Snape makes the first move

[resonant]

There are a lot of HP stories where Harry gets up from the table at the Leaving Feast and blows off a chance of the party of the decade in order to go down to the dungeon, shout, "I'm not your student any more," and fling himself at Snape.

Sometimes Snape is expecting this, and sometimes he's as shocked as Warner Bros.' lawyers. Sometimes he accepts Harry's offer, and sometimes he nobly sends him away to get old enough to be interesting gain Useful Experience and Perspective so that he can Make An Informed Relationship Decision.

What I want to know is, why is it always Harry who makes the first move?

Because, really, can't you see it the other way around? After the Leaving Feast, Snape comes up to the Gryffindor common room and sends everybody scattering, and he talks for a while to Harry in private and then sweeps away, and the rest of the Gryfs come cautiously back in:

"What'd Snape want, Harry?"

"Probably wanted one last chance to assign him a detention."

"Er, Harry? I really think it's not terribly healthy to be casting Scouring Charms at your lips ..."

And then Harry goes off into the world to get old enough to be interesting gain Useful Experience and Perspective and Enough Distance To Become Intrigued.

But meanwhile, Snape's despairing of Harry's ever changing his mind, since Harry didn't say "No thank you" or "I'm flattered, but" or "It's not you, it's me" -- he said "Wha -- aaaaagh -- no, no, no, make it stop, make it stop --, god, the nightmares, where's my wand ..."

That's a story I would really like to read.

Comments

[switchknife.livejournal.com]

THIS BUNNY IS MINE! MINE MINE MINE!

... Ahem.

If you don't want to write it, that is. If you do, that's brilliant, because you'll do a HELL of a lot better with it than I ever will... but if you don't, I'll be delighted to write it for you. Absolutely delighted.

*clutches bunny to chest*

*gives others the evil eye*

I have staked my claim. Tell me if you want to write it, Res, or I'll have it written before the end of the week! A belated New Year's gift for you, I guess! :D :D :D

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Cool! Go for it!

I tried to imagine actually writing it, but I'm afraid I foundered on the characterizations. Specifically, I could certainly get at a Snape who was attracted to Harry and waiting eagerly until the clock ticked over and Harry was fair game -- but I couldn't get at a Snape who was willing to risk humiliation by actually saying so.

In fact, now that I think of it, it may be that the reason people are more likely to write Harry taking the lead is that Harry seems a lot more willing to take emotional risks than Snape is. Snape doesn't appear to have very many intimate relationships at all (though I think the canon allows various interpretations of his relationships with McGonagall and Dumbledore), and it's hard to see him going out of his way to get one.

Not that I'm trying to discourage you! I'd love to see what you'd do with it. And even in the unlikely event that I did arrive at a Snape I could use, I'm sure the two stories would be different enough that the fandom would have room for both of them!