Chapter Two.
Dusk arranged the hair that fell across her face so it covered the slight bruise on her face, that would hopefully get better through the day. She glanced at Hermione, who was fretting with her own hair before they all left for Hogsmead. For some unusual reason, she wasn't looking all that forward to it. Besides the fact that she'd get to do a little of her left over Christmas shopping, she'd also have to sit and watch Harry stare at the cemetery where there were very few witches, and wizards, along with several goblins, vampires, and werewolves lay to rest…well, occasionally the vampires were less restful, but most of the time they were silent.
It was only a few minutes later she found herself inside the small village of Hogsmead, Ron, Hermione, and Harry by her side.
"Well, Desk and I are going to do our remaining Christmas shopping. You boys have fun." Hermione waved the two boys off.
"Bye girls." Ron automatically dragged Harry away towards Honeydukes.
"Herm?" Dusk fell into step with the rushed girl next to her, "Is Twilight buried out there?" She motioned to the cemetery.
"Sort of…" Hermione shrugged, pushing her way into Zonko's Joke shop.
"What do you mean 'sort of', Herm? She is or she isn't." Dusk was mildly confused.
"Well…I mean she's buried there…but she was a vampire. I didn't have the heart to tell them she was only temporarily dead…For all I know she's walking out of Kinnder's right now."
"Who found her?" Dusk asked.
"Why all of these questions about Twilight?" Hermione picked up a few things at random.
"Well, no reason…" Dusk shrugged.
"If I'm right, Twilight will be showing her face again in a few weeks..."
"You say that in such a disgusted tone, Hermione."
"Look, when she's around, everyone goes haywire. I don't like seeing Harry and Snape the way they are, but their almost over it."
"Sorry I asked." Dusk suddenly felt like an outsider.
Glancing down at the scant items in her arms, most of her Christmas shopping already done through mail-order, she followed a headstrong Hermione, like a lost puppy to the cash register. After paying for their purchases, they stepped outside, back into the cold, as a small group of Professors headed past in the direction of the Three Broomsticks.
"Hermione?" She spoke up, "I'm going to head over to the café."
"Sure. Whatever you want. I'll be at the post office mailing my parents." She held up a small package.
"Okay." Dusk pushed hair out of her eyes, "I'll meet with you and the boys later." And she ran off towards the Three Broomsticks before Hermione answered her.
She ducked into a table, surrounded by a large Christmas tree, the professors on the other side. She could see them through the branches, and hear them also.
"You know, Severus, I don't think alcohol will solve your problems." Dumbledore spoke gently, as he always did.
Peering hard through the branches, Dusk saw Snape smile slightly, "Yes? Well, I guess it's been doing fairly well for the last twenty years, Dumbledore. Why should now be different?"
"Now, Severus…You've never struck me as an alcoholic before…" He shook his head, "Are you still grieving?"
"Dumbledore…" Snape set down his glass, and began to turn it counter-clockwise, "You of all people, should understand what grieving is like. It's never fully over is it?"
"Of course you can recover from it…" Dumbledore scoffed, setting down his own mug.
Snape looked at him blankly, before standing, dropping a few coins on the table, and leaving with the parting words, "That should cover my share of the tip…"
Dusk jumped at the sound of Harry sitting next to her, clearing his throat, and setting a butter beer in front of her.
"Oh, Harry! You scared the heck out of me!" She held her hand over her heart, "Where are Herm, and Ron?"
"Off in a corner whispering…their probably snogging by now." He shrugged.
"Oh." She nodded, "I don't think Hermione likes me to awful much." She began to turn her mug of butter beer he'd set in front of her like Snape had done.
"She likes you just fine." Harry shrugged.
"No. I don't think so. It seems to me that I annoy her or something."
"Dusk, you worry to much." Harry smiled, shaking his head.
She took a deep breath, "I suppose your right."
"Are you staying here for Christmas Holidays?" Harry watched, Dusk nod glumly, "Good. Me too. So is Ron. Hermione is going home of course." He glanced away.
"Harry…you seem…preoccupied."
"I suppose I am." He shrugged again.
"Why?" She asked, turning slightly towards him.
"Um…listen, I have to go. I paid for the drinks…so…Goodbye." He darted out of the corner, almost knocking over the tree.
The Professor's turned to look at her, as she steadied the tree, and shrunk back behind the table, out of sight, blushing a deep pink as Dumbledore smiled slightly at her.
"Why did you do that?" Dusk hit Harry on the shoulder softly at dinner that night.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give away your hiding place Dusk." He rubbed his shoulder, where she'd hit him, a little harder then necessary.
"Well…it's okay." She leaned back in her seat, and stared at Snipe's empty chair.
Harry followed her gaze, "Don't tell me your falling for him too."
"No." She shook her head slowly.
"Good, because relationships with Severus Snape only lead to pain, suffering, and catastrophe." He turned from her, and continued to eat.
Dusk gave him a slight glance before pushing her plate away, no longer hungry.
"Hey, are you going to eat that?" Ron pointed at something on her plate, and she shook her head at him, "Crazy…all of you." He muttered, scrapping her food onto his own plate, "Really now..."
Dusk gave him an odd look as he shoveled more food into his mouth, "And to
think I know people who are even more then you…"
Ron blinked at her rapidly, then went back to his food.
"I'm going to ah…" She tried to think up a quick excuse, "I'm going to bed. I'm not feel to awful well…" She attempted to look sick, and turned from the table, walking out of the room.
Snape lay in his own bed, much later that night, one hand under his head on the pillow, the other on the bedside table around a glass of brandy. There was a slight knock on the door, to his outer office, but he made no move to get up, only brushing a lock of his hair off of his forehead.
"Professor?"
He groaned inwardly, cursing himself for not locking that door. A sniveling little ingrate of a student was one thing he didn't need. So he kept quiet.
"Excuse me? Professor?" The call was clear, as was the knock on the door, "Are you alright?"
In his drunkenness, Snape was in the stage where he couldn't talk to awful well. He wasn't breathing to much either at the moment. He still did not answer.
"Severus Snape, you greasy haired imbecile! Answer me!" The knock grew louder still, giving him a headache.
Groaning, he threw a random shirt over his head, and opened the door. Blinking rapidly, the only face registered in his mind at the moment was Twilights. The voice was different of course, but he didn't care. Not listening at all to what she was saying, he indulged himself licking her lops, kissing her neck against all of her protest.
Suddenly he felt his legs lock against themselves, and his arms against his sides. His mouth snapping shut. Just as suddenly, Dusk's face came clear, "I'm so sorry Professor."
He glared at her, not being able to reply.
"I-I was scared, and I didn't know what else to do…" She was shaking and he groaned inwardly, "P-please don't be angry with me, Professor…"
He tried to yell, but found it difficult. Never the less, the message got across.
"Oh my!" Dusk covered her mouth, staring at where he lay, ridged, on the bed, and she quickly undid her little curse. Snape's body then relaxed. He coughed, rolling over onto his stomach, taking a deep breath.
"Don't you know better then to disturb an insane man, Miss Simmermin?" He was clearly angry with her, along with himself.
"I-I got worried when I-" She pressed herself against the door, as Snape threw his brandy glass across the room, causing it to smash.
Snape turned on her, after he stood, placing his hands on her shoulders, pinning her there to the door, "Don't worry your self about me." His eyes where black, and dead looking, "Nothing, and I mean nothing about me concerns you."
Dusk shook, her eyes wide, like and animal's caught in headlights, before it either ran, or got hit, and they only widened, as Snape's eye's closed, and he touched his lips to hers again, in a harsh, commanding way, forcing her mouth open with his tongue, which dipped inside, tasting her as his hands sloped up, cupping her chin in his hands, tilting her face upwards, as she tired to force herself from responding. Her hands found his clothed hips, and she ran her fingers up under the hem of his shirt.
Snape stopped for a moment, slowly taking his lips from hers, amazed at the connection he had felt.
"Don't throw me out…" Dusk whispered.
Snape shook his head, "No."
"Tell me about…her." She whispered, "Please? I-I think I have a right to know after…you've kissed me like…like that."
"Do you?" He asked, pressing her back against the door, sexually eager, but mentally patient.
"Yes, I do." She pressed back against him, and Snape looked down at her, then sighed, backing down into a chair, pulling her into his lap.
"What do you want to know?" He asked, leaning back, holding her in his arms, against his chest,
"Anything." She whispered, "Take your time."
Next morning, Dusk found herself alone in Snape's bed, donned in borrowed velvet P.J. pants, and an oversized tee shirt. Yawning, she rolled over to stare at where Snape had been laying only moments ago, seeming it was still warm in the area.
Glancing around the room she sighed. Thankfully she noted it was still quiet early, and she had plenty of time to-
"Mmm…glad your awake…" Snape whispered, leaning over her, "I've been awake for awhile now, watching you sleep." He pressed his lips to hers.
She gave a slightly contented sight, pulling him down on the bed next to her, "Yes, but I think I ought to go."
"Why?" He asked, slightly hurt that she wanted to leave ,"I thought-"
"Because everyone in the dormitory will think it odd I wasn't in the dorm last night, and all that-"
"Who will think it 'odd'?" Snape asked, running his fingers through his hair.
"Anyone who notices…" She shrugged.
"Like?" He pressed her on to get the answers he wanted.
"Oh, like Hermione, and all those girls…." She began to clean nonsexist dirt from under her fingernails, "I-I guess it doesn't matter."
"It doesn't matter what others think It's none of their business."
"I know." She sighed.
Snape watched her as he tilted his face down and kissed her, "C'mon. Lets go back to sleep for awhile." He went around the bed, and lie down next to her, putting his arms around her.
"Professor-"
"Call me Severus, darling." He whispered, closing his eyes.
"Severus, this isn't right." She tried to get of the bed, but he held her back.
"What isn't?" He asked, his eyes flickering open.
"This!" She sighed, "Me, and you! Here in this bed. Acting how we are!"
Snape sat up slowly, turning her towards him, "Don't do this to me. Please."
"I'm sorry. It's me…We're moving to fast than what's really good for us."
"Is that all?" He chuckled slightly.
"Well, your much older then I am. Your more mature…and smart…You're a very lovely man Severus Snape…."