Chapter Two

Snape was sitting at his desk grading papers in his bedroom. The stack of parchment thinned steadily. All was silent except for the scratching of his quill. The silence didn't last long, though, Snape froze. Voices penetrated the peaceful silence, and they didn't sound happy. He glanced at his watch, 1:00 a.m.

"Drea, come back" a muffled voice begged.

"Ryan, it's over" Andrea Taylor said firmly.

"It's not over until I say it is" The voice said angrily. Snape leaped up when he head signs of struggle. He flew up the dungeon steps to the floor directly above his bedroom. Snape caught a glimpse of deep red hair begin forced into a classroom. He burst through the door just after it slammed shut. A tall, muscular man was forcing Andrea against the wall. Snape strode swiftly over to him and pulled him off of her.

"Who is this, Miss Taylor." he asked.

"I'm her boyfriend! Who the hell-?"

"If I'm not mistaken I distinctly heard her say it was over . I assume your not hard-of-hearing?" Snape hissed.

"I demand to be treated with more respect!" The man yelled.

"Any man who attacks a young woman has lost all of my respect." Snape sneered, "Leave, and don't bother her again."

"Or what?"

"Or you'll have to deal with me!" Snape said menacingly. The man ran from the room.

Snape turned to see Andrea slumped against the wall. She was breathing heavily, and a small trickle of blood seeped from a cut on her forehead. Bruises were already appearing on her face and arms.

"Miss Taylor? Hospital Wing" Snape helped her up and supported her as they walked there.

"Thank you" she muttered.

"Stay away from him" Snape laid her on a bed and got Madam Pomfrey.

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"Drea? Oh My God! Are you okay?" Carmen ran into the infirmary. "you weren't at breakfast and that quiet guy said something about your boyfriend?"

"I met Ryan last night." Andrea said.

"And the shock of seeing his disgusting face made you injure yourself, right?"

There was a snort of derisive laughter from the door and Snape entered the infirmary.

"Actually he attacked her."

"That arse! I'll kill him!" Carmen hissed.

"No need. Professor Snape handled him…did I thank you? I don't really remember getting here…"

"Yes, Miss Taylor, see that you get well" Snape said, and he set a goblet of smoking potion on her bedside table, "This will help" then he left.

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Snape sat in his classroom later that day. He tried to concentrate on his lessons, but Andrea's bruised face kept flitting through his mind. She was beautiful…

Dammit! She's got to be 19!

"Actually Severus, Miss Taylor is 24" Albus Dumbledore said from the doorway of the empty classroom, "you've taken a liking to her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Come, now, I might be mad but I'm not blind"

"I haven't taken a liking to anyone"

"She's out of the infirmary…you know where she sleeps…" Dumbledore trailed off and left.

Ridiculous! Ludicrous! Crazy! Mad!…Not a bad idea…

So Snape found himself headed for Angela Taylor's room. He reached her door and knocked sharply. A few moments later, Andrea appeared, dressed in a short, silky nightgown. Bruised and battered, but still beautiful.

"Severus? Can I help you?" she asked, self-consciously pulling at the hem of her skirt.

"Just wanted to see how you were…If this is a bad time-" Snape was eyeing her nightgown.

"Oh, not at all, come in" and she led him to a chair while she sat on the edge of her bed.

"I haven't got around to unpacking yet." she muttered, jumping up to shove something lacy into a drawer.

"Don't worry about it."

"How long have you been teaching? She asked changing the subject.

"16 years, but I don't remember having you in class, and I would if you're as young as you look. "

"I went to Beaubatons…It was horrible…French accents, ugh…and I'm not that young!" She said somewhat indignantly. Snape laughed.

"You're young to me. 24?"

"Yes"

"Why Beaubatons?"

"Who knows? My mother insisted. We lived in London, but I think she went there…"

"Is she French?"

"Irish, actually I was born in Ireland."

"I can tell…the hair…and eyes."

"And temper" Andrea laughed.

Snape had ever held a conversation like this with anyone. Not even Dumbledore. But he was intrigued, he found himself wanting to know more.

"Remind me to never make you mad"

"Deal…as long as you're there next time Ryan comes around."

Before Snape could answer Carmen Rain came bursting through the door. She froze and looked surprised to see him, but recovered quickly.

"He's really mad, Dre…he sent me a letter…he wants me to 'talk some sense into you' as he put it" she said.

"Carmen went to Beaubatons with me…she knew Ryan as well" Andrea explained.

"Well, if you're going to talk sense into her…convince her to say away from her." Snape said, rising to leave, "Get well soon, Miss Taylor."

"Thank you, for everything"

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The next morning at breakfast Dumbledore looked at Snape pointedly as Andrea sat down next to him. Her curly hair was down, showering down her back. And Snape felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch it. He shook the thought from his mind.

"I don't care what he said, Car!" She was saying, "I don't want to talk to him!"

"Well, I don't want you to! It's just after three owls in one night I get annoyed!" Carmen muttered.

"Boyfriend trouble?" Snape smirked.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Andrea said heatedly.

"I see what you mean about the Irish temper." he laughed, Andrea blushed scarlet.

"Sorry" she muttered.

"Don't be…it was quite amusing." he smirked.

"My love life is amusing to you?…Granted, it has been a bit of a joke lately."

"Maybe that's about to change, Miss Taylor" Dumbledore spoke up with the smallest trace of a wink at Snape.

He's mad….I'm ancient to her

"Lets hope so!" Andrea laughed.