Harry paced away from Professor Snape as quietly as he could, as though wanting the professor to forget that he was even there.
He couldn't afford for Snape to change his mind and demand that he stay.
He slid through the door that he had entered through only moments earlier and took a few more careful paces. He then bolted down the corridor, as though afraid Snape would chase after him.
He couldn't believe what he had just seen.
Snape and Dumbledore kissing?
He continued to sprint, not stopping until he had finally reached the portrait hole to Gryffindor tower.
He wished the fat lady would hurry up and open the door, he had just stated the password four times in a row.
It finally happened and Harry climbed in through the portrait hole faster than he ever had in his life.
He couldn't wait to tell Ron and Hermione about what had just happened as his eyes desperately searched the common room.
Where were they?
It wasn't long before he had located them both sitting in the two armchairs closest to the fire. Hermione seemed to be writing on a stack of parchment, while Ron reorganized his wizarding chess set.
"You're not going believe this!" Harry hissed as he approached them, Hermione gave a slight jump at the unexpected intrusion and Ron gazed up at him with wide eyes, as though surprised to find that his friend was still alive after detention with Snape.
"Why are you back so early?"
"Never mind that." Harry's breathing was shallowing as he struggled to communicate to his best friends about what he had just witnessed.
"What happened Harry?" Hermione gasped as though someone had just died.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, yet even as he did so, he wondered whether his friends would even believe him?
He quickly glanced around the common room once more, before soon realising that other students were now watching the scene that he hadn't intended to make.
"Let's go somewhere." He suggested as he grabbed each of their arms respectively and dragged them from the common room.
*~.~*
Snape sat down in his most prized recliner, a mug of spiced tea in one hand and a potion's weekly in the other. Yet, it didn't seem to matter how much he tried to focus on the magazine, his mind kept wandering to the upcoming weekend.
What was Dumbledore expecting from him? He closed his eyes, attempting to visualize a series of possible scenarios and how he would handle them.
Yet, none of the scenes conjured up within his mind truly concerned him.
He had known Dumbledore these many years and yet he still hadn't seen this coming.
Was it so bad to grant an old man his dying wish?
It's not as though it was any skin off his back.
He shook his thoughts from his head before turning the page of his magazine.
*~.~*
Snape stood behind his desk as he watched the last of his pupils file excitedly out the door. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. It was his final class of the day as his eyes turned to the clock on the wall.
It was almost time.
Any minute now the Headmaster would walk through that door to collect him.
Just as Snape had thought it, the Professor suddenly appeared in front of him, as though summoned by mere thoughts of him.
"Shall we?" Dumbledore smiled, it seemed he was wasting no time as he extended his hand, offering it to the younger wizard.
Snape said nothing but his faltering expression was proof that he had resigned himself to the Headmaster's whims. He placed his hand within that of the Headmaster's and before he knew it, he was standing in front of an old stone cabin, just as Dumbledore had alluded to.
It truly was immersed within the mountains as trees seemed to be standing guard at every corner of the property. Soft droplets pelted his skin as he gazed up to the darkening sky.
"I expect it will rain for the duration of our stay." Dumbledore smiled serenely, yet an amused glint seemed to twinkle across his eyes.
Snape couldn't help it as he raised an eyebrow, wondering if Dumbledore hadn't in fact made it rain on purpose.
After all, he was sure all of Dumbledore's intended activities would revolve entirely around the confines of the four stone, ivy encrusted walls.
Except for the hot springs of course.
"It's a tad chilly don't you think?" Dumbledore winked before guiding the younger man towards the small, wooden front door.
"After you." He continued to grin as he whisked the door open with his wand.
Snape couldn't for the life of him evict the skepticism from his eyes. Yet, despite this he strolled inside the small cottage. His eyes danced around the room, a roaring fire illuminated the fireplace, while a rather cozy wooden interior surrounded him at every turn.
"It's lovely, isn't it? I always come here when I need to get away from it all." Dumbledore smiled as he took a seat by the fire.
"There is only one bedroom of course, it's up that spiral staircase." Dumbledore's eyes remained set upon Snape as though curious to discover how his DADA professor would react.
Snape nodded at the Headmaster's words, of course there would be only one bed.
Had he really expected anything else?
It was probably a small bed too.
Snape's eyes turned to a large bay window as it offered the cottage's occupants an unparalleled view over a nearby cascade of pale blue hot springs imbedded within a rocky setting. Steam rose from the springs surface before disappearing into a wisp of lightly falling drizzle. The downpour should have put him off venturing outside, yet he found the idea of soaking in a hot spring while being pelted by droplets of rain strangely appealing.
"Right, well, I think its high time we got in that hot spring!"
Snape eyed Dumbledore skeptically, as though trying to determine whether the man was in fact serious. His question was soon answered as the older man began to tug on the tassels holding his outer robes on.
A feeling of dread visibly washed over Snape as the minimal colour drained from his face.
Dumbledore was serious after all.