Chapter 21: I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
"Drink this, Eloise," Clancy directed the apprehensive girl, handing her the goblet of pumpkin juice. "Professor Snape assured me that his experimental Acne Potion would clear your skin -- temporarily, at least."
The girl drank the mixture as instructed. "Did Professor Snape tell you what is in the potion?"
"He mentioned strained bubotuber pus and ground veela eyelashes. That's all he told me."
Eloise touched her cheek. "I think I feel something happening already. My skin is beginning to tingle!"
Clancy looked closely at her. "I believe you're right! Some of the redness is fading."
"I wish I could look in a mirror."
"Come with me." Clancy guided Eloise over to her desk and retrieved a small hand mirror from one of the drawers. "Sit here at my desk while I go help some of the First Years with their costumes," she suggested, handing Eloise the mirror. "I'll check back with you in a little while."
The choir room was bustling with activity. There were props and scenery to set in place, and many of the younger performers needed help with their make-up. Professors Flitwick, Lupin and Sprout volunteered to assist Clancy with all of the last-minute preparations.
Professor Dumbledore had transfigured a second grand piano for use in the Great Hall, in addition to a full orchestra of self-playing musical instruments. Professor McGonagall popped into the choir room to announce that the students were seated and that the concert could begin.
Clancy returned to her desk to speak with Eloise. "Miss Norgard," the young girl squealed, "look at me--I'm...I'm...beautiful!"
"You always have been, Eloise. Now, hurry along. We're ready to start!"
The first half of the performance was flawless. The choirs presented a musical version of A Christmas Carol, with Cedric Diggory portraying a much-too-dashing Scrooge and Colin Creevy playing Tiny Tim. When Ginny Weasley made her entrance as the Ghost of Christmas Future, some of the younger members of the audience averted their eyes, convinced that she was a dementor!
The performers took their bows as their efforts were applauded most appreciatively. During the intermission, Clancy scanned the Hall for Snape, spotting him standing off to one side, looking dour and unmoved.
The second half of the concert consisted of traditional Christmas carols interspersed with novelty numbers.
At last, it was time for Eloise Midgen's long-awaited solo. She walked out confidently, costumed in a heavy coat, scarf, and mittens. A hush fell upon the Great Hall. All eyes were upon Eloise: she was a vision of youth and beauty. Clancy nodded to Flitwick to cue the magical orchestra, and Eloise began to sing.
"The snow is snowing,
The wind is blowing,
But, I can weather the storm.
What do I care how much it may storm?
I've got my love to keep me warm."
Her voice, rich and full, resonated throughout the Hall. The audience was stunned, especially Hogwarts' young male population. Dumbledore and Lupin smiled appreciatively. Pomona Sprout dabbed away tears of pride and happiness from her eyes. Minerva McGonagall cracked a thin smile and Filius Flitwick bobbed up and down gleefully atop the grand piano.
The Choir teacher caught the eye of the Potions master and mouthed a silent "thank you." He nodded and smiled smugly.
As Eloise went into the bridge of the song, the most startling thing occurred: She began to shake her shoulders and wiggle her hips suggestively. "Off with my overcoat, off with my glove," she crooned in a teasing tone. She removed her coat, scarf, and mittens and flung them into the lap of a very enthusiastic Hufflepuff boy seated in the front row.
"I need no overcoat, I'm burning with love!" Eloise intoned seductively.
Dumbledore and Lupin tightened their smiles; Pomona Sprout blushed. Minerva McGonagall shot Clancy a reproving glare. Professor Flitwick lost his footing and toppled into the tuba!
Rolling her eyes and whipping her hair wantonly from side to side, the uninhibited young enchantress concluded her exhibition. The faculty applauded politely, as did the female students. The applause from the male pupils was deafening.
"Honi soit qui mal y pense. Honi soit qui mal y pense," Clancy muttered, through clenched teeth. She hurried over to dislodge Flitwick from the tuba, then distractedly gathered the choirs together to take their final bows. Searching the room, she spied the last billow of Snape's cloak as he swept out the back door.
After the performance concluded, Clancy drew Eloise aside in the choir room. "Eloise, what happened? That's not the way we rehearsed your song!"
"I can't explain it, Miss Norgard," the girl said, confused. "It must have been the veela eyelashes." Moments later, her acne began to reappear, and she ran from the room in tears.
Clancy remained behind after the last of her students had gone, drumming her fingers in frustration on the top of her desk. Snape appeared at the door, and crossed over to the piano to seat himself on the bench. He waited for Clancy to speak. At last, she looked over at him. "What were you trying to do," she demanded, "disgrace me and have me discharged?"
"I had no idea that the potion would have that particular effect. The disposition of the Mandrakes was not altered in any way."
"You should have seen how Minerva was looking at me. I'm certain that she must think that I intentionally choreographed Eloise's number that way."
"If anyone complains, I will explain that Miss Midgen's provocative performance was the result of my potion."
"Well, thank you for that, anyway. I believe I'm coming down with a cold. I may as well turn in and call it a night," Clancy said, disgusted.
"I can give you something for your cold."
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'd prefer to consult Madam Pomfrey in the morning."
"As you wish. May I, at least, escort you to your room?"
"It really isn't necessary." Clancy rose and walked toward the door.
Snape followed her. "I suppose this means that you would no longer care to spend Hogmanay with me," he inquired softly.
Clancy stopped, turning to him. "It means nothing of the sort. What happened tonight has no bearing on our plans. I'm merely disappointed because I worked long and hard on that show and I wanted everything to run smoothly."
They crossed through the entryway and began ascending the stairs. "You are a most forgiving woman," Snape managed, in lieu of a direct apology.
"Any woman who chooses you would have to be."
"I was under the impression that it was the man's prerogative to select the woman."
"That is a misconception that seems to be as prevalent in your world as it is in mine. And, I might add, most men are not in any position to be too choosy."
"Well, then," Snape countered, "it may interest you to know that I have already made my selection."
"Really? And, who is the unfortunate creature?"
"In time, I will reveal all."
"I do hope you mean that literally, Professor."
"Miss Norgard, you are an inordinate flirt."
"Ah! We've reached yet another milestone: You have actually caught on to the fact that I have been flirting with you."
"I have had a strong suspicion for some time now that you have been doing so. As I have rarely been the object of a woman's attention, I am not attuned to the finer points of social interaction between the sexes."
"Perhaps I have been too subtle." They arrived at her door. Clancy turned to face Snape, moving closer to him. She lifted her chin, leaving no doubt as to what she expected him to do.
Snape grasped her shoulders, drawing her nearer. He opened his mouth to kiss her, then stopped abruptly and pushed her away.
"What's the matter?" Clancy asked.
"You were staring at my teeth."
"No, I wasn't."
"Yes, you were. I saw you staring at my teeth."
"I was not staring at your teeth. I was staring at your mouth, waiting for you to kiss me!"
"I believe I am fully capable of determining when someone is staring at my teeth!" Snape hissed violently.
"Well, it may have appeared to you that I was staring at your teeth, but all I was trying to do was to avoid staring at your nose!" Clancy covered her mouth with her hand, realizing what she had just said.
Snape grew more hostile. "I am quite aware of my ugliness, which is why I cannot bring myself to accept the fact that you are in love with me!"
"You drugged me with Veritaserum, so it must be true!" Clancy reminded him. "You've made me so upset with your idiotic insecurities that I am in no way responsible for anything that I've said!"
"Oh, you meant what you said. If you hadn't been THINKING it, you never would have SAID it!" Snape raged.
"Severus, calm down. Stop trying to ruin our relationship before it even begins," Clancy said gently.
Snape would not be pacified. "Go to bed and nurse your cold. I have no desire to kiss you and risk contracting your disease!"
He swiveled on his heel, but Clancy caught him by the arm. "Does this mean that you no longer wish to spend Hogmanay with me?" she asked.
"I have, what I hope you will consider to be a very romantic evening already planned -- if you don't mind spending your time in the company of a man with an enormous nose and crooked teeth!"
"Severus, please. Come in for a moment, won't you?"
"No, I don't believe I care to," he muttered irritably. He freed himself from her grip, then added, "Pleasant dreams."
"Severus?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you say that?"
"Why did I say what?"
"Pleasant dreams."
"No particular reason. It is something one often says when bidding someone good night. I find nothing remarkable about the statement."
"It just struck me as rather odd, because I've been dreaming so much lately."
Snape regarded her skeptically. "Have you, indeed? And, what do you generally dream of, if I may inquire?"
"You."
He considered her response for a time. "Perhaps I will come in for a moment, after all."
They entered her room and seated themselves in chairs near the fire. "What, precisely, do you dream about me?" Snape asked.
"The first dream came several months ago. I dreamed that you sent me something called a Between The Lines Howler."
Snape bolted from his chair and paced the room. "What other dreams have you had?" he demanded, pausing to face her.
"The last one came two nights ago. I dreamed we were attending the Sorting ceremony, except it turned into a Courting ceremony. There have been other dreams, as well, but I might blush if I were to relate them to you."
"Did you have a dream concerning the two of us standing beside an ant hill, then the ants transformed into little black buttons and you began eating them?"
"Yes, how did you--"
Snape returned to his chair, folded his arms, and glared into the fire. "This is most unusual, even in the Wizarding world."
"Severus! You've been having the same dreams! Don't deny it, you have!"
"I do not profess to understand what this means. It could be Dark Magic."
"Oh, please," Clancy protested, "a man of your intellect, and you can't figure out what this means?"
"You have formed a theory?"
"I certainly have. It means that we're meant to be together! As long as we resist acting upon our emotions on a conscious plane, we'll continue trying to resolve our feelings subconsciously - through convergent dreams! This is the most romantic thing I've ever heard of!" she gushed.
Snape regarded her uncertainly. "It's rubbish," he concluded. "I refuse to entertain such foolishness. Some of my dreams have been sheer nonsense, like the one concerning the ant hill, for example."
"You're always so certain of everything, aren't you? Don't you realize that dreams can be interpreted, even if, at first, they seem incomprehensible? Sometimes words or images we create in our subconscious minds symbolize other things. Now, consider the ant hill: aunt hill - Aunt Hilly!"
Snape frowned dubiously. "What of the ants turning into buttons?"
"Simple! Aunt Hilly had a button box that she treasured, and I treasure your buttons! They're so perfectly aligned on your frock coat, that I just want to nip them off one by one and munch on them like chocolate-covered ants!"
Snape's mouth twitched with amusement. "There is a most disconcerting air of decadence about you. I find it quite unsettling -- and most becoming."
Clancy smiled at Snape's first foray into the art of flirtation. "Have you ever dreamed of words, Severus?"
"Words?"
"Yes, words or phrases printed out, as if they were written on the page of a book."
"I had such a dream a week ago."
"Was it on a Thursday night?"
"Perhaps."
"There! That proves it! I dreamed of words that night too, and they turned out to be an anagram!"
"Anagrams!" he sniffed. "More foolishness."
"Albus doesn't think so. We've been meeting twice a month to play word games and anagrams. Remus and Filius enjoy playing, too. You should join us some evening. Anagrams reveal great truths." Snape regarded her disdainfully. "If you don't believe me, let me explain my dream: I dreamed that I saw the phrase, 'overuses evil' written on a page. After rearranging the letters for awhile, I discovered that 'overuses evil' anagrams into 'I love Severus'."
"Does it, indeed?" Snape responded, unimpressed. "I dreamed of the words, 'volcanic lye'. What do you make of that?"
Clancy thought for a time, trying to picture the letters in her mind. "Well, I'm not as quick with anagrams as Albus, but if you take the first three letters of 'volcanic', V-O-L, and reverse them, you get L-O-V. Add the E from the end of 'lye', and it spells, 'love'. Now, separate the I from 'volcanic', and you get 'I love'. That leaves only the letters, C-A-N-C-L-Y, in that order. I believe, Severus, that you are bright enough to rearrange those letters by yourself!"
Snape shook his head in disbelief. "One of us is completely insane."
"Really? Which one of us do you think it is?"
Snape raised his arms in resignation. "Me. I am beginning to accept all that you've been saying. You are, without doubt, the most absurd mixture of mind and madness that I have ever encountered."
"Well, if you don't appreciate my little idiosyncrasies, then blame Aunt Hilly. She made me all that I am today."
"I am not suggesting that you change."
Clancy crossed her legs seductively and slouched down in her chair. "I wish I didn't feel so wretched," she moaned. Right now, I can't determine whether I want to kiss you, or throw up."
Snape rose, and approached her chair. He extended his arms to reach hers, then lifted her up into an embrace. "When we do kiss for the first time, I sincerely hope that you won't find the latter is the result of the former."
"Never," she assured him, leaning her head against his chest.
Snape picked her up, and carried her over to her bed. "As I have not yet proven myself to be particularly deft at creating romance, I presume you intend to postpone our lovemaking indefinitely."
Clancy smiled up at him languidly. "Oh, do you really think so, Severus? How little you know about Muggles."
Crossing to the door, Snape turned to say good night.
"Severus?"
"Yes?"
"At times, your reticence leads me to believe that you would be content to postpone things between us indefinitely."
Snape twisted his mouth, amused. "Oh, do you really think so, Clancy? How little you know about wizards."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Snape's and Clancy's last exchange: "Oh, do you really think so/How little you know about" -- I borrowed this from the Terrence Rattigan play, The Winslow Boy, and adapted it to fit this story.
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
~Irving Berlin