Once again, thank you all for taking the trouble to review. They make my day.
I promised I would update quickly and bring Sev back in the story a bit more and as I am away for the weekend, I thought I'd update today. Have a good weekend everyone. Lots of love - Severusgirl xxx
Chapter Four
THE VIRGIN BED
It seemed the staff had taken Dumbledore at his word. Andi sat at the table in the Great Hall, alone. The students had been dismissed and the staff now stood around talking in little groups. No one was looking at her directly, but she could feel their eyes darting towards her every now and then, and it was beginning to make her uncomfortable.
Feeling a bit lost and a lot out of her depth, she decided to make the first move. She got up from her chair and moved towards Professor Dumbledore who was talking with Professor Sprout and Dickie. He spotted her.
"Ah, Andrea - first ordeal over: meeting the students. What did you think of the feast?"
"Delicious. I can't get over the size of this hall and I love the ceiling."
"Yes, quite spectacular, I think. Particularly on special occasions such as this. You have met Sylvia and Dickie?"
"Sylvia, yes." She smiled at Professor Sprout. Then she turned to Dickie. "We sat next to each other in the staff room, but we didn't get to speak. I'm Andrea."
"Rolanda Hooch. People call me Dickie."
"You'll find out why soon enough," Sylvia muttered into Andi's ear.
Dickie shook Andi's hand with a surprisingly strong grip. "I have to congratulate you," she said, eyeing Andi inquisitively. "You've achieved what most of the female staff have been wanting to do for a very long time."
"Speak for yourself, Dickie." said Professor Sprout, indignantly.
"Oh, don't talk rubbish, Sylvia," she replied. "You know full well, Severus is the only decent male specimen we've had in the Castle for a very long time."
"I seem to remember you saying the same thing about Gilderoy Lockhart."
"Oh yes, Gilderoy," said Dickie, a dreamy smile coming over her face, her voice softening. "That man had mirrors everywhere."
"And Remus Lupin."
"Ohhh, Remus. He was a gentleman." She looked wistful. "Always ensured the lady went first."
"And how was Alastor Moody when you met him during the summer?"
"Do you know, having only one leg does not affect his balance in the slightest." Dickie gazed past Andrea. "I haven't been introduced to that new chappie yet, Bellchambers. I wonder where he is?" She walked off.
Unsurprisingly, Dumbledore had extracted himself from the conversation a little earlier. Professor Sprout smiled at her.
"Seriously, though, it's about time Severus found himself a love-interest. Not healthy for a young man like him to be celibate. Buggered if I ever expected it to happen though. However did you manage to get through the armour?"
"I'm not sure I have completely."
Andi looked around for an escape. She really didn't want to be interrogated about Severus. She caught the eye of Elmedius Timberly, the Music master, a thin lanky man with wild white hair, white moustache and the palest blue eyes. He came over, beaming.
"Congratulations on such an animato welcome from the students, Andrea. Con brio, con brio - I don't think I've ever heard the like."
"Elmedius is right, you know," said Professor Sprout, looking at Andrea and grinning. "New Professors usually get applause, but I don't recall ever hearing a wolf-whistle before."
"That's not all." Andi turned to find Vincent standing behind her. "If you dip your head outside the door you will find an alarmingly high level of testosterone jostling to sign up for piano lessons."
Andi blushed and joined in as the other three burst out laughing.
"Well let's face it, love - you're bound to cause a bit of a stir. You're about a hundred years younger than the rest of us crusty old farts."
Andi left the group to go and catch Madam Pomfrey who was making ready to leave.
"Oh, Professor Carver, yes..."
"Andrea - please."
"Andrea. If you are free on Wednesday afternoon, I should be most grateful for your help."
"Yes, of course. I shall be free tomorrow morning as well, if you need me."
Part of Andrea's responsibilities was towards the new students who had come from Muggle homes. As Dumbledore had explained, they could sometimes be a little overwhelmed at such a change in environment and Madam Pomfrey had agreed that Andrea's presence in the Hospital Wing during the first few weeks would be a great comfort to them.
"Help always needed, my dear. Goodnight."
Left alone, Andrea looked around at the crowd. Dumbledore was still chatting away. Professor Flitwick was talking to a ghost who had sunk through the floor to bring his head at the same level as the tiny teacher, and Vincent had finally been cornered by Dickie Hooch, but Severus was nowhere to be seen.
"Come on, my dear - time for us Hufflepuffs to retire. I'll walk back with you. I hear your sense of direction is total crap." Professor Sprout caught Andi by the arm and guided her out of the Hall.
---
The room was cold. The bed was too big. The mattress was so lumpy she couldn't get comfortable and the pillow seemed to be making her neck ache.
Andi sighed. None of these was the reason she couldn't get to sleep though. The truth be told, this was her first night in this bed, the first night in weeks she'd spent on her own and it felt odd.
When the question of her moving in to Hogwarts had come up, it had been her suggestion that she have her own separate quarters and that she and Severus only spend the weekends together.
It seemed to her that it was too early in the relationship to make a permanent move into quarters together.
She wasn't a fool. She was well aware of how volatile this affair could be. Severus was not an easy man to live with by any stretch of the imagination - he had spent far too long in his own space for one thing - and she knew she irritated the hell out him sometimes. This whole thing could very easily blow-up if not approached in the right way, and she didn't fancy that happening in the goldfish bowl that was Hogwarts.
She did, however, have a second toothbrush which lived with his in his bathroom.
She threw a punch at her pillow and rearranged her head on it with another sigh. It was no good, she was too cold to sleep.
Leaving the bed, she went to her wardrobe drawers and pulled out her thick cotton PJs, removing the less practical silk and lace cami set she'd been wearing. Feeling decidedly more snug, she got back into bed and wriggled below the covers.
She tried to comfort herself with the thought that all over the school, people were doing the same. All those new pupils - some barely eleven - all spending their first night in a strange bed. They must be missing their parents, feeling a little bit lonely and lost...
Oh, never mind them! She was in a strange bed. She was lonely and lost. Only, she was horny with it. Oh, why did she have to suggest they spend the working-week apart? Damn! She missed having him there to cuddle up to in the dark, hearing his comforting breathing beside her, the excitement of feeling his fingers stroking over her body in the middle of the night.
Mmmmmmm.
Having aroused herself with the memory, she rolled over onto her stomach, intent on pacifying the insistent itch down below, when she heard a knock on the outer door.
Oh. She'd been warned about this. Homesick youngsters finding their way out of their dorm and needing to talk. It wasn't done to dock house points from these midnight walkers; just reassure them and guide them back to their beds.
She grabbed her dressing gown and slipped it on as she made her way to the door. Opening it a crack and peeping out, she beamed.
"Hi. What're you doing out and about this time of night?" She stood aside to let Snape into the room. He was still dressed in full teacher's garb.
"Taking my usual midnight prowl around the corridors. It is astounding how many errant students one can find to punish at this hour. Three so far - or would the couple I found behind the tapestry of Thor count as one? They were certainly about to become one when I disturbed them."
"You are wicked. They must have wanted to die with embarrassment."
"Yes." He looked at her and smirked. "And I happen to know I have them both for Potions first thing tomorrow."
"It's nice to know you relish your work!"
She moved towards him and began fingering the edges of his gown.
"Can you stay for a while? Only, my bed is too big and virginal - I need to sully it somehow."
"Just for a while - as it does appear to be an emergency..."
They kissed, deliciously, her body responding immediately just to the feel of his arms around her. Mmmmm, this was all she needed to sustain her through the coming week.
Oh, who was she kidding?
Fingers tripping over themselves she began undoing the buttons on his tunic, her hands trembling with impatience. He pulled her dressing gown open and slid his hands up inside her pajama top - one hand on her bare back, the other teasing and caressing her breast.
"Sev..." She fell against him and spoke through gasps as she kissed his face. "Severus...can we go to bed please? Like, now?"
She took his hand and began leading him towards the bedroom, but he pulled her back, sharply.
"Huh?"
He opened her dressing-gown wide and stared in disgust at her chest. "What is that abomination on your night-clothes?"
Andi looked down and laughed. "Marge Simpson."
"Take it off, immediately."
"Yes, Sir..."
---
"So, will you be passing my way every night on your midnight prowl?"
He was just stepping out of the shower as she finished putting her moisturiser on. She gazed at his reflection in the mirror and wondered what it was about men with drops of water on their skin and damp hair that made women go weak at the knees?
"I may. Although a habit stands in danger of being noticed. I certainly should not stay all night again during the week...what are you doing?"
Andi looked at him as she took a sip of water and swallowed. "Taking my pill. Why?"
"Muggle pills?" he said, his eyes falling to the foil packet in the cupboard over the basin and snatching it up. "Monday? Tuesday? Wed...? You take one every day? I am certain whatever complaint you have, Madam Pomfrey can supply a much more effective medication."
"Er, no, I don't think so," she said with a smile. "They're my pills - my contraceptive pills...HEY!"
His face clouding, he screwed up the foil in his fist and threw it in the bin.
"What're you doing?" She looked in disbelief first at the bin then him.
"You will not poison your body with Muggle pills for the sake of our sex-life. There are wizard methods of contraception-"
"Oh, yeah? And how effective are they?" she snapped, hands on hips.
"Fail-safe."
She was brought up short. "Really?"
"Yes."
"There are no 'accidents' in the wizarding world?"
"Yes - but at the fault of the wizard, not the method."
"Well, I must admit, I was wondering what I was going to do when my supply ran out." She chewed her lip as she looked down at the bin. "How easy is it? I mean, do you have to stop to...?"
"Have you noticed me applying it so far?"
She looked at him in astonishment. "I didn't know you had!"
"Then your question is answered."
She considered. Did she really feel comfortable relinquishing the responsibility? "Are you sure it's a hundred percent?"
"Believe me, I would not make light of something so serious."
She looked at him. "Yes, I do believe you. OK, we'll do it your way, but if I get knocked-up, you'll have my grandfather to deal with!"
"The very thought is impotence."
"Come on! I'm starving. Let's get down to breakfast. It's my first day as a teacher. I'm nervous and excited and raring to go."
"I am very pleased for you. By this evening, I guarantee your feelings will have changed dramatically."
"Oh, cheer up. Don't forget you've got the fornicating couple to terrorize this morning."
A/N:
JessiokaFroka - You know, I never stopped to think that Bellchambers was pinching Sev's outfit. I just saw this man in my head and described him. Still, it's silver-grey and I don't think we'd ever catch Snape wearing that colour - especially with a pale pink shirt!
ThousandI - Hope Snape in this chapter pleases you.
Helena Oe - I have to admit I was pleased with Sprout's entrance into the Staff Room.
May-Luna - Always enjoy your reveiws, thank you.
Intelligent Witch - It's fun thinking what the staff might be like out of the sight of students.
Celtic Elf - You warm my heart.
Aries1 - Poor Eloise. I feel guilty, but that's plots for you.
FemmeLoki - I think PmG reacted for the whole staff!
Josie - Thanks for reviewing. I hope you'll stay with us.