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Even though she went to bed late, Freddie was awake before anyone else in her dormitory. She'd set her watch for 5:30 and she dragged herself out of bed when the alarm went off. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, trying to remember why the hell she wanted to be up so early, then it hit her. This was her chance to spend time with Snape. They couldn't go home – not home, his house, she admonished herself – but they would be alone together. It was better than nothing.
She crept quietly into the bathroom so as not to wake anyone else. She got cleaned up and pondered what to wear. There was a slight chill in the air so she opted for warmer clothes. The Muggle jeans that made her butt look good. A black tank top with a green sweater over it that she could take off if she got too hot. She grabbed the cloak that had been Snape's and fastened it around her neck. She pushed her feet into her boots, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, not wanting to take the time to braid it.
She got her Transfiguration book from her trunk and shoved it into her bag with her potion things. She checked her watch again. It was almost 6. Smiling she slung her bag over her shoulder and left the dormitory.
The castle was silent as she made her way down to Snape's office. She pulled the cloak tighter around her body against the dungeon chill.
It's only September, it shouldn't be this cold, she thought, shivering slightly. Maybe that means it'll rain later. Would be a good chance to practice this Drought Charm for Flitwick.
When she reached Snape's office she knocked on the door, out of courtesy more than anything. He didn't answer but she hadn't really expected him to. She glanced around the hallway to make sure she was alone, then drew her wand and removed the enchantment warding his door. She slipped inside the dark office and shut the door behind her. She aimed her wand at the fireplace and started a fire going before redoing the enchantment to seal the door.
She went and stood beside the fire, warming her hands, while she thought about what to do. She could start on the potions and wait for him to wake up – it's what she would have done last year – but she didn't even know what they were going to be brewing. Plus she was supposed to be doing her homework first.
She glanced at the hidden entrance to his quarters. She thought about knocking, waking him up. But that might be pushing it, she thought.
So she sat at his desk, in his chair, and dropped her bag on the floor beside her feet. She pulled out her Transfiguration book and the essay she'd started yesterday. She glanced at the hidden door once more before focusing on her work.
She'd written a few paragraphs when the hidden door slid open and Snape appeared. He was in his pajamas, his hair mussed from sleep, blinking at her. She'd seen him this way dozens of times before but the sight of him freshly awakened from sleep still made her heart skip a beat. She grinned at him and the corners of his mouth twitched in a smile.
"What are you doing, Gray?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
"My homework, Professor," she said innocently. "You said I could work on it here this morning."
He squinted at her and looked at his watch.
"As I recall," he said. "Getting you to wake up before 10 am was a nearly impossible task over the summer when it was not, and I quote, 'a school day'."
"Well yeah but there's work to be done, right?" she asked, still grinning.
"Hmm. I'll get dressed," he said and Freddie started to stand up but he held up his finger. "No. Stay."
She smirked and sat back down. She hadn't really been going to follow him into his quarters but it was fun to tease him. He left the door open as he retreated into his dimly lit quarters. He was teasing her too.
She leaned back in the chair, craning her neck to see into his room. The only light came from the windows under the lake. In the dim green glow she got a glimpse of him removing his night shirt, his broad pale shoulders, before he shrugged on his shirt. Then he moved out of her line of sight. She sighed softly and looked back at her essay.
She read over what she'd written so far and made a few corrections, mostly fixing spelling errors she'd made because it was so early. Snape came out of his quarters fully dressed. With a flick of his wand the door to his quarters vanished behind a bookshelf.
"Out of my chair, little girl," he said, approaching her. She ignored him, scratching out a spot where she'd used the wrong 'to'.
She let out a yelp of surprise as he lifted the chair and tipped her unceremoniously onto the floor.
"Hey!" she shouted, scrambling to get to her feet. She picked up her essay and brushed it off. "That wasn't very nice!"
"I am not a nice man," he said, sitting down in the chair he'd dumper her out of.
"Hmph," she said, looking around for her quill. It was on the floor under his desk. She got down on her hands and knees and wedged herself between his legs and the desk.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice a low throaty growl. She picked up her quill and straightened up on her knees, looking up at him from between his legs with a wicked grin on her face.
"Getting my quill," she said, her voice coming out in a whisper.
He growled softly and put his hands on her shoulders. For a moment she thought he was going to undo his pants, let her suck his cock, maybe even fuck her. He gripped her shoulders hard and she gasped – a mixture of pain and anticipation...then he yanked her up and pushed her away roughly.
"Sit," he said sternly, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. She walked around the desk, her legs feeling like jello, and sank into the chair, the quill still clutched in her hand.
"Winifred..." he said on slow exhale, steepling his hands in front of him on the desk. "You are making this extremely difficult."
She opened her mouth, intent on apologizing, then closed it again. She could say sorry but then that would be a lie. She wasn't sorry, not really. A part of her was still hoping that if he was a desperate as she was, he'd take her back to Spinner's End.
"I should send you back to your Common Room. I do not need your help," he said, a note of cruelness in his voice that hadn't been directed at her in quite some time.
"No!" she exclaimed quickly, almost jumping to her feet. "No, please. I- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'll be good. I promise, I'll be good."
"Hmm," he said and rubbed his hand across his face. He massaged his temples as if she were giving him a headache. He didn't speak for several minutes and Freddie sat on the edge of her seat, wondering what he was thinking. It was impossible to read him when he wasn't in her head and she knew better than to try and enter his without permission. That would get her thrown out of his office for sure.
"Please," she tried again, her voice gentle and pleading. "Please don't make me leave. I'll be a good girl."
This seemed to break his resolve and he let out a grunt, sinking back into his chair.
"Noelle," he barked, causing her to jump slightly. The elf appeared with a crack, trembling slightly.
"Yes Master Snape?"
"Yea," he said sharply. "For myself and Miss Gray."
"Yes Master Snape," Noelle squeaked. "Shall Noelle brings breakfasts too? It is very nearly ready."
"Yes fine," he snapped. "Dismissed."
Freddie gave the elf an apologetic look before she disappeared with a crack.
"I'm sorry," Freddie whispered again, looking not at Snape but at the desk between them. She didn't want to meet his gaze lest she find his eyes full of anger. He was in a bad mood now and it was all her fault.
"I'm not angry," he said sharply and she jumped again. She didn't know he was in her mind. In her mind but keeping his own thoughts and emotions blocked from her.
"I am not angry, Winifred," he said again, lowering his voice. "I am frustrated. You must understand. This is not any easier for me than it is for you."
She nodded slightly, still not daring to look up at him. She picked her essay up off the desk and pretended to read it until Noelle returned with a tray of food and another with tea. Freddie got up and busied herself with helping the elf set the plates down on Snape's desk.
"Okay if I move these, Professor?" Freddie asked, indicating a stack of papers that prevented Noelle from being able to set the tea tray down. Snape grunted indifferently and Freddie shifted the stack of essays to the edge of the desk.
"Is there anything else you is requiring Master Snape?" Noelle asked and Snape gave a sharp jerk of his head. "Mistress Gray?"
"No, thank you, Noelle."
The elf bowed deeply to each of them then disappeared again. Snape poured himself a cup of tea and began to drink, not bothering to pour hers. Freddie felt slightly wounded as she leaned across the desk to fix her own cup. She added sugar to her tea, ignoring his grimace. She stirred it in and settled back in her chair to finish proof-reading her essay.
When she'd read through it she leaned across the desk to get her book so she could continue working on it.
"You should eat," Snape said, putting his hand on the textbook so she couldn't pull it away. "Before the eggs get cold."
"I'm not hungry," she muttered and when he didn't release her book she slumped back in her chair. She stared at the cup in her hand. She watched in her peripheral as Snape fixed a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits, then pushed it towards her.
"Eat, Winifred," he said softly and she could tell he was trying to gentle his tone. She nodded slightly and straightened up in her seat. She scooted forward and began to eat.
"So," she said after swallowing a mouthful of eggs. "What potions do we have to brew for Madam Pomfrey?"
"Calming Draught," he said, accepting the change of subject easily as he cut a piece of sausage on his own plate. "Wound-Cleaning Potion and Cough Tonic."
"That'll keep us busy," she said with a nod.
"Indeed. Have you completed your essay?"
"Very nearly. Ten, fifteen minutes tops," she said, popping a bit of sausage in her mouth.
"Good."
They ate in silence for several minutes and the tension between them seemed to melt away. Freddie washed down the last of her breakfast with a gulp of rapidly-cooling tea, careful not to disturb the mandrake leaf in her mouth.
"Can you spare me for a bit after lunch? Amelia needs a bit of help with her homework. Fifth year, you know."
"Ah. Miss Burke should do a better job of staying on top of things."
"Exactly what I told her last night, but she was nearly in tears at the mountain of homework in front of her. Poor thing."
"Teenagers," he scoffed. "I suppose she has her mind on boys rather than books."
"Just the one boy I think," Freddie said with a smirk. "And believe me, it's not a mistake she'll make twice. I've told her I'll only bail her out the once."
"I should hope not," he said, clearing away their empty plates.
"So is it alright with you if I leave for a bit after lunch?"
"Fine," he said with a dismissive wave of his left hand while he poured more tea with his right. "Finish your essay, Winifred. I will collect the ingredients and get the potions started."
"Yes sir."
