A/N: Well this one took forever. Bit more plot here, as opposed to the happy fluff of the last chapter. Next time we'll have some Christmassy themed stuff. In July. Just because.

xxxxx

November continued on, and JJ slowly healed. Her return to class meant that she spent less time with Severus, as they still had to be careful about being caught. By the first week in December, Madam Pomfrey gave her the all-clear to resume Quidditch training after Christmas, meaning she wasn't going to miss the game against Hufflepuff in Febuary. However, not even that news could lighten her mood as the tenth of December approached, the date that marked the ninth anniversary of her father's death.

Like with her mam's anniversary, JJ found it hard to concentrate in class. That was partly due to tiredness; every time she tried to sleep, she dreamt of her dad, kneeling in front of the Dark Lord, being tortured. It was a nightmare she was used to having, but it didn't make it any easier. She was grateful that as Head Girl she had her own room, so noone heard her talking, or sometimes crying, in her sleep.

Because of this obvious lack of concentration, along with her rather dark mood and the importance of the date being widely known among Order members, JJ wasn't surprised when Severus held her back after Potions. He stood in front of his desk, watching her, waiting for the class to file out. She sighed, sitting back on the workbench behind her at the front of the classroom, regarding him tiredly

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked finally in a soft voice.

She just shook her head, unable to answer for fear of starting crying. For some reason, people being nice to her when she felt sad, or showing sympathy was more likely to make her break down and sob than being faced with indifference. Also, she really would rather leave the entire subject alone.

"Okay. You know where I am if you change your mind," he told her.

JJ blinked at him, before smiling sadly. It was strange to think that she had once been among the many people who considered Professor Snape to be heartless and cold. It was strange how different her opinion of him was now. Shrugging her schoolbag off her shoulder, she went over and hugged him tightly. He made a slightly surprised noise and leaned back against the desk, half sitting on it. She could hear his heart beating under her ear. JJ wondered what she would do without him. Pushing back to look at him, she gave him a shaky smile. They were almost at the same eye level because of his position against the desk, his head was tilted to one side, regarding her with warm, unguarded eyes. He cupped her cheek in one of his large hands, and kissed her very softly.

"Professor!"
The exclamation interrupted the peace of the moment. JJ turned abruptly, just in time to see a familiar face turn and run. Casey.
"Great, just what I need," JJ muttered. Severus looked slightly shell-shocked. "She's going to head straight to McGonagall," she continued. "Dammit, I'd better go after her."

Severus just nodded, and as JJ left the room she saw him sit down at his desk and bury his head in his hands. She sprinted down the the corridor, listening out for the sound of footsteps on the stone floor. Most of the students were in class, the rest in their common rooms or the library, so it didn't take long to track Casey down, just at the point where the dungeon corridor reached the stairs to the Entrance Hall.
"Casey, wait," JJ called.

The Hufflepuff spun around. "What do you want Carter? Going to try lie your way out again this time? Because you'll need to be able to, after what I just saw you at! Professor McGonagall isn't going to be happy!"
JJ gritted her teeth and focused very hard on not losing her temper - that wouldn't be a good idea. "Just... lets talk about it first. Please?"
"Fine," Casey muttered, and JJ ducked into a nearby empty classroom. Sitting back on a desk - mostly because the other girl was considerably taller - she cast a silencing spell.
"Right you've got questions, clearly," JJ sighed. "So go on."

"What the hell was that?" Casey demanded. "You were kissing Professor Snape!"

"Yeah. I was," JJ muttered. "Thanks for stating the bloody obvious."

Casey glared at her. "Well, why?"

"Hmm, I don't know, maybe I just thought he looked good in those robes!" JJ snapped sarcastically, trying to keep her anger in check. She was just pissed off now. Of all the days for this to happen, it had to be today.

The retort earned her yet another glare. If looks could kill... "So what, are you shagging him?" Casey questioned.

"Yep," JJ answered coolly. "Problem?"

"You're a cocky little git, you know that Carter? I bet that's why you keep getting O's in Potions!"

JJ had to stop herself losing her temper. Again. "I've got good marks in Potions since we were first years, and you know it!" she snapped.

"Well what about this apprenticeship then? What's the deal with that?"
JJ sighed again. "I asked about doing a Mastery, I'm being assessed for it. End of."

There was a long silence, before Casey asked in a hesitant, less hostile voice, "So, you and Snape?"

"Yeah," JJ agreed. "Me and Snape."

"How did that happen?"
"No idea."

"You had a crush on him in first year."
"I did not!"

"You did too."

"Well, maybe I did. A little."
"You never shut up about Potions."
JJ smiled at the memory of her eleven-year-old self, who admittedly had harbored a slight infatuation with the Potions Master, which had lasted until he had been such a git to her class that he nearly made Charlie cry.
"Is there not rules against it though?" Casey asked.
"Not exactly. The rules said it was up to Dumbledore. He decided he isn't going to expell me," JJ explained.

"Dumbledore knows?"
"Yeah. But McGonagall doesn't. So if you go tell her, she'll skin us both alive."

"Is that supposed to persuade me not to?" Casey asked, somewhat meanly.

JJ sighed. Gryffindor pride wouldn't let her actually start begging Casey not to tell Professor McGonagall. She could always just use Obliviate, but knowing her luck she'd mess it up. A thought occured to her. "What were you even doing down in the dungeons anyway?"

"I'd a letter to give Professor Snape. Which I should go and give him now." JJ couldn't tell if that meant that they were off the hook or not. Nodding, she watched Casey turn to leave. "Casey," she said hesitantly. "I love him. Just remember that, alright?"

Casey turned, her expression unreadable, and nodded, before leaving.

JJ wasn't really that surprised when Severus slipped into her room that night. She hadn't gone back to the dungeons after her encounter with Casey, just in case the other girl had told McGonagall, because if her Head Of House had found out, she would have headed straight for the Potions classroom.

It was after midnight, and JJ was reading, having finished her homework, which had mainly consisted of two rools of parchment on the effects of cauldron material on a potion. She only looked up long enough to smile at Severus as he came in and closed the door behind him. She could feel him watching her as he sat back on the bed.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.
"I'm fine," she reassured him.
"What are you reading?" he asked.
"Sense and Sensibility. I've a secret love of Jane Austen," she joked, setting it down and turning to him. "You're still alive I see. I reckon that means Casey didn't say anything."
"So it would seem," he agreed. "I doubt Minerva would have kept it to herself if she had been told."

"That's good," JJ said, curling up against his side. "Y'know, Casey just reminded me today, I used to have a crush on you when I was a first-year."
Severus' expression was torn between surprise and amusement for a few seconds, before he started laughing. She poked him in the ribs. "Give over!"
"Sorry," he said, sobering up. "Really though?"
"Yeah," she said, trying to hide the fact she was blushing by hiding her face against his shoulder.

He shifted to kiss her, before whispering in her ear, "You were never good at subtle. I'd noticed."

"Git," she muttered.
"Yes," he agreed, before he kissed her again and that put an end to all conversation.