Disclaimer/Author Note/Rating: Please see Chapter 1 for full disclaimers, legal info, etc.
Go raibh maith agaibh:
As always, many thanks to my regular reviewers, and welcome to the new ones. Mercury Gray, Elaine/Evenstar, Lady of the Dog Star, Wyall Jared, Leonora/Trina Jacobs, Sakura-Damio… you are all wonderful! I look forward to seeing your reviews each and every time.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 13: Fear, Doubt and Shadows
The morning was busy with old friends and classmates all saying good-bye to each other, taking a final look at Hogwart's before returning home. Others were saying good-bye to their children, who were staying to continue their classes for the remainder of the semester. Several stopped to talk to Serena, many of them to secretly tell her how much they enjoyed watching her play Quidditch, especially when she put Malificus on the ground. Finally, she had some time to herself and found Severus.
"Good afternoon," she said with a smile.
He turned and looked at her, his expression neutral, and the smile faded from her face.
"Professor," he said coolly. Too coolly and Serena felt her back stiffen.
"I wanted to talk to you. About last night…"
"I don't think there's anything to discuss," he said. "I'm sure it was a result of the wine. Perhaps it is best if we put it behind us. Good day." He turned and started to walk down the hall. For a moment, Serena stood there, dumbstruck, and then the color came up in her face and she started down the hall after him. She was about to call out his name to stop him but then she saw some of the other professors talking in the hall. Professor Trelawney and Madam Sprout looked up briefly as Snape passed and nodded a greeting.
"Excuse me, Professor Snape?" Serena tried to keep her voice light. "Do you have a moment? I have a question I'd like to ask you."
He considered continuing to walk but thought Trelawney and Sprout would wonder why he'd ignored Serena. They did, after all, frequently walk with each other between classes, discussing any number of things.
Serena caught up with him. "Please," she said, "it will take but a moment. We can talk on the way…"
"Very well."
She was baffled by the cool rebuff. When they turned the corner, Serena saw an empty room. "Would you step in here, Professor? I'd prefer some privacy for this discussion."
Snape walked in, turned on his heels, and folded his arms.
"Have I offended you?" asked Serena. "If I have, I do apologize."
He was silent.
Serena forced her fists to unclench and put her hands on her hips. "We seemed to have such a wonderful time last night dancing… and our Quidditch debate over the raspberry butter wine…" She laughed and shook her head. "And that kiss? Surely, it wasn't just my heart that was beating so fast?"
"That was unexpected." His voice was defensive. "And I'm just saving you the trouble of telling me it was a mistake." Snape looked at the ground.
"Saving me the trouble? Mistake?" Suddenly, she understood what was going on. She reached out and took his hand. "Severus, I don't think what happened last night was a mistake. And if it was? Then it is a mistake I'd very much like to repeat with you."
For a brief moment the mask dropped away from Severus' face, and Serena saw the amazement mixed with suspicion that was exposed. Then he hid the emotions away, but he didn't let go of Serena's hand.
"Look," she said, "I know this isn't easy for you. I don't know who hurt you before. Maybe it was one woman, maybe it was several. I can't make you any promises about us… Bloody hell, we haven't even had a date, yet. Maybe you'll end up breaking my heart. Maybe I'll break yours." She paused. "But maybe, just maybe, we'll find more than that. I'm willing to take that chance. Are you?"
He let go of her hand and walked to the door. Serena exhaled and her shoulders drooped; there was nothing else she could say. At the door, Severus turned back.
"Would you care to have dinner at the end of the week?" he asked. Serena's head snapped up and she saw the quirked smile at the corners of his mouth.
Lucius and Malificus were walking briskly towards Slytherin House where Narcissa was saying goodbye to her son. Across the lawn, Malificus noticed Serena and Severus walking side by side. He was too far away to hear them, but Serena was laughing and she made a gesture with her hand that made him think she was discussing a Quidditch game.
"Malificus, forget about her." Lucius grabbed his brother by the elbow and forced Malificus to look at him.
"So, did you put Snape up to this?"
"I haven't instructed him to do anything," said Lucius. "I think he is actually smitten with the little strumpet. You had your opportunity with Serena and you wrecked it with that Castelbann fiasco. I won't have you ruin our chances to find the Rorret Medallion because your attention is focused on her!"
Lucius stalked away and Malificus leveled a hateful glare at his brother's back. "We'll see who ruins everything, dear brother. I'll make up for Castelbann and I'll find your precious medallion. And then we'll see who the pre-eminent Malfoy is."
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
A bit of a short transition chapter. We'll be back to Serena and Severus in the next one! Please read and review!
Go raibh maith agaibh:
As always, many thanks to my regular reviewers, and welcome to the new ones. Mercury Gray, Elaine/Evenstar, Lady of the Dog Star, Wyall Jared, Leonora/Trina Jacobs, Sakura-Damio… you are all wonderful! I look forward to seeing your reviews each and every time.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 13: Fear, Doubt and Shadows
The morning was busy with old friends and classmates all saying good-bye to each other, taking a final look at Hogwart's before returning home. Others were saying good-bye to their children, who were staying to continue their classes for the remainder of the semester. Several stopped to talk to Serena, many of them to secretly tell her how much they enjoyed watching her play Quidditch, especially when she put Malificus on the ground. Finally, she had some time to herself and found Severus.
"Good afternoon," she said with a smile.
He turned and looked at her, his expression neutral, and the smile faded from her face.
"Professor," he said coolly. Too coolly and Serena felt her back stiffen.
"I wanted to talk to you. About last night…"
"I don't think there's anything to discuss," he said. "I'm sure it was a result of the wine. Perhaps it is best if we put it behind us. Good day." He turned and started to walk down the hall. For a moment, Serena stood there, dumbstruck, and then the color came up in her face and she started down the hall after him. She was about to call out his name to stop him but then she saw some of the other professors talking in the hall. Professor Trelawney and Madam Sprout looked up briefly as Snape passed and nodded a greeting.
"Excuse me, Professor Snape?" Serena tried to keep her voice light. "Do you have a moment? I have a question I'd like to ask you."
He considered continuing to walk but thought Trelawney and Sprout would wonder why he'd ignored Serena. They did, after all, frequently walk with each other between classes, discussing any number of things.
Serena caught up with him. "Please," she said, "it will take but a moment. We can talk on the way…"
"Very well."
She was baffled by the cool rebuff. When they turned the corner, Serena saw an empty room. "Would you step in here, Professor? I'd prefer some privacy for this discussion."
Snape walked in, turned on his heels, and folded his arms.
"Have I offended you?" asked Serena. "If I have, I do apologize."
He was silent.
Serena forced her fists to unclench and put her hands on her hips. "We seemed to have such a wonderful time last night dancing… and our Quidditch debate over the raspberry butter wine…" She laughed and shook her head. "And that kiss? Surely, it wasn't just my heart that was beating so fast?"
"That was unexpected." His voice was defensive. "And I'm just saving you the trouble of telling me it was a mistake." Snape looked at the ground.
"Saving me the trouble? Mistake?" Suddenly, she understood what was going on. She reached out and took his hand. "Severus, I don't think what happened last night was a mistake. And if it was? Then it is a mistake I'd very much like to repeat with you."
For a brief moment the mask dropped away from Severus' face, and Serena saw the amazement mixed with suspicion that was exposed. Then he hid the emotions away, but he didn't let go of Serena's hand.
"Look," she said, "I know this isn't easy for you. I don't know who hurt you before. Maybe it was one woman, maybe it was several. I can't make you any promises about us… Bloody hell, we haven't even had a date, yet. Maybe you'll end up breaking my heart. Maybe I'll break yours." She paused. "But maybe, just maybe, we'll find more than that. I'm willing to take that chance. Are you?"
He let go of her hand and walked to the door. Serena exhaled and her shoulders drooped; there was nothing else she could say. At the door, Severus turned back.
"Would you care to have dinner at the end of the week?" he asked. Serena's head snapped up and she saw the quirked smile at the corners of his mouth.
Lucius and Malificus were walking briskly towards Slytherin House where Narcissa was saying goodbye to her son. Across the lawn, Malificus noticed Serena and Severus walking side by side. He was too far away to hear them, but Serena was laughing and she made a gesture with her hand that made him think she was discussing a Quidditch game.
"Malificus, forget about her." Lucius grabbed his brother by the elbow and forced Malificus to look at him.
"So, did you put Snape up to this?"
"I haven't instructed him to do anything," said Lucius. "I think he is actually smitten with the little strumpet. You had your opportunity with Serena and you wrecked it with that Castelbann fiasco. I won't have you ruin our chances to find the Rorret Medallion because your attention is focused on her!"
Lucius stalked away and Malificus leveled a hateful glare at his brother's back. "We'll see who ruins everything, dear brother. I'll make up for Castelbann and I'll find your precious medallion. And then we'll see who the pre-eminent Malfoy is."
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
A bit of a short transition chapter. We'll be back to Serena and Severus in the next one! Please read and review!