oooh, two chapters in two days...no wonder the house is a mess :)

revieeeeeeeeeeewwww!

CHAPTER 11

Severus returned right on 7am, bringing a cup of coffee with him as he knew Aeryn drank the disgusting stuff in wagonloads, particularly in the mornings. He was hoping to have a quick shower before she awoke.

A short time later, Aeryn woke to the best smell in the world – freshly brewed coffee. Looking over she saw a steaming mug on the floor next to the couch. Couch? she thought, and then felt a warm rush as she remembered where she had spent the last few hours. Too bad it wasn't the whole night. And in his bed, she thought, and then blushed at the thought. Aeryn wasn't 'worldly' when it came to men. She'd had one experience with a Slytherin boy in Seventh year, decided the whole process was disgusting and painful and vowed never to do it again. But her mind strayed to Severus, and what it might be like being with him like that...

Sitting up, she stretched languorously and ran her fingers through her long pale blonde hair in an effort to comb some of the tangles from the wavy mass. A slight twinge in her wrist furrowed her brow in confusion, until she remembered striking Severus last night when he had accosted her. She had never thrown a punch in her life. She always had Sorcery as her first defence. And now that wasn't even working right.

Unnoticed by her, Severus had seen her wake up and now stood in the doorway leading to the bathroom, watching her as she took the cup of coffee and inhaled appreciatively. She presented a charming picture in the early morning light, her hair tangled and her face still flushed from sleep. He could handle waking up to that each morning. He scowled as his thoughts once again betrayed him.

A slight movement drew Aeryn's notice, and turning she saw Severus, obviously fresh from the shower, standing and watching her with a scowl on his features as he buttoned up the cuffs of his shirt. "Um, good morning. I think," she said, taking a sip of coffee but watching him cautiously. He wasn't fully dressed yet, his white shirt was buttoned but not tucked in, and his black overcoat was hanging on the end of his bed behind her.

"And here I thought you were a morning person," she continued brightly when he didn't respond.

"Good morning," Severus replied in his soft, gravelly voice. "Any more nightmares?" he inquired as he tucked in his shirt.

"Nope," Aeryn said with a wide smile. "Haven't slept that well in a while, even if it was only for a few hours. What time is it anyway?"

"About seven-thirty," he replied, shrugging into his black teacher's robes.

Aeryn took another long swig of coffee. "Well I better get back to my room for a shower before classes start. What do you have planned for today?"

"Chatty in the mornings, aren't you?"

Aeryn laughed. "Not usually. But I feel really good this morning. I can't imagine why," she said with another bright smile. Because I slept in your room last night, she thought, and her smile became dazzling as she looked at the potions master. His hair was clean this morning, but still slightly damp and it didn't look like it had seen a good brush for a while.

"I have some errands to run before my first class. And I will need to ward these rooms when I go, so you will have to leave with me," he said, giving her the hint.

Aeryn finished her coffee and got up from the couch, placing the mug back on the floor where the house elves could clean up later. "Well, you can't go like that." She said matter-of-factly.

"Like what?"

"Well would you just look at your hair, young man. Despicable," she huffed in a mock-mother's voice with her hands on her hips. She cast around for a brush, and not finding one, looking inquiringly at Severus. "Please tell me you keep at least one brush or comb in this place."

Severus backed off. "Oh no. You aren't going to groom me," he said with a wrinkled nose.

"Watch me," Aeryn said with a challenge in her voice, as she transfigured a book that was sitting on the chair next to her into a basic comb.

"I really have to go," Severus said, taking another step backward.

Aeryn pointed imperiously to the couch she had just vacated. "Sit," she commanded, in much the same tone as he had used with her last night.

Severus paused and contemplated her, testing her resolve. She raised one eyebrow at him as if daring him to run off, and in that look conveyed a multitude of unpleasantness if he tried it. Sighing, he took a seat on the couch, perched on the edge of the chair as if ready for flight. "Oh don't be such a baby," she said cheerfully, and plonked herself down next to him.

Aeryn began to gently brush his hair. It was thicker than it looked - not coarse, but not fine either. She worked the worst of the tangles out with her fingers, enjoying the touch of his hair against her hands. She felt almost wifey in completing such a domestic task, and found she enjoyed the feeling immensely. Her eyes grew soft at the thought, as she worked in silence. Severus smelled clean and fresh, and there was a hint of something spicy around him. She was a little paranoid that she hadn't had a shower this morning yet.

Severus had never had anyone brush his hair before. It was quite a nice feeling, and having Aeryn do it made the whole process even more pleasant. She sat so close to him. He could feel the warmth of her body and the occasional brush of her long hair on his hands. Knowing he was sitting where she had slept brought images of her sleeping to his mind, and he imagined her in the great big bed behind them. Thoughts such as these played havoc with his pulse as much as the gentle brush of her hands.

When she began to style his hair, however, he drew the line, and quickly stood up. "Oh no. That's enough. If I need the services of a hairdresser I shall call you, but I'm sure it's fine the way it is."

Aeryn stood up with him and he retreated to the wall next to the fire. "Oh wait, I'm nearly finished! Just hold still for a second!" she said irritably as she bore down on him with the comb. He grabbed her wrist to stop it from attacking him further and a wrestling match ensued. Severus won and gained possession of the comb.

Aeryn started to laugh, and for a moment Severus gazed, entranced, down into her smiling face as she laughed at him. She was so beautiful. He could almost imagine throwing away everything he had worked for to have something with her; she was an extraordinary girl.

"Will you look at us, this is ridiculous," she laughed. "Imagine Severus Snape, running from a brush. I think most people would believe that, actually."

His lips quirked, then his breath caught as she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair one last time. "There," she said, and looked at him with a soft expression in her eyes. "You're all beautiful now Professor, I think you should go to school now."

Severus cleared his throat, and wordlessly inclined his head. As they left the room he held the door open and indicated for her to precede him to the hallway.

Aeryn's face became sombre, but she spoiled the effect by giggling. "Good day Professor Snape," she said in a solemn voice that brimmed with laughter, and walked up the hallway. "Oh and Severus?" she stopped just as she was about to turn the corner. "I think you should bring some of that brandy around sometime. I'm sure it helped me sleep better. And thank you for the coffee."

Severus glanced back up the hall to make sure no one heard her. What would the staff say if they thought she had spent the night? "You're welcome, Professor Allen," he said formally, just two acquaintances again. "Good day." He and coloured slightly when her peals of laughter echoed down the hall.

Aeryn spent the day in high spirits. Although still very tired from many sleepless nights, her excitement at this new step with Severus had her practically bouncing off the walls. Minerva commented on her enthusiasm at afternoon tea in the staffroom, although well out of hearing of anyone else, and asked knowingly if there was something she would like to tell her. "Oh, no," Aeryn responded. "I just slept well last night is all," and she skipped from the room.

She hadn't even been thinking of her nightmares; she even went to bed early. That's why it was such a shock when she experienced the worse one of all that night.

At first she didn't know she was asleep. There was no light, and no sound, almost like her room when she'd extinguished the candles. In fact she had barely laid her head on the pillow when this new experience came into her awareness.

Then suddenly he was there, right in front of her, his red eyes piercing her through.

Aeryn gasped and tried to run the other way. She knew now she couldn't fight him in these dreams. But his smooth, hairless, grinning face was in front of her again. "You cannot run, my sweet," he said in his sibilant voice, as she backed up. "What the hell do you want from me?" she cried. She had asked this question more times than she could remember, and aside from the first time he had never answered, only tormented her with pain and confusion.

"You." He pointed one long fingered white hand at her.

Suddenly she was naked. She tried desperately to cover herself, and recoiled from the predatory look in his eye. His tall form descended on her and she backed up until her knees met an obstacle. She didn't dare turn to see what it was. The Dark Lord continued his advance and she fell backwards onto a large four poster bed. She looked around for a moment in confusion – there were now walls, and windows, even a door. She was in a room somewhere. But she only got a moment's glance before Voldemort laid himself full length along her cringing, bare body, still clothed. He was not heavy, but she couldn't shift him no matter how hard she struggled.

He grabbed a handful of her hair and wrenched on it to stop her from thrashing around. "I want you Aeryn," he hissed savagely into her ear. Aeryn began to scream. Her screams made a terrible harmony with the Dark Lord's laugh. "Soon," was all he said.
And then she was alone, in her bed, in her room. And still screaming.

Severus rubbed his neck absently. After spending all day bent over particularly tedious essays from incompetent students, all he wanted to do was sleep, especially as he had not slept at all last night.

Giving it all up as a bad job, he made his way up the stairs to his room. He didn't even remove his robes, just walked straight in and poured himself a large brandy.

He eyed the bottle as he sipped the glass of amber liquid, remembering Aeryn's reaction to the strong spirit. He was still amused by the memory. He also remembered her parting comment to him this morning when she left his room.

I think you should bring some of that brandy around sometime. I'm sure it helped me sleep better.

Ah, but he was tempted. He sat there, sipping and contemplating, for a long while. For and against, should he go? No, he shouldn't be so stupid as to be alone in her room with alcohol involved. Did he want to go? Oh, yes. Yes. But he knew his duty. And besides, it was very late, she was probably asleep. And he was sure she hadn't meant the next day.

He imagined her sleeping form on the couch this morning. He remembered just staring at her face for such a long time last night. Certainly one drink couldn't hurt? And she might be right, maybe the alcohol would help her sleep better, although he doubted it. Or he could just stop by to give her another bottle as a gift, but not stay. Yes, that was it. Out for a late stroll, thought I'd drop this off to you and leave, he thought logically.

It didn't take him long to leave the room, and head up the hall towards her rooms.

Halfway there he stopped. What are you doing? You're putting yourself in a predicament. Even you might not have enough self control to contain your feelings.

But that argument only applied if she was interested. And that couldn't be possible. No woman was interested in him like that.

So with that conviction in mind he made his way around the corner and stood outside her door. He looked up and down the hall for any unexpected witnesses. No one was around, everyone was asleep. He scowled. Even Aeryn was probably asleep. He should just get a house elf to drop the brandy off. He shook his head and turned to leave.

A slight tinkling sound brought his head around to face the door. It was the sound of shattering glass, however quiet it had been. He knocked on the door briskly. No answer. "Aeryn?" he called, and knocked again. Still no answer. His hackles raised, Severus knew there was something wrong.

"Alohomora!" he rasped, and the door sprang open. There was no one inside. He walked inside cautiously, placing the brandy bottle silently on a desk in the entrance way. The candles were all lit, nothing was disturbed, and nothing was there to account for the broken glass. "Homenum revelio," he muttered.

A small spark of light grew from the point of his wand, disengaged from it, then floated quickly through the room, and then through the wooded door to the bathroom. Severus hastened after it, quickly opened the door, and saw the light just as it extinguished itself in a bathtub full of bubbles. Severus hesitated, his wand still drawn. If Aeryn was in the bath then she wouldn't want him to find her like this...on the other hand there was no movement coming from the tub.

As if to contradict his words a few bubbles gurgled to the surface. Still no movement. "Aeryn?" he called again, this time hesitantly.

Then he saw the broken glass on the floor next to the bath. "Aeryn! Answer me!" he cried with more urgency. Dropping his wand, he ran and knelt next to the bath tub. Reaching in, he found an arm and a shoulder, and jerked both upwards from the water.

Aeryn's eyes were closed, and she was limp. And not breathing.

"Oh, Christ!" he yelled. Pulling her from the bath, and completely drenching himself in water, he placed her gently on the wet tiles of the bathroom floor. "You're not breathing!" he cried. "Aeryn! You must wake up! Breathe!"

Searching frantically for his wand, he grasped it in a shaking hand. He needed to expel any water from her lungs. "Anapneo!"

A large amount of water poured from Aeryn's slack mouth, but she still didn't start breathing. Dropping his wand and tipping her head back, he sealed her mouth with his own and breathed into her. Her chest rose a little. He did this a few times, and was about to start pumping her chest when her eyelids fluttered, and she drew a choking, rasping breath, and began to cough.

Severus sat back on his heels, his head thrown back in relief. For a moment he thought he had lost her...

"Severus?" came a weak voice. He turned his attention back to the girl lying naked on the floor.

Pulling off his cloak, he draped it over her body. A wry smile came to his lips. Here she was, completely naked, and he hadn't even noticed.

Aeryn coughed a few more times. "Are you ok?" Severus asked gently, pushing Aeryn's wet hair back from her face.

"Yeah," she replied in a shaky voice. "What the hell happened?"

"You nearly drowned."

Aeryn looked at him blankly. "Well how did that happen?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

"Nope. No idea." She seemed completely unperturbed at her near death experience. He looked at her in surprise as she sat up. "Was awful sweet of you to save my life though." She gazed at him with a slightly glazed expression. "What am I doing on the floor? And I'm all wet...and you're all wet...did we have a bath together, Sev?"

Again, Severus looked at her in surprise. Her speech was slightly slurred...then he looked at the broken glass on the floor. 'You've been drinking?" he asked scathingly, not entirely as a question.

"Pfft, I had like, a couple. I'm not drunk," she said airily as she tried to rise. Severus stood up with her then promptly caught her as she fell over. And the cloak came off. "Whoops," she said, completely unabashed.

Severus let go for a second to retrieve the cloak. She might be unaffected by her own nakedness but he most certainly was not. She wobbled slightly, then took a few steps towards the bedroom. "Think I'd like to sleep now," she mumbled.

Severus caught up to her and draped the cloak over her shoulders. "Fine, sleep. But you can explain to me what you were doing tonight." he bit out.

"Oh Sev, chill." Chill? he thought. Aeryn continued. "I was just following up on a theory."

"And what theory would that be?"

"The one I told you about...um...this morning. About slinking and dreeping. Er...drinking and sleeping."

"What?" he snapped, completely losing patience.

'You know...how I was having those bad dreams, and then you gave me that alcohol, which was kinda gross by the way, and I didn't dream last night. Although, maybe that was 'cause you were there, or something. Or maybe that loser took a night off from torturing me. Whatever," she mumbled as she fell on the bed, nearly missing it. Severus caught her as she rolled off the bed, picked her up, and placed her firmly in the middle, his cloak still wrapped around her. He had only understood about half of what she had said, but he gathered her theory was that she believed by drinking alcohol, her sleep wouldn't be troubled by nightmares.

What a stupid theory.

"Aeryn, what happens in these nightmares?" he asked cautiously, hoping she was still awake.

She grunted irritably. "Like you care."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he retorted.

She gave a great huff and rolled onto her stomach, exposing a great deal of limb in the process. "It means that I already asked for your help on this subject once, Mr Oh-So-Fond-of-the-Dark-Arts, and you totally ignored me. I won't beg for your help, Severus." she said loftily.

He was about to retort that he had no idea what she was talking about, until his intelligent mind linked her statement to the letter she had sent to him months ago during Summer break. The dreams had been going on that long?

"Aeryn, I think you should talk to Albus about these nightmares."

"Goodnight, Severus."

He stood looking at her for a while longer. Leaning over and brushing the wet hair from her face, he murmured, "You're going to have a terrible headache in the morning. I can concoct a potion for hangovers, if you'd like. "

"Ugh, no I won't. Go away, I want to sleep."

Severus smiled wryly, and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She was still rather wet, bundled in his wet cloak, but she could take that as punishment for her attitude to him, if she wasn't sick. Lucky for her, tomorrow was Saturday.

A knock on the door brought Severus from a very deep sleep. There was a very faint light in the window, but the sun wasn't up yet. Another knock on the door brought him scowling to the door. Yanking it open, he glared at the offender. "What?" he snapped.

Aeryn was standing in the doorway, in a red dressing gown, holding one hand to her head, with a scowl to match his own.

"Give me the damn potion."