"So, what exactly made you come here to teach?" asked Severus as he returned his attention to Itzel.
"I was working at Salem but I just wanted a change of scenery. I wanted a challenge." She answered. "And what better way to help Minerva bring Hogwarts and hopefully Wizarding Britain into the twentieth century."
"Thank Merlin for that." Whispered Severus. It wasn't low enough for Itzel heard him and giggled. They continued their meal in silence. Wanting something sweet to eat after dinner Itzel looked around the table and happened upon something that looked like apple cobbler and was pleased, upon first bite, to see that was in fact what it was. She placed a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and sat and ate in obviousness. She hadn't noticed Severus sitting there sipping at his tea watching her. She hadn't noticed until she finished the dessert and looked up.
"Oh, I didn't notice you were still there, sorry." Had her skin been lighter a blush would have been evident.
"It's fine. I've just never seen someone enjoy their dessert so much." He commented.
"Do you not like dessert?"
"I do, just not every night." He answered. "I'm getting big enough as it is."
"Really? You look fine to me." She said and Severus sat still looking at her. "I mean you're attractive. I don't particularly find it appealing for a man to be thin." She clarified with a sly smile. She did find him attractive. He was tall, which given her height was a must when looking for a partner. His voice was what chocolate tasted like, as there was no other comparison she could think of. He looked healthy and judging by the size of his arms, even if there was some fat there, he looked to be pretty strong physically and as far as she could tell he was very intelligent. But she waited to see if Severus would respond to her flirting.
"I…umm…thank you…" He said. She was hoping for a little bit more but she could see the faintest touch of a blush as he stood. "Good evening Itzel." He said as he turned from the table and left. Itzel now sat in the great hall frowning.
"So much for that." She whispered to herself as she stood and left. Instead of returning to her rooms she decided to roam the halls on her own. While walking she thought about her past relationships with men and how they had not lasted long because most the men she ended up wanted nothing but sex. She was growing frustrated at not finding someone who wanted her for more than her body and just before leaving Salem she finally gave up and decided to live a life alone. But one last ditch effort, hit on Severus and see what happens. And that had failed. So be it, she thought. She had come to the conclusion she wouldn't find a man worthwhile.
She roamed for what turned out to be two hours. She found herself in what seemed to be the dungeons and as she found her way to the stairwell to take her above ground she ran into Severus.
"What are you doing here?" he asked a little gruffly.
"I was roaming the castle and was occupied with my thoughts and ended up down here." She answered distractedly. "I'm going back up to my rooms now. Good night." She passed Severus and disappeared around the corner. Severus could tell she was preoccupied and left her at it. A light scan of her thoughts told him there were no ulterior motives.
For the next few days Severus would see Itzel and greet her with a nod but the banter they had her first night at Hogwarts was never replicated. He wanted to talk to her but it seemed she didn't want to be bothered so after a while he stopped trying and just greeted her in passing as she did him.
Severus thought all was well until he happened upon Itzel in the courtyard taking a sealed letter from an owl. Severus stayed in the darkest corner quietly watching her. She decided on muggle clothing of red slip ons, black jeans that hugged her curves wonderfully, and light white button up with the sleeves rolled to above her elbows. The top was a little tight and showed off her ample breasts and the shirt was unbuttoned low enough to show off her cleavage and a pendant that sat in it. He belly wasn't flat and, though he clothes fit properly, he could tell she had love handles. Her thighs touched and he was sure that her hourglass shape caused her hips taper at the thighs so she had a perfectly heart shaped backside. How he'd like to have his hands on her. As Severus was thinking about this and watching her, his thoughts were making him aroused and the physical reminder of his maleness was at attention. Thankfully his robes hid it.
But Severus was broken out of his reverie as he watched her face go from calm to angry and she crumpled up the letter and set it on fire. Severus was shocked at the sudden mood change and stepped out of the shadows quietly.
"Is something wrong? I'm sure that was something harmless and didn't need to be burned." He said with a slight smirk. Her eyes flashed to him and Severus stopped short.
"It was my ex asking for me to come back. The nerve." She growled. "Cheats on me, then leaves all the while blaming is inability to keep it in his pants on me for not putting out enough. Then has the nerve to try to ask me back." Severus could feel the anger emanating off her. There were sparks flashing from her hair hands. Severus didn't know what to do and just stood there.
Noticing his non-reaction Itzel huffed and walked past Severus without a word. He wasn't the cause of her anger but she had somehow hoped he'd say something. She walked out of the castle and decided to take a walk around the lake. The ground was wet and muddy from a bought of rain an hour earlier but she didn't care.
Her ex was her reason for departing Salem at the end of the school year. He had cheated on her with one of the other female professors. Itzel and her ex kept their relationship under raps from the students but, of course, the other faculty knew. So for him to cheat on her with a member of the faculty was a stab in the back she would not abide by. So she sent out her resume to other wizarding schools and jumped at the first to answer back. She handed in her resignation and was gone the next day without a word to anyone else.
Itzel finally came to a stop when she found herself in the spot where she started and sat on the grass and looked out over the lake. The walk around the lake had helped her calm down and now she was contemplative. In the letter her ex had mentioned that the witch he slept with had changed her mind and also left Salem to pursue better prospects. Serves him right, she thought to herself with a rueful grin. Just then she heard rustling.
"May I ask what that grin is about?" asked Minerva. Itzel proceeded to fill her in as Minerva configured a boulder into a comfortable seat.
"He dug his own grave." Commented Minerva. "So is that the reason you left Salem?"
"Yes. I couldn't continue in that kind of environment, especially when the other staff knew and didn't bother to inform me. I had to find out by going to his office and finding her spread eagle on his desk and his ass out and pants around his knees." Minerva shook her head.
"Men are such idiots."
"I've come to realize that. At this point I give up." Minerva looked down at her replacement. She had noticed that She and Severus were cold even though they seemed to get on quite well during her first dinner. She wondered if that was a one-time thing or if something happened.
"Has something happened between you and Severus?" Asked Minerva. Itzel looked up at her.
"No, why?"
"You two seemed to get on quite well during your first dinner from what I saw before I left."
"Oh." Responded Itzel. Minerva knew instantly there was more to that oh.
"Ms. Holt, what happened?" she asked authoritatively. Itzel was going to deny again but then realized there was no harm in Minerva knowing.
"I was eating dessert rather heartily and Severus noticed. I asked him if he liked dessert and he answered yes but not every night as he thought he was gaining too much weight. I commented that he looked quite attractive. He didn't say anything after that and left. I was rebuffed so I just left him alone." Minerva nodded in understanding. From doing a background check into Itzel's past she noticed that the young woman had no family and was on her own. She was an only child. Her parents had died before the age of fifteen and thus became a ward of the school. The only ward of the school. There was nothing about relationships in her file but from what Itzel had told her a few minutes before her relationships did not last long.
"Severus is a very prideful being so he doesn't take kindly to compliments all the time." Itzel nodded in understanding. She looked up to the sky then stood.
"It looks like it's going to rain again. Maybe we should go back inside." Minerva took that as Itzel not wanting to talk anymore and watched the young woman walk back into the castle.
"How much of that did you hear Severus?" Asked Minerva. After being his professor and colleague Minerva could always feel his magic.
"All of it." He answered as he stepped out from behind a tree. Minerva stood and fixed her robes before glaring at him. "You should be mindful of others privacy Severus. We're no longer in wartime so there is no reason to spy on anyone." She admonished him. "But now that you know, what do you plan on doing?" she asked. Severus looked away towards the castle and without answering bid Minerva "good day" and left. Minerva shook her head. This man was an idiot and couldn't see a good thing coming to him unless it was fully splayed out for him to inspect.