Months went by before anything of much note occurred. Every Friday at five o'clock Gabriella could be found sitting in Severus' private room working on a potion that she had failed a few days before. Each time the potion would come out perfectly and her grade would be adjusted to a B+.

Obviously they did not use this entire time to work on lessons. When the door was closed, Severus would sit close to Gabriella, sometimes with her in his lap, and they discussed things of no consequence while the potion simmered. When the potion was finished they would eat (though not, of course, the potion).

Every Friday Severus made an attempt to start Gabriella on her essays for his class, but every time he found her to be too tempting. Every lesson ended exactly at eight o'clock, but each time it ended an hour of kissing and caressing had already occurred, if not more.

Despite this, to Severus' great displeasure, they had not yet gone 'all the way'. He was no virgin; his first time had been while he was still a student at Hogwarts. It had been nothing special since he felt no love for the girl, but now with Gabriella he found himself wanting to show his feelings for her in every way, especially the physical way. He loved his weekly meetings with Gabriella, but every time she left he felt dissatisfied.

The school still had no knowledge as to what was occurring between the young potions master and his pupil. When not alone in his room on Friday night, Severus and Gabriella treated each other the way any teacher and student would treat one another; with distance. Not even Gabriella's closest friends had any idea, or if they did, they did not show it.

On that particular Friday night it was a week away from Christmas. Many students had already left, including Piper. It was only Gabriella and Annabelle in the room for sixth year Gryffindor girls. Gabriella was occupied in packing her potions materials for her meeting with Severus while Annabelle was writing cards to send to family for the holidays. Annabelle looked up at Gabriella from her writing.

"Do you really have to go to him again, Gabby?" Annabelle inquired. She had no liking for Snape; she thought him a cold and sadistic git.

"Yes. I didn't do well on the last potion." Gabriella continued to pack.

"You don't do well on any of the potions. You used to be so good at the beginning of the year; and now every time you do a horrible job. It's like you're trying to mess up, not that I think you are or anything."

"Well, I just have a hard time concentrating in his class. Snape doesn't make it easy." Gabriella said, not really lying, but obviously implying something else.

"Yes he does; stalking around the room. You know, I would have thought that a young guy would make a nice teacher, but I prefer the old teachers to him." Annabelle shivered. "I pity you. Having to be alone in a room with him. Does he smell or anything?"

"How should I know? Do you think I get really close to him or something?" Gabriella glanced towards Annabelle and giggled as Annabelle mocked going into convulsions over the thought. "I really ought to get going. He is so particular about being on time." Gabriella picked up her bag and headed for the door.

"Just be careful around him, okay Gabby? You know how he feels about you." Annabelle and Piper still believed that Snape hated Gabriella.

"Yes, I do."

Gabriella arrived in Severus' room at 4:55. The door was unlocked and Severus was sitting at his desk writing something furiously. Gabriella smiled. He obviously had not heard her. He sat crouched over the desk like some form of predator. His hair had fallen into his eyes and he was crouching low over the paper so that it almost touched. Every once in a while he would dip his quill into the ink, and he would continue writing faster than before. Gabriella closed the door silently. She set her bag down on the floor and crept towards Severus' slouching form. Just as she arrived behind him he sat up and sighed.

He glanced to the door and was so surprised to see Gabriella's bag that he did not notice the snake on his shoulders. He stalked to the bag, looking about the room. He didn't see Gabriella anywhere.

"Gabriella? Gabrie-" Just at that moment a quick snake tongue had tickled his ear. He jumped with a slight screech. He snatched the snake off of his shoulders and held it at arms length from him. The small green snake had odd blue eyes that seemed to be laughing at him as the snake wound itself around his arm.

Severus snarled in annoyance. "Gabriella, now is not the time for play."

He set the snake down on the floor. Gabriella stood up and smiled at him, somewhat abashed. "I thought you said you liked it when I licked your ear."

Severus sneered. "Only when you are in human form."

Gabriella crouched down to her bag. She did not want to leave it laying in the middle of the floor. Since the last lesson had actually been the semester final exam, she and Severus did not need to redo any potions; they would have three hours strictly to themselves.

"Well, if we have no time for play, what am I doing here?" Gabriella smiled at Severus again. "Did you hear? It turns out that I won't be here for Christmas. My grandmother wants me back home last minute."

"Yes, I heard. I was writing a letter to say that I was willing to chaperone you to her house. I want to be able to see you on Christmas." Severus frowned. "Why does she want you back home? I thought she didn't like you."

Gabriella sighed. "It's all for appearances. She is so conscious of what the neighbors think for her. She's throwing a Christmas party and she wants me there for that. And to cook the food."

Severus sat down on his bed. He pulled Gabriella down onto his lap and began to stroke her hair. "You'll do fine. I'll apparate into your house on Christmas before the party to help you out."

"Really?" Gabriella's face lit up.

Severus sneered at her, though without the malice of his former days. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

Gabriella crawled off his lap and onto his bed. "Thank you so much!" She lay down backwards. Severus looked at her hungrily.

"You know I have you for two and a half more hours." He growled.

Gabriella blushed. "What do you intend to do with that time? Give me a head start on next semester's lessons?"

"You know that I have no intention of giving you special attention in my class just because of this relationship." He gave her a light kiss on the neck. "But I'll be more than happy to give you special attention during your private lessons." Severus worked his way up her neck to her jaw. Gabriella pulled him closer as he crouched over her on the bed.

"Make sure not to give me a hickey, okay Severus?" She said breathlessly. Severus moved to her mouth in reply. The hand that wasn't bracing him slid under Gabriella's loosened blouse and worked it's way to her bra. As Severus became more involved in the kiss Gabriella felt her skirt ride up to her knees from him brushing against her. She wanted to pull it back down, but she was too distracted from the feel of his hand on her and the feel of her hands in his hair.

Gabriella suddenly pushed against Severus. He looked at her, confused and rather angry.

"I'm really hungry Severus. Could we please take a short break?"

Severus sighed. "Only if we get to pick this up again when we're done eating." He rolled off of the bed over her. He enjoyed watching her get up, since her skirt rode up even more when she scooted to the end of the bed. She gave him a small smile when she saw him watching her.

Gabriella waved her hand over a clear space on his desk. The house elves knew to have a pair of plates separated for them so the food appeared promptly. Tonight the food was simple, just a warm soup with bread and cheese on the side. Severus devoured his swiftly, not wanting to delay the return to his bed with Gabriella. Gabriella took her time, trying to calm down from their encounter on the bed.

As soon as she was finished both plates disappeared. Gabriella looked at Severus hesitantly. He was watching her coolly now. Gabriella glanced to the clock, but she had no opportunity to see what time it was before Severus swept her from her chair into his arms and onto his bed. He braced her against the headboard and leaned over her body, unbuttoning her shirt and kissing the skin that was revealed.

He had just loosened her shirt from her shoulders and was beginning to struggle with her bra when a knock came on the door. He startled up away from Gabriella, who was still as stone staring at the door. The knock came again.

"Just a moment." he shouted as they both flew up out of bed. Gabriella snatched her shirt about her while Severus bound over to his cabinet.

"I can't get the buttons!" Gabriella hissed.

"Shit! Here, I'll give you an invisibility potion!" Severus began shoving the bottles about on the shelves inside his cabinet.

"What the hell time is it?" Gabriella glanced to the clock as she hissed at him. It was 9:34. "Crap! I need to hide my stuff!" She said as she shoved her bag under his bed. The knock came again, louder.

"Wait please! I need to find some trousers to put on!" Severus said as a hasty lie. It was embarrassing for him to say something like that, but he considered it necessary.

"Here!" He shoved a small bottle with a colorless liquid to Gabriella. "Drink all of it! Now!" He hissed quickly. Gabriella downed it. When he glanced back to her he saw nothing but the wall. "Now get in a corner and don't make a sound!"

He strode to the door as Gabriella moved to comply. "And don't shift into another form!" He whispered as a final warning. He pulled open the door to reveal Professor Kettleburn. Kettleburn smiled warmly at the calm and sneering Severus.

"Ah, Professor Snape! I'm glad you were able to find your trousers. May I come in?" Snape stood aside to allow him to pass. "I was hoping you could help me. I need a calming potion for a pair of hippogriffs. I wanted to know whether or not you had an effective one on hand?"

Snape sneered heavily at the stocky man. "Of course I do." He did his best to act civil, though in all reality he wanted to grab Kettleburn by his stocky neck and pour a whole bottle of Deadly Nightshade juice down his throat. Instead he went to his cabinet and pushed aside bottles until he found the calming potion.

"Use a cup of this per hippogriff, more if they weigh over the average. Is there anything else you need?"

Kettleburn smiled warmly while accepting the bottle from Snape. "Nothing at all. I hope I did not disturb your evening too much." Kettleburn moved out of the room without seeing Snape's hands clench and twitch.

Severus moved to his bed and sat down with a heavy sigh. He heard Gabriella do the same. He couldn't see her, he just knew that she was in a corner, most likely sitting on the floor.

"It's a good thing you had an invisibility potion on hand. If he had seen me, my shirt unbuttoned and my hair in tangles, he would have known what was going on."

"It is a very good thing." Snape frowned. There had been too many interruptions. First dinner, and then Kettleburn. He was just thinking what he would do to the next thing that interrupted them on any day when another knock sounded on the door. Severus stormed to the door and yanked it open, prepared to give Kettleburn the worst evil eye that he had ever seen. The recipient was, instead, a very scared Annabelle.

"Professor Snape, sir?" Annabelle quivered under his fierce gaze. "Could I come in for a moment?" Snape snarled at her and then stood aside for her.

"What is it? If you do not speak quickly I will deduct from your exam grade." Snape snarled.

"I just wanted to know if you've seen Gabriella. She wasn't in the room, and it's almost two hours since she was due back. I'm worried about her." Annabelle swallowed heavily.

"I have not seen her since eight o'clock when she departed my room. If you have nothing more to say then I recommend you leave."

Annabelle turned towards the door. "Do you know where she went? I already checked at Hagrid's hut and she wasn't there."

Snape pushed her towards the door. "No I do not know where she is."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Annabelle turned around. "I thought I heard her voice in here a moment ago…"

"I assure you she is not-"

"Gabby!" Severus spun around. Sitting huddled in a corner was Gabriella. The invisibility potion had worn off.