Author's Note: Muahahahahahhahahaha...
The Empyrean: Part I
Professor Snape was not at breakfast when Petunia went down to the Great Hall. He must be busy, she thought, a little disappointed. They did not have plans to meet until later, so the morning was hers. She should probably study… But I'd much rather go and watch the faeries. That was probably not a good idea. But she did not feel like burying her nose in books all morning.
Besides, she'd been more than keeping up with her reading. Professor Snape never had to scold her for being behind. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to step away from it for a while. She decided she would do some dancing, instead. Might as well keep the conditioning so she wouldn't have to start from scratch all over again.
The Room of Requirement had not been taken. As soon as she entered, she was in the familiar dance studio that the room typically recreated – there was the wall of mirrors, two barres, polished wooden floors, and plenty of space to practice. There was even a bench off to the side for someone to watch if she wanted. There was a door by the bench, which was for anyone she allowed to come in.
Petunia sat on the bench and changed into the ballet slippers she'd bought some months ago. She was wearing a black tutu, romantic style, which she really loved – it was light and comfortable, and it made her feel like she was practically flying when she jumped. Beneath it was her white leotard, with its sparking straps on her shoulders.
It was a good day for dancing, she thought as she stretched. It was spring, the weather was wonderful outside, the kids were all in a good mood, and she was a friend of faeries. She even had her very own gnome! Life was good. After about 45 minutes of stretching and basic position drills the room began to play piano music, and she did some improvised choreography. She was thinking about another dance to create, maybe something to tell a story about faeries. She was completely immersed until she heard the "studio" door swing and close.
She spun around and saw, as she expected, Professor Snape, and stopped, dropping the perfect circle of her arms to her sides. She was breathing a little harder than usual; it had been a good workout.
"Hello, Professor! Lesson time?" she asked as she came over, dabbing her face and neck with the small towel she'd left on the bench. While she hoped he could not see how happy she was to see him, it still put her in a good mood.
She had gotten used to spending hours at a time with him, and you simply couldn't do that with a person and not start to feel like something was missing when they weren't around. In a way, she realized, he had become the closest thing to a friend. Professor Snape stood stiffly by the door and nodded at her. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked as if he had just been pondering some problem that was giving him a lot of grief. Petunia tried to quell her growing uneasiness.
"Something on your mind?" She asked.
Snape shifted his weight, lifted his hands and dropped them, as if he did not know what to do with them.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I hope I didn't interrupt your practice at a bad time."
"Not at all, Professor. Should I change and meet you somewhere?" She stood up, ready to leave at his instruction.
"No…no, that's not necessary today. I've come to – discuss something with you," he said seriously. She thought this sounded particularly ominous. Dread was creeping through her, but she could not for the life of her guess what might be the matter.
"All right," she said, sitting down again and positioning herself for him to do the same. He didn't sit; just stood right where he had stopped. "I have to admit, you're making me a little nervous."
"I am? Oh, my apologies. I'm a bit preoccupied," he said gently, and a little of her anxiety lifted.
"Won't you sit down and talk to me?" she said, nodding at the bench.
"Oh, it will only take a minute," he sighed as if to himself, "I won't keep you too long you're your practice." All right, did something awful happen to him?
"Please, Professor, is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." Finally, he smiled, easing the creases of his face. She relaxed. She noticed for the millionth time his sharp, piercing eyes and perfectly black hair, and thought he was rather good looking at his age. Probably doesn't even know it.
"Well, I'll get to it. We've had a lot of successes since the start of our work this year, you and I. We've accomplished even more than I'd originally hoped. Now that our work is out in the open and your name is known, there are any number of opportunities to pursue beyond Hogwarts." He paused, took a deep breath, and continued.
"Recently, it has occurred to me that perhaps it's time to put an end to our current arrangement, with you as my student and I your teacher."
Petunia's heart sank. So he was done with her, was that it? Why hadn't she seen it coming? She should have known this could not last forever. She could not just stay at Hogwarts indefinitely.
"Oh," she said softly, "I see." Her gaze fell and it took an effort to speak. But she decided to continue a veneer of bravery; after all, it's not as if this were personal. Professor Snape was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and now a renowned, cutting-edge scholar. He naturally had other things he needed to turn his attention to besides teaching her basic magic and experimenting with the limits of her abilities.
"Are you…all right?" He asked suddenly, and she looked up to see him staring at her with concern. As if he didn't just tell me I will soon be packing my bags and being shipped back to Privet Drive. Men were so clueless. She shrugged and smiled sadly.
"Oh, it's all right. It's nothing. Just – I've gotten so involved in all we were doing I forgot that it would have to end at some point. I will be very sad to leave Hogwarts, but…well, even the children eventually leave! At least I can say I have finally been here. I'm so, so grateful to you, Severus, for – "
"You're leaving?" Snape sounded, she thought, a little panicked. He really looked as if he had no idea what she was talking about. Had she misunderstood?
"I thought you were putting an end to our 'arrangement.'
"Oh!" His face cleared. "I didn't mean I thought you should go. I simply meant – I think – well –that is to say -" For the first time, Petunia realized he was struggling with something that had nothing to do with her, and was completely about him. Thoroughly confused, she listened quietly, waiting for him to speak again. Professor Snape started over, taking another breath and speaking very slowly.
"I was thinking," he said suietly it was almost difficult to hear, "that perhaps you and I could make a change to our current relationship. Would…would you go out to dinner with me if I asked you?" It seemed he could barely look at her.
Petunia could not have been more stunned if she had found out that her son Dudley had been royalty all this time. She blinked. She knew the things she should be feeling, but they hadn't caught up with her yet.
"Do you mean – do you mean to ask me out, on a date?" She ventured, her cheeks burning. This would be horrible if she'd completely misunderstood! But she didn't think she was…he was very much looking found out. He swallowed.
"I've come to admire you a great deal, Petunia, but I don't wish to make you uncomfortable. If this invitation is unwelcomed…I mean that - I have no expectation of you to say yes, and I would understand if – "
"Yes," she said softly. It was the most natural thing in the world, and it was out of her mouth before she even thought about her answer. "Yes, Prof- Severus. I would like that very much." She smiled shyly; her heart was beating a million miles a second, but she knew that he needed reassurance much more than her right now.
Severus looked genuinely surprised. His mouth hung open and he stared at her, speechless. He had clearly not expected her to accept. She laughed sympathetically. "Did you hear me, Professor?"
"I - Well, good then. I mean – thank you."
"When would you like to…?"
"I thought perhaps tonight, if it's not too soon…"
"Lovely. It would be a nice change of pace."
"Yes. It would." The way he looked at her now made her stomach plummet to her feet. His eyes were so intense all the time, and right now, they were saying things to her that she had not prepared for. He wants me…she realized with a shiver of excitement. Suddenly she wanted to be as far away from him as she possibly could, so he would not see everything she was feeling on her face. She did not want him to know how easily he affected her.
Severus was obviously very pleased; he looked like he had just won a very risky gamble and had become rich beyond his wildest dreams.
"Well, that's that then." He said briskly. I shall see you, tonight, at 7?"
"Where would you like to meet?"
"The main courtyard."
"I'll see you then," she said softly.
"I'll see you then," he repeated.
He turned and strode through the door, batlike as ever. She found it a little more comical than usual, in an endearing way. What an unusual man…
"I look forward to it, Severus," she called after him. He stopped a second, turned and gave her a nervous smile and nod, and then he was gone.
A wide grin spread across her face, and she could not rid herself of it for the rest of the day.
Petunia meant to be exactly on time to meet Severus, but he was already standing in the courtyard when she arrived. She gaped at the scene that met her eyes; behind Snape was an old-fashioned black carriage, the kind from a Charles Dickens novel. It was led by two gorgeous white horses, who stood quietly snorting and pawing the ground. Petunia did not bother to hide her delight – but tried not to overdo it. Clasping her hands excitedly, she walked up to Severus with a huge smile.
"You did all this…for me?"
Severus, who had been watching her like a doorman waiting to be useful, looked bewildered.
"I've yet to do anything at all…although I do hope you will like the place we'll be eating. I think you will."
"I see," said Petunia. "For you, it's perfectly normal to take a horse and buggy to a restaurant on a date. For muggles, I think we find it terribly romantic."
Severus looked a little embarrassed.
"I hope it's not –"
"It's wonderful, Head – Severus! Let's just say, you really know how to make a woman feel special." At this, he practically beamed – a wonderful expression that took some years of worry from his face and made him look rather handsome. Her insides fluttered a little. She knew that, in a way, she had the upper hand; he had asked her, and she could sense his nervousness.
"I'm glad you like it." He opened the door for her and helped her up into the carriage. She felt her stomach flutter again when he put his hand on her back to steady her. As she settled into the cushioned seat and he took the opposite side, it struck her: she was about to see a version of him that she hadn't even known existed. A romantic Severus Snape…I'm not even sure I'll know what to do with that.
She smiled shyly as the carriage began to move, and quickly glanced away, suddenly very interested in whatever was outside the window. He sat perfectly still, but he did not look stiff so much as completely focused – on her. After a moment, she couldn't stand the awkward silence anymore.
"I have to admit, I was surprised when you asked me to dinner earlier. It was the last thing I expected." She chuckled, hoping this was not somehow insulting. He gave her his involuntary, sideways smile and hesitated, searching for words.
"This last year with you has been…well, it's just shown me what a remarkable woman you are. I would like to get to know you even better, Petunia."
Petunia's face grew hot and she had that awful falling feeling again; the chemistry between them, now that she could not ignore it, made her dizzy.
"I'm glad you asked me," was all she could think of to say. Then, "What would you like to know?" It would be wonderful if she could get them talking. "Just ask."
"Very well. I am curious about your life, early on. Did you marry right away? Or were you professionally occupied?"
"Ah." This was easy. "Well, after graduation, I did go to university for a time, and completed my baccalaureate."
"Oh?" He sounded intrigued. "What did you study, if I may ask?"
"You'll be surprised when I tell you." She chuckled.
"Try me."
"Botany."
"Really?" he said, his eyebrows raised.
"Really. But by the second year I had decided the world of academia was not for me; I did not want to teach or be stuck in some research facility. I knew I would want a family of my own, and I wanted a home that I could tend to…it might sound a little silly…"
"Of course not. Although," he mused, "it does seem ironic that the very fate you hoped to avoid is exactly where you've ended up."
"Huh? Oh!" She laughed. "I suppose you're right. Well, our research is much more interesting than the muggle version would have been. In truth, I think I just really wanted to spend my days quietly tending a garden. It gave me such great peace." She grew wistful, remembering her garden at Privet Drive. "I was a decent student. But it was the art, more than the science, that called to me, I think."
"You are quite the artist. Speaking of which, why not dance?"
"Oh, that would have been a very poor choice indeed. You can't make a living like that unless you're famous and have lots of money already."
"Hmm…"
The carriage was starting to rock and rumble more, and she saw through the window that they were now on a cobblestone street.
"Hogsmeade," she said. "I've been here a few times."
Severus nodded. She looked out the window again, keenly aware that he was watching her every reaction. Although sometimes it was uncomfortable, it was also very flattering; he seemed desperate to impress her. It was kind of sweet, really.
If being with one-on-one with Severus on a romantic excursion was nerve-wracking, she soon had other things to capture her attention. The carriage pulled off to what looked like a side alley before it stopped. Looking out, Petunia could see the end of a row of buildings that looked closed for the evening. Except for the streetlamps, the alleyway was dark. She wondered why they had stopped in such a strange, uninhabited place. Perhaps something had gone wrong with the horses or carriage wheels.
"Here we are,"
Severus said, and stepped out of the carriage, holding his hand out to her to help her get down. She noticed for the first time that the driver was a house elf. He wore a beautiful black velvet vest over a black shirt, and a little crimson red bow tie. He was older, whatever that meant in elf, and wore spectacles.
"We'll be walking back tonight, Reynard."
"Very good, sir," the elf said in a soft, wheezy voice, and rather stiffly. He glanced briefly at Petunia, tossed his head as if to say "Humph!" and drove off, leaving the two of them standing there in the alley. Petunia was amused. There was a story there.
"If you'll follow me," Severus said cheerfully, and walked to the end of the alley where there was a flight of cast iron stairs. The stairs went up one story to a door that looked locked and empty. But she didn't ask any questions; she had become used to being surprised by things, and sometimes it was a bit of a game to guess. Severus led them up the stairs, made room for her at the top and knocked very deliberately, three times. Then he muttered some words that sounded like Latin or Greek. He looked down at her and took her hand in his, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"This way." She savored the feeling of her hand in his large one, warm and perhaps a little protective? Severus took a large step right through the door and, still holding her hand, disappeared. Petunia followed suit, laughing.
"What's this?" she said when she came out the other side.
"This," Severus said with an air of mystery, "is The Empyrean."
