Double Dare

I was sat in the living room with my parents, Snape, Voldermort and several other death eaters. My parents were sat on either side of me, my mum held my hands for reassurance. Voldermort, Bellatrix and Lucius were talking about the arrangement; Snape would occasionally smile at me.

"Lenore...You are okay with marrying Severus aren't you?" Lucius asked, pretending to be concerned. I shrugged to appear casual.

"Yeah I guess"

"You guess?"

"Well...Yeah I'm ok with it"

Voldermort grinned; "brilliant! We'll get you two wed as soon as possible!"

I nodded and pretended to be uneasy about the whole situation.

"When will they be marrying?" my mum asked.

"Christmas day!" Bellatrix said. Snape and I looked at each other, slightly shocked by this revelation.

"Christmas?!" I asked. They nodded.

"Why waste time my dear? It'll be a grand day!" Luciuus replied. I nodded apprehensively. My mother squeezed my hands softly.

"You may leave now Lenore, leave us adults to talk" Bellatrix said. I nodded and left. I went up to Dracos room. He was sat in his armchair reading.

"Entertain me Blondie, I need something to do"

"Where's Snape then? Go do him" he replied, not even looking up from his book. I hit the book out of his hands and glared at him. He smirked and picked it up.

"What do you want me to do exactly? There's nothing we can do, there's only a few days until Christmas..."

"...I'm getting married on Christmas"

"Whoa! That soon! Jeez"

I nodded and went and flopped down on his bed.

"No point in wasting time" I said, mimicking Lucius. Draco laughed and sat next to me.

"But you're marrying Snape, surely you're happy about that"

"...Well yeah, you know how happy I am about that-"

"-Yeah! I have the fucking bruise to prove it!"

I laughed; "yeah, sorry about that"

"No you're not"

"You're right I'm not; but still! It's just, there's like, what, four days until Christmas? What exactly am I to be doing for it?"

"Well, it's traditional for you, and in this case Snape, to makes vows to love each other forever and then-"

"-Stop there before your bruise gets a friend!"

"...Yes ma'am"

"I mean like, where? What am I to be wearing? Who's coming, y'know..."

He shrugged; "you should be happy you don't have to deal with all that stuff"

"I guess...But...I dunno..."

"Just be happy! You're going to marry Snape, you don't have to bother with any of the planning, the have the smartest, handsomest and just generally most amazing human being ever for a best friend"

I burst out laughing; "honestly Draco, if your head gets any bigger you won't be able to fit through the door"

He smirked; "you're just saying that, you know what I said was true"

"I dunno, I mean, for one, you have the IQ of a badger, your butt-ugly...But you are pretty awesome"

"Gee...Thanks"

"No problemo mi amigo" I said hugging him. He laughed and hugged me back.

"So...What shall we do?"

I shrugged; "there really isn't anything to do is there?"

He shook his head; "not with all the deatheaters and Voldermort here"

"It sucks"

"Like you"

"You wish!"

"No, Snape wishes!"

I glared and hit his leg playfully. He grinned and pushed me.

"You know it's true!"

"No I don't! ...He doesn't seem the type"

"Oh c'mon! He's a man! Of course he's the type"

I rolled my eyes; "you're disgusting! Seriously! This is why I've never liked to date boys!"

"Yeah, you like your men eh?"

"You are so close to being pushed out of your window!"

"No I'm not"

"Yes, you are!"

"Oh yeah? Bring it!"

I shook my head and decided to go down to the library. I picked a random book up and curled up in one of the large armchairs and began reading. I was left alone for about an hour until Snape joined me. He smiled meekly and sat opposite.

"How're we?"

I shrugged; "I'm all right"

"Just all right?"

"Yeah...Five days is a bit soon...And Draco's so immature I almost punched him"

He chuckled and relaxed in the chair; "I'll admit, it is a bit soon; but I don't mind really"

I nodded; "yeah, at least I get to marry you"

He smiled and motioned for me to go over to him. I set my book down and went and stood in front of him. He took my hands and pulled me down onto his lap. I smiled and snuggled up to him. We sat in a comfortable silence for a while until we heard someone else come into the library. I looked round over the top of the chair; my mother was walking towards us. She looked at us oddly.

"You two have only just had the engagement announced, just how familiar are you?"

Severus and I looked at each other nervously.

"Uh...Promise you won't tell dad?"

She sighed and sat opposite us; "What is it?"

"Well...Uh...I don't really know how to explain this...Basically...We want to see each other, but we can't...So he came up with this idea, and went to Lucius who went to Voldermort who then pretended HE came up with the idea"

She looked at us sceptically; "so this whole marriage is a hoax?"

"No! No, we want to be together! We do love each other, it's just, Dumbledore won't let us"

"And what business is it of his?!"

"I'm sure Lenore wants to finish school, and I'd much like to keep my job" Snape replied. She nodded.

"Fair enough I guess. Well, I'm all right with it I supposed if you two do love each other"

Snape nodded; "we do"

I smiled and snuggled up to him. She smiled too.

"Well, good luck with the marriage. You'd better keep her happy Severus, I mean it"

He nodded. She patted my shoulder before leaving. I looked at Snape. He smiled meekly and kissed me softly.

"Well, all seems to be going to plan"

I nodded and snuggled up to him. He held me tighter and kissed the top of my head. We sat together until it was dinner time. I sat in silence, just eating whilst everyone around me made light-hearted conversation. When we were all excused Draco grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the gardens.

"So...What's going on?"

I looked at him sceptically; "what do you mean?"

"Y'know, with you and Snape?"

"...We're getting married? I didn't know that was news to you"

He rolled his eyes; "so nothing new?"

I shrugged; "not really, though my mum found out why we're really getting married"

"Cool, how did she take it?"

"Like the amazing mother she is"

He nodded; "fair enough..."

We wandered around the gardens, unable to think of something to talk about.

"Ooh, I was talking to mother earlier, she said tomorrow you 're being taken dress shopping"

I nodded; "nice"

"Should be"

"Yeah...So..."

It went silent again. I sighed and looked around at everything.

"What's up?"

I shrugged; "I'm just bored. We've run out of things to do and say! I need to prepare for my wedding! I'm just kinda stressed out!"

He smirked and draped his arm over my shoulders.

"There there, it'll all be over soon, and you'll be Mrs. Snape and living a wonderful life with your dream guy"

I smirked; "that is, very very true"

He laughed; "...I still think you have some fucking weird dreams if HE'S the guy you want!"

"So? He's nicer than you think, and, I dunno, I can describe what I like about him but you'll think I'm more insane than you already do"

He grinned; "there's nothing you could say that would make me think any less of you"

"I'd smile if that was meant as a compliment"

"It was a compliment!"

"No it wasn't! You meant you think so little of me it couldn't possibly get any worse!"

He shrugged; "maybe that's loosely based on what I was meaning, but-"

"-Save it Blondie!"

He sighed and pushed me playfully. I pushed him back.

"You haven't forgotten you're still my slave right?"

"...Oh...Shit..."

I laughed and poked him sharply in the waist; "you're totally screwed"

"...But why?!"

"You lost the bet! Duh!"

He rolled his eyes. We finally found something to talk about and messed about in the garden for an hour or so before going back inside. Whilst going upstairs to my room I was intercepted on the landing. I was pulled into a room and pushed up against the wall. Snape was smirking at me. I laughed and pushed him off slightly.

"What was all that about?"

He shrugged and pinned me back against the wall. I smirked too.

"I just thought I'd grab you"

He let go of my arms; I slid them round his neck. He stepped closer, smirking before kissing me deeply. He slid his arms round my waist; pulling me away from the wall as we began shuffling towards his bed. I giggled as I fell down onto it. He stood over me and took my hands.

"You joining me?"

He chuckled and sat next to me. I sat up and slipped my arms round his neck. He kissed my neck and wrapped his arms round me tightly. I smiled and snuggled up to him. We sat occasionally kissing and holding each other for a while. I looked up at him and kissed his cheek.

"...Do you love me?"

He smirked and kissed my forehead; "I do, very much"

I grinned and kissed him softly; "I love you too"

He smiled and hugged me tightly. I crawled out of his arms and lay down on his bed; he smirked and lay next to me, wrapping his arms round me tightly. I smiled and snuggled up to him. We lay together in a content silence until there was a knock on the door; Lucius walked in. He smirked at us.

"Getting acquainted are we?"

I sighed and sat up.

"Sorry Lenore, but I really need to speak to him"

I nodded and went to leave when Snape pulled me into a soft kiss. I smiled and kissed him back before wandering off to find Draco.