Yes, well this popped into my head and I just had fun writing it, my usual pairing, so slash fluff and possibly an angst warning. I don't own these characters I am borrowing them. Go easy on the spelling I have dyslexia and it's gone through a spell checker.

Flowers for Severus.

Part one: Floral tribute

Today was Severus Snape's birthday and so far to his relief it had been totally uneventful. This however was not to last, as he opened the door to his classroom, scent aisled his nose and the surly Potions master came to a complete halt. His desk was covered in vases and pots of flowers, Snape blinked for a moment, then slowly comprehension dawned each flower meant something and each could be used in some way for potions.

Quickly the sour man stepped into his class room, and looked at the seventh year's class of Slytherins and Gryffindors, who where all looking at the flowers on his desk confused. "Well since there are all these plants in here we will use them to discuss the language of flowers and the uses for these plants in potions. Now this language has been used for years to send people messages, to lovers, friends and family. Let us begin with the Gention, does anyone know what this flower means?"

He was surprised when Ron Weasely's hand went up. "Mr Weasely?"

Snape asked just to see if the young man actually did know. "I believe sir that it means 'You judge me wrongly' sir."

"Well done Mr Weasely, 5 points to Gryffindor." Severus said surprised the young man had actually been right. "Now this blue flower is also used in potions for love and also in potions to null other potions effects. A red rose is simple I love you and as I am sure you all know is used for love potions. Let us move to this flower the Potentilla, does anyone know what this flower means?"

Silence swept the room, and then slowly almost nervously Neville's hand went up. "Yes Mr Longbottom?"

"I lay claim to your regard sir."

"Correct Mr Longbottom 5 points to Gryffindor. This plant is used for potency potions. The plant pot contains shepherd's purse. Who would like to tell me the meaning of this one?"

This time Blaise's hand went up. "I offer you my all."

"Well done 5 points to Slytherin. Shepherd's purse, is used in abundance potions. This flower here is Salvia does anyone know this flowers meaning?

Draco answered him this time. "I think of you."

"Well done Mr Malfoy, 5 points to Slytherin. This plant is for sleep drafts. Next is Helichrysum, I am not sure any of you will know this one. It means I will value your love forever. In this pot we have Pertunia."

"That means 'do not despair' sir!" One of the Slytherin said with a smile.

Severus shook his head slightly. "Yes exactly. Five points to Slytherin. This orange flower is a Carthamus it means do not hold back and is used in potions that limit the inhibitions. Let us see, this one is next."

"Sir that's a Jacob's ladder it means come to me." A Gryffindor said pleased.

"Exactly right 5 points to Gryffindor, it is used for sleeping potions and lastly we have Clover."

It was Pansy who spoke. "Clover means be mine sir."

"Well done Miss Parkinson, five points to Slytherin. Clover is used for love potions. So the whole message reads, you judge me wrongly. I love you, I lay claim to your regard, I offer you my all and I think of you. I will value your love forever do not despair. Do not hold back, come to me and be mine." The Potions master told the class.

Nervously Draco raised a hand, Severus noticed and raised a brow at the younger wizard. "Yes Mr Malfoy?"

"Umm Sir stop me if I am wrong, but doesn't the phrase 'I lay claim to your regard, I offer my all' mean that this person is in fact by wizard tradition wooing you?"

The dark wizard froze to the spot for a moment, and then slowly turned to face the message written in his elegant hand across the board. "Good lord! Yes you are right Mr Malfoy, 10 extra points to Slytherin for spotting that."

Slowly Hermione raised her hand and Severus gestured for her to speak. "Forgive me sir, but having been raised in the muggle world I'm afraid I don't understand."

Lots of people looked at the usually all knowing witch, who looked round at them all. "What even I don't know everything."

"To answer your question Miss Granger, it is a very old and little used tradition. If this particular phrase is said to you in any shape way or form, then someone is wooing you, with a view to marriage. It is...How to say it, an extremely serious matter, there for when said phrase is used the intent behind it is tremendously important and the user of the words is very honest in their intentions towards you."

"So what will happen now sir?"

Snape sighed slightly before explaining to the ever curious young woman. "I will be sent two more gifts, usually flowers and something else such as a bracelet. This person by tradition has to also give me a clue as to who they are. Then I have three days not including today to find this person, when I do find them, I am aloud to except or refuse there suite of me. Now for the reason this custom is so little used, if I refuse them they can never woo any one ever again."

A small ripple of gasps ran round the room, noticing the time, Severus dismissed his class, before looking over the flowers before him. The Potions master was loathed to admit it but he was truly curious as to who had decided to woo him, in such a formal and serious way.

Shaking his head the dark man, sighed and set off down to the great hall for dinner, when he settled at his place at the staff table, the onyx eyes went wide sitting on the table before him where a black rose, a white rose and a red rose their stems woven intricately together. With hands that shook slightly Snape lifted the flowers, the message was clear, true love forever. Round the stems on a piece of black leather was a hand carved jet rose, carefully Severus untied it from round the flowers before placing it round his neck.

As soon as the dark man did the leather up he felt the magic in the pendant, powerful protection charms hung round the flower and a tracking charm. The pale man could sense the love of this person, the earnest desire to protect him and keep him safe. Slowly he ran a hand over the flower before tucking it away under his robes, quickly the Potions master snuck a look round the hall to see if anyone was watching him but it seemed that no one was.

Quickly Severus placed a charm on the flowers to make sure they wouldn't be damaged, then carefully the dark wizard placed the flowers in his lap. After dinner the stoic man slipped back to his room, to find the flowers had been moved into his rooms, they were still in the same order as they had been in the class room. Carefully Snape filled a vase with water and placed the flowers in it before going out for a walk.

As the dark man rounded the corner to his favourite bench on the school grounds he saw a figure, in black robes the hood pulled up, leaving something there. "Wait...!" Snape called out.

They froze, and then turned slightly, cautiously Severus came closer. "A clue, you're supposed to have given me one."

Slowly the figured moved, a hand came into view, it opened to show a single blue rose. "A blue rose..." With a nod, the person walked away quickly.

With a confused expression on his face Snape, steeped round the bench, the same three flowers just as intricately woven as before, round the stems this time a black ribbon, on which was a ring, black gold, red gold and white gold, with a black onyx, a white diamond and a red ruby set in it. The dark eyed man stared at it, the ring was beautiful, carefully Severus slipped the ribbon containing the ring from the flowers.

The Potions master had never seen such a beautiful ring before. Suddenly he noticed an inscription on the inside 'My beloved Severus.' It said simply, the usually unemotional man found himself blushing. This person who ever they, where was serious, deadly serious about having him as their husband, this was a concept that was foreign to Severus. No one in his whole life had ever loved him enough to try wooing him like this, at the start he had been determined to turn them down completely flat, but now it somehow felt to cruel even for him.

Severus sat staring down at the ring, slowly he put the ring onto his wedding finger, he was surprised to find that it fit like a glove and suited him down to the ground. Whoever this person was, they understood his tastes very well, the head of Slytherin only hoped it was a man, his tastes certainly didn't run to women.

The dark wizard sat staring into the distance his eyes lost in thought, the clue a blue rose, it tickled at his memory Snape leant forward thinking, and he could almost hear his mother's voice as she drilled into him the meaning of every flower. "Black and blue roses are the rarest, Black is said to represent eternity as tradition tells us they where the flowers given to Persephone by her husband Hades. The blue rose my son is one of deep sadness, it is represents unrequited and unseen love." Severus whispered softly to himself.

His lover's clue had been a blue rose, unrequited and unseen love. It wasn't like him to miss such a thing, but then again he was not use to love, not when it was directed at him. Three day's he had just three days to find this person, never before in Snape's life had three days felt too short.

Quickly he rose, making his way swiftly to be quarters, Severus needed to think and then he needed to plan how to find this mysterious person of his or at least find out if he wanted to. When the dark wizard reached his quarters Severus pulled out his books on formal courtship and searched them until he found what he was looking for.

"Yes, here it is. The one who woos can be called upon threw the gifts they have sent and are permitted to answer three question each time and will only answer truthful. There are three rules, a name cannot be asked, nor parentage, lastly anything to personal. To summon the one who woos recite what is below and within the hour they shall come to you. It should not need to be said, but is shall be said any way Legilimency is not permitted in this process and if found to have been used the wooer is given full rights to woo once again." Quickly Severus's dark eyes scanned what was written blow this information and blushed slightly.

The Potions master took a breath before reciting the words. "Lover who seeks me, I bid you come to me, I wish to know more of you so I might judge if you are worthy of my heart." The pale man felt the spark of magic these words made and waiting quietly for his mystery wooer to arrive.

Ten moments later a swirl of magic had Severus looking up, the figure in the same black robe from earlier. Quickly Snape stood, he moved to stand before this person, they where smaller than him. "You know why I have summoned you. There for I shall ask my three questions now." He asked softly.

Slowly the head assented, the pale man moved closer to the figure. "I need to know are you a man or a woman."

"A man." He answered softly.

Severus was sure he knew that voice, but shook it off. "How long have you loved me?"

"Almost two years now."

"Why now?"

"The danger is passed. He who shall not be named is gone, thus I feel able to finally show my heart to you."

"I know you do not have to answer any more questions, nor am I aloud to keep you but I would like to kiss you."

The figure hesitated before he spoke. "Close your eyes Severus and trust in me."

The professor gulped no one had ever said anything like this to him before, slowly he closed his eyes and gave his trust to this man. A few moments later lips met his, a gentle but calloused hand caressed his cheek and the lips drew back. "I love you." He whispered once before in another swirl of magic he was gone.

The onyx eyes snapped open, gently he placed his fingers to his lips and couldn't fight the flush that crept into his cheeks. The kiss had felt as though it had come from someone powerful, but at the same time Severus had the impression he was younger than himself. Quietly the dark wizard wet to bed contemplating the first pieces of the puzzle that was this mystery man of his.