Chapter 38

An Indian Summer

September the first came and went. The school was now re-occupied with an abundance of rowdy students, new and old. Familiar faces greeted Taya Matterson with a smile, while with Severus Snape they simply tended to avoid his scowling gaze as if a simple look from him would turn them to stone. The first years of cause were terrified of their potions master and naturally many trembled at the mere sight of him.

"Damn," Taya thought, she was sweating from the heat and swaying slightly. It was still stifling down here in the dungeons, giving little shelter. The potions classroom was un-naturally hot, but it seemed to be the coolest part of the castle.

She smiled at a few children making their abrupt exit from their last lesson of the day, Potions. She noted that they made an effort to at least pause momentarily and smile back, but not for too long. They were gathered in an eager rampant swarm, chattering as they passed. Some even took the stairs three steps at a time to get away, back into 'the land of living,' somebody had said.

Taya couldn't help smiling a bit though. Her love was still cold and frightening in front of the students, but in another way she also felt sorry for him. He had no comprehension on how to react in front of the youngsters in any other way. Being nasty and sarcastic seemed the only thing he was comfortable with.

That was heart breaking really. He could only open up, and be how he really was in front of her. He felt it was to late to change. He was having a hard enough time expressing himself as near to his true personality to Harry Potter.

She admired him greatly for that. It had taken him a great deal of energy and perspiration to confess his true feelings of the young man, not to mention telling Harry himself, who wondrously seemed to have taken it all in his stride, in a calm laid back manor. Severus Snape on the other hand had felt far from laid back with his confession. In fact he was hyperventilating when she saw him.

Then there was the messy business of Harry having put together the other pieces of information and came up with a valid reason for Severus' past nastiness and cruelty toward him, and life in general.

She stepped into the room in a daze of strange apprehension.

The first day back would bound to have put Severus in a bad mood. She could only hope that his disposition wouldn't remain for the rest of the evening and Taya wasn't particularly up to his bitter, cutting over emotional tirades.

She felt terribly sick. Her head throbbed and nausea had suddenly leaped onto her every morning, for the past week. She agreed that it was probably heat stroke that had caused the symptoms.

"I'm feeling sick," she said stepping towards the pale man hunched over his desk. He looked up at her with bleary dark eyes.

"Again?" The remark was cutting, unsympathetic, not his usual gentle and caring temperament.

"Yes," she hissed clutching her belly as sickness oscillated and pulsated within her abdomen. Taya feared any moment that she may regurgitate the contents of her stomach, what little food she had consumed that day.

The sickness progressed into dizziness. The next moment she felt herself collapse and blank out.

Taya opened her eyes to the fearful gaze of her lover's. He was hugging her to him protectively and poured what tasted like sweet honey between her lips. Immediately the sickness vanished as did the fatigue and she pulled herself up. He set the empty still steaming goblet down on a table.

"Sleep," he said pushing her down. She realised she was laying on her bed. How and when he carried her to her own rooms she didn't know. Judging from the darkness outside it was very late.

Severus lay down beside her, a hand gently stroking circles over her belly. She smiled weakly at him and pressed her own tiny hand on the top of his.

"You were over heating," he said. "The weather is un-naturally hot still. Drink more water." He placed a cool damp cloth over her forehead. "I have informed Albus that you will be out of service tomorrow, Taya."

"But-"

"This particular heat stoke has taken a lot out of you."

"But what about my classes? We only started lessons again yesterday."

"Your health is all that matters. The Headmaster is fond of you. Since you are his only remaining living relative he feels a certain responsibility to your heath and happiness."

"Only Uncle Albus would be that considerate," she murmured with a smile and closed her eyes.

"If this nausea continues you must see Poppy, Taya," he said gently, but firmly. "You still haven't had your period. I know you can't be pregnant because of the charm set on the school and we haven't made love any where out side the school perimeter so conceiving accidentally is out."

"I know." Taya cast him a worried look and swallowed. "Severus?...There is something I-"

"Rest now. Tell me later," he said interrupting. Exhaustion took her with full force and she couldn't even gather the stamina and energy to open her eyes when Severus gently kissed her.