Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or their world.
This is fanfiction and I'm just playing for fun, not making any money.
Summary: What happens during two sleepless nights for the
boys.
Notes: Written for SIG as a holiday gift. Enjoy!
I wanted to write a little Snupin ficlet but nothing came to
mind. So I did a search for Snape plot bunnies and this irresistible one turned
up: Snape is unable to sleep, and even the strongest potions do not help. By
accident, he finds out that sleeping next to Remus means he can get a full
night's sleep.
There were
three problems associated with smashing mirrors.
The first problem
that whatever image offended Snape's eyes so much as to constitute the
shattering in the first place was, in fact, multiplied. In this case, every
tiny little piece reflected the large red scar on his left forearm.
The second problem
was that smashing a mirror with your hand resulted in blood. In this case, his
hand was split open in a dozen places, slashes along the skin, knuckles
bloodied badly.
The third
problem was that such an incident made quite a racket and attracted attention.
In this case, it was the only other person in the house who came running at the
sound.
Remus found
Snape naked, on his knees on the floor of the bathroom. Snape looked up at the
doorway and Remus in it. "Sorry," he whispered. Remus had his wand out, at the
ready, and used it to clean up the broken pieces. Severus Snape needed another
seven years of bad luck like he needed an unforgivable curse, so Remus did not
even try to joke this time. He cleaned up, then sank down to Snape's level,
bringing with him a bath towel to cover Snape's privates.
Gently, Remus
touched the side of Snape's head, petting the greasy black hair with sympathy. Then
he let his fingers stray down to the offending scar, where Voldemort's dark
mark had once been. Like Remus, Snape refused to use illusionment charms to
hide scars. "Couldn't sleep again?" Remus whispered. Snape hesitated, then
nodded. "All right." Remus leaned forward and kissed Snape's forehead. "Come
sleep in my bed. I'll stand guard and watch over you."
Practically
bursting with gratitude, Snape let Remus pick him up and guide him down the
hall to Remus' bedroom. They had tried spells and the strongest sleeping
potions known to wizzardkind. But nothing had worked. There were a multitude of
protection spells on the house, and nearly every one of Voldemort's supporters
had already been rounded up by aurors. But if Snape did not feel safe still,
Remus would not try to reason with him now.
He tucked
Snape into bed and then sat down on the other side of the bed with a book, to
prove that he would stay awake while Snape slept. And Snape did sleep. Several
seconds after his head hit the pillow, his eyes closed. Several minutes after
his eyes closed, he began to snore. And with snoring like that, Remus couldn't
have slept even had he wanted to.
*
Nearly
three months to the date since Snape had begun sleeping in his bed, Remus had
grown used to the sound of Severus Snape's snores- the familiar ferocity of
each inhalation, and the gentle rumble as the ex-potions master breathed out. Tonight,
however, the snores were unusually strong and sonorous.
Remus soon
came to the realization that he would be getting no sleep at all tonight. He
would have to make do with a nap later on in the day. Remus yawned powerfully
as he got up out of bed, hoping the nap might come directly after breakfast
because he was not sure he could hold out for anything later.
He went to the
kitchen for some tea, hoping it might at least relax him. But as he was
returning, he heard not snores but shouts. Careful not to spill, Remus hurried
back to the bedroom. "It's all right," Remus soothed Snape. "I just stepped out
to make tea. I'm right here." He sat back down on the bed and heard Snape sigh
with relief at the same time.
Snape
looked up, glad to see him. Then sneezed so forcefully that it nearly propelled
him into a sitting position. "erhhShuhhh!"
"Gesundheit,"
Remus said, blowing into the teacup.
Snape sat
up in order to get to the tissue box, sniffling.
Remus
sighed and passed him the cup of tea. "Here." Resignedly, Remus reached for the
latest book on his nightstand and found where he had left off.
"Can't
sleep?" Snape asked. Remus hesitated, then nodded. Snape sipped the tea, then
sat up straighter. "I will go sleep on the couch, then."
Immediately,
Remus eased him back down. "If you do, you'll never sleep. And rest is the best
possible thing you can do for that cold since Pepper-up would not even touch
it."
"I might be
able to sleep," Snape said, sitting back up again and starting to slide out of
bed. "You don't know for sure." They didn't know. In fact, they had gone months
without testing Snape's ability to sleep somewhere other than at Remus' side. It
wasn't worth testing now- not simply because Snape needed his rest and it seemed
to be working for him this way, but because both men enjoyed sharing a bed now.
Snape set
the tea down briefly to pull more tissues out of the box. He got the last two
in the box to his face in time to sneeze, bending at the waist. "ehhh-ERShoo! Hehh-EHChuhhh!" He honked
his nose into the tissues as many times as he could before they were used up.
Then Snape took several gulps of tea and headed to the bathroom for more
tissues. He stood in the center of the bathroom again, mesmerized for a moment.
There were
three problems associated with mirrors.
The first problem
was that they were not selective in what they showed. In this case, Severus saw
every imperfection of his body, most noticeably his pale skin, tired eyes, and
the pinkness of his nose.
The second
problem was that mirrors could never show things exactly as they were. In this
case, the reverse mirror-image made Snape uncomfortable. And he couldn't help
but wonder what it was Remus saw in him.
The third
problem was that mirrors could never show enough. In this case, Severus could
see himself fine, but when Remus came in and wrapped arms around Severus from
behind, it only showed part of Remus' handsome face.
When Snape
moved to the side, the mirror lost part of Severus' face to accommodate all of
Remus'. This was possibly something of a mercy, as Snape snapped forward with
another sneeze. "ehhhShuhh!" He
reached for the tissue box on the counter and dabbed a tissue at his nose while
sniffling.
"Come back
to bed," Remus whispered, hugging Severus from behind and kissing Snape's cheek.
"I shall stay up or I shall fall asleep, I honestly could not care which so
long as you're there for me to watch over."
Severus
looked at Remus' reflection in the mirror. He looked well, but eyes were just
as tired and bloodshot. Snape knew this was neither the time nor the place to
joke with Remus about sounding sappy and romantic. He nodded and let Remus
guide him back to bed, with the tea and the tissues.