It Started with an Elf: Happy Birthday

by Melvacaea

Disclaimer: I own nothing (except Ferris). I am making no profit (even though I need the money). Presently, I'm broke, so it makes no sense to sue me.
Now, you continue reading (pleeeease?)

It Started with an Elf . . .


Severus Snape woke up with a scowl. Unfortunately, he knew what day it was. It was rather obvious, due to the fact that there was a house elf next to his bed . . . singing. Singing 'Happy Birthday' and rather badly too. Damn and blast Albus! Snape sat up out of bed on that fateful January the ninth morning and glowered the house elf into silence. He sent the house elf away and stretched as he stepped out of bed, grimacing at the tired look around his eyes. This was the first decent sleep he had gotten since the fall of Voldemort and he still looked like hell.

He showered and dressed, leaving the dungeons in a billow of black robes. He would spend it as he usually did. Eat, glower, give class, eat, glower, give detentions, etc, etc. When he entered the Great Hall, he knew instantly that he should have stayed in the dungeons There was something sitting next to his plate . . . what was it? It was round and . . . ooh, chocolate! Oh, hell. A cake. When he reached the Head Table, he took in the cake and his brow furrowed, tossing a glare over at Dumbledore.

"Students!" Dumbledore rumbled. Snape allowed a mortified expression to briefly cross his face. Oh gods. The students were singing 'Happy Birthday, Professor Snape'. What had the world come to? Snape sat down and scowled at the cake.

"Ooh, Severus, you're a Capricorn." He bit back a groan at the familiar and irritating voice.

"Of course I'm a Capricorn. Was there ever any doubt?" he asked smoothly.

"Severus!" He looked away and up at Dumbledore. "Would you cut the cake, please?"

He let the scowl out. "Dumbledore, I can do quite well without it. If you wish to have . . . this chocolate atrocity, be my guest."

"Severus, please. This is a happy day and the cake is for you." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Snape knew that he had been had. "After all, the students are always wondering about a bit of info about Professor Snape. Why not tell them that about your adoration for chocolate?" The Great Hall burst in laughter and mutters and Snape's face went stormy. His hand twitched toward his wand. "So, will you cut the cake, Severus?"

He gave a long-suffering sigh. "If I must."

He cut a slice and then reverently handed it to Dumbledore. When he heard the hooting from the students and the sniggering of his colleagues, he knew something was up. He turned around, leaving the slice on the table and watched in fascinated horror as the cake exploded into fireworks. Then, the fascinated horror was shut down and he turned his eyes to Dumbledore.

"What-" he hissed,"-is the meaning of this?"

The 'this' in question was a woman sitting on the plate, completely bereft of chocolate (the cake had disappeared). He recognized her of course. Ferris Aberdine, an old colleague. Her black hair was tossed back and she glimmered brown eyes in his direction.

"Hello, Severus," she said happily and he turned his glare upon the students. Suddenly, the Great Hall was empty of people.

"Really, and to think I'm a Libra," he heard McGonagall say.

"Did you miss me?" Ferris asked brightly and he narrowed his eyes.

"No," he spat.

That was a lie, of course. He had worked with her on a potion for the war and in that time, they really had become quite close. Damn her for being so . . . so . . . Ferris. He saw the spark in her eyes dim and he swept out of the hall. No one noticed that the piece of chocolate cake that hadn't disappeared was now missing.

Snape entered his dungeons a few minutes before class was due to start and scowled. He heard footsteps and turned around to face Ferris.

"I know you missed me, otherwise Dumbledore wouldn't have asked me to come," she said firmly.

"Miss Aberdine, I do not know what has gotten into your head, but I most certainly have not-"

"Let's put it to the test then, shall we?" she interrupted. Snape noticed the daring gleam in her eyes and he fought to not run away in terror. She surprised him.

The kiss was pleasant and probing, just as they had been before she had left. Severus found himself relaxing in her arms and she pulled away slightly as she ground her thigh into something hard. Her smile was impish.

"Didn't miss me, huh?"

His only response was to crush his lips to hers and pull her into his embrace, one hand languidly lying on top of her firm bum.

"PROFESSOR SNAPE!"

Oh, hell. Leave it to Malfoy to mess it up.


Some hours later, a different class, the students gazed around in stupefaction. Where was Professor Snape? Then, Professor McGonagall strode through, looking strangely triumphant.

"Turn to page 290. Your professor is . . . indisposed." Ginny Weasley frowned and then heard it, from the deep recesses of the dungeons. The students were left slack-jawed.

"Severus, damn it, don't tease me!"

"Whyever not?"

"Here's why."

"Holy shit!"

"Happy birthday, Severus."

"Yes, I do believe that this is an . . . appropriate celebration."

-----------------------------
This was written in 30 minutes. The plot bunny wouldn't stop. Hope I got how Snape spends his birthday correct. I can be so vague sometimes. The idea about McGonagall's statement: "And to think I'm a Libra" is because Libras are distressed by stressful interactions. Just to let you know.

Glad I read 'January 9th' by Larilee (which is excellent. If you haven't done so, go read it. NOW!). Otherwise, I would have missed out on all the fun. Hope you enjoyed it. I might use the name 'Ferris' in a future writing, but it won't be the same one. (Well? Why are you still here? GO READ 'JANUARY 9th'! I have half a mind to give you detention . . .)

Challenge Rules

The Laydown:

It's Snape's birthday! How will he spend the day?

The Rules:
- Must be written in 60 minutes or less-including editing! (Like the 30 minute fics on LJ only longer).
- May include Snape paired up with an OFC or Female from Harry Potter who is not a student (no, you may NOT pair up Snape with Hermione from the future!), but not necessary.
- Can involve his peers
- Must show how Snape spends his birthday (celebration, or lack thereof)
- Must include at least one comment from Dumbledore that Snape will find annoying


Include at least 3 of the following:

o Snape saying 'But of course I'm a Capricorn. Was there any doubt?" -
o A bevy of TPMM members (or similar) queuing up to wish him well.
o Snape scoffing at receiving a birthday cake, but secretly eats a piece when no one is
looking -
o Snape saying 'I prefer to celebrate in private.'
o Snape saying 'If I must.' -
o Draco Malfoy bursting into Snape's office (here, his dungeons room, ah well) at an inopportune moment -
o Someone makes a joke about Snape's age-and suffers for it
o Minerva McGonagall being a Libra -
o Snape receiving an embarrassing number of birthday owls

Deadline:

The deadline for this challenge is January 16, 2005. After this time, a survey will be created and group members will vote for their favourite story.

Queries:

Have questions? Just e-mail me at ginarsnape@yahoo.com or leave me a LJ response (http://www.livejournal.com/users/gina_r_snape). If it?s a question you think other participants might have, you can also post directly to the list.

This story archived at: Occlumency

http://occlumency.sycophanthex.com/viewstory.php?sid=2257