Chapter 10: Aly
Her name is Aly. I didn't even find out until this morning that the blond woman whom I watched sleep for hours had a name. Aly. It sounds like one of those awful Muggle teenage cheerleader's names. But when it rolled off her perfectly pink and full lips, I could not picture a better name for her.
She even made me breakfast. After the age of five my mother never even made me breakfast.
"How do you like your eggs, Mr. Snape?" she called from the kitten in her apartment. I was only just opening my eyes, but I could picture her in her flannel pants and oversized Euro Disney sweatshirt with her tousled blond hair in a bun standing in the doorway looking at me. As my eyes focused, I was not disappointed in my fantasy.
"Over easy," I said a little gruffly, still trying to clear the morning from my throat. She just smiled and returned to the kitchen. "And by the way," I called out a little louder as I hear the tea kettle go off, "you can call me Severus."
"Severus?" she asked from the kitchen. I got off the couch and made my way to the doorframe. "What kind of a name is Severus?"
Her sweetness and sincerity made my heart beat faster for just a moment, but her ignorance of what I was... still am... angered me slightly. But honestly, how could she know? "It's Roman," I said. "My mother loved the classics."
She shrugged. "Well, I like it. It's different, old, unique. Not like my name."
"Which I never actually caught," I interrupted.
She blushed and put her face in her hands. "It's Aly," she laughed. "Short for Alyson." She looked up sheepishly and her green eyes caught mine. Holding out her hand to me she smiled and reddened. "Nice to meet you Severus."
I was sorry when 9 am rolled around and I had to leave for work. She kissed my cheek on the way out the door, and I'm still not sure whether it was French courtesy and friendship or hidden behind her blush there's something more.
Even though I felt as if I were on cloud nine, the walk to the library was riddled with thoughts of Ginny. Every day I expect her to show up at my door or in the library ready to forgive my stupidity.
But a month has gone by and I've heard nothing and Aly is great. Maybe it is finally time to give Ginny up for good and concentrate on finding someone else. I have a while to figure it out I guess. As long as Aly doesn't plan on going anywhere.
Aly.
Her name is Aly. I didn't even find out until this morning that the blond woman whom I watched sleep for hours had a name. Aly. It sounds like one of those awful Muggle teenage cheerleader's names. But when it rolled off her perfectly pink and full lips, I could not picture a better name for her.
She even made me breakfast. After the age of five my mother never even made me breakfast.
"How do you like your eggs, Mr. Snape?" she called from the kitten in her apartment. I was only just opening my eyes, but I could picture her in her flannel pants and oversized Euro Disney sweatshirt with her tousled blond hair in a bun standing in the doorway looking at me. As my eyes focused, I was not disappointed in my fantasy.
"Over easy," I said a little gruffly, still trying to clear the morning from my throat. She just smiled and returned to the kitchen. "And by the way," I called out a little louder as I hear the tea kettle go off, "you can call me Severus."
"Severus?" she asked from the kitchen. I got off the couch and made my way to the doorframe. "What kind of a name is Severus?"
Her sweetness and sincerity made my heart beat faster for just a moment, but her ignorance of what I was... still am... angered me slightly. But honestly, how could she know? "It's Roman," I said. "My mother loved the classics."
She shrugged. "Well, I like it. It's different, old, unique. Not like my name."
"Which I never actually caught," I interrupted.
She blushed and put her face in her hands. "It's Aly," she laughed. "Short for Alyson." She looked up sheepishly and her green eyes caught mine. Holding out her hand to me she smiled and reddened. "Nice to meet you Severus."
I was sorry when 9 am rolled around and I had to leave for work. She kissed my cheek on the way out the door, and I'm still not sure whether it was French courtesy and friendship or hidden behind her blush there's something more.
Even though I felt as if I were on cloud nine, the walk to the library was riddled with thoughts of Ginny. Every day I expect her to show up at my door or in the library ready to forgive my stupidity.
But a month has gone by and I've heard nothing and Aly is great. Maybe it is finally time to give Ginny up for good and concentrate on finding someone else. I have a while to figure it out I guess. As long as Aly doesn't plan on going anywhere.
Aly.
