She was gone. In an instant it was all over with, almost like she was never there. I would have thought it all a dream, a fantasy that I made in my lonely walk, but the smell of her hung in the air around me, clinging to my robes. I took a deep breath, trying to assimilate what happened, but I couldn't, it was all too much and confusing for me to understand.
When I finally reached my dorm after what seemed like hours in the dark, I was no closer to an answer then before. As I disrobed I started going over it in my head, all the thousands of things that it could have meant. The most likely was that it was all a joke, some how one of them had figured out how I felt and put her up to it. But there was that slim chance, that hope that she had the same feelings for me as I had for her. As I fell asleep I memorized everything about her that night, how she felt, smelled, and sounded. I was determined to savor the one moment that I had, because I was sure that I would never have another with her.
It was two weeks before I saw her as more then a blur in the corridors or in the Great Hall. She was in the greenhouse, trying desperately to reach a branch. It was just out of her reach, but well within mine. Silently I stood watching, wondering, waiting for something to happen. After a few seconds I realized that if I wanted anything to happen, I would have to do it. Some how something made sense and I made my way over to her. It took no effort to reach up and bend the branch down from behind her. I know I scared her, she jumped, let out a small squeal, and then her face turned crimson. She looked up at me, words escaping her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. You just look like you needed help," my words came out surprisingly well considering I was shaking inside.
Her face changed a look of relief spreading over her feature, then of greatfulness. "Thank you, Severus." She reached up and cut the branch I was holding. He hand brush mine as she took hold of it and I let go. I know a slight blush rose to my face. She had called me by my first name, a rare occurrence.
She slipped the branch into her bag, then looked up at me as if she was expecting something. I had been doing so well until that moment, then I fell to pieces, I was lost, no knowledge of what to do or say, I had no experience before. If anything was going to drive her away it was going to be this.
Her hand brushed my shyly, then pulled away," Thank you, for not saying anything about the other night. Sometimes my body acts before my brain can say no."
"Or maybe your heart acts," I put my hand to my mouth. I could hardly believe those words came out. I kicked myself over and over for the few seconds that she just stared at me. She stared with an unreadable expression.
"Okay then, my heart acts before my brain has a chance to tell it no," her face started to soften. I could feel by body relax. "Does your heart ever do things like that?"
She had some enchantment, some love spell she was weaving over me as I stood there. I could feel all common sense drain away, then it was gone as I found myself leaning toward her, her lips coming closer to mine. Her hand pressed against my chest as my lips met hers. There are no words to describe that moment. There never are to tell about that one kiss that you shared with the one you loved, the one you will love forever. All I know was that it was over too soon and her body was pressed against mine, her head in my chest, desperately trying to catch her breath.
"I guess it's not just me then," she looked up at me, a bright smile on her face. "Two wrongs can make a right." She tipped up and placed a kiss on my nose, then smiled wider. "Maybe I will make another midnight stroll tonight. The dungeons have particularly nice scenery this time of year. "With that she disentangled herself from me, picked up her fallen bag, and made her way back to the castle, leaving me standing there, breathless, speechless, and thoughtless.
That night she did not come.
The next night she did not come.
The next five nights after that she did not come either.