The Meal
It had to be perfect, there could be no mistakes or excuses. The meat was seasoned to perfection, perfect medium rare, the mash potatoes slightly lumpy just like he liked it made with garlic and butter, the bread crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside, the vegetables sauted in garlic-butter and perfectly seasoned. The dark wood of the table and chairs gleamed after all of the hard work Harry had done in cleaning and oiling. Harry placed the salt and pepper in the center besides the butter dish. Harry made sure that there was plenty of lighting, not too much to hurt his eyes and just enough to set the mood. At the chiming of his alarm spell, Harry opened the oven and tested the cake, the knife came out clean, casting a light cooling charm, He started to frost the cake. The cake was chocolate on chocolate with hints of raspberries. The cake had dark, milk and white chocolate decorating the chocolate cake with a dark chocolate raspberry filling. Harry hid the cake away in the plate cabinet after placing a perseveration charm on it.
Taking a moment to take a deep breath Harry went into his workroom and grabbed the package. It had taken him forever to find the perfect present but he believed that he had found it. Harry placed a notice me not charm on the present and placed it by his chair. Going back into the kitchen Harry got the wine in its bucket of ice on a side table next to where Severus sits. Harry never touches alcohol, the smell and flavor still gives him back flashes to his muggle relatives, but he knew that Severus loved the deep intricacies of wine, and since it was his special day Harry will just have to deal with it. Harry preferred juice, milk or water with the occasional treat of a butter beer or muggle soda, since it was a special day Harry placed a butterbeer next to his plate.
Finally everything was perfect. Harry looked at the clock and smiled, he had five minutes before Severus should be home. Quickly Harry got cleaned up and changed into the green shirt that Severus had gotten him last year and black pants. Harry heard the front door open, smiling as he left their room.
“Severus! Happy…”
“Excuse me, Harry, I'm in a hurry.”
“Hurry? Hurry where?”
“Draco has set up a meeting for me.”
“A meeting?” Harry glanced at the kitchen, “but I thought you didn't want to go anywhere today?”
“I didn't but Draco was able to arrange a dinner with several of my colleagues, who are visiting from Rome. I just have enough time to grab some papers and change.”
“Oh well I could….”
“I don't have time, Harry.” Severus cut Harry off and pushed past him. “I will see you later.”
“But Severus, I thought…” Severus entered the bathroom and shut the door. Harry stared at the closed bathroom door.
“Will you get out from underfoot,'' Severus growled as he rushed out of the bathroom grabbing his good cloak. Harry followed behind him. “I don't know what time I will be home so don't wait up for me.'' Severus grabbed his work bag, tied his hair back, turned and floo’ed away. Harry stared as the fire died down, along with his heart.
Harry wasn't sure how long he stood there staring before slowly, Harry went into the kitchen and looked at all the dishes he had made. Harry pretended that the blurring of his eyes was nothing more than the steam that was wafting from the food getting into his eyes.
Feeling numb, Harry wrapped everything up, ignoring the fact that the preservation charm would have kept everything fresh and perfect for a long time, Harry put away the food. Opening the cupboard to store away the unused dishes. Harry froze, there sitting on top of the stack of plates was the chocolate cake he had made. staring at the cake for an unknown amount of time Harry picked it up and placed it on the table right next to a single plate, fork, napkin, the chilling wine and a single wine glass. Bending down, Harry picked up the gift that he had gotten Severus, he removed the charm and placed it next to the cake. Sniffing just once Harry, trying not to think about how this was should be the final nail in the coffin. Harry lit a single candle and whispered “Happy birthday.” before getting lost staring at the candle flame.
Harry can handle Severus's need to gather potion ingredients at all hours of the day and night, his long hours of brewing and research. Hell some of it Harry had enjoyed doing, because it was them working on things together and sometimes… Well in the past Severus would use Harry to bounce ideas off of, because as a ward smith Harry had a different perspective on certain herbs and magic. Sometimes Harry would help Severus through a brewers block or by chopping up ingredients when he was overwhelmed. Harry learned so much through their discussions that sometimes he himself would find something new to obsess over something that he just had to figure out… But this past year Severus had been working more and more with Draco, which is fine, Draco is a potion master as well and they were probably commissioned by the same company or something… Harry sighed as he turned to continue putting things away.
In the past Harry and Severus always try to have at least one meal together every day even if it's just pausing long enough somewhere to eat a quick sandwich together and then at least one day a week they would go somewhere, to the movies, shopping, exploring a new place or sometimes they would go to a forest where Severus would show, Harry how to pick ingredients. Now Harry gets excuses or Severus takes Draco instead, saying that he needs the ingredients as well and he doesn't have to show him one hundred times on how to harvest them correctly. Severus even went to the last two potion conferences with Draco. Harry couldn’t help the self deprecated laugh as he thought about the potion conferences. Yes, Harry wasn't a potions master but he could follow a recipe and prep ingredients, but the conferences were way over his head most of the time. Usually Harry went to the dinners where he tried to look interested in the different speeches and sometimes he would go to a class or two that sounded interesting but potions were not his thing. Normally on days where there were no interesting classes Harry would wander the town getting a feel of the local area so that he could drag Severus to the places that he knew he would love to visit. Hell Harry always made sure they stayed a few days extra in the different locations just so Severus could see everything.
Sighing, Harry entered their bedroom, and looked around. This room used to bring him so much warmth and excitement...now it was cold. They used to make passionate love here almost every night, then it dropped to once or twice a week, then once in a while and now well Harry was lucky to get a kiss. Harry had tried to talk to Severus, but he seemed to be always rushing off somewhere and whenever Harry would try to breach the subject of their relationship he would start getting twitchy until finally he would jump up and growl out that he has to go and leave.
Last week Harry had finally gotten Severus to stay still long enough to talk about what Severus wanted to do for his birthday. Severus said that he wanted a simple dinner at home with just the two of them. Harry had been ecstatic; he thought that finally things were getting back to normal but, well. Harry shook his head to get the more and more depressing thoughts out of his head. It was enough, Harry now needed to do something drastic and if this didn't work… well then there was no way of saving them, he was done torturing himself with what ifs and maybes.
Severus stumbled when he came through the floo, but the charm that Harry had put on the floo to keep him from falling on his face held for Severus. Stumbling and swaying slightly, Severus made his way into the kitchen. “Water.” Severus muttered under his breath. He's not sure why he had no sobering potions in his kit but that's fine he has some in the bathroom. Tripping on a chair leg, Severus threw his arm out and felt it hit and go into something cool, sticky, squishy...gooey? blinking at the mushy brown thing that had eaten his hand he pulled it out with more force then he meant to and smacked into something silver, there was a loud crash then a smash sounding like glass breaking. Severus had a hard time focusing but he finally noticed that somehow there was ice and a broken bottle of red stuff on the ground. shaking his head, Severus hoped that Harry didn't have a vampire visiting, again. Deciding that a glass of water was not worth all this and he needed to think clearer especially if Harry has guests over. Severus headed towards the bathroom, entering. Severus stared, this wasn't the bathroom, he looked around it was a bedroom he shrugged and collapsed onto the bed out cold before he even thought of kicking off his shoes.
Severus groaned, it felt like a hippogryph was doing the cancan in his skull and that his whole body had gained 10 pounds on every square inch. Reaching for the side drawer, Severus fumbled around, there was nothing in it sitting up. Severus peeled back his eyelids blinking from the bright light, Severus sat up and noticed that he wasn't in his room. He was in one of the guest rooms. “Dotty.” the popping sound Severus groan. “hangover potion.” Pop. a potion was placed in his hand. pop the elf was gone. Severus popped the top on the potion and drinked it. Relaxing at the cooling effect, Severus kicked off his shoes and went back to sleep.
“Harry, why didn't you wake me up?” Severus demanded as he entered their bedroom. “Harry?” Severus looked around, no Harry. Severus stopped before he left the room and turned back and took another look at the room. The room was tidier than normal, usually there was some clutter as Harry had the bad habit of leaving work for the house elves, but this was more. Harry's side of the bed was missing that ugly blue green blanket, and the side table top had no books, paper or pens. Looking around the room closer, Severus noticed that there were a couple of other things. Looking towards their bathroom Severus noticed that Harrys bathroom robe was missing from the back of the bathroom door, that explains things, thought Severus since Harry most likely curled up somewhere with his favorite blanket and books. Nodding to himself, Severus went down into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and paused at the entrance to their dining room. There was a red liquid, and glass all over the ground. Slowly scanning the room, Severus noticed that the kitchen table had what looked like something that might have been a cake. “What the hell? Harry? What a mess. Dotty!” Pop a house elf in a black, green and silver uniform stood there straight, with her arms folded and scowling.
“Clean up this mess.”
“No.”
Severus turned around and stared at the tiny figure. “What?”
“Master Harry told Dotty to leave cake and things alone for Snape. Master Harry told Dotty that she can come and help you if I be wanting to. You be mean to master Harry for long time. Master Harry finally realizes that you don't care for him anymore. Last night was your last chance, you blew it and then you broke it.” With a pop Dotty was gone.
“Last night?” Severus blinked and then started examining everything with different eyes. The shattered glass was from a wine bottle and from the label it was his favorite and the squashed cake with a single candle on its side in the icing.
There was something about last night, something important, besides the agreement he had made with the European potion masters and the celebration afterwards… celebration… for some reason that word was trying to trigger something, but it wouldn't come to him, Severus felt like slamming his head against something. There was something important about last night but he couldn't remember what. shaking his head, Severus figured it would come to him or maybe when Harry stops being melodramatic and comes out of wherever he was hiding he would remind him. Severus left the kitchen deciding that he would get a cup of coffee from the local shop down the road, it was expensive but very good then he would wait for Harry to come back to his senses.