Alice's head whipped towards her husband, hair slapping her skin. Out of all the things that could have happened today, Severus had to find out her only secret. Sighing, Alice nodded slowly.
"Why did you never tell me?" he asked.
"Severus, I'm not talking about this while standing in a towel," Alice told him firmly. She knew he was about to unleash a torent of questions, ones that she really did not have any desire to answer, but now he knew. Severus realized almost the entire situation, and why she would want to get dressed first. "I'll be in the living room," he muttered.
Alice ran her hands over her face as he left. Why today? Why not when this could actually be useful? Probably because something thought this was a good time to let out secrets that could have waited if they got their thoughts together.
Shaking her head, she went and changed into pajamas, using a drying spell on her hair in the process. She really had no desire to tell Severus that her family could speak to snakes, or tell her family that her husband knew their secret. Then again, the latter was less threatening since some of the married in members knew of it as well.
Pulling her shirt down, Alice walked into the living room, deciding that it was a now or never thing. Sitting on the opposite side of the couch, she saw that Severus was patiently waiting for an explanation. That was exactly what she did, while he sat quietly and listened. When she was finished, Severus processed the information for a minute.
"Well, this explains why you ran out of the Dueling Club," Severus sighed, "but what are we going to do about this?"
"Do about this?" Alice asked, "There is nothing to do about this, except tell no one else. I told Potter and his friends earlier, but that is it.,"
"You told Potter?"
"Why not? He speaks it too. I'm more concerned about Albus finding out, this is one thing he doesn't need to know,"
"Why not?"
"Too many people know already, Severus. And right now is not the best time for anyone to know, considering what's been happening to the school. Somebody will have the Ministry all over the school and I'll be a prime suspect. This stays secret,"
"What about when the Dark Lord returns?"
"What about him? He isn't going to find out either, not unless it necessary. I don't plan on being a Death Eater unless it's the only choice,"
Severus said nothing, his thoughts turning towards the Dark Lord, and what might happen. Alice could take care of herself, but he was unpredictable. When he came back, everything would be in danger. There was no telling what he would do.
All too soon, the holidays came and passed, along with both Severus and Alice's birthday. Soon enough, it was Valentine's Day. A day that became worse than it already was, thanks to Lockhart.
A color Alice had never been fond of, she never wore and did not ever use. So, when she walked into the Great Hall, to find it covered in pink, she had to cover a scream. She hated pink, and hated the holiday even more. Then she found out who was the cause of this horror. It took everything in her to not repeatedly hex him in front of the entire school.
The Dwarves he organized to deliver valentine's helped nothing. They flew into classrooms, in the middle of class just to deliver, stopped students in the halls which made them late to class. It was all a day of chaos that needed to end. It really didn't help that she got a few Dwarves of her own from Lockhart himself. If there was ever a day she wanted to hex a man, or have Severus do it, it was today. Or slip the man a poison, whichever was easier.
By the end of the day, Alice wanted nothing to do with almost anything. She flopped on the couch, ready to sleep right there, if Severus had not walked in right then. Kicking her shoes off, Alice curled into a ball. "Your present is on the bed," she mumbled, closing her eyes.
"I thought you hated Valentine's day," Severus commented.
"I do, but it doesn't mean I can't give you stuff on it,"
Severus shook his head at her, knowing that if he said anything about it, it would turn into another reason to give him stuff. Alice simply got a few potions ingredients that were a but harder to obtain than most. Of course, Severus occasionally made up excuses to give her things too. Nothing fancy, she didn't want fancy. He knew he could get her a simple book and she could not be happier even if you used a powerful cheering charm on her. Which is why he discreetly left a book on the table with a bow on it.
AN: So, last chapter for 2015 (where I am). And I'm close to being finished with the second book, which means I can move onto Prisoner of Azkaban. I'm excited! The next one will be longer, but for now I shall leave you all with some fluff.