Chapter Twenty-eight: You can't bear to see them together. Leave.
Your fingers tremble on the handle and you snatch your hand away as if it would have burnt you. No, you can't do this to yourself. You want that blessed ignorance, the benefit of the doubt, you are not ready to know.
You all but run away. You want to be as far from here as possible. You move quickly and carelessly through corridors, but your legs keep catching on the edge of the cloak. You tear it off yourself and march up a flight of stairs, taking two at a time.
You're just passing by the Great Hall, when you hear a calm, but silky voice from behind you.
"The cloak's magic only works if you are wearing it, Mr Potter. Carrying it around will not make you invisible."
You twirl on your axis and stare at him. He's coming from the corridor that leads to the kitchens, he's nowhere near from where you came from.
"How did you get there?" You ask surprised, then look at the map that's still clutched in your hand.
You find yourself almost in the middle, and indeed, Severus Snape is coming closer and closer to you. You look for the other dot, and find it in the Potions classroom, still on top of Malfoy.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking questions here?" Says that deep voice right in front of you and you snap your gaze up at the man.
"No, sir, but look," you show him the map. "There's another one of you."
Snape studies the map for a moment, then glares at you over the edge of it. "You map is faulty, Mr Potter. I can assure you, I am here. And, what is worse, so are you."
You tap the map lightly with your wand and turn it off, then on again. Snape's second dot is gone, and so is Malfoy. Which means they were not having sex in the Potions classroom. You almost sigh relieved, when you finally understand, that means the man standing right in front of you is the very real Snape actually.
"Oh shit," you quip as you look up at his scowling face.
"Finally remembered where we are and at what time, have we, Mr Potter?"
"Sorry, sir, I was just…" You don't even know what to lie.
"Out for a midnight stroll, as usual," he sneers. "Off to bed with you, Potter. I don't want to see you out here one more time. There's only two weeks left, certainly even you can restrain yourself for that long."
He's turning around to leave, and you can't believe it yourself, but you're calling after him.
"Professor, wait. What… that's it? No points… no detention?" Your words surprise you, but clearly astonish him. His steps slow down and he turns back. He looks at you definitely amazed.
"Surely, I didn't hear that correctly," there's amusement in his deep voice. "You want me to take points from you?"
"No," you say hastily before he does so. "It's just weird," you admit. "It's been weird ever since last year." You don't say details, there's no need. You both know what you mean. Lily and the war and all that mess.
You are slowly moving towards each other as if pulled by a magnet.
"Define weird," Snape says softly.
You look at him and shrug. "Not like us, you know. Less fights more…"
"Civility?" He suggests. "I was told you might appreciate that. Clearly not. Well, then be it as you wish." An evil smile flashes across his lips and you know what's coming. "Twenty points from Gr-"
You put your hand across Snape's mouth to shut him up. "Please, don't finish that sentence."
He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't fight your touch. His piercing dark eyes are on you and you suddenly feel your insides squirm. You let him go, dragging your fingertips slowly across his lips. It's a weirdly sensual act.
"Please," you repeat quietly, but you're not sure you're still talking about the points.
He doesn't say anything for a long moment. Black eyes stare down at you intensely and you feel like he's reading you, every thought, every feeling there at his fingertips.
"I was told-"
You cut him off again. "Forget what you were told. What do you feel?"
"Regarding you? You're well aware of my overly fond sentiments towards you." He says with utter sarcasm, yet his words don't hurt. It's almost like the corner of his lips are tugging up. He's teasing you.
You become a little braver. You step closer.
"What about us?" You say quietly. "Don't tell me you don't miss it. All the arguments, the detentions…"
The way he looks at you makes your knees weak. He's either going to take all the house points right here and now, or… you don't even dare think about that other option… You only hope it's going to be something physical.
There's no denying it, there is electricity between you two, but it usually manifests in fights. If there's another way to relieve all this tension, you're in for it.
"I would have thought you enjoyed my subdued treatment of you." He says in a soft voice that is almost like a whisper. "That I regarded you like I would any other of my students."
"And to be robbed of my privilege to see you all riled up and just… rough? No, thank you." You smile.
So does he. It's smug, but it changes his features completely. It gives him a dangerous vibe, not as in cruel, but as in you feel yourself getting harder just by looking at him.
"I enjoyed the fact that you finally took my class seriously," he admits. "You don't have your mother's natural talents, clearly, but you're not an idiot and it was nice to finally see that with my own eyes."
"I heard a compliment in there somewhere," you laugh.
"Better late than never." Snape says and his tone sounds a little deeper suddenly.
"With two weeks left of school, that never is coming awfully close, doesn't it, Professor?"
"It certainly does, Mr Potter."
"All those missed opportunities…" You sigh with a cheeky grin. "All those words left unsaid…"
You're flirting with him as clear as day. He's a sharp man, that he doesn't notice, does not even occur to you. You're just not sure whether you're ready to make that leap if he says something about it, or if you can bear it if he pretends nothing is going on.
"Some words surely ought to be left unsaid, don't you think?"
You swallow all your anxiety as you shake your head and say, "Oh no, I think they need to be spoken, before they… get out of control."
He steps closer. It's not even an inch, but you can feel him tower over you suddenly.
"Care for a drink, Mr Potter?" He says softly and his deep voice washes over you, sending a wild shiver down your spine. "It could loosen your tongue so you get tell me all those unsaid things."
You know what the offer means. It's way past midnight and Snape's inviting you into his room. The choice is up to you. You could say yes, have a drink with him and see where that leads, or you can say no and do this the proper way once school ends.
Each choice is tempting. The need for immediate relief battles your mind with the option of a slow, simmering build-up.
Refuse him. For now. (Go to chapter 29)
Accept the invitation (Go to chapter 30)
Break his heart (Go to chapter 32)