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A.M
I woke to the sound of my alarm going. I turned to the clock and groaned as I saw the numbers 7.00 illuminated. I hit the clock and the annoying ringing stopped. Only to be replaced by an annoying scratching at the window, I groaned and sat up in bed. I looked at the window and saw a beautiful tawny owl standing on the windowsill. I opened the window, (I don't close my curtains at night), and the owl hopped onto my outstretched arm. Talons dug into my arm but didn't break the skin, it was a habit to let birds do this now after spending so much time in Africa. Except in Africa it was eagles and not owls. I took the message from his foot and he flew off to sit on my wardrobe.
Miss Marcellus,
I apologise that I am unable to accompany you to Hogsmeade
today as something has come up. However, if you are willing to
walk to Hogsmeade unaccompanied I can meet you there. We
can meet in the Hog's Head at 11 if you wish.
I will explain all later if you find this new arrangement agreeable.
Please use my owl, Hephaestus, to send me word if you would
like to meet me.
Yours,
S.S
"Hephaestus?" I mused "You don't look like a cripple..." He hooted softly as I walked to my desk and took out a blank piece of parchment and wrote.
S.S
I appreciate you owling me to tell me you can't acompany me. I
will indeed meet you in the Hog's Head at 11.
You owe me,
Yours,
Amorita.
I decided that, seeing as I had four hours to kill, I would take a shower and sort out the rest of my quarters. A friend of my father had given me some charms to use on my fireplace to limit who could floo into my rooms. I decided to set up a floo between my quarters and my classroom, definately too far to walk. I also set up a floo between the headmistress's office and my quarters, and lastly between Severus classroom and quarters to my room. I transifgured the covers on my bed from red and gold to black silk with silver trimmings. I changed the colour of my walls from red and gold to a deep purple with a silver border. "Fucksake how Gryffindor was this room? There's even a lion on the toilet seat!" I muttered and changed a few other things in my quarters. I looked up at the clock and saw that it was ten thirty. "Shit!" I hissed and pulled on my boots and robes and ran out the door. I ran the whole way to Hogsmeade and stopped round the corner from the Hog's Head. I caught my breath and looked at myself in a window, my cheeks were flushed. I sighed and shrugged, nothing I could do. I made my way calmly into the pub and saw Severus sitting in a corner with two glasses in front of him. I made my way over and he thrust one of the glasses into my hand. "Here, you need a drink after that long run!" I looked at him, shocked. Then I started laughing and shook my head. He smiled thinly and sipped his drink. I took a large gulp and snorted, "Firewhiskey? At eleven o'clock in the morning?!" He grinned and I shook my head again. "Git" He started laughing, bu stopped abruptly as the pub door opened. I raised and eyebrow at him and he explained "It's not often that students come in here but I must be cautious." I giggled and took another sip of firewhiskey. "So, professor, where are we going today?" I asked, smiling at him. He raised an eyebrow at being called professor before answering "Well, I thought we'd go to Dervish and Banges for some equipment you may need and then I'll show you some specialist shops on the outskirts if that's ok. Then perhaps..." He faltered and looked nervous "Perhaps we could have a late lunch or an early dinner?" I smiled at him and said "That would be nice" He smiled and stood up, offering me his arm. I took it until we got to the door and I pulled away, he looked slightly hurt until I said "Students, sir, students" and winked at him.
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S.S
"Well, I thought we'd go to Dervish and Banges for some equipment you may need and then I'll show you some specialist shops on the outskirts if that's ok. Then perhaps...Perhaps we could have a late lunch or an early dinner?" I held my breath, waiting for her answer. She smiled and accepted and I tried not to smile too wide. I thought she'd changed her mind as she withdrew her hand from the crook of my arm. "Students, sir, students" She murmured and walked out of the pub ahead of me. We walked side by side towards Dervish and Banges, silently but not uncomfortably so. After she bought a few things that were needed we headed to the outskirts, she slipped her hand back into the crook of my arm when we were suitably far away from the center of town, I smiled and glanced at her, to see her smiling too. She was delighted with the shops I showed her and even more delighted when I told her I could get her discount. We left the shops and were walking back towards the center of town when she slowed. "What?" I asked, she nodded towards a small cafe. "Let's go and have a late lunch early dinner" she said, I looked at the building and frowned. "Oh, come on, don't be a snob!" She laughed and pulled me along. We got a table together, close to the back of the shop. We ordered our food and sat across from each other, talking and laughing still about things that we didn't get to discuss the night before. When Amorita excused herself to go to the bathroom I asked for our teapot to be refilled, not wanting to leave just yet. She came back and sat back down and started chatting to me again. "I remember, on one ghastly day, when you didn't show up for potions... I came to find you and found you brewing..."
"Felix Felicis" She finished for me. I smiled, remembering but then said "No, Polyjuice potion in your 5th year." She frowned "You've never forgiven me for "STEALING" those ingredient have you?" I shook my head and smiled slightly "No, I was asking if you remember for I need to apologise. I have discovered since then that a certain Miss Granger stole the ingredients to make the potion in her second year... The same year you brewed it." She glared at me and said "You didn't talk to me for weeks, wouldn't believe me that my father sent me the ingredients." I groaned "I know, and I apologise. Forgive me?" I saw her smile before she said "Of course, anything for you Sev" I looked at her strangely and she looked apologetic. "Sorry, I have a habit of shortening everyone's names..." I smiled and nodded before turning my head sharply, an otter patronus had bounded through the door. Hermione Granger's voice called "Professor Snape, please come quickly!"
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A.M
I felt disappointment wash over me as I heard a girls voice ask for Severus. I smiled and tried to hide it. "I don't know how long this will take..." She smiled sadly "Go. I'll meet you in Hogwarts later on." He stood and kissed my knuckle. "Go into my rooms, I haven't yet lifted the charm you placed on my door." I smiled and nodded as he hastened out of the cafe. I finished my cup of tea in silence and paid the bill. I stood and carried my belongings back to the castle. I took them to my rooms, freshened up after my run to Hogsmeade earlier and then made my way down to Severus' quarters. I entered without a problem and set about cleaning out his fire and relighting it, conjuring coal and logs from my room. I preferred to light fires in the muggle way because it reminded me of my childhood, before it was legal for me to use magic and HAD to light it by hand. After last night, however, I went to his bathroom when I'd lit it. I was so embarassed to get back to my room and notice I had a black smudge on my cheek. I grinned at myself in the mirror and washed my hands before returning to the sitting room. I sat for a while on the couch, just staring into the fire. I got bored after about ten minutes and got up to look at the numerous bookshelves lining his walls. I noticed some old textbooks and took one down. A transfiguration text book with a battered spine. I smiled and opened it to the first page. This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince. were the first words that greeted me. I smirked and shook my head. I couldn't believe he'd kept some confiscated textbooks...Unless... I pulled the other books off the shelf and saw the same phrase in each of the books. Lastly I noticed an old potions text book. Oh God, how could I be so stupid? I took a parchment from his desk and compared the writing. I smiled despite myself and shook my head at my inability to recognise my teacher's handwriting when I was using the book in his lessons! I snorted and put the books back, being careful to put them back in the same order. I picked up a novel, one of the few in his collection and read the back. To say I was shocked was an understatement...
Trent just needs an escort for one night, to convince his mother that her attempts to marry him off to an heiress of her choice won't work.
Finding Chynna in his office offers him the perfect opportunity.
Imagine their surprise when they find it easy to pretend to be in love — so easy that it's difficult to stop when the night is over...
I giggled as I started reading. Who would have thought it, Severus Snape liked to read Mills & Boon! I was a fast reader so I got threw most of the book before he came back. I was reading the last few sentences when I heard the door open. "Ah, Amorita. You're here. Good. I... What are you reading?" I grinned at him and read out loud...
"You realize what this means, don't you? My mother believes in you. She believes in us." He dropped a soft kiss on her lips.
"How about it, Chynna?" he said softly. "Do you believe in us?"
She looked at the sparkling light on her finger, then looked into his sparkling eyes.
"Oh, yes," she breathed, sinking into his embrace. "I believe."
"I didn't think you were such a hopeless romantic!" I started laughing at his reaction as he spluttered "I... You... That is not mine... It was confiscated!" I laughed even harder before I said "Yet you kept it..." He glared at me and snatched the book from my hands. "But Severus... I haven't finished it yet" His glare intensified and only made me giggle "At least read me the last line!" I said and smiled at him sweetly. He shook his head and tersely handed me the book. "No, I'm not handling confiscated goods Sir. You'll have to read it to me." I actually thought he was about to read it to me when he threw the book into the fire. I gasped and watched as the cover of the book burnt and melted, the dashing young man on the cover bubbling into a hideous beast. "That was a waste of good paper! I don't care, I've read the last line anyway."
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S.S
I've never felt so embarassed in my life. To see her sitting there with a book that was confiscated from none other than a Miss Ginevra Weasley. "Well, if you had already read the last line why did you torture me in such a way?" She only grinned in response. I shook my head and sat down on the couch. "It was a certain Miss Weasley who I confiscated it from" I expected her to be shocked but she simply laughed. "Yes, she was rather... exciteable when I was in school." I snorted and sat down next to her. "Out of all the books on my shelves you chose to read that tat?" She looked at me with a strange expression before she said "No, that's not all I read, Half-Blood Prince" I was looking at the fire and when I heard that my head snapped up and I stared at her. "You... You read... You know?" She nodded, "I should have known... I should have seen the similarities in your writing as an adult and your writing as a teenager." I was expecting her to be angry, to yell at me for inventing such dark spells. Instead she was smiling. "You're amazing." She said simply. She tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "I had your text book, tried out the spells... And before you say anything, no, I didn't take your tips for potion making. I did my own thing." I smirked at her and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't! Honestly!" I tried not to laugh and attempted a whimsical expression as I said "Methinks the lady doth protest too much..." She looked shocked and outraged, however decided not to protest anymore. She merely folded her arms across her chest and turned her back to me. However she misjudged the extent of her movement and instead of leaning against the couch she spun and landed in my lap. I smirked and said "Well, well... I see that dratted book has influenced you into romanticising anger." She smiled despite herself and reached up to stroke my cheek. "Oh no... it wasn't the book..." She turned to get more comfortable on her back and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to me. In a scrawl that I didn't recognise I saw written "The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk. Good hard shag!" The words 'Long walk' had been scratched out and replaced with the words 'good hard shag' by different handwriting. "My mother wrote it too me when I was angry at my father's friend. My brother took it off me and modified it. Me being a virgin at the time blushed from the tips of my toes to the top of my head." I laughed so hard my body shook, shaking hers with it. "It wasn't funny! They wanted to know why I was blushing. My brother said out of embarassment for being angry at one of my fathers wonderful friends. That just made it worse. Then they knew I was angry and I had a full inquisition as to why I was angry." My laughing calmed to gentle chuckling and I carefully tucked some hair behind her ear. She smiled and caught my fingers as I pulled them away, she held my hand in front of her, above her chest as she stroked my calloused fingers. She smiled as I moved my hand to lace my fingers with hers.
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A.M
I could feel my heart trying to break out of my chest as his fingers interlaced with mine. I smiled up at him and sighed happily. It can't have been my imagination that he started leaning down towards me. However, I suppose I'll have to ask him. Because just as he was leaning down, imaginary or otherwise, a flash of sparks erupted from the fireplace and settled on the hearth. They read 'Come Quickly, Severus, Entrance Hall!' I sat up in shock which gave him the chance to jump up and run for the door. I went to follow but he hissed "Stay where you are!" I dropped back onto the couch as though I was imperiused. I sat there staring once again into the fire and felt myself getting angry. Well, seeing as I didn't have anyone around for a 'good hard shag' I'd have to settle for a walk. Although it was late in the year it was not yet getting dark in the evenings. I took this time to take a walk in the grounds. I left Severus a note.
S.S
I have decided that after three interuptions today I would like to take a walk
and return to my rooms.
Yours,
Amorita.
I left the note on his coffee table and left. Being careful to put his wards back on the room. I made my way out of the castle and strolled through the grounds. I had charmed my muggle mp3 player so that it would work in Hogwarts and not have to be charged. I tucked it into a pocket in my robes and put it to play on random. I got to the lake shore and sat between the roots of an old oak tree and listened to some slow, melodious music. So it was that I must have fallen asleep, because when I opened my eyes it was like I hadn't opened them at all. I looked up and noticed faint white dots above me. "Oh God..." I moaned and checked my watch 2.27 a.m. I stood up and groaned, stretching and wincing as the vertebra in my back moved against each other and cracked. I shook out the cold and weariness in my limbs before racing back up to castle.
Miss Marcellus,
Please accept my apologies. It was not my intention, as I'm
sure you know, to interupt our time together.
Please, allow me to make it up to you.
Yours,
S.S
Miss Marcellus,
I do expect that when I write to you I get an answer.
Yours,
S.S
Miss Marcellus,
Is everything alright?
S.S
I groaned and went into my quarters from the vestivule only to be manhandled by a rather tall man dressed all in black. As soon as his hands were on me I fought back, old instincts still only just beneath the skin. I pulled my wand and pressed it up to his throat as I forced him against the wall. "Oh... Oh, My God... I'm so sorry!" I released him and fell back, arms to the sides and head down. I was breathing heavy and tears prickled my eyes. I almost did serious damage. I could have killed him!
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S.S
I was frantic looking for her, she had left a note that she had gone for a walk but no one had seen her. It was easy to break past her wards as she had only just set them the day before, they were only temporary until she had the time to set more impermeable spells. My heart was pounding in my chest like the sound of Hagrid lumbering back to his hut after a night in Hogsmeade. I jumped up and attempted to take her into my arms in relief. Things didn't go as planned. I was punched, jolted, elbowed and finally pushed up to the wall with the wand of an incredible capable witch. To say I was worried would not suffice. Fortunately, she looked into my eyes, recognised who I was. My adrenaline was pumping when I stepped forward. I heard her mumbling apologies but didn't take into account what she was saying. I stooped and lifted her head, kissing her without abandon. She kissed me back, she actually kissed me back! I lifted my hands to her neck and started to thread my fingers through her hair when I felt a wetness against my cheeks. Oh God, She's crying! She's terrified! I stopped kissing her and moved away, holding her face in my hands. "I'm... I'm sorry" I said and fled the room. I heard her sob as I left and was furious with myself. I strode down to my quarters and slammed the door behind me. I paced in front of the hearth, looking for something to throw, to break in my anger. I picked up a glass that was on a side table and hurled it at the wall. It shattered and the shards spread all over the floor. I didn't care. I picked up an empty potions bottle and threw it, eventually I had no more bottles for the start of term classes but that didn't matter. I had built up a sweat and was breathing heavily when I collapsed on my bed. I know you shouldn't go to sleep angry but I couldn't help it. My eyes wouldn't stay open.
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A.M
I was tired. I was distraught. I was angry that he would just leave. I was crying and he just left! Eventually my anger dissipated, I reasoned that Severus Snape was never one to comfort people. I went into my bathroom and washed my face with cool water. Hoping that my eyes wouldn't be puffy tomorrow. I sighed at myself in the mirror and walked through to my bedroom, I threw myself onto my bed and groaned. It was 2.48 so I didn't plan on getting up until at least midday. I pulled off my boots and trousers and unbuttoned my shirt before falling asleep in just my underwear. That night my dreams were plagued with things that happened in Africa. Duels with death eaters, battles against evil creatures who were being seduced by Voldermort. I awoke in a sweat at 6.15 and groaned. I sat up in bed, knowing I wouldn't be getting sleeping again that morning. I sat up and threw the covers off me. I went to the window and threw it open, feeling the cold air hit me like a slap in the face. I took a deep breath and leant on the windowsill. I sighed and moved away from the window to get dressed and grab a book. I love the cold weather, it makes everything feel so crisp and fresh. Waks everything up, especially me. So after around three hours sleep being in the cold, fresh air was invigorating. I levitated a chair from my living room to the low window in my bedroom and sat down with my legs crossed and began to read. The Odyssey. A classic. I read by the dim light of the morning as well as with the help of my wand, eventually I extinguished my wand and just read by the light from the window. I glanced up after a while and noticed Severus standing by the lake. I frowned and stood, I turned to the door and shook my head. My window was high but long, so it was only about 4 foot from the floor. I stood and put my boots on before clambering, less than ladylike, out of the window and walked over to the lake. I walked to his side and put my hand on the small of his back. He stared at me before silently moving away. "I don't think that's very appropriate..." Suddenly all of the anger I felt the night before came back and I said "Oh yeah, and last night was incredibly appropriate!" He looked at me and I suddenly felt naked, like he was staring into me. "I was going to say I don't think that's very appropriate behaviour for outside, where students could see us. But if that's how you feel then I'll leave you alone. Perhaps you'll find that appropriate behaviour." I felt my cheeks go pink at what he said but I refused to feel embarassed. "That's not how I feel, as you well know." I said and walked away, back over to my window, I sat on the windowsill and swung my legs around. I sat back on my chair and picked up my book. I glanced up to see Severus coming over. I carried on reading, pretending I hadn't noticed. "What, um, what are you reading?" I looked up to see him leaning on my windowsill. I smiled slightly and said "The Oyssey" He smiled and nodded, sitting on the windowsill and swinging his legs around so he'd be in the room. I tried not to laugh at the awkwardness of his long legs crossing the threshold. He looked around him and muttered an apology. "I, um, didn't realise this was your bedroom" I laughed and held my hand out to him. He took it and i pulled myself up from the chair. I pushed him down on it and sat on the windowledge. "If anyone looks all they'll see is me in my room, rather than you" He smiled and laid my book on the floor. "I thik I'd prefer this another way though..." He flicked his wand towards me and I felt a barrier behind me. I turned to look but there was nothing different. I felt Severus' hands on my hips as he pulled me backwards to sit on his lap. I never thought I could feel so happy at sitting on someones lap. I turned so my back was against the arm of the chair and my side towards Severus. I hooked my finger under his chin and tilted his face up, I dipped my head and kissed him lightly, looking into his eyes as I did. I pulled away slightly and smiled at his surprised face. "I thought...I didn't think you wanted to kiss me." I smiled and said "Well, Professor, I happen to have wanted to kiss you since my 5th year!" He gaped at me and I laughed "I like this... I like being able to make you speechless and stutter." He scowled at me but he didn't have time to be angry because I was kissing him.
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