The Yule Ball was a day away and closing in quick, every student who hadn't scratched up a date to take was losing hair at this point and those that did were either trying to decide what the best kind of line would get a few kisses behind a rose bush or guessing how many people would gawk jealously at their dates and themselves.

The teachers were either taking care of their houses, decorations or trying to scope out hiding places to check later or to use for themselves to escape quietly away if the party didn't seem more interesting than grading papers, - or if someone had too much to drink, which wasn't expected with foreigners visiting.

Minerva was standing in the Great Hall inspecting the holiday decor. She turned around looking at the ceiling when a sudden change of color appeared to her right, her eyes snapped down to Dumbledore who was in light grey ropes with small christmas trees with flashing lights enchanted on them, and a red scarf of shooting golden stars.

He gave her his usual cheery smile. "Everything in order Minerva? Any misplaced mistletoe we should know about?"

"No, Albus," she said, "everything is in order. Though I'd say even if Father Christmas himself arrived the Beauxbatons crowd would still find something amiss."

"Ah, I suppose so. Nothing we can do I'm afraid. I've notice when I'm a foul mood even the air can be to my disliking. But I doubt they wouldn't find one thing to enjoy, I believe we have out done ourselves indeed." He said looking up at the darkening sky of the Hall's rafters.

"Oh, by the way Minerva, you haven't by chance have noticed Professor Snape about have you? He's been a bit, absent, as of late."

"No Headmaster I can't say I have, in fact it seems I've hardly spoken with him in a fortnight, though I'm not complaining." She said in her clipped manor.

"Mm, yes well, I'd best be off, I'm afraid I'm terribly late on my gifts this year." And the christmas trees on his robes glinted out of the Hall.

Elsewhere, Severus, was walking up to a winter cabin kind of a house, not too far away from Hogwarts grounds. It was two stories tall and the top half wall facing away from the street was made almost completely of windows that went out onto a huge decked balcony.

The snow was deep and unmarked over the hills around the house, surrounding it in a perfect blanket of white snow. The lights from the large windows gave a yellow hue to the back of the house and the snow around it.

Sitting inside the very warm cabin in a black, button shirt and black shorts sat a woman with golden hair reading a book and twiddling with her hair, she looked a bit younger than she actually was, possibly mid thirties.

Pillows and blankets were strewn across the low mattress she was sitting on that was facing the windows and the cold world outside, the headboard was a low, long bookshelf on top of which a television was set.

This was facing the rest of the room composed of a large living room, and kitchen set on the back wall, and off to the right side was a dinning room.

On the left side of the room a door swung open that lead to the stairs and she tilled her head back upside down over the shelves to see, whom she knew had entered.

"Hello handsome," she said "how's the wife?"

"As a matter of fact," he said taking off his boots. "She says that I've been sneaking out lately... I can hardly imagine what would give her such an idea."

"Hm..." She pretended to think, "I wonder." She said placing the book and notes on the table-like shelves behind her. "Maybe we should more careful, then eh? Can't have anyone spreading bad news around can we?"

Severus sat next to her, she leaned over to him and kissed him on the mouth. He brushed her hair lightly with his fingers, then his slight smile faded and he clicked slightly annoyed.

"Oh of corse, that's what's been bothering you." She said probing herself up on her elbow. His fingers lightly went over arm, tracing little lines.

"Dumbledore knows he's returning," he said. "And now so does Karkaroff, and anyone else who was a Death Eater."

"He's getting stronger, he'll really come back... How convinced is Karkarff?"

"Very much so, I've tried to shake him but he is, persistent." Snape said as he stood to make tea.

"Has Dumbledore said anything to you yet?" She said over the shelves. "About what he plans to do?"

"Not much." He said from the kitchen. "We've planned all we can for now, all that is left is the tantalizing wait for action. He does, of course, know the Potter boy didn't get chosen for the Tri-Wizard tournament by luck, though just how this is, is beyond us. Personally I'd have done it just to see the boy sweat a little myself, an arm can be fixed easily enough."

"Now Severus, you aren't admitting to it are you?" She said sweetly, walking to the table where she moved a few dishes.

"No. Though I'm not quite hunting down the culprit either." He said pouring the tea into two cups.

He would never bring himself to admit it, but the fact that she knew so much about Voldemort before he'd known her; about how terrible and evil he was, and knew all too well the grave dangers of getting involved in any part of that crowd, made her all the more easier to talk to. He had been a double agent, and if all was as feared, he would end up being dragged into it again.

Severus never talked about how he felt, and never went into detail when discussing You-Know-Who, but when spending time with her, he wasn't afraid... He could actually speak! He didn't have to hide, though he always did, he had that freedom in her compony. Even if he never used it.

She had been in that world, fighting for their side through sideways angles and tricky trapping, meeting those on Voldemort's side under pretense of being with them, and then ambushing them. One of the more capable and cleverer witches on the Aruor team.

He set the tea on the table and they sat down.

The muggle radio on the small kitchen table was playing quietly, a country kind of song, something he realized he would never hear unless it was here, in her home.

"Shanna?" He said.

"Yes."

"How did we get here?"

She was silent for a minute, holding her cup of hot tea and thinking. So was he. How had they ended up there? Snape was mean... people don't like mean people... how was she being around him actually liking him? And why did he not mind it? Well he was not in love that was for sure, he felt very little toward her... He didn't mind her around, that was different. That sounded right.

"Well..." Shanna said. "We met around fifteen years ago now, then most everyone spread apart after his disappearance... We've only really known each other for these past, five years now? And just over this last summer did we start our little... fascination.

"I think we both needed someone who didn't look into all the details of a 'relationship'." Shanna said. "Someone to be with yet not be worried with a lot of feelings; someone able to understand all we've seen..."

They were both quite for a long minute. A different tune came on the radio.

'Not a lot of feelings', she'd said. It was like that, he couldn't deny it, but not right now. He felt the soft pinning to hold her closely again, and almost wanted to wake up warm and comfortable, and seeing the sun; and not wake in the dark stone rooms with only the things in jars to great him each day.

At first he had hated to stay in her house. It felt unnatural, like something he had to do instead of wanted to: the windows made him feel like he was on a show case for people to see, when he usually felt comfortable that all his secrets were safe in the dungeons. He also didn't want her to look too closely into the fact; wanting to keep her away, or at least at arms length. She'd taken it all in stride though, and Severus couldn't think of many more things she might have done to make it feel more casual.

He had started to care a bit more for himself since the beginning of the fall season as well. Finding himself not wanting to smell like a hundred different potions everyday and keeping his hair clean(er), these and other small things.

"I would say you're right..." Severus said. "A simple fascination is what fits."

"I'd say so," Shanna said as she leaned her head by his shoulder. He gently raised her chin up and kissed her softly.

"Severus," Shanna said in between kisses, moving around his awkward nose and running her hand lightly through his hair, which she actually quite liked when washed.

"Yes?" He said.

Shanna smiled and after a few moments in the midst of the affection, said, "you know I've quiet forgotten now."

Severus rest his head on her forehead and smiled, "I've noticed."

By the time they had finished their tea Shanna was snuggled up on Snape's left side, her mostly bare leg rest across him for comforts sake, watching the snow fall as they stretched on her mattress under the thick warm blankets. Snape had opted to leave his robes and cape and lay comfortably with his trousers and white shirt, looking the most relaxed he had ever been in her home.

"You know," Shanna said almost tiredly, it was very dark now and the house was so warm and comfortable it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay awake. "I've remembered what I was going to say, I was going to talk to you about the Yule ball."

"Oh?"

"I was going to ask when I should meet you." This was her sarcasm, surely.

He chuckled, "Right,"

"No really, I want to see it, and you shouldn't be alone there either, who knows who might just snatch you away for a dance."

"You haven't a reason to worry."

"Even so I wish to be there."

"I would not deem that a wise choice," Severus chided. "If we wish to keep this a secret it would be the perfect way to ruin what we've agreed on. And I don't need silly students giggling behind my back like all the twittering girls make a habit of doing."

"I'll meet you later," she said as though it was a very simple matter. "By the edges of the room when the attention is elsewhere, or when its quieter and everyone's leaving... It wouldn't be that hard."

"And if someone saw you? Or us? Then what?"

"I am a friend of the giantess and I wanted to come and see how our foreign friends could through a party."

He chuckled. "I don't think I shall attend willingly, two hundred teenagers trying to hold themselves together-" he laughed.

Shanna smiled, "hum, and all of the dumb things they try and do to show off for their date. Most of them I think hardly know what they're getting into... Granted if any should make it far enough."

"Age makes a great difference," Snape said settling down facing her, "one is not afraid of those things," his hand slipped around her back holding her close, "and with experience-" he lightly clawing her shoulder, which she loved. "It all becomes a bit like a game." He purred with a smile.

Shanna was smiling, but loved to act as though he went unnoticed, holding her arms between them, hands resting on his chest.

"... I want to dance with you though." She said tracing an invisible circle on his shirt.

"Shanna..." Severus said, a hint of warning off a bad idea in his voice.

"I just think it would be very turning for me to see you dancing is all." She explained.

He grinned slightly. "Why? Why bother when I can turn you just fine right here?" He said rolling her over on her back as she giggled.

"Severus, don't joke." She smiled.

"Do you know me to joke?" He said looking up with his eyebrow raised.

She chuckled.

"Im'mot jokin'," came his muffled voice from under the covers as he playfully slid down kissing her shirt. He tickled her on her sides, were he knew was ticklish and Shanna jerked away, "ST-ha-op that!"

"Hm?"

Severus crawled from the covers, unbuttoning a button on her low shirt and started nosing around her neck. "Were you saying something?"

"... No."

"I thought so."

Suddenly a bright light illuminated the room from the window, a light silvery phenix flew through the glass and an old voice spoke from it.

"Severus, I'm afraid it can't wait and you seem to be out of the castle at the moment, please meet me in my office as soon as possible." And it vanished.

Severus groaned in annoyance, so did Shanna.

"Ugh," growled the professor, "what could he possibly want?" He snapped at nothing.

Shanna said nothing and only sighed.

"Too bad for him," Severus said and kissed Shanna strongly on the mouth. But even though she enjoyed it she knew it wouldn't last.

She pushed him up, "you know you'll go."

"Damn me..." He said.

Reluctantly and slowly the potions master got up and pulled around his ropes and cloak and boots, Shanna pulled the cloak around him tightly as it was well below freezing outside.

"I don't suppose I could come back later could I?" Severus said looking the clock in the kitchen. It read almost ten.

"I don't know, if it's quick then maybe, but who knows, he could keep you till midnight..."

"... And you have papers to plow through too don't you?" He said putting on his boots.

"Some, yes. I don't want to run you around more then you have to,"

Severus sighed loudly as he went down the steps to the workshop and garage area below. "Hiaagh!"

"Disappointed?" The blonde said testing his intentions.

"No, I just despise going back forth in the freezing wet snow, especially when Dumbledore didn't tell me what I was leaving for!" He turned to her in front of the door leading to the outside. "And of course a warm bed with you would be far more enjoyable then whatever I must be dragged to."

She smiled. No matter how they emphasized casualty she as every woman, needed assurance that in the end, she was more than just cosy company. As Severus knew, either from communication or experience, he usually never left without saying something about her work or appearance.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, "sooner than you think!" She said as she ushered him out the door.

"I'm not sure-"

"Bye!"

And the door was closed.

The Great Hall was crowded and to the brim with people, the champions were walking up to take their places as the first to dance while everyone watched. The music played and the four couples started to move, some more gracefully than others, then Dumbledore took McGonagall by the hand and lead her out onto the floor, followed shortly by Karkaroff with a short woman in blue. All this time Severus stood along the ring of teachers and adults observing, hoping that he would not be dragged onto the floor and also hoping that the conversation he had had yesterday was not a serious one.

The dinner came and went and he had had no sign that Shanna had made good on her promise.

The Yule ball was loud and full of screams as The Weird Sisters band rocked out the closing evening fun. Not a teacher was in sight besides professor Flitwick whom had gotten mixed up in all of the screaming crowed as he tried to get his short statured self away from the yelling teenagers.

A few students were off to the side, including the famous Harry Potter and the taller, last son of the Weasle's, Ron. They were sulking and looked to be in such a good mood, as their dates were currently engaged with other people. They quickly made their way out of the Hall.

Outside professor Snape was attempting to dodge Igor Karkaroff as he insisted that the Dark Lord was coming back, though what he wanted Snape to do about it was beyond said professor.

"I don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff persisted anxiously. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it-"

"Then flee," Snape cut across his words. "Flee - I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape approtched a rosebush and blasted it apart, dark shapes a squeals emerged form the bush.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" He snapped as a girl ran from the bush. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" He yelled at the boy who ran after her.

He noticed Harry and Ron on the garden path in front of him, "and what are you two doing?"

"We're walking, not against the law, is it?" The Weasley boy said.

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled as he brushed past them down the path, his black cloak billowing behind him as Karkaroff hurried along behind him in his wake.

Karkaroff went on his own way after much persuasion from Snape, whom had roamed around the back half of the castle, he turned back around to where he'd seen the Potter boy and Weasley.

He heard a rustle of snow and fabric around the corner and turned it sharply coming very close to - not a student - but a woman, and one he knew at that. She wore a beautiful white and blue dress and had a wrap over her shoulders.

Snape let out the breath he'd caught at almost running into her, not returning the smile or enthusiasm she gave him.

"Hi," she said.

"You've gone against what I've said." Snape said, trying to hid her with his back and cloak from the youths that were most likely still lurking around the rose bushes.

"And I said it would be fine."

"There are students-"

"Who have no idea who I am or how you know me, and your reputation of being heartless is safe; I've planned everything perfectly and there shouldn't be a problem." She grinned, acting as through it would be perfectly acceptable to stand and chat.

"Shanna-" he could tell that she was thinking of something that would be a bad idea.

"Come on Severus, let's go you and me." She nodded toward the front of the school.

"I cannot, I have told you already, I insist you leave now." He said firmly putting a hand on her arm.

She was already very close to him as he was currently trying to hide her presents, she spoke lowly, egging interest, "not without you."

He wasn't anywhere near easily wayward but a small vision of a sunrise in a warm bed flashed in a sliver across his mind before he went back to the current situation.

"How did you get in?"

"I walked in."

"You walked in? You can't get in by yourself." Severus said pin pointing his black eyes for an answer.

She explained. "Well, a big friend of ours suddenly remembered that he hadn't had a drink in the Three Broomsticks for a week and decided to have a quick pop down there earlier this evening. I naturally hid myself and snuck in, it was a synch." She grinned, her eyes a mix of many colors form the lights and shadows.

"A memory charm?"

"Something like that." She said, against his chest. Funny he hadn't quite realize she was that close, her hands on his chest .

"You're nearly as bad as Potter, though you'd have to break at least a dozen more school rules to get near his record." Shanna laughed, as Severus finally relaxed a little.

"Well, what have you been doing out here?" She said.

"Stopping unruly teenagers from making mistakes, that's what." He sneered.

She laughed. "Come on, let's dance."

She pulled him away.

They snuck into the castle by the other entrance where there weren't any students and went around the big hall into one of the semi hall-like spaces roped off by pillars. It was still connected to the hall but they had a much smaller chance of being seen.

"I don't dance." The reluctant professor said as he was stopped as his companion turned and smiled at him. "Tonight you do."

She waved her wand and muffled the sounds of the loud party music and somehow reanimated the music that had been playing earlier when the champions had danced first, or something similar. She took his hand and arm and Severus reluctantly followed her, though he thought he knew how he had never really danced with someone save a few small occasions; it started out rather ruff but Shanna easily instructed and they fell into a rhythm.

He did the lifts quite well and Shanna grinned the whole time, smiling wider when he lifted her up and spun her. He even had a slight smile on his lips as they danced, he found he wasn't bad ether, twirling her around the floor swiftly and finding some small enjoyment of watching the glint of white stones on her dress.

Minutes went by and the music stopped leaving the hall full of teenagers dancing and yelling to the Weird Sisters.

"Is that quite enough miss Kelson?" Snape said, pretending to be slightly bored.

She thought for a moment. "I suppose so, I gather that's all I'll wheedle out of you today anyways."

"That insufferable noise is getting unbearable," Snape gripped. He nodded towards back out of the hall, "come on."

The students were all about to head to their houses in groups in mere moments, they had just enough time to get outside. Once they were outside of the castle and saw a couple by the entrance and Shanna knew to scoot around a pillar before Snape closed in on them.

"You two! Break it up!" He yelled at the Durmstrang girl and Beauxbout boy.

"You are not our professor." The girl said angrily.

"Oh? Perhaps I should inform Karkaroff that one of his students is not on the boat as they should be." Severus said.

They gave him spiteful stares and glowered away walking through the courtyard.

Shanna came around beside him, smiling slightly.

"You are quite awful you know, I can't imagine why I don't see this of you more."

"You are no exception," He attempted to glower.

"You'd like to think so." She whispered.

"You sh-"

She kissed him on the mouth just then, wishing him to just shut up already.

"... It's alright Severus."

He didn't say anything. "You know," Shanna said. "I think I was right... It is fairly turning to see you dancing." She grinned.

He huffed a half laugh and then there came the sounds of the student talking behind the doors and they noticed the band had stopped playing.

"You have nearly been seen too many times tonight." Severus said.

"Then let's go where they wont find us," he looked her in the eyes. "And frankly the dungeons," she shook her head. "Not my cup of tea."

Severus glanced around to be sure no one had snuck in behind them. "Your house?"

"Yes."

He thought for a moment, the hall was now loud with voice just barely heard through the think doors. The cold snow was pilled around them and Shanna pulled her wrap around her arms. She felt his fingers gently lift her face up and he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around him hiding in his warm cape. His breath and arms around her warmed her in the cold winter air.

"I'd have to leave and be back before breakfast." He said.

"I can handle that." She smiled.

Shanna looked up at the sky through the top of the windows and at the ceiling. It was dark the early sky dark blue, the sun wouldn't fully rise for two hours still, and not lighten up for another one.

Than why was she awake? Then she felt breathing on her neck, Severus was sleeping next to her, leaning heavily toward her, his head leaned onto her pillow.

She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly. Soft as air she brushed his hair with her left hand, not realizing that her arm was out of the covers and in the cold air.

Carefully she pull her arm under the blankets and the rest of her got cold. Even though she was quiet Severus stirred just in the smallest fraction. She tilted on her side and tried to close her eyes.

Perhaps she had fallen asleep for thirty minutes or so when she felt something on her neck, and soon knew that Severus was awake and nosing her neck. Still sleepy she lay there until Severus gently kissed her along the collar bone and then she smiled.

Finally she turned towards him. "Morning,"

He kissed her forehead. "Sleep well?"

"Um-hm," they laid there for a moment, "do pancakes agree with you?"

He grinned just a bit. That was a yes.