Harry had the feeling he was the only one that understood why Dumbledore had announced the dance as being so early. He figured it would take the students’ minds off of things that were too stressful, plus it gave everyone time to realize that they had the ask someone to the dance thus giving almost two months notice rather then two weeks.

The only problem was that Hermione and Ron were starting to get in more and more fights with each other. Ginny and Harry always found themselves sitting in the common room rolling their eyes as the two oblivious lovebirds squawked over who was clearer Sir Nick or the Blood Baron.

“This is ridiculous,” Ginny mumbled as Ron shouted about the Bloody Baron being taller then Sir Nick. “They’re arguing about bloody ghosts. When will they realize that they like each other, and ask each out, thus saving us pain?”

“I have no idea,” Harry mumbled as he fingered a rook in his hand. He had stolen from an old chess set he found up in the attic in the North Tower. Almost all the pieces where in shams except the rook. Harry found it as a stupid metaphor but somehow the rook reminded him of how he left. An outcast survivor of something great, something he still couldn’t place yet. Even though he knew killing Tom Riddle was great, there was something else, something that he was missing. The rook was like that, too.

“I’m about to blow up at him!” Ginny hissed, looking at Ron with a dark look. Harry, still fingering the rook, looked over that them. He had been realizing it ever since Halloween that Ron was often looking at Hermione with odd glances while Hermione was caught once of twice doing the same thing.

“It wouldn’t work,” Harry mumbled disdainfully. “Not you or I, somehow it wouldn’t get through to ‘em. I’ve been dropping subtle hints to ‘em all the time, even Hermione’s oblivious. No, has to be someone else.”

“Who?” Ginny asked. “’Cause I’d give ‘em all the chocolate frogs I had for ‘em to do it.”

“Really? That’s a lot of chocolate frogs,” Harry mused as Ginny made a face at him.

“Who could it be?”

“McGonagall?” Harry asked.

“No, she’ll be too motherly.” Ginny mused. “Hagrid?”

“He’d probably blubber all up before he could get them to make sense of anything.” Harry informed and Ginny nodded in understanding. “How ‘bout Dumbledore? He’s always up for a challenge.”

“I think Snape would be more eager to get ‘em together, then Dumbledore. He likes to meddle, but in love affairs?” Ginny asked skeptically.

“So, then, how ‘bout Snape?” Harry mused and Ginny grinned wickedly.

“He might just enjoy it; I think he gets just annoyed about it as we do.” Ginny giggled. “I still don’t know rather it’s crueler to Snape or them.”

“Oh, knowing Snape...we’re being horribly cruel to Ron and Hermione.” Harry grinned wickedly as Ron snapped something about ghosts. “I say we confront Snape about it tomorrow.”

“Yes, send the two lovebirds off to Hogsmead and we’ll confront the snarling Potions Master. My dream comes true, spending my Hogsmead weekend with Snape.” Ginny giggled darkly and Harry smiled heartily.

“Oh yes, after that’s filled, my next dream of marrying Pansy will come true.” Ginny laughed and threw a pillow from the armchair at him hard.

“Well, you two are sure acting mischievously.” Ron commented as he gave up his argument with Hermione and flopped down next to him.

“Truly, and here I thought I was just being Peeves.” Harry remarked as Ginny snorted.

888

It took all of Harry and Ginny’s convincing to get Ron and Hermione to go on ahead without them to Hogsmead but after a heated debate they got them too. However, all their efforts were in vain because Snape wasn’t at his office when they got there.

“Great,” Ginny mumbled. “Any other time Hermione or Ron will be suspicious to us coming down here. I think we’ll find it hard to get detention together too.” Ginny moaned and Harry shrugged.

“So, let’s wait.” Harry sat plop down on the ground and Ginny looked at him in horror.

“And what’ll we do if a Slytherin walks by?” Ginny demanded.

“Tell ‘em we got in trouble by Snape and he sent us down here to wait. And he has yet to return to punish us. That’ll please them.” Ginny nodded and sat down.

“Well, now what?” she asked as she leaned her back against the wall.

“Simple, let’s play Rock, Paper, Scissors,” Harry suggested and in response to Ginny’s raising eyebrow he explained. “It’s a muggle game and it works like this.” Harry began to explain the muggle game and soon he and Ginny were engulfed in a battle.

Without realizing they were slowly adding new rules to the game and after about an hour of playing it, the had officially changed Rock, Paper, Scissors the muggle game to Rock with a Bang, Parchment with a slash, and Scissors there’s a bat coming the wizard version. It was quite a battle, so much in fact that when the paused to tell passing Slytherins there story it changed about three times. They couldn’t keep it straight.

“Ha, I win; Rock smashed Scissors, even bats.” Ginny declared and Harry glared.

“Yes, I still get a point ‘cause bats splatter rock with blood and make it slippery. Not a proper death.”

“Brutal,” Ginny nodded and nodded in agreement. “I heard you stick up for Snape at breakfast with Dean and Seamus. Why’d you do that? I mean I’ve never seen anyone, not even professors, stick up for him.”

“Ha, blasting rock knocks parchment into cindering fire. Five points.” When points came into the game they weren’t too sure. “Why’d I stick up for ‘m? Cause what they were saying wasn’t true and it was annoying.”

“Yes, but I believe you use to be one who took part in those conversations...” Ginny was grinning wickedly but Harry missed this for he was fumbling with the rock that he had conjured. They were conjuring the items rather then using their fists.

“So?” Harry shrugged. “Maybe I was wrong,” he shrugged again and Ginny snorted.

“Why, of all the people I expected the great Harry Potter...ha I win, five points...I never thought Professor Severus Snape would be the one to gain his trust.” Harry corked an eyebrow up at her.

“What’s that supposed to mean?’ he demanded as the silently counted to three and with a wave of their wands Ginny conjured a rock that leaked lava (how she did that, Harry didn’t know) while Harry conjured a pair of scissors that were too strong to be broken by a rock but melted by the lava.

“Fifteen points, ten for beating you and another five for creativity.” Ginny grinned wickedly. If either of them were bothering to look around they would have noticed a rather tall menacing shadow appear at the end of the corridor. “And what I mean is...ever since Sirius...erm, died. I never, we actually, thought you’d find someone you could trust like you did with Sirius. Sure, you might not talk to Snape, but you still find him in the range of trusting him like you did Sirius...”

“Ten points, for my parchment smothering your rock and choking it. And I’m not sure what you mean about trusting Snape like I did Sirius.” Harry commented but somewhere inside of him he did understand. He just wasn’t sure he wanted too. In a way, it’d be like admitting that Snape was slowly replacing Sirius, something Harry figured Lupin or someone else would do. Snape just didn’t seem the likely candidate.

“Who’s winning?” Ginny asked and Harry shrugged.

“I thought you were keeping count...now how’d you come to that conclusion about Snape?” Harry demanded and Ginny frowned, not wanting to say something.

“You know, I think we just told the last Slytherin that Snape was mad at us because she flooded the Potions classroom, while we told someone else that we were in trouble for calling him an overgrown bat.”

“He isn’t?” he asked jokingly, as he and Ginny conjured up another game.

“He can be...depending on his mood.” Harry nodded in agreement. “What I mean is, if Snape hears word of why we’re down here...won’t he—err—try to punish us for those things even though we didn’t do it?”

“Yep,” Harry chuckled. “No doubt he’s gathering up every story we’ve fed out right now, gathering reasons for detentions. As long as they aren’t with Flitch, fine by me. D’you know Snape’s stopped giving me detentions?”

“What?” Ginny gasped as Harry scissors started to do a victory dance. “Stopped giving you, Harry Potter, detentions!”

“Ha, I doubt that. I meant with Flitch, usually he just passes me on to the caretaker but ever since he found Flitch threatening to hang me by toes in the corridors, and about to call up on that threat, Snape stopped giving me detentions with ‘m. He usually passes them onto McGonagall, who’s just as bad.”

“Ha! I win that and I get five points for creativity!” Ginny declared.

“You do not!” Harry retorted. “That bloody parchment was not that creative, Neville could do better.” Ginny grew an offended look and Harry made a face. “Anyway, what is it you’re not telling me? You know something...about Snape and me? Which is just creepy.”

“You’re not having Remedial Potion lessons anymore, but you’re still having lessons. Hmm...about what?” she demanded, turning to look at him wickedly. Harry raised an eyebrow but knew better then to deny it.

“Dancing...Snape’s teaching me to dance.” Harry responded coolly. Instantly Ginny’s face pulled such a brilliant look of shock, horror, surprise, shock and yet more surprise. It was a fabulous look; Harry wished he had a camera.

“A-are you serious?” she whispered.

“Yep, Snape’s quite the ballet dancer.” Harry somehow remained calm as he spoke and his voice was so confident he was sure that Dumbledore almost would’ve bought it.

“B-ballet?” she whispered, her voice not getting out properly.

“Oh yes, you should see it. He can stand on his tiptoes and manages to pull of a triple spin without so much as a flutter. Ever heard of the butterfly move? He can pull that off without a flinch too.” Harry was suddenly having a hard time containing his mirth. “Arm like this, standing on his tiptoe, other leg out behind him. Looks almost like an agile fountain statue!”

Ginny’s look was priceless now as she pictured the dreaded Potions Master pulling this kind of move off. Harry was speaking with so much truth, she found it hard to doubt.

“A-and he’s teaching you this?” Ginny choked, now trying to picture Harry learning to do this sort of thing from Snape. The picture Harry painted of Snape like a fountain statue was far too real in her head.

“Oh no,” Harry said. “He teaches me the tango.” Now Ginny’s head was reeling and her face must’ve been a look of pure shock and horror.

“T-the tango?”

“Yeah, you know...arm and arm, stretched out, and an odd marching style. Then the spin. Usually Snape spins, his ballerina moves kick in then.” Ginny looked shocked. And Harry couldn’t hold it in anymore.

He started to laugh, hard. So hard that he fell backwards on the dungeon floor and soon his laughter become blurred and a stuttered silence. Ginny was staring in shock and slowly it dawned on her. She jumped up in anger. “HARRY JAMES POTTER!” she shouted as Harry rolled over laughing hard. Not able to calm himself down.

“Oh Merlin, you should’ve seen your face.” Harry panted as he fell into a fresh wave of laughter. “I can’t believe you actually thought Snape taught me the tango. Or for that matter that Snape actually knew ballet.” Ginny’s lips twitched.

“You’ve corrupted me,” Ginny snarled. “Now every time I look at Snape I’m going to see that image of him dancing into a move like a fountain statue!” Harry fell over laughing even harder. He was laughing so hard he didn’t see Snape emerge from the shadows where he had been hiding.

Ginny hadn’t either. “You stop laughing right now!” Ginny ordered. “That was cruel; I serious thought Snape was giving you dance lessons...”

“No, he would never do that for me...just for McGonagall. You know how she likes to dance...they’re made for each other.” At this Ginny laughed, imagining Snape and McGonagall dancing.

“Still...it was cruel. I never be the same again.” Ginny said.

“Still, you should’ve seen your face. It was priceless. That look at the thought of Snape giving me dance lessons, and then him being a ballerina. Merlin, it was brilliant.” Harry rolled over laughing again.

“You’ll pay for this Potter...I might just tell Snape what you said.” Ginny hissed.

“No need to tell, I heard it all.” Instantly Harry stopped laughing and his face paled considerably fast. Ginny even paled a bit. Snape was standing in the shadows just as menacing as ever.

“Blood hell,” Harry mumbled. Snape’s eyes were piercing into him. “Err—I was kidding.” Harry suggested hopefully.

“Into my office, both of you.” He ordered in a curt voice. Harry pulled himself up and with Ginny behind him scrambled into the office. “Sit,” he ordered.

Ginny and Harry sat down without a word and glanced reluctantly at Snape. He stared at them over his desk, his eyes shifting between them.

“Why were you sitting before my office playing a violent game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, a muggle game I do believe, and then talking about me as a ballerina?” his voice was deadly calm. That wasn’t a good sign. It never was and probably never be.

“We needed to talk to you and the Rock, Paper, Scissors kind of needed some interesting points to it and...and Harry was joking I do believe.” Ginny declared. “I hope so,” she mumbled quietly to herself.

“I assure you that Potter was joking,” Snape’s eyes swiveled to Harry who tilted his head lopsided waiting for Snape to comment. “What did you wish to speak to me about?”

“Hermione and Ron,” Harry said taking his cue.

“You’re the only one,” Ginny began.

“Who’ll make them realize,” Harry interrupted.

“That why they fight...” Ginny trailed off.

“Is because they...”

“You’re the only one they’ll listen too,” Ginny declared.

“Because you’re usually blunt enough to be correct,” Harry smiled sheepishly.

“So, it’ll make ‘em realize,” Ginny carried on.

“If you say it,” Harry began.

“That they love each other.” Harry and Ginny said at the same time. Snape raised an eyebrow, obviously amused by their statement.

“And you want me to do something about it?” Snape asked.

“Yes sir,” Harry informed. After the ballerina thing, he wasn’t sure Snape would be up to doing anything for them, especially Harry.

“What do I get from it?” Snape demanded.

“They’ll stop arguing in your class,” Harry offered.

“Yes, they’ll start being mushy and sappy, much better.” Snape snarled snidely.

“But Professor,” Ginny pleaded. “You’re the only one they’ll listen to about it, and Harry and I are seconds from killing ‘em if they don’t stop fighting soon.”

“What do I get?” Snape demanded again as Harry and Ginny sighed. Harry was fiddling with rook as he tried to figure something out. Then he grinned wickedly.

“I’ve got a picture of him from the Demise Party and he’s dancing with McGonagall.” Harry whispered quietly into Ginny’s ear, so quietly that she had to lean in to hear it. She grinned wickedly.

“Sir,” she said cunningly. “You’ll want to do this for us.”

“Why?” Snape demanded.

“Because we happen to have a picture of you and McGonagall dancing, and what would happen if Harry accidentally let this picture lying around and say...Peeves or the twins got a hold of it.” Ginny was far too much like the twins at that moment, Harry realized.

“Blackmail?” Snape whispered. “Could get you expelled for that.”

“Don’t have proof,” Harry butted in and Snape glared.

“How about this,” Snape snarled. “You give me that picture, get out of my office before I count to five, and you won’t get detention until the end of the school year, just all of next week.” He was standing up and glaring down at them. “NOW!” he ordered and Ginny bit her bottom lip.

“Well that didn’t work,” Ginny mumbled.

“Accio picture,” Harry mumbled and a few seconds later the picture came flying into the room. Snape grabbed it before Harry could. He looked at it and sure enough he and McGonagall were dancing, and not just dancing, dancing the foxtrot. He frowned; he sure didn’t remember doing that.

Both Harry and Ginny jumped up, making to bolt. “Sit, now!” Snape drawled, crushing the picture in his hand. Harry didn’t seem to mind that. “I’m not sure rather to be completely peeved at you, or slightly proud. A true Slytherin side you have, blackmail. It’s interesting. Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter...would’ve never expected it.” His lips were twitching. “I’d like to think I’ve corrupted you a bit.”

And as Ginny and Harry looked at their Potions Master, they realized just how much Snape seemed more human and like an Uncle catching his niece and nephew in a dirty trick. It was an odd thing indeed.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” he suggested. Harry and Ginny looked on mutely. He reached into his desk and pulled out two collars, dog collars, no flea collars, no just oddly thick necklaces. Harry eyed them warily. “I’ll get Granger and Weasley together, and you’ll wear these.”

“Why?” Ginny and Harry demanded instantly.

“I have a feeling that you two are going to be getting into a lot of trouble this week,” both Harry and Ginny shot each other looks. They had pranks planned in memory of Umbridge. It was twins’ idea. They had come up with a lot of new things and sent them all to Ginny and Harry, deeming them the pranksters because of their prank on their birthday. But how’d Snape know that?

“I don’t want to have to chase two students down through the castle, especially since I a bit intrigued to what you’re pranks might be. So you’ll wear these for the week, and if you’re out, I know it, and I can’t catch you, I just say the magic word and you’ll get a bit of a magical reminder to get back to bed.” Snape informed with a gleaming smile.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other wonderingly. Was it worth it? Wearing thick necklaces that let Snape send shocks through their body just to get their two best friends together?

“Fine,” Ginny breathed.

“But there’s rules,” Harry declared and Snape raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t believe I gave you that privilege.” He commented snidely.

“Yes, but I’m taking it.” Harry retorted and Snape looked him darkly. Harry glared at him definitely and their eyes locked for the longest time. Finally Snape seemed to relent.

“At least you’re starting to think Potter.” Snape snarled.

“Amazing, eh?” Harry commented sarcastically. “First, if we wear these necklaces things you can’t just zap us any ole time for the hell of it. Only when you think we’re running around the castle, or doing something we aren’t supposed to. Just this one week. In turn, we won’t tell Dumbledore about these necklaces because I highly doubt he knows about ‘em. I know you’re doing this in trade of Hermione and Ron, but once that’s settled; it still doesn’t give you free range to zap us. Okay?” Ginny nodded firmly in agreement and Snape seemed to fiddle with the idea.

“Alright, Potter, deal.” Snape said, and he held out his hand to shake it with both Harry and Ginny. “Come, let’s get these things on.”

“Ginny, we’re mental.” Harry commented as they watched Snape take one last look at the necklaces.

“You can both back out now.” Snape commented dryly. “I won’t help you with Granger and Weasley though. Or you can trust me with these,” Snape waved the necklaces offhandedly. Ginny eyed them but Harry stared at Snape. He was hiding something from them. But what? Was there another purpose to the necklaces?

Snape seemed to be reading his thoughts because Harry swore he saw the slightest of nods from the Potions Master saying that there was indeed something more to the necklaces.

“Fine,” Harry declared, glancing at Ginny to see if she noticed Snape’s nod. She hadn’t. Sighing, Harry climbed to his feet. “We’ll trust you.” And with that he walked around the desk and let the necklace be snapped in place. Harry found it oddly comfortable and hardly noticed it.

“It’s not there,” Ginny gasped.

“Of course, you think I’d just let you two walk about with thick pieces of magic strapped to your necks for the world to see. As Potter said, Dumbledore doesn’t know about this, don’t want to raise suspicions.” He smirked darkly and Ginny suddenly looked nervous. But Harry was still playing with the thought of why Snape truly thought they needed the necklaces. If not for Ginny, but for him.

“It’s okay, Gin.” Harry mumbled as Ginny hesitated. Sighing, she nodded slightly and let Snape buckle the necklace around her neck.

“Good luck with Ron and Hermione, if they’re arguing about ghosts, just think of it as hidden love fights.” Harry smirked as Snape’s face grew disgusted.

“Leapigh,” he muttered and instantly both Ginny and Harry leaped into the air with a yelp. A sharp, almost icy feeling had just plunge through their body. “Just checking.”

“Will it always effect both of us?” Harry asked and Snape shook his head.

“If I say only your name of Miss Weasley’s then it’ll only effect that person. Such as Leapigh Harry.” Instantly Harry jolted with another yelp. “That was for calling me a ballerina before you accuse me of abusing this power.” His grin was wicked and he ushered them out into the corridor.

Once they were in the Entrance Hall, Ginny and Harry looked at each other. They hadn’t realized Snape was following them.

“Ron and Hermione better be worth this,” Ginny muttered, itching to mess with her necklace.

“They are, and who knows...maybe Snape knows something we don’t about this up coming week. How’d he figure out anyway?” Harry said vaguely.

“Don’t know, but he actually wants to see some pranks?” Ginny echoed. “Now that’s new. You know, I think you’ve broken him Harry. I mean think about it, last year had we even thought of going to Snape for this sort of problem, or even dare what we had done with the picture...which was rather brilliant if we hadn’t forgotten it was Snape, shame a waste of picture....”

“Nah, I’ve got copies.” Harry said offhanded.

“Anyway, had we done that last year we’d probably find ourselves in detention forever and no longer wanting to be Ron and Hermione’s friends. But this year...there’s something different about you two. It’s like you understand each other, and somehow when that understanding is happening, you break through Snape. Honestly Harry, can you just not affect one person’s life for once?” Ginny giggled.

“Nope, come on, let’s go find Ron and Hermione at Hogsmead, it’s probably already spread that Snape’s mad at us...they’ll be worried.” Harry glanced at Ginny and grinned wickedly.

“D’you read the Prophet this morning?” Ginny asked offhandedly as they headed outside.

“Nah, Hermione didn’t get it and no more around us did either, so I didn’t bother. Why?”

“Just wondering, I hadn’t read it either.”

But if either of them had bothered to read it, they would’ve found out that there were more then a discovered dozen unmarked Death Eaters, all in the midst of planning something in revenge.

Yet, this was nothing to Harry and Ginny as they walked to Hogsmead. All they could think of were their pranks, Snape’s necklaces and for Harry, Snape in general.

Ginny was right, there was something different about him. He seemed almost as if enjoyed being threatened with blackmail and even more when he got to put the necklaces on. But on top of that, he just seemed to be oddly different, as if he had just realized something that struck an odd cord in his heart and he couldn’t exactly deny the feeling as he usually did.

Harry just wondered what it was.

“I just don’t want to feel a jolt when I’m asleep,” Ginny mumbled as she picked at her invisible necklace. “You know Harry, you talked back to Snape sarcastically and then set down ground rules for these things. A bit amazing, for a minute I thought he might hex you. He really is breaking for you, isn’t he?” “No, I just think...” Harry wanted to tell her what he thought but he couldn’t put it to words. It was too complicated. “I just think I’ve confused Snape.”

“Yes, and you’ve confused yourself too.” Ginny reported. “I’m still worried about the necklace thing.”

However, it wouldn’t be until later that Harry and Ginny realized just how much Snape was saving them from with the necklaces.