Fighting Like Cat and Dog

Fighting Like Cat and Dog

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Ms Rowling and her associates... and offspring... and companies... and so on and so forth. Can I be added to the bottom of the beneficiaries list, please?

"In the name of the wee man! Ouch! Stop! Ow!"

"You are a feckless git, Lupin." Snape loomed over him aggressively.

Remus shook the pain from his wand hand. "What was that for?"

Snape snickered. "Constant vigilance."

Remus launched himself at the dark haired man, wrestling him to the floor and pinning him down by his arms. "Surrender, Snape."

Unable to use his wand, Severus thrashed his head from side to side and wriggled in an attempt to free himself. "Get off, you oaf. You forgot to reset the flat's protective charms, you gormless mongrel."

"I'm not an obsessive defence and security anorak like you, Severus. Jeez, I swear you're getting more neurotic. What's your problem?" He pushed down hard on Snape's upper arms.

Severus relaxed a bit. "Charmaine's coming to visit, and I want the place secure. I'll not take any chances with her safety. Merlin knows she risks herself enough as it is."

"Is she going to stay? Will she be here for long? Both of you visiting at the same time. Yes! That's fantastic."

Leaping to his feet, Lupin danced a quick jig as he pulled Severus up off the floor and hugged him. Severus held up his hands in a quieting gesture.

"It's good to see you home from Hogwarts, Sev. I miss you, now you're away teaching. How are your little student toerags?"

"Dunderheads and skivers, the lot of them," groused Snape. "Much like you, Lupin."

"Naff off! Stop maligning me. I was quite chuffed with my skiving skills." Leaning closer, Remus licked the side of Snape's face. "C'mon, grumpy-bum, I can't stand around all day giving you puppy dog kisses. Pick those grubby kecks up off the floor, and let's get this flat tidied up for Charmaine."

"Lupin, you're incorrigible," Severus grumbled, wiping his slimed cheek.

"Ow! What was that for, Snape?"

"That wasn't me, Lupin."

A short silence fell. Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness, and the two wizards scrabbled to find safety. Severus hid behind the couch, whilst Remus cowered up against the wall, trying desperately not to whimper.

A blinding flash erupted in the centre of the room, and shadows streaked across the living room wall. Sulphurous fumes and crackling spells filled the air. Snape reached out from behind the couch. Grabbing an ankle which had been illuminated by the flare, he tumbled the intruder to the wooden floorboards with a solid thump and a whoosh of expelled breath. Hastily, he threw himself on top of the escaping body. He held on tight, covering the person's whole body with his length.

Inhaling deeply, he whispered, "Be still. I know it's you."

The struggling beneath him quieted. "How did you know?"

He smiled against Charmaine's hair. "I could smell you."

Drawing back a little, he could just discern her features in the dim light, her mouth pouting slightly and the drifting smoke reflecting in the shine of her eyes. His hand traced across her cheek and snuck into her hair, which spread wildly across the floor behind her.

So beautiful. Desire for her flared within him. He wanted her; he ached for her, and yet he couldn't afford to lose her.

Charmaine was like a wild animal, strong and willful, but when cornered, she was frightened and skittish. One wrong move and she could be gone from his life forever. For months it had been the same; he felt it every time she was near: the yearning, the needing, the loving and the not talking about it. Frustration was building in him. He longed to kiss her but didn't dare, knowing the magic touch of her honeyed-lips would draw him in, lead him on, and he would never want to stop.

Cupping the back of her head, he hugged her close and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before pulling her to her feet.

"Now, turn off the fireworks. You're scaring the neighbourhood animals," he said, nodding to where Remus still cowered against the wall. "Lupin, c'mon, it's only Charmaine testing us again."

The werewolf shivered and sighed as the remaining spells in the air petered out into stars and unicorns, which floated to the ground before dissipating as the air cleared.

"Bugger that for a game of tin soldiers," grumbled Lupin. "Why can't you just knock on the door like everyone else, you wee bisom?"

"Because, my friend, it has started."

"What's started?" Lupin asked, shifting some dirty laundry off the sofa before sitting down.

Charmaine looked grim. Now the lights were back on, the men could see the tight, drawn expression on her face.

"I'll just organise a cup of tea for us to have whilst we talk about it, shall I?" Remus hopped up and headed through to the kitchen.

"This is serious?" Snape inquired as he sat down next to her.

"Yes." She nodded wearily, her head drooping and her hands dangling between her knees. She looked defeated. "I've done all I can, but I know it isn't enough."

Severus took her hand, stroking the back of it. "Can you tell me about it?"

She looked up at the ceiling as if seeking inspiration, her eyes brimming with tears. "I have to now. We all have our part to play. It's about that prophecy you overheard, Severus."

"Regarding Voldemort and the boy?"

Charmaine nodded again. "There are two boys that fit the prophecy: the Longbottom's boy and young Harry Potter. I've been working for months with both couples using my Poisons expertise. Throughout their pregnancies, I was trying to ensure safe delivery of strong, healthy babies, and, now they are born, I've been improving their immunity and protection charms."

"I thought you were working on a research project, Charmaine."

"It was... sort of."

Dropping her hand and rising to his feet, Snape snarled. "So, when you weren't with me, you were staying with the Potters."

"Or the Longbottoms."

"You've been living with James Potter."

"This has nothing to do with you and your petty hatred."

"Petty! Have you any idea what he did to me?" he hissed.

"For goodness sake, I was working with them, not sleeping with him."

Snape stiffened in anger, and air rushed in through his nose. "Get out!" His voice was low and threatening. "Go back to your precious Potter."

Charmaine flinched. "Severus, please. I need your support with this."

"No. I will not help Potter."

"Think of Lily and her baby. They need protection from Voldemort."

"Don't you play the Lily card with me. I loved Lily."

"Exactly. She needs you."

Snape's tone softened. "What about you, Charmaine? Do you need me?"

Frightened doe-eyes skittered away from his intense gaze.

"Charmaine?"

"No."

"No, you don't need me, or no, you won't talk to me about it because it's too complicated."

Standing up to face him, arms rigid by her sides, she fizzed with pent up magic. "Don't push me, Severus Snape."

Hurt and frustrated, he turned away from her. "You don't really want to be with me; you only want the chance to get your Portkey back. Just go. Go back to my enemies, whichever one it is you're sleeping with."

"Grow up, Severus! I need your help, but I am not going to stay and listen to your childish accusations." As she reached the door, Charmaine turned back to Snape. "Go and speak to Dumbledore."

With that, she left.

"I shan't speak to Dumbledore!" Severus shouted after her furiously. "I'm going straight to Voldemort with my information!"

Lupin appeared through the doorway, carrying a laden tea tray. "Where'd she go?"

Snape glowered at him.

"You bloody, great numpty. What did you do this time, Snape?"

Severus groaned, lifting a hand to his eyes. "I fucked it up. I asked her if she needed me, and she said no. If only I hadn't asked. At least then I could have harboured some hope."

"Did you tell her you love her?"

Severus looked at Remus as if he were mad. "What do you think? I've told her once, and that wasn't a raging success."

"The two of you are as bad as each other in the communications stakes," murmured Remus. "Hey, where are you going?" he asked as he watched Snape pick up a cape and head for the door.

"To Voldemort. I said I would tell him, and I mean to keep my word."

"Take care," Remus called after him, but he was gone. "Uptight prick, doesn't know love when it slaps him in the face," he muttered to himself.

He sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll have to stock up on the chocolate; he's sure to come back in a right state."

*

It was the early hours of the next morning when Severus returned. Dragging his cape behind him, he staggered in and collapsed halfway across the room.

Lupin hauled him into bed, shoving chocolate into his sagging mouth, stripping him of his bloodied clothes and applying healing spells to the most obvious wounds.

"Shit, Sev, what did that mad blighter do to you?"

Violent tremors shuddered through Snape's body.

"It's over. They're gone." Snape's voice was hoarse.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lupin carefully wiped dirt from Severus's tear-streaked face.

"She's gone... dead." Severus turned his face towards the wall. "I wish I were dead." His frame shook with silent sobs.

Quietly, Remus lay down beside him. Curling up behind Severus, he laid a calming hand on his friend's shoulder.

Severus cleared his throat as the constant shaking settled to irregular minor shivers. "Do you want to know what happened, Lupin?"

Remus pressed his forehead to the space between Snape's shoulder blades and nodded dumbly as fat tears slid down his cheeks.

A/N: Sunny33 = beta

kecks = trousers (Northern England) or underpants (Scotland); take your pick

bisom = difficult woman (Scottish)

numpty = a person lacking understanding (Scottish)