Chapter 22

The next morning, Tara woke up to sunshine streaming through her window. She looked out at the fresh snow sparkling against the blue sky. It was beautiful. Then she remembered the night before and sighed. She felt a little bit excited about it; in a good way, but that contrasted against the incident that had turned her away from him in a very bad way. But the event didn't seem as bad now for some reason. She remembered he had asked if she might accompany him to breakfast.

"Henry, what should I do?" she asked him. Henry told her very clearly, "You need to go see Severus." Tara blinked. "What?" she asked. Henry looked at her with his yellow-green eyes and repeated it. "Am I still asleep or did you speak to me?" she asked him. "I've always spoken to you; this is just the first time you ever understood me, I guess," Henry said, in his cat tones. There was a knock on her door. Henry sniffed the air. "That's him now," he informed her. Heidi jumped up on the bed and licked Henry's throat. Tara drew her robe around her and opened the door. Severus was there, looking a bit paler than usual and had circles under his eyes.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she said, then turned to Henry and Heidi. "No offense," she told them. "None taken, Heidi said, very clearly in her high, feline voice. Severus stepped into the room and looked terrible.

"Would you accompany me to breakfast?" he asked her.

"I guess I will. Hey did you hear Heidi just talk to me?" she asked him.

"Yes. Why?"

"I've never heard them speak words before."

"Well she didn't speak words, she just mewed at you the way she always does."

"You didn't hear her say 'none taken.'." Severus shook his head. "Are you sure you didn't? Henry, say something."

Henry looked up from grooming Heidi and asked, "What do you want me to say?"

"See?" Tara said to Severus.

"See what?"

"He just asked 'what do you want me to say.' What did you hear?"

Severus made a face. "Well, you made a cat-like babble at him, and he chattered back at you. You know how he chatters. Just the usual."

Tara couldn't figure this out at all. "I made a cat-like sound?" Severus nodded. It would be a question for Madam Hooch and Dumbledore. "Severus, I have to get ready - I just rolled out of bed," she said.

"It's okay, I'll wait," he said and sat down in a large, comfortable chair.

Tara was at a loss. She gathered up her clothes she planned on wearing, and went into the bathroom to shower and get dressed. Ten minutes later, she was out, and he was in the chair, fast asleep. She sat on the bed and pulled her socks on, then was tying her shoes when Heidi asked, "Should I wake him up?" This was so strange, hearing Heidi's high pitched voice saying words to her. "Yeah, go ahead. Be gentle."

With that, the sleek, black cat hopped off the bed and went to sit in front of Severus's feet. She looked up at him, and leapt onto his lap lightly. She then began administering nose kisses until he opened his eyes. He looked at her and petted her. "I must have drifted off..." he said. Heidi hopped down and gave Tara a quick sideways glance. Tara nodded at her, approvingly.

"Didn't you take the hangover stuff?" she asked him. He frowned. "No...I sort of passed out before I got a chance. I have a terrible headache. I'm brewing something that should take the edge off, but it won't be ready for another hour or two." He stood up and offered his arm to Tara, and opened the door.

"Oh it's so bright!" he said, shielding his eyes. Tara supressed a laugh. "The light is so...so loud..."

"Don't you have any sunglasses?" she asked, taking hers out of a pocket.

"No. I never felt a need..." Tara started to picture him in designer frames,maybe some Oakley sports glasses, or no, maybe some Maui Jim's -- and stifled a laugh. "What's so amusing?" he asked. "Oh nothing."

A hush fell over the hall as they walked in. Dumbledore was pleased to see that they had apparently resolved their differences. The two sat down, beside each other and silently ate their breakfasts. Afterwards, Dumbledore needed Tara to come install some new software for him, and do her rounds to some of the rooms. She arrived with her bag and Dumbledore switched seats so she could 'drive.'

"Can I ask you about something?" she asked him.

"Certainly," he said, expecting her to talk to him about Severus.

"This morning, my cat Henry, spoke to me. I could understand him clearly. I thought I was having a dream or something, but Heidi spoke too, and I can't figure this out."

"Oh! Looks like you have one of your father's gifts," he commented.

"What gift is that?"

"He could speak to some animals, particularly cats. They understood him, and he understood them. He would make strange sounds at them and swore he was speaking to them in English."

"So that's why Sev thought I was making cat noises? I wasn't talking to them in English?"

"No, not if you inherited your father's gift. I understand you are getting in touch with your power. I'm proud of you. So, you said that Severus heard you making cat sounds?"

"Yes. He came to get me for breakfast," she said, simply, her ears growing hot.

"Looks like you and Severus have mended your fences," he commented.

"More or less, but we're just acquaintences now, that's all."

"No wedding in the future?" Tara pushed the CD-ROM into the drive. "Nope. That's history."

"That is sad..."

Tara turned to him. He looked genuinely disappointed behind his half-moon glasses.

"Why is it so sad? Couples go their separate ways every day. I'll get over it."

"Well, Tara, it's just that...I've never seen Severus so happy. In fact, the only time I've ever seen him seem happy is when he is tormenting one of his classes--"

"That's precisely the reason why the wedding is off. I observed that one day and it was appalling."

"Is that why?" Dumbledore was stunned. Tara nodded, and clicked the mouse to install the software that was prompting her for attention.

"I can't bear to think of how he might treat one of our own children, should we ever have had them."

"Tara, that isn't how he would treat them. It's just his way of maintaining authority in his classes."

"What, being a total son of a--"

"Yes," he said cutting her off. "That is just Severus's way. He doesn't mean anything by it, and most of the students are numb to it by their third or fourth year. I suggest you do the same."

"I don't know if I can forgive that behavior. He was going at that Potter kid like there was no tomorrow!"

"And how was Harry reacting?"

"Well, he didn't seem overly upset..."

"Precisely. Really, Tara, I think you should give this some serious thought. Severus adores you--"

"Yes...I know. He was absolutely hammered last night when he stumbled into where I was playing the piano."

"Hammered?"

"Blasted. Pissed. Drunk."

"Our Severus was drunk? I can't imagine it."

"He was. He even wanted to bum a cigarette but I gave that up long ago, and even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have given him one anyway. I flushed them all down the toilet long ago--" she stopped, realizing she had just confessed to the plumbing problem.

Albus Dumbledore just chuckled and shook his head. "Well, he really adores you. Please think carefully about this. I think you're the best thing to come along in his life."

For some reason, his words stayed with Tara as she went about her duties. She ended up back in her quarters, working on the site's interactive database for the library. It was a big job; she was writing the code to talk to the database to make edits when she got an instant message from sspm.

"Care to join me for a walk?" he asked.

"I'm in the middle of writing a program; I'll be a little bit. A walk in the snow?" she messaged back.

"Yes. Or, maybe, a quiet glass of wine over at the Leaky Caulderon later."

"You sure you want to drink wine after last night?"

"The potion I was brewing worked. I feel much better."

"That is good. You looked like death this morning."

There was a pause, then he typed back, "don't I always?"

"Not always; you just look like you work in a dungeon is all. Don't you have students right now?"

"Yes, but they are taking an exam."

"So you're sitting here messaging me. That must be a sight. Better not crack a smile now."

"Don't worry, I won't."

In the classroom, Ron nudged Harry, and they looked over in Snape's direction. He was typing away on the computer, furiously, and had a very amused expression. "I think he's in a chat room," Ron whispered. Harry smiled, then both returned to their test, not anxious to get caught spying on their moody professor.

Tara arrived an hour later outside the dungeon door, and Severus whisked her away to the Leaky Caulderon. He sensed a peace about her; she no longer seemed defensive towards him as they walked into the pub. They sat down and he got them some wine.

"So, how was your day?" he asked her.

"Pretty good. How about you?"

"Fine...let's cut the small talk. Tara, darling, I miss you very much. It's not like me to overindulge the way I did last night. I heard you playing and listened for a long time, then went upstairs, and well, I guess I was easing my pain..."

"You were outside in the snow?"

"Yes. Trying to work up the nerve to come in. Took me a bit of wine to do that."

"I see."

"I would love nothing better...for you to come back to me..."

"All right."

"I have come to care for you so much--I just can't go on--" he stopped and looked at her. "Did you say--"

"All right," she repeated, smiling, tears in her eyes. He took her hand and squeezed it, then kissed it gently. He wanted to take her in his arms but public displays of affection were simply not in his nature. "I love you," he said, so quietly that only she could hear. "I love you too, Sev," she told him.

"I'll try to be...nicer to my students, but I--" Tara shook her head. "No, you can't stop being you for me."

"Why this sudden change of heart?"

"You know, I'm a woman. We're an unpredictable lot. Come on now!" she teased. He looked at her with a sly smile. "What is it really?"

"I told you. I'm as predictable as a cyclone!" she teased, then grew serious, seeing he really wanted to know. "I had a talk with Dumbledore. He told me what I kind of already knew and didn't want to swallow. Something about the way he explains things...really hits home."

"I'm glad...so you don't think I'm a...brute?"

"Yes, I still think you're a brute, but your my brute and I love you anyway!"

A bottle of champagne materialized on the table at that moment, and two crystal, fluted glasses. Tara and Severus looked up in amazement to see Minerva and Madam Hooch, toasting them from the bar.

"I think we were followed," Tara said.

"I think so too," Severus said, managing a smile. They toasted their two friends at the bar, then toasted each other. Then Madam Hooch started clanging her glass with a fork, and everyone in the bar followed suit.

"That means something in this world too?" Tara asked.

"Yes...but..."

"But what?"

The clanging grew louder. Finally, shyly, he leaned towards her and kissed her quickly, and the whole place burst into loud cheering. Tara was surprised to see that he was blushing, and she realized that this must have been a first for him; to show affection in a public place, especially with everyone in the place looking at them.

They drank their champagne and were congratulated by just about everyone there, and then they were able to slip away. They arrived back at Hogwarts and went up to her room...to be alone.

Severus closed and locked the door and went over to her, and before either of them knew it, they were laying on the bed, unable to restrain what they had been without for so many weeks. It was the most passionate lovemaking they had ever had, and Tara fully expected to black out when she 'got there...' but she didn't.

"Sev, I don't think I'm going to pass out..." she breathed.

"Surely you weren't faking it, I thought you were going to wake the dead..." he said, stroking her cheek.

"Oh no! Not at all. Must be the Wizac! It's working, and the effects of the Prozac are gone!"

He held her close, stroking her hair. "This is nice. We finally get to cuddle," she said, winding a strand of his black hair around her fingers. "You know, I have really come to love your hair," she said.

"You hated it before?"

"Well I didn't hate it; it just looked like you were constantly having a bad hair day. I remember one morning when I first got here--I woke up and looked in the mirror and my hair was...well I'll put it this way. I needed a hair cut. I looked in the mirror, and oh, no you'll get mad..."

"No I won't," he purred, squeezing her tightly for a moment.

"You sure?"

"Yes. I won't turn you into a lamp or anything..."

She smiled, remembering her old fear. "Well, I looked in the mirror and said, 'dear Lord I've got SNAPE HAIR.'"

"You didn't!" he said, amused.

"I did! I remember having to track down someone to cut it that day and I wore one of my hats. I couldn't be seen with Snape hair!"

"So, why do you like it now?" he asked her.

"Cos' it's yours. And I love you," she said. "Sometimes you could use a brush or a comb..." she started, teasing.

"Don't start," he said rolling over, grabbing her wrists. He pinned her for a moment, his hair in his eyes. Then he did something that was so uncharacteristic. He jutted out his lower lip and blew his hair out of his eyes. It was so comical, she started laughing. "Maybe you should use some clips..." she giggled, and he kissed her, and made love to her again. Again, she did not pass out.

"I do believe you're wearing me out," Severus said, laying back again. Tara rolled onto her side and rested her head on her hand. "Don't you have a potion for that?" she asked sweetly.

"I will have to invent one..."

"Good, cos' you'll need one!"

The next day, they were on the cover of all of the publications - their public display of affection captured forever. Of course, this was wreaking havoc in Snape's classes, but he did his best to maintain his authority. It would eventually calm down.

Tara and her mother were back at planning the wedding, and her mother confessed, "I never canceled any of the arrangements that were made. I had a feeling."

"Gee mom, maybe you're not a muggle after all!"