Chapter 9
A 17-year-old Alex quietly peered out into the darkened hallway. She was spending the winter holidays with Severus and his mother since her parents decided to travel that Christmas and Athena insister she not spend the time alone.
The hallway was decorated in green and silver, as was the rest of the Slytherin household. The grandfather clock had just chimed signaling that midnight had set in and it was Christmas.
Alex crept slowly down the hall, moving her hand across the wall trying to find her way to Sev's room. After a few minutes of stumbling a door slowly creeked open flooding a section of the hall with light.
"Alex?" Sev's voice whispered.
"Yeah." She replied walking quickly to his room.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked as she breezed into his room, closing the door behind her.
"Happy Christmas!" Alex smiled handing him a package wrapped in dark green paper.
"Indeed." He grinned noting her nightgown and the matching robe. "I mean Happy Christmas to you too." He said, with a sly grin.
"Don't give me that look Severus. This is your mother's house for Merlin's sake." Alex warned, noticing the glint in his eyes. "Oh just open your bloody gift." She smiled, pretending to be annoyed with him.
"I suppose you'll be wanting yours?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Here you go." He handed her the small purple package that had been sitting on the trunk at the edge of his bed.
They both sat down on the slightly ruffled bed, it seemed that Severus was having somewhat of a restless night before Alex arrived. This became clearer to her when she noticed his tired eyes and messy hair.
"Were you having those nightmares again Sev?" She asked, just holding the wrapped box in her hands. Severus stopped unwrapping his own gift and tried to avoid eye contact.
"It's fine Alex, just open your Christmas present."
"Look Sev…"
"Would you just let it go please?" He asked, finally looking into her eyes, she could see the pain not just from the nightmares but from having to beg her to drop it.
"Alright." She said softly, looking back down to open her gift. It was a silver snake bracelet that coiled around the wrist like a real snake would. "Thank you Severus, it's so beautiful." She smiled, leaning over and giving him a quick kiss before she put the bracelet around her wrist. Before she could say anything else he pulled her back into another kiss. "Severus!" She got out in between kisses. "We can't… do this… in your… mother's house."
"Why not? Remember last holiday when we went to your parents house?" He pulled back wearing something close to a smile.
"Fine, can we just keep it down thought." She asked with a smile.
"Of course, if you can control yourself?"
"I can always leave if you'd rather." She said, standing up and making her way towards the door.
"No, no. Don't be silly." He said, getting up and pulling her back to where they were sitting before.
"Just lock the door please."
"Of course." She smirked, puling his wand off the bedside table and pointing it at the door…
End Flash Back
"Alex? Alex, what are you…" Severus tried to speak but she stopped him by pulling him into a long passionate kiss.
"What did he do?" Snape asked, thinking that this suddenness was a prelude to something Potter had done wrong.
"What? Oh… he didn't do anything. I was just remembering that Christmas holiday we spent here."
"Ah yes, and I found you stumbling blindly through the halls."
"I was just trying to find your room." Alex said passively.
"Well let me show you where it is now, incase you get lost tonight." Severus said, that same sly grin forming on his face.
"Severus, I think your mother knows better then to put us into separate rooms." Alex grinned, backing him against the wall.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere." Sev suggested.
"Good idea." Alex said, leaning off of him and walking to their room.
"That's my room, yours is down the hall."
"Oh funny." She said with a fake laugh, closing his door behind them.