Dreamless Sleep

Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimer: You can't sue me, because for all you know I own the world!!!!!

Severus stood over Virginia, who was bent over trying to catch her breath.

'I just got us BOTH in SOOOOO much trouble….' Severus was thinking of what he had just done. It was practically a sin at Hogwarts to run away from the Headmaster like that! Virginia may be expelled if Dumbledore believes Filch's story. He doubted that he would be fired for his outburst. No one else was stupid enough to take his job. Sometimes he wondered if he was completely sane, because he definitely wasn't drunk when he applied to be a teacher….

Virginia was finally able to breathe correctly, so she pulled her hands off of her knees and stood up straight. She could tell that he was thinking about something bad. Whenever he thought of something distasteful he would glare. That wasn't a big deal, but he wasn't aware that he was doing it. Virginia allowed a small smile to cross her elvish features.* He had scared her to death glaring like that on more than one occasion. She had thought he was looking at her!

Severus looked up after he realized he wasn't hearing Virginia gasping like a fish out of water. She had a small, sweet smile on her face. Severus had to stop himself from gasping. She was BEAUTIFUL. He had failed to notice before, maybe because he wanted to see her only as a student. She had sunset colored hair, and sharp green eyes.* He stared, unable to stop himself. The only thought that crossed his amazed mind was, 'Woah…..'

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All eyes in the room were focused on the gray haired Headmaster, eagerly awaiting whatever was about to pass his lips. Professor McGonagall had finally picked her jaw up off the floor. Filch was attempting to regain a little of his already non-existent dignity. They, and Mrs. Norris, were the only living things still in the room. The paintings on the wall were avidly listening in, and the other staff members had left to try and convince the students that nothing was wrong.

Dumbledore stared at Filch, and asked him to repeat his story. Filch began his tale again, this time making Virginia out to be You-Know-Who's second in command. McGonagall was getting more and more suspicious. His story was getting more ridiculous every time she heard it!

Filch was getting lost in the moment. He felt that the professors were believing every word he spoke. In his head, he was already receiving imagining an award in his honor for capturing a Deatheater running loose in Hogwarts. He would make the Daily Prophet's front page, and everyone in the wizarding world would know the name 'Argus Filch'.

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Virginia wasn't smiling anymore. She was waving a hand in front of Severus's dazed face. He was currently gaping at something over her head. She had turned around to see what was so interesting. But she only saw a plain gray stone wall.

Suddenly a pale hand reached up and grabbed her wrist.

"I CAN see you. I'm not BLIND." Severus said. His annoyed expression gave no hint of his previous thoughts.

"Just making sure. You never know…" She grinned impishly and struggled not to laugh.

"Oh, HA HA. You're just a bag of laughs."

"Don't I know it."

They grinned stupidly at each other, blinked, and started laughing. They weren't going to think about what had happened just yet, even though putting things off only makes them worse.

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Virginia pulled back the bed's thick covers before slipping between the cool sheets. Severus was already in the bed and he smirked at her.

"Cold?"

"YES!!!" she said, yanking the blankets up to her chin.

It was getting closer to winter, and the dungeons were colder than ever. Virginia had come to despise stone floors. Especially at night when she walked around barefoot.

"Why do you find this so amusing?" she asked, wiggling her toes to try and warm up her icy feet.

"Don't know, it just does. There isn't much than can be done with the floors though. You'll just have to suffer through a winter down here. Unless you wanted to move back up to your dorm, that is."

Severus was silently hoping that she wouldn't take him seriously and leave.

A few weeks ago, Virginia had begun slowly transferring her belongings to Severus's rooms. He wasn't about to complain and she said he felt safer with him than anywhere else.

She looked down with sad, teary eyes. Virginia had no idea why, but the thought of leaving made her sad.

"Do you WANT me to go?" her voice was soft, and it was obvious that she was trying not to cry.

"NO!!"

They were both shocked by his unexpected outburst, and wondered what was appropriate to say in the resulting stillness. Then, for no reason that was apparent to Severus, Virginia smiled again. She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Severus."

"What for?"

"Just for being you."

*I can't help but see her as an elf. She's not very tall, but I think that look would work for her.

*I'm not really sure what color her eyes are, but I like them green…

A/N- Well? I made it to seven pages this time!!!! I'm so happy!!!