Many thanks to my first reviewer Elisabeth.
If anyone sees any errors let me know. I'm Dyslexic.
Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter anything. J.K. Rowling does.
*******
Oddness Is Everything
Chapter Two: Blind Dates Aren't Always What They Should Be.
Robina woke up early. The library was still in shambles. Shipments kept coming by owl every five minutes. Madame Pince and Robina were about to scream. The books had all summer to arrive. Amid the mess with owls, Earl had arrived. He had brought a letter. Once Robina took the letter, he promptly fell asleep. She wondered how he could with all the noise.
Robina had very little time to write home. She knew her family was worried. Between flute lessons and organizing the library there was no time. Plus one night Severus came by the library to help. He did more harm then good. He ended up spilling ink all over the catalogue. Madame Pince threw him out. He came back with a potion to rescue the priceless catalogue.
He still had been harassing Robina about that cup of tea. He had gone as far as to bring her the tea into the library. She handed him the mug with a smile. She didn't like the smell of Earl Grey. Madame Pince laughed at the situation. Severus Snape was trying romance.
Robina dashed into the staff room for a quick lunch as owls flew in. She was in the middle of adding mayonnaise to the ham sandwich when she heard the all to familiar swoosh. She ignored it by sitting down and opening her book.
"Reading romance?" Severus asked. "You shouldn't have to read about it."
Robina glanced up, "It's my job on the side. I read romance novels and trash them. I have an article published in Witches Romance Weekly every other week. I'm sent these bloody things to read. My articles are more of a publicity stunt for the author."
"Did I hear publicity?" Gilderoy Lockhart asked as he strutted in. "So you are THE Robina Kamley!"
"Yes, she is!" Severus snapped. Robina could see him seething.
"She needs to do a stunt for me!" Lockhart exclaimed.
Robina laughed and said, "Sorry. I don't trash your books."
"My loss," he said dramatically. He flopped down in one of the arm chairs. Severus sprang up and joined Robina at the table. Robina went back to her book. After fifteen minutes she shut the book with a sigh. She had enough of how perfect men were in books and mindless chit chat from the two male professors in the room. She smiled as she left.
The library was organized just as the students arrived. Robina ran to the feast. She didn't have time to change. Her hair was a disheveled, robes dusty and she was exhausted. She wondered where Severus was. It wasn't like him to be late.
After the sorting ceremony, Dumbledore quietly left. Robina though she saw Severus tap McGonagall. Whatever it was it didn't concern her. The three returned just as Robina was leaving. She over heard the students say something about a flying car.
As soon as she opened the door to the library, five students rushed in. The two lucky students came to the desk to check out the books. The first one to leave the library for the term was Quidditch Through the Ages. The second was Hogwarts: A History. The rest of the evening was filled with disappointed students looking for the same two books.
Robina locked the door. She was going to go crash into bed. She had to get up early to open the library. Robina was about to go up the stairs to her chambers when she heard her name.
Can't he just leave me alone? Robina thought. "Yes Severus?"
"Did you hear what happened?"
"I was in the library it's impossible to hear anything!"
"Stop being sarcastic," he said. "It doesn't suit you."
"If you know so much...what does suit me?"
"Joining me for a cup of tea."
"You are funny," Robina said bored. "The last thing I need is tea. I am going to bed."
"I hope you know this place gets cold at night."
"You should know all about it," she then said shrilly. "I have a cat. I will be fine unlike you."
"I was merely suggesting you should have a cup before you go to bed. The tea warms you."
Robina sucked on her bottom lip. She grabbed the barrister, looked down to his side of the stairs, leaning gently. "Is this your idea of flirting?"
Severus laughed a false laugh. "My dear you wouldn't know what flirting is if it hit like a Bludger."
Now it was Robina's turn to laugh falsely. "Don't be administering advice you can not follow."
"Sound advice," he said in that silky voice. "Good night Madame Kamely."
"Good night Professor Snape," she replied going up the stairs. Her stomach churned. This was starting to sound like a flirtatious romance novel.
The only decent woman, Severus thought, we get to work here in years is sharp tongued, clever and intelligent. Highly independent that one is. Just like Old McGonagall.
******
Robina groaned when the alarm went off. She hated waking up early. She loathed waking up on cold mornings. She threw back the duvet allowing her toes to touch the cold stone of the castle floor. She winced when the cold sapped away the warmth. She took a deep breath, jumped out of bed, walked swiftly to her slippers and put them on. The entire time she held her breath. She released the breath slowly as she put on her bathrobe.
"Stop looking so warm Sister Cat," Robina scolded at the tortoise shelled coloured cat with big yellow eyes like an owl. Sister ignored Robina by purring noiselessly in her warm half slumber. "I know you are just being ornery," Robina said. "You oleaginous, idle house cat." Robina did her morning routine while Sister purred on.
As Robina left she called out, "Sleeping all day is not good!"
She descended the stairs to the library while muttering aloud, "I must be mad...talking to a cat."
"No rather," Severus said from his usual spot where Robina had been running into him for the last month, "insanely mad." Robina rolled her eyes. She walked past Severus on the way to the lounge for a cup of coffee. He followed behind. She knew he did this to pester her.
Once in the lounge she said, "Don't you have a classroom to prepare for explosions?"
"You have said that to me for the last month. You should know the answer by now."
This really was getting absurd. She had never seen anyone like him. In her letters home she griped about him. Her family wrote back asking about her new 'boyfriend.' The last thing she needed and wanted was Severus Snape.
She made the coffee. She purposely made hazelnut knowing it drove Severus mad. She poured a generous amount of cream in her cup along with four spoonfuls of sugar.
"How can you drink coffee like that?" Severus asked with a shudder. "That is the most terrible excuse for a cup of coffee."
"So? My coffee. I can do what I want to it."
"You have to stop that because I never know how you like your coffee. You drink it black or with sugar or with cream and sometimes you mix up odd combinations."
"Oh so my coffee habits drive you furiously zany, Professor?" Robina said with a lit in her soft voice. "As my grandmother would say...oddness is everything."
"I didn't say your habit did that. What if one morning I wanted to bring you coffee?"
"So you can get a peek at my nightie," Robina fired back. "Very innovative."
"What do you wear to bed?" Severus asked in his silky voice.
"That is something you will never find out! Now if you will excuse me, I very much enjoyed our morning chatter but I must open the library."
Robina walked out of the lounge with her coffee. Severus stuck his head out the door. "Give me a hint. Silk, cotton or nothing."
Robina turned around. She felt like laughing wickedly. She was going to play his game. "If you really must know...nothing. I sleep on peach silk sheets with a fluffy duvet. My favorite thing to do is pillow fight." Reading all those junk novels sometime helps, she speculated.
Severus gave a smile. He was envisioning Robina in the manner in which she described herself. In reality Robina used the school's humdrum sheets with the less then fluffy duvet. She slept in cotton boxers with a long sleeved shirt. The ensemble didn't match. Her dressing gown wasn't much of anything to talk about either.
"Pillow fighting?" he asked slowly. "An interesting hobby."
"You should try it."
"You can show me sometime."
Robina laughed a stiff laugh. "The only way you will ever being seeing me like that is in a crystal ball." She turned away laughing. Severus ran out of the lounge. He walked up behind Robina.
"I'll gladly tell you what I wear," he whispered in her ear.
Robina stopped and in her normal voice she said. "Clothes?"
He put his arm around her shoulder. He whispered in her ear, only more softly. "What I wear would look very good on your sheets."
"Who said you were going to be on my sheets? Maybe they already have an occupant."
"A very lucky occupant. I hope he knows what he is in for."
"Who said it was a he? I was referring to the cat." Robina stepped away from Severus.
"Then I'll just have to move the cat off."
"That is one I'd pay to see," Robina said laughing as she walked down the hall.
*******
That night Robina headed for Hogsmeade. Her grandmother had set her up on a blind date. She was going to tell her grandmother how piteous blind dating was. All the good wizards were either taken or not interested in women. Robina wasn't wanting anyone. She was happy the way she was.
She pushed open the door to The Three Broomsticks. She had picked a forest green robe to wear. She knew she was early. She took a seat and opened the latest romance novel for her article. This one wasn't much better then the last few. All she knew was she was meeting a wizard named William Dodson. Her grandmother insisted on Robina wearing the robe she was in.
She heard footsteps approaching. Robina hid behind her book. There were times she could be feisty. This time she decided to be shy. The footsteps faded away. Robina breathed a sigh of relief. But she knew all too soon this William Dodson would be arriving.
Before she could turn the page in her book, a rose was set down on the table. She didn't look up, pretending to be absorbed in her own world. She heard a mock cough. She slowly lowered the book, only allowing her eyes from behind her glasses to be seen.
"Your grandmother said you would have your nose in a book," the stranger said in a clean smooth voice. "I'm William."
Robina closed the book. She set it to one side as she said, "If you are looking for Robina she's not here."
William sat down with a laugh. "Then since you are so lovely, I'll join you until she arrives."
Robina felt like blowing cookies. She wasn't good at this sort of thing. "Well...all right. Since I'm not doing anything of high interest. Do tell me about yourself."
Robina finally had a proper look at him. She didn't know if he was tall or not. He had light brown wavy hair and olive green eyes. He didn't wear glasses. His robe was a boring shade of brown. From the looks of it he had just returned for a holiday in the sun.
"I own Quality Quidditch Supplies. I like traveling, Quidditch and talking to this lovely lady in front of me."
Robina looked over her shoulder. "I don't see one in here. I think they all went home."
William laughed, "I was speaking of you. But I don't know your name."
Robina had to think fast. She glanced down at her book. "I'm Amanda Parker," she read the name off. "I hate Quidditch, don't travel much and I work for the Ministry as a secretary."
Madame Rosmerta came over and took their drink orders. Robina wanted the torture to be over with. William had tried taking her hand. She quickly yanked it away. They talked about current events and the way things should be in the Ministry. Robina was just about to excuse herself for the night when Severus walked in. She quietly hoped he didn't see her.
He saw Robina with William and came over. Robina felt like cursing. He was going to make the situation worse. "Hello Robina," Severus said. "I didn't know you dated."
"So you are Robina!" William exclaimed. "Your grandmother said you would make up some wild story."
Severus looked confused. "What did she tell you?"
"She said her name was Amanda Parker," replied William. "She works from the Ministry."
"If you would have looked closely," Severus said silkily. "She pulled the name from her book. I take it must have been a set up."
"Yes," Robina said hastily. "My grandmother...never you mind."
"He was nice and brought you a rose!" Severus exclaimed. He turned to William. "If you are after her...good luck. She's a quick one. I've been trying to get a date with her for ages. All I have to do is write her grandmother?"
Robina face was turning red. She wasn't one for getting angry. With a forced calm she said, "I am leaving. It was a lovely evening."
"You didn't introduce me to your friend," William said.
Robina sighed, "William this is Severus. He teaches at Hogwarts where I work as the assistant librarian. Severus this is William. He owns Quality Quidditch Supplies."
The two wizards looked at each other. They nodded.
"Pleasure," Severus mumbled.
"Yes...what a pleasure," William said idly returning gesture.
"Wonderful!" Robina exclaimed happily. "I am going to bed. It was lovely meeting you, William." She stood up from the table. "See you later... Severus."
"I'll owl you," William called out to Robina as she was leaving.
On her walk back she didn't know if she should have been angry or not. She went into her chambers. She slammed the door.
"Sister," she said aloud to the fat sleepy cat, "I don't know what to think sometimes!"