Chapter Text
“Hissss” the black haired boy was attempting to get a rise out of the Slytherin. He pretended to hiss like a snake again “Hisssss” it failed, the skinny lanky boy ignored him as he continued to sort though potion ingredients “Hey, Hey Snivellus” Sirius quickly became irritated at his lack of response he raised his voice a little saying “Greasy git.”
“Block for brains.”
“Woooow, good one.” Sirius replied sarcastically.
“Can you cease your brainless chatter for one single detention before I curse your face off and not just your hair.”
“That was a low blow even for you, I had to go to Pomphrey.”
“You started it black.” Severus was getting increasingly irritated, the tension in his shoulders was building and his jaw was tightly clenched shut.
Sirius was smirking at his bottles he was supposed to be filling with 27 shriveled beans exactly, he glanced at Snape who was almost done with his. “What? How have you finished so many already?”
Severus looked at Sirius for the first time in the thirty minutes that they had been in Slughorn's store room serving detention. He gave Sirius a biting look and said “I don’t have the intellect of a three year old, I can count.”
“I can count the amount of times you’ve had a shower this year.” Sirius held up his middle finger, “just the one time” Severus’s hand twitched and Sirius knew he longed to reach for his wand “do it, Slughorn’s in his office”.
“Fuck you” was the only thing Severus could think of saying.
“I know you want to.”
“Don’t make me puke” he turned back to his beans and began filling the last few bottles.
Sirius got an idea and slowly started to put his beans in his jar, but he carefully watched as Severus approached his last bottle to fill. When the smaller boy picked up the bottle before his last and quickly began stuffing beans in Sirius picked up one of his filled vials and moved over to stand behind Severus, he waited for him to put the vial down and pick up the last one, Sirius reached up and tugged on the other boy’s hair.
In an instant Severus had spun around wand pointing at Sirius face. “Say goodbye to your nose black!”
Sirius snorted. “Come on don’t take it so seriously we are already in detention” Sirius grinned.
The boy in front of him was literally shaking with rage. “Why are you always starting shit with me? Can’t you just leave me alone?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Are you thick?” countered Sirius.
“I can not believe the boy whose head is thicker than stone just asked me that.”
“You really don’t know?” Sirius cocked his head to the side enjoying the reaction he got. As the boy in front of him’s voice began to rise.
“You have done nothing but harass and torment me since I made the dreadful mistake of sitting in your compartment on the train.”
“I literally pulled your hair Snape.”
“Do it again and I will vanish your nose,” Sirius believed him.
“I guess I will do something else then” Sirius didn’t wait for a response. He took a quick step forward, heart pounding in his chest he seized the boy in front of him and with his empty hand he grabbed the back of his head and roughly pressed there lips together. Sirius closed his eyes and tasted him. He had thought about this moment for five years, Sirius knew he would only have a moment before the inevitable hex came, but it all seemed worth it.
Especially as he breathed in the intoxicating smell that always lingered around Severus. Several seconds passed and Snape remained frozen. Sirius softly bit the Slytherin’s bottom lip and in an instant, his kiss was being reciprocated in a clumsy way that clearly showed his inexperience. Sirius deepened the kiss slowly putting his tongue in the other boy’s mouth. Sirius was shocked away from the other boy as a low moan escaped Severus.
They both stared at each other shocked for a second and the smaller boy clapped his long thin hand over his mouth and turned even paler than usual. A few more seconds passed and Sirius remembered his plan. He chuckled for a second and leaned across Severus's desk and put the vial of beans on the other boy’s pile without breaking eye contact with the horrified Slytherin. Severus was frozen as Sirius walked out of Slughorn’s store room and called “I’ve finished my fifty Sir, can I be off?”
“Yes my boy, straight to bed now”
“Of course sir.” Sirius flashed the teacher a cheeky grin and hurried toward the door knowing Severus wasn’t going to be frozen for long.
Two steps from the exit he heard Snape attempt to correct the situation, “Wait!” Sirius couldn’t help himself he turned back around and looked at Severus, he raised his eyebrows at him. Snape had deep pink patches on his cheeks and he looked exceptionally angry. Sirius smiled sweetly back at him because Slughorn was watching, “he, I” but the Slytherin seamed to run out of words when he saw the smug look in Sirius’s face, he let out a sound of rage and flung his hands in the air before he stormed back into the store room to finish counting out Sirius’s half finished bottles of beans.
Snickering to himself Sirius went out of the office and leaned against the wall waiting for Severus to finish.
The Office door opened and Snape was looking over his shoulder as he said “Good night Professor.” He closed the door behind him and looked up. He still had deep red patches on his face and neck as he saw Sirius waiting for him, his wand was drawn in a second and before Sirius could raise his wand to create a barrier he was hit with a stinging curse on his foot, he fell over instantly, cursing.
“Wait.” This time it was Sirius who called it, however Snape didn’t slow down at all, if anything he sped up. Black jumped up and took a few painful steps before he broke into a run to catch up, he grabbed Severous by the arm to make him stop his speed walk. Sirius was shocked to hear his own sudden confession, “I wasn’t lying.”
“What?” the red faced boy asked
“I just wanted your attention.”
“That makes you even dumber than I thought, in what world would tripping, name calling, hexing and every other shitty thing you and your gang do to me for your own amusement ever amount to me LIKING you. I am not falling for whatever stupid prank your trying to pull on me.”
“You seemed to like it just fine.” Sirius snorted.
Severus yanked his arm from Sirius and turned and kept walking down the hallway. Sirius kept up easily and said “Don’t tell me I stole your lips virginity?”
“You sound like a stupid first year.” He quickened his pace, clearly answering Sirius’s question that that had indeed been his first kiss.
“Well what would you do to get the attention of someone you like then?”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Come on.”
“You're a complete ass.”
Sirius grabbed the thin arm next to him and spun him around, “ok Snape, in all seriousness, what would you do?”
“Let go.” and he squirmed under Sirius's grasp trying to distance himself.
“Not until you tell me.”
“I don’t know, I would get her flowers or something.” He yanked his arm away from Sirius and without another look at him he took off running down the dungeon corridor as fast as he could.
Sirius was stunned in five years Severus had never run. No matter how out numbered or disadvantaged or the humiliation, he had never run from him. And as he disappeared around the corner Sirius felt regret tinge his elation. Had he gone too far?
Sirius looked down at his watch and realized he only had a few minutes until curfew, he turned and ran all the way back to Gryffindor tower. Sirius flung the portrait hole open and crawled in quickly, seeing his three friends sitting by the fire he dashed over and ignored their greeting. He immediately demanded “You know who I like right?” Three faces stared back at him surprised and he demanded again “James?”
“Huh it's Jen, the fourth year Hufflepuff right?”
“What? No, Peter?”
“Ooh, is it Frank?”
“ Seriously? you too?” he looked at Remus wordlessly asking him.
Remus was looking at him very smug, he closed the book on his lap and crossed his legs and said, “yes, but you're never going to admit it are you?”
“Ha! You do know who it is” Sirius nodded pointing at his friend without shame before he continued “thing is they just told me to get lost, but I got some very mixed signals when I kissed them.”
Remus’s mouth dropped open, eyes popping, his book hit the floor. “You didn’t”
“I did, what should I do?”
“Who is it?” demanded James, not liking to be out of the loop. Remus started to laugh wildly, unable to contain himself, tears started to stream down his face.
Slightly irritated, Sirius asked Remus, “seriously?”
“Who?” questioned James again
Gasping trying to get his breath, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, what did he do.”
“So it's a guy then” James began thinking silently for a second before he said, “if it's not Frank it's got to be…”
“Don’t even try prongs, your not gonna guess” Remus had chuckled himself into a semblance of silence but he was still grinning like an idiot “alright then, what did he do?”
Sirius was beginning to wonder if he should tell but he plowed forward anyways “well he ran away actually.”
“I mean, can you blame him?”
“Shit, that's pretty much what he said.” all three of his friends laughed this time.
“Pads, who is it?”
Ignoring James again he said “Alright, I am changing the game plan, he is gonna be mine if it takes me until the end of seventh year”.
Sirius turned and went to the staircase to go up to the dormitory. And at the base James shouted at him one final time “Who is it?”
Shouting over his shoulder, not caring who heard , he replied “It's Snape, and we aren't messing with him anymore, apparently that doesn't do it for him.”
He could hear the gasps from across the dorm and Peter asked Remus ‘he is joking right?’ Sirius snickered to himself as he ran up the stairs.
As Sirius laid in bed that night he didn’t think of the usual pranks to pull on Severus, instead he began plotting how to make him see that he, Sirius was being serious.
“Oh my god, Sirius please stop” James begged him.
“His first period is Defense against the Dark Arts, he will be here, he always is early to this class.”
“James is right this is the dumbest thing you've ever done.” Peter agreed. Undeterred, Sirius skipped forward into the class and dropped his bouquet onto Severues book. He walked to the door, but paused, turning back around to see Snape's reaction. The Slytherin stared at the flowers before prodding them with his wand, he looked up at Sirius, shock an irritation present.
Sirius smiled and nodded at the shocked look on the other boy’s face, he had to duck as Snape sent the flowers back across the room on fire. Sirius was in a great mood as they went to transfiguration with the Ravenclaws and then to charms. They went to lunch and James and Peter were still trying to get Sirius to admit he was joking, but he insisted he was very serious.
They got up to go to potions and Sirius was practically skipping. “Why do you look so happy?” Peter asked
“It's Double potions with the Slytherins!”
“Oh Merlin.” James groaned, hanging his head dramatically.
When they entered potions class Sirius swaggered over and plopped down next to Snape who turned to look at him as if in slow motion. “Get. Lost.” he pronounced each word as if wishing him death with every syllable.
“Eh no thanks, How are you doing Severus?”
Quick as a flash the smaller boy had his wand in his hand, “we are not friends, do not call me that.”
“Mr. Snape” Slughorn gave a warning by just saying his name.
“Just cleaning my cauldron sir.” Severus glared daggers at the boy sitting next to him. As he said “scourgify and the already immaculate cauldron began to clean itself.
“Alright, Sev then, seeing as we are Lovers.”
Snape immediately glanced around and saw that everyone in hearing distance was staring at him, he muttered “missed a spot” and pointing the wand at Sirius' mouth he again said quietly,“scourgify”. Immediately foaming bubbles burst from Sirius’s mouth, who leaned over reaching and coughing until he had sputtered out all the soap.
“What's going on over there, do you two need another detention?”
Resurfacing above the desk as the entire class laughed Sirius said “nothing sir I just choked a bit”
The class started and they began to brew their potions. Snape ignored him for the entire two hours no matter what he said, but Sirius was very careful not to say anything that could make him irritated. As they got up to leave he asked “Can I carry your bag to Flitwick’s for you?”
Snape stared before hissing at him so only he could hear, “this is the weakest and rudest prank you have ever tried to pull on me. Fine. Tell everyone I am gay, I don’t care anymore, just leave me alone.” He turned and stormed out of the class.
Sirius called after him “It's not a prank, I am being Serious!” Sirius kicked the table in front of him, but the only thing that achieved was a strong pain in his big toe.
His three friends joined him and James said, “well you gave it a try, why don’t you give up and just ask out Frank, he is way cooler.”
“I’ll stop when you stop asking out Evens.”
“So never then.” Remus completed for James.
As if on cue Lily Evans walked across the class and demanded “what did you do to Sev?”
He didn’t reply just asked “hey do you know where snape goes for free period?”
“Of course, but I’m not about to tell you!”
“Come on Evans I just want to talk to him.”
“Yeah? About what?”
“Ask him to go out with me.”
“Your such an ass Black.”
“No, I am being serious, why doesn't anyone believe me?” Sirius was getting irritated now.
“Uh maybe because you’ve never lost an opportunity in five years to mess with him?”
“Come on I just.” Sirius looked up at the dungeon ceiling trying to keep his calm “ok, I obviously messed up, I was stupid but I am trying to fix it.”
Lily stared at him in disbelief “you're not joking are you.”
“That's what I have been trying to tell you!”
“Let me get this straight, you're trying to tell me, all those awful pranks were your dumb way of pulling pigtails?”
James hid his face in second hand embarrassment. Sirius nodded. She began laughing spitefully at Sirius “oh my god.” she clutched her side “and you thought that one day you could just flip the switch and he would run into your arms? Congratulations you’ve reached a new level of stupid” she turned around to leave and sirius said “wait, aren't you going to tell me where he is?”
“No, Duh.”
“Well can you at least tell him I am being serious?”
She laughed again before saying “why don’t you try groveling for forgiveness for the next three years until we graduate, then he can avoid you for the rest of his life.” she turned back still laughing at him and walked out the door.
“Oh, that must have hurt.” James said, scrunching up his nose to hike up his glasses.
“I think she is right Sirius, you probably need to say sorry and back off for awhile” Remus slowly nodded wisly.
“Really?” Sirius was unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.
After dinner Sirius dragged his ass to the Library so he could write a letter to Severus. He rewrote it several times until it was completely honest.
Dear Snape,
I have to confess something to you. I told you several times now that I like you. This is a lie. I have been in love with you since I first saw you, you drew me in completely. I wanted to know everything about you. At eleven I didn’t know how to handle the emotion, and so I targeted you. I wanted your attention and even the smallest of things like pulling your hair or dying one of your shoes red would give such a rise that it fed my wild desire to be seen by you. Somewhere along the way it became a habit, now at 15 I’ve been told it's too late to earn your forgiveness. I hope that isn’t true.
I explain this not as an excuse, just the reasoning behind my madness. I am truly sorry. If it is at all possible, tell me what I can do to make it up to you.
Love, Sirius Black
Ps, I have enclosed 12 gallons, it's all I have right now. I hope it is enough to cover the cost of all your things I have broken or ruined and stolen.
Sirius walked back to his common room, feeling like it was one of the worst days he had spent at Hogwarts. He entered and looked around and saw that Lily was sitting and chatting with a friend by the window. He walked straight up to her and handed her the envelope, “give this to Snape when you see him please, you were right, I am sure he doesn’t want to see me.” Sirius had an enormous pile of homework but he didn’t feel like he could do it. He left going up the stairs without saying a word to anyone else.
A few weeks passed and Sirius was sitting at breakfast staring across the great hall at the back of Snape's head. “When are you going to give up on the slime ball” peter asked.
“Don’t call him that.”
“But.”
Sirius raised his voice irritated. “I said don’t call him that! His name is Snape, Okay.” Many Gryffindor's leaned around the table to see Sirius. Lily was giving him a strange look. “I’m not hungry anymore.” Sirius said, standing and leaving the table only having taken a few bites of toast, well aware that everyone was looking at him.