Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, places, objects, spells, etc. associated with it, nor do I profit from the use of them. But Marya Nadine is my character, and if you take her from me, DOOM ON YOU!
"Another Side to Snape"
Chapter 3
Marya was outside of the door to the Slytherin common room when she remembered that she was supposed to have detention in Snape's office. She turned and ran.
It was a good thing she spent so much time with Fred and George; the secret passages she knew would save her at least ten minutes in getting there. Marya burst out from behind a tapestry and turned left; she ran down a flight of stairs and ducked behind a painting. She ran down a passageway, then down three steps and around a corner and...WHAM.
Marya had run right into Professor Snape. He put his arms around her to steady her, then wrapped them around her tighter for an embrace.
"I was worried when you failed to show up for detention," murmured Snape into Marya's hair. Marya glanced at her watch. Detention was set for nine o'clock; it was five past nine.
"I'm sorry, I'm not that late, y'know," she said, pressing her face into his chest. "I had forgotten."
"Come along then, Ms. Djak. You have a detention scheduled, do not forget."
With that, Snape let go of Marya and turned back down the corridor from which he had come. Down another corridor to the left they walked and ended up directly in front of Snape's dungeon office. The door was locked. Snape took out a grim-looking key, slid it into the lock, and pushed the door open.
"After you, Ms. Djak," he said.
Marya walked into the office. Snape followed, locking the door behind him and whispering, "tacitus." A blue orb shot out of the end of his wand. It expanded until it was the size of the room, enclosing it, and seemed to disappear into the walls.
"Now that we have some privacy," said Snape, "I would like to discuss what happened this afternoon." Marya looked down at her feet. Snape took the opportunity to observe the young woman standing before him. At sixteen years old, she stood about five feet and ten inches. Thick yet silky black hair fell to her waist, offsetting her fair, pale skin. Though he couldn't see them, he knew those emerald eyes of hers were burning the way the icy waters of the lake burned in winter. She held her robes over her right shoulder. The Slytherin tie around her neck had been loosened, and the top two buttons of her white shirt had been undone. The shirt was folded up just below each elbow, showing a bit of her graceful yet muscular forearms. It had been untucked from her black slacks, which hung down to the floor, flowing so that only the rounded tips of her black leather knee-high boots. Where her white shirt clung to her tight stomach, Snape could make out something he had never before been aware of; a black crescent moon tattooed around her navel. Just as he was wondering whether she had done it herself, she looked up. He looked at her right ear, which - besides the emerald stud at the bottom of her earlobe - featured no less than twelve small silver loop earrings that wound all the way up her ear. The left ear had only a matching emerald stud at the bottom of the earlobe. At first glance she probably looked like a problem child. But anyone who knew her knew that she was only cruel to those who were cruel. Otherwise she was a generally amiable sort of girl.
"Well?" she asked, as though she expected a lecture.
"I want you to know that what happened was unplanned, though long awaited, and thoroughly inappropriate. Professors are not encouraged to run about kissing students. However, as the founders of this school anticipated such an occurrence and laid down rules accordingly. While in the wizarding world sixteen is still the legal age of consent (excepting of course children with no less than two muggle parents), it is still frowned upon for students and teachers to interact in such a way. However, school rules say that if a student and a professor are engaged, no one should treat their relationship any differently than any other student couple's.
"What I'm trying to say, Marya, is that, should you be serious in your passion towards me, we could further our relationship and not have to sneak around in empty classrooms surrounded by sound-proof bubbles." Snape concluded.
"Do you mean...are you suggesting you should ask me to marry you?" Marya asked.
"Precisely," said Snape, his eyes shining and his lips barely moving.
"Oh, Professor, I -" Marya began, but Snape interrupted.
"Please, Marya, I think 'Severus' would be much more appropriate," he said.
"Well then, Severus, I...well of course I would love...I mean, I love you," Marya said, earnestly.
"In that case, then..." Severus reached into the folds of his robe and brought out a box that looked to be made of bone. He didn't kneel down (of which Marya was grateful). Instead, he took her hand and stood right in front of her, not six inches away. He looked down into her eyes, and she looked up into his.
Opening the box, Severus whispered, "Will you marry me?" Marya wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him so passionately that she completely forgot to answer him.
"Should I take that as a yes?" he asked. Marya blushed.
"Yes," she murmured, kissing him again. He took her hand and slid a ring onto her finger. The ring was cool to the touch, and when Marya finally looked down at it, it proved be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
It was made of silver, and it had been forged in the shaped of a serpent, winding around her finger. At the front, the serpent's mouth was open and its fangs held into place a glorious emerald.
"Oh," she breathed, and Severus smiled a rare smile.
"I'm glad you like it," he said, and again they kissed.
Severus conjured a sofa on which they both sat, talking as neither had been able to talk to another before. Marya had mentioned being a bit cold (it was January and they were in a dungeon) and so Severus had made a potion which looked like bubbling water but tasted like hot chocolate. He also conjured a fire.
"Why did your mother name you 'Severus?'" asked Marya.
"You'd have to ask her; she didn't live long enough to tell me," said Severus.
"I'm sorry," murmured Marya.
"Not at all. Why 'Marya Nadine?'"
"It's Slavic. It means 'bitter hope.' What with how Voldemort was rampaging when I was born, they didn't expect to live long, or for me to survive. I suppose it was a fitting name." she replied.
As she finished speaking, they heard the great clock in the entrance hall strike midnight.
"We had better turn in," said Snape, and, upon witnessing the hopeful look on Marya's face, he continued, "each to our respective rooms...for tonight, at least. I must inform the Headmaster of our engagement and see what he has to say. I shall accompany you back to the common room."
And with that, he led her to the dormitories where they said their "goodnights" and each turned in for the night.