Author's note: Ok, I read Order of the Pheonix, and like many others, cried my eyes out at that one certain death (not telling...people who give endings and suprises away go the hell...). I had a dilemma of whether or not to continue this story, because of important people in it, and have decided to continue it. Somethings will be used from OotP to progress the plot, but for the most part it won't be taken into account, since I started this story prior to it. Just figured I'd let you know so you wouldn't be like, "Wait...in OotP..." :) I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic!!!!!
~Cami
That night
Severus adjusted his Muggle clothes self-consciously. Between that afternoon and the present, he had increased the pressure on himself almost to the breaking point. By now, he'd almost convinced himself that if he blew it, life was not worth living. The small capacity for rational thought was all that was keeping him sane, and being about to visit a strange world in clothes he was unused to wearing had him even more nervous. After all, it had been almost 18 years since he'd had to wear such garb.
"Adrienne? May I come in?," he called past the statue.
"Sure! Entra, por favor!," he heard her call from the other side.
"Yankee," he muttered, enabling him to enter her room. He saw that she was behind a sort of dressing screen, hidden from view. "What was that you said?"
"What? 'Entra'?" she asked.
"Yes. What does it mean?"
She laughed merrily. "It's Spanish for enter. One of my ex-boyfriends in New York, Marc, was Puerto Rican, so I picked up a lot of Spanish from spending time with him and his family.
"So, how do I look?" she asked as she stepped out from behind the screen.
Severus found himself at a loss for words. Sure, she was beautiful when she was roaming the school makeup-less and in jeans, but as she was now, she was stunning. She wore a black, cap-sleeved shirt over a deep red wrap skirt with gold embroidery that looked like it had been made from a real Indian sari, and the delicate golden jewelry that adorned her completed the illusion of a modern day rajah's daughter. Or rather, it would have if not for her reddish hair and bright green eyes. Finally, he managed to force out a, "You look nice."
Adrienne grinned and spun slowly. Finally she said, "Yeah, I don't clean up too badly, I suppose." She took a final glance in the mirror before continuing, "So, are you ready to experience the world of New York? More importantly, are you ready to reach Nirvana?"
"Yes, I'm ready, and am I ready to reach what?," Severus said and he grabbed the nicest looking coat that hung on the coat rack near the entrance and helped Adrienne put it on.
"Nirvana. It's an Indian restaurant in New York. Really good." She adjusted the coat and looked Severus over. "You don't clean up to badly yourself," she said with a grin.
He looked down at himself, almost blushing, not seeing anything special, just black slacks and a dress shirt in a dark silvery color. However, he responded with a "Thank you." He hoped this was all a good sign.
Adrienne turned to check a mirror quickly, giving him time to study her. Unfortunately, she turned all too soon and caught him staring, but instead of looking like a toad had just jumped on her, he could have sworn her eyes lingered on his a little longer than necessary before bustling to the door.
"So what're we waiting on? Let's get going!," she said, quickly leaving the room, trailed by Severus.
The entire walk off campus was in a paradoxical silence that, while not exactly comfortable, certainly could not be classified as wholly awkward, either. Both were steeped in their own thoughts, both revolving in confusion around their companion. Adriennewas fairly single-minded. She was confused about Severus's intentions. She had always viewed them, at most, as some of the very best of friends and nothing more. However, that didn't even begin to explain his gaze earlier; she'd never seen that look in his eyes. Well, alright, once or twice when they were engaged in conversation, the few times where he ever truly met anyone's eyes.
She truly hoped her instincts were wrong because that would mean she could cause her dearest friend pain. When she was invited to teach at Hogwarts, she not only saw it as a chance to return to what seemed like another home, but to have sometime to herself to sort things out as well. When she and Gabe had been together, things had seemed great--to good to be true, in fact. But she always felt something missing. But it wasn't just with Gabe; she had felt this absence for almost 18 years. Not that she wasn't happy, just not content, and as much as she adored Severus, she dreaded the thought of anyone coming between her and whatever it was she'd been missing so much.
Severus, for his part, was wondering several things: what Adrienne was thinking, what that lingering glance meant, what was the best way to her heart, and, above all, how did she manage to be so damn beautiful?!?! The furtive glances of her he stole drove him even more mad. The moonlight reflecting off her face made her look like some sort of ethereal being. It was almost odd to see. She had always been what he classified a day person, one of those people who relished in light. God knows, between her warmth and the power confined in that petite body, she could have been mistaken for her own burning ball of fire. It made him feel like a very god to have this bright creature give up her light to walk with him for a fleeting moment in the dark, his world. If she was day, he was night. In his more poetic moments, Severus had sometimes mused that if together, they would make a beautiful sunset to awe the world. (Mind you, Severus was no poet…rather ineloquent, really, but he had his very rare moments)
Soon enough, the pensive pair reached the edge of campus. "So, where are we apparating to, exactly?" Severus asked, knowing that he couldn't get there without knowing where it was.
"30 Central Park South…well, it would probably be better to apparate somewhere in Central Park so we won't be seen. Muggles will assume the sound is gun fire. I know the perfect spot," Adrienne responded. She moved closer to him. "Hold onto me and that way it'll be easier to apparate together, okay?" Severus nodded, more than willing to hold onto her, and gingerly put an arm around her slim waist. "On the count of three. One…two….three!"
And with a loud CRACK, they were gone.
~Cami
That night
Severus adjusted his Muggle clothes self-consciously. Between that afternoon and the present, he had increased the pressure on himself almost to the breaking point. By now, he'd almost convinced himself that if he blew it, life was not worth living. The small capacity for rational thought was all that was keeping him sane, and being about to visit a strange world in clothes he was unused to wearing had him even more nervous. After all, it had been almost 18 years since he'd had to wear such garb.
"Adrienne? May I come in?," he called past the statue.
"Sure! Entra, por favor!," he heard her call from the other side.
"Yankee," he muttered, enabling him to enter her room. He saw that she was behind a sort of dressing screen, hidden from view. "What was that you said?"
"What? 'Entra'?" she asked.
"Yes. What does it mean?"
She laughed merrily. "It's Spanish for enter. One of my ex-boyfriends in New York, Marc, was Puerto Rican, so I picked up a lot of Spanish from spending time with him and his family.
"So, how do I look?" she asked as she stepped out from behind the screen.
Severus found himself at a loss for words. Sure, she was beautiful when she was roaming the school makeup-less and in jeans, but as she was now, she was stunning. She wore a black, cap-sleeved shirt over a deep red wrap skirt with gold embroidery that looked like it had been made from a real Indian sari, and the delicate golden jewelry that adorned her completed the illusion of a modern day rajah's daughter. Or rather, it would have if not for her reddish hair and bright green eyes. Finally, he managed to force out a, "You look nice."
Adrienne grinned and spun slowly. Finally she said, "Yeah, I don't clean up too badly, I suppose." She took a final glance in the mirror before continuing, "So, are you ready to experience the world of New York? More importantly, are you ready to reach Nirvana?"
"Yes, I'm ready, and am I ready to reach what?," Severus said and he grabbed the nicest looking coat that hung on the coat rack near the entrance and helped Adrienne put it on.
"Nirvana. It's an Indian restaurant in New York. Really good." She adjusted the coat and looked Severus over. "You don't clean up to badly yourself," she said with a grin.
He looked down at himself, almost blushing, not seeing anything special, just black slacks and a dress shirt in a dark silvery color. However, he responded with a "Thank you." He hoped this was all a good sign.
Adrienne turned to check a mirror quickly, giving him time to study her. Unfortunately, she turned all too soon and caught him staring, but instead of looking like a toad had just jumped on her, he could have sworn her eyes lingered on his a little longer than necessary before bustling to the door.
"So what're we waiting on? Let's get going!," she said, quickly leaving the room, trailed by Severus.
The entire walk off campus was in a paradoxical silence that, while not exactly comfortable, certainly could not be classified as wholly awkward, either. Both were steeped in their own thoughts, both revolving in confusion around their companion. Adriennewas fairly single-minded. She was confused about Severus's intentions. She had always viewed them, at most, as some of the very best of friends and nothing more. However, that didn't even begin to explain his gaze earlier; she'd never seen that look in his eyes. Well, alright, once or twice when they were engaged in conversation, the few times where he ever truly met anyone's eyes.
She truly hoped her instincts were wrong because that would mean she could cause her dearest friend pain. When she was invited to teach at Hogwarts, she not only saw it as a chance to return to what seemed like another home, but to have sometime to herself to sort things out as well. When she and Gabe had been together, things had seemed great--to good to be true, in fact. But she always felt something missing. But it wasn't just with Gabe; she had felt this absence for almost 18 years. Not that she wasn't happy, just not content, and as much as she adored Severus, she dreaded the thought of anyone coming between her and whatever it was she'd been missing so much.
Severus, for his part, was wondering several things: what Adrienne was thinking, what that lingering glance meant, what was the best way to her heart, and, above all, how did she manage to be so damn beautiful?!?! The furtive glances of her he stole drove him even more mad. The moonlight reflecting off her face made her look like some sort of ethereal being. It was almost odd to see. She had always been what he classified a day person, one of those people who relished in light. God knows, between her warmth and the power confined in that petite body, she could have been mistaken for her own burning ball of fire. It made him feel like a very god to have this bright creature give up her light to walk with him for a fleeting moment in the dark, his world. If she was day, he was night. In his more poetic moments, Severus had sometimes mused that if together, they would make a beautiful sunset to awe the world. (Mind you, Severus was no poet…rather ineloquent, really, but he had his very rare moments)
Soon enough, the pensive pair reached the edge of campus. "So, where are we apparating to, exactly?" Severus asked, knowing that he couldn't get there without knowing where it was.
"30 Central Park South…well, it would probably be better to apparate somewhere in Central Park so we won't be seen. Muggles will assume the sound is gun fire. I know the perfect spot," Adrienne responded. She moved closer to him. "Hold onto me and that way it'll be easier to apparate together, okay?" Severus nodded, more than willing to hold onto her, and gingerly put an arm around her slim waist. "On the count of three. One…two….three!"
And with a loud CRACK, they were gone.