Where Grass was Greener

By the lake Severus Snape sat dressed in his student robes straight backed against a young tree trunk with knees drawn up balancing his new book on experimental potions theory. His lank black hair hung forward obscuring his face. Occasionally he snorted when he came across flawed logic or some wild hypothesis that he had already disproved to the exacting standards of his own intellectual satisfaction.

He did not stir when he heard her approaching. He knew it was her as no one else rustled as much grass just by walking through it. He smelled her honeysuckle perfume and caught a glimpse of long red hair before she clapped her hands over his eyes.

"I am reading, Evans."

"Not anymore," she whispered in his ear. "You shouldn't let people sneak up on you, Double-O-Severus."

He reached up and pulled one of her hands away from his face. He did not let it go. His thumb slid over her palm and back again. He turned the page of his book with his other hand.

"Let go of my hand."

"Let go of my eye."

"I caught your eye fair and square. Perhaps I don't want to give it back yet."

His fingers closed on the flesh between her thumb and forefinger. It didn't hurt. She knew it soon would if she didn't heed his warning. She removed her hand from his eye. He let her other hand go immediately after. She lounged down in the long grass on her side beside him resting her head against the knee not propping his book.

"You're not really reading. What are you doing?"

"Ignoring you. You just want to get me beaten up again."

"You don't care when they hurt you."

He looked at her then as if trying to burn a hole through her.

"Neither do you."

"No, I don't. Would you like me to care, Seventh Heaven?" she reached out stroking his jaw-line and that tender skin over his Adam's apple. He stretched his legs out pulling the book into his lap. She knew the effect she was having on him. She smiled widely causing her mischievous green eyes to sparkle like finely cut emeralds.

"Don't trouble yourself, Evans."

"Oh, I don't think you'd be all that much trouble."

He glanced down at his book again as if just looking at her were too much a temptation. She put her hand on the book stroking it over words on the page.

"Had another falling out with your boyfriend have you?"

"No, not that it's any of your business. Why don't you ask me to the Spring Dance anyway, Sevvie?"

"Because you call me that."

"Didn't stop you asking me last year."

"We both know that you will go with Potter."

"That didn't stop you asking last year either. Perhaps I'll go with you this year."

"Perhaps you will cut off your own head and mount it on a pike before your body drops."

Smiling she drew a finger across her throat then let her head fall onto the book. Green eyes stared into nothingness. Her pink tongue peeked out at the side of her open mouth. The pressure of her head against his book was delicious. He wanted to pull all of her into his lap. He wanted to cradle her head and slide his tongue against hers. He wanted to kiss her back to life as any decent hero would. She pulled in her tongue and raised her head to study him.

"Is that your idea of optimism?"

"Mmm, a dream come true."

"You dream about me often don't you, Severus?"

She sat up suddenly and shifted around onto her knees now with one hand on his shoulder reaching over him to pick a small white flower growing on the other side of him pushing her right breast against his cheek in the process. She slid the flower behind his ear. His hair claimed it completely. Only the two of them would ever know it was there. He caught her hand as it withdrew and slid his long fingers between hers.

"I'm dreaming that you kiss me now or piss off like a good little girl."

She pulled his book away with her free hand, closed it, and placed it on the other side of him where the grass got more light and was greener like her eyes. She trailed her fingers over his tenting erection and let her hand come to rest maddeningly lightly against it.

"Some dreams do come true," she said with her green eyes locked on his black ones. She leaned in using his hard flesh for leverage bringing her lips very near to his. He tilted his head and raised his chin. His lips parted. She pushed her nose against his nose and pulled away taking both hands with her. She stood glowing but pouting for effect and said, "Some don't, Sevvie. Maybe next time,"and kicked out lightly toward his leg. He caught her by the ankle. When she started to lose her balance he let go. She stood there a moment. Perhaps she wanted to say something else or was merely waiting for him to speak.

He did not watch her leave. He took the flower from his hair found his page again and crushed it there. He did listen as she took the scent of honeysuckle with her noisily through the tall green grass.

-Thanks for reading! All reviews yearned for and sincerely appreciated. Yes even flames warm my heart and light a dark night.