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The end of term came more quickly than Freddie would have liked. She and Snape still had not managed to create an antidote to the Invisibility Potion. She stilled planned to work on it over the summer, but she dreaded going home. She hadn't spoken to her aunt or uncle since before Christmas. She didn't know if they'd be pleased to see her or even show up to pick her up from the train station.
Freddie sat through the end-of-term feast and Dumbledore's speech, picking at her food. She felt depressed an anxious. Not just about returning home, but about Daniel. She never thought he'd be gone this long. It had been 7 months and no word, no trace, not a single clue as to what happened to him.
"What's wrong, Freddie?" Amelia asked brightly. "You're not eating your pudding."
"I'm fine," she lied. "Just not hungry."
"You excited about summer break? No homework, no lessons, and you're 17, so you can do magic outside of school."
"Yeah, that'll be cool," she agreed.
"Will you write to me over the summer?"
"I already told you I would."
"Maybe we can hang out, meet in Diagon Alley to get our books for next term?"
"Sounds good," she agreed. "My aunt and uncle will be thrilled I have a pureblood friend."
She glanced subconsciously at the Ravenclaw table, then back down at the food on her plate.
"I think I'm going to turn in early," she said to Amelia. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"Okay," she agreed. "Sleep well."
Freddie was in the Entrance Hall, almost to the dungeons, when Snape caught up with her.
"Come have a drink with me?" he murmured as he brushed past her and headed down the stairs.
"Sure," she said, surprised but all too happy to follow him into the dungeons.
He didn't speak again until they got to his office. Freddie sat down as he pulled a bottle of scotch from his desk and conjured two glasses.
"I need this after having to sit through another one of Albus' speeches," he said as he poured them both a glass.
"I wasn't paying much attention," she admitted, accepting the glass he handed to her.
"You did not miss much," he said, then took a long drink. "Year after year, these things never get any less tedious."
"So," she said, leaning back in her chair with her drink. "Are you going to miss me?"
"I will be relieved to have a break from your persistent annoyance," he drawled. Freddie let out a bark of laughter and sipped her drink.
"Still worried I'm going to figure out the Invisibility Antidote before you?" she teased.
"I am not worried. I have access to a vast number of ingredients and supplies that you do not," he said smugly.
"Well I suppose that's true," she said. She took a long drink of scotch. She'd gotten used to the taste over the last few months. She was going to miss this more than anything, this time alone with Snape. Drinking, talking, teasing each other.
It's only three months, she thought, taking another drink. It's not that long.
She looked up at Snape. He was watching her with that dark, unreadable gaze as he finished off his drink.
Too long, she thought wistfully as he poured himself another drink.
"Do you want to brew a potion?" she asked him. "One last brew before I'm gone for 3 months?"
"Very well," he agreed. "Nothing too complicated – my mind may be a little..."
"Clouded?" she suggested with a smile.
"Less sharp than usual," he said, taking his cup into the Brewing Lab.
Freddie topped off her drink before following him.
"Don't worry," she said. "I'll make sure you don't blow yourself up."
"My life, in your hands?" he drawled. "I am far from reassured."
"Guess you'll just have to trust me," she said with a smile. "What do you want to brew?"
Snape shrugged and sat on the stool with his glass of scotch in hand.
"This was your idea, Miss Gray."
"Very well," she said. "I'll find one."
Freddie went back out into Snape's office and pulled a book off the shelf. She carried it back into the lab and hopped up onto the workstation near where Snape was sitting. She flipped through the book, periodically taking sips of her drink.
"How about Potion No 86," she said finally. She looked up from the book to find Snape's eyes were on her pale legs that dangled off the table.
"A poison," he said, his eyes moving up her body and coming to rest on her face. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Cuz I'm a Slytherin," she said, sliding off the table. "It'll only take two hours to brew and should be simple enough."
Snape set his glass aside and followed her into the storage closet to gather ingredients. She found his presence in the small space to be overwhelming – his scent, the way he accidentally brushed against her as they pulled ingredients off the shelves, made her feel flushed.
She stumbled slightly when he brushed past her again on their way out of the closet. They carried the ingredients to the workstation. Freddie shed her outer robes, feeling hot and flustered.
She saw Snape smirking at her and she flushed again.
"Let's get started," she said, turning to the workstation and picking up the powdered moonstone to measure it.
#
They worked together for a while and Snape kept on drinking. Eventually he brought the bottle of scotch into the lab and ended up just sitting there, drinking and watching her work.
"You could help you know," Freddie said dryly, though she certainly didn't mind his eyes moving over her body as she worked.
"But you're doing so well on your own," he responded, smirking slightly.
"You know," she said as she added the syrup of hellebore to her potion. "You can admit you'll miss me. It won't kill you."
"It might," he said and she smiled. He reminded her of herself, on the train with Daniel. When he'd told her it wouldn't kill her to be nice to the snack witch.
"Well, I'll miss you," she said candidly, stirring the potion. "I'm not scared to admit it."
He scoffed at her and she looked back at her potion. I should lay off the scotch, she thought, then watched as he took another drink. Though her certainly isn't.
"It's only 3 months," he said, swirling his drink before taking another sip. "I- you will be fine."
"Yeah, I know," she said. "But I'll miss brewing potions everyday, helping you with classes."
"You should enjoy your summer. It is your last summer as a student. Next summer you will be all grown up. You have to get a job, pay bills," he said. "So enjoy your summer. Spend time with yours friends – friend."
"Amelia?" she asked and he nodded. "Maybe. She has a crush on me."
His eyes lit up.
"Really?" he said interestedly.
"Wh- I'm trying to discourage it. Don't laugh."
"I am not laughing," he said, but he was smiling.
If he were Daniel I'd tell him to get his mind out of the gutter...but I can't read Severus so easy. He looks amused at least.
Freddie finished stirring the potion then walked over to the table. She leaned past him to get her glass, brushing against him deliberately as she did. She took a drink, meeting his gaze.
"I have something for you," he said, standing up, forcing her to step back.
"Oh yeah?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Wait here," he said and walked out into his office, stumbling slightly as he crossed the threshold.
He's drunk, she thought, smiling to herself as she took his vacated spot on the stool. I might be too, just a little.
Snape came back into the lab with something in his hand. He approached the stool and stopped just inches from her. He held out his hand, revealing five small vials of a familiar-looking liquid.
"My Invisibility Potion!" she said, surprised. "Why?"
"I thought you might like to take some with you, just in case you find yourself in one of those sticky situations you seem so adept at finding yourself in over the summer."
"Thank you," she said, still surprised. She slid them into her pocket.
"Use them wisely," he said softly, looking down at her.
He didn't move, didn't speak for several minutes, just gazed down at her. Freddie didn't move either but met his unwavering gaze. She wondered what he was thinking. There was a look in his eyes she'd never seen before, something she couldn't identify. Whatever it was, it was intense.
"I will miss you," he said softly, reaching out to touch her face. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then cupped her face. Freddie felt frozen to the spot, she couldn't speak or move as he brushed her cheek with his thumb...then he leaned down, and kissed her.
It was rough and possessive and it shocked her. She could taste the scotch on his tongue as it probed the corners of her mouth. Then the shock wore off and she started kissing him back.
She grasped the front of his robes, pulling him closer. He tolerated this a moment, then pulled away abruptly. She didn't get a chance to see the look on his face as he quickly turned away. He strode away, out of the room. Freddie sat on the stool, shocked. She jumped slightly when she heard the door to his quarters slam shut.
Holy crap. Holy freaking crap. He just kissed me! Did that really just happen?
She pinched her arm. Definitely not dreaming.
I was right. He likes me, he's attracted to me. But he left. He walked away without saying anything...He must be feeling guilty. Worried someone will find out. He could lose his job...but holy crap! He kissed me!
She touched her lips, unable to help but smile. The cauldron behind her let out a belch of black smoke, startling her. She'd gotten distracted. Their potion was ruined.
She got up from the stool, feeling a little light-headed. Either from the scotch or the kiss or both. She pulled out her wand and vanished the ruined potion, then stepped out into Snape's office. The door to his quarters was shut. She put her hand on the bookcase that hid his bedroom, but she didn't knock. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that it would be okay. She wanted him to kiss her again.
But she didn't knock. He doesn't want to talk to me right now I'm guessing, she thought silently. I might make things worse. He might yell at me.
She held her hand against the door a moment longer, silently bidding him goodnight. Then she dropped her hand, turned, and left his office.