An hour later they were both spent again and although they knew they would have to leave soon Freddie was having a hard time dragging herself out of bed.
"You have to be back on the grounds at sunrise, yes?" Snape asked, tracing the line of her jaw with one finger. He was laying on his side, propped up on one elbow beside her. The quilt had fallen away from his upper body, revealing his sweat-slicked chest.
"Y-yes," Freddie said, almost missing the question. "I have to recite a spell every sunrise and sunset until the next lightning storm."
"We should leave soon then."
"Mm," she said, pulling the quilt tighter around herself and snuggling up to his chest. "It's too cold to get up."
"You're cute when you're cold," he said, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "But I do not want to be responsible for interrupting your Animagus process...again."
She whined but she knew he was right. He kissed her forehead once more then she squirmed away and got up, taking the quilt with her, leaving him naked and alone on the bed.
"Hey!" he protested and Freddie laughed. "You're going to pay for that, little girl."
"Now?" she asked hopefully as he sat up on the edge of the bed.
"Later," he growled playfully, pulling her to him. He kissed her quickly. "And when you least expect it."
"I can hardly wait," she said, grinning. He yanked the quilt away from her and she let out a yelp as the cold air hit her body. She grabbed her wand from the bedside table and lit a fire in the small fireplace that was in his room. She shuffled over to the hearth and stood there, shivering, while she waited to warm up. There was a noise from the hallway, a soft skittering sound, then Ziggy appeared in the doorway. His fur was ruffled and there was a bit of cobweb stuck to one of his ears.
"Looks like you've been exploring," Freddie said and the kneazle meowed. He looked from her to Snape and Snape pulled the quilt over his lap quickly. Freddie raised an eyebrow at him curiously.
"It feels strange to have the cat looking at me while I'm naked," he explained.
"He doesn't know the difference," she laughed. "If it bothers you so much go find your clothes – and bring mine as well."
"Yes ma'am," he said sardonically, standing up from the bed.
"Please," she added. He smiled slightly and came up behind her in front of the fireplace. He kissed her neck from behind then draped the quilt around her shoulders.
He returned to the room a few minutes later with his arms full of their clothes, his wand in one hand. He was only wearing his white boxers and Freddie smiled at the sight.
"I'm going to take a quick shower," he said, laying their clothes on the bed. He put his wand on the bedside table next to hers. "Care to join me?"
"Of course," she said, shedding the quilt and following him across the hall into the bathroom. "As long as it's quick. I can't miss the sunrise."
"I can be quick."
Ten minutes later they were both clean and satisfied once more. Freddie hurried across the chilly hallway back into the bedroom which had grown warmer from the fire. Ziggy was curled up asleep on the quilt in front of the hearth.
She used her wand to dry her hair then started to get dressed. She had her underwear, her shirt, jacket and tights, but something was missing.
"Where's my skirt?" she asked Snape, who was buttoning up his shirt.
"I didn't see it," he answered. She looked him over and grinned slightly.
"...You know you have a stain on your pants?" she asked, trying not to laugh. He glanced down at the white stain on the leg of his trousers. He'd still had his pants on when they first did it on the couch last night. She picked up her wand, intent on cleaning it for him, but he waved her off.
"I'll do it," he said, reaching past her to get his own wand. "I'm not thrilled at the idea of anyone pointing a wand... between my legs."
"You don't trust me?" she asked, mock-hurt.
"I do," he said, kissing her cheek. "But some things I'd rather do myself. Why don't you go find your skirt? Not that I don't like this look..." His eyes traveled down her body, settling on her black lace panties that were visible through her fishnet stockings.
"I'm sure you do," she chuckled. "But we can't do that again or we'll be late. I'll be right back."
Freddie retraced their steps of the night before. They'd started on the couch and that was where he'd divested her of most of her clothes, but she'd still had her skirt on when they'd headed upstairs. Her skirt wasn't on the stairs and it wasn't in the hallway upstairs either. Then she remembered he'd stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pushed her up against the wall before they ever made it to the bed. She looked around and found her skirt wedged part of the way behind a bookcase. She pulled it out and found it covered in dust and cobwebs. Ziggy must have dragged it there. She cleaned it quickly with her wand and put it on over head leggings. When she returned upstairs Snape was fully dressed and was making the bed.
"Are you ready?" he asked. "I thought it prudent we use the Floo network to return to my office."
"Good idea," she said. Snape tossed a handful of floo powder into the fireplace, the flames turned green, and he stepped in. Freddie scooped Ziggy up in her arms and quickly followed him.
When Freddie stepped out of the hearth into his office, Snape was already sitting at his desk, running his hands through his hair. He looked tired but he gave her the smallest of smiles when Freddie put Ziggy down and flopped into the chair in front of his desk.
"Do you have time for tea?" he asked. Freddie checked her watch and nodded. She had about 15 minutes before she needed to go outside. Snape called for Noelle and the house elf appeared almost immediately.
"Good morning, Master Snape. Mistress Gray," the elf said, bowing low to each of them.
"Will you bring us a pot of tea, Noelle? Brew #14," Snape said.
"Of course, sir. Shall Noelle bring breakfast as well?"
"I suppose. Something light, I think."
"Eggs and toast?" Freddie suggested and he nodded in agreement.
"Very good, sir," Noelle said and disappeared with a pop.
They waited for Noelle in comfortable silence. Freddie was slouched in her chair, absently stroking Ziggy who had jumped into her lap. Her eyelids felt heavy. She hadn't slept much last night and she was sore, but it had been completely worth it. She was considering taking a nap later after working her spell. She was rubbing her eyes with her free hand when Noelle reappeared. The elf placed the food and tea tray on Snape's desk.
"Anything else, Master Snape?" Noelle asked, wiping her hands on the pink towel dress she wore.
"That's all, Noelle. You're dismissed."
The elf bowed low again and disappeared. Snape poured Freddie's tea first and pushed the cup towards her before pouring his own. She nudged Ziggy from her lap gently and he moved to the chair next to her as she leaned forward to get her tea.
"Mmm. Ginger, lemon, and...chamomile?" she guessed after taking a sip.
"Indeed. My personal hangover cure. I developed it when I was 15 and made a small fortune selling it to my delinquent classmates," he said, lifting the cup to his mouth and breathing in the steam before taking a sip. He let out a contented sigh and leaned back in his chair.
"Were you a delinquent student?" she asked with a smirk.
"Me? No. I never even served a detention – unlike you," he teased.
"Hey, that wasn't my fault," she protested. "You're the one who gave me detention."
"You earned it."
"I don't even remember what I did," she admitted. "I just remember the detention. Sorting expired potion ingredients in the lab and in the classroom."
"You used the permanent pass I gave you without permission to leave Transfiguration early, because you wanted to work on the Felix Felicis brew," he said.
"Oh yeah...You know some people would consider that taking initiative. Not something to be punished."
"Nothing you do for me should interfere with your other classes," he said and she knew from the emphasis he wasn't just referring to her potions work.
"It hasn't," she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. She took a sip of her tea and chuckled softly. "You know, maybe it's time I try to make the Felix Felicis potion again."
"You think you can handle it?"
She felt her blush deepen as she remembered her last disastrous attempt at the Felix Felicis. She'd tried it twice before and failed. The first time was when she'd thought Snape didn't want her to be his apprentice anymore, after her prank with the Noxious Potion went wrong. The second when she'd lost her temper with him after Daniel's disappearance. She'd lashed out with her magic and knocked the cauldron over and thrown Snape against the wall of the lab hard enough to bruise him. It was embarrassing to remember...but it had been a long time since she'd had an outburst like that. She had her Occlumency now.
"I can handle anything," she said confidently.
"Hmm," he said, appearing lost in thought. "I don't think we'll have time for Felix. We will have to leave for the Potions Championship in December and we will be away for several days."
"Really?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "Where will the Championship be held?"
"It's always in an enchanted garden but the location changes with every challenge. This year's has not been released yet."
"Where was yours?"
"Russia," he said with a slight grimace. "The weather was awful. Professor Slughorn and I were trapped by a blizzard afterwards in the inn where we stayed."
Freddie sipped her tea and smiled as she imagined being snowed-in somewhere with Snape. He caught her eye and quickly hid his own smile behind his cup.
They divied up the eggs and toast and ate their breakfast together in silence. Freddie cleaned her plate quickly. Snape ate some but still had eggs on his plate when he pushed it away.
"Can he eat eggs?" he asked, nodding to the kneazle.
"You can try," she said with a shrug, washing down her last bite of toast with some more tea.
"Here kitty kitty," Snape called, putting the plate down on the floor. Ziggy looked across the desk at him, clearly affronted. "What? You don't want eggs?"
"He doesn't respond to 'kitty kitty'," Freddie laughed. "He's not a cat."
"Hm. Here Zygmunt. Ziggy," he tried again. Ziggy perked up then leapt gracefully onto the floor. He went around the desk and sat with his tail around his paws and began to eat the eggs. Freddie chuckled again and checked her watch.
"I've gotta go," she said. "The sun will be rising in just a minute."
"I'll come with you," Snape said, pushing back from his desk.
"You don't have to. I know you must be tired."
"I'm coming with you," he said as he came around the desk. "I'm curious."
"Alright."
She got her jacket off the back of her chair and put it on. She was about to zip it up when Snape's hands covered hers.
"Allow me," he said softly. He zipped her up slowly and she felt a flush of warmth spread through her body. When he reached the top with the zipper he released it and cupped her chin gently. He met her gaze evenly, looking as though he would like to kiss her...but he didn't. Instead he smiled, brushed his thumb along her cheek, then stepped away.
"Come," he said. "Wouldn't want you to miss the sunrise."
"You coming, Zigzag?" she asked, glancing back at the kneazle. Ziggy twitched his whiskers, glanced at the eggs left on the plate, then seemed to make up his mind. He trotted after them out the door.
Freddie and Ziggy followed Snape up out of the dungeons and out of the castle. The sky was a deep purplish-red color as the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon.
"Do you need to be near the vial?" he asked as Ziggy started frolicking in the grass.
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," she said, leaving the path to head towards the sundial garden. Snape followed her and so did Ziggy, though he stopped periodically to stalk bugs. When they reached the stones she looked at the spot where she'd buried the vial last night. Clearly it had not been disturbed. Freddie stood with her back against the rock, facing the rising sun, and took out her wand. She placed the tip of her wand over her heart and took a deep breath.
"Amato, Animo, Animato, Animagus," she chanted clearly. The tip of her wand glowed a soft yellow, then extinguished. She didn't feel any different, though she hadn't expected to. The instructions hadn't said she would.
"That's it?" Snape asked.
"That's it," she confirmed. "Every morning and every night, until the next storm."
They both glanced upwards at the sky. There wasn't a cloud to be seen.
"Guess it'll be a while," she said.
"Yeah. Who knows...maybe you will get lucky and it will storm this week."
"I think I've already gotten lucky," she said with a sly grin.
"Cheeky little witch," he said. He started to swat her playfully, then seemed to think better of it.
"Ha!" she said, dancing away from him.
He glanced around quickly, then reached into his pocket. She didn't know what he was doing until she was hit with a Trip Jinx that caused her to face plant in the dirt.
"Hey!" she said ruefully, sitting up and brushing dirt from her hands.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You jinxed me!"
"Looked to me as if you tripped over a root," he said. "And you can't prove otherwise."
"There's no roots around here."
"A pebble then," he said, then extended a hand to help her to her feet. She brushed the dirt from her skirt and noticed a hole in her leggings.
"Hey – you ripped a hole in my stockings. They're brand new."
"There are a lot of holes in them," he observed.
"They're fish net stockings, they're supposed to look like that – not that," she said, pointing to rip in the snake design.
"Hmm," he said and pulled out his wand. "Reparo."
The material knit back together in an instant.
"Good as new," he said, stowing his wand back in his pocket.
"Thanks. Amelia bought them for my yesterday. Do you like them?"
"I like the snakes," he said as they started back towards the castle, walking slowly. "You went shopping with Amelia Avery yesterday?"
"In Hogsmeade, yeah."
"Did she buy you this jacket as well?" he asked, his fingers skimming her back for a fraction of a second before dropping to his side.
"No, I bought it, but she did have to talk me into it. It was expensive but I really like it. I like the way it fits."
"As do I," he said quietly and she smiled at him. "What else did you and Miss Avery buy?"
Freddie told him about her purchases at the Apothecary and the new pet shop where she'd gotten Ziggy's collar. She told him about lunch at the Three Broomsticks, leaving out the part about Ziggy biting Brian and them getting kicked out by Madam Rosmerta. By the time she finished talking they had reached the dungeons once more. It was still early, breakfast hadn't even been served yet in the Great Hall. There were no students in the corridor. Probably everyone was still asleep – it was Sunday, after all.
"Do you need help brewing anything this morning?" she asked as they stopped outside the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. "I was thinking of taking a nap."
"No, go ahead. I was thinking the same thing," he said, inclining his head. "I'll see you after lunch if you want to find something to work on."
"Yes sir," she said with a smile. She turned to the entrance and gave the password 'bat spleen'. Ziggy leapt through the entrance and when Freddie turned back to say goodbye to Snape he was already gone.