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As always, many thanks to my regular reviewers, and welcome to the new ones. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story.

Lady of the Dog Star & Mercury Gray… I'm delighted you like Oliver's role in this story. There's more to come from him!

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Chapter 12: Raspberry Butter Wine

Professor Snape walked over to one of the side tables where another several plates of delectable desserts had appeared. He suddenly realized that even Lucius' sarcasm couldn't ruin his mood. He turned back to watch some of the ball as it continued. Normally, the giggling interaction of the students at a dance grated on his nerves and he would retreat as quickly as he could. Tonight was different.

He glanced across the room and saw Serena looking at him. She smiled and raised the glass in her hand. Another small smile tweaked the corners of his mouth. He had been angry when he'd discovered that Serena had been placed in the Dark Arts professorship. No, angry wasn't the word, he'd been furious. But then, he'd met Serena, and watched her teach. She'd earned his grudging respect not only for her own talents, but for her keen interest in other subjects, including potions. He'd discovered they had quite a bit to discuss during their walks between classes, and that intellectual compatibility had really turned his head.

Nor could Severus deny the physical attraction. Serena was about the most beautiful woman Snape ever remembered seeing in his lifetime. At first, he'd ignored it, telling himself that he was far too old for her – she was, after all, probably ten years his junior, if not more. But no matter how hard he tried, he constantly found her cropping up in his thoughts… and in his dreams.

It had taken him half the semester to gather the courage to ask her to dance tonight. And she'd said yes. He smiled again and took a glass of wine offered by a tray floating in mid-air. Across the room, Serena was sipping her own glass of wine and smiling to herself.

"I still can't believe it, can you??" Ron's voice was incredulous. "Professor Snape dancing? The world's coming to an end."

"I told you before, I think Professor Snape likes her," Hermione observed, reminding them that she'd remarked on this weeks ago.

"Professor Snape doesn't like anything," said Harry sourly. Snape had, as usual, given him a hard time that day before the banquet.

The rest of the ball was frothy and good fun for everyone there. As the evening wore on, more and more people left. Some left to retire to bed, others took nostalgic walks on the grounds, remembering their time at the school. Serena looked for Severus, hoping to dance with him, but the potions professor seemed to have disappeared. Eventually, even Hagrid bid everyone good night.

Soon after, Serena decided it was time to leave as well. She looked around one final time but Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen. She did, however, see Malificus from across the room. He watched her, his expression carefully neutral, and she felt the goose bumps on her arms as his eyes traveled over her. She quickly engaged herself in conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until she was sure Malificus had left the room. There had been something in Malificus' eyes that had given her an uneasy feeling deep down in her gut.

Finally, she bid the Weasleys good night and left he ballroom to head back to her cottage. As the doors closed behind her, she heard steps in the hall. For a moment she tensed. Having had Malificus Malfoy around made her uneasy, but the voice she heard wasn't Malfoy's.

"May I escort you back to your room?"

She turned and smiled at Severus. "You may." Sliding her arm through his, they walked onto the grounds.

"Did you enjoy tonight's celebration?" he asked as they walked.

"Very much," answered Serena, "although I was hoping to have another dance with you. I'd no idea you were so skilled on the dance floor." Severus glanced down at Serena out of the corner of his eye and found her looking up at him with a distinct look of mischievousness.

"Well, there haven't been many worthwhile dance partners at Hogwart's as of late."

"I see."

They walked on and Serena found she was quite enjoying the contact, the closeness she had with Severus. Between classes they always kept a careful distance between them. Certainly, part of it was because during the day they were teachers and there was a certain professional distance that needed to be maintained, but she had to wonder if some part of it was this attraction that they'd both tried – in vain – to ignore. By then, they had reached the smooth stone steps that led up to Serena's home on the grounds. Severus lived in a special area reserved for the Heads of each House. They were much closer to the dorms in case anyone was needed but also afforded them some amount of privacy.

"Would like to come in?" asked Serena.

He almost said no, but emboldened by their turn on the dance floor, he agreed.

"Please," said Serena, "sit down."

Severus sat down on a comfortable sofa with several throw pillows on it. He glanced quickly around. The downstairs of Serena's house was larger than he'd expected and very open. In the living room where he sat, one wall was a floor to ceiling bookshelf. There were two other chairs, in addition to the sofa, and a low table, all facing the fireplace. And next to the fireplace, one of those Muggle devices called a television.

"A television?" he asked. Snape had little use for anything Muggle.

"Now before you dismiss it," she said, "you should watch it from time to time. We do have to share this world with them. It makes sense to try to understand how they think. You can learn a lot about them based on what they watch, you know."

Severus doubted that but wasn't in the mood to debate with her. He looked over his shoulder to see where Serena had gone and saw that three steps led from the living room up to a kitchen and she was looking over an extended counter at him with a glass in her hand.

"Would you care for some raspberry butter wine?" she asked.

"I would, yes," he answered.

There was a laugh in her voice. "I brewed it myself. I promise it isn't some potion to bewitch you…"

To late for that, Severus thought.

She brought two glasses back in and sat on the sofa next to him. Then she raised her glass. "To a most enjoyable evening," she said.

He raised his own glass and tapped hers, adding, "And to a magnificently played Quidditch tourney." Serena laughed and they both took a long sip of the raspberry butter wine. The tartness of the raspberries was mellowed and smoothed by the hint of rich butter.

"I wasn't sure you'd speak to me after the game," she said.

"Malfoy the Younger was out of line," said Snape. "I think Slytherin was the better team but his behavior was unacceptable… and I certainly have no objection to pushing the rules to the very limit.. He earned what he got." They talked for another hour and each had another glass of Serena's wine. Snape put his glass on the table.

"The wine is magnificent," he said as he stood up, "but I'm afraid I must go."

"I'm glad you liked it. The next batch I make, I'll be sure to save a bottle for you."

"I'd like that."

There was a silence that felt eternal, but in reality was only about ten seconds long. Finally, Snape said, "I do need to look in on my House. Even with many of the parents here, the students in Slytherin have probably run completely amok at this point."

Serena smiled and walked with him across the floor to the door. He reached out for the handle and then paused. "Did I tell you that you look… enchanting… tonight?"

"Thank you," she said with a blush. "You're kind to say so."

In the small space next to the door, crowded by a coat tree and a bench, they stood as close together as they had when they were dancing. Severus looked down wanting to invite Serena to dinner, to walk at the lake, something, but found his voice wouldn't work. Instead, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling Serena closer. She put her hands on his arms. They stood there for a long minute, reading each other's faces, trying to guess what the other was thinking.

I cannot hide forever, he thought to himself. Severus slowly bent his head, and then hesitated, fearful as old memories of rejection reared up inside him again. I can't… She couldn't possibly want to… I presume too much here…

Sensing his hesitation, and not wanting to lose the moment, Serena put her hands on his cheeks and pulled him down towards her. The kiss was tentative for a moment only, and then changed tenor, instantly growing passionate and deep. Severus put both of his hands around Serena, holding her tightly, running one hand from the curve of her lower back, up until he felt the nape of her neck beneath his palm. Serena, for her part, had both arms around his neck and one hand tangled in his hair. At the same time, they both pulled back but just barely. Breathing hard, they pressed their foreheads together.

"Oh my," was all Serena could manage. This passionate side of Severus Snape, so well concealed behind his aloof demeanor at school, had swept over her, enveloped her. He pulled her back in and kissed her again, feeling her lips part. It was nearly overwhelming and he pulled back a second time. His chest was heaving and he felt hot, dizzy, wanting nothing more than to be with her, feel the touch of her skin against his.

"I… I have to go…" The reluctance in his voice was evident.

"I know… I…" Every nerve in Serena's body was humming.

"Perhaps we could have dinner…" His voice was little more than a husky whisper as he spoke into her ear.

"Yes," she answered in the same voice. "And soon."

After she shut the door, Serena leaned against it and tried to slow her breathing. She'd been aware of the attraction she felt for Severus for quite some time, but hadn't been sure he felt the same way. Their dance, however, had confirmed that he did. What she'd been unprepared for was this kiss and the visceral reaction they'd both had. There was no hiding that attraction had blossomed into desire.

She walked into her bedroom, took her hair down, and took her evening dress off. All the while, she played the kiss over and over again in her head. As she climbed into bed and pulled the sheet up over her, she wondered about tomorrow. Would the morning sunlight prove that t his was all a fleeting dream?

In his own bed, Severus tossed and turned, unable to stop thinking about Serena. In the days leading up to the formal ball, he had decided – after much debate with himself – that he would take a risk and ask Serena to dance. That the evening would have ended with Serena in his arms, kissing him, had never crossed his mind. He couldn't remember ever feeling like that before. But as he tried to fall asleep, the dark of night allowed doubts to seep in through the walls and gather close around him.

This must have been a mistake, he thought to himself. It was the wine and the excitement of the night. She'll turn me away tomorrow, just like everyone else.

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Hope you liked this one! For everyone who has been waiting for the Serena/Snape relationship to kick it up a notch, here's the start. Please review and let me know what you think!