Snape had been staying with the girl for two weeks now and was coming to
the conclusion that other than Rupert she had no friends. Granted, some
girl named Buffy had called today, but that had been to ask a favor.
Apparently, this Buffy girl had needed someone to run to the store for her
and grab groceries. Why she couldn't do it herself was beyond him, but not
nearly so much of a mystery as why Willow had agreed.
Severus was contemplating more of this mystery when that blasted phone thing rang again. True this was only the third or fourth time it had done that in his time here, but it annoyed him no end. Also, with Willow off shopping for the food requested, he was required to answer the bloody contraption. Gritting his teeth he lifted the bit Willow always spoke into.
"What?" he snapped.
"Um, yeah, uh, hi. Is Willow there?"
"No."
He went to hang up but the voice continued.
"Um, well, could you tell her Xander called, Mr. Rosenberg?"
"I am not Mr. Rosenberg!" Snape ground between his locked jaws.
"Oh. Right. British accent, but not Giles. So who are you? You haven't done anything to Willow, have you? Cause if you have."
"You'd what, Mr. Xander? Babble me to death? I'll relay your message. Good day." He hung up on the sputtering on the other end.
***
Willow reached her door to find Xander pounding on it. As she got closer she saw the side of his hand was starting to bruise.
"Um, Xander, I'm not in there, so I can't answer."
The boy whipped around and grabbed her into a tight embrace. "Willow, thank God! I thought you were dead!"
Willow struggled in his arms. "Um, Xander, air becoming an issue."
With a sheepish grin he released her. "Sorry. I was just so worried, Wills."
Willow looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
At this Xander's face turned a pretty pink. "I realized today that I haven't been a very good friend. I mean I haven't talked to you in like a week."
"Two."
"Okay, two weeks. I just miss you and I wanted to make it up to you. Invite you out tonight to the Bronze, you know, party a bit, just some good old non-Hellmouth type quality time."
"And this worried you?"
"No, creepy evil voice guy answering your phone worried me."
"Oh, that's just Sour Puss Snape. He's not terribly scary. Come in and you can meet him."
"Sure." Xander walked in and came face to face with a glowering Severus Snape. Xander gulped and faced Willow.
"You know, Wills, you've gotta be the bravest person I know if he's what you call not terribly scary. He's downright frightening."
Willow could have sworn Snape almost smiled.
Xander stayed for about half an hour and then the battle started. Willow invited Snape to the Bronze. She was determined the guy should get out of the house at least once over the summer. Plus, she wasn't sure she trusted him alone in her house all night. He'd probably turn her bed into an igloo just to irk her. The problem was he didn't want to come and was quite adamant. Which, of course, only made Willow want him to come all the more.
Finally she lost her temper and all her semi- reasonable arguments about him needing to get out, and perhaps being a better teacher to muggle-born students if he understood them more degenerated into one irritated comment.
"Look, Snapey, do you think just this once you could yank the broom out of your butt and pretend to have fun. I need you there tonight."
"Whatever for? As I understand it all of your friends will be there." He smirked. She hated it when he smirked.
"Yeah, well, Buffy will probably be hunting whatever cute guy strikes her fancy, unless Riley shows up, and Xander is bringing Anya who doesn't like me, so consider yourself my insurance against sitting at the table alone. Besides, if I leave you alone you'll probably blow up my house or something, and you still haven't figured out muggle food so you'd probably starve, not to mention-"
"If I agree to go will you stop that infuriating babble?"
"I'll try."
"It's something. When do we leave?"
Willow smiled. This might even be fun.
***
Severus was coming to the conclusion that being exposed to the Cruciatus curse was less painful than sitting in this smoky loud room with the incessant buzz of teenagers floating about. Why the bloody hell had he let that obnoxious girl convince him to come here? But, he knew the answer to that. He had felt sorry for her, had empathized with her obvious sense of isolation. This was what being a nice guy got him. No wonder he did it so infrequently.
Beyond all that, Willow wasn't even enjoying herself. Her predictions of the evening had largely come true, Severus noted. Although, he figured even she hadn't counted on Buffy choosing him as her target of choice. It hadn't been on his agenda either. He truly wished the insipid little blond would just go away.
"So, Sev," Buffy smiled at him in that grotesque way she apparently thought was charming, "how long are you going to be in the States? Awhile I hope."
"Until the end of the summer." He replied perfunctorily.
"Really? Well, if you get sick of staying with Giles my place has lots of room."
"Thank you, but I am quite comfortable where I am."
From the corner of his eye he saw a weak smile on Willow's lips. Apparently the irony of his statement had not been lost on her. Why in the world did Buffy just assume because he had a British accent that he was staying with Giles? She really was a silly little creature.
"Well the offer stands. Hey, Willow, would you mind getting us some drinks?"
Severus watched Willow stand and reached for her arm.
"Please, let me. What would you like, Willow?"
"I'll have a coke." Buffy spoke up.
"How nice. And when exactly did you change your name to Willow?"
"Severus-" Willow began.
"Yes, yes, play nice. If you insist, though when we get home you will complete the potion as promised."
"Yes, Sir Works-A-Lot"
"When we get home?" Buffy asked somewhat shrilly. Snape ignored her. If Willow wanted to get into that she could. Personally, he'd be just as glad if Buffy didn't know where he was staying.
"You didn't answer my question, Willow." He made sure not to allow her annoying nicknames get to him at the moment. Right now he just wanted to prove a point to Buffy, and bickering could only hinder that. "What would you like to drink?"
"A coke is good." Willow muttered, not looking up from the table.
"Fine."
He returned to the table only moments later, but apparently Buffy had immediately interrogated Willow. The red head was sitting dejectedly as the blond glowered at her.
Severus smirked as he watched Buffy's entire demeanor change when she saw him. The plastic smile was back and she jumped out of her seat. He ignored her and placed the single coke he had purchased in front of Willow. She didn't even look up. That's when Snape started to get angry. Sure Willow was bloody frustrating, but she certainly didn't deserve the treatment she was getting. He should know. He'd been there.
"Sev," Buffy cooed, "would you like to dance?"
"Actually, I would." Before Buffy could take his arm he had pulled Willow out of her seat and unto the floor.
***
Willow wasn't sure how she ended up in Severus's arms. She knew that Buffy had been flirting with him, and up until the drink crack he had seemed amused by it. It was Buffy, though so that was no surprise. All men wanted Buffy. But now she was being held close to him, his hands warm on her back and his silky voice in her ear. Wait! Voice? He was talking to her! She pulled herself out of her mental babble quickly.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"How eloquent. I said it would have been nice of you to rescue me from that piranha earlier."
"Piranha? You mean Buffy? Most guys like Buffy."
"Most of these 'guys' apparently have the brain cells of a stem of broccoli." He hissed. Willow was having trouble focusing on the words though. His breath was caressing her cheek, and those hands-She'd never really noticed how attractive he was before.
"Um, well, uh, sorry. Didn't realize you were in need of rescuing." She managed to stammer. It had to be a slow song, didn't it?
"It's going to be a very complicated potion this evening."
Willow just swallowed. She wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Really, you at least pretend to be able to speak normally. Has the remnants of your mental capacity completely ceased functioning?"
Willow stiffened. He was insulting her again. Here she was actually thinking nice, if somewhat inappropriate, thoughts about him and he was insulting her!
"You insult my best friend, drag me on the dance floor, have these incredibly wonderful hands, and a voice that feels like silk against my skin, and then you expect me to be coherent. Demanding much? Plus you insult me! Again! I don't care of you are incredibly sexy, or if you are making my head fuzzy-" She stopped suddenly as her words reached her. Oh God! Had she actually said all that? She felt the blood rush to her face. And he was just smirking. She really hated it when he did that.
"Jeez, Snapey, think you could find a new expression. That one's getting old. And just because I have royally embarrassed myself is no reason for you to look so smug. It's not really you anyway, it just...just, well it's not. And I'll tell you another thing-"
But, she didn't. Because Severus chose that moment to cut off her babbling. He kissed her. Willow found that as soon as his smooth lips touched hers there was just nothing more to say.
Severus was contemplating more of this mystery when that blasted phone thing rang again. True this was only the third or fourth time it had done that in his time here, but it annoyed him no end. Also, with Willow off shopping for the food requested, he was required to answer the bloody contraption. Gritting his teeth he lifted the bit Willow always spoke into.
"What?" he snapped.
"Um, yeah, uh, hi. Is Willow there?"
"No."
He went to hang up but the voice continued.
"Um, well, could you tell her Xander called, Mr. Rosenberg?"
"I am not Mr. Rosenberg!" Snape ground between his locked jaws.
"Oh. Right. British accent, but not Giles. So who are you? You haven't done anything to Willow, have you? Cause if you have."
"You'd what, Mr. Xander? Babble me to death? I'll relay your message. Good day." He hung up on the sputtering on the other end.
***
Willow reached her door to find Xander pounding on it. As she got closer she saw the side of his hand was starting to bruise.
"Um, Xander, I'm not in there, so I can't answer."
The boy whipped around and grabbed her into a tight embrace. "Willow, thank God! I thought you were dead!"
Willow struggled in his arms. "Um, Xander, air becoming an issue."
With a sheepish grin he released her. "Sorry. I was just so worried, Wills."
Willow looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
At this Xander's face turned a pretty pink. "I realized today that I haven't been a very good friend. I mean I haven't talked to you in like a week."
"Two."
"Okay, two weeks. I just miss you and I wanted to make it up to you. Invite you out tonight to the Bronze, you know, party a bit, just some good old non-Hellmouth type quality time."
"And this worried you?"
"No, creepy evil voice guy answering your phone worried me."
"Oh, that's just Sour Puss Snape. He's not terribly scary. Come in and you can meet him."
"Sure." Xander walked in and came face to face with a glowering Severus Snape. Xander gulped and faced Willow.
"You know, Wills, you've gotta be the bravest person I know if he's what you call not terribly scary. He's downright frightening."
Willow could have sworn Snape almost smiled.
Xander stayed for about half an hour and then the battle started. Willow invited Snape to the Bronze. She was determined the guy should get out of the house at least once over the summer. Plus, she wasn't sure she trusted him alone in her house all night. He'd probably turn her bed into an igloo just to irk her. The problem was he didn't want to come and was quite adamant. Which, of course, only made Willow want him to come all the more.
Finally she lost her temper and all her semi- reasonable arguments about him needing to get out, and perhaps being a better teacher to muggle-born students if he understood them more degenerated into one irritated comment.
"Look, Snapey, do you think just this once you could yank the broom out of your butt and pretend to have fun. I need you there tonight."
"Whatever for? As I understand it all of your friends will be there." He smirked. She hated it when he smirked.
"Yeah, well, Buffy will probably be hunting whatever cute guy strikes her fancy, unless Riley shows up, and Xander is bringing Anya who doesn't like me, so consider yourself my insurance against sitting at the table alone. Besides, if I leave you alone you'll probably blow up my house or something, and you still haven't figured out muggle food so you'd probably starve, not to mention-"
"If I agree to go will you stop that infuriating babble?"
"I'll try."
"It's something. When do we leave?"
Willow smiled. This might even be fun.
***
Severus was coming to the conclusion that being exposed to the Cruciatus curse was less painful than sitting in this smoky loud room with the incessant buzz of teenagers floating about. Why the bloody hell had he let that obnoxious girl convince him to come here? But, he knew the answer to that. He had felt sorry for her, had empathized with her obvious sense of isolation. This was what being a nice guy got him. No wonder he did it so infrequently.
Beyond all that, Willow wasn't even enjoying herself. Her predictions of the evening had largely come true, Severus noted. Although, he figured even she hadn't counted on Buffy choosing him as her target of choice. It hadn't been on his agenda either. He truly wished the insipid little blond would just go away.
"So, Sev," Buffy smiled at him in that grotesque way she apparently thought was charming, "how long are you going to be in the States? Awhile I hope."
"Until the end of the summer." He replied perfunctorily.
"Really? Well, if you get sick of staying with Giles my place has lots of room."
"Thank you, but I am quite comfortable where I am."
From the corner of his eye he saw a weak smile on Willow's lips. Apparently the irony of his statement had not been lost on her. Why in the world did Buffy just assume because he had a British accent that he was staying with Giles? She really was a silly little creature.
"Well the offer stands. Hey, Willow, would you mind getting us some drinks?"
Severus watched Willow stand and reached for her arm.
"Please, let me. What would you like, Willow?"
"I'll have a coke." Buffy spoke up.
"How nice. And when exactly did you change your name to Willow?"
"Severus-" Willow began.
"Yes, yes, play nice. If you insist, though when we get home you will complete the potion as promised."
"Yes, Sir Works-A-Lot"
"When we get home?" Buffy asked somewhat shrilly. Snape ignored her. If Willow wanted to get into that she could. Personally, he'd be just as glad if Buffy didn't know where he was staying.
"You didn't answer my question, Willow." He made sure not to allow her annoying nicknames get to him at the moment. Right now he just wanted to prove a point to Buffy, and bickering could only hinder that. "What would you like to drink?"
"A coke is good." Willow muttered, not looking up from the table.
"Fine."
He returned to the table only moments later, but apparently Buffy had immediately interrogated Willow. The red head was sitting dejectedly as the blond glowered at her.
Severus smirked as he watched Buffy's entire demeanor change when she saw him. The plastic smile was back and she jumped out of her seat. He ignored her and placed the single coke he had purchased in front of Willow. She didn't even look up. That's when Snape started to get angry. Sure Willow was bloody frustrating, but she certainly didn't deserve the treatment she was getting. He should know. He'd been there.
"Sev," Buffy cooed, "would you like to dance?"
"Actually, I would." Before Buffy could take his arm he had pulled Willow out of her seat and unto the floor.
***
Willow wasn't sure how she ended up in Severus's arms. She knew that Buffy had been flirting with him, and up until the drink crack he had seemed amused by it. It was Buffy, though so that was no surprise. All men wanted Buffy. But now she was being held close to him, his hands warm on her back and his silky voice in her ear. Wait! Voice? He was talking to her! She pulled herself out of her mental babble quickly.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"How eloquent. I said it would have been nice of you to rescue me from that piranha earlier."
"Piranha? You mean Buffy? Most guys like Buffy."
"Most of these 'guys' apparently have the brain cells of a stem of broccoli." He hissed. Willow was having trouble focusing on the words though. His breath was caressing her cheek, and those hands-She'd never really noticed how attractive he was before.
"Um, well, uh, sorry. Didn't realize you were in need of rescuing." She managed to stammer. It had to be a slow song, didn't it?
"It's going to be a very complicated potion this evening."
Willow just swallowed. She wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Really, you at least pretend to be able to speak normally. Has the remnants of your mental capacity completely ceased functioning?"
Willow stiffened. He was insulting her again. Here she was actually thinking nice, if somewhat inappropriate, thoughts about him and he was insulting her!
"You insult my best friend, drag me on the dance floor, have these incredibly wonderful hands, and a voice that feels like silk against my skin, and then you expect me to be coherent. Demanding much? Plus you insult me! Again! I don't care of you are incredibly sexy, or if you are making my head fuzzy-" She stopped suddenly as her words reached her. Oh God! Had she actually said all that? She felt the blood rush to her face. And he was just smirking. She really hated it when he did that.
"Jeez, Snapey, think you could find a new expression. That one's getting old. And just because I have royally embarrassed myself is no reason for you to look so smug. It's not really you anyway, it just...just, well it's not. And I'll tell you another thing-"
But, she didn't. Because Severus chose that moment to cut off her babbling. He kissed her. Willow found that as soon as his smooth lips touched hers there was just nothing more to say.