Part 13 Breaking through the Armor
Willow went to her room to drop off her purchases and found that neither of her friends had returned yet. She thought she had caught sight of Fred and Charlie by the lake and they didn't look they wanted company so she decided to head back down to see Snape again, she was finally making some progress in breaking through his armor and hated to see it end.
Snape sighed when he heard the knock on his door again. It had to be Willow; no one else would come down here uninvited. He considered ignoring the door but decided quickly that the stubborn girl would not go away that easily.
"What do you want?" He asked pulling open the door.
"To talk to you," Willow smiled, "I brought food, did you know if you go to the kitchen those house elves fall all over themselves to get you stuff. Met a really cute one, name's Dobby, he was wearing like twelve hats, and I can't even guess how many mismatched socks. He said something about it being because Harry Potter freed him, couldn't really follow the conversation though. He was kind of confusing."
"Dobby was confusing?" He asked biting back a smile.
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Ask the students, I have no sense of humor."
"That's not true, you do. You just hide it well," She pushed past him and set the large tray on a table, "Like Angel, he can be funny when he wants to, he just would rather scare everyone. Do you want the ham or turkey, cause you know, Jewish, not really supposed to eat the ham? That's why everyone's afraid of Angel you know? Oh look they sent desserts too."
"They're afraid of Angel because he's Jewish, or because he sent desserts?" Snape asked having completely lost track of her chatter.
"What? Because he never show's his sense of humor," Willow filled her plate with food, poured some pumpkin juice and sat down, "Have some."
He picked up a plate and filled it with sandwiches and took a seat across from her. They thankfully ate in silence for a few minutes. He was finding it harder and harder to send her away, on one level she annoyed him, almost as much as Potter, but on the other, he wasn't use to anybody wanting to be his friend, without wanting something in return. Even Dumbledore, who now was his friend, originally just wanted a spy for the Order.
"Why do you live down here?" Willow asked as she finished her sandwich, "Wouldn't you rather live somewhere with windows?"
"I like it down here," Snape set his plate down and it quickly disappeared.
"Because it's easier to scare everyone if you're the snarling man in the dungeons?" Willow looked at him questioningly.
Willow watched him as he considered her question. She wasn't sure why she was so concerned about him, if he wanted to lock himself up and be miserable, why should she care. But she kept finding herself drawn to him, he was even kind of sexy in a broody sort of way, okay, where did that thought come from, she thought, gay remember. She had been so lost her own thoughts she didn't hear his question and now he was looking at her waiting for a reply.
"Sorry?"
"Why aren't you afraid of me?" He asked, "Everyone, even Professor Mcgonagall is at least a little afraid."
"I don't frighten easily," Willow replied, setting her plate down and watching it and the tray of food both disappear, "That is so cool; I'm going to so miss the instant clean up when I go home. Oh, but Xander will be so impressed if he comes to visit with the others. Did I tell you Angel is coming to visit? Wesley too maybe, We think the week before the holiday's begin would be a good time. Professor Mcgonagall says we have a feast, and then I could give them their gifts. But we still have to ask Xander, and Buffy, if she and Giles can get away from the training. But then Andrew is going to want to come and I don't know if Faith can.."
Snape had watched her talk for a moment, wondering once again how anyone can say so much without needing a breath. He needed to stop her, he had tried interrupting but she seemed unaware of his speaking. Finally he stood and closed the space between them and lowered his mouth to hers.
Willow's eyes opened wide in shock when his lips touched hers. Then closed as he pulled her up to stand against him, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer; slowly her arms moved into his hair pulling his mouth down harder on hers.
"Oh, uh, I." Willow stuttered when he raised his head and looked at her, "Why.how."
"Surely you know how?" He smirked, it didn't seem to be often that Willow was speechless and he was enjoying being the cause of it.
"I know how, but you don't like me," Willow had moved away and was pacing the room now. "You hate me; I annoy the hell out of you. You didn't even want to be friends. Oh, and I'm gay. You do everything in your power to avoid."
"What did you say?" He asked staring at her; he thought he had heard something important in the middle of the babbling.
"You don't like me?" She turned to look at him.
"After that?"
"I'm gay?" She asked, hadn't she mentioned that before, "You knew that? You saw. and Tara.and."
"I'm very sorry, I obviously didn't realize, I had no right to."
'Oh, no wait." She began as he turned and headed toward another room, "I didn't mean."
She sighed as he entered the other door and it slammed closed. She had finally made progress, he was talking, and with the kissing, but then she freaked and now he was going to be all broody and unhappy again. She walked over to the door and tried to open it. He had locked it.
"Alohomora," She waved her wand at the lock. She tried pushing the door open again.
"Severus," She said leaning on the door.
When no reply came she called his name again. Still no reply.
"Please open the door, you don't understand," She waited for a reply.
On the other side of the door, he was sitting on his bed, head in his hands. He couldn't let her in here now. He had forgotten about the girlfriend she had mentioned, then he went and. There was no way he was going to let her in here so he could be further embarrassed, he might as well, let the whole damn school jump in the pensieve and see that awful day he took his O.W.L.'s and Potter had..
"Damn it open this door," She said angry now.
"Leave." He said just loud enough for her to hear him.
Next thing he knew, there was a very loud crash and his door had flown from its hinges and crashed into his dresser on the other side of the room. Willow walked in; her eyes had blackened, but were returning to their natural green.
"You need to listen," She said quietly.
"What the hell did you do?"
"I don't like being told no," She smiled, "Now we need to."
"What is there to talk about, you're. I shouldn't have."
"Did I say you shouldn't have?" Willow was now standing in front of him, "Look I didn't exactly fight you off did I? It's just, I was surprised, and I need to think?"
"You said you were gay?" He was staring at her now, what was there to think about.
"But, before Tara I thought I, I had a boyfriend, I had a crush on Xander," Willow sat down next to him, "Then Oz left and Tara.I didn't mind you kissing me. I guess what I'm saying is if I was.really gay.I would have minded right? I just need to think about it."
"Fine," He looked at her again, she wasn't turning him away, which would be a first, and he could give her time to think.
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Just give me a couple days okay."
"Do you still need me for your class tomorrow?" He asked as she approached the empty doorway.
"Of Course," She turned and smiled, "You know the Slytherins will be very depressed if you don't win."
Willow waved her hand at the empty doorway as she left, muttered something softly and the door replaced itself on the hinges.
"I don't intend to lose," He said softly as the door closed.
**********
Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the empty common room. It was late and everyone else including Ron and Harry had turned in for the night, but Hermione was helping Ginny get an early start on her O.W.L.'s. They were sitting next to each other going over the notes Ginny had taken in Transfiguration.
"I don't seem to be able to get this one right," Ginny pointed to a spell in her notes.
"Yeah, that one's difficult, we could ask Professor Mcgonagall if we could borrow some beetles to practice on," Hermione suggested then stifling a yawn.
"I'm sorry Hermione you're tired, we can quit," Ginny closed her book and began putting her parchment away, "What do you think about Faith's Halloween Party? Are you going?"
"Well, of course I'm going," Hermione said, "Alone but I'll be going, right?"
"Why alone? What about Harry and Ron?"
"Well, I'm sure Harry is going to ask Cho Chang, isn't he?" Hermione shrugged, "They have been talking a lot lately. And Ron."
"Doesn't have a date," Ginny smiled, "He likes you."
"He doesn't even know I'm a girl," Hermione headed for the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
"Yes he does," Ginny insisted following behind her, "Well, sometimes I think you could be right but."
"He can't fancy me all that much if he doesn't look at me any differently than he does Harry now can he?"
"We just.we have to make him notice you!" Ginny said, as they reached the fifth year dormitory.
"How can we do that?" Hermione asked, "It's not something I can look up in a book you know? And I can't ask the other girls because."
"Professor Rosenberg and Professor Burkle!" Ginny smiled, "We'll ask them for help."
"Do you think they would?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Can't hurt to ask," Ginny smiled and went into her dormitory and Hermione headed to her own room.
**********
Willow entered the still empty room she shared with Faith and Fred. Obviously they're dates went well, she thought to herself as she quickly changed for bed. She fell asleep quickly, despite the million thoughts going through her head, not the least of which was why she wasn't more upset over Severus Snape kissing her. She didn't hear either Faith or Fred enter the room a couple hours later.
Willow found her self in a dark room, so dark she couldn't see anything at all, damn it, she thought, what good is a dream if you can't see anything. Only, she quickly realized, this wasn't a dream, this was another vision. She realized that she, or Dumbledore, she assumed, couldn't move. He had been tied up.
Okay, so what's he want me to see then, she thought, that he's tied up in a dark room? Then she realized she could hear voices, very clearly this time. It sounded like it was in the next room, but was close.
"Has the boy made any effort to find Dumbledore?" A low hissing voice asked, "We need to get the boy."
"No, Dark Lord, we aren't aware if he even realizes that something is wrong," Another voice said quietly. "My son says he's seen no sign of Potter even attempting to find anything."
"Thank you Lucius," The hissing voice said, "Then we must get him. We must bring him here to us."
"How Master, he is at Hogwarts."
"Find a way," The other voice, that Willow was now sure must be Voldemort, snapped, "Dumbledore is gone, it shouldn't be that difficult."
"He is still heavily protected."
"Then we must find a way to lure him, to encourage him to find his headmaster," Voldemort said, "I don't believe he'll fall for the same trick as last time, we must find another way. Dumbledore won't be kept here forever. He'll find a way out, with or without his wand."
The talking stopped for several minutes; Willow was beginning to wonder why the connection hadn't broken yet when she heard someone enter the room.
"Dumbledore, you prize student has not come to save you," She heard Voldemort hiss into the darkness, "You must be quite disappointed."
When Dumbledore didn't answer, Voldemort spoke again.
"Do they know you followed me here? Do they have any idea that you are so close to home. The students were in Hogsmeade this weekend Lucius tells me and they didn't know how close you were."
Before any reply could be made the connection broke and Willow sat up quickly, grabbing her wand and waving it lighting several sconces. She reached for a piece of parchment and a quill and began writing down what she had just heard, when Fred and Faith both sat up.
"What's up Red?" Faith was already reaching for a stake.
"It's fine. Another vision," Willow had finished writing and was setting the parchment back on the night stand.
"Anything useful?"
"I think they're close by," Willow quickly recounted what she had heard. Tomorrow they would talk to Harry, see if he had the same vision, and get together with the other teachers, see if anyone had any ideas on where they may be.
Willow went to her room to drop off her purchases and found that neither of her friends had returned yet. She thought she had caught sight of Fred and Charlie by the lake and they didn't look they wanted company so she decided to head back down to see Snape again, she was finally making some progress in breaking through his armor and hated to see it end.
Snape sighed when he heard the knock on his door again. It had to be Willow; no one else would come down here uninvited. He considered ignoring the door but decided quickly that the stubborn girl would not go away that easily.
"What do you want?" He asked pulling open the door.
"To talk to you," Willow smiled, "I brought food, did you know if you go to the kitchen those house elves fall all over themselves to get you stuff. Met a really cute one, name's Dobby, he was wearing like twelve hats, and I can't even guess how many mismatched socks. He said something about it being because Harry Potter freed him, couldn't really follow the conversation though. He was kind of confusing."
"Dobby was confusing?" He asked biting back a smile.
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Ask the students, I have no sense of humor."
"That's not true, you do. You just hide it well," She pushed past him and set the large tray on a table, "Like Angel, he can be funny when he wants to, he just would rather scare everyone. Do you want the ham or turkey, cause you know, Jewish, not really supposed to eat the ham? That's why everyone's afraid of Angel you know? Oh look they sent desserts too."
"They're afraid of Angel because he's Jewish, or because he sent desserts?" Snape asked having completely lost track of her chatter.
"What? Because he never show's his sense of humor," Willow filled her plate with food, poured some pumpkin juice and sat down, "Have some."
He picked up a plate and filled it with sandwiches and took a seat across from her. They thankfully ate in silence for a few minutes. He was finding it harder and harder to send her away, on one level she annoyed him, almost as much as Potter, but on the other, he wasn't use to anybody wanting to be his friend, without wanting something in return. Even Dumbledore, who now was his friend, originally just wanted a spy for the Order.
"Why do you live down here?" Willow asked as she finished her sandwich, "Wouldn't you rather live somewhere with windows?"
"I like it down here," Snape set his plate down and it quickly disappeared.
"Because it's easier to scare everyone if you're the snarling man in the dungeons?" Willow looked at him questioningly.
Willow watched him as he considered her question. She wasn't sure why she was so concerned about him, if he wanted to lock himself up and be miserable, why should she care. But she kept finding herself drawn to him, he was even kind of sexy in a broody sort of way, okay, where did that thought come from, she thought, gay remember. She had been so lost her own thoughts she didn't hear his question and now he was looking at her waiting for a reply.
"Sorry?"
"Why aren't you afraid of me?" He asked, "Everyone, even Professor Mcgonagall is at least a little afraid."
"I don't frighten easily," Willow replied, setting her plate down and watching it and the tray of food both disappear, "That is so cool; I'm going to so miss the instant clean up when I go home. Oh, but Xander will be so impressed if he comes to visit with the others. Did I tell you Angel is coming to visit? Wesley too maybe, We think the week before the holiday's begin would be a good time. Professor Mcgonagall says we have a feast, and then I could give them their gifts. But we still have to ask Xander, and Buffy, if she and Giles can get away from the training. But then Andrew is going to want to come and I don't know if Faith can.."
Snape had watched her talk for a moment, wondering once again how anyone can say so much without needing a breath. He needed to stop her, he had tried interrupting but she seemed unaware of his speaking. Finally he stood and closed the space between them and lowered his mouth to hers.
Willow's eyes opened wide in shock when his lips touched hers. Then closed as he pulled her up to stand against him, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer; slowly her arms moved into his hair pulling his mouth down harder on hers.
"Oh, uh, I." Willow stuttered when he raised his head and looked at her, "Why.how."
"Surely you know how?" He smirked, it didn't seem to be often that Willow was speechless and he was enjoying being the cause of it.
"I know how, but you don't like me," Willow had moved away and was pacing the room now. "You hate me; I annoy the hell out of you. You didn't even want to be friends. Oh, and I'm gay. You do everything in your power to avoid."
"What did you say?" He asked staring at her; he thought he had heard something important in the middle of the babbling.
"You don't like me?" She turned to look at him.
"After that?"
"I'm gay?" She asked, hadn't she mentioned that before, "You knew that? You saw. and Tara.and."
"I'm very sorry, I obviously didn't realize, I had no right to."
'Oh, no wait." She began as he turned and headed toward another room, "I didn't mean."
She sighed as he entered the other door and it slammed closed. She had finally made progress, he was talking, and with the kissing, but then she freaked and now he was going to be all broody and unhappy again. She walked over to the door and tried to open it. He had locked it.
"Alohomora," She waved her wand at the lock. She tried pushing the door open again.
"Severus," She said leaning on the door.
When no reply came she called his name again. Still no reply.
"Please open the door, you don't understand," She waited for a reply.
On the other side of the door, he was sitting on his bed, head in his hands. He couldn't let her in here now. He had forgotten about the girlfriend she had mentioned, then he went and. There was no way he was going to let her in here so he could be further embarrassed, he might as well, let the whole damn school jump in the pensieve and see that awful day he took his O.W.L.'s and Potter had..
"Damn it open this door," She said angry now.
"Leave." He said just loud enough for her to hear him.
Next thing he knew, there was a very loud crash and his door had flown from its hinges and crashed into his dresser on the other side of the room. Willow walked in; her eyes had blackened, but were returning to their natural green.
"You need to listen," She said quietly.
"What the hell did you do?"
"I don't like being told no," She smiled, "Now we need to."
"What is there to talk about, you're. I shouldn't have."
"Did I say you shouldn't have?" Willow was now standing in front of him, "Look I didn't exactly fight you off did I? It's just, I was surprised, and I need to think?"
"You said you were gay?" He was staring at her now, what was there to think about.
"But, before Tara I thought I, I had a boyfriend, I had a crush on Xander," Willow sat down next to him, "Then Oz left and Tara.I didn't mind you kissing me. I guess what I'm saying is if I was.really gay.I would have minded right? I just need to think about it."
"Fine," He looked at her again, she wasn't turning him away, which would be a first, and he could give her time to think.
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Just give me a couple days okay."
"Do you still need me for your class tomorrow?" He asked as she approached the empty doorway.
"Of Course," She turned and smiled, "You know the Slytherins will be very depressed if you don't win."
Willow waved her hand at the empty doorway as she left, muttered something softly and the door replaced itself on the hinges.
"I don't intend to lose," He said softly as the door closed.
**********
Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the empty common room. It was late and everyone else including Ron and Harry had turned in for the night, but Hermione was helping Ginny get an early start on her O.W.L.'s. They were sitting next to each other going over the notes Ginny had taken in Transfiguration.
"I don't seem to be able to get this one right," Ginny pointed to a spell in her notes.
"Yeah, that one's difficult, we could ask Professor Mcgonagall if we could borrow some beetles to practice on," Hermione suggested then stifling a yawn.
"I'm sorry Hermione you're tired, we can quit," Ginny closed her book and began putting her parchment away, "What do you think about Faith's Halloween Party? Are you going?"
"Well, of course I'm going," Hermione said, "Alone but I'll be going, right?"
"Why alone? What about Harry and Ron?"
"Well, I'm sure Harry is going to ask Cho Chang, isn't he?" Hermione shrugged, "They have been talking a lot lately. And Ron."
"Doesn't have a date," Ginny smiled, "He likes you."
"He doesn't even know I'm a girl," Hermione headed for the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
"Yes he does," Ginny insisted following behind her, "Well, sometimes I think you could be right but."
"He can't fancy me all that much if he doesn't look at me any differently than he does Harry now can he?"
"We just.we have to make him notice you!" Ginny said, as they reached the fifth year dormitory.
"How can we do that?" Hermione asked, "It's not something I can look up in a book you know? And I can't ask the other girls because."
"Professor Rosenberg and Professor Burkle!" Ginny smiled, "We'll ask them for help."
"Do you think they would?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Can't hurt to ask," Ginny smiled and went into her dormitory and Hermione headed to her own room.
**********
Willow entered the still empty room she shared with Faith and Fred. Obviously they're dates went well, she thought to herself as she quickly changed for bed. She fell asleep quickly, despite the million thoughts going through her head, not the least of which was why she wasn't more upset over Severus Snape kissing her. She didn't hear either Faith or Fred enter the room a couple hours later.
Willow found her self in a dark room, so dark she couldn't see anything at all, damn it, she thought, what good is a dream if you can't see anything. Only, she quickly realized, this wasn't a dream, this was another vision. She realized that she, or Dumbledore, she assumed, couldn't move. He had been tied up.
Okay, so what's he want me to see then, she thought, that he's tied up in a dark room? Then she realized she could hear voices, very clearly this time. It sounded like it was in the next room, but was close.
"Has the boy made any effort to find Dumbledore?" A low hissing voice asked, "We need to get the boy."
"No, Dark Lord, we aren't aware if he even realizes that something is wrong," Another voice said quietly. "My son says he's seen no sign of Potter even attempting to find anything."
"Thank you Lucius," The hissing voice said, "Then we must get him. We must bring him here to us."
"How Master, he is at Hogwarts."
"Find a way," The other voice, that Willow was now sure must be Voldemort, snapped, "Dumbledore is gone, it shouldn't be that difficult."
"He is still heavily protected."
"Then we must find a way to lure him, to encourage him to find his headmaster," Voldemort said, "I don't believe he'll fall for the same trick as last time, we must find another way. Dumbledore won't be kept here forever. He'll find a way out, with or without his wand."
The talking stopped for several minutes; Willow was beginning to wonder why the connection hadn't broken yet when she heard someone enter the room.
"Dumbledore, you prize student has not come to save you," She heard Voldemort hiss into the darkness, "You must be quite disappointed."
When Dumbledore didn't answer, Voldemort spoke again.
"Do they know you followed me here? Do they have any idea that you are so close to home. The students were in Hogsmeade this weekend Lucius tells me and they didn't know how close you were."
Before any reply could be made the connection broke and Willow sat up quickly, grabbing her wand and waving it lighting several sconces. She reached for a piece of parchment and a quill and began writing down what she had just heard, when Fred and Faith both sat up.
"What's up Red?" Faith was already reaching for a stake.
"It's fine. Another vision," Willow had finished writing and was setting the parchment back on the night stand.
"Anything useful?"
"I think they're close by," Willow quickly recounted what she had heard. Tomorrow they would talk to Harry, see if he had the same vision, and get together with the other teachers, see if anyone had any ideas on where they may be.