Chapter 6 – It Starts
I've got a work 'do' tomorrow night, this lady called Gill is leaving and moving to Derby to start a family so we're going out for the evening to send her off. I'm posting chapter 6 up today because I won't be able to do it tomorrow. (Plus I don't think Hestia can wait 'till Saturday!)
Talking of Hestia – Thankyou for your reviews they are very, very much appreciated, as all of them are. So once again thanks to everyone who's still with me. I hope you're all enjoying my first story so far…
I thought I'd let you know my 2nd story is underway. I've got one, and a bit, chapters written but no title or anything yet, so bear with me.
Enough of my ramblings and on with the tale…
Friday night came and Karen was relaxing in her room after her first week at Hogwarts. She hadn't spoken to Snape since the time in his office. She knew her plan was working because at meal times Snape would throw her piercing looks but she just smiled at him innocently. She felt full from dinner and rummaged through her stuff for her CD player. As there were no such things as plugs at Hogwarts Karen powered it by batteries. She felt like laying on her bed and having a read of the daily prophet. She picked out a CD, put it on and flopped onto her soft, squishy mattress. Her bed was always made when she came to it, even though in the mornings she'd leave it looking like a bomb had hit it. The sound of Gabrielle came out of her CD player and she turned to the back of the newspaper and began to read up on the recent Quidditch results.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Karen jumped, someone was banging loudly on her door. BANG! BANG! BANG!
'What the –' She got up and ran to it. BANG! She went to open her door but stopped and pulled her hands back. BANG! She thought the worst straight away, what if it was Lord Voldemort? BANG! She knew he didn't like muggles very much, what if he'd found her? BANG! Then she thought he'd probably just blow the door to bits, so she opened it. Before the doors were fully opened Snape barged his way in almost knocking Karen over as he did so. His brow was wrinkled, his eyebrows pulled together and his teeth were showing. He got to her desk in the middle of the room and turned sharply, robes swishing behind him and looked at Karen. He was seething with anger.
'So, I'm a vampire, am I? I don't come out in the light, do I?!' Karen took in a breath, turned and shut the door behind her. She'd been expecting this. She turned back to Snape and said,
'Why? Aren't you?' This angered him so much Karen thought he'd explode, his fists were clenched so tightly his hands were almost pure white.
'WHAT?!' He roared.
'Aren't you a vampire?' Karen asked innocently and casually leaning on her door. Snape was breathing at an alarming rate but he stood still for a second then he shut his eyes. He breathed deeply until he regained control and calmed down. He opened his eyes and slowly asked,
'Ok, you have my attention Miss Clark. What is it you want from me?'
'I want you to show me around Hogsmeade,' she said. He paused for a moment,
'I don't understand why you wish for my company,'
While he was being reasonable and unlikely to attack, Karen took the opportunity to move from the door. She walked up to him and did something that she wasn't planning to, something that surprised her. She took his hand. Immediately something was telling her to let go, but she held on. She thought he might have snatched it back, but he didn't. He looked down to see his hand encased in hers.
'When I want something,' she said looking at him looking down, 'I do what's necessary to get it,' He looked up into her eyes. Neither said anything. They stood looking at each other, Karen holding his hand. The music from Karens CD was filtering down to her office through the silence. He broke eye contact and looked to the direction in which it was coming.
'What is that?' He walked to Karen's door pulling his hand away with him. Karen got the feeling he wasn't really interested in the noise but wanted the awkward moment between them to end.
'That's muggle music. I really like it,'
'How is it coming from your room?' He asked pointing at the door and looking at her once again.
'I'll show you in a minute,' she said. 'But first I want to continue our chat,' she sat at her desk and beckoned him to do the same. 'I'll do a deal with you,' she started, 'I'll crush the rumours of your vampirism if you take me to Hogsmeade tomorrow,' Snape seemed different to Karen all of a sudden, he was gentle, polite and a lot more attractive. He pondered her offer.
'Only once?' He asked with what Karen thought was a slight smile.
'Only once,' she agreed nodding her head.
'I have a question,' Snape suddenly reverted to his stern, formal voice. He folded his arms and leant back in the chair. 'How do you intend to put a stop to certain rumours?' Karen smiled and said,
'If you come to Hogsmeade with me, people will see you out in the daytime. They will see you with me, and if I think you're safe so will everyone else. You have to remember, I started said rumours, I can end them,' She held out her hand across the desk. 'Do we have a deal?' He shook her hand and tipped his head forward. 'Yes!' Karen said clenching a fist. Snape smiled at her reaction. 'Did I just see a smile Severus?' She looked at him grinning broadly.
'No,' he said curtly and dropping his expression.
''Course not,' she said. 'Want to see my CD player?' Karen tilted her head to the direction the music was coming from.
'Another time perhaps,' He got up and made for the door. 'I will see you at breakfast tomorrow,'
Karen was a little puzzled at his decision, but nether the less, let him go.
'Night, Severus,' she called after him. He opened the door, stood in the gap and turned to her.
'Goodnight,' he said and then disappeared through the doorway.
Karen watched the door for a minute or so after Snape had left. She had seen him as a challenge, but something about their conversation changed her mind. She only wanted to kiss him to get some money out of her friend, but right now she felt like going after him and giving him a big hug to show how much she cared.
'What am I thinking?' She said to herself as these thoughts started flooding in. 'Well, better get back up to bed.' She went back up to her room, ambled over to her bed and flopped onto it with a sigh. The newspaper was of no interest to her anymore, she had something, or someone, else occupying her thoughts. She folded the newspaper in half, reached over and put it on her bedside table. Quietly she lay on her back looking at the ceiling and listening to the rest of her CD. Although she could hear the music, she was far too lost in her thoughts of Snape to pay any attention to it. Why didn't he want to stay? Why did he suddenly get up and leave? We were getting along alright. I bet I scared him off. I bet he doesn't like me. But we were getting along fine. What am I gonna say to him tomorrow?… Why am I still thinking of him?
Special Thanks:
Hestia (again!)
arcee
I've got a work 'do' tomorrow night, this lady called Gill is leaving and moving to Derby to start a family so we're going out for the evening to send her off. I'm posting chapter 6 up today because I won't be able to do it tomorrow. (Plus I don't think Hestia can wait 'till Saturday!)
Talking of Hestia – Thankyou for your reviews they are very, very much appreciated, as all of them are. So once again thanks to everyone who's still with me. I hope you're all enjoying my first story so far…
I thought I'd let you know my 2nd story is underway. I've got one, and a bit, chapters written but no title or anything yet, so bear with me.
Enough of my ramblings and on with the tale…
Friday night came and Karen was relaxing in her room after her first week at Hogwarts. She hadn't spoken to Snape since the time in his office. She knew her plan was working because at meal times Snape would throw her piercing looks but she just smiled at him innocently. She felt full from dinner and rummaged through her stuff for her CD player. As there were no such things as plugs at Hogwarts Karen powered it by batteries. She felt like laying on her bed and having a read of the daily prophet. She picked out a CD, put it on and flopped onto her soft, squishy mattress. Her bed was always made when she came to it, even though in the mornings she'd leave it looking like a bomb had hit it. The sound of Gabrielle came out of her CD player and she turned to the back of the newspaper and began to read up on the recent Quidditch results.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Karen jumped, someone was banging loudly on her door. BANG! BANG! BANG!
'What the –' She got up and ran to it. BANG! She went to open her door but stopped and pulled her hands back. BANG! She thought the worst straight away, what if it was Lord Voldemort? BANG! She knew he didn't like muggles very much, what if he'd found her? BANG! Then she thought he'd probably just blow the door to bits, so she opened it. Before the doors were fully opened Snape barged his way in almost knocking Karen over as he did so. His brow was wrinkled, his eyebrows pulled together and his teeth were showing. He got to her desk in the middle of the room and turned sharply, robes swishing behind him and looked at Karen. He was seething with anger.
'So, I'm a vampire, am I? I don't come out in the light, do I?!' Karen took in a breath, turned and shut the door behind her. She'd been expecting this. She turned back to Snape and said,
'Why? Aren't you?' This angered him so much Karen thought he'd explode, his fists were clenched so tightly his hands were almost pure white.
'WHAT?!' He roared.
'Aren't you a vampire?' Karen asked innocently and casually leaning on her door. Snape was breathing at an alarming rate but he stood still for a second then he shut his eyes. He breathed deeply until he regained control and calmed down. He opened his eyes and slowly asked,
'Ok, you have my attention Miss Clark. What is it you want from me?'
'I want you to show me around Hogsmeade,' she said. He paused for a moment,
'I don't understand why you wish for my company,'
While he was being reasonable and unlikely to attack, Karen took the opportunity to move from the door. She walked up to him and did something that she wasn't planning to, something that surprised her. She took his hand. Immediately something was telling her to let go, but she held on. She thought he might have snatched it back, but he didn't. He looked down to see his hand encased in hers.
'When I want something,' she said looking at him looking down, 'I do what's necessary to get it,' He looked up into her eyes. Neither said anything. They stood looking at each other, Karen holding his hand. The music from Karens CD was filtering down to her office through the silence. He broke eye contact and looked to the direction in which it was coming.
'What is that?' He walked to Karen's door pulling his hand away with him. Karen got the feeling he wasn't really interested in the noise but wanted the awkward moment between them to end.
'That's muggle music. I really like it,'
'How is it coming from your room?' He asked pointing at the door and looking at her once again.
'I'll show you in a minute,' she said. 'But first I want to continue our chat,' she sat at her desk and beckoned him to do the same. 'I'll do a deal with you,' she started, 'I'll crush the rumours of your vampirism if you take me to Hogsmeade tomorrow,' Snape seemed different to Karen all of a sudden, he was gentle, polite and a lot more attractive. He pondered her offer.
'Only once?' He asked with what Karen thought was a slight smile.
'Only once,' she agreed nodding her head.
'I have a question,' Snape suddenly reverted to his stern, formal voice. He folded his arms and leant back in the chair. 'How do you intend to put a stop to certain rumours?' Karen smiled and said,
'If you come to Hogsmeade with me, people will see you out in the daytime. They will see you with me, and if I think you're safe so will everyone else. You have to remember, I started said rumours, I can end them,' She held out her hand across the desk. 'Do we have a deal?' He shook her hand and tipped his head forward. 'Yes!' Karen said clenching a fist. Snape smiled at her reaction. 'Did I just see a smile Severus?' She looked at him grinning broadly.
'No,' he said curtly and dropping his expression.
''Course not,' she said. 'Want to see my CD player?' Karen tilted her head to the direction the music was coming from.
'Another time perhaps,' He got up and made for the door. 'I will see you at breakfast tomorrow,'
Karen was a little puzzled at his decision, but nether the less, let him go.
'Night, Severus,' she called after him. He opened the door, stood in the gap and turned to her.
'Goodnight,' he said and then disappeared through the doorway.
Karen watched the door for a minute or so after Snape had left. She had seen him as a challenge, but something about their conversation changed her mind. She only wanted to kiss him to get some money out of her friend, but right now she felt like going after him and giving him a big hug to show how much she cared.
'What am I thinking?' She said to herself as these thoughts started flooding in. 'Well, better get back up to bed.' She went back up to her room, ambled over to her bed and flopped onto it with a sigh. The newspaper was of no interest to her anymore, she had something, or someone, else occupying her thoughts. She folded the newspaper in half, reached over and put it on her bedside table. Quietly she lay on her back looking at the ceiling and listening to the rest of her CD. Although she could hear the music, she was far too lost in her thoughts of Snape to pay any attention to it. Why didn't he want to stay? Why did he suddenly get up and leave? We were getting along alright. I bet I scared him off. I bet he doesn't like me. But we were getting along fine. What am I gonna say to him tomorrow?… Why am I still thinking of him?
Special Thanks:
Hestia (again!)
arcee