Chapter Ten

Severus Snape's day had gotten off to its usual gloomy start. He'd been unable to sleep most of the previous night, instead tossing and turning in his bed, contemplating the ceiling of his room and thinking about her.

Until yesterday's staff meeting Severus had been convinced that this was going to be another typical year, albeit the fact that he was finally going to be rid of the (Potter, Granger, and Weasley, his least favorite students except of course for the accident prone Mr. Longbottom) at its completion. Of course he'd known about the appointments for the new DADA and Charms teacher.

Severus honestly couldn't say that he would miss Flitwick. He didn't dislike him but he had never really taken the time to get to know him. There were far more important things to be done and potions to be brewed. Another fact that Severus had not admitted to anyone was that he honestly was not all that interested in giving up his position in favor of teaching the DADA course. He was established as potions master, and it was easily his strongest ability as a wizard.

Severus had resigned himself to meeting the new faculty members. He'd been somewhat surprised to hear that Wood was returning to Hogwarts. He and most of the staff had the impression when Wood had graduated a few years ago that he would be pursuing a career in professional Quidditch. The other name that Albus had mentioned, a Miss Valerie Shorelake, held no meaning for Severus until they had been introduced.

He'd had to struggle to maintain his facade of indifference, an impression he had carefully cultivated over the years in order not to get attached to others. In his experience, making friends only brought more pain in the end when the people he cared about were hurt or killed.

She was beautiful, no doubt about that' he mused as he watched her during the staff meeting. He could think of a million adjectives to describe her in an instant. Outgoing, vivacious, charming, friendly, open.... The list of her attributes could go on and on' he thought wryly to himself as he watched his colleagues gather around her to present themselves after the meeting.

Then Albus had insisted on throwing the two of them together with his supposed matchmaking, suggesting that Severus give her a tour of the castle. He might as well have forced us to the altar at gunpoint, if he'd wanted to be any more obvious. It's not like she would be interested in someone like me, especially with guys like Wood falling over themselves to woo her.'

That latest scene at breakfast had been almost too much. Watching them laughing together, probably at his expense too. He'd seen her glance at him a couple of times as she ate her meal and conversed with Wood. Then she'd smiled brilliantly at him as she'd left the hall, overriding his ability to think logically about the situation for just a minute.

Severus almost thought that if she'd lingered a moment longer he would have attempted to approach her and beg her forgiveness for his earlier behavior. He rounded the corner of the hall, stopped to take points from a few straggling Hufflepuffs on their way to another class, and took a deep breath before sweeping into his classroom. It was time to give his speech to the first years.