Please note, that I do not own the character of Severus Snape, or any other magical lingo.
This is a Severus/Samantha story. Samantha is my own creation.
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Chapter 2:
Samantha, fully dressed, bent to pick up her black knee-boots.
They were drenched. She left them on the floor by the cabinet, and sighed, as she walked over to the mirror hanging on the wall.
She observed the gold frame of flowers and leaves and finally forced herself to look at the reflection. She knew she would be a frightful sight.
Her long black hair was still wet, and it hung flat down a little past her shoulders. Her large brown eyes looked tired. Her cheeks and small nose, slightly tan like the rest of her body, were pink from the rain. Her delicate mouth and chin were still shaking slightly with cold.
She smoothed the gray skirt over her hips and tugged gently on the hem of her sweater. Her slender body was perfectly complimented by the warm clothes. She closed her eyes, thinking of the black lingerie she was wearing. Her body looked perfect in the clothes that were conjured for her.
Opening her eyes, she looked herself over once more. Using her fingers, she massaged her closed eyes gently. Seeing that it helped a little, she rubbed her face and pushed the dripping hair over her shoulders. She felt ready to go and talk with the man. She's supposed to meet him downstairs.
Samantha sighed again, and starting to feel warmer, opened the door to go downstairs. Now, came the difficult part. She has to talk with the dark man. What would he ask her? What would she say?
Her hand resting on the banister, she edged her way down the steps. The gray skirt swept down to her knees and felt warm around her legs. The soft black sweater fell to her hips, loose but fitting. She wasn't sure how he guessed her size, just right. The view of you in the black shirt probably gave him a good indication…she blushed.
She saw him standing tall, regally, at the bottom of the staircase, one hand resting gently on the wooden banister, the other hand covering his face. He stirred when he heard her coming down the stairs.
"Finally. You've taken long enough." He sighed, and looked up at her.
His fierce gaze took in her slender figure. He appraised her once again, this time her clothes not drenched and dripping. Samantha felt uncomfortable under his stare, like he was reading her, but she couldn't pull her eyes away from the harsh features of his face.
He looked so handsome to her, his soft pale skin still slightly red in embarrassment and his dark eyes piercing her. Abruptly, he turned and gestured for her to follow. The floor of the entrance hall felt cold and damp under her bare feet as she hurried to keep up with his long legs. Walking behind the man, Samantha could see that she was easily a foot shorter.
Going through a door at the end of the great entrance hall, they entered the library, an enormous room with walls covered with bookshelves. There were a few desks, like the one upstairs, and soft armchairs spaced around the room. On the wall opposite of the oversized double-doors were two enormous windows, looking out over another overgrown garden. Between the windows there was a great fireplace, with a warm fire already glowing. Two of the largest chairs were set, facing the fireplace with a small table between them.
"Have a seat, Miss Smill." The man strode across the room to the fireplace and took the seat on the left. Samantha briskly followed him and sat carefully in the large leather armchair.
"And what name do you go by?" she asked, quietly. Samantha could have bit her tongue, but she was dying to know…Besides, she'd already told him hers.
"Well. I suppose I could tell you." He grinned, looking years younger. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his face. Slowly, his brows furrowed in thought. "I'm Severus." He sat back and stared into the fireplace. Samantha shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not knowing whether she should speak. So she sat back in her chair, too, pushing her dripping wet black hair away over her shoulders.
When she heard a soft chuckle, she looked over at Severus. He was wearing a crooked smirk. He pointed at her bare feet, which were swinging slightly, inches above the thick carpet.
"Never fails. My feet rarely touch the floor, when I'm sitting. I'm cursed with shortness." Samantha smiled back. She rubbed one foot with the other, now very conscious of his eyes on her feet.
She glanced nervously at the fireplace, with the beautiful intricately carved mantle.
Avoiding his eyes, she looked out the window to her right, noticing it was pouring rain, worse than it had been for the past few hours. It was a heavy storm.
A flash of lightening lit up the library, and Samantha's large brown eyes went wide as she gasped. Lightening always scared her. Within a few moments, there was a deep crash of thunder.
She hesitantly glanced over at Severus. He was observing her and her reaction to the lightening. She smiled, shakily.
Another unexpected burst of lightening flashed around the room. Samantha shrieked in surprise. She covered her eyes with her hands and didn't even hear the thunder in her panic.
Finally, spreading her fingers, she peaked over at Severus. He was still watching her, and suddenly he started to laugh.
Almost forgetting her fear, she became indignant.
"What?! It's always frightened me!" whispered Samantha harshly. She didn't want to be mocked. She was scared. "It's not funny, Severus!" The sound of his name on her lips made him stop laughing. She felt his deep eyes on her again. She found herself lost, staring into his eyes for a long moment. He cleared his throat and glanced back to the fireplace.
"So, Miss Smill, where's your wand?"
"My wand?" Samantha looked confused.
"Yes, I noticed you were unable to perform the conjuring charms for yourself. You do have a wand, right?" He looked at Samantha, leaning on his armrest.
"Of course…I had a wand…I just…it's lost." She looked down at her lap. She forgot that she was wearing strange new clothes. She folded her hands together as she waited for his to respond.
"And just where did you lose it, Miss Smill?" Severus was beginning to sound like an adult speaking to a small child. She shifted uncomfortably.
"I…I dunno, I lost it during the storm."
Couldn't he just leave it at that? He just rolled his eyes and got up to poke at the wood in the fireplace.
"So why were you caught in the storm? Where had you been? Where were you heading?"
It was now Samantha's turn to roll her eyes.
"I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition," she muttered under her breath, making herself smile. This caused Severus to turn and face her. With a large grin on his face, he pointed at her.
"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" he said, sounding very silly. They looked at each other a moment, before cracking up laughing. Their laughter died out and just before Samantha could ask him where he had heard that phrase--
Another flash of lightening. Samantha shrieked again, jumping out of her seat. Severus put his hand to his chest, recovering from the surprise. Thunder boomed into the room, unnoticed.
"Did…did it…did it frighten you, too?" she asked, feeling very nervous. She was wringing her hands and slowly stepping away from the window and into the middle of the now darkened room. The stormy weather was turning the afternoon into an early evening.
"It didn't frighten me! You did!" Severus snapped at her. He was still standing by the fireplace, casting strange shadows across the room. Samantha, becoming more nervous and scared, wanted to run from that room, from that house, before she broke down in tears.
She suddenly felt very scared, and oddly hollow inside. Maybe she should leave. Now!
"I think…maybe I should go…" Samantha backed slowly toward the door.
"You can't leave. Just look at this storm. You wouldn't be safe out there." Severus pointed to the window she'd been looking out, before continuing, "Especially not without a wand."
He walked slowly towards her. "Just stay with me. You'll be alright."
Samantha stood still and looked over at Severus, trembling. She was so frightened. She didn't want to leave, but something in her mind told her she should leave, run. He nodded convincingly at her. Slowly, he approached her. Within seconds, he stood tall and regal right in front of her.
With frightened eyes, Samantha looked up at Severus. She felt herself trembling. She couldn't run, because there was no place for her to go. She was scared to leave, but far too frightened to stay. The storm. She couldn't leave. But could she face Severus? Could she tell him? What if he doesn't understand?
Samantha felt tears running down her face and shook herself from her thoughts. She shivered, feeling cold, barefoot in the middle of the dark library. She looked up into Severus' eyes again, hoping to find an answer.
As she felt a sob reach her throat, she took a step forward and placed her forehead to his chest. He silently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, content that she wouldn't leave. Not just now. Gently he pulled her closer to him and let her cry in his arms. As she slowly put her arms around his waist, she thought: he was something.
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(Reference: Spanish Inquisition – Monty Python sketch)
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