Willow seated herself at the long table between Severus and Professor
Flitwick. The little man on his colorful pillows kept looking around her at
Snape and giving her strained smiles, apparently trying to be comforting.
Willow could understand why. The hate-filled glower Sev was tossing in her
direction could have melted diamonds. And Flitwick had no way of knowing
that under the table Severus was actually rubbing her knee soothingly. It
made her want to chuckle, but then she'd remember the game.
The feast itself had barely started and the first years were being sorted into their respective houses. Willow tried to pay attention, but Severus kept moving his hand higher up her thigh and it was becoming quite distracting. She swallowed hard once before turning to glare at her lover. Leaning in slightly she hissed at him. "Stop that!"
"Now why," he purred in his silky voice low enough that only she heard, "would I want to do that?"
"Cause if you don't I'm going to kiss you senseless and ruin all your fun." She snapped also in a low voice.
He smirked. She glared more. She desperately tried not to smile when his next words reached her. "Not all my fun, Willow. Not even close." And his hand continued to inch upwards.
She was about to respond when she heard Dumbledore say her name. She was being introduced. She stood quickly, hearing Severus's hand smack the table with a satisfying thump as she did so.
Willow expected her introduction to be accompanied by the usual polite responses, perhaps a little mumbling. She did not count on catcalls and a large magical banner that denoted the Gryffindor table as her personal fan club. The three redheads she had met and the black-haired boy held it up. They were all grinning and the older girl she had seen them with was apparently casting something. Suddenly all of the letters on the banner became little miniature ferrets and jumped off the cloth. They started dancing, and there was a decidedly girlish shriek from the opposite table. Willow was blushing furiously and stood in stunned shock.
That was until Severus yanked her back into her seat. She turned to look at him and his face was pure storm clouds except for the mild amusement dancing in his eyes. Her leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You will have to tell me exactly how it is the entire Gryffindor house has adopted you. And why?"
She looked at him, her face pale and eyes wide. "I have no idea." She whispered.
***
Harry had never been so mad in his life. How dare Snape grab Willow like that! She would probably have a bruise on her wrist tomorrow. And judging by the expressions on his and her faces, it wasn't just physical abuse the poor girl was facing. Snape kept whispering to her, and Harry was certain he was threatening her. Whatever he was saying now had obviously gotten to her because she was really pale. He didn't know how, but Harry intended to make Snape pay for any harm he caused the new professor.
"Harry? Harry, you okay?" he heard Hermione ask, but he couldn't stop looking at the head table. Willow's face had regained some color, but Snape was still muttering to her, and now she seemed to be getting angry if the red infusing her face was anything to judge by.
"Oy, Harry, I know the new professor's a looker, but think you could join the conversation here?" George said. "We're planning ways to kill Snape."
"I'm in." Harry responded, still not removing his eyes from the scene before him.
***
If Willow had known that only a few feet away there were several people planning on killing her boyfriend to protect her, she probably would have burst out laughing.
As it was, she was too busy blushing and trying to scowl at the same time. Severus was trying to take her mind off of being embarrassed by just embarrassing her in other ways, not to mention causing a certain amount of physical discomfort since there was no way she was getting to his chambers anytime soon. And, in between his propositions, which included a few potions she was sure he had to be inventing, he kept reminding her to frown. After all, they were supposed to hate each other. Given what he was doing to her, and that his hand had returned to its meandering, she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to jump him or strangle him right then and there.
The dilemma was solved when a large glob of mashed potatoes came out of nowhere, well actually from the area of the scarlet and gold table, and hit Severus squarely between the eyes. The entire hall went dead silent except for herself. She burst out laughing.
Next to her she heard Severus speak, and this was definitely not his sexy voice. "Mr. Potter, that will be fifty points from Gryffindor and you can meet me after dinner for the rest of the week for detention." Then he turned to her. "Professor Rosenberg, kindly stop that cackling."
He must have seen her horrified expression because when he sat he leaned in and whispered "I had to say something, love. Besides, it really isn't funny. How would you like to be covered in potatoes?"
Willow just looked at him with the most innocent expression she could muster. Then in her most alluring voice she barely whispered "I'd prefer chocolate."
She watched his lips twitch and gave him a smug smile.
The feast itself had barely started and the first years were being sorted into their respective houses. Willow tried to pay attention, but Severus kept moving his hand higher up her thigh and it was becoming quite distracting. She swallowed hard once before turning to glare at her lover. Leaning in slightly she hissed at him. "Stop that!"
"Now why," he purred in his silky voice low enough that only she heard, "would I want to do that?"
"Cause if you don't I'm going to kiss you senseless and ruin all your fun." She snapped also in a low voice.
He smirked. She glared more. She desperately tried not to smile when his next words reached her. "Not all my fun, Willow. Not even close." And his hand continued to inch upwards.
She was about to respond when she heard Dumbledore say her name. She was being introduced. She stood quickly, hearing Severus's hand smack the table with a satisfying thump as she did so.
Willow expected her introduction to be accompanied by the usual polite responses, perhaps a little mumbling. She did not count on catcalls and a large magical banner that denoted the Gryffindor table as her personal fan club. The three redheads she had met and the black-haired boy held it up. They were all grinning and the older girl she had seen them with was apparently casting something. Suddenly all of the letters on the banner became little miniature ferrets and jumped off the cloth. They started dancing, and there was a decidedly girlish shriek from the opposite table. Willow was blushing furiously and stood in stunned shock.
That was until Severus yanked her back into her seat. She turned to look at him and his face was pure storm clouds except for the mild amusement dancing in his eyes. Her leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You will have to tell me exactly how it is the entire Gryffindor house has adopted you. And why?"
She looked at him, her face pale and eyes wide. "I have no idea." She whispered.
***
Harry had never been so mad in his life. How dare Snape grab Willow like that! She would probably have a bruise on her wrist tomorrow. And judging by the expressions on his and her faces, it wasn't just physical abuse the poor girl was facing. Snape kept whispering to her, and Harry was certain he was threatening her. Whatever he was saying now had obviously gotten to her because she was really pale. He didn't know how, but Harry intended to make Snape pay for any harm he caused the new professor.
"Harry? Harry, you okay?" he heard Hermione ask, but he couldn't stop looking at the head table. Willow's face had regained some color, but Snape was still muttering to her, and now she seemed to be getting angry if the red infusing her face was anything to judge by.
"Oy, Harry, I know the new professor's a looker, but think you could join the conversation here?" George said. "We're planning ways to kill Snape."
"I'm in." Harry responded, still not removing his eyes from the scene before him.
***
If Willow had known that only a few feet away there were several people planning on killing her boyfriend to protect her, she probably would have burst out laughing.
As it was, she was too busy blushing and trying to scowl at the same time. Severus was trying to take her mind off of being embarrassed by just embarrassing her in other ways, not to mention causing a certain amount of physical discomfort since there was no way she was getting to his chambers anytime soon. And, in between his propositions, which included a few potions she was sure he had to be inventing, he kept reminding her to frown. After all, they were supposed to hate each other. Given what he was doing to her, and that his hand had returned to its meandering, she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to jump him or strangle him right then and there.
The dilemma was solved when a large glob of mashed potatoes came out of nowhere, well actually from the area of the scarlet and gold table, and hit Severus squarely between the eyes. The entire hall went dead silent except for herself. She burst out laughing.
Next to her she heard Severus speak, and this was definitely not his sexy voice. "Mr. Potter, that will be fifty points from Gryffindor and you can meet me after dinner for the rest of the week for detention." Then he turned to her. "Professor Rosenberg, kindly stop that cackling."
He must have seen her horrified expression because when he sat he leaned in and whispered "I had to say something, love. Besides, it really isn't funny. How would you like to be covered in potatoes?"
Willow just looked at him with the most innocent expression she could muster. Then in her most alluring voice she barely whispered "I'd prefer chocolate."
She watched his lips twitch and gave him a smug smile.