Fic: "Snapshots of Winter: Then and Now" (Remus/Severus) for the group
Author:
Recipient: the group
Title: Snapshots of Winter: Then and Now
Rating: soft R
Pairings: Remus/Severus
Warnings: mild D/s
Summary: 1976 and 1993, snapshots of a relationship between Severus Snape and Remus Lupin.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Word Count: 1,278
Snapshots of Winter: Then and Now
6 December 1976
If any of his friends could see him right now, they'd probably come charging to his unasked rescue. Remus' fingers curled against the sheets under him, his senses heightened both by the near-full moon and the blindfold over his eyes. He twitched at the feel of the matress dipping, wanting to reach out for the boy... not boy. Not man, either, but not boy. Can't call Severus a boy anymore.
"Better."
Snape's voice no longer cracked like it had the year before, the timbre a silky, dark tenor that made Remus shiver, tilting his head back to bare his throat. Long, cool fingers splayed across his chest for a moment, one hand sliding from throat to navel slowly, before lifting away. Remus whimpered, the sound nearly a whine as he tried to arch his hips towards the absent hand.
"No."
The bed shifted again, and he heard the faint sound of bare feet landing on the stone floor. Remus knew where he would go, could all but feel the black eyes on him as Snape settled back into the chair that had been next to the bed when Remus arrived earlier. The Slytherin was patient, almost too patient for Remus.
Have to play by the rules, he reminded himself, focusing on keeping as still as possible, silent, waiting. He'd found it easier to deal with the transformations since he's struck this bargin with Snape, faint memories echoing in his mind for a fleeting few hours after the moon set. It wasn't enough, wouldn't ever be, but maybe, maybe, he could find some small measure of peace in the days before and after the full moon.
It felt like hours before Snape returned to his earlier position on the bed, one chill hand slowly working over his body, strokes sometimes firm, sometimes feather-light. Remus bit his lip to keep from letting out a helpless laugh as Snape's fingertips trailed over the soles of his feet a moment. He twitched away, though, unable to control the reaction of his body, and letting out a bit-off curse when Snape left him alone once more.
"Patience, Lupin. You know my rules." Snape paused, his voice dropping just slightly, annoyance giving it a sharp edge. "Would you rather I leave?"
"No." Remus spoke quickly, a brief surge of panic racing along his nerves.
Snape didn't respond, and Remus strained to hear any movement in the room, any signal that might tell him what the other teen was doing.
~ ~~ ~
7 December 1976
He stops him at the top of the stairs leading down into the dungeons, one hand on a black-clad shoulder. Black eyes meet his gaze, one eyebrow quirking upward in a silent, irritated question, and he leans in to kiss him.
For a fraction of a second, everything is still, and he can almost believe this is right. Then Snape pulls away, and the moment is broken. There is an expression he can't read on the Slytherin's face, and Remus hesitates, suddenly worried.
"A goodnight kiss, Lupin?" Snape's voice is cool, but he imagines he can hear the faintest tremor in it.
"I... It felt right." Only for a moment, and that moment is very much gone now.
"Ah." Snape turns away, and Remus lets his hand slip from his shoulder as he walks down the stairs. A moment later, he turns away, hurrying up the stairs towards his own dorm, praying he can avoid Filch and Mrs. Norris, as well as the curiosity of his friends.
~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~
29 December 1993
Remus eased into the warm water, wincing slightly at the sting of the cuts and bites from this month's transformation. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub as he soaked, letting the heat do the work of relaxing muscles that had cramped and knotted.
"You look relaxed."
The silky voice made Remus pry open one eye enough to look at Snape with a bland expression o his face. "You look over-dressed." He shrugged one shoulder, forcing the awareness of pains and aches to the back of his mind. It was never a good idea to be aware of them around Snape.
Spots of color showed high on the other man's cheeks, anger or embaressment or both, but a show of emotion that Remus recalled him deriding when they'd been students.
"I'm no longer your fuck-toy, Lupin."
Remus raised an eyebrow, opening his other eye to give Snape a faintly amused look. "I don't ever recall you being my fuck-toy, Severus." He deliberately closed his eyes again, knowing Snape wouldn't appreciate the implicit dismissal in the gesture. "Though if you want to be, I'm sure that could be arranged."
He could imagine the fury on Snape's expression, the long, pale fingers curling into fists at his sides, almost hidden by the heavy folds of black wool. The struggle to regain control of himself, before trying to remedy the balance of power.
Control over another only comes when you can control yourself, Lupin.
Remus cracked open one eye slightly, observing Snape's expression. Eyes narrowed into black slits that glittered faintly in the dim light, the spots of angry red still visible, if fading, body held absolutely still. All in all, not quite in the state he wanted Snape. The more off-balance he kept the other man, the more likely he'd get through... whatever this was, without making a fool of himself.
"You've learned something, at least."
Snape's words made Remus sigh, and open both eyes, meeting Snape's gaze.
"I should hope so, Severus. It's been seventeen years since we were both young and I was stupid enough to think you might give a damn about anyone other than yourself." Remus let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Why are you in here, anyway? Certainly not for your health."
"Not for my health, no." Snape held his gaze. "I am merely curious as to the effects of the slight modifications I made to your potion."
"Modifications?" Remus raised both brows slightly. "Would that be why it tastes a little more like something dredged off the bottom of the lake than the brew from my usual apothecary?" He watched a smirk cross Snape's face a moment, and rolled his eyes. "And that was all they were meant to do, weren't they?"
Snape didn't reply, merely sweeping out of the room once more, leaving Remus with the sense that he had missed something important.
~ ~~ ~
1 January 1994
He pours himself a glass of port, settling into his favored arm chair with a potions journal on the table beside it. Lifting the glass in toast, he watches the empty fireplace for a long moment.
"I'll not have you getting sentimental again, Lupin," he murmurs.
"I doubt I will. I thought you were listening when I said I'm not that stupid anymore." Remus is buttoning his robes, just visible at the edge of his vision. "You and I... there was a moment where it could have been, but that moment was gone before the first time you ever fucked me."
Snape snorts. "How many years did it take you to figure that out, Lupin?"
"Enough." Remus pauses, watching Snape. "I'll see you at breakfast."
"Indeed." The cool dismissal in his tone makes Remus shrug, and head for the door. Snape has already made the decision that this time is the last. He'll let the werewolf figure that out on his own. It shouldn't take even a blind fool like him too long.
He takes another sip of his wine, and reaches for the journal.
Recipient: the group
Title: Snapshots of Winter: Then and Now
Rating: soft R
Pairings: Remus/Severus
Warnings: mild D/s
Summary: 1976 and 1993, snapshots of a relationship between Severus Snape and Remus Lupin.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Word Count: 1,278
Snapshots of Winter: Then and Now
6 December 1976
If any of his friends could see him right now, they'd probably come charging to his unasked rescue. Remus' fingers curled against the sheets under him, his senses heightened both by the near-full moon and the blindfold over his eyes. He twitched at the feel of the matress dipping, wanting to reach out for the boy... not boy. Not man, either, but not boy. Can't call Severus a boy anymore.
"Better."
Snape's voice no longer cracked like it had the year before, the timbre a silky, dark tenor that made Remus shiver, tilting his head back to bare his throat. Long, cool fingers splayed across his chest for a moment, one hand sliding from throat to navel slowly, before lifting away. Remus whimpered, the sound nearly a whine as he tried to arch his hips towards the absent hand.
"No."
The bed shifted again, and he heard the faint sound of bare feet landing on the stone floor. Remus knew where he would go, could all but feel the black eyes on him as Snape settled back into the chair that had been next to the bed when Remus arrived earlier. The Slytherin was patient, almost too patient for Remus.
Have to play by the rules, he reminded himself, focusing on keeping as still as possible, silent, waiting. He'd found it easier to deal with the transformations since he's struck this bargin with Snape, faint memories echoing in his mind for a fleeting few hours after the moon set. It wasn't enough, wouldn't ever be, but maybe, maybe, he could find some small measure of peace in the days before and after the full moon.
It felt like hours before Snape returned to his earlier position on the bed, one chill hand slowly working over his body, strokes sometimes firm, sometimes feather-light. Remus bit his lip to keep from letting out a helpless laugh as Snape's fingertips trailed over the soles of his feet a moment. He twitched away, though, unable to control the reaction of his body, and letting out a bit-off curse when Snape left him alone once more.
"Patience, Lupin. You know my rules." Snape paused, his voice dropping just slightly, annoyance giving it a sharp edge. "Would you rather I leave?"
"No." Remus spoke quickly, a brief surge of panic racing along his nerves.
Snape didn't respond, and Remus strained to hear any movement in the room, any signal that might tell him what the other teen was doing.
~ ~~ ~
7 December 1976
He stops him at the top of the stairs leading down into the dungeons, one hand on a black-clad shoulder. Black eyes meet his gaze, one eyebrow quirking upward in a silent, irritated question, and he leans in to kiss him.
For a fraction of a second, everything is still, and he can almost believe this is right. Then Snape pulls away, and the moment is broken. There is an expression he can't read on the Slytherin's face, and Remus hesitates, suddenly worried.
"A goodnight kiss, Lupin?" Snape's voice is cool, but he imagines he can hear the faintest tremor in it.
"I... It felt right." Only for a moment, and that moment is very much gone now.
"Ah." Snape turns away, and Remus lets his hand slip from his shoulder as he walks down the stairs. A moment later, he turns away, hurrying up the stairs towards his own dorm, praying he can avoid Filch and Mrs. Norris, as well as the curiosity of his friends.
~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~
29 December 1993
Remus eased into the warm water, wincing slightly at the sting of the cuts and bites from this month's transformation. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub as he soaked, letting the heat do the work of relaxing muscles that had cramped and knotted.
"You look relaxed."
The silky voice made Remus pry open one eye enough to look at Snape with a bland expression o his face. "You look over-dressed." He shrugged one shoulder, forcing the awareness of pains and aches to the back of his mind. It was never a good idea to be aware of them around Snape.
Spots of color showed high on the other man's cheeks, anger or embaressment or both, but a show of emotion that Remus recalled him deriding when they'd been students.
"I'm no longer your fuck-toy, Lupin."
Remus raised an eyebrow, opening his other eye to give Snape a faintly amused look. "I don't ever recall you being my fuck-toy, Severus." He deliberately closed his eyes again, knowing Snape wouldn't appreciate the implicit dismissal in the gesture. "Though if you want to be, I'm sure that could be arranged."
He could imagine the fury on Snape's expression, the long, pale fingers curling into fists at his sides, almost hidden by the heavy folds of black wool. The struggle to regain control of himself, before trying to remedy the balance of power.
Control over another only comes when you can control yourself, Lupin.
Remus cracked open one eye slightly, observing Snape's expression. Eyes narrowed into black slits that glittered faintly in the dim light, the spots of angry red still visible, if fading, body held absolutely still. All in all, not quite in the state he wanted Snape. The more off-balance he kept the other man, the more likely he'd get through... whatever this was, without making a fool of himself.
"You've learned something, at least."
Snape's words made Remus sigh, and open both eyes, meeting Snape's gaze.
"I should hope so, Severus. It's been seventeen years since we were both young and I was stupid enough to think you might give a damn about anyone other than yourself." Remus let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Why are you in here, anyway? Certainly not for your health."
"Not for my health, no." Snape held his gaze. "I am merely curious as to the effects of the slight modifications I made to your potion."
"Modifications?" Remus raised both brows slightly. "Would that be why it tastes a little more like something dredged off the bottom of the lake than the brew from my usual apothecary?" He watched a smirk cross Snape's face a moment, and rolled his eyes. "And that was all they were meant to do, weren't they?"
Snape didn't reply, merely sweeping out of the room once more, leaving Remus with the sense that he had missed something important.
~ ~~ ~
1 January 1994
He pours himself a glass of port, settling into his favored arm chair with a potions journal on the table beside it. Lifting the glass in toast, he watches the empty fireplace for a long moment.
"I'll not have you getting sentimental again, Lupin," he murmurs.
"I doubt I will. I thought you were listening when I said I'm not that stupid anymore." Remus is buttoning his robes, just visible at the edge of his vision. "You and I... there was a moment where it could have been, but that moment was gone before the first time you ever fucked me."
Snape snorts. "How many years did it take you to figure that out, Lupin?"
"Enough." Remus pauses, watching Snape. "I'll see you at breakfast."
"Indeed." The cool dismissal in his tone makes Remus shrug, and head for the door. Snape has already made the decision that this time is the last. He'll let the werewolf figure that out on his own. It shouldn't take even a blind fool like him too long.
He takes another sip of his wine, and reaches for the journal.