A/N: Sorry for the delay in the update. Having health issues and other such shit. Won't bore you with details, but things are getting back to normal. I'm also working on a new story I plan on posting soon, so stay tuned for that!
Chapter 6
Tabitha returned to Hogwarts with little fanfare. A good portion of her wanted to march to Professor Snape's office and ask him just what in the hell he had been thinking. But it was just easier to avoid him. She wasn't the confrontational sort but she had to resist the urge to strangle Dixon every time she caught a glimpse of her.
Of course Tabitha realized that she'd all but told Snape he could. And she was well aware of the fact that Dixon had been extremely drunk that night and there was a distinct possibility that she'd forced herself on him but from where Tabitha stood, it didn't look that way. His hands had been wrapped in her hair and their embrace lasted a lot longer than Tabitha thought it ought to if he truly hadn't wanted it. In fact, he seemed to be working her over quite well.
When classes started back, avoiding him was well...unavoidable. She knew he'd be angry and confused but she didn't rightly care. He was even more testy than usual her first potions lesson of the term but Tabitha gave him no reason to take it out on her. She'd turned in the blood replenishing potion they'd brewed and went to exit the classroom. Of course, she was well aware that he would call her back and wasn't disappointed.
"A word, Wexler," he growled just as she'd almost made it to the door. Tabitha stopped and grimaced. She'd almost made it out. Almost.
Of course he waited til the last student was gone before he acknowledged her presence.
"Is there a problem?" Tabitha asked. She couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her tone. He didn't find it amusing in the least. His nostrils flared slightly.
"You've been avoiding me," he told her. "Why?"
"You have to ask?"
"If I didn't have to, I wouldn't be, now would I?"
Tabitha took a deep breath and shut her eyes. This wasn't going to be easy but surely he had to have some idea.
"I saw you and Dixon after midnight on New Years."
"And what did you see?"
"The two of you. Snogging." Tabitha paused for a second. "You didn't think I wouldn't see you?"
"I was trying to forget about it," he said with a scowl.
"You seemed to be enjoying yourself."
"She caught me under fucking mistletoe," he growled. "After about four glasses of champagne. I was drunk."
"Is that supposed to be an excuse?"
"You were the one telling me I should give her the chance!"
"I meant hearing her out, not shoving your tongue down her throat!" Tabitha's shrill voice rang throughout the empty classroom. She hardly ever saw fit to lose her temper but she was having a hard time controlling it.
"It was a mistake! Nothing more, nothing less! And believe me, I am more than paying for it!" Snape kicked the side of his desk.
"And how are you paying for it, exactly?" Tabitha waspishly asked.
"She won't leave me alone now. Insists on sitting with me at meals, she's catching me between classes, doing her damndest to catch me alone in the staff room and she's decidedly more physical with her affections," he said, scowling deeper than ever.
"Want me to kill her?" Tabitha asked, half jokingly, half serious.
"Be my guest," he said with a snort. But his expression softened and suddenly he wouldn't look at her. Instead he stared straight ahead at the back wall."But even more so still, she's driven a wedge between you and me."
Tabitha was finding it increasingly more difficult to remain angry with him. Was what he had done unforgivable given the odd nature of their relationship? Tabitha realized that it wasn't the worst thing he could've done that night.
"You have to tell her outright that she needs to stop. Ignoring her advances isn't going to do shit except make her try harder," Tabitha told him, having resigned to the fact that she was no longer all that angry with him anymore. "She thinks she's in love and she's desperate. Tell her you have a girlfriend if you have to."
"How do I explain the kiss then?"
"Tell her it was a misjudgment on your part," Tabitha said, shrugging.
"But that's exactly what it was."
"I know, there's this interesting thing called telling the truth," Tabitha said, rolling her eyes.
"You think if I tell her that, she'll leave me alone?"
"Couldn't hurt to try. I'm willing to wager she'd back off. Sure, it'll wound her but she'll get over it," Tabitha explained. "But I have to wonder why you haven't told her fuck off. You have no issue getting ratty with your students. Why should she be any different?"
"She's a colleague," he said. "Not that I care about her feelings. But I didn't want to make things awkward."
"And they aren't already?"
"Fair point," he said. "If I tell her all of that, would you forgive me and quit avoiding me?"
"Never said I wouldn't forgive you. I'm not sure there's anything to forgive, really. It's not like you're bound to me," Tabitha reasoned.
"So why did you react the way you did?"
"I don't know."
"I think I do," he said, his voice going quiet. "You can't stand the thought of me being with anyone else because you've grown attached."
Tabitha couldn't think of a response. Was he right? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was the thought that she could be so easily replaced that bothered her the most. But she wasn't about to tell him that. Her insecurities were her own.
"I'm admitting nothing," she said flatly. "If that's what you choose to believe, by all means."
"Come by my office later," he said. "Bring your homework. I'll help you."
Tabitha wanted to tell him no, that she would be fine on her own, that she didn't need his help. And it was true, she didn't exactly. But she wanted his help. She wanted him. That scared her more than anything.
—
If there was one thing Tabitha was sick of, it was being called on after class to stay behind. Usually it was Snape but a few days after their little chat about Dixon, Dixon herself called on Tabitha to stay after class, saying she needed a word with her. Tabitha was more than a bit reluctant as Dixon was the absolute last person she wanted to be alone with and couldn't possibly fathom what Dixon wanted with her. Tabitha was excelling in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Glad to see you back at school, Miss Wexler," Dixon told her with a smile. She was standing, leaning on her desk casually in a pose that suggested that she was trying to project an air of carelessness, which made Tabitha all the more nervous. "I rather felt sorry for you, seeing you at work."
"Thanks, but I don't need sympathy," Tabitha said, feeling quite irritable. "I've been on my own for ages now."
"So Professor Snape was telling me the other day," Dixon said. Tabitha didn't react, wondering if Dixon had somehow found out about what was going on between herself and Snape. She would admit nothing, she wasn't stupid but that didn't make her feel any less nervous. "Speaking of which. I know this isn't exactly appropriate…but…" Dixon paused for a moment and bit her lip. "You know, I care a great deal about Severus."
"I gathered that," Tabitha said, trying to keep the dryness out of her voice.
"Right. I wasn't exactly tactful on New Year's Eve," Dixon said. "Had a bit much to drink. Sorry you had to witness that, by the way."
Tabitha merely shrugged at her and said, "You're not the first drunk person I've seen in my life."
"I also know he's taken a bit of a special interest in you." Tabitha froze for a moment, her mind a whirlwind of panic. "Of course, I think most of us have. We all want you to succeed, despite your upbringing. But I was wondering if during that extra time you spend with him if Severus mentions me at all."
Tabitha had to keep herself from breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Of course Dixon didn't suspect; Tabitha shouldn't have even been on Snape's radar as she was a student and should've been off limits.
"Not really, no," Tabitha replied. Dixon's face fell, looking noticeably stricken. Tabitha almost felt bad for her but couldn't bring herself to fully sympathize. What was the use of pestering a man if that man showed absolutely zero interest in you? It was rather pathetic but Tabitha wasn't about to tell her teacher that. "Not more than to report to me what you've said about my marks and my progress in class."
"Well, of course." Dixon gave her a thin lipped smile. "You're doing wonderfully and I'm happy to report it to him."
"I'm certainly glad of that."
"And...again, this is probably not appropriate, but do you think he's seeing someone? He's told me he is but yet I see a sign of it at all."
"Couldn't tell you, Professor," said Tabitha. "I don't delve into his personal life. It's not my business to do so. Strictly professional, yeah?"
"Of course," Dixon said, straightening up. "I just figured it would be more apparent if he were."
"I'd take him at his word. If he says he is, he probably is."
"So why did he snog me?" Dixon replied, looking irritable. She then had the good graces to look positively horrified. "Oh goodness, you didn't want to hear that."
"It's fine," Tabitha replied quietly. "I saw the two of you. So I already knew."
"Right." Dixon's face had flushed a shade of pink. "We were both rather drunk."
"It happens," Tabitha shrugged lamely. "I don't pretend to know or care. That's strictly between you two. I honestly don't know what to tell you, Professor."
"How does it feel to have a man who treats you so well?"
Tabitha had almost forgotten about her phantom boyfriend who sent her beautiful jewelry and was caught off guard for a second, thinking Dixon was talking of Snape. In reality, Snape didn't treat her that well either, but he still gave her more attention than he gave Dixon and it plainly bothered the beautiful witch that someone as young as Tabitha had apparently found someone who did treat her nice.
"It's not all sunshine and roses, honestly. It's a long distance relationship and we have to work hard to maintain it. I never know for sure what Phillip is up to, he could be seeing other girls behind my back. I'd never know."
Dixon nodded, looking more relieved than Tabitha felt she had a right to.
"I'm sure he's faithful," Dixon said, her voice gone suddenly chipper. "Sorry to bother you with my woes, darling. You're a model student and it's been a joy to teach you."
Tabitha smiled at her though she didn't really feel the warmth she was trying to portray, but said nothing as she took her leave, vowing to keep the conversation she just had to herself.
Review Prompt: Tell me about your pets! I can't have any but if I had one, I'd want an opossum. They are just the bee's knees.
