As far as Severus was concerned the feast was too long. It was time that
could have been better spent with the sweetness of chocolate on his tongue.
And never mind that he didn't particularly like the stuff. Anything that
was laced with the taste of Willow was heavenly. He took a deep breath and
shifted slightly in his seat. It was going to be a long semester if he kept
the charade of disliking her up. And then there was the issue of Malfoy.
Originally, he had intended to just make the boy miserable as his head of house. However, in light of the game he and Willow were playing, that would be most difficult to explain. Which didn't mean he was going to let the boy off the hook. Draco was going to pay for calling his beloved a mudblood.
Suddenly, Severus had an idea. He leaned over to Willow and whispered quietly, "May I borrow Aradia this evening?"
He watched her throat as she swallowed her pudding. He was so intent on the task he almost missed her response entirely. "Why, Sevvy? Planning on eliminating the competition?"
He growled slightly and made sure his expression was more fierce. "No. I do not need to resort to such tactless measures to secure my position." He let his voice lower into the tones he knew affected her most. "Of that you can be quite certain."
She bit her lip softly and he had to restrain a moan. How was it this woman could inflame him with such small gestures? He shifted again in his chair.
"Um, okay, but nothing bad is going to happen to her, right? You're not going to test potions on her or anything, 'cause that could be bad, and I really like her."
He just let her go on for a few moments. He wasn't really sure how to stop her since the only think that came to mind was to kiss her until she couldn't breath. And that was hardly appropriate behavior at the head table. Still she showed no sign of winding down.
".I mean she's so sweet, and she licks my nose, and-"
"Professor Rosenberg, would you please stop that insipid chatter?" he snapped loud enough to be heard. Might as well get two things done at once.
He was relieved to see that unlike earlier she did not take his gruffness to heart. Instead she played along. She pitched her voice such that it could not possibly go unnoticed by anyone in the hall. It was an interesting trick as it seemed when she spoke that her volume was merely a mistake made out of anger.
"I'm sorry, Snapey, that someone actually enjoying themselves is so hard on you. However, you can either yank the nettles out of your ass and join in, or you can just suck up and deal. Your choice."
For the second time in one night the hall was filled with silence.
Severus knew that for show he'd have to storm out now, which, considering his diminishing control, wasn't a bad idea. However, he still needed an answer. So he stood and leaned into Willow's personal space, and hissed "No harm will be done, can I borrow her?" From a distance he knew his body language screamed rage. The quiet gasps only confirmed this.
Willow, however, was struggling not to laugh right in his face near as he could tell. He was struggling not to kiss her so they were fairly even. He growled quietly to remind her to respond. No doubt she was lost in some mental rambling. He watched her swallow a few times before she nodded ever so slightly. Without response he headed to her room.
***
Willow restrained herself from watching Severus leave. It would hardly lend credibility to her disliking him if she couldn't take her eyes off him. Nor would it be a good idea for her to jump up and follow him. No matter how much she wanted to.
And what did he want with her ferret anyway? He didn't actively dislike Aradia or anything, but still he'd never really wanted to bond either. He just wasn't a cute and snuggly animal kind of guy. Not that she minded, but-
"Willow, are you quite alright?" she finally heard Flitwick say. She got the impression that he'd been talking to her for a bit.
"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought."
Flitwick nodded. "If you are concerned about Severus, I assure you he is all bark. He won't lay a finger on you or anything."
Willow was saved from responding by everyone staring at Dumbledore as he burst out laughing at apparently nothing. He was also coughing from trying to swallow pumpkin juice at the same time. She gave him an innocent smile, and he winked in return.
Everyone else just looked perplexed. They couldn't imagine what was so funny.
Originally, he had intended to just make the boy miserable as his head of house. However, in light of the game he and Willow were playing, that would be most difficult to explain. Which didn't mean he was going to let the boy off the hook. Draco was going to pay for calling his beloved a mudblood.
Suddenly, Severus had an idea. He leaned over to Willow and whispered quietly, "May I borrow Aradia this evening?"
He watched her throat as she swallowed her pudding. He was so intent on the task he almost missed her response entirely. "Why, Sevvy? Planning on eliminating the competition?"
He growled slightly and made sure his expression was more fierce. "No. I do not need to resort to such tactless measures to secure my position." He let his voice lower into the tones he knew affected her most. "Of that you can be quite certain."
She bit her lip softly and he had to restrain a moan. How was it this woman could inflame him with such small gestures? He shifted again in his chair.
"Um, okay, but nothing bad is going to happen to her, right? You're not going to test potions on her or anything, 'cause that could be bad, and I really like her."
He just let her go on for a few moments. He wasn't really sure how to stop her since the only think that came to mind was to kiss her until she couldn't breath. And that was hardly appropriate behavior at the head table. Still she showed no sign of winding down.
".I mean she's so sweet, and she licks my nose, and-"
"Professor Rosenberg, would you please stop that insipid chatter?" he snapped loud enough to be heard. Might as well get two things done at once.
He was relieved to see that unlike earlier she did not take his gruffness to heart. Instead she played along. She pitched her voice such that it could not possibly go unnoticed by anyone in the hall. It was an interesting trick as it seemed when she spoke that her volume was merely a mistake made out of anger.
"I'm sorry, Snapey, that someone actually enjoying themselves is so hard on you. However, you can either yank the nettles out of your ass and join in, or you can just suck up and deal. Your choice."
For the second time in one night the hall was filled with silence.
Severus knew that for show he'd have to storm out now, which, considering his diminishing control, wasn't a bad idea. However, he still needed an answer. So he stood and leaned into Willow's personal space, and hissed "No harm will be done, can I borrow her?" From a distance he knew his body language screamed rage. The quiet gasps only confirmed this.
Willow, however, was struggling not to laugh right in his face near as he could tell. He was struggling not to kiss her so they were fairly even. He growled quietly to remind her to respond. No doubt she was lost in some mental rambling. He watched her swallow a few times before she nodded ever so slightly. Without response he headed to her room.
***
Willow restrained herself from watching Severus leave. It would hardly lend credibility to her disliking him if she couldn't take her eyes off him. Nor would it be a good idea for her to jump up and follow him. No matter how much she wanted to.
And what did he want with her ferret anyway? He didn't actively dislike Aradia or anything, but still he'd never really wanted to bond either. He just wasn't a cute and snuggly animal kind of guy. Not that she minded, but-
"Willow, are you quite alright?" she finally heard Flitwick say. She got the impression that he'd been talking to her for a bit.
"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought."
Flitwick nodded. "If you are concerned about Severus, I assure you he is all bark. He won't lay a finger on you or anything."
Willow was saved from responding by everyone staring at Dumbledore as he burst out laughing at apparently nothing. He was also coughing from trying to swallow pumpkin juice at the same time. She gave him an innocent smile, and he winked in return.
Everyone else just looked perplexed. They couldn't imagine what was so funny.