Dark Tower

All characters and places belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter twenty-six: I could have danced all night… not!

Severus stood next to a group of tables, half leaning on one of them, his arms wrapped over his chest. His eyes followed a certain dancing couple as they danced around the room. He hid most of the emotions he felt, but still looked quite foreboding. None of the students came remotely next to him, scared of getting detention or getting points removed. They knew when NOT to approach the Potions master.

Someone suddenly sidled herself next to him. She purred out his name, hoping to get his attention... which she did, but not for the reasons she thought.

He glanced at her briefly. "Look what the cat dragged in." he said icily.

Angela pouted. "You used to like seeing me... What's wrong with me now? What has changed your mind? I've always been able to please you before..." She let her fingers walk up his arm. "You actually enjoyed my company from what I remember."

His face showed disgust. "I remember you liking my company, as well as others. Lucius's in particular..." He said darkly.

"Oh, Severus! You know I was expected to entertain everyone there. Lucius was quite... um... generous with me. But he can't compare to you since you do have..." She fluttered her eyes at him. "... More prowesses than he has ever demonstrated. I should know." She said with a leer.

Disengaging himself from her hold, he looked at her and said in a low hiss. "I do not understand what possessed Albus to hire you. I told him what you were before coming here and who you had 'fraternized' with. Not exactly the girl next door, are you?" He sneered down at her. "But he seemed sure you had turned over a new leaf. I doubt it myself... but he runs the school, not I. " He finished bitterly.

"You think yourself so high and mighty, don't you? From what I hear, you play both sides of this so-called war. So, before snubbing my earlier occupation, I'd look at yours first. You seem to be selling your services to the highest bidder as well." She finished coolly. Turning her gaze to the people dancing in the room, she smiled like a cat that was about to get a saucer of cream. "I think I'll get a dance from the Dark Arts chap. He seems like the decent type."

Snape chuckled coldly. "I doubt he'd go for you Angela... He doesn't go for ladies of your type." He said smugly.

She smiled and answered him back. "Maybe so my pet, but I think I can outdo the present dullard he's dancing with now. How any men could consider her attractive is beyond me. Dull and mousy, she is. Probably hasn't even 'known' a man in any way that could be remotely called amorous." She watched Jessica, as the other girl was dancing with Remus. Shaking her head she muttered cattily, "I doubt she could satisfy any m..." She stopped talking when Snape stuck his wand in her ribs.

"I think you should stop it right there. I don't appreciate your lewd references..." He stopped, as a couple of students danced by. "Keep your filthy tongue inside that mouth of yours, and stop insulting the staff here." He shot her a hard glance before muttering menacingly, "Or I will have to intervene strenuously."

Angela choked back a scream of anger. "Get that thing away from me this instant. How dare you threaten me!" Her eyes were but slits as anger trickled through her veins.

"Oh... this is not a threat, but a promise. And I do keep my word." His voice dripping with menace.

"Do what you want, but I might let it slip... you know, where we met before and such..." She added maliciously. But only got poked harder with Severus's wand.

"Don't, or I'll make sure you never remember anything from then on. Is that clear?" He hissed at her, turning a cold glance at her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Very well, I know you wouldn't even think twice about doing it too. " Adjusting the folds of her dress over her hips. "Now for the 'dishy' Dark Arts man..." She blew a kiss to Severus and moved on.

Angela went straight for the dancing couple, tapped Remus on the shoulder, asking him for a dance. She poured on the charm at full tilt. The few male students that were around stared in awe, silently thinking about how lucky professor Lupin was.

Remus kept a closed face, but agreed politely. He whispered something to Jessica and she smiled at him. Jessica left the dance floor, leaving Remus in the clutches of the she-devil. Jessica giggled as she sat down. Remus told her that he'd dance with the dragon-lady then meet her afterward. Jessica reached over and took a glass of pumpkin juice from the pitcher on the table.

Seeing Remus dancing with the other girl was quite a sight. She literally molded herself to him, making him uncomfortably aware of her attentions. His face showed his eagerness to leave the dance floor, but he was stuck to finish the dance from hell.

Jessica had to turn away to avoid making faces at Remus. He would kill her if she managed to make him laugh. A 5th year came over a moment later to ask for a dance, but she declined gently, claiming she wanted to rest her feet for a little while. She promised to dance with him later. He smiled bashfully at her and left her side. Then another hand tapped her shoulder. She turned; ready to refuse another student's query for a dance. But instead, her eyes met the dark cloaks of another member of the staff. She looked up and met the very dark gaze of the Potions master.

"It would seem that you are free to dance." He asked rather than question, because he bent down and took her hand. He pulled her to her feet and slipped his hand under her elbow, gently guiding her to a spot on the side of the dance floor. She wanted to balk and plainly refuse to follow his lead. But that would attract too much attention; but as she looked up in dark smoldering eyes, she knew that's how he had planned it. He took her hand with his and then slipped his other hand around her waist. She was stuck to dance with him, but she wouldn't talk or look at him while it happened.

They dance for a few moments before he started to speak in hushed tones to her. "Nice to see you again. We've missed you at the Head table. Not hiding yourself are you?" He asked gravely.

Jessica didn't respond to his question, too upset to answer properly. She hadn't attempted to speak to him since the night they had shared. Her thoughts were swirling around, emotions flooding up and making her uneasy... if not rather queasy. He had never tried to communicate with her either; no notes were left or owls sent. It had added to her feelings of dread and hatred of herself.

With a questioning eyebrow he asked her wittily. "Cat got your tongue? Should I ask Argus to check his cat's bedding? Maybe the feline dropped it there..." His attempt at making light of the situation didn't get the desired effects from her. Her back straightened as she lowered her chin to avoid all eye contact with him.

"I wanted to talk to you about, you know... our last evening together." He had hesitated before mentioning it, but he thought it might provoke her into some verbal exchange. But she kept quiet... disturbingly so. She disengaged herself from his hold and walked off.

She walked out of the Great Hall, wiping the tears of rage out of her eyes as she passed the doors. His gaze followed her retreating figure and caught sight of her wiping her face with the back of her sleeve. His features grew darker as he made an attempt to follow her out of the hall. But before he could reach the doors, Lupin had run out and caught up with her.

Severus swore violently under his breath. That damn half-breed was really getting under his skin. Students were leaving the hall and filed pass him; arching widely away from him to avoid all contact. His frustration grew as he felt someone tapping his posterior as she passed by.

"Nighty-night Severus! Sweet dreams!" Angela passed by and was holding on to... Ugh! Severus couldn't believe his eyes... Angela was tightly wrapped around Argus Filch's arm!

Snape shuddered and walked off to his dungeons. The woman was really needy if she went off with the caretaker. He was still shaking his head as he entered his rooms.

Removing his cloak and throwing it on a chair near the door, he headed straight for the liquor cabinet. He needed a stiff drink to get over this evening's fiasco. He really had intended to speak seriously with Jessica, but the moment had been stolen from his grasp again.