: Lucius_Complex
Pairing: Harry/Snape
Rating: G
Genre: romance, one shot/flash fiction
Disclaimer: Characters belong to JKR, which is just as well as I would do such unspeakable things to them.
Summary: Severus says yes.
You’ve been expecting your potions to be delivered by owl. Instead, you answer the door to find Severus standing before you, holding out a small parcel and looking rather disgruntled.
‘Yes,’ Snape greets you with an expression as buttoned up as his spring jacket.
‘Um. Hi Severus. Would you like to come in?’
‘No,’ the man shook his head with a vigour you’ve seldom seen in the past without being accompanied by violent words. ‘I have - errands. I am enroute-‘
‘I see,’ you try to hide your disappointment. ‘Thanks awful much then, for dropping these over-‘
‘Yes,’ Severus says again as he hands you the package, which you extract carefully, as not to brush his bare fingers. Fingers you haven’t seen in months, so you mustn’t - it’s just very, very important that you don’t accidently touch his hands. Very important.
The two are somehow correlated, although you’re not sure how.
‘Well? What do you say?’
Startled, you stare up at the man. ‘To what?’
Snape, to your everlasting amazement, actually fidgets as you stare blankly up at him, mystified.
‘I wish to say yes,’ he finally announces.
‘Sorry, I think I don’t get you,’ you apologize, and watch the colour creeping up the man’s pale face with fascination. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to come in for a cuppa?’
‘Oh, Salazar take you, Potter, I accept your invitation to dinner! Can’t you grow some common sense!’
‘You do? Dinner, as in a-‘
‘Yes,’ Snape interrupts crossly, probably in mortal fear of the words you were about to use. ‘There is no need to belabour the obvious.’
‘Obvious?’ you echo with disbelief.
‘Clearly,’ he tells you, crossing his arms.
‘Severus, I asked you ou-‘ you swallow the word just in time and try again. ‘I mean, I invited you to dinner more than three months ago.’
‘I see,’ Snape nods stiffly. ‘Well, if said offer has lapsed-‘
‘Yes.’
‘I bid you good day, Potter,’ the man says as he turns away from you.
‘I said yes.’
You inhale as deeply, even as he stiffens and sharply exhales. ‘I would love to have dinner with you, Severus. Perhaps before another three months passed would be preferable, although should this happen to be the case, I would still gladly wait.’
You watch his stiff back and shoulders, and you can almost imagine the man closing his eyes. After an interminable period of waiting, you shake your head to see Snape still frozen to the ground, two steps away from you.
As he has always been, you suppose.
‘So… it’s a yes?’ you gently prod, and he finally turns around.
‘I- suppose so, I- Yes.’ The word is no more than a whisper, but it resounds through your entire body, laying to rest a grief you hadn’t realised you’ve been carrying these last few months.
‘I’m glad. I really wanted-‘ You have to fight not to smile outright. You know better, after months of tentative conversations and gradual acclimatization that it simply wouldn’t do. ‘I’d really wanted this.’
‘I would not expect much, knowing your limited capacity for conversation and my limited… tolerance.’
‘Yes,’ you say with a slight smile. ‘Of course.’
‘Eight o’clock sharp this Friday, Potter. I shall not tardy to wait if you are late,’ Severus warns, and without further conversation, Disaparates with a crack.
‘Yes,’ you smile softly to yourself as you close the door. ‘Yes.’
*