Chapter Thirteen--Snore
More than an hour later she was lost. She was freezing and she must've been blown off-course by the high winds up here. She stayed relatively close to the ground, but it wasn't working very well. She was streaking across the sky much faster than the pace she'd kept with Severus, and she still wasn't anywhere near to where she'd thought she should be. Then again she wasn't as sure as she had been before taking off.
Her mind was filled with a million scenarios. He might be there. Someone else might be there, pretending to be Snape. They might have gotten Snape--Georgie didn't want to think about it. She tried to keep her eyes and her focus on making out the dark shapes and landscapes below her. "I want to be in my bed!" She whined to herself, over the howl of the wind.
She adjusted her cloak tighter around her and tried rubbing first one hand, then the other to try and get the circulation going. With a sigh of relief and an actual smile on her lips, she recognized the coastline and realized the island should be just a few minutes more from here. She actually felt warmer, she convinced herself. But her stomach still turned summersaults at what might be waiting for her there.
She squinted through the rain and distinguished the craggy beginnings of the island and gradually slowed speed and turned circles lower and lower looking for a place to land. She didn't see the house Severus spoke of, and for a second her heart seemed to fail her. Wouldn't there be lights visible from up there? How was she to find a house that was hidden down there in the blackness? Oh, crikes.
She landed where they had landed last time. The place looked much the same as it had then except everything was freaking pitch-black right now. She called out "Lumos," And her wand-end bursts into a radiant shower of light. Georgie spun around, thinking and surveying her surroundings all at once. She bit her lip. She knew the direction the food had flown from when they were down on the beach. She figured there'd probably be an easier way and a shorter one, but Georgie didn't want to waste time. She was cold and nervous and her wand hand was a little twitchy.
She took a step forward and she found herself on the steep trail leading down to the beach. She slipped to the ground several times and she cut her hand on a small rock off to the side of the trail. "Damn!" She shrieked at the slight pain. If she wasn't carrying her broomstick and trying not to land on her back and inadvertently breaking the glass vials, she'd probably had done better. Her shoes were muddy and heavy as she stumbled onto the beach.
She rushed past the boulders and crags standing sentinel over the crashing waves as quickly as possibly in wet sand. They looked eerie at nighttime. Georgie shuddered as she rushed past them and climbed a grassy hill. This was new territory for her and she wasn't completely sure which way to go. Before her stood a wall of trees--dark and thick.
Damnit, why the hell didn't Snape advise her better? Go to the house? What kind of shit is that? I hate him, she decided. As she took her first step into the forest.
She tried her best to walk straight through and to keep going and to not just jump on her broom and leave. She didn't have to go back to Hogwarts--she could go to Poland. She grinned. Or, she could show up on her parent's doorstep, muddy and in her nightgown.... She allowed herself a short laugh at the picture her mother would make.
The forest wasn't as bad as she thought--at least the rain and wind weren't as bad in here. And it smelled nice. She giggled nervously. She began to say with every foot footstep "I hate Snape. I hate Snape." The rhythm needed a bit of work, but it kept her mind off of.... Things...
Suddenly she scrambled through some thick over-brush and saw lights. Huh? But I didn't see them from the air? She walked towards them and saw that they were streaming from the high windows of a house. Georgie almost leapt for joy. The house was still a ways off, but it was unencumbered by trees at least--it was just a short run downhill. Her eyes extended wider and wider as she got closer and closer to the house. It was massive. Beyond massive. Freaking huge! It had nearly 20 windows on this side of the great doorway alone. She was probably exaggerating, but so the hell what. Wow, she stood aghast.
She tromped straight up to the front door. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling her she should be more cautious, check the place and make sure it was alright. But the rest of her mind told that part to shut up--that might take forever and it was cold out here. Besides Severus was the spy, and there wasn't room for them both to be in that profession and not try and kill one another.
She tried to stomp most of the mud off of her shoes and suddenly realized how awful she looked. She tried to mat down her dripping hair and smooth her cloak out. With a deep breath she lifted her fist--"Oh god I hope I don't regret this!"--and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later she heard some scurrying behind the door then it opened slowly and light poured outside blinding her momentarily. When she was able to look again she saw a smiling house-elf looking up at her expectantly. Oh, Geesh, did Snape not say I was coming. Crap.
"Uh...." She mumbled numbly, wondering what she was going to say to convince this house-elf to let her stay. She couldn't show it the letter as it was cryptic and wasn't even signed with his name. For a moment she panicked, thinking that she must've misinterpreted the note.
"Hello?" Georgie looked uneasily at the creature. It was a girl house-elf dressed in a satin green pillowcase, and she smiled curiously up at her. Great. Just great. "Um, I don't know if you were expecting me. Probably weren't--but, well, my name is George Flaing and your, uh..." She stumbled over the words. "Your, eh, Master, Severus Snape, told me to come here--though I don't know why..." She trailed off, feeling so very stupid. Stupid for coming, for listening to Snape, for treating his jokes like it were real.
"Oh. Yes. We've been expecting you, Missy Georgie. Please come in, you're soaking wet." Her big eyes took in her muddy feet and shivers. "Don't worry about the mud, just come inside!" She insisted, almost sternly. And who was Georgie to argue with a house-elf who wanted her way.
Compared to the outside the house was heavenly. She stole a glance into two large drawing rooms to the right and the left of the entryway--which itself was quite massive and rose perhaps three stories high. Straight ahead there was a wide sweeping staircase that split and went two separate ways up into the dark.
The house-elf was snatching at Georgie's cloak from atop a stool, trying to get it off of her. Georgie tried to assist her but it was like peeling off Spello-tape, and she was unfortunately making a small puddle of rain at her feet. The house-elf indicated a pair of huge slippers lying beneath a bronze mirror and Georgie wobbled over to them, slipped off her own shoes and slid into the slippers.
Another house-elf appeared from around a corner down by the staircase and whisked away Georgie's cloak and her shoes. Georgie raised her hand and opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out.
The girl house-elf was named Cassy Georgie learned on inquiring, and she was bossy indeed. Georgie asked Cassy if anyone else was at home. Georgie heaved a sigh on learning that no one else was here. So, what the hell was she doing here? She had pictured herself as dashing in and single-handedly snatching Snape away from the Death Eaters who were holding him hostage in his own house. Dash that.....
"So what am I to do here?" Georgie eyed Cassy. "Just wait around?"
Cassy looked up. "I have had a letter from my Master. You are to wait here. I am not to let you out at all. You are not to wander the grounds," She was ticking off on her fingers. "You are not to explore the island, the shore, the ruins. You are not to blast trees and bushes about the property. You are not to leave this building," Georgie smiled discreetly at this. Damn, Severus could be funny in the strangest moments.
"You are, However," She emphasized and caught Georgie's eyes. "To take food, have a bath, have a glass of wine, warm up, then get some sleep. In that order." She almost barked at her.
"Are you serious?" Georgie chuckled.
Cassy just starred hard at her. Georgie sighed, giving in. Whatever Snape was doing, if this wasn't deadly serious, then she was going to make it deadly serious for Severus.
"Lead the way." Georgie smiled.
Georgie wasn't accustomed to being pampered, and it rubbed her the wrong way in fact. She was quite capable of bathing herself. She'd howled at Cassy and another girl-elf as they kept jumping up on the mammoth tub and offering to wash her hair and dumping in scented liquids. It was actually pissing her off. She didn't like being naked in front of anyone--even girl-elves. She just wasn't used to it. The bubbles rose almost to her neck, thankfully, but Georgie was still short of temper. Oh yes, Snape would pay. Well, that was if he wasn't bleeding to death already.
Cassy at last brought a big fluffy towel and left it on the side of the tub for Georgie to use when she was finished. Georgie waited until they'd both left the room before jumping up and wrapping it disorderly around her.
The bathroom was completely darkened, but for a few candles--the whole upstairs of the house was dark in fact, as that was where the bathroom she was in happened to be. She sat carefully down on a stool before a great mirror. She nodded at her reflection. Her chubby cheeks were rosy from the heat and steam and her hair all piled up on her head--Cassy had done it even though Georgie had told her to push off--it looked kind of nice. She spun on the stool looking for her clothes.
She stood up and peered out the door. It was dark down the hallway and she didn't see anyone around. "Cassy?" She called out nervously. A moment later Cassy came scurrying into view. "Yes Missy?"
"Please call me Georgie. And you don't have to run. I was just wondering where are my clothes."
"Missy can't wear her clothes. They are wet and you'd die of a cold." She pointed her tiny brown finger at her accusingly.
"Uh, then what am I supposed to wear?" She asked cheekily.
"Cassy is getting you clothes." And with that she turned her back on Georgie and disappeared once more.
Hopelessness engulfed Georgie. She returned to her perch to wait Cassy's return. I hate this. I want my clothes, I want to go home. I don't think this funny. She felt her eyes mist up, but she pinched her arm to make herself not cry. I am killing Severus.
Cassy returned a few moments later with a nightgown and a dressing robe. It wasn't Georgie's style. Hell, she couldn't even begin to fathom whose style this might fit. Georgie held it up before her and Cassy explained that they hadn't had a girl visitor in forever; they had to scramble to find clothing for her. It was white and very soft, and even too big for Georgie's solid frame. The sleeves fell low and were cuffed with a flowing ruffle that would hide her entire hand. It had a low neckline encircled by a ruffle collar. It was voluminous and very old-fashioned. The dressing robe might have belonged to an old relation, she guessed.
Georgie grinned at the eager elf, "I think it's perfect. Thank you ever so much!" Cassy beamed proudly.
Georgie quickly whipped it over her head with her towel still about her, then once it was on, let her towel drop to the floor. See there were tricks if one was body-shy.
Georgie had already eaten a bit of bread and cheese before her bath. The house-elves even had Diet Cokes. "Bless your hearts!" Georgie exclaimed as she all but pounced on them. They were left over in the refrigerators from the picnic. Now she turned to Cassy and piped up, "What shall we do next?"
Cassy gripped her hand and pulled her outside and towards a library of sorts. "Pick a book." Cassy gestured to the books lining the high walls. Georgie stood in her place shocked. "Snape's been holding out on me." She whispered to herself. She could spend years in a library like this. She scanned the shelves, letting her hand trail along the smooth wood bookcases and brush on the leather bindings. She finally decided on a W. Somerset Maugham collection--couldn't go wrong with a classic like that. She turned around and Cassy smiled at her and led her to another room. This one was a bedroom, but it was larger than most Hogwart's classrooms. Georgie immediately didn't like it. Too impersonal, too stadium-like. "Um, Cassy?" Georgie felt awful asking. "Do you have a smaller bedroom? This one's lovely and everything, but it's a bit big and scary and I just need a bed and a small little room, no fuss over me..." She mumbled off. Alright, so the idea of her tiny self in a mammoth room in the dark gave her an eerie feeling!
Cassy nodded good-naturedly and led her back out of the room and into a much smaller room at the far-end of the hallway. It had a large four-poster bed and a fireplace with a long couch before it. A private bathroom was off to the side. Georgie sunk her toes into the carpet and nodded about approvingly. Cassy saw that and set to work stoking the fire up a bit and instructed Georgie to warm by the fire and read a bit--she'd be back in a few minutes.
Georgie took the moment of being by herself to fling herself on the couch, lay on her back and stare up at the ceiling, getting lost in her thoughts. The house elves had insisted that this was no joke and that it was indeed their Master who had sent the note, when she had showed it to them.
She was worried, to tell the truth. Maybe there was a bombing at the restaurant they went to. She didn't want to think about that, but she figured she might as well be prepared for the worst. At least she knew he wasn't in immediate danger if he had time to jot off a note. Still she didn't feel much easier. But she felt a great deal warmer as she lay beside the raging fire.
Cassy returned dragging her Muggle backpack behind her and holding a glass and a bottle of wine. Georgie smiled and thanked her profusely. Cassy set them both down on a table and began to uncork the bottle.
"Cassy? Did Severus say when he was returning here?"
"No Missy. I'm sorry, but he didn't say."
"And he didn't say where he was?" Georgie knew Cassy would have told her if she had known.
"No, he didn't." She poured a glass and held it out to Georgie who accepted it gratefully. As soon as Cassy left her for the night, she'd down the entire bottle.
"Will you be needing anything for tomorrow?" She smiled and held her hands behind her back. Georgie was impressed. So professional!
"Actually yes. Clothing other than this of course, some parchment and a quill and some ink....and a water-gun." She threw that in just for good measure. When in doubt--ask for a water-canon.
Cassy didn't seem surprised at her choice and bowed as she left her for the night. Georgie was sort of nettled at the whole situation--feeling so helpless. She sipped at her glass. It was quite good, she raised her eyebrows. It had a good nose and was very dry--a fantastic red actually. Snape had mad-skills with wines. He's always surprising me, she smirked. Well, having old money probably helped fine-tune those skills. But she stopped herself. It wasn't right to think about money and all, especially when Severus was a mere teacher and she didn't really know what he made.
She wished she hadn't been left to her own thoughts. The longer she lay on this couch, the more she was convinced he was bleeding to death in some alleyway, or being tortured by Death Eaters who had discovered where his real loyalties lay. She wished he were okay. Sincerely.
And whatever ill will she'd felt towards Orris she took it all back. If Severus were happy with her than she would love her to. Like Snape said, it takes some people a trip into hell to realize things. This was much too posh to be hell, but not knowing if your best friend was alive or dead is a kind of hell, when one thinks of it.
She felt heavy and recognized that it was probably fatigue and exhaustion. She propped up her Muggle knapsack against her leg as she rummaged through it for a bandage for her hand and some nasty-stinging disinfectant. She bit her lip as she poured it on herself. Severus was always better at bearing the pain than I am, she thought ruefully. She quickly wrapped it up and closed her bag. She stood up and emptied her glass in one go, then corked the bottle.
Her eyelids felt so very heavy and she padded flat-footed over to the bed. Turning back she extinguished the fire and lit a tiny candle on the bedside table. She pulled back the covers enough for her to jump inside. The covers were many in number and quite heavy. She picked them apart and laid them at the foot of the bed until it was just a down-comforter covering her. Much better she grinned. The bed was Hagrid-sized really--heavy solid wood, and very old-fashioned in design. Much too much of a bed for her. She imagined that probably 3 people could sleep in it without ever touching one another.
"Perfect for slumber parties," she muttered to herself.
The sheets were soft cotton and cool to the touch, but warmed up after a few seconds. Very simple and plain, but comforting at the same time. They were a sort of gray color. She slid down deep into them so only her head was visible. So warm and comforting. She really wanted to just have a good cry and let it all out and be done with that emotional nonsense, but sleep won out and she was soon snoring away lightly.
Something had roused Georgie from her sleep. She listened for a second yet heard nothing. Slowly her eyes opened and tried to adjust themselves to the darkness surrounding her. Half way through the process she became aware that there was a person standing directly above her, leaning over her--a mere few inches from her face. Oh my god, she paralyzed in fear.
"Yiiiiiiiiiii!" She opened up her mouth and screamed. The person above her jerked at her yell and grabbed both of her shoulders so she bellowed even louder and even more full of terror.
She squinted her eyes up and baled her fists up preparing or the worst, hoping this was a bad dream.
"Georgie!" A gruff voice was shouting at her, straining to be heard over her piercing shrieks.
She closed her mouth reluctantly as the arms let go of her and she sat up, backing away, squinting to see in the darkness. This has got to be a dream, because that sounded like Severus....
"Severus?" She asked carefully and quietly.
"Yes." He stood up to his full height beside the bed illuminated by traces of moonlight drifting in.
"Severus!" She yelled gratefully and flung herself out of bed and on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. The force knocked them both down to the ground.
She squeezed him for a few minutes, almost reluctant to let go. Severus himself was a little surprised at the uncharacteristically warm greeting, but secretly smiled at it. She push-upped over him, so she could look him in the eyes. "You're really Severus Snape?" She asked giddily.
"Of course." He growled.
"You git!" She hit him on top of his head.
"What was that for?" He demanded.
"You have put me through a world of worry tonight. It has been hell! I thought you were dead, or in trouble...couldn't do a thing about it. Flying here in the storm, tromping across the island, Cassy stole my clothes after my bath!" She accused. Snape took in what she was wearing.
"What are you wearing?!"
"Ask her." She sighed. Severus pushed her up and off of him to a sitting position on the ground next to him. They sat starring in the darkness at one another.
"You were in danger though. Orris turned out to be a Death Eater." Georgie's hand went up to her mouth.
"I'll be damned, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize...Are you okay?" Her eyes filled with worry turned on him.
"I'm fine. It turned out she was one of the five at the Ministry that failed Voldemort, remember my telling you about them?" She nodded. "Well, to make a long story short, she confronted me last night about her suspicions that I wasn't being faithful to Voldemort. It turned out she'd known all along that I was a Death Eater, but I never knew she was affiliated of course. She was going to turn me in, but I stunned her--good practice I had gotten with you." He grinned, maliciously, as Georgie rolled her eyes.
"I sent off the letter to you immediately, because you and Dumbledore were the only people connected to me that she knew of. Dumbledore joined me shortly in an upper room in the Leaky Cauldron, and we managed to force some Veritaserum in her. She told that she hadn't done anything to harm you yet or anyone else at Hogwarts and she hadn't at yet had a chance to tell anyone her suspicions about me." He ran his hand through his hair. "She wanted to test her theories first...."
"Where's she now?" Georgie whispered, not wanting to really hear this.
"Azkaban for holding. Dumbledore stayed with her and handed her over to the authorities." Georgie nodded and looked over his shoulder and out the window.
"I'm so sorry Severus. It's so rotten, I knew that you liked her and all. That she should turn out to be so, well, as you put it, 'wicked,' is now terrible. I'm so sorry." She grasped his hand quickly and squeezed it.
"I never really cared for her, as you put it." He admitted, to Georgie's shock.
"But I thought, well.... But you spent so much time with her. And you were always saying how perfect she was." Georgie babbled.
"You were always saying how perfect she was too. I figured that I'd try and like her for her own sake, but I couldn't. I knew I should because she was so.... Well, how she was--Perfect for me? She was too perfect. Plus everything she had said was a lie. I kept my guard up every time after you had told me you didn't really know her very well. Good thing too, looking back at tonight..." He mused with a twinkle in his eye.
"I could have got you killed." She couldn't meet his gaze in the dark. "I introduced her without a thought in my head about how bad she could be for you. I'm so sorry, Severus. Really. I'm a horrible friend." She sniffed and felt hot tears betraying her by gliding down her cheeks.
Impulsively she flung herself around his neck once more and cried into his shoulder. Her body racked with loud sobbing and sniffling.
Snape didn't know what to do, so he sat there with his mouth clamped shut like a stone statue. Should he pat her head, or her back? Hug her back? Say something? To hell with it, he gingerly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her delicately back.
When her wailing softened, she pulled away and looked at him with wet eyes, wiping her nose on handkerchief she produced from the air with her hand. "Sorry. Guess I was just a little emotional. Glad you're back and alive and all that..." She rushed on embarrassed, blowing her nose loudly.
Severus grinned widely and swooped over and hugged her once again. She dropped her handkerchief in surprise, as the air was being pressed out of her lungs. "Ah!" She squealed in laughter. Finally batting him off so she could breathe, she grinned at him as she clutched her throat. She rasped, "I could get used to that hug thing maybe..."
He smirked back. "But not in front of anyone else."
"Of course not 'Sugar Lips'." She winked and snorted with laughter, getting to her feet.
"Well, it worked didn't it?" He pointed out.
"I couldn't figure out if you were making fun of me or you were drunk or something....Speaking of which, have a glass of wine." She pointed to the table, and Snape followed orders.
"You sound like Cassy." He huffed.
"I learn from the best. You have fine wine here." She complimented.
"Thank you," he smiled at her.
"Now, have you seen Cassy? Do you have any cuts or burns or injuries?" She sat on the sofa and pulled the knapsack into her lap.
Snape eyed it curiously. "A bag of goodies?" He set down his glass and un-tucked his shirt to show his side to her.
She squinted at it. It was a burn. "Aw, and you let me hug you with this?" Her eyes wide.
"I don't 'let' anyone hug me." He growled.
"Soap and bullshit...shut up and sit down." She directed unceremoniously.
"How'd it happen?" She left the wound briefly to look him in the eyes.
"Firebomb." He volunteered casually.
"Holy crap. That girl's not right."
"Oh, there's one waiting for you in your room at Hogwarts too. Remind me to get to it before you go in--wouldn't want you to accidentally trigger it."
She stopped what she was doing. "Of course I'm going to remind you!" She looked at him like he had five heads.
He only winced slightly as she cleaned out the wound. She blew lightly over it to relieve the stinging. "There now, all better." As she tied off the last bandage.
"You know 'Sugar Lips' was my name." She pouted at him as he tucked in his shirt. "You should go to sleep."
"I was wrong--you're worse than Pomfrey." He scowled.
"Hey, I'm cooler than Pomfrey. Pomfrey doesn't sing the HukiLau...."
Oh we're going, to the hukilau,
Huki huki, huki huki, huki hukilau.
Everybody loves the hukilau,
Where the laulau is the kaukau at the hukilau.
Oh we throw our nets out into the sea,
And all the ama-ama come a-swimming to me.
Oh we're going to the hukilau,
a huki huki huki, hukilau.
Georgie giggled as she danced to the children's song on top of the sofa. It was now Snape's turn to stare at her like she was insane. She really was a bit schizophrenic: she had gone from serious to childish without a clear transition.
She bowed and applauded herself. "See, wasn't so bad."
"Yes. It was." He shook his head disbelieving.
She snorted. "I should hex you," as she sat down.
"I dare you." He said seriously.
"I could and I would. Even if I managed to smash your brains up, I could probably repair them--no harm done. You on the other hand, have reservations about hurting ladies." She folded her arms across her chest.
"I hurt one tonight." He pointed out unemotionally.
"Sorry." Though she didn't 'feel' too sorry.
"You should go to bed."
"Did you get something to eat?" Georgie interrupted.
"Yes. Go to bed."
"No." She stood up definitely.
"I'll hex you." He raised his eyebrows, repeating her threat back at her.
"Whatever. I just said it to nark you." She shrugged her shoulders and walked to the window. The rain was coming down in torrents still.
"Did you apparate here?" She turned to ask him.
He looked up to her and nodded. "Why aren't you in the bigger bedroom, by the way?"
"Too big. Didn't like it." She crossed the floor. "Cassy said I'd like this better. This one is more my size." She grinned and hugged her arms around herself.
"I feel the same for it. Now get to bed." He growled, actually starting to sound like he meant it.
She bowed her head and crossed the floor crawled back into the enormous bed. "Bummer. And I was planning on painting your finger-nails and telling ghost stories..."
"Where are you going to sleep?" She asked shortly and little bit panicky.
"Probably on the couch right here." He patted the seat beside him. He just didn't feel like leaving.
"Why?"
"I feel like it." He sneered.
"Suit yourself, goober." And he lay back and disappeared from her sight.
Georgie tossed about for several minutes. She was actually feeling quite elated. Things were good and happy and she had her best friend back. She wanted to bounce off the walls, not sleep. She pouted in the dark. It is easy to pout when one has big lips.
Silently she slipped off the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. On returning she spied a guitar leaning up against a chest by the bathroom door. Oh my goodness. She wanted to slap herself. This was Severus' room. The old guitar was his. She felt like such an ass. He should have told her--she would have slept in the big bedroom. She rolled her eyes at Cassy.
She padded silently over to the couch Snape was sprawled out on--all gangly limbs. She looked down at him. She was sure he was awake. "Severus?" She whispered fiercely.
His eyes opened and focused on her. I hate how he just naturally sees in the dark, walks silently...she lamented to herself. "Come to bed. You shouldn't sleep here." She knew it wasn't her thing and maybe the situation was making her lose touch with reality. She couldn't make out his expression.
"That wouldn't look right." He whispered lowly at her.
"Come on. I won't touch you --wouldn't with a ten-foot pole--and I won't tell a soul." She pestered. "Girl Scout's Honor." She raised three fingers like an oath. Snape had no idea what she was doing though.
"You weren't ever a Girl Guide."
"True," She laughed. "I wish you'd stop listening to me. But it's not comfortable there, I know. You need sleep--Doctor's orders. You move or I'll leave, I swear it. And I won't mess with you. The bed's freaking enormous and you won't even know I'm there. Come on, humor me. It's your bed and you need sleep, I'd feel better about you knowing you're tucked in close-by." She offered him a hand up. He eventually grasped it and she helped him to his feet.
She returned to her side of the bed and Snape moved silently to his side of the bed. This was odd, Georgie thought to herself. She was trying to do the right thing, but now she didn't particularly want to sleep beside her friend--just too strange. They both crawled in at the same time. Georgie was right: they weren't even close to touching each other, and for that she was very grateful.
Now she just wanted to pass out and wake up and find it to be Halloween. She stared straight up at the darkened canopy. She just couldn't get comfortable, and flopped on one side then the other. She didn't even turn when she heard a voice at her side. "Are you alright?" He sounded slightly annoyed, or maybe she read too much into it.
"Uh-huh." She whispered. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." He paused for a few moments, but she could hear him breathing. She sounded anxious or frightened perhaps? "Of course you must have bunked with someone else before, correct?" He asked. She frowned at this question, but he was just probably making sure she felt comfortable or else being nosy and stupid as usual. "Um, my brother. It was always on foreign tours in foreign hotels when we were much younger."
"Oh." He accepted. "Foreign? Neither have I. Foreign."
Georgie didn't catch his meaning, nor did she care to. "Goodnight Severus." She whispered.
"Goodnight Georgie," He replied. And seconds later her light snoring filled the bed.
Severus wanted to laugh--a great big belly-ache, to get rid of the tension and the anxieties. He wished he could fall into sleep as easily as she could. He envied her.
She accepted things as they came, no questions. He, well, wasn't like that at all. He lay awake that night for hours--going over every little thing. Dissecting it. He specially mulled over his behavior to Orris and everything he'd ever told her. He felt like a dupe. It had nothing to do with Georgie, but it was all about how he continued in something he felt wasn't right. Had his intuition gone so far astray, that he pushed warning signs away because he felt that it was just because she was female he felt odd?! Georgie and Minerva were female and both of them are good witches--he'd never had any problem with them, with distrusting them or anything they said. He should have known.
Another thing was bothering him. Well, it wasn't really bothering him, he argued with himself. It was more like the changing of a guard. No, that wasn't right either. Though letting down a guard was also somewhat wrong. He clenched and unclenched his fists in thought. It had to do with his hugging her. He had no problem really with her hugging him. He expected it and figured it was bound to happen anyway. She was female after all, and they tended to be more touchy. At first he was surprised--well who wouldn't be? But he was even more surprised at his instigating such an action. He wasn't against to it. It was a natural byproduct of friendships and all, but that fact that it started through him....
Severus Snape's parents weren't the kindest or most empathetic of souls. No, he wouldn't lie to himself. They were evil. They'd have rather beat him than hug him. He had a bachelor uncle for years that used to be his one source of happiness and friendly touch. They used to 'horse-around' and hug and pat each other on the back affectionately. But he died early on. And he was left with only his parents as examples. They were cold and cruel and it was no great wonder Severus turned out to be so much like them, even though he had fought against it.
He wouldn't go so far as to say he was glad that they were gone. He was a proud man, and one should never say that of one's family members. But he was glad they weren't here, and that they hadn't been here for twenty years. He'd hardly been here himself for all that time. He looked around, peering out through a part in the drawn curtains on his side of the bed. He wondered how Georgie had figured out it was his room.
Finally settling back down against his pillows, he laughed at the irony of the situation. He then shut his eyes and let the night envelop him as he sunk into a heavy sleep.
He opened his eyes, feeling much better. His side only slightly ached. He lifted himself up onto his elbow to attempt to rouse Georgie. He frowned though when he took in that she wasn't there. "I wonder what time it is?" He questioned the bedposts, as he slipped onto the floor.
He went to the bathroom and cleaned himself up a bit before breakfast--no lunch. He spied his clock on the mantelpiece. It told that it was just afternoon. He wondered that he could sleep so long and so well, but shrugged. Well it had been a personal and emotional day for me--not used to it. Probably need the sleep. Besides, today's a Saturday. No hurry.
He showered and dried off quickly. As he stood before the mirror in his towel with the bathroom door, he kept hearing shrieks and yells and shouts running back and forth in front of his door. It's a miracle I didn't hear that in my sleep, or they'd be dead. Georgie had to be behind this. The house elves weren't that lunatic. He combed his hair and got dressed.
He crossed the bedroom in a long strides and threw open the door and stepped into the wide and long hallway. His eyes weren't prepared for the scene that met them. There was a troop of house elves--all of them armed with water pistols and Georgie in her nightgown at the far end squealing as they all descended on her. But she shook herself free of their sprays and opened up on all of them with her larger water-rifle, giggling maniacally.
Several of the elves went scurrying out of the hallway looking for cover, some down the stairs. They were all laughing and hooting madly. His eyes grew into saucers when Cassy and Georgie appeared to duel against each other. The stood back to back--well, back to leg, and paced off. They both drew their weapons at the same moment, but Georgie dodged the shorter gun's spray and pelted poor Cassy.
Snape stood watching them highly amused. His house had never been so full of sounds, so busy...so chaotic. He sighed, pity to break this up. He marched down to the group.
Several of the house-elves dodged out of their Master's way--they probably knew what was coming. Soon it was only Cassy and Georgie between Snape and the end of the hallway. They both turned around to face him, with very different countenances. Cassy appeared ashamed, even frightened. Georgie appeared cocky and playful. Snape didn't scare her, no matter how much her snarled and growled and bellowed.
"Good Morning, Sugar Lips." She said evenly, grinning the entire time. When she spun around, her gun's barrel sought out his person.
"Good Morning Snore-Monster." He countered.
"Oo, that's a good one. Points for creativity Severus."
He stared at the gun uneasily. "Alright now, don't shoot me."
"Oh come on! I so wouldn't do that!" She denied as she squeezed the trigger and Snape got a mouthful of water and his wet shirt clung to his small frame. She smiled, "Oops. My bad." She stuck her tongue out.
He pushed his wet hair out of his face then started for her and the gun, grinning evilly. "Oh you'll pay for that, Missy!"
"So that's where the house-elves get it from..." She started, but on seeing him close up the distance between them, her muscles failed her for a half-of-a-second and she dropped the gun with a thud on the floor.
"Ay!" She squeaked as she dodged his progress, and backed away.
He picked up the gun, turned it over in his hands, examining it. "Run." He instructed her without looking up.
Georgie turned and ran like the devil was at her heels, which in essence was true. She sprinted down the hallway and heard Snape at her heels. She grabbed a corner for leverage as she spun herself around and down their side of the great staircase, whooping and hollering all the time. She leapt off the bottom few stairs and hopped down towards the kitchens. She caught sight of Severus over her shoulder. He was walking at a normal pace and laughing to himself. She was insulted that he was giving her such a lead. But on second observation, she realized she needed it. The house was labyrinthine. And he of course would know it--inside and out.
Georgie ducked into a door on her right. It turned out to be another library--or perhaps the same one--she wasn't completely sure. There was a spiral staircase leading to the top and a door at the end of that balcony. She clambered up the metal stairs and ran for the door just as Snape entered in below. She pushed open the door and found herself in a part of the house she didn't recognize--but what else was new. She jogged down the hallway.
She heard Severus call her name from back in the library, yeah right, she thought. You wish.
At the end of this hallway there crossed another hallway. Georgie looked both ways. One side was doors, doors and more doors. But the other side looked much more promising. It ended up into a huge open room. She ran towards it. It was perhaps three stories tall and walled on three sides by green glass. On first approaching it she thought it was a conservatory or a sunroom of sorts. But hopping down onto a broad landing, she descended stone stairs that lead down to an enormous indoor swimming pool.
Awesome, she muttered under her breath. It was more like a lake. There was a bridge over it and Georgie crossed this first. It was arched, like the ones in Venice, but it wasn't nearly as tall. The rail came up to her waist--if that. She leaned far over and looked down into the water. How wonderful, she smiled.
When she stood back up a voice hissed in her ear. "Guess who?" And pushed her.
She screamed as she hit the water with a dull thud. He chuckled to himself and then leaned over and watched for her to come back up, yelling and cursing him. He shifted from one foot to the other. He could see her form clearly--colors shifting beneath the movement of the waters. He frowned. She still hadn't risen to the surface. He stared longer, she wasn't moving down there. It was taking too long. His heart beat against his ribcage.
Damn, he cursed to himself, as he threw aside the water gun and dove in after her. He kicked effortlessly to the bottom of the deep pool. She lay in a heap, swaying slightly with the water. He grabbed a hold of her under her arms, and struggled to bring her to the surface. Her head lolled to the side of her neck and he held her head above water as he swam them to the side and hefted her up. He raised himself up afterwards and lay beside her body. "Damnit Georgie." He cursed. He listened for her breathing, but didn't sense it. He tilted her forehead back slightly and bent over her mouth--
"Yick! Don't kiss me!" She screeched as she threw her hands between her face and his, then opened her eyes and grinned.
Severus looked livid. "Don't ever do that to me again, Georgie!" He bellowed.
She just looked up at him innocently. Blinking so often. "I'm sorry. It was a bad joke." She sat up.
"Promise me as long as you live that you'll never pretend to be dead with me." He shook her shoulders. "Promise me!"
"I swear it, Severus." She quivered, very frightened of him.
"Good." He held onto her tightly. Then pulled away and go to his feet. "I'm hungry. Want to eat?" He helped her to her feet. She nodded.
"Let's go then." She looked quite ashen-faced. So Snape grabbed up her hand. "Georgie it's not the end of the world. By the way, Happy Halloween." And with that he yanked her arm behind him and sent her flying back into the pool.
They both sat at a table up against the wall in the kitchen, eating a hearty soup. Cassy insisted it would warm them both up in no time.
"You know? That's two nightgowns in as many days that I've gotten sopping wet. I'm pathetic."
"You said it, I didn't." Severus slurped his soup.
Georgie shot him a dirty look. She was wearing a large black shirt of Severus', but she ashamedly didn't fit into his tall and thin trousers, so Cassy had gone hunting through the family's old clothing and come across a black skirt with a tie waistband that fit her fine. She looked the mirror image to Severus, sitting across from him, wearing once again all black.
"I want my clothes back." She complained to her soup.
Snape looked up blankly. "As soon as it's dry..."
Setting her spoon down and snatching up a slice of bread, she stared at Severus. "I'm going to have to look at your side after lunch. We shouldn't have let it get wet."
"Some things can't be helped." He murmured.
"Really, we might have to disinfect it all over again and that'd suck."
"For me or you?"
"Both of us." She spat shortly.
"Any chance to get my shirt off..." He said seriously, but his eyes flashed and gave him away.
"Oh shut-up. You are so tragic!" She mocked and drank her Diet Coke.
Snape sat bolt upright on his stool. "Hmm. I guess I am." Then bent back over his food.
"Shit. Tonight's that stupid Halloween feast and dance." She shook her head.
"I thought you were trying to stop swearing." Snape prodded without looking up.
"I was." She sighed. "I'm doing an awful job at it though. But you must've been listening quite well once again. It's true enough, but I can't for the life of me remember when I told you that." She admitted in all amazement
"That's because you didn't." He made sure she registered the correct amount of confusion on her face before going on. "Minerva told me."
"That two-timer." Georgie accused jokingly.
"She's told you things about me, so hush yourself up."
"But I don't let those things slip." She emphasized.
"So you don't want to attend the Halloween feast? Why ever not? I of course know my own reasons for not wishing to go, but I'm curious to hear yours." Severus pushed his bowl aside.
"Oh, it's not the feast. Food is my friend. It's the dance. Oh why couldn't I be placed as a first year." She groaned.
Severus smirked, "Can't dance?"
"Nope, I can dance. Cha-cha, Swing, Foxtrot, Merengue, heaps of dances like those. It's just the free-form modern, discotheque dancing. Not too good with that, I'll probably try and find a way to sneak out early or something..."
Snape just smiled at that and guaranteed that they'd make it back in time for the dance.
Later they were both seated on the couch in Severus' room and Georgie was going through her knapsack for clean bandages. On finding them, she reached over and lifted the side of his shirt up.
"You are rather stiff." Severus noted.
"Yes. I'm sorry." She stuck a bottle between her teeth as she unwrapped the old bandages with both hands.
"Why?" He sounded like a small child. And she told him she thought that of him before responding: "Never you mind. It's not important."
She concentrated on the wound, frowning at it. It was mostly healed, but still it looked bad. She didn't want to do it or even say it but still: "It needs to be disinfected again." Looking up at him, she grimaced. "Sorry."
She looked sad. He just looked at her and nodded vacantly. He waved his hand at her unaffectedly.
She did it quickly and she winced when he winced, but she blew lightly on it for a minute afterward--like she would have had he been a child, then wrapped him up tight.
He stood and strutted around the room, stretching his arms out and rolling his shoulders. "It's good." He called to her.
"Good. Stop hurting yourself then." She packed her things back into the knapsack. "I'd much rather be blasting you than fixing you. No offense. " She grinned and looked up at him sheepishly.
"None taken." He scowled nonetheless. "Are you ready to go back?"
"Yup. Ready Freddy." She stood.
She looked down at her clothes and shrugged. He followed her eyes and stopped pacing. "I can check one more time with Cassy for your Nightgown, but may I actually suggest that you borrow those? You can wear your cloak over them. It might look a bit silly if you flew in your nightclothes."
"Point taken. You're flying?"
"Yes."
"Oh joy, do I get blindfolded?" She begged bitterly.
"Only if you want." He headed out the door.
"Oh, definitely." She snarled.
Later with a promise from Snape to return her nightgown as soon as he could, he and Georgie stood before the house with broomsticks in hand.
"What's the name of this island?" Georgie motioned with a sweep of her hand.
"Can't tell you." He said from behind her.
"Why not?" She demanded.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He said dryly. "I heard you say that once. I liked it."
"Gawd. No. I was joking Severus!" She whined as she saw his present actions and her hands went up to defend her face, but were slapped away by Snape's own hands. He had tied the blindfold on. "You're joking?"
"No. Cassy said you'd gotten slightly lost on the way and that is good. It's still for your own safety that we do this."
"And still for your own amusement." Georgie chided.
"You realize the importance after last night. The less you know for certain the better." He said in a tone that didn't allow for discussion.
"I hate you." She snarled.
"Excellent." He handed over her broom and they were off.
A/N: hello darlings, the song methinks is traditional, my younger sister sang it when she was eight. Think it's an island song. All I know is it isn't The Smiths. Wish it were....
I like making things up, houses, dances, elves, emotions....I should try and be a pathological liar--looks like great fun. Sooo squiffy......
More than an hour later she was lost. She was freezing and she must've been blown off-course by the high winds up here. She stayed relatively close to the ground, but it wasn't working very well. She was streaking across the sky much faster than the pace she'd kept with Severus, and she still wasn't anywhere near to where she'd thought she should be. Then again she wasn't as sure as she had been before taking off.
Her mind was filled with a million scenarios. He might be there. Someone else might be there, pretending to be Snape. They might have gotten Snape--Georgie didn't want to think about it. She tried to keep her eyes and her focus on making out the dark shapes and landscapes below her. "I want to be in my bed!" She whined to herself, over the howl of the wind.
She adjusted her cloak tighter around her and tried rubbing first one hand, then the other to try and get the circulation going. With a sigh of relief and an actual smile on her lips, she recognized the coastline and realized the island should be just a few minutes more from here. She actually felt warmer, she convinced herself. But her stomach still turned summersaults at what might be waiting for her there.
She squinted through the rain and distinguished the craggy beginnings of the island and gradually slowed speed and turned circles lower and lower looking for a place to land. She didn't see the house Severus spoke of, and for a second her heart seemed to fail her. Wouldn't there be lights visible from up there? How was she to find a house that was hidden down there in the blackness? Oh, crikes.
She landed where they had landed last time. The place looked much the same as it had then except everything was freaking pitch-black right now. She called out "Lumos," And her wand-end bursts into a radiant shower of light. Georgie spun around, thinking and surveying her surroundings all at once. She bit her lip. She knew the direction the food had flown from when they were down on the beach. She figured there'd probably be an easier way and a shorter one, but Georgie didn't want to waste time. She was cold and nervous and her wand hand was a little twitchy.
She took a step forward and she found herself on the steep trail leading down to the beach. She slipped to the ground several times and she cut her hand on a small rock off to the side of the trail. "Damn!" She shrieked at the slight pain. If she wasn't carrying her broomstick and trying not to land on her back and inadvertently breaking the glass vials, she'd probably had done better. Her shoes were muddy and heavy as she stumbled onto the beach.
She rushed past the boulders and crags standing sentinel over the crashing waves as quickly as possibly in wet sand. They looked eerie at nighttime. Georgie shuddered as she rushed past them and climbed a grassy hill. This was new territory for her and she wasn't completely sure which way to go. Before her stood a wall of trees--dark and thick.
Damnit, why the hell didn't Snape advise her better? Go to the house? What kind of shit is that? I hate him, she decided. As she took her first step into the forest.
She tried her best to walk straight through and to keep going and to not just jump on her broom and leave. She didn't have to go back to Hogwarts--she could go to Poland. She grinned. Or, she could show up on her parent's doorstep, muddy and in her nightgown.... She allowed herself a short laugh at the picture her mother would make.
The forest wasn't as bad as she thought--at least the rain and wind weren't as bad in here. And it smelled nice. She giggled nervously. She began to say with every foot footstep "I hate Snape. I hate Snape." The rhythm needed a bit of work, but it kept her mind off of.... Things...
Suddenly she scrambled through some thick over-brush and saw lights. Huh? But I didn't see them from the air? She walked towards them and saw that they were streaming from the high windows of a house. Georgie almost leapt for joy. The house was still a ways off, but it was unencumbered by trees at least--it was just a short run downhill. Her eyes extended wider and wider as she got closer and closer to the house. It was massive. Beyond massive. Freaking huge! It had nearly 20 windows on this side of the great doorway alone. She was probably exaggerating, but so the hell what. Wow, she stood aghast.
She tromped straight up to the front door. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling her she should be more cautious, check the place and make sure it was alright. But the rest of her mind told that part to shut up--that might take forever and it was cold out here. Besides Severus was the spy, and there wasn't room for them both to be in that profession and not try and kill one another.
She tried to stomp most of the mud off of her shoes and suddenly realized how awful she looked. She tried to mat down her dripping hair and smooth her cloak out. With a deep breath she lifted her fist--"Oh god I hope I don't regret this!"--and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later she heard some scurrying behind the door then it opened slowly and light poured outside blinding her momentarily. When she was able to look again she saw a smiling house-elf looking up at her expectantly. Oh, Geesh, did Snape not say I was coming. Crap.
"Uh...." She mumbled numbly, wondering what she was going to say to convince this house-elf to let her stay. She couldn't show it the letter as it was cryptic and wasn't even signed with his name. For a moment she panicked, thinking that she must've misinterpreted the note.
"Hello?" Georgie looked uneasily at the creature. It was a girl house-elf dressed in a satin green pillowcase, and she smiled curiously up at her. Great. Just great. "Um, I don't know if you were expecting me. Probably weren't--but, well, my name is George Flaing and your, uh..." She stumbled over the words. "Your, eh, Master, Severus Snape, told me to come here--though I don't know why..." She trailed off, feeling so very stupid. Stupid for coming, for listening to Snape, for treating his jokes like it were real.
"Oh. Yes. We've been expecting you, Missy Georgie. Please come in, you're soaking wet." Her big eyes took in her muddy feet and shivers. "Don't worry about the mud, just come inside!" She insisted, almost sternly. And who was Georgie to argue with a house-elf who wanted her way.
Compared to the outside the house was heavenly. She stole a glance into two large drawing rooms to the right and the left of the entryway--which itself was quite massive and rose perhaps three stories high. Straight ahead there was a wide sweeping staircase that split and went two separate ways up into the dark.
The house-elf was snatching at Georgie's cloak from atop a stool, trying to get it off of her. Georgie tried to assist her but it was like peeling off Spello-tape, and she was unfortunately making a small puddle of rain at her feet. The house-elf indicated a pair of huge slippers lying beneath a bronze mirror and Georgie wobbled over to them, slipped off her own shoes and slid into the slippers.
Another house-elf appeared from around a corner down by the staircase and whisked away Georgie's cloak and her shoes. Georgie raised her hand and opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out.
The girl house-elf was named Cassy Georgie learned on inquiring, and she was bossy indeed. Georgie asked Cassy if anyone else was at home. Georgie heaved a sigh on learning that no one else was here. So, what the hell was she doing here? She had pictured herself as dashing in and single-handedly snatching Snape away from the Death Eaters who were holding him hostage in his own house. Dash that.....
"So what am I to do here?" Georgie eyed Cassy. "Just wait around?"
Cassy looked up. "I have had a letter from my Master. You are to wait here. I am not to let you out at all. You are not to wander the grounds," She was ticking off on her fingers. "You are not to explore the island, the shore, the ruins. You are not to blast trees and bushes about the property. You are not to leave this building," Georgie smiled discreetly at this. Damn, Severus could be funny in the strangest moments.
"You are, However," She emphasized and caught Georgie's eyes. "To take food, have a bath, have a glass of wine, warm up, then get some sleep. In that order." She almost barked at her.
"Are you serious?" Georgie chuckled.
Cassy just starred hard at her. Georgie sighed, giving in. Whatever Snape was doing, if this wasn't deadly serious, then she was going to make it deadly serious for Severus.
"Lead the way." Georgie smiled.
Georgie wasn't accustomed to being pampered, and it rubbed her the wrong way in fact. She was quite capable of bathing herself. She'd howled at Cassy and another girl-elf as they kept jumping up on the mammoth tub and offering to wash her hair and dumping in scented liquids. It was actually pissing her off. She didn't like being naked in front of anyone--even girl-elves. She just wasn't used to it. The bubbles rose almost to her neck, thankfully, but Georgie was still short of temper. Oh yes, Snape would pay. Well, that was if he wasn't bleeding to death already.
Cassy at last brought a big fluffy towel and left it on the side of the tub for Georgie to use when she was finished. Georgie waited until they'd both left the room before jumping up and wrapping it disorderly around her.
The bathroom was completely darkened, but for a few candles--the whole upstairs of the house was dark in fact, as that was where the bathroom she was in happened to be. She sat carefully down on a stool before a great mirror. She nodded at her reflection. Her chubby cheeks were rosy from the heat and steam and her hair all piled up on her head--Cassy had done it even though Georgie had told her to push off--it looked kind of nice. She spun on the stool looking for her clothes.
She stood up and peered out the door. It was dark down the hallway and she didn't see anyone around. "Cassy?" She called out nervously. A moment later Cassy came scurrying into view. "Yes Missy?"
"Please call me Georgie. And you don't have to run. I was just wondering where are my clothes."
"Missy can't wear her clothes. They are wet and you'd die of a cold." She pointed her tiny brown finger at her accusingly.
"Uh, then what am I supposed to wear?" She asked cheekily.
"Cassy is getting you clothes." And with that she turned her back on Georgie and disappeared once more.
Hopelessness engulfed Georgie. She returned to her perch to wait Cassy's return. I hate this. I want my clothes, I want to go home. I don't think this funny. She felt her eyes mist up, but she pinched her arm to make herself not cry. I am killing Severus.
Cassy returned a few moments later with a nightgown and a dressing robe. It wasn't Georgie's style. Hell, she couldn't even begin to fathom whose style this might fit. Georgie held it up before her and Cassy explained that they hadn't had a girl visitor in forever; they had to scramble to find clothing for her. It was white and very soft, and even too big for Georgie's solid frame. The sleeves fell low and were cuffed with a flowing ruffle that would hide her entire hand. It had a low neckline encircled by a ruffle collar. It was voluminous and very old-fashioned. The dressing robe might have belonged to an old relation, she guessed.
Georgie grinned at the eager elf, "I think it's perfect. Thank you ever so much!" Cassy beamed proudly.
Georgie quickly whipped it over her head with her towel still about her, then once it was on, let her towel drop to the floor. See there were tricks if one was body-shy.
Georgie had already eaten a bit of bread and cheese before her bath. The house-elves even had Diet Cokes. "Bless your hearts!" Georgie exclaimed as she all but pounced on them. They were left over in the refrigerators from the picnic. Now she turned to Cassy and piped up, "What shall we do next?"
Cassy gripped her hand and pulled her outside and towards a library of sorts. "Pick a book." Cassy gestured to the books lining the high walls. Georgie stood in her place shocked. "Snape's been holding out on me." She whispered to herself. She could spend years in a library like this. She scanned the shelves, letting her hand trail along the smooth wood bookcases and brush on the leather bindings. She finally decided on a W. Somerset Maugham collection--couldn't go wrong with a classic like that. She turned around and Cassy smiled at her and led her to another room. This one was a bedroom, but it was larger than most Hogwart's classrooms. Georgie immediately didn't like it. Too impersonal, too stadium-like. "Um, Cassy?" Georgie felt awful asking. "Do you have a smaller bedroom? This one's lovely and everything, but it's a bit big and scary and I just need a bed and a small little room, no fuss over me..." She mumbled off. Alright, so the idea of her tiny self in a mammoth room in the dark gave her an eerie feeling!
Cassy nodded good-naturedly and led her back out of the room and into a much smaller room at the far-end of the hallway. It had a large four-poster bed and a fireplace with a long couch before it. A private bathroom was off to the side. Georgie sunk her toes into the carpet and nodded about approvingly. Cassy saw that and set to work stoking the fire up a bit and instructed Georgie to warm by the fire and read a bit--she'd be back in a few minutes.
Georgie took the moment of being by herself to fling herself on the couch, lay on her back and stare up at the ceiling, getting lost in her thoughts. The house elves had insisted that this was no joke and that it was indeed their Master who had sent the note, when she had showed it to them.
She was worried, to tell the truth. Maybe there was a bombing at the restaurant they went to. She didn't want to think about that, but she figured she might as well be prepared for the worst. At least she knew he wasn't in immediate danger if he had time to jot off a note. Still she didn't feel much easier. But she felt a great deal warmer as she lay beside the raging fire.
Cassy returned dragging her Muggle backpack behind her and holding a glass and a bottle of wine. Georgie smiled and thanked her profusely. Cassy set them both down on a table and began to uncork the bottle.
"Cassy? Did Severus say when he was returning here?"
"No Missy. I'm sorry, but he didn't say."
"And he didn't say where he was?" Georgie knew Cassy would have told her if she had known.
"No, he didn't." She poured a glass and held it out to Georgie who accepted it gratefully. As soon as Cassy left her for the night, she'd down the entire bottle.
"Will you be needing anything for tomorrow?" She smiled and held her hands behind her back. Georgie was impressed. So professional!
"Actually yes. Clothing other than this of course, some parchment and a quill and some ink....and a water-gun." She threw that in just for good measure. When in doubt--ask for a water-canon.
Cassy didn't seem surprised at her choice and bowed as she left her for the night. Georgie was sort of nettled at the whole situation--feeling so helpless. She sipped at her glass. It was quite good, she raised her eyebrows. It had a good nose and was very dry--a fantastic red actually. Snape had mad-skills with wines. He's always surprising me, she smirked. Well, having old money probably helped fine-tune those skills. But she stopped herself. It wasn't right to think about money and all, especially when Severus was a mere teacher and she didn't really know what he made.
She wished she hadn't been left to her own thoughts. The longer she lay on this couch, the more she was convinced he was bleeding to death in some alleyway, or being tortured by Death Eaters who had discovered where his real loyalties lay. She wished he were okay. Sincerely.
And whatever ill will she'd felt towards Orris she took it all back. If Severus were happy with her than she would love her to. Like Snape said, it takes some people a trip into hell to realize things. This was much too posh to be hell, but not knowing if your best friend was alive or dead is a kind of hell, when one thinks of it.
She felt heavy and recognized that it was probably fatigue and exhaustion. She propped up her Muggle knapsack against her leg as she rummaged through it for a bandage for her hand and some nasty-stinging disinfectant. She bit her lip as she poured it on herself. Severus was always better at bearing the pain than I am, she thought ruefully. She quickly wrapped it up and closed her bag. She stood up and emptied her glass in one go, then corked the bottle.
Her eyelids felt so very heavy and she padded flat-footed over to the bed. Turning back she extinguished the fire and lit a tiny candle on the bedside table. She pulled back the covers enough for her to jump inside. The covers were many in number and quite heavy. She picked them apart and laid them at the foot of the bed until it was just a down-comforter covering her. Much better she grinned. The bed was Hagrid-sized really--heavy solid wood, and very old-fashioned in design. Much too much of a bed for her. She imagined that probably 3 people could sleep in it without ever touching one another.
"Perfect for slumber parties," she muttered to herself.
The sheets were soft cotton and cool to the touch, but warmed up after a few seconds. Very simple and plain, but comforting at the same time. They were a sort of gray color. She slid down deep into them so only her head was visible. So warm and comforting. She really wanted to just have a good cry and let it all out and be done with that emotional nonsense, but sleep won out and she was soon snoring away lightly.
Something had roused Georgie from her sleep. She listened for a second yet heard nothing. Slowly her eyes opened and tried to adjust themselves to the darkness surrounding her. Half way through the process she became aware that there was a person standing directly above her, leaning over her--a mere few inches from her face. Oh my god, she paralyzed in fear.
"Yiiiiiiiiiii!" She opened up her mouth and screamed. The person above her jerked at her yell and grabbed both of her shoulders so she bellowed even louder and even more full of terror.
She squinted her eyes up and baled her fists up preparing or the worst, hoping this was a bad dream.
"Georgie!" A gruff voice was shouting at her, straining to be heard over her piercing shrieks.
She closed her mouth reluctantly as the arms let go of her and she sat up, backing away, squinting to see in the darkness. This has got to be a dream, because that sounded like Severus....
"Severus?" She asked carefully and quietly.
"Yes." He stood up to his full height beside the bed illuminated by traces of moonlight drifting in.
"Severus!" She yelled gratefully and flung herself out of bed and on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. The force knocked them both down to the ground.
She squeezed him for a few minutes, almost reluctant to let go. Severus himself was a little surprised at the uncharacteristically warm greeting, but secretly smiled at it. She push-upped over him, so she could look him in the eyes. "You're really Severus Snape?" She asked giddily.
"Of course." He growled.
"You git!" She hit him on top of his head.
"What was that for?" He demanded.
"You have put me through a world of worry tonight. It has been hell! I thought you were dead, or in trouble...couldn't do a thing about it. Flying here in the storm, tromping across the island, Cassy stole my clothes after my bath!" She accused. Snape took in what she was wearing.
"What are you wearing?!"
"Ask her." She sighed. Severus pushed her up and off of him to a sitting position on the ground next to him. They sat starring in the darkness at one another.
"You were in danger though. Orris turned out to be a Death Eater." Georgie's hand went up to her mouth.
"I'll be damned, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize...Are you okay?" Her eyes filled with worry turned on him.
"I'm fine. It turned out she was one of the five at the Ministry that failed Voldemort, remember my telling you about them?" She nodded. "Well, to make a long story short, she confronted me last night about her suspicions that I wasn't being faithful to Voldemort. It turned out she'd known all along that I was a Death Eater, but I never knew she was affiliated of course. She was going to turn me in, but I stunned her--good practice I had gotten with you." He grinned, maliciously, as Georgie rolled her eyes.
"I sent off the letter to you immediately, because you and Dumbledore were the only people connected to me that she knew of. Dumbledore joined me shortly in an upper room in the Leaky Cauldron, and we managed to force some Veritaserum in her. She told that she hadn't done anything to harm you yet or anyone else at Hogwarts and she hadn't at yet had a chance to tell anyone her suspicions about me." He ran his hand through his hair. "She wanted to test her theories first...."
"Where's she now?" Georgie whispered, not wanting to really hear this.
"Azkaban for holding. Dumbledore stayed with her and handed her over to the authorities." Georgie nodded and looked over his shoulder and out the window.
"I'm so sorry Severus. It's so rotten, I knew that you liked her and all. That she should turn out to be so, well, as you put it, 'wicked,' is now terrible. I'm so sorry." She grasped his hand quickly and squeezed it.
"I never really cared for her, as you put it." He admitted, to Georgie's shock.
"But I thought, well.... But you spent so much time with her. And you were always saying how perfect she was." Georgie babbled.
"You were always saying how perfect she was too. I figured that I'd try and like her for her own sake, but I couldn't. I knew I should because she was so.... Well, how she was--Perfect for me? She was too perfect. Plus everything she had said was a lie. I kept my guard up every time after you had told me you didn't really know her very well. Good thing too, looking back at tonight..." He mused with a twinkle in his eye.
"I could have got you killed." She couldn't meet his gaze in the dark. "I introduced her without a thought in my head about how bad she could be for you. I'm so sorry, Severus. Really. I'm a horrible friend." She sniffed and felt hot tears betraying her by gliding down her cheeks.
Impulsively she flung herself around his neck once more and cried into his shoulder. Her body racked with loud sobbing and sniffling.
Snape didn't know what to do, so he sat there with his mouth clamped shut like a stone statue. Should he pat her head, or her back? Hug her back? Say something? To hell with it, he gingerly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her delicately back.
When her wailing softened, she pulled away and looked at him with wet eyes, wiping her nose on handkerchief she produced from the air with her hand. "Sorry. Guess I was just a little emotional. Glad you're back and alive and all that..." She rushed on embarrassed, blowing her nose loudly.
Severus grinned widely and swooped over and hugged her once again. She dropped her handkerchief in surprise, as the air was being pressed out of her lungs. "Ah!" She squealed in laughter. Finally batting him off so she could breathe, she grinned at him as she clutched her throat. She rasped, "I could get used to that hug thing maybe..."
He smirked back. "But not in front of anyone else."
"Of course not 'Sugar Lips'." She winked and snorted with laughter, getting to her feet.
"Well, it worked didn't it?" He pointed out.
"I couldn't figure out if you were making fun of me or you were drunk or something....Speaking of which, have a glass of wine." She pointed to the table, and Snape followed orders.
"You sound like Cassy." He huffed.
"I learn from the best. You have fine wine here." She complimented.
"Thank you," he smiled at her.
"Now, have you seen Cassy? Do you have any cuts or burns or injuries?" She sat on the sofa and pulled the knapsack into her lap.
Snape eyed it curiously. "A bag of goodies?" He set down his glass and un-tucked his shirt to show his side to her.
She squinted at it. It was a burn. "Aw, and you let me hug you with this?" Her eyes wide.
"I don't 'let' anyone hug me." He growled.
"Soap and bullshit...shut up and sit down." She directed unceremoniously.
"How'd it happen?" She left the wound briefly to look him in the eyes.
"Firebomb." He volunteered casually.
"Holy crap. That girl's not right."
"Oh, there's one waiting for you in your room at Hogwarts too. Remind me to get to it before you go in--wouldn't want you to accidentally trigger it."
She stopped what she was doing. "Of course I'm going to remind you!" She looked at him like he had five heads.
He only winced slightly as she cleaned out the wound. She blew lightly over it to relieve the stinging. "There now, all better." As she tied off the last bandage.
"You know 'Sugar Lips' was my name." She pouted at him as he tucked in his shirt. "You should go to sleep."
"I was wrong--you're worse than Pomfrey." He scowled.
"Hey, I'm cooler than Pomfrey. Pomfrey doesn't sing the HukiLau...."
Oh we're going, to the hukilau,
Huki huki, huki huki, huki hukilau.
Everybody loves the hukilau,
Where the laulau is the kaukau at the hukilau.
Oh we throw our nets out into the sea,
And all the ama-ama come a-swimming to me.
Oh we're going to the hukilau,
a huki huki huki, hukilau.
Georgie giggled as she danced to the children's song on top of the sofa. It was now Snape's turn to stare at her like she was insane. She really was a bit schizophrenic: she had gone from serious to childish without a clear transition.
She bowed and applauded herself. "See, wasn't so bad."
"Yes. It was." He shook his head disbelieving.
She snorted. "I should hex you," as she sat down.
"I dare you." He said seriously.
"I could and I would. Even if I managed to smash your brains up, I could probably repair them--no harm done. You on the other hand, have reservations about hurting ladies." She folded her arms across her chest.
"I hurt one tonight." He pointed out unemotionally.
"Sorry." Though she didn't 'feel' too sorry.
"You should go to bed."
"Did you get something to eat?" Georgie interrupted.
"Yes. Go to bed."
"No." She stood up definitely.
"I'll hex you." He raised his eyebrows, repeating her threat back at her.
"Whatever. I just said it to nark you." She shrugged her shoulders and walked to the window. The rain was coming down in torrents still.
"Did you apparate here?" She turned to ask him.
He looked up to her and nodded. "Why aren't you in the bigger bedroom, by the way?"
"Too big. Didn't like it." She crossed the floor. "Cassy said I'd like this better. This one is more my size." She grinned and hugged her arms around herself.
"I feel the same for it. Now get to bed." He growled, actually starting to sound like he meant it.
She bowed her head and crossed the floor crawled back into the enormous bed. "Bummer. And I was planning on painting your finger-nails and telling ghost stories..."
"Where are you going to sleep?" She asked shortly and little bit panicky.
"Probably on the couch right here." He patted the seat beside him. He just didn't feel like leaving.
"Why?"
"I feel like it." He sneered.
"Suit yourself, goober." And he lay back and disappeared from her sight.
Georgie tossed about for several minutes. She was actually feeling quite elated. Things were good and happy and she had her best friend back. She wanted to bounce off the walls, not sleep. She pouted in the dark. It is easy to pout when one has big lips.
Silently she slipped off the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. On returning she spied a guitar leaning up against a chest by the bathroom door. Oh my goodness. She wanted to slap herself. This was Severus' room. The old guitar was his. She felt like such an ass. He should have told her--she would have slept in the big bedroom. She rolled her eyes at Cassy.
She padded silently over to the couch Snape was sprawled out on--all gangly limbs. She looked down at him. She was sure he was awake. "Severus?" She whispered fiercely.
His eyes opened and focused on her. I hate how he just naturally sees in the dark, walks silently...she lamented to herself. "Come to bed. You shouldn't sleep here." She knew it wasn't her thing and maybe the situation was making her lose touch with reality. She couldn't make out his expression.
"That wouldn't look right." He whispered lowly at her.
"Come on. I won't touch you --wouldn't with a ten-foot pole--and I won't tell a soul." She pestered. "Girl Scout's Honor." She raised three fingers like an oath. Snape had no idea what she was doing though.
"You weren't ever a Girl Guide."
"True," She laughed. "I wish you'd stop listening to me. But it's not comfortable there, I know. You need sleep--Doctor's orders. You move or I'll leave, I swear it. And I won't mess with you. The bed's freaking enormous and you won't even know I'm there. Come on, humor me. It's your bed and you need sleep, I'd feel better about you knowing you're tucked in close-by." She offered him a hand up. He eventually grasped it and she helped him to his feet.
She returned to her side of the bed and Snape moved silently to his side of the bed. This was odd, Georgie thought to herself. She was trying to do the right thing, but now she didn't particularly want to sleep beside her friend--just too strange. They both crawled in at the same time. Georgie was right: they weren't even close to touching each other, and for that she was very grateful.
Now she just wanted to pass out and wake up and find it to be Halloween. She stared straight up at the darkened canopy. She just couldn't get comfortable, and flopped on one side then the other. She didn't even turn when she heard a voice at her side. "Are you alright?" He sounded slightly annoyed, or maybe she read too much into it.
"Uh-huh." She whispered. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." He paused for a few moments, but she could hear him breathing. She sounded anxious or frightened perhaps? "Of course you must have bunked with someone else before, correct?" He asked. She frowned at this question, but he was just probably making sure she felt comfortable or else being nosy and stupid as usual. "Um, my brother. It was always on foreign tours in foreign hotels when we were much younger."
"Oh." He accepted. "Foreign? Neither have I. Foreign."
Georgie didn't catch his meaning, nor did she care to. "Goodnight Severus." She whispered.
"Goodnight Georgie," He replied. And seconds later her light snoring filled the bed.
Severus wanted to laugh--a great big belly-ache, to get rid of the tension and the anxieties. He wished he could fall into sleep as easily as she could. He envied her.
She accepted things as they came, no questions. He, well, wasn't like that at all. He lay awake that night for hours--going over every little thing. Dissecting it. He specially mulled over his behavior to Orris and everything he'd ever told her. He felt like a dupe. It had nothing to do with Georgie, but it was all about how he continued in something he felt wasn't right. Had his intuition gone so far astray, that he pushed warning signs away because he felt that it was just because she was female he felt odd?! Georgie and Minerva were female and both of them are good witches--he'd never had any problem with them, with distrusting them or anything they said. He should have known.
Another thing was bothering him. Well, it wasn't really bothering him, he argued with himself. It was more like the changing of a guard. No, that wasn't right either. Though letting down a guard was also somewhat wrong. He clenched and unclenched his fists in thought. It had to do with his hugging her. He had no problem really with her hugging him. He expected it and figured it was bound to happen anyway. She was female after all, and they tended to be more touchy. At first he was surprised--well who wouldn't be? But he was even more surprised at his instigating such an action. He wasn't against to it. It was a natural byproduct of friendships and all, but that fact that it started through him....
Severus Snape's parents weren't the kindest or most empathetic of souls. No, he wouldn't lie to himself. They were evil. They'd have rather beat him than hug him. He had a bachelor uncle for years that used to be his one source of happiness and friendly touch. They used to 'horse-around' and hug and pat each other on the back affectionately. But he died early on. And he was left with only his parents as examples. They were cold and cruel and it was no great wonder Severus turned out to be so much like them, even though he had fought against it.
He wouldn't go so far as to say he was glad that they were gone. He was a proud man, and one should never say that of one's family members. But he was glad they weren't here, and that they hadn't been here for twenty years. He'd hardly been here himself for all that time. He looked around, peering out through a part in the drawn curtains on his side of the bed. He wondered how Georgie had figured out it was his room.
Finally settling back down against his pillows, he laughed at the irony of the situation. He then shut his eyes and let the night envelop him as he sunk into a heavy sleep.
He opened his eyes, feeling much better. His side only slightly ached. He lifted himself up onto his elbow to attempt to rouse Georgie. He frowned though when he took in that she wasn't there. "I wonder what time it is?" He questioned the bedposts, as he slipped onto the floor.
He went to the bathroom and cleaned himself up a bit before breakfast--no lunch. He spied his clock on the mantelpiece. It told that it was just afternoon. He wondered that he could sleep so long and so well, but shrugged. Well it had been a personal and emotional day for me--not used to it. Probably need the sleep. Besides, today's a Saturday. No hurry.
He showered and dried off quickly. As he stood before the mirror in his towel with the bathroom door, he kept hearing shrieks and yells and shouts running back and forth in front of his door. It's a miracle I didn't hear that in my sleep, or they'd be dead. Georgie had to be behind this. The house elves weren't that lunatic. He combed his hair and got dressed.
He crossed the bedroom in a long strides and threw open the door and stepped into the wide and long hallway. His eyes weren't prepared for the scene that met them. There was a troop of house elves--all of them armed with water pistols and Georgie in her nightgown at the far end squealing as they all descended on her. But she shook herself free of their sprays and opened up on all of them with her larger water-rifle, giggling maniacally.
Several of the elves went scurrying out of the hallway looking for cover, some down the stairs. They were all laughing and hooting madly. His eyes grew into saucers when Cassy and Georgie appeared to duel against each other. The stood back to back--well, back to leg, and paced off. They both drew their weapons at the same moment, but Georgie dodged the shorter gun's spray and pelted poor Cassy.
Snape stood watching them highly amused. His house had never been so full of sounds, so busy...so chaotic. He sighed, pity to break this up. He marched down to the group.
Several of the house-elves dodged out of their Master's way--they probably knew what was coming. Soon it was only Cassy and Georgie between Snape and the end of the hallway. They both turned around to face him, with very different countenances. Cassy appeared ashamed, even frightened. Georgie appeared cocky and playful. Snape didn't scare her, no matter how much her snarled and growled and bellowed.
"Good Morning, Sugar Lips." She said evenly, grinning the entire time. When she spun around, her gun's barrel sought out his person.
"Good Morning Snore-Monster." He countered.
"Oo, that's a good one. Points for creativity Severus."
He stared at the gun uneasily. "Alright now, don't shoot me."
"Oh come on! I so wouldn't do that!" She denied as she squeezed the trigger and Snape got a mouthful of water and his wet shirt clung to his small frame. She smiled, "Oops. My bad." She stuck her tongue out.
He pushed his wet hair out of his face then started for her and the gun, grinning evilly. "Oh you'll pay for that, Missy!"
"So that's where the house-elves get it from..." She started, but on seeing him close up the distance between them, her muscles failed her for a half-of-a-second and she dropped the gun with a thud on the floor.
"Ay!" She squeaked as she dodged his progress, and backed away.
He picked up the gun, turned it over in his hands, examining it. "Run." He instructed her without looking up.
Georgie turned and ran like the devil was at her heels, which in essence was true. She sprinted down the hallway and heard Snape at her heels. She grabbed a corner for leverage as she spun herself around and down their side of the great staircase, whooping and hollering all the time. She leapt off the bottom few stairs and hopped down towards the kitchens. She caught sight of Severus over her shoulder. He was walking at a normal pace and laughing to himself. She was insulted that he was giving her such a lead. But on second observation, she realized she needed it. The house was labyrinthine. And he of course would know it--inside and out.
Georgie ducked into a door on her right. It turned out to be another library--or perhaps the same one--she wasn't completely sure. There was a spiral staircase leading to the top and a door at the end of that balcony. She clambered up the metal stairs and ran for the door just as Snape entered in below. She pushed open the door and found herself in a part of the house she didn't recognize--but what else was new. She jogged down the hallway.
She heard Severus call her name from back in the library, yeah right, she thought. You wish.
At the end of this hallway there crossed another hallway. Georgie looked both ways. One side was doors, doors and more doors. But the other side looked much more promising. It ended up into a huge open room. She ran towards it. It was perhaps three stories tall and walled on three sides by green glass. On first approaching it she thought it was a conservatory or a sunroom of sorts. But hopping down onto a broad landing, she descended stone stairs that lead down to an enormous indoor swimming pool.
Awesome, she muttered under her breath. It was more like a lake. There was a bridge over it and Georgie crossed this first. It was arched, like the ones in Venice, but it wasn't nearly as tall. The rail came up to her waist--if that. She leaned far over and looked down into the water. How wonderful, she smiled.
When she stood back up a voice hissed in her ear. "Guess who?" And pushed her.
She screamed as she hit the water with a dull thud. He chuckled to himself and then leaned over and watched for her to come back up, yelling and cursing him. He shifted from one foot to the other. He could see her form clearly--colors shifting beneath the movement of the waters. He frowned. She still hadn't risen to the surface. He stared longer, she wasn't moving down there. It was taking too long. His heart beat against his ribcage.
Damn, he cursed to himself, as he threw aside the water gun and dove in after her. He kicked effortlessly to the bottom of the deep pool. She lay in a heap, swaying slightly with the water. He grabbed a hold of her under her arms, and struggled to bring her to the surface. Her head lolled to the side of her neck and he held her head above water as he swam them to the side and hefted her up. He raised himself up afterwards and lay beside her body. "Damnit Georgie." He cursed. He listened for her breathing, but didn't sense it. He tilted her forehead back slightly and bent over her mouth--
"Yick! Don't kiss me!" She screeched as she threw her hands between her face and his, then opened her eyes and grinned.
Severus looked livid. "Don't ever do that to me again, Georgie!" He bellowed.
She just looked up at him innocently. Blinking so often. "I'm sorry. It was a bad joke." She sat up.
"Promise me as long as you live that you'll never pretend to be dead with me." He shook her shoulders. "Promise me!"
"I swear it, Severus." She quivered, very frightened of him.
"Good." He held onto her tightly. Then pulled away and go to his feet. "I'm hungry. Want to eat?" He helped her to her feet. She nodded.
"Let's go then." She looked quite ashen-faced. So Snape grabbed up her hand. "Georgie it's not the end of the world. By the way, Happy Halloween." And with that he yanked her arm behind him and sent her flying back into the pool.
They both sat at a table up against the wall in the kitchen, eating a hearty soup. Cassy insisted it would warm them both up in no time.
"You know? That's two nightgowns in as many days that I've gotten sopping wet. I'm pathetic."
"You said it, I didn't." Severus slurped his soup.
Georgie shot him a dirty look. She was wearing a large black shirt of Severus', but she ashamedly didn't fit into his tall and thin trousers, so Cassy had gone hunting through the family's old clothing and come across a black skirt with a tie waistband that fit her fine. She looked the mirror image to Severus, sitting across from him, wearing once again all black.
"I want my clothes back." She complained to her soup.
Snape looked up blankly. "As soon as it's dry..."
Setting her spoon down and snatching up a slice of bread, she stared at Severus. "I'm going to have to look at your side after lunch. We shouldn't have let it get wet."
"Some things can't be helped." He murmured.
"Really, we might have to disinfect it all over again and that'd suck."
"For me or you?"
"Both of us." She spat shortly.
"Any chance to get my shirt off..." He said seriously, but his eyes flashed and gave him away.
"Oh shut-up. You are so tragic!" She mocked and drank her Diet Coke.
Snape sat bolt upright on his stool. "Hmm. I guess I am." Then bent back over his food.
"Shit. Tonight's that stupid Halloween feast and dance." She shook her head.
"I thought you were trying to stop swearing." Snape prodded without looking up.
"I was." She sighed. "I'm doing an awful job at it though. But you must've been listening quite well once again. It's true enough, but I can't for the life of me remember when I told you that." She admitted in all amazement
"That's because you didn't." He made sure she registered the correct amount of confusion on her face before going on. "Minerva told me."
"That two-timer." Georgie accused jokingly.
"She's told you things about me, so hush yourself up."
"But I don't let those things slip." She emphasized.
"So you don't want to attend the Halloween feast? Why ever not? I of course know my own reasons for not wishing to go, but I'm curious to hear yours." Severus pushed his bowl aside.
"Oh, it's not the feast. Food is my friend. It's the dance. Oh why couldn't I be placed as a first year." She groaned.
Severus smirked, "Can't dance?"
"Nope, I can dance. Cha-cha, Swing, Foxtrot, Merengue, heaps of dances like those. It's just the free-form modern, discotheque dancing. Not too good with that, I'll probably try and find a way to sneak out early or something..."
Snape just smiled at that and guaranteed that they'd make it back in time for the dance.
Later they were both seated on the couch in Severus' room and Georgie was going through her knapsack for clean bandages. On finding them, she reached over and lifted the side of his shirt up.
"You are rather stiff." Severus noted.
"Yes. I'm sorry." She stuck a bottle between her teeth as she unwrapped the old bandages with both hands.
"Why?" He sounded like a small child. And she told him she thought that of him before responding: "Never you mind. It's not important."
She concentrated on the wound, frowning at it. It was mostly healed, but still it looked bad. She didn't want to do it or even say it but still: "It needs to be disinfected again." Looking up at him, she grimaced. "Sorry."
She looked sad. He just looked at her and nodded vacantly. He waved his hand at her unaffectedly.
She did it quickly and she winced when he winced, but she blew lightly on it for a minute afterward--like she would have had he been a child, then wrapped him up tight.
He stood and strutted around the room, stretching his arms out and rolling his shoulders. "It's good." He called to her.
"Good. Stop hurting yourself then." She packed her things back into the knapsack. "I'd much rather be blasting you than fixing you. No offense. " She grinned and looked up at him sheepishly.
"None taken." He scowled nonetheless. "Are you ready to go back?"
"Yup. Ready Freddy." She stood.
She looked down at her clothes and shrugged. He followed her eyes and stopped pacing. "I can check one more time with Cassy for your Nightgown, but may I actually suggest that you borrow those? You can wear your cloak over them. It might look a bit silly if you flew in your nightclothes."
"Point taken. You're flying?"
"Yes."
"Oh joy, do I get blindfolded?" She begged bitterly.
"Only if you want." He headed out the door.
"Oh, definitely." She snarled.
Later with a promise from Snape to return her nightgown as soon as he could, he and Georgie stood before the house with broomsticks in hand.
"What's the name of this island?" Georgie motioned with a sweep of her hand.
"Can't tell you." He said from behind her.
"Why not?" She demanded.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He said dryly. "I heard you say that once. I liked it."
"Gawd. No. I was joking Severus!" She whined as she saw his present actions and her hands went up to defend her face, but were slapped away by Snape's own hands. He had tied the blindfold on. "You're joking?"
"No. Cassy said you'd gotten slightly lost on the way and that is good. It's still for your own safety that we do this."
"And still for your own amusement." Georgie chided.
"You realize the importance after last night. The less you know for certain the better." He said in a tone that didn't allow for discussion.
"I hate you." She snarled.
"Excellent." He handed over her broom and they were off.
A/N: hello darlings, the song methinks is traditional, my younger sister sang it when she was eight. Think it's an island song. All I know is it isn't The Smiths. Wish it were....
I like making things up, houses, dances, elves, emotions....I should try and be a pathological liar--looks like great fun. Sooo squiffy......