Disclaimer and notes:

All things not Allosia, belong to JKR, except:

The song is Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen. If you want to hear it, I suggest you find the Jeff Buckley version of it, which inspired its appearance in this story (it will appear again, btw).

I know, we've been very cute for the last couple of chapters. But I just had angsty inspiration - so -- more angst, more romance, more drama! Not in this installment,but coming soon.

Please, read, review, tell your friends. Blah blah blah.

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"Allosia," Snape panted, "just, stop, I've got to catch my breath."

They had just crashed to the ground for the third time and she was insisting on continuing the game.

"Sorry, are you okay?" she asked, trying to seem more out of breath than she was.

"I know you're fine, so don't do that." He was annoyed.

Allosia turned away then and began pacing as she listened to him trying to get his air back. While she had known it would happen eventually, it still made her sad. Her gracelessness about it didn't help. She began to hum.

"What's that?" he asked.

"A song."

He made a face her back couldn't see and in the silence, she began to sing, "Once there was a secret chord / That David played and it pleased the Lord / But you don't really care for music do you?"

She turned then and smiled at him strangely.

"Your voice," he said, "is different than I would have thought."

"Loud for a little thing, aren't I?"

"That part I knew."

She made a face, but decided to let the remark pass. "You want to call it a night?"

"Probably wise."

She reached her arm out to help him up. "I'm glad you decided to join me."

"Thank you for extending the invitation."

The walked in silence back to the castle. Just inside the doors, they stopped.

"Do you want to come by for a drink," Snape asked her.

"I don't think I should,"

He looked amused. "Are you sure about that?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Allosia, you're clinging to the front of my robes."

And so she was, in a strange half gesture that made it clear she was trying not to lean into him but wanted to.

"Oh," she said, and flattened her hands against his chest. "Is this better?"

"Come for a drink," he said very softly, dipping his head so that he breathed the words against her ear.

"I can't," she said, but it was almost a question. She stepped back from him then. "Goodnight, Severus."

He bowed slightly at her and smiled, somewhere between cruel and sly. "Goodnight, Miss Hemrand."

She watched him turn and walk away, realizing by his step, that he was amused more than anything else.