**I HAVE RETURNED!!! YAY!!! Sorry about that, people! I know that I
haven't updated in quite a while! I didn't mean to, honestly! I have been
soooo busy with school, band, and trying to keep my life straight, that I
haven't had any time at all to update!! Well, here it is: another chapter!
Once again, I do not own Harry Potter, although Katerina A. Alberthane is
MINE!! ( The titles to all of my chapters are from Beatles songs, which I
don't own either. Now that that is out of the way, ENJOY AND REVIEW!!**
"I will give you this, Professor," Katerina said once they were alone, "You do indeed have quite a stronghold over your students." Severus stared blankly at her, then grinned evilly.
"Now, back to the potion business. I often have difficulty sleeping at night. I was wondering if perhaps you would be so kind as to brew a potion to help me with that." Katerina said, sitting on her desk. Severus thought for a moment.
"Of course. How strong do you think it'll need to be?" Severus asked, folding his arms. Katerina laughed.
"Let's see, I've slept maybe 3 hours this week, so it'll need to be pretty strong." She said, still smiling. Severus looked a little surprised.
"If you don't mind me asking, why is it exactly, that you cant sleep?" He asked, his black eyes boring into hers.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I never dream, so I knew that isn't the cause. I just lay down and nothing happens. I end up lying there all night. It's odd, I know, it may come from something subconsciously. I do know this, though, if I am to teach these kids, I need my sleep." Professor Alberthane said. Severus nodded.
"I understand, Professor. I shall make my own mix of sleeping potion for you. It even works for me, so it has to work for you." Severus said, shocked at himself for adding the last sentence. Katerina gave him a puzzling look.
"You have trouble sleeping as well, Professor?" Katerina asked, walking towards him a little more.
"Yes, indeed I do. But my troubles have a known cause." Severus stopped there and looked away from her. Katerina understood that he felt he had said too much. They stood in silence a moment.
"Well, shall we go to lunch, Professor Snape?" Katerina asked, breaking the tense silence.
"Yes, I believe it is that time. Whenever you are ready." Professor Snape replied. Katerina nodded and went to her desk to put a few remaining papers in the drawer. "What do I think I am doing?" Severus asked himself mentally, "First I have to reveal something as personal as my sleeping habits, and now I am waiting to walk to her lunch. You would think we were a couple of school children or something." He sighed out loud, "She seems to tolerate my company well, that is something I didn't expect. But of course I haven't really been my usual nasty self towards her. Perhaps I may have a chance after all…what am I thinking? I shouldn't think of such things. We are Hogwarts teachers, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't approve of a romance. Not that there is a chance of one." Professor Snape was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that Katerina had said she was ready to go and was now looking at him oddly.
"Professor? Are you alright?" She asked, walking to stand beside him.
"Wha…I am fine. Sorry, I was thinking. You are ready then?" He asked, trying to cover up for his absentmindedness. Katerina nodded. They excited the room and walked to the Great Hall in silence. Everyone was already in the hall eating lunch. Quite a few students watched them as they entered and turned to whisper to their friends, but the Professors choose not to pay attention. They walked towards the teachers' table and sat down quietly.
"I wonder what potion she needed? She shouldn't trust b him/b to make it for her." Ron said, eyeing Professors Snape and Alberthane.
"And just who should she trust with something like that? You?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"Hermione has a point, Ron. If Professor Alberthane is sick and needs a potion, Snape is the best person for the job. I hate to admit it, but he knows what he is doing, even if he is a jerk." Harry said.
"What about Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked.
"She gets all of her potions from Snape. I've often seen him going to the hospital wing with armloads of potion bottles. So, there!" Hermione said matter-of-factly. Ron just sighed and finished eating his lunch.
At the teachers' table, Professor McGonagall was talking to Katerina.
"So, how was your first class?" Minerva asked.
"It was great!" Katerina replied in between mouthfuls.
"What year and houses did you have?" The older woman asked.
"Your own Gryffindors and his," Katerina said, motioning towards Severus, "Slytherins. They were 2nd years." Katerina replied. Minerva laughed.
"That is quite a combination. You'll have to keep Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy away from one another, they have a tendency to squabble." Minerva said.
"Mr. Potter likes to start things, Professor Alberthane, HE'S the one to watch!" Professor Snape said, butting in. Minerva laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Severus, you are quite unbelievable!" Minerva said, still laughing. Severus flashed a really quick smile and went back to eating.
"Professor Snape knows the truth, he just can't stop being a Slytherin long enough to admit it," Minerva said, turning back to Katerina. The women looked at Severus as he looked up and made a face.
"Har de har har, Minerva. I do have a reputation to keep, you know," Severus said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, ladies, I have a potion to start before my next class," Severus said, getting up. "I usually have a lot stocked up, but I used the last of it last night," He said to Katerina in a low voice, "I shall have it to you by tonight." Katerina nodded and smiled. She watched as he exited the room, his cape flying behind him and his face as emotionless as stone. Minerva noticed Katerina's eyes following Severus as he left.
"You like Severus?" Minerva asked, leaning in closer to talk to Katerina. Professor Alberthane could not stop a flush that appeared on her cheeks.
"Wha…What do you mean, Minerva?" Katerina asked, obviously rattled. The older woman laughed.
"Oh please! Katerina, dear, its obvious to the trained eye!" Katerina opened her mouth to say something in protest or to defend herself, but nothing came out. Katerina hung her head. Minerva laughed.
"It's all right, Katerina, I won't hold it against you…too much," Minerva said, winking. "All though, I never really thought any woman would go for Severus…" Katerina looked up and gave Minerva a hurt look. "Oh no, dear, don't misunderstand me! I only meant that not many women can look past Severus's well played 'cover' and see the real man there," Minerva said, hoping she explained what she really meant well enough. Katerina smiled.
"I know that there is more to him. I want to get to know that other side, the real side, if you will. I want to know the person he was and the person he is…" Katerina said, saying a little more than she had planned. She looked at the ground, blushing a bright red. Minerva's eyes started to water.
"Oh! You two shall be wonderful together!" Professor McGonagall said, her eyes dancing with merriment. Katerina looked at her and they both laughed.
**So, whatcha think? I have always thought Minerva would be an excellent friend to have. Maybe it is just me, but I think she is groovy, so I had to put a good Minerva scene in there! Well, be sure to review and tell me what you think!**
"I will give you this, Professor," Katerina said once they were alone, "You do indeed have quite a stronghold over your students." Severus stared blankly at her, then grinned evilly.
"Now, back to the potion business. I often have difficulty sleeping at night. I was wondering if perhaps you would be so kind as to brew a potion to help me with that." Katerina said, sitting on her desk. Severus thought for a moment.
"Of course. How strong do you think it'll need to be?" Severus asked, folding his arms. Katerina laughed.
"Let's see, I've slept maybe 3 hours this week, so it'll need to be pretty strong." She said, still smiling. Severus looked a little surprised.
"If you don't mind me asking, why is it exactly, that you cant sleep?" He asked, his black eyes boring into hers.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I never dream, so I knew that isn't the cause. I just lay down and nothing happens. I end up lying there all night. It's odd, I know, it may come from something subconsciously. I do know this, though, if I am to teach these kids, I need my sleep." Professor Alberthane said. Severus nodded.
"I understand, Professor. I shall make my own mix of sleeping potion for you. It even works for me, so it has to work for you." Severus said, shocked at himself for adding the last sentence. Katerina gave him a puzzling look.
"You have trouble sleeping as well, Professor?" Katerina asked, walking towards him a little more.
"Yes, indeed I do. But my troubles have a known cause." Severus stopped there and looked away from her. Katerina understood that he felt he had said too much. They stood in silence a moment.
"Well, shall we go to lunch, Professor Snape?" Katerina asked, breaking the tense silence.
"Yes, I believe it is that time. Whenever you are ready." Professor Snape replied. Katerina nodded and went to her desk to put a few remaining papers in the drawer. "What do I think I am doing?" Severus asked himself mentally, "First I have to reveal something as personal as my sleeping habits, and now I am waiting to walk to her lunch. You would think we were a couple of school children or something." He sighed out loud, "She seems to tolerate my company well, that is something I didn't expect. But of course I haven't really been my usual nasty self towards her. Perhaps I may have a chance after all…what am I thinking? I shouldn't think of such things. We are Hogwarts teachers, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't approve of a romance. Not that there is a chance of one." Professor Snape was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that Katerina had said she was ready to go and was now looking at him oddly.
"Professor? Are you alright?" She asked, walking to stand beside him.
"Wha…I am fine. Sorry, I was thinking. You are ready then?" He asked, trying to cover up for his absentmindedness. Katerina nodded. They excited the room and walked to the Great Hall in silence. Everyone was already in the hall eating lunch. Quite a few students watched them as they entered and turned to whisper to their friends, but the Professors choose not to pay attention. They walked towards the teachers' table and sat down quietly.
"I wonder what potion she needed? She shouldn't trust b him/b to make it for her." Ron said, eyeing Professors Snape and Alberthane.
"And just who should she trust with something like that? You?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"Hermione has a point, Ron. If Professor Alberthane is sick and needs a potion, Snape is the best person for the job. I hate to admit it, but he knows what he is doing, even if he is a jerk." Harry said.
"What about Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked.
"She gets all of her potions from Snape. I've often seen him going to the hospital wing with armloads of potion bottles. So, there!" Hermione said matter-of-factly. Ron just sighed and finished eating his lunch.
At the teachers' table, Professor McGonagall was talking to Katerina.
"So, how was your first class?" Minerva asked.
"It was great!" Katerina replied in between mouthfuls.
"What year and houses did you have?" The older woman asked.
"Your own Gryffindors and his," Katerina said, motioning towards Severus, "Slytherins. They were 2nd years." Katerina replied. Minerva laughed.
"That is quite a combination. You'll have to keep Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy away from one another, they have a tendency to squabble." Minerva said.
"Mr. Potter likes to start things, Professor Alberthane, HE'S the one to watch!" Professor Snape said, butting in. Minerva laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Severus, you are quite unbelievable!" Minerva said, still laughing. Severus flashed a really quick smile and went back to eating.
"Professor Snape knows the truth, he just can't stop being a Slytherin long enough to admit it," Minerva said, turning back to Katerina. The women looked at Severus as he looked up and made a face.
"Har de har har, Minerva. I do have a reputation to keep, you know," Severus said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, ladies, I have a potion to start before my next class," Severus said, getting up. "I usually have a lot stocked up, but I used the last of it last night," He said to Katerina in a low voice, "I shall have it to you by tonight." Katerina nodded and smiled. She watched as he exited the room, his cape flying behind him and his face as emotionless as stone. Minerva noticed Katerina's eyes following Severus as he left.
"You like Severus?" Minerva asked, leaning in closer to talk to Katerina. Professor Alberthane could not stop a flush that appeared on her cheeks.
"Wha…What do you mean, Minerva?" Katerina asked, obviously rattled. The older woman laughed.
"Oh please! Katerina, dear, its obvious to the trained eye!" Katerina opened her mouth to say something in protest or to defend herself, but nothing came out. Katerina hung her head. Minerva laughed.
"It's all right, Katerina, I won't hold it against you…too much," Minerva said, winking. "All though, I never really thought any woman would go for Severus…" Katerina looked up and gave Minerva a hurt look. "Oh no, dear, don't misunderstand me! I only meant that not many women can look past Severus's well played 'cover' and see the real man there," Minerva said, hoping she explained what she really meant well enough. Katerina smiled.
"I know that there is more to him. I want to get to know that other side, the real side, if you will. I want to know the person he was and the person he is…" Katerina said, saying a little more than she had planned. She looked at the ground, blushing a bright red. Minerva's eyes started to water.
"Oh! You two shall be wonderful together!" Professor McGonagall said, her eyes dancing with merriment. Katerina looked at her and they both laughed.
**So, whatcha think? I have always thought Minerva would be an excellent friend to have. Maybe it is just me, but I think she is groovy, so I had to put a good Minerva scene in there! Well, be sure to review and tell me what you think!**