Chapter Eleven: Admiration and Suspicion
The next morning Reign woke up revitalized and rehabilitated. She felt warm inside, though she didn't know why. Everything seemed to go her way that day—no food fights during meals, no annoying first-years blocking the halls, and best of all—no potions homework. Professor Snape seemed to be in an unusually good mood that day also. Perhaps 'good' is an understatement. He seemed 'content'—not so distant and annoyed with everything. And Reign almost thought that for a moment, when Fayth Thatcher's cooling potion blew up in her face leaving icicles dripping off her nose and ears, Snape had cracked a sincere smile.
After dinner Reign walked down to the dungeons, eager to begin work on the anti-potion. When she arrived, Severus was already throwing random ingredients into a large cauldron sitting on the front desk. He paused every so often to examine the notes he had taken after trying to pick at the original mixture's contents, but other than that he seemed completely engrossed in his work. Reign smiled at his determination as she approached him.
"What seems to be amusing you?" he asked after noticing the smirk. Reign picked up his notes.
"The sorry fact that I never even thought to take notes while making this wretched potion, while you have already taken five pages--"
"Of worthless junk. It is sorry that you never took notes. For if you would have," Reign gave him that 'clam down, you're overreacting' look. "Sorry." He blushed—either that or he became angrier. She wasn't sure which.
"It's all right. Now," she said, taking off her robes and rolling up her sleeves, "what have you got so far?" Snape explained what he had been working on and soon after both were throwing ingredients into the vat left and right. After creating what they thought might work as an anti-potion, they poured both liquids into the same container. If it worked, the liquids would simply disappear, having canceled each other out. But of course it was just their luck that not one of the potions they produced that night worked the way they wanted it to. In fact, their trial-and-error experimenting was quite dangerous, seeing as they had no way to predict what was to come out of mixing a very powerful potion with one which they didn't know the extent of its power. One time Severus was leaning too far over the cauldron, and when he stood back up his head was covered with fiery red hair. His companion thought it to be incredibly amusing, while he on the other hand was incredible red in the face. However, his embarrassment was avenged when Reign poured a new potion too fast and some splattered on her skin, transforming her forearm's skin into dragon scales. She had the better sense of humor, though, and laughed it right off, as he should have done. It was two o'clock in the morning when they finally gave up. Reign rubbed her eyes and yawned every five seconds, while Severus was still running on full. When he noticed her lethargic behavior he told her to go to bed. She thanked him and headed for the door.
"Same time tomorrow then?" he asked as he started cleaning up their mess.
Reign groaned. "Yes. Same time everyday till we obliterate that infernal potion." Severus smirked as she exited.
***
Reign continued her 'education' at Hogwarts every day, and retreated to the dungeons every night to work with the Potions master. Occasionally she managed to slip out and retreat to Hagrid's hut, but most of her time was spent down in the depths of the school. His classroom seemed a lot less dreary, as did he himself. He smiled easier, talked with less sarcasm, and even complimented Reign on her work. The two had learned to respect each other, and even--I daresay it be true--learned to admire each other. However, their regard had led them nowhere in their quest for an anti-potion, and time flew swiftly. Before they knew it, it was the Thursday before she promised she was going to leave. They were both becoming desperate, for neither wanted her to go. So desperate, in fact, that the final potion they concocted blew up in Reign's face, knocking her back into Snape's desk. She hit her head and fell onto the floor, unconscious. Severus picked her limp body off the ground and carried her into his chambers, settling into a chair by the fireplace. He still held her in his lap, and instead of reviving her, stroked her hair and held her close until she woke up on her own. When she did, it was an hour after the incident, and the man who was holding her had fallen asleep. She watched him a few moments, taking in his scent and swaying gently to the up and down movements of his chest. Then without warning, he opened his eyes, fully awake.
"How's your head?" he asked, pushing back her hair to look at the swollen spot on her forehead.
"It's been better." Instead of lifting herself off of his lap--as she would've done in any other situation--and instead of him helping her up--as he would definitely have done--they both stayed as they were, listening to the gentle rain outside and rocking to the steady beat of each other's hearts. Severus took her hand in his and ran his fingers along its crevices. Their movement was like a dance. Their fingers entwined like vines as they lay, silent. The silence was welcomed, not deafening or awkward. Just to be there with each other was like magic. At least for Reign it was. Severus was the one to ruin it.
"So," he coughed, "we have only tomorrow."
"I know," she sighed. There was a pause, then Severus looked into her eyes.
"I don't want you to leave."
"Me neither," she replied. Before she knew what was happening, Severus had lifted her head up and they were engaged in the most passionate kiss either of them had ever partaken in. It was warm and gentle and…
"Oh come off it, Helena."
"Yeah, that's the biggest load of tripe I've ever heard!"
"Fine, don't believe me. But I know what I saw. Dorrin Chambers and Professor Snape were kissing in his chambers." Helena, Nigel, and Chase were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room trying to make sense out of what Helena had just seen.
"Why were you down there in the first place?" Nigel asked.
"I already told you, I was supposed to be serving my detention there tonight for helping Bill with his assignment today. When I didn't see anyone in Snape's classroom, I knocked on his bedroom door. No one answered, but I heard voices. I guess my curiosity got the better of me." Just then, Reign climbed through the entrance hole. The trio remained silent as she stepped into the vicinity.
"Hey, shouldn't you three be in bed?"
"Shouldn't you?" Helena shot back. Reign paused, thinking. Then she laughed.
"Yes, haha. I supposed I should be--"
"Where have you been?" asked Nigel.
"Oh, well let me tell you." She took a seat by the fire. "Today in Potions I accidentally threw in the wrong ingredients for a shrinking potion. It turned all orange and started bubbling so Snape came over to have a look," she started laughing, "would you believe that what I made turned out to be a crying potion? You should have seen those tears pour out of that man's eyes after my potion blew up in his face." She paused to collect herself. "So naturally I got a detention for it."
"With Snape?" Chase asked.
"No, are you kidding? I don't think he'll be able to look at me for at least a whole term! No, I served my time with Filch." Chase and Nigel turned to Helena, smirking. She looked desperate to make sense of the situation.
"So where did that bruise come from?" she asked, pointing to Reign's head.
"Oh that," she laughed uneasily, "I was on my way down to Filch's office, when a bloody shoe hit me right in the noggin. Turned out it was Peeves having a bit of fun with a first-year's boot. Nearly knocked me out, that thing did." Satisfied with her story, the two boys said their goodnights and headed up the stairs to their rooms. "Well, I should head up too. Are you all right, Helena?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."
"Alright then. Goodnight," Reign said as she headed up to her room, leaving a very confused Helena Saxon behind.