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A Reasonable Proposition

by Arionrhod

"You are probably wondering why I asked you to come here," Severus stated, lifting the tea pot and refilling their cups, speaking slowly as though the words were being wrenched from him.

The Potions Master had invited Remus to tea that morning after breakfast, an occurrence that was both unprecedented and totally unexpected. When Remus had asked rather bluntly why Severus suddenly desired his company, Severus had merely quirked one brow and given him an inscrutable look, stating that he wished to discuss a proposition.

Figuring that it must have something to do with either the Wolfsbane potion or with Remus' return as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, the werewolf had accepted. He had even been on time, but after a terse greeting upon Remus' arrival Severus had proceeded to fill their cups, offer cream and sugar, and then lapse into complete silence for almost fifteen minutes. Remus had merely waited, sipping the excellent tea and waiting for his host to get to the point of this somewhat bizarre meeting.

"I will admit to a bit of curiosity," Remus replied, smiling faintly over the rim of his cup. His legs were stretched out in front of him towards the warmth of the fire that burned in the massive hearth in Severus' quarters, no doubt so large because of the damp and chill of the dungeons. It was, in fact, his first time inside the Potions Master's rooms, and he was rather surprised to find them comfortable, welcoming, even homely, rather than cold and austere as he might have imagined. "After all, you've never invited me to tea before."

Silence greeted this comment for a long moment, before Severus spoke again. "Well, yes. An oversight on my part. One that I hope to rectify... Remus."

The werewolf swallowed his sip of tea too quickly, and the hot liquid went down his windpipe, causing him to cough and sputter quite inelegantly. When he could breathe again, he turned to look at the calm man sitting in the chair opposite, eyes wide with shock. "You just called me Remus."

"Is that not your name?" the dark-haired wizard asked calmly, seeming unconcerned by Remus' reaction. "You do call me 'Severus', after all."

"Yes it is, and yes I do," Remus replied cautiously, eyes going from shocked to suspicious. "You just never have before; in fact, I seem to recall receiving some rather pointed comments - bordering on outright insults - from you about my 'undo familiarity' as I believe you called it."

"Again, an oversight on my part," Severus replied with dignity, raising a brow. "But if we can set that aside for the moment, I wish to explain why I requested your presence."

"Very well," the werewolf acquiesced, eyes still narrowed and tone full of caution.

"I wish to propose marriage." It was stated calmly, matter of factly, almost as though Severus were saying that he had wanted to go out for a walk or needed a new quill for marking papers.

"To whom?" Dumbstruck as he was, it was the only thing Remus could think to ask.

"To you of course, Remus. I would hardly have the need to inform you if I had the desire to marry someone else, would I?" The Potions Master again spoke in an even, reasonable voice, as though explaining something very simple to someone even simpler.

Remus sat his teacup on the tray with great care and deliberation, so as not to betray the sudden panic he was feeling. Stealthily he reached into his robes for his wand, mentally running over which hexes would be most effective in this situation. Either Severus was insane, or under an Imperius, or, more likely, this was not really Severus Snape. In any event he was obviously in great danger and had to act at once. "Oh, of course," he said calmly, as the familiar length of mahogany slipped into his hand.

"There is no need to go for your wand, Remus. I assure you that I am in my right mind and acting of my own free will."

"Of course you are, Severus," the werewolf replied, pulling his wand anyway, and pointing it at the unperturbed man sitting across from him. "Who are you, then? Fred? George? You do realize that Severus is going to be furiously angry when he finds out that not only have you gotten into his quarters, you've used them to play a particularly nasty trick on him. Very funny. Ha ha. He might be so amused that he'll kill you."

"And so I would, if either of those insufferable brats - or anyone else, for that matter - had the incredible stupidity to do such a thing," Severus said, eyes narrowing, lip curling in a sneer. "Be that as it may, murder is unnecessary."

Remus considered that, lowering his wand but not putting it away. "Well, then, assuming I go along with this, and believe that you are, indeed, Severus Snape, in his right mind and not under Imperius, and that you've just proposed marriage to me, of all people... I can only assume it's a joke. Ha. Ha. Good one, Severus. Didn't know you had it in you. Albus will be rolling, I'm sure, when you tell him about it."

"I am not joking."

The werewolf gazed at the other man, watching for any betraying nervousness. He didn't smell Polyjuice anywhere, and the dark-haired wizard didn't have the glassy-eyed look of someone under an mind-controlling spell or potion. There was no betraying twitch of thin lips to signify a prank, and no rapid breathing or accelerated heartrate. So that left only two options. Insanity, or sincerity.

"I know that you are still considering me insane, Remus - I can read it easily in your eyes, you know. One of the benefits of being a Legilimens. I am not insane, which a spell would easily prove. I am quite sincere in my proposal. So, are you willing to marry me?"

Amber eyes blinked in total confusion. "But... why?" Remus asked. The entire situation was too surreal to be believed.

"Now that the war is over, I have no desire to be alone any longer. So I made a list of all the people of my acquaintance, listing the qualities that I admire in them and those that I find abhorrent. Then I weeded the list down to the most likely candidates, based on compatibility and desirability as a partner. Since I am flexible in my sexual preference, I considered everyone of both genders, regardless of age. And you came out with the highest score."

Remus blinked. Then he blinked again. And again. "What did you put in my tea? I obviously fell asleep at some point and am dreaming this entire thing."

The Potions Master's lips tightened a bit at that. "I put nothing in your tea, Lupin."

"So, you are really telling me that you sorted out everyone you know, and decided that I am the one you want to marry?" Remus couldn't process the notion with his understanding of reality, but he felt on slightly firmer ground now that Severus had slipped up and called him 'Lupin' again. That, at least, brought a slight bit of normality to an incredibly unreal situation.

"Yes. Is it so difficult to believe? Even you cannot be so self-deprecating as to think you are not desirable as a partner," Severus said, sniffing slightly as though Remus had insulted his impeccable taste.

The werewolf considered that for a long moment, then cautiously shook his head. "No, I don't find it hard to believe that someone would find me desirable as a partner, Severus. Only that you would."

Severus paused. "You will suffice," he replied tersely.

Remus couldn't help but chuckle at that. "A rousing endorsement if I've ever heard one, Severus."

Severus scowled. "Were you expecting a declaration of undying love and devotion?" he almost snarled. "Perhaps an admission that I have lusted after you for years, and have only decided to come forward now that the war is over to profess my infatuation?"

The werewolf gave another rueful chuckle, then sighed and shook his head. "Of course not. Actually, I didn't expect anything at all, as you well know. Severus, you don't even like me, you've barely tolerated me for years despite my best efforts to strike up a friendship with you." Remus paused, then sobered as something occurred to him. "Is there something wrong that you need help with? Some werewolf bits for a potion? Are you under some curse that you have to marry or you'll die?"

"For Merlin's sake!" Severus snapped. "Is it so hard for you to wrap your brain around the fact that I could, of my own free will, want to marry you, for completely logical and rational reasons?"

"Frankly, yes," Remus said flatly. Then he gave a tight smile, rising to his feet. "Well, this has been, er, interesting, but I think it would be best if I left now. Have a pleasant evening, Severus."

He was halfway to the door before Severus spoke. "I take it that your answer is no, then?"

Remus turned to find that Severus had also risen, and was standing a few paces behind him, pale face utterly impassive.

The werewolf blinked in disbelief. "My answer is no. I'm not certain what strange imp you've got in your mind, or what kind of a joke you're playing on me, but... well, even if I believed you were sincere in your proposal, frankly a cold, rational union, no matter how logically based, holds no appeal for me. I may not have many options, Severus, but if I were to marry, it would have to be to someone who loves me and wants me on a visceral level. The same way that I love and want him."

He gazed at Severus for a moment longer, then shook his head and sighed. Turning once more towards the door, Remus steeled himself to leave, to not look back again no matter what Severus said. Even if part of him desperately wished that Severus had been sincere in his shocking proposal, Remus had given an equally sincere answer. He'd rather remain single than be married to a man who only wanted him for completely logical reasons. Especially when he himself wanted to rip said man's clothes off and shag him senseless, and had for years.

Remus was reaching for the door handle when he found himself suddenly spun around and pinned with his back against the hard wood. Startled, he stared up into Severus' dark eyes, which were boring down into him with an intensity Remus had rarely seen from Severus other than in moments of pure fury.

"How about an illogically based union, then?" Severus whispered in a black velvet tone that made Remus shiver. "An irrational one which includes an admission that I have lusted after you for years, and have only come forward now that the war is over to profess my infatuation?"

Severus' body was warm and hard against his, pushing him back against the door with a power that made Remus' knees weak. The werewolf drew in a gasp of surprise, which became a moan when Severus' pressed his hips forward, leaving Remus in no doubt of the sincerity of the claim about lust. Then Severus bent his head, capturing Remus' lips in a demanding kiss, his surprisingly soft lips coaxing Remus' apart to admit the invasion of his tongue.

The kiss went on for several long, delectable moments, an exploration of each other's mouths, a sensual duel of tongues that had Remus moaning in desire. His hands were fisted in the fabric of Severus' robes as he abandoned himself to the embrace.

Finally the need for oxygen forced them apart, and Remus stared up at the Potions Master, breathless with wonder and desire. Severus' lips were pink and slightly swollen, and Remus wanted nothing more than to draw Severus back down and nibble his lower lip.

"Well?" Severus asked haughtily, although the warmth of his dark eyes belied the coolness of his tone.

"It's a start," Remus admitted finally, when Severus raised an impatient brow. "Easier to believe, too."

Severus gave a snort. "Easier to believe I would want you for your body than your mind?" he purred, lowering his head until his mouth was next to Remus' ear. His tongue flicked out, snake-like, to taste the skin there, before he pressed his lips to the delicate skin of Remus' throat, suckling lightly.

"Easier to believe that your hormones would eventually overwhelm your common sense, rather than the other way 'round," the werewolf said huskily, wrapping his arms around Severus' waist and tilting his head back to give Severus greater access to his neck. His heart soared at the revelation that his heretofore unrequited obsession had apparently not been quite as unrequited as he had believed. Still, he couldn't resist adding a half-serious inquiry. "Can I expect the declaration of undying love and devotion, then?"

The Potions Master went very still, before pulling back to look down at Remus again. The werewolf's heart was suddenly in his throat, until Severus spoke quietly.

"If that is what it will take to get you to accept."

"It couldn't hurt," Remus said, smiling softly. He raised his hands, burying them in Severus' hair, delighting in the way Severus' shivered at the touch. "If you like, I'll even make the first declaration, gentleman that I am."

"Are you indeed," the Potions Master murmured, eyes alight with something so tender that made Remus' heart race. "Is it too much to hope that you are not always a gentleman?"

"In bed, you mean?" Remus asked teasingly, pressing his hips against Severus' until the Potions Master's breath caught. "I suppose you'll just have to wait for the wedding night to find out, won't you?"

"Lupin," Severus said, voice a low, dangerous growl that would have done a werewolf proud.

Remus' smile became seductive. "You've waited all these years, Severus, certainly a few more days..."

"Would be totally intolerable," the Potions Master said, pulling away. He fastened on hand around Remus' wrist, and began pulling the werewolf in the direction of his bedroom.

Remus chuckled. "What would you have done if I had accepted you on purely logical reasons?" he asked, as Severus slammed the bedroom door shut behind them, then turned and began unfastening the buttons of Remus' robes with alacrity.

"I would have convinced you that it was only logical to determine our physical compatibility prior to the ceremony," Severus stated matter-of-factly.

"And if that hadn't worked?" Remus asked breathlessly, eyes drifting closed as he allowed Severus to take the lead, hands resting on the taller wizard's shoulders for balance.

"I would have thought of something." The Potions Master's silky voice replied as Remus' shoulders and chest were exposed to his gaze, and his dark eyes glittered as he raised his hands and ran them over the lightly scarred skin.

"Like what?" Remus sighed, shivering at the caress of Severus' surprisingly warm hands. The sigh became a gasp as Severus brushed his nipples none too gently, and his eyes flew open.

"You. Talk. Too. Much," Severus said raggedly. "Can you not think of a better use for your mouth at this moment in time than asking inane questions?"

"I suppose I can think of something."

Remus pulled Severus down into a searing kiss, more than happy to comply with the request. After that the only words spoken were each other's names, murmured in approval, gasped with need, and finally, much later, cried out in completion.

FINIS