The Fall

The next morning Vexus arrived at 6:30 and was met by an angry Snape "You're late."

"No I'm not, you said 6:30," she snapped back. He glared at her and resumed scribbling on the parchment before him. Vexus rolled her eyes and went into the storeroom. She wanted to make up a quick potion. It was a practice run of one of the one on the list that Snape had given her the night before. He watched silently from his desk as she came out of the room with the ingredients. She set up one of the extra cauldrons that had been bought the day before. At this Snape spoke "I though those were for the students."

"They are. My personal cauldron is of a higher quality than what most of the students have." she didn't look up from what she was doing, "this particular draught is a bit tricky. Reactions with the metal and all. I want to give it a test in one of these to see how the cauldron stands up to it."

'Damn,' He though as he watched her 'there IS a reason she's go good at this.'

45 minutes later it turned out that she had been right. They examined the cauldron. There were signs of the potion seeping through and some melting had occurred around the edges. "I tried to do it like a second year would." she was saying "they wouldn't know that the shells would need to be completely powdered, not just crushed."

"Hmmm, well that one's off the list then." he moved to scratch it off when she grabbed his wrist and said "no."

He looked at her hand and realized in that instant that they had never touched. Her hands were as cold as his, and he noticed that her nails were perfectly painted black. 'She must spend a lot of time on them' was the first definite thought that popped into his head. He snatched back his hand and asked her "Why not?"

"If you just make sure to mention in your lecture that the shells need to be powdered you can tell who was listening by who doesn't have a meltdown." she smirked.

"And the ones who have a 'melt-down'?" he asked.

"Clean-up is my job. I'll deal with it." she wasn't smirking any more but a ghost of it remained on her lips.

'Her lips' thought Snape. 'The Matthews boy had been able to touch her and kiss her when he wanted.' He stepped back from her as if he had been bitten. "You're excused. I have a meeting with the headmaster."

She looked surprised as it was only 7:30 a.m. but she didn't argue. Instead she asked, "How long will you be? I'd like to go get some practice in."

"I don't know how long it will take, I'll come let you know when we are finished."

With that he spun on his heel and stalked out of the room.

Snape was furious at himself. 'What am I thinking?' He was headed quickly towards the headmaster's office. He felt his wrist. 'Idiot, you're such an idiot. What a thing to think, about a student!' he berated himself mentally. "But she's much more than that to me, isn't she?" he whispered it out loud. He spoke the password and climbed the steps towards Dumbledore's office. He flung the door open and was not surprised to see the old wizard sitting at his desk. Dumbledore looked up at Snape "My goodness, what's happened? You look pale, well more pale than usual." his eyes twinkled

"I am not sure about having Vexus as my assistant." he lowered himself into the chair.

"Why not?" Dumbledore regarded him intently "You two aren't arguing again?"

"How did you... never mind. I just think that it's too much" he cringed "closeness between a teacher and student."  He hoped that the headmaster wouldn't see through him. But he wasn't that lucky.

"Severus, I know that it has been difficult these past years to be around someone who reminds you so much of what you'd like to forget." Albus spoke softly "However the progress she has made is remarkable and I can see that you've had a positive influence."

"I just wonder about, certain things." he hated himself for this "when she was with Matthews, I always felt it was wrong. And now I wonder about." this was humiliating for him but he had to get it out "other things. Who she's with, what she's doing. It drives me insane."

Dumbledore rose and looked out the window. He could see Vexus from here; she was zipping around the Quidditch hoops, making progressively tighter and faster circles. He turned back to Snape. "Severus, it is not strange for you to feel as if you have an interest in her life. You are the reason she's alive. It is not a surprise for there to be some feelings of possession."

Snape had been leaning over with his head in his hands "I suppose you're right." He took a deep breath and stood "You're right. I'll get back to work now." He walked towards the door then stopped to look at the headmaster "You know, I get the impression that no one will ever really posses her though." He left the older wizard and headed to find Vexus. Soon Albus saw him as a tiny speck against the grass below and watched him walk towards the stadium.

She spotted the Professor on the ground but ignored him for a moment as she had just started a series of loops and didn't want to break the rhythm. Once she had reached the far end of the pitch she noticed he was sitting down. 'Good, I'll just keep on until he tries to get my attention.' and she started looping back to the other end of the stadium. When she reached the end she swung around the hoops quickly and made a lap all the way around weaving in and out of the elevated stands. She spun, She dived and when she looked again he was gone. She scanned the stands and didn't notice Snape hovering behind her. She almost fell off the broom when he cleared his throat.

"Good God! What're you doing scaring me like that?" she snapped it before she realized and quickly added, "Sorry Professor, you surprised me. I didn't realize you flew." She noticed that he was holding the small bat that the beaters used. And he had the oddest look on his face.

"I thought that, more effective than merely showing of how well you can 'loopty-loop', would be some practice against bludgers." She looked down and saw the chest that held the Quidditch balls. She looked back up at Snape and grinned, "Let's get it on."

"I beg your pardon?" he was taken aback, what had she just said?

"Sorry, something that they saw on one of my favorite T.V shows." she was still grinning.

He asked, "Which show?"

"I am sure you wouldn't know it, but its called 'Celebrity Deathmatch.' Shall we get started?"

Snape touched down, opened the chest and released one of the bludgers, which immediately headed for Vexus, but she was already gone. He took off and followed. Soon the bludger came flying at him and he hit it towards Vexus with a loud "Th-WACK!" She dodged it and shouted at him "Trying to kill me?"

Snape didn't reply and took off after the bludger. They went on like that for several minutes. He hit, she dodged. He hit, she dodged. She was making a loop around the hoops again after scoring an imaginary goal when Snape hit the bludger. It flew through the air and Vexus turned too late. It hit her hard on the shoulder. She heard a sickening "crack" and knew that something was broken. She was knocked off the broom and it took all she had to hang on with one hand. She looked and saw the bludger coming back around. Snape was below her and saw it too. She tried to swing back up onto the broom but her injured shoulder seemed to scream when she tried to move it. She looked the bludger was hurtling towards her now. Snape yelled up at her "Drop! Let go!"

"Are you insane?!" She yelled back at him, she could hear the bludger now.

"TRUST ME!" he yelled again. This all took place in a matter of seconds. She closed her eyes and let go just as the bludger whizzed by where her head had been half a second before. 'Well, this sucks' Vexus was thinking as she felt Snape grab her. 'Wow, he's strong' she thought, then she really did scream. He had caught her by the injured shoulder and was trying to pull her up on the broom. They were quickly sinking towards the ground and she hit the ground hard just as he caught the bludger, which had come around again.

Vexus lay on the ground staring up at the sky thinking 'If having children hurts more than this, I am never going to have kids.' she laughed weakly. What a stupid thing to think. Meanwhile the professor had gotten the bludger back in the chest and was coming towards her.

"Are you alright?"

'He's actually concerned' she thought. Vexus tried to get up but her shoulder was throbbing now and it hurt so bad she thought she was going to black out. "I think it'll be fine. I think I did something to my foot too when we landed." she wheezed as another wave of pain hit.

"Don't be stupid." He picked her up and headed towards the school. He met Professor Dumbledore in the hall. The headmaster had been watching and after seeing the bludger hit her left his office for the field. "Is she alright?"

"She's not dead. Has Madam Pomfrey arrived yet?" Snape didn't slow down as he headed towards the hospital wing.

"Severus, she won't be here until day after tomorrow." 

Snape stopped. He was tying to decide what to do when Vexus, rather weakly, mumbled "Just get me back to my dorm. I'll take a little nap and..." another wave of pain hit and made her sharply inhale.

"Nonsense." Snape was headed towards the dungeons. She started squirming "Just let me walk. Like you said I'm not dead."

She felt his grip tighten and heard Dumbledore say "I don't think so, we don't need you falling down anymore today." he was right behind them "I think that it's better if we put you somewhere where you can be watched. Do you agree Severus?"

Snape had been calculating ingredients for a healing draught already and merely nodded. 'She's rather light' he was thinking 'should only need a couple ounces of asphodel.' He felt her breathing against his neck and could tell when each wave of pain rolled over her.

They were almost to the dungeons when Albus spoke "Severus, where is there to lay her down in the classroom?"

Snape hadn't even thought about it. In his mind he was already mixing the potion. He slowed and looked at Dumbledore "Is that a good idea?" he hoped the older man picked up on what he meant. After their discussion earlier he was wary of taking the girl to his chambers.

"Well it's that or you stay in the dorms or hospital wing."

Vexus was rapidly losing her fight against the pain and with each one came a little closer to just letting go. Being unconscious would be preferable to what she was feeling. She had her head turned towards Snape's neck and could smell the sweat from the flying and carrying her. She could feel his chest expand as he inhaled and she swore she could feel his heart pounding. Overall, she realized suddenly, it wasn't completely a bad thing. Then another spasm of pain shot through her and she lost the fight for consciousness.

Professor Snape felt her go limp and took off for his chambers. It would do until she could be moved, or Madam Pomfrey arrived. Dumbledore was fast on his heels. He reached his room and kicked the door, but it was locked firm. "Wolfsbane!" he shouted and waited on Albus to open the doors for him. He strode over to his bed and laid Vexus down. He turned to the Headmaster and said, "I'll be back as quickly as possible. Try to wake her up, she has to be conscious for the potion to have any effect."

Dumbledore sat down on the edge of the bed and took out his wand.

Down the corridor in his office Severus was trying to concoct the potion as quickly as possible. 'I shouldn't have even been up there. Stupid to think that.' his mind ran in several different directions. 'I am turning into a moron.' he was stirring the potion now and watching it thicken. The good thing about this one was that it came together fast. After a few more stirs he spooned some into a cup and took off for his chambers again.

He swung into the room and heard Vexus, murmuring something to Dumbledore. He almost ran to the bed and helped her to sit up. 'Drink it quickly. There that's good. I know, it's disgusting.."

She was trying not to gag on the thick liquid as in ran down her throat. It tasted like dirty dishwater mixed with something very, very bitter. Finally she got the last of it down and lay back on the bed. "That was gross." was the first thing she got out.

Albus smiled and said "Excellent! That should help you quite a bit. Severus," he turned to look at Snape who had risen to put the cup on a table across the room. "I think that we need to get the robes off and have a look at that shoulder."

Vexus snapped her head towards the Headmaster "Wait just a minute!" she instantly regretted moving so fast and had to pause as her shoulder throbbed again. "I think that I'm fine now. See." She tried to sit up but realized that it was useless. Finally she groaned "Can't an examination wait for Madam Promfrey, no offense of course. But the idea of having you two undressing me. Well you'll understand that it doesn't appeal." She looked from one to the other. They weren't looking at her.

"Albus, I agree. She'll be fine until Promfrey gets here." Snape was saying. "I'll keep an eye on her and if there's a problem I'll call you."

Dumbledore rose "Very well, I'll send an owl and see if we can get Promfrey here tomorrow." He turned to Vexus "Try to be still and rest. You'll be just fine."

To Snape he said "A word with you." and left the room.

Severus followed him out into the corridor. "Are you all right?" Albus was asking him.

Snape leaned against the wall and felt his back and shoulders protest. Other than that he was fine. "I am not injured. And if you have any concerns related to our conversation," he drew a deep breath "It will not be a problem. If she didn't hate me before, she certainly does now." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Dumbledore regarded him over the top of his glasses and sighed, "Severus, I am sure that she doesn't hate you. Good luck though." With that he turned and headed back up the corridor. Snape stood in the hall for a moment. He decided that he would bring the cauldron from his office to the chambers. She would need it every 2 hours to keep the pain from returning and to keep any swelling down.

Back in the room Vexus was looking around waiting for the professor to come back. 'Well the room certainly fits' she thought. The pain in her shoulder was receding and she was able to relax a little.

The room was large and had a door one side of the room that probably led to the bathroom. On the other side of the room there was a closet with the doors wide open. She could see a faint glimmer of dark green and what looked like purple, (or was it burgundy?) robes amidst the sea of black.

There was little decoration beside the many shelves lining the walls on the far side of the room. The selves in question were filled with books and jars full of all kinds of things. 'I'd love to get a look at that stuff' she thought. Just then Professor Snape re-entered the room carrying a cauldron. He set in down on the table and crossed to room to the bed. He didn't sit.

"Has the pain subsided?" his voice was slightly softer than usual and he looked genuinely concerned.

"Yes, it's eased off a bit." she was getting sleepy all of a sudden "that stuff doesn't make you sleep," she yawned "does it?"  She heard him say "at first" and she was gone.

Exactly one hour and fifty minuets later he woke her up. "You have to drink more. Every two hours for forty-eight hours."

Vexus made a face and let him help her sit up again. She gulped down the potion quickly and made a gagging sound. "I think you made that taste bad on purpose." she meant to sound playful, but the thick potion was still in her throat and she sounded more like she was going to be sick.

Professor Snape looked and her and said "Oh, yes. You know I try to be as mean as possible at every opportunity. Why not take advantage of this one?" He placed the cup on the table again and sat down in a chair across the room from her.

Snape heard her sigh and thought to himself 'that proves it. This is going to be a miserable two days.' He had picked up the book he was reading then he heard her call him.

"Professor?"

"What?"

"Come here, please." She sounded almost normal now. He got up and went to the bed. "What?" he had resolved to be only as nice as he needed to be. She looked at him and saw what he was thinking. "Never mind," she spat it out "I'll do it myself" She started trying to arrange the pillows under her shoulder. Snape turned away and took a step, before his conscious got the better of him. He turned around and started helping her get situated. She didn't say anything until they were finished. "Thank you, professor. For everything." she said it so soft he had to lean in to hear her.

"How can you thank me when this is my fault? I hit that bludger."

She looked at the wall "Its not like it couldn't have happened at any other time. I take that chance during every game. This time I just wasn't thinking fast enough. And I know it didn't happen on purpose. Unless.." she turned her head towards him and grinned "you just wanted to get me in your bed."

Snape started to say something nasty and then decided to play along "Oh, yes. I have been pinning after the lovely Vexus for years now."

She laughed softly "Saw right through you."

He got up and went back to his chair.

"Professor?"

"Yes."

"We don't really hate each other," a pause "do we?"

He allowed a tiny smile to pull up the corner of his mouth "No, Vexus. We don't. Go to sleep."