He woke up at dawn and energy pulsing through all his extremities, calling for movement for without it was almost painful, like pins and needles. He roamed the corridors now, hands clasped behind his back, watching the pale light greet each pillar. Out the doors, he went and down to the courtyard. Severus listened to the newly, fallen fresh snow pack under his feet. The cold air wiped at his nose, but as he turned his face towards the sun, just starting to peak out in the horizon, he felt warm and closed his eyes. Her hair was pinned high on her head and several loose tendrils framed her neck and face. Her face…her face in delight, her face amused, in a happy sadness as she opened his gift…her awe. Her pleasure. Immediately, he had a sinking feeling. Had he done something wrong last night? Had he pushed her to give herself to him? No, it was certainly freely. She touched him with the same intention. But still, she had left so abruptly. Had she too much to drink? Did she have regret?

It was quite all right if she had, although Severus knew this would be incredibly crushing to know, but he needed to know…it would certainly make him feel better to give Thena the reassurance that she could regret last night. To know that he had no expectations from her now. What had happened last night never needed to happen again. In fact, they could pretend that it never happened and it could be business as usual. Severus could always separate logic from heart. He could put his feelings aside and continue his sentence at Hogwarts, fulfill the vex and his obligations to Minerva…but what were his feelings?

Severus noticed now where his feet had taken him into the gardens. Everything laid dead or rather a shell of itself for the winter. Did he regret last night? Surely it left things complicated or rather more complicated as there was always something between them…some kind of magnetic feeling. Last night seemed inevitable to him. This could be due to the recurring, rather saucy, dream he had that she had tapped into one night when they were doing memory rehabilitation. How had she done that? How had she taken a subconscious thought, a dream- a rather detailed dream- but not a memory no less- and tapped into it as a defense mechanism for him tapping into her memories? Of course, she wasn't aware she had done this. Severus recalled the shocked look on her face as she snapped out of the trance state. He had never heard of this before.

Severus could not rationalize this nor any of his desires to her. The desire to touch her was something Severus had never experienced before. It seemed as natural as breathing, so much in fact that sometimes after he came into close proximity to her he had to take inventory of what had occurred, what he did. Did he behave appropriately? Did he move her hair away from her face? Kiss her jawline? Her neck? Whisper affections into her ear?

He came upon the stems of a rose bush, wooden tangles were all that remained. Withdrawing his wand, he muttered, and a deep red, almost purple rose grew from his words. His fingertips gently caressed the velvet petals. He broke off the stem from the bush and carried it into the castle.

Thena awoke to the morning sun warming her legs through the blankets. Her eyes wide open on the pillow, she replayed last night's events. Had it all been a dream? Her fingertips grazed her lips as just hours before his lips had. She felt herself smile and shake her head in disbelief. What did it mean? What did Severus think when he woke up this morning? This thought made her stomach flip. Did he regret what had transpired last night?

She quickly got ready for the day, nervous and excited all at once to see Severus. He would probably act like nothing had occurred, much like he did when they first kissed. Or take more distance from her. This thought inspired a sadness in her. As Thena came down the stairwell, her thoughts were disrupted by a dark cloak pacing back and forth on the floor beneath. The paintings greeted her, Severus seemed to notice this and his pacing came to a halt.

"Thena…" Severus said breathlessly. He cleared his throat and becoming aware of being a subject of the paintings' observation, "Madam Abbott" he corrected. "I would like to speak to you about last night's… affairs". He gestured in a direction away from the paintings into the corridor. The sunlight hit the window panes, reflecting against his face. His eyes were golden in the sunlight. He seemed lost in thought, staring outside to the grounds below them.

"Good morning, Severus."

He looked at her, "yes, good morning. Severus seemed to take a long pause, hesitant to speak next. He cleared his throat. "For you." He withdrew a large rose from his cloak and briefly extended it out to her. It was a dark red, almost black at the tips of its petals, vibrant and perfect.

She was shocked that this was happening, from the pure juxtaposition of his behaviors towards her.

"Thank you." Thena held it up to her nose to enjoy its fragrance.

"Yes, well. Consider it a gesture of goodwill." He began, "I wanted to apologize…"

"Severus…" Thena interrupted. "You don't need to apologize for anything…"

"Yes, but if I did…"

"Severus…" She interrupted again and held his gaze. She lowered her voice, "I don't want you to apologize for anything that happened last night. Do you understand?"

She held the rose to her lips, feeling the soft petals tickle them.

Severus gazed at her mouth and the rose and pressed his own lips together and something flickered briefly in his eyes..amusement perhaps. They didn't say anything for a moment.

"I am going to Hogsmeade today for…more information. If you have no other prior engagements, would you like to accompany me?"

"Yes. I haven't been to Hogsmeade since getting my wand. It would be nice to get out of the castle."