Disclaimer: Not Rowling, as she never wrote Severus as less than fully dressed...oh wait, there was that time when his bloody leg was showing. Could Jo have a secret Snape fixation...Nah...lol.


Chapter 21- Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

"How did you know it was snowing?"

Opening her eyes, Lorelei stopped singing 'Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow' and looked to where Severus stood in the doorway. A few snowflakes still clung to his cloak and hair, but most had melted. His black hair was damp and his eyelashes clumped together in a most appealing way. In the candlelight, his obsidian eyes looked like windows into a dark world she longed to explore. A small huff of masculine amusement brought the blushing woman back from fantasy. Her lover was smiling that small smile which set butterflies to fluttering madly in her middle. Any other man would be laughing, but not her self-controlled sweetie.

Removing his cloak, Severus took the time to shake off wet droplets and hang it up to dry. The water reminded the woman watching appreciatively of his question about snow. She said thoughtfully,

"I just had a feeling the weather would change tonight." She explained, "That song has been running through my mind all day. Twice in the corridors, students asked what I was humming. It was quite embarrassing."

Every movement a model of efficiency, Snape took off his shoes and socks and unbuttoned his shirt. He sneered while he drew the garment off and folded it,

"Was one of those students Harry Potter?"

"Why yes, he was."

His scowl made her smile. There was no reasoning to be done when it came to the Boy-Who-Lived. A change of subject was needed. She asked softly, "Did your...work...go well tonight?"

She never asked direct questions about Severus' 'work' for the shadowy group he called, The Order, but she posed indirect ones which her love would then answer- obliquely. Surprisingly, the veiled concern and corresponding reassurance brought a feeling of warmth and security to the relationship that was as satisfying as it was unexpected.

The normally intimidating Professor Snape looked considerably less so half dressed and staring off contemplating some inward vision. Her movement to sit up straighter focused the man's attention back on his companion. Drops of water sparkled in the man's black hair while his lips curved,

"Yes. It was quite...informative."

"Good."

A satiric brow- was there anything sexier - lifted when Severus said disdainfully,

"I suppose you'll want to play in the snow tomorrow and I'll have to take the Lanqanein potion."

"Well, we wouldn't want the students to remember Professor Snape making a snowman, would we? Think of the mass hysteria it would cause- they couldn't handle the shock."

Sighing as though he were the most put upon man in the world, Severus grimaced, and then gave the answer that made her heart skip and then race madly,

"As you wish"

Closing her eyes and sinking downward, Lorelei smiled a watery smile. Ever since she'd read aloud part of the novel The Princess Bride one night and remarked how romantic it was that whenever the farm-boy said those words to Buttercup he was really saying, 'I love you', Severus had begun using the phrase- to drive her mad. Not that she was complaining. Madly in love was a wonderful way to feel. The water rippled as Severus slid into the bath and pulled her up until she broke the surface of the water and rested with her back against his chest. Tilting her head to the side to gaze into his eyes, she nodded when he asked her to sing another verse. Before she sang, Lorelei said the words she meant with all her being,

"As you wish"

In the middle of the night, the woman woke with an urge to see the snow. Silently leaving the bed, she padded to the wall which normally opened to reveal a closet and softly chanted the words which transformed it into a magical window instead. Through the wall of enchanted 'glass', the woman could see the expanse of school grounds and the stand of trees that thickened until they became the Forbidden Forest. Snowflakes were dancing in the gusting wind. The snow covered the grass with a white blanket and frosted the trees. A white stag and doe that must have wandered out of the forbidden part of the forest ambled along the tree line before disappearing. Lorelei sighed inaudibly and then audibly when her lover wrapped his arms around her. He murmured,

"I hope that window is enchanted to only show the view looking outside."

Laughing softly, she turned. The feel of Severus' lips and skin made the siren forget the snow-swept outdoors.

The next morning, Lorelei looked at the man sitting in the comfortable chair across from hers and smiled. The Potions Master was quite fond of the cushy chairs and the walls of books in her lounge. He looked so kissable when he sneered over some news in the 'Prophet'. Severus remarked without looking up from the paper,

"Are you going to stare at me all morning?"

That dry tone of his rubbed some people the wrong way, but it had a different effect on her

Mmm...I'm suddenly craving dark chocolate...what did he say...stare all morning...what a good idea...no, there's something else...oh, that's right...

"I'm just imagining you tobogganing with a cute little cap on."

That statement got his full attention. His unblinking stare might unnerve students like Longbottom, but not her. His raised brow didn't help any. Fanning herself with her copy of The Princess Bride...nothing wrong with re-reading a book...she tried to keep a straight face. Her snarky darling stated,

"Nothing I own fits that description...unless you consider plain and black to be cute."

"On you it is."

"Daft woman."

"Daft about you."

After returning her grin with a cocky half smile, Severus cleared his throat and asked,

"When were you wanting to go on this little snow outing?"

His face was so sardonic that she couldn't help herself. She jumped up and walked around the center table to pull the Prophet from his hands, toss it, and plant herself in his lap. After kissing the lips that shouldn't purse like that if they didn't want a snog, she replied, "When Lupin and Tonks get here. Remus has the weekend off so he's spending the entire Saturday at Hogwarts."

"Oh joy."

The door ward chiming startled them both. Severus' eyes darted around like he was wondering where to hide. Laughing, the dark-eyed woman rose and chanted the words that showed her Tonks' spiky head looking crossly at the Siren in the guardian painting. Using a voice-only spell, Lorelei said, "Hello Tonks. We're...I'm not quite ready yet, so why don't you and Remus go along to the Great Hall and we'll...I'll meet you in a few minutes. Is that alright?"

Poor Tonks...she looked as though she'd eaten an earwax flavored jelly bean. The blazing red head- for today- smiled feebly while she replied,

"Alright" Addressing the man behind her, she snapped, "Stop looking at that painted hussy, Remus."

Chuckling, Lorelei turned to smile at the man now standing behind her. He was holding out a small vial.

"What's this?"

"Memory Enhancer...it counter affects the Unmemorable Potion...can't have the woman I'm suffering for forget that I'm doing it."

"No...I don't want to forget a thing."

Severus' smile, the one that showed in his eyes more than in the curve of his lips, made her sing to herself when they parted for a short time to get ready for the day, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..."


Strolling beside Tonks into the Great Hall, Remus Lupin felt a wave of nostalgia that was incredibly bittersweet. Some of the happiest times in his life had been spent at this school. Over there, at the Gryffindor Table, he'd spent many a carefree hour joking with Padfoot and Prongs, never dreaming that their friendship would end the way it had. He missed his friends so much. At times, when their voices echoed in his mind with some advice or boyish braggadocio, he felt like they were still with him. Perhaps they were. Sitting beside Tonks at the staff table, he smiled to see James and Lily's son looking so happy with his group of friends. Ronald Weasley was standing and saying something that had Harry looking concerned. The red-head was pointing to a girl leaving the Hall with another boy.

An impish smile crossed a face much too young to have gray color streaking the brown hair falling into his eyes. He remembered James dragging Lily out that way many a Saturday morning, or Sunday morning, or Monday... Premature care lines creased Remus' brow while he watched a slender youth...Creevey...grab Weasley's jumper with a fierce expression on his face. Ginny Weasley defused the situation and the boys shook hands before the blond boy and red-haired girl left the chamber.

"What do you think that was all about?"

His sweetheart's curious expression made him smile. Tonks had a gift for wanting to know and then being horrified by the answer. It was quite amusing. He'd laughed more in the months they'd been together than he had since he'd been sitting about where Harry was now all those years ago. Remus told her, "Boys having a disagreement about a girl, I think. Funny how some things never change around here."

"Did you ever disagree about a girl?"

The emerald green eyes staring at him reminded him of another girl...who he had no intention of doing anything as ill-advised as talking about. What was past was past and the heart shaped face trying to appear only casually interested was the present and future. Allowing his feelings to shine through his eyes and smile, he said quietly, "The only girl worth disagreeing about is sitting beside me." A shy smile on the normally bold woman's face was an enchanting sight. Feeling bewitched, Remus was unsurprised when a siren appeared beside her friend and silkily greeted,

"Good Morning"

"Is it?"

His dear heart was a trifle grumpy until she had her fill of caffeine. He'd tried to tell her that the substance was a drug, for Heaven's sake, but like any other addict she'd sneered and said she could handle it, stop anytime she wanted...she just didn't want to. Trying to make up for his partner's tetchy mood, Remus smiled at Lorelei, "I can't believe I'm going to play in the snow at Hogwarts again...really brings back memories...can't wait to show you girls all my favorite snowy places."

A sound of disgust drew his attention to the siren's right, where someone...no, no one was there...just his imagination...what was he about to say? Oh yes... "Snape declined to join us?"

"He's testing a potion this morning."

What a surprise, Snape choosing a potion over an outing with his partner. He'd thought the old bat mellowed, but obviously such was not the case. Remus had never been able to understand the other man's motivation, and this was just one more mysterious working of a Sardonic Mind. The dour man's partner seemed very cheerful for a woman who'd been stood up for a flagon of goo. That made the couple the perfect match- her mind was unfathomable too.

Finishing breakfast, the trio made their way to the front steps where the brown-eyed man grabbed a couple of toboggans from a pile and grinned, "C'mon, let's beat the kids to the biggest hill!"

The girls giggled behind him. He knew that he should properly refer to them as ladies, or women, but they both looked very girlish in their cold weather things this morning. Lorelei's loose hair under a purple knit cap and Tonks' uninhibited laughter drew many a student's admiring eye. Such instances made Remus chuckle. What the Marauders would've given to have had professors who looked like that!

At the top of what the group had termed 'Marauder Mountain' one winter long ago, he offered to let the girls toboggan together. Lorelei refused with a smile. Strangely, she sat on the toboggan like someone was sitting behind her. Even more oddly, her single person sled glided downhill faster than his and Tonks'. That was almost as strange as the feeling that somehow, he was forgetting something.

"Best two out of three?"

The feminine faces glowing in the overcast sunlight- more snow was coming, he could smell it- persuaded him to toboggan until they were too tired to climb up the hill anymore. Tonks conjured up a portable fire to warm their hands on and Lorelei took four small vials out of her pocket, uncorked the tops and transfigured them into large mugs of steaming hot cocoa. Accepting his with a warm smile of thanks, Remus said, confused, "Didn't you transfigure four mugs?"

"Did I?"

"Well, I thought so, but I don't remember anymore, so I must've been mistaken..."

"Not the first time it's happened, Lorelei...did I ever tell you about the time Remus and I..."

Tonks' amusing story about their second date took the man dressed in a green winter jacket's mind off the odd missing-something feeling that was happening again. After Lorelei transfigured the mugs...four, no...three, right...back into tiny vials and stored them in her pocket again, the trio decided to make snowmen. His and Tonks' creation was a perfect example of snowy pulchritude. Lorelei's wasn't so attractive. The overly long carrot and deep set pieces of coal along with the long twig arms that crossed over the snowman's chest instead of sticking out caused his partner to shriek,

"Oh Merlin, even when he's not here- he's here! Look at that monstrosity, Remus, and tell me if it's not the spitting image of Snape! Pure mental is what you are siren...abso-bloody-lutely mental to do that to a defenseless ball of snow...what were you thinking?"

His poor love wasn't calmed by Lorelei saying dreamily,

"I'm thinking it's abso-bloody-lutely gorgeous."

Remus' preternaturally sharp ears heard a sound that sounded like stifled laughter...masculine laughter. His keen brown eyes scanned the landscape for a watcher, but only students were playing on a nearby hill and no one else was around. He noticed the dark-haired woman giving him a nervous look- had she heard the sound too? He asked her, but she shook her head no. With a smile, she thanked the pair for playing in the snow with her and told her friends she'd let them have some 'alone time' while she went skating at a nearby pond. His observant love said what he'd been thinking.

"Where're your skates?"

"Already there"

Well, nothing to say to that but, "It's been a pleasure, as always...Snape really missed out."

Having a siren kissing your cheeks while hugging and smiling at you was a double edged sword. One side was extremely pleasant, but the other was perilous- when the woman left you alone with a lover who was giving you a steely look. Rapid back-pedaling was in order.

"Now, dearest, darling, love, you know I didn't ask for that..."

"I know you didn't, but you didn't have to look so pleasedeither, did you?"

"Just being friendly sweetheart...what's that you've got there?"

Not expecting the sudden rush, Remus soon found himself flat on his back with his lover rubbing a handful of snow over his face. Blowing a breath to clear a few flakes from his eyelashes, he noticed that Tonks' mouth was a breath away from his own as she said,

"Sorry, baby, I had to clean the slate, so to speak, so I could do this..."

Soft lips that never changed, no matter what appearance his love took, kissed him possessively. Growling, Remus met Tonks' mouth and enthusiastically rolled her over in the snow. The embrace shocked the Hufflepuffs who stood on the hill, stared down, and decided to leave before their DA professor looked up and gave them detention.


The condition of being un-memorable was a commonplace occurrence during his work for the Order, but it was damned odd when people in his regular life acted as though he wasn't there. Perhaps he was a bit used to garnering a certain amount of attention. In the corridors, when students didn't scurry to move out of his way, the first impulse was to deduct House Points or give detentions. It had taken the entire walk from his quarters to the Great Hall to become used to those he passed forgetting him the moment they saw him. Once inside the Hall, Severus walked over to the staff table and sat by Lorelei. He felt more relieved than he cared to admit when she smiled at him and stroked his cheek. His smile faded when he noticed a pesky Gryffindor looking at the woman quizzically.

Whispering, "Potter's staring at you caressing thin air." he took the siren's hand in his and reluctantly placed it on the table. Her dark eyes became even larger as she glanced toward the Gryffindor Table. The Famous Harry Potter thought Lorelei was smiling at him and grinned in a way that made the Potions Master long to make the Boy-Who-Lived, the Boy-Who-Got-A-Stinging-Hex. How a siren could think a sixteen year old a sweet, innocent child boggled the mind. Only by reminding himself that Lorelei loved him and only felt sorry for Potter the orphan boy, did Severus refrain from reverting to tactics perfected in his own schooldays.

"Snape declined to join us?"

The nosy bloody-werewolf's question might've sounded off-hand to a non-Slytherin, but the un-noticed scowling man heard the undercurrents in it. Thought his old nemesis was barmy for picking a potion over a goddess, eh? Well, who cared what the former big-shot Marauder thought? He didn't have to prove himself to anyone but Lorelei, and she was currently looking at him as though she were about to lick the jam off his finger. Severus quickly wiped his hand and gave a sigh of relief when breakfast was over. Lupin led the women to the tall hill he'd always wanted to toboggan down but never had. The bloody Marauders always got up earlier to claim it every ruddy Snow Day.

"No thank you, Remus...I want you two to go together. I'm fine, really."

Lorelei was scooting to the front of her toboggan and putting her feet in the curve, holding the rope in preparation to steer. Surely she didn't expect... She was looking at him with those eyes that said 'Please' so irresistibly. Fine...he'd do it... The experience of speeding downhill was at once familiar and strange. He'd tobogganed every time it snowed during the school term, so the skill was familiar. However, Snape had never done it with another person- an adult, female person who caused his hands to roam. Beating Lupin to the bottom of the hill made the weak sunshine seem brighter. The whole sledding episode turned out to be more tolerable than he had expected. Lorelei's expression when viewing her snowman was priceless. What Tonks had called a 'monstrosity' she thought gorgeous.

The man in black that was forgotten by everyone except the siren now gazing dreamily at the scowling snowman couldn't restrain a small laugh. Lupin, with his un-natural ears, heard the noise and looked around, but didn't 'see' anything, of course. Severus was relieved when his partner told the other couple she wanted to give them 'alone time', but the images the phrase conjured made him shudder. Lupin and Tonks rolling about in the snow was a mental vision he could have lived his entire life without. Using his immense will-power, the man skilled at Occlumency and Legilimency stuffed the revolting image into a tiny mental box and slammed the lid on it. Then he added a mental lock, several psychic wards and imagined himself drop-kicking the box into a stygian abyss. Yes, that was much better.

"Do you like to skate? I just assumed you did, but I never asked...do you?"

The couple had reached the frozen pond. Two pairs of skates were inside a bag by a small bench overlooking the water, now in solid form. Severus nodded, but stopped her from opening the bag with a simple, "We won't need those...not with a Skating Charm."

The feeling of gliding across the ice when one was actually a couple of inches above it was incredible. It was like flying. The spins and jumps impossible or difficult to perform with regular skates became effortless. It was...magical. Eventually, they moved together in a languid waltz. Only the sound of student voices approaching caused them to halt, counter the charm, pick up the skates, and leave.

On the way back to Hogwarts, Lorelei stopped in the middle of the snow covered grounds and fell back to wave her arms and legs in an alarming manner. Severus was concerned, "What the devil are you doing?"

The silly siren laughed, "I'm making a snow angel."

He could feel a smile trying to break free...because no one would see; he let it spread across his face. Dropping to his knees, he leaned over his snow angel and proceeded to kiss her with soft, teasing, barely felt brushes of his lips against hers. After several minutes, the siren dislodged his knit cap by sinking her fingers into his hair and kissing him in a manner that was best done indoors. Laughing softly, Severus pulled Lorelei up to stand beside him. The snow angel she had set out to make now looked more like the giant squid who was hibernating in the bottom of the nearby lake. Grinning at each other, they made their way into the castle. Inside the entry, the snow-covered woman stopped and said before taking off running,

"Last one in the bath scrubs the other's back!"

Because no one was around, Severus had no qualms about calling out as he ran after her,

"As...You...Wish..."


A/N: Love the movie The Princess Bride, Ella Fitzgerald's song Let it Snow, and playing in the snow- could you tell? LOL Hope you enjoyed their Snow Day...been wanting to let Remus have a POV. If you want to read about a student Snow Day, read my other fic! Yeah, I plug this fic shamelessly in the other one too! Don't forget to Review! Am having Princess Bride, 'anybody wanna peanut?' flashbacks with the rhyming...good timing...heh...feh!