I've decided to break this story into parts, So I'm afraid this part of the story will only go up to Chapter 10, then I'll take a very short break to get my thoughts together about what should be included in that part and come back with the second installment. =/ I just thought I'd tell everyone in advance. Thanks for the reviews =P

-Heart- Casey

Chapter Eight

Shopping with Severus made me recall just how difficult a man could be and how horrible they were at picking what was good for themselves.

When we walked in, he grabbed a cart, and began straight for the frozen food section. What a man.

"What exactly are we getting today, dear?" I asked as he leaned on the handlebar of the cart and browsed through the glass cases.

"Anything microwaveable." He responded, opening one of the doors and piling frozen pizzas into the cart.

I raised my eyebrows. "You're going to get fat." I stated, beginning to put them back.

"Oh Hermione.." He moaned, exhasperated. "I've gone this far with eating frozen food with no woman telling me otherwise.." He took a pizza from my hands and put it back into the cart.

"Well now you do, Mister." I said, nudging him in the ribs with my elbow. "We can compromise."

"Will it be a compromise I can agree with?" He asked, looking sadly at the two pizzas in the bottom of his cart.

"Half of the shopping can be..your choice." I almost cringed upon saying that. "Your artery blocking choices..."

"Alright, alright, I get the point.." He stuffed the pizzas back into the freezer. "Lead me to what will not block my arteries, oh all knowing one.." He grumbled, leaning onto the handlebars as he pushed.

Feeling bad, I shoved two pizzas back into his cart, earning a smile. I guess every man needed thier frozen food. It probably made them feel special or something, being able to heat up food all by themselves.

I helped him with the rest of his shopping, loading up on vegetables and fruits. I lost in the argument on junk food. I figured chips and popcorn would prove handy when I visited during nights anyway, maybe for stay at home movie dates.

We left with an over abundance of bags that the two of us could barely manage, and walked all the way back to his flat. It seemed like we were walking forever, more so carrying all that weight.

I ran in through the front door once he unlocked it and dropped all of the bags I carried onto the island in the center of his kitchen. I slumped tiredly into one of the chairs at his table and whimpered pathetically. "Why didn't you drive?"

"Well..." He set the bags next to mine, with ease and pulled a kitchen chair beside mine. "A little walking never killed anyone.." He twisted a bit of my hair around his index finger. "You're just out of shape."

"I am not." I said, punching his shoulder playfully. "I just haven't walked long distances in a while."

"Long distances.." He snorted, tugging my hair and letting it go, getting to his feet. "Oh..I want you to meet someone...Jake?" He called.

I saw a big yellow mass bound down the stairs and head in my immediate direction. I nearly squealed until I recognized the yellow mass to be a big friendly dog. He sat before me, licking my hand and I could only giggle. "You seem like a cat person." I told Severus.

He made a noise and began to put the groceries away. "You seem like you have terrible judgement."

"Especially when it comes to men..." I teased, scratching Jake behind his ears. "Just look at me now."

We both met eachothers eyes and smiled, one of those secret smiles that couples shared from time to time. It was lovely to be able to share one with him at this time of year when we were bent on the notion we wouldn't see one another until the next school year. What a terrible notion...

"How would you like to spend the evening?" He asked, continuing to stuff things messily into the cabinets and refridgerator.

"My curfew isn't until midnight...I suppose we could spend it in several different ways." I offered, walking over with Jake trailing behind me to help put away the remainder of the food. "We could go rent videos or something.."

"If that is what you would like to do." He replied.

"Maybe watch half of one, end up making out, going upstairs.." I trailed off.

He looked at me from putting a gallon of milk in the fridge. "That sounds..fine." He nodded.

So we finished putting the groceries in thier proper place and then just made for the living room to sit on the sofa together just to speak in the otherwise silent room.

Jake had taken refuge by the door, as we sat side by side, my head leaned onto his shoulder, and his head rested ontop of mine. He examined the palm of my hand as I spoke, tracing the lines and such. When he got bored with that, he aimlessly played with my hair.

"This seems so odd." I remarked, lacing my fingers into his. "We've lived a street away from one another our entire lives and never knew."

"Not really, but it is a strange coincidence.." He shrugged slightly. "In the past, I believe the only reason you would have needed my home address would have been to hunt me down and slit my throat while I was sleeping."

I laughed quietly, giving his hand a squeeze. "You were quite an arse to me, you must admit.."

"Well.." He began softly. "When you're not sure of how to deal with your emotions..You usually just lose grasp of the way you really feel. You react with anger, not knowing why you can not stop feeling the way you do..Its even worse when for the better part of 34 years you were nothing but an introvert."

"Why did you pick this year to tell me?" I asked him almost as if it were a burden unintentionally.

"I just couldn't stand to wait any longer.." He answered in nearly a whisper.

I lifted my head and looked up at him, and like magnetic attraction, our faces drew nearer and nearer, until finally, our lips touched.

That kiss proved to be a lot less messy or rushed as the one we shared on the sidewalk earlier in the day. It held a bit more tenderness.

I put my hand just below his jaw as I traced his lower lip with my tongue, earning a nearly inaudible groan of approval. He shifted slowly ontop of me, continuing to hold the kiss.

I broke away for a moment to pull his sweater over his head, and continue the kiss I'd yearned to share since the ending of term which seemed like a million years in the past. I supposed serparation from the person you love always seems longer than it really is.

Then, as if from out of nowhere there was a cough. A cough that didn't belong to Severus, nor me, and definitley not Jake. I turned my head to examine the room as he nibbled playfully on my ear. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" He asked, slightly muffled.

"Hear me." Came a voice. A sickeningly farmiliar voice.

Headmaster Dumbledore appeared in the center of the living room, with a pop. My stomach churned like never before. This was all over. Everything that built up to today all came crashing down inside my head. Was this really it?

Severus scrambled off of me, grabbing his sweater and slipping it on. "Headmaster.."

"Interesting choice of apprenticeship, Severus.." Dumbledore remarked sourly.

"Albus, I can...explain.."

"How long has this relationship been going on?" Dumbledore questioned, ignoring Severus's attempt at making the situation slightly better. I wasn't sure in what way he could do that, but I really didn't care. We needed something to save us, anything.

"Since Mid-April.." I spoke, my voice quavering.

"I knew there was something...odd.." Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Do you two understand the severity of this situation?"

"Apparently so, Albus." Severus said with a hint of spite. "Otherwise we wouldn't have stopped."

"That will be enough, Severus." Dumbledore told him, sternly. "What exactly should I do about this?"

I paused for a moment, thinking. "I think you should leave this situation alone, Professor...I think you should leave us alone."

He looked at me curiously from under his half-moon spectacles and I swallowed hard.

I wasn't exactly sure of what I had just uttered, but by the look in his eyes, and the feel of Severus lightly grasping my hand, I was almost completley sure it wasn't the right thing.