Disclaimer/Author Note/Rating: Please see Chapter 1 for full disclaimers, legal info, etc.
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Wyall Jared, Mercury Gray, Evenstar Elanor/Elaine, Trina/Leonora, and Sakura-Damio… thanks for coming back for each successive chapter. It means a lot to know you're all so interested in my story. Rushumble… welcome! I hope you continue to check in on Serena and the rest of my (and Rowling's) cast of characters!
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 14: Dreams and Desire
Serena expected the week after the Alumni festival to drag after all of the excitement but she was wrong. Classes kept her busy and she had several after-class appointments, including some extra help sessions for Neville Longbottom. Late on Thursday night, she finally dragged herself into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She tossed a few times, trying to block the howl of the wind outside her windows.
The hallway was long, and looked familiar somehow. Serena was looking through glass, and she could hear someone crying, finally she found an opening and managed to squeeze through it. A girl sat in the room, a blond girl. Her shirt was askew and wrinkled. As if she'd heard something, the girl looked up and Serena froze, recognizing the face.
Maggie Mulvaney.
Poor Maggie had been crying and she clutched her Hufflepuff House scarf. She looked through Serena as if she wasn't even there. Then the laugh came. His laugh. Cold, utterly calculating. A fell breeze that slipped in and chilled the marrow of the bones. Malificus Malfoy, looking like he was 16 again, materialized out of nothing and knelt down in front of Maggie.
"Go on home like a good girl, Maggie. I'm finished with you."
Maggie fled from the room, sobbing, and then, Malificus turned towards Serena. As he did, he morphed and aged until he looked the way he did when Serena had just seen him.
Reaching out towards her, he laughed. "You're next, my sweet…"
Serena began her Friday with a scream, bolting out of bed, covered in sweat.
On Friday afternoon, the Fifth Year's Dark Arts class was the last before Serena was done for the weekend. She was already looking past the end of class to that evening. She and Severus were officially going out to dinner together for the first time. During the week she had pointedly ignored the whispers and the stares of the students. They'd all seen her dance with Professor Snape, and if they hadn't actually seen it, they certainly heard about it from their classmates.
The evening started with a quiet dinner at Madame Rosmerta's in Hogsmeade. They sat and talked about the day, some of the students, and the upcoming finals. Rosmerta caught Serena's eye once and she could see the question in the tavern mistress' eyes, but Serena's only reply was a firm stare that clearly excused Rosmerta.
After dinner, Severus again walked Serena back to her cottage, and she invited him in again.
"This is looking a little familiar," smiled Serena as she held the door, letting Severus walk in. She was dressed in her everyday clothes and he noticed her professor robe which was hanging on the coat rack.
"Raspberry butter wine?"
"Yes," he said and Serena could have sworn he blushed for a moment. She brought the glasses and a plate of cheese and crackers. They sat on the sofa and the conversation turned to all subject magical.
"For talismans and amulets, I prefer crystals," said Serena. "Herbs work fine for me, but I get especially good results from minerals and crystals."
"I find only an affinity with certain stones. With those, I have a tremendous amount of luck, but otherwise, the results are paltry at best." As he turned his head, some hair fell across Severus' eyes. Serena reached out and pushed them away from his face. Without a word, he put his hand against her face and leaned in to kiss Serena. She moved closer on the sofa and reached out for him. This kiss was a little more restrained than the one from their previous encounter.
He looked down at her, feeling the desire rising between them, and again wondered what she must be thinking, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she shifted on the sofa. For a moment he paused, unsure what to think, and then Serena put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. Her lips parted as they kissed, drawing him deeper into the embrace. Severus ran his hands up her waist and back, letting them come to rest on her shoulders and pulling her even closer to him.
Turning his head away, Severus broke the kiss, listening to the rhythm of Serena's breath. He kissed her neck, pushing back her hair from her shoulder. He breathed deeply; her hair smelled of almonds and sandalwood. He wanted nothing more than to be with her and his next kiss hid none of the passion.
With a smile, she ran her hands down the sides of his face. "You have no idea how attractive you are, do you?" He looked puzzled and she knew it was something not many people had ever told him. She'd heard the students comment on his pale skin and his supposedly greasy hair. They knew merely Severus Snape, potions professor; they had no idea what Severus Snape, the man, was all about. Even she didn't, she'd only seen the surface.
He rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand, letting his eyes travel over her face and her hair. "Serena," his voice was husky. "You're so beautiful." The way she was sitting made her shirt billow slightly at the buttons and he could see a whispered trace of white lace. And then suddenly, fear and insecurity washed over him. How could someone as beautiful, as desirable as Serena want him?
"I… Maybe I…"
Serena kissed him deeply, preventing him from finishing his sentence. "Severus," she said. "Come upstairs with me."
With a squeeze of his hand, Serena started to walk away. Severus followed. They walked through the kitchen in silence. Serena looked back over her shoulder and smiled again at Severus. Just off of the kitchen there was another set of stairs. The bedroom was dark and Serena let go of Severus' hand for a moment and opened a box on her dresser. She drew out a slender birch wand. With a flick of her hand, she murmured "luminousae" and several candles flickered to life bringing a soft yellow hue to the dark room.
The sheet was pulled up neatly to the pillows and a soft comforter was folded down to cover just the foot of the bed. The sheets felt cool and smooth as Serena took a moment to just look at Severus. He was lean and his build was more lean than skinny; it reminded her of someone who swam. He slid his arms around her waist and she laughed unexpectedly as he touched her hip lightly, finding one of her few ticklish spots.
"Cheeky creature," she teased. Then he wrapped his arms around Serena, pulling her close and kissing her furiously, desperately, as if the moment would end and never come again, and they abandoned themselves to the wishes and desires of their hearts.
Later, as they were lying together, side by side on the bed, wrapped in the disheveled sheets, Serena rolled up on an elbow and smiled. The room felt chilly. Then she pulled one of the big pillows down and tucked it under their heads.
"Serena…"
"Time for talk later," she smiled. She curled closer too him. Settling her head just above his shoulder, she shut her eyes. Severus pulled the sheet a little higher and watched her for a few minutes before sleep crept in and persuaded him to close his own eyes.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Well, there it is. I hope you liked it… Please read/review. And for those regular reviewers, please remember my offer for taking a look at the "alternative" version of this chapter… Mercury Gray, the above message was supposed to go to you too, and I got an odd error message from your account... Email me if you want info on the alternative!
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Wyall Jared, Mercury Gray, Evenstar Elanor/Elaine, Trina/Leonora, and Sakura-Damio… thanks for coming back for each successive chapter. It means a lot to know you're all so interested in my story. Rushumble… welcome! I hope you continue to check in on Serena and the rest of my (and Rowling's) cast of characters!
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 14: Dreams and Desire
Serena expected the week after the Alumni festival to drag after all of the excitement but she was wrong. Classes kept her busy and she had several after-class appointments, including some extra help sessions for Neville Longbottom. Late on Thursday night, she finally dragged herself into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She tossed a few times, trying to block the howl of the wind outside her windows.
The hallway was long, and looked familiar somehow. Serena was looking through glass, and she could hear someone crying, finally she found an opening and managed to squeeze through it. A girl sat in the room, a blond girl. Her shirt was askew and wrinkled. As if she'd heard something, the girl looked up and Serena froze, recognizing the face.
Maggie Mulvaney.
Poor Maggie had been crying and she clutched her Hufflepuff House scarf. She looked through Serena as if she wasn't even there. Then the laugh came. His laugh. Cold, utterly calculating. A fell breeze that slipped in and chilled the marrow of the bones. Malificus Malfoy, looking like he was 16 again, materialized out of nothing and knelt down in front of Maggie.
"Go on home like a good girl, Maggie. I'm finished with you."
Maggie fled from the room, sobbing, and then, Malificus turned towards Serena. As he did, he morphed and aged until he looked the way he did when Serena had just seen him.
Reaching out towards her, he laughed. "You're next, my sweet…"
Serena began her Friday with a scream, bolting out of bed, covered in sweat.
On Friday afternoon, the Fifth Year's Dark Arts class was the last before Serena was done for the weekend. She was already looking past the end of class to that evening. She and Severus were officially going out to dinner together for the first time. During the week she had pointedly ignored the whispers and the stares of the students. They'd all seen her dance with Professor Snape, and if they hadn't actually seen it, they certainly heard about it from their classmates.
The evening started with a quiet dinner at Madame Rosmerta's in Hogsmeade. They sat and talked about the day, some of the students, and the upcoming finals. Rosmerta caught Serena's eye once and she could see the question in the tavern mistress' eyes, but Serena's only reply was a firm stare that clearly excused Rosmerta.
After dinner, Severus again walked Serena back to her cottage, and she invited him in again.
"This is looking a little familiar," smiled Serena as she held the door, letting Severus walk in. She was dressed in her everyday clothes and he noticed her professor robe which was hanging on the coat rack.
"Raspberry butter wine?"
"Yes," he said and Serena could have sworn he blushed for a moment. She brought the glasses and a plate of cheese and crackers. They sat on the sofa and the conversation turned to all subject magical.
"For talismans and amulets, I prefer crystals," said Serena. "Herbs work fine for me, but I get especially good results from minerals and crystals."
"I find only an affinity with certain stones. With those, I have a tremendous amount of luck, but otherwise, the results are paltry at best." As he turned his head, some hair fell across Severus' eyes. Serena reached out and pushed them away from his face. Without a word, he put his hand against her face and leaned in to kiss Serena. She moved closer on the sofa and reached out for him. This kiss was a little more restrained than the one from their previous encounter.
He looked down at her, feeling the desire rising between them, and again wondered what she must be thinking, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she shifted on the sofa. For a moment he paused, unsure what to think, and then Serena put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. Her lips parted as they kissed, drawing him deeper into the embrace. Severus ran his hands up her waist and back, letting them come to rest on her shoulders and pulling her even closer to him.
Turning his head away, Severus broke the kiss, listening to the rhythm of Serena's breath. He kissed her neck, pushing back her hair from her shoulder. He breathed deeply; her hair smelled of almonds and sandalwood. He wanted nothing more than to be with her and his next kiss hid none of the passion.
With a smile, she ran her hands down the sides of his face. "You have no idea how attractive you are, do you?" He looked puzzled and she knew it was something not many people had ever told him. She'd heard the students comment on his pale skin and his supposedly greasy hair. They knew merely Severus Snape, potions professor; they had no idea what Severus Snape, the man, was all about. Even she didn't, she'd only seen the surface.
He rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand, letting his eyes travel over her face and her hair. "Serena," his voice was husky. "You're so beautiful." The way she was sitting made her shirt billow slightly at the buttons and he could see a whispered trace of white lace. And then suddenly, fear and insecurity washed over him. How could someone as beautiful, as desirable as Serena want him?
"I… Maybe I…"
Serena kissed him deeply, preventing him from finishing his sentence. "Severus," she said. "Come upstairs with me."
With a squeeze of his hand, Serena started to walk away. Severus followed. They walked through the kitchen in silence. Serena looked back over her shoulder and smiled again at Severus. Just off of the kitchen there was another set of stairs. The bedroom was dark and Serena let go of Severus' hand for a moment and opened a box on her dresser. She drew out a slender birch wand. With a flick of her hand, she murmured "luminousae" and several candles flickered to life bringing a soft yellow hue to the dark room.
The sheet was pulled up neatly to the pillows and a soft comforter was folded down to cover just the foot of the bed. The sheets felt cool and smooth as Serena took a moment to just look at Severus. He was lean and his build was more lean than skinny; it reminded her of someone who swam. He slid his arms around her waist and she laughed unexpectedly as he touched her hip lightly, finding one of her few ticklish spots.
"Cheeky creature," she teased. Then he wrapped his arms around Serena, pulling her close and kissing her furiously, desperately, as if the moment would end and never come again, and they abandoned themselves to the wishes and desires of their hearts.
Later, as they were lying together, side by side on the bed, wrapped in the disheveled sheets, Serena rolled up on an elbow and smiled. The room felt chilly. Then she pulled one of the big pillows down and tucked it under their heads.
"Serena…"
"Time for talk later," she smiled. She curled closer too him. Settling her head just above his shoulder, she shut her eyes. Severus pulled the sheet a little higher and watched her for a few minutes before sleep crept in and persuaded him to close his own eyes.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Well, there it is. I hope you liked it… Please read/review. And for those regular reviewers, please remember my offer for taking a look at the "alternative" version of this chapter… Mercury Gray, the above message was supposed to go to you too, and I got an odd error message from your account... Email me if you want info on the alternative!