To everyone who reviewed: Forgive me for not thanking everyone individually, what with Turkey Day approaching, life is getting a bit… busy. Lol.

But just to make all your holidays' brighter, here's a chapter! And don't get used to the happiness, things are going to start going downhill soon…

Happy Thanksgiving! From Ennui-EAF

Chapter 16

Sonora hummed as she scanned her notes. When Severus had finally returned from prowling the castle last night, she'd been waiting for him. She smiled as she jotted a note about checking the temperature another ten degrees. It had been a wonderful end to the evening, she thought and blushed. She was in love, and darned if it didn't make her day brighter.

Just then there was a tap at the classroom door. "Come," she called, lifting her head. The door opened to show Draco, looking like he was trying to hide his eagerness. She gave him a brilliant smile. "Good morning," she said. "Isn't it amazing how quiet this place can be?" The students had all departed no more than an hour ago, and the halls positively echoed with the silence.

Draco shrugged, hands clutching parchment and quills. "There's some of us left," he said. Sonora wanted to cheer. It was the first time he'd carried on something resembling a conversation with her, she thought gleefully. Today WAS turning out to be a good day.

"I wanted to tell you, Draco," she said, setting her notes down and smiling at him. "You and Mr. Potter had the best marks in the classroom."

"Better than Granger?" he blurted, eyes going wide, and then narrowing with a gleam of triumph.

Sonora chuckled at him. "Yes, better than Miss Granger. Although, I would wonder what kind of work I would get from pairing you with her," she mused aloud. "You two have the best touches in the class…"

"Please don't," he muttered under his breath, and Sonora resisted the urge to tease him more. The fact that she had been able to at all was a triumph.

"At any rate, that was yesterday. Today, we're going to do some real work," she said, and rubbed her hands. "This will be fun. I haven't had an assistant since graduate school." She got up and pointed to the wall cabinet. "There's a oak box in that cabinet with my supplies. Bring it over here and we'll get started."

Together, the two of them began to slice and chop and powder, and Sonora began the slow arduous task of brewing. As she reached for the bottle of liquid moonlight, however, she paused. "I almost forgot," she said, pulling out her wand and casting a quick shielding charm. She gave Draco a wink. "I don't think lavender would really be your color."

Draco snorted, quill posed and ready. "Maybe if my last name was Lockheart," he said.

Sonora chuckled. "I have heard some interesting stories about that man," she said. "One drop. Is it true he let a cage full of Cornish Pixies loose and then left the class to catch them?"

"Those were really nasty little things," Draco said, making a mark.

"Two drops. Well, he at least looked good on the cover of his books," Sonora commented. "Three drops. I'm sure he made someone a lot of money."

"Maybe," Draco shrugged.

"Four drops. And five." Sonora capped the bottle and set it aside. "All right. Now lets see if we can't work out the salt," she said, and picked up the shaker. Draco watched her, eyes keen and eager. She reached over the cauldron, and then jumped as the door opened with a crash.

"Oh, drat," she said, before the room was swamped by violet light. When she could blink and see again, it was to turn and see a very aggrieved looking Severus standing in the doorway.

"Not again," he said through his teeth, holding his hands up in front of his face.

Sonora took one look at him and began to giggle. "Oh dear," she managed before breaking down into laughter. It was a moment of muttered pithy phrases from Severus and laughter from her before she was able to turn to Draco. He was staring at his Head of Household with a combination of awe, horror and reluctant glee.

"Draco," she giggled, and the boy looked swiftly at her, eyes still wide. "Better make a note. Make sure Professor Snape is nowhere in the vicinity with I add the salt."

Draco blinked and then she saw the gleam of laughter come into his eyes. "Yes, Professor," he said in a virtuous voice, and Sonora laughed again.

~~~~~~~

Severus was more than a little curious about what Sonora was working on, so once he'd stomped into his office and removed that repulsive lavender tint from his skin, he'd taken a deep, calming breath and walked back out.

The love of his life was currently still snickering over another cauldron with Draco Malfoy. Severus gave the boy a repressive glare. It was one thing to get laughed at by Sonora. Another for a student to get that privilege.

Sonora looked up, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, dear, and you looked so nice in purple," she said.

Severus gave her a glare and dropped into his office chair. "Hah. You'd think I could walk safely into my own classroom," he grumbled good-naturedly.

Sonora chuckled and he watched her deft hands sifting in powdered glass. "I guess I'll have to start posting a sign," she said, grinning as she worked. "'Enter at your own risk', maybe."

He picked up the small wooden box sitting on his desk. "That might be wise," he said, idly turning the box in his hands, wondering what it was.

Sonora looked up and saw him. "Oh, don't play with that," she said quickly, and he looked over at her, eyebrow raised in query. "It's Heart's Blood," she said, "and as far as I know, it's the only live specimen outside of Siberia."

Severus set the box down, his professional curiosity in full swing now. "Heart's Blood?" he asked. "I've never heard of it."

She was checking the temperature of the cauldron. "The local nomadic tribes believe it sprang from the blood of two murdered lovers," she explained. "If picked with true intentions, it reveals one's true love. Even more interesting, they brew a tea with the leaves that temporarily removes all pain, while allowing the patient to function as normal."

Severus' brow shot up. "Really," he said. That WAS interesting.

She was adding what looked like liquid moonlight now. "Ready, Draco?" she said and then paused. She shot him a teasing glance. "Perhaps we should let Professor Snape cast a shielding spell this time."

Severus glared at her, but quickly whipped out his wand and did so. Then he leaned forward, keenly interested to see where she was going with this combination of ingredients. Sonora began to count as she added the moonlight. "One. Two. Three, four and five," she said, capping the bottle. "That part seems to be fairly secure."

Severus looked over to see Malfoy scribbling on parchment. The boy looked up as he did, and his eyes caught his own. Severus resisted the urge to blink at the considering look in those pale eyes, which then flicked to Sonora and back. Severus felt his heart seize. The boy couldn't have guessed.

Sonora was moving on, however, not noticing the undercurrents that had just sprung up around her, and was reaching for the salt. "If you want, Professor Snape, you can get under the desk for this part," she was saying, grinning from ear to ear. "I wouldn't want you to startle me again."

"Very funny," he growled, tearing his eyes away from Draco's face, now intently watching Sonora. He looked at her. "Go on, do it already."

Carefully, Sonora began to add salt, one grain at a time. Severus watched in fascination as the lavender color began to deepen with each grain. "Twenty-five, twenty-six," Sonora counted aloud. She then paused and studied the liquid. "What do you two think, is that black, or still a dark purple?"

Severus studied the liquid. "Two more grains," he said. He glanced up to see Draco studying him again. This time, he glared at the boy, silently daring him to continue to speculate on his affairs. Not surprisingly, Malfoy's eyes dropped back to the caldron.

"Draco? What do you think?" Sonora asked him, and this time Severus watched the boy flush with pleasure at being asked. If Sonora wasn't careful, he mused silently, she was going to have a case of puppy love on her hands.

"It's still purple," Draco agreed.

"Right," Sonora said, and dropped another grain in before studying the result. "I think you're right, two grains. That's twenty-eight in total, Draco," she said before adding the last grain. Severus found himself holding his breath and bracing for the familiar violet explosion.

Instead the mixture kept bubbling serenely. Sonora set the saltshaker down and grinned. "Excellent. We'll let this cook a while, and perhaps tomorrow or the day after, Mr. Malfoy, we'll begin experimenting with the Heart's Blood."

Severus sat back and contemplated as he watched the two of them begin to clear things away, Malfoy doing most of the work before Sonora could get to it. The holiday break had started, and he had no gift for Sonora. True, he'd given her the vial she wore hidden under her clothes, but that was no real gift. He'd have to take a quick trip to Diagon Alley, he thought. And he'd have to be discreet. Fortunately, he'd purchased token gifts for the other professors several years running, so it would not seem too amiss.

Draco's eyes met his once more, and Severus narrowed his own when he saw the considering look still lurking in the back of that pale gaze. He wouldn't let a boy he didn't trust ruin what he had, he thought, watching as Draco headed out of the room. As the door closed, Sonora turned to him with a smile. No Malfoy would take her away from him, he vowed.

~~~~~~~

Sonora was looking for Hagrid, and she'd been told by Professor McGonagall that she would find him out in the gamekeeper's hut. So now she was bundled tightly in her warmest cloak and making her slow way across the frozen ground to Hagrid's hut.

Panting, out of breath, she finally reached the building and limped up the steps. She rapped on the door and waited, shivering a little as the wind swirled. She'd be glad when summer returned.

The door opened and Hagrid's immense form filled the doorway. "Perfessor Stone! What are you doin' all the way out 'ere?" he asked. "Come on now, we'd better get yeh inside and warm," he said and before Sonora could blink, she was whisked inside and settled in a very large armchair in front of the fire.

Sonora smiled up at Hagrid. "I came to ask a favor," she said, pushing her hood back.

He dropped down into an equally large armchair, only this one looked like it fit him rather than swallowed him whole, as it seemed to try to do to her. "Sure thing. Glad to help," he said promptly, a big smile lighting up his face.

He was such a sweet soul, Sonora found herself thinking. "I was hoping you could take me into Hogsmeade to do some holiday shopping," she said. And looked at him hopefully.

Sure enough, the giant of a man didn't disappoint. "Be glad to," he said. "'Bin wantin' a nice pint or two down at the Three Broomsticks, and I'd like to pick up a few trifles me'self." He looked at her. "When would yeh be wantin' to go?"

"Now?" Sonora offered eagerly. "If you're not busy, that is."

Hagrid grinned. "Nah. All I bin doin' is sitting and toastin' me feet," he said and heaved himself out of his seat. "Hold on and I'll get me cloak."

And so an hour later, Sonora found herself blissfully up to her elbows in Gladrags. Hagrid had beat a hasty retreat as she'd made for the robe shop, and had told her to leave all her packages, he'd collect them when they were ready to go. She'd find him in the Three Broomsticks, he'd added and then gone.

Sonora fingered some of the new nightgowns, reveling in the silky texture of the fine fabric. She loved pretty things, but usually restricted herself to those that could pack easily and not be ruined by her profession. That generally meant something to wear under robes, or to bed. And this confection of red silk and lace made her feminine heart beat fast. She pictured Severus' reaction to it and grinned. She'd take it.

She added it to her growing pile of plain robes, new underthings and the new set of crimson dress robes she'd selected. What to get for Severus for Christmas, she wondered yet again. Something with meaning. Something he could keep and not worry about it endangering her.

She wandered down the aisle to the back of the store, and found herself in the accessories section. She studied cufflinks, watches and handkerchiefs. A silver pen caught her eye with its engraved shooting stars and she picked it up to give to the Headmaster as a gift. It would go well with his dress robes, she thought with a twinkle.

And then Sonora turned and spied the box sitting at the end of the shelf. Curious, she picked it up and raised the slightly dusty lid. It was beautiful workmanship, she thought, fingering the inlaid wood patterns. Inside the box was empty, waiting. A memory box, she thought, remembering. Meant to keep and guard whatever memories the owner held dear. She flipped the box shut again, and studied the top. If she looked closely, it appeared the inlay in the corners formed the letter 'S'.

Sonora smiled. Perfect.

~~~~~~~

Severus had forgotten how much he'd hated holiday shopping. He was jostled in the back again by yet another crazed-looking shopper and scowled. Dammit. The things he did for that woman…

And after all the shops he'd dragged himself into, he hadn't found a think for Sonora. The headmaster, yes. He'd spied a dusty old tome entitled How to Succeed as a Headmaster, and in a moment of whimsy, purchased it. He'd managed to buy boxes of sweets for the entire staff.

He stopped and glared in the window of perfumery. Sonora didn't need perfume. She smelled far too good as it was. He wandered on, pausing every now and then to glance in windows until he came to the end of the street and a rather run-down looking pawn shop.

Severus hesitated, looking at the grimy window display, and then stepped inside. The shop smelled musty and the aisles were dim and crowed with a jumble of items. No one seemed to be about.

He began to wander a little, peering into shelves, grimacing as he found a collection of shrunken heads. He didn't want to know who'd pawned that. He was nearly done with the second aisle when he spotted a gleam of gold, hiding behind a rather ugly china bowl.

Curious, he set the bowl aside and picked up the object. It was a small statuette of gold. The figure of a woman, slim and sylph-like, lifted her arms gracefully above her head as her back bowed and face tilted up, looking as if she were about to dance for joy. Fascinated, Severus stroked his fingers over the smooth, cool surface, feeling it warm beneath his fingers. Much like Sonora, he mused, seeing her in the gentle curves of the woman's body.

"That's 'The Blessing'," a gravelly voice said next to him, and Severus had to resist the urge to jump. Glaring, he rounded on the speaker, only to see a wizened old man leaning over the counter.

"What?" Severus demanded.

The old man nodded at the figurine. "Called 'The Blessing', it is. Got it off a poor feller who'd had it in his family for years. Seemed to hate to part with it. Said it was supposed to bring good luck and protection to its owner."

Severus looked down at the figure again. Good luck and protection. Making up his mind, he set the statuette down on the counter. "Wrap it up," he ordered curtly. "I'll take it."

The old man smiled a toothless grin. "'Course you will. It's been waiting for someone like you," he said, and while Severus stood and puzzled the words, disappeared into the back.