The first time Freddie woke the next morning it was early. She didn't know what time it was but she could tell it was early. She felt Snape unwrap himself from around her and kiss her forehead before getting up from the bed.
"What time is it?" she asked groggily. They'd been up late, past midnight, alternating between studying and fucking, sometimes doing both at the same time. She was sore and tired and she couldn't imagine having to be awake enough to get on a broomstick.
"Don't worry, you can sleep in. I'm going to shower, then go get breakfast. You can sleep," he assured her.
"Thank God," she murmured and buried her head under the pillow. She was asleep again almost immediately.
The next time she woke up, a few hours later, the sun was streaming through the curtains of the hotel room. She sat up in bed and looked around. She didn't see Snape. Ziggy was on the floor, curled up on her sweater from the night before.
"Severus?" she called, wondering if he were in the bathroom. He didn't answer. She dragged herself out of bed and went to look in the bathroom. He wasn't there.
"What the hell?" she muttered to herself. She only dimly remembered him saying that he was going to get breakfast but she knew that had been a while ago. She fretted for a few minutes, wondering where he could be.
He's a grown man, she told herself finally. He can take care of himself. And if we have to fly today, I need a shower. A hot shower.
She found clean clothes in her bag and went into the bathroom for a long, hot shower. She used the little bottles of hotel shampoo and conditioner that smelled like lemon sage. When she got out of the shower, she got dressed and used her wand to dry her hair. She stepped out of the bathroom and started when she found Snape sitting at the small desk by the door. He had his glowing tea set on the desk and was using his wand on it.
"You brought your tea set?" she asked, smiling as she walked over to where he sat.
"I did. I always bring my own tea when I travel," he said. "I cannot stand the thought of drinking inferior tea in the mornings. I need to start my days with Blend #47."
She chuckled and put her arms around his shoulders from behind. He leaned back into her body and she kissed his cheek.
"You were gone when I woke up," she said as he gently shook her off so he could pour two cups of tea.
"I had a few things to do. Here," he said, turning in the chair to hand her one of the cups.
"Thank you. I don't suppose you brought sugar?"
"No."
"Hmm," she said and took a sip. "What 'things' did you have to do?"
"Don't worry about it," he said dismissively. "Drink your tea. Do you want to sit here?"
"No, I'll sit on the bed," she said, carrying her cup back to bed. She sipped her tea for a few minutes. "Do we really have to fly today? We're in France already, can't we Apparate?"
"Apparating to a place you have never been is risky, especially with a novice such as yourself."
"Hey!"
"Not only that, but we still have quite a distance to travel. Even I would not feel comfortable Apparating the distance."
"Okay," she said and sighed dramatically.
He smiled and set his teacup down on the desk. He picked up a brown paper bag from under the desk that she hadn't noticed.
"I have something for you that may make you feel better," he said, standing up.
"What is it?" she asked, putting her cup down as well. He walked over to her, pulling something from the bag as he did.
"Gloves," he said, handing them to her. As she checked them out he pulled something else out of the bag. She looked up as he tugged a fur-lined trapper-style hat over her head. "This will help keep you warm."
"Thank you," she said, pleasantly surprised that he had thought of her. "That was very sweet of you, Severus."
"Well I did not want to hear more of your complaining about being cold," he said dismissively but he was smiling as he went back to the desk for his tea.
"Uh-huh," she said, grinning. "I don't understand how you aren't cold when we fly. You didn't even seem sore last night."
"I am very selective about the things I let bother me," he said with a shrug. "I block it out."
"Wish I could do that."
"You will learn. Speaking of learning, we should go through your flashcards once before we have to leave."
"What about breakfast?" she asked, taking the hat off and setting it aside for now, along with the gloves.
"I brought you a scone," he said, tossing her a small wrapped pastry. "You can eat it while we run through them."
"Fair enough," she agreed, unwrapping her scone.
They left the hotel an hour later, casting their Disillusionment Charms until they were high enough in the sky that they wouldn't be spotted. It was a little warmer today and the sun was shining when they got above the clouds. Freddie felt in a much better mood than she had the previous day. She'd only gotten three of the flashcards wrong, and she hadn't been completely wrong she'd just forgotten some of the steps for the Wolfsbane Potion – something she was pretty sure she wouldn't need to know for the competition anyway. She'd gotten the Latin name for Provence psyllium partially wrong, she'd said plantago enaria instead of arenaria. She'd remembered that milk thistle was Silybum marianumbut confused it's use for liver problems with kidney problems. Still, three out of 500 wasn't bad.
She had the record player strapped to her broom and she played The Beatles vinyl as they headed south. Snape quizzed her periodically but for the most part he let her relax. Even Ziggy seemed happier. He didn't cower under Freddie's cloak but sat on the broomstick near the record player, watching the record spin.
Freddie felt happy and excited and periodically nervous. By nightfall they would be in southern France at a village near the Enchanted Garden and tomorrow was the competition. All the months of studying – years really – would finally pay off...hopefully.
They kept flying through lunchtime and Freddie didn't ask to stop. She was a little hungry, the scone had been hours ago, but she was trying to ignore her hunger. To be selective about what she let bother her, like Snape had said. To block it out.
Around 2 o'clock she spotted darkening clouds ahead. She was hesitant to keep flying towards them but when she glanced at Snape he didn't seem worried. She knew they had to keep going, but there was no way to avoid the rain they were flying into. Freddie stowed the record player when they were about 5 minutes away, not wanting it to get damaged. They both cast charms to keep the rain off their heads but the wind blew it onto them anyway. Ziggy crawled back down the broom handle to her and ducked beneath her cloak. When thunder rumbled around them she heard Ziggy growl uneasily.
Lightning cracked through the clouds, making her hair stand on end. She gripped her broom tightly as a strong gust of wind almost blew her into Snape.
"We cannot fly in this!" he shouted to her over the noise. "We will have to find a place to land!"
"Okay!" she called back, secretly relieved. She'd never flown in a storm like this before. She could handle rain or snow, even strong wind, but the lightning seemed dangerous. She'd heard stories of wizards getting struck by lightning in midair.
They descended down below the clouds and Freddie struggled to see through the rain. She saw lights maybe half a mile ahead, a city or town. Lightning streaked through the sky overhead with an almost deafening sound. Freddie's ears were ringing and she couldn't hear what Snape was saying, though she saw his lips moving.
Go straight down, his voice said in her head. We cannot fly to the town, it's too dangerous. We will land and then Apparate.
There's a road down there, do we need to do Disillusionment Charms? She asked.
No. The rain is heavy, they will not see us. Just land.
They touched down a few yards from a highway where a couple of cars were driving, windshield wipers working furiously. Freddie's boots squished into the mud as they landed. Ziggy jumped down but immediately started yowling and trying to climb her leg.
"Shh, shh, it's okay," she said, frantically scooping him up. "You're okay."
"Here," Snape said as he transformed his wand into a large umbrella. It was big enough to keep the rain off the both of them, but it did nothing to help with the fact that they were both thoroughly soaked. Snape's hair was plastered to his head and he looked irritated as he brushed his wet hair out of his eyes.
"Can you put our brooms in my bag?" she asked him. "Or hold Ziggy while I do it?"
"I've got it," he said, picking up both brooms. She held her purse open for him with one hand while he put the brooms in handle-first. She was about to close her bag when Ziggy squirmed from her grasp and leapt into the bag.
"Hey!" she said, looking in at him. He was sitting on top of the record player, licking his wet fur. "You're going to get squished in there."
"He will be fine," Snape told her. "Take my hand, I will get us to the city ahead."
Freddie took his hand and immediately felt the pressure of Apparition. She didn't try to do it herself, she didn't want to risk messing them up, she just focused on the feeling of his hand in hers. When they appeared they were standing in the middle of a small park. There were slides, jungle gyms, and swing sets where the swings blew dangerously in the wind. And there were no people around, not in a storm like this.
"Use your wand to dry us off," he instructed, still holding his umbrella-wand over their heads. "And we can go find a place to sit down and eat until the storm stops."
She did as he said, drying their clothes and hair instantly with a spell. She knew her hair was frizzy, his was too, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Snape took her hand in his and together they left the park. They walked down the sidewalk past tall buildings, houses, and shops. They walked for a while until they found a burger place and ducked inside, out of the wind.
They sat in a corner booth and a waiter brought them drinks – Snape got water, not wanting to risk getting "inferior" tea, and Freddie got a soda. They both ordered burgers and fries then settled in to wait for their food. The storm was still raging outside and Snape looked grim.
"It's just a storm," she said to him. "It'll pass eventually."
"I am not so sure. If it lasts too long we will fall behind schedule. We may not make it in time for the competitors dinner."
"That's fine with me," she said. "I don't mind missing the dinner...as long as we're there by morning."
"You are not missing the dinner. I will figure something out," he said dismissively. "You need to meet your competition, check them out. Who knows, you might even make friends with some of them."
"Unlikely," she scoffed. "Why would I make friends with the enemy?"
"They are not the enemy, Winifred. They are kids-"
"I'm not a kid!" she protested. "I'll be 18 in less than two months. I'm a legal adult already."
"Fine then, yes, you are not a kid. Although some of them may be. Regardless, they are students like you, students who love potions. Young Potioneers such as yourself. You may find a friend or two among them."
"Maybe," she said doubtfully.
"If we ever get out of here," he said, looking past her to the window.
"Well maybe we can keep flying in it?" she asked, even though she really didn't want to. "Ziggy can stay in my bag. It won't be so bad."
"It is too dangerous," he said, shaking his head. "It would be disappointing if you were struck by lightning and died before you win your competition."
Freddie snorted and was about to retort when the waiter came back with their food. Her stomach growled audibly when she smelled the burger and she immediately picked it up and took a big bite. Snape looked past her once more at the storm raging outside, grunted, then turned his attention to his food.