Disclaimer: I own nothing but my chars and plot.

A/N: Thank you for catching my typo gwen. lol.

Chapter 28: Being Love Sick

Apparently every single student in the school now knows what Snape said to Miss Liam. Tara Liam, not a snob, but close to one. She is close friends with Ginny, who, according to Ron, is turning into a bit of a snob herself. I really didn't want to get involved with the drama of Hogwarts when I wasn't even a student anymore, but I did like knowing what was going on. Anyways, Ginny is now mad at Ron for 'allowing me' to back-talk one of her close friends. First of all, I have my own thoughts and mouth to project what I want to say, so obviously Ron has nothing to do with it.

"Oh, Ginny's just taking it out on me because I teased her about some boy she liked. She's using any excuse possible to yell at me." Ron explained Saturday afternoon in Hogsmeade.

The sun was warm on our faces as we walked to a candy shop. I forgot how much fun it was to come with my friends to places like this.

"Umm," Gwen stopped her lizard from crawling all over her back, "Now that I have Ringo settled, what do you guys want to do?"

"Let's get more candy," Said Ron with his mouth full of chocolate. This was not a pretty sight.

I looked around the area and suggested, "Why don't we go to the Leaky Cauldron and grab some grub."

"I could use some butterbeer right now," Admitted Hermione.

We all agreed and strode to the Leaky Cauldron happily. I think for once we were all in content, non-aggressive or upset moods. Yay!

Upon entering the pub, Hermione pointed to a table we could sit at. Of course, the first person I spotted in here was Lucius Malfoy. Draco went over to his Father and said hello as Gwen, Mione, Ron, and I sat at a table in the corner. A waitress came over and Ron asked for a round of butterbeers, including Draco. In a minute, Draco came to our table. Luckily, Lucius didn't come over. I wasn't really in a be-nice-to-older-people mood. In fact, I felt like snapping at anyone who looked at me wrong. But I was still happy..Go figure. Our butterbeers were passed out after I thought of the odd mood I was in.

"My Father," Began Draco, "is irritated. According to him, Peeves the Ghost is at it again. Dumbledore asked for some help the other day with something, and Peeves dumped chocolate milk all over my Father's head."

To hide my laughter I took a swig of butterbeer.

Hermione, however, let her laughter go uncaringly, "Is he alright?"

"Yeah. Just miffed." Draco took a sip of his butterbeer.

Ringo crawled off Gwen's shoulder and onto her head. She sighed, "Ahh, the joys of a lizard messing my hair up."

"How can it get any messier?" Shot back Ron, who was then hit over the head by Gwen.

I took another long sip from my butterbeer and glanced up. I almost choked on my drink as Lucius walked over to our table.

"Good afternoon," Lucius started with a smile on his face, "How are you all today? Good? Well? Joyful?" He walked over to my side and patted my shoulder.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy," I mumbled after he took his hand off my shoulder.

"My, my, what a friendly group we have here." He smirked.

The jug of butterbeer reached my mouth once again, this time tasting a bit colder than before. It might have been because the pub was actually freezing, though we ignored it. Either that or I was imagining things. I had a few more sips before putting the glass down. Thank goodness the only way to get drunk off of this was to have more than five in one sitting.

Ron never liked Lucius. I could tell by the way he looked at him. So it shocked me when he actually spoke, "Are you going to do anything about Peeves? We heard what happened."

"Hmm?" Lucius cocked an eyebrow, "Oh. Well, I want to, but Albus is too busy to be bothered. I won't annoy him with such childishness. Right, Draco?"

Draco responded quickly, "Right."

"I hate Peeves." I blurted accidentally, but purposely at the same time.

With that said, Mr. Malfoy added his own statement, "He is a bother, but can be on your good side if you just try. Obviously I didn't try hard enough." He looked at us all once again, "Well, I must be off. Just came to say hello to Draco's pals. Tata."

"Bye," Our group said in unison.

One more sip left in my butterbeer glass, so I drank it. We were all done except for Gwen who was preoccupied with Ringo crawling near her neck. During the next few minutes, we just sat and talked.

My stomach felt a little nervous as we got back to Hogwarts. The remainder of the week had gone by with barely any work. Snape only had me asking questions here and there and passing out papers. Although he hadn't actually let me teach yet, I would be going to his class when I got back from Hgsmeade. Which, un-freaking-fortunately, was in a few seconds.

I entered the dungeons after saying bye to my buddies. Ron had mumbled select comments about, 'dirty old git,' and, 'I'll kill him if he touches you.' At least he supports me! Haha…ha…no.

"Come in…" Snape's voice called. My stomach felt odd. Not nervous as normal, but kind of nauseous.

As I entered, he stood over his desk, sorting through papers.

"Hi, S..S..Severus." It took me awhile to say his name. I was aware of my stupidity. His billowing robes were on the back of his chair, leaving him in only his ensemble of black pants and a black, button-down, long, fitting, gorgeous coat-type-thing.

I need to stop oggling him!

And just as I stopped oggling him, my stomach went into painful knots. I cringed a bit, but thought nothing of it. Snape motioned for me to approach him, so I did. My sight felt a little blurry, but stupid me didn't care.

"I have the lesson plan here, Maranda. All you need to do is go over it as if I were a student. I figured if youpracticed on me, you wouldn't be so nervous in front of the students. Is that alright?" Snape's voice was so calming, like a velvet blanket with lace embroidery.

My feet wobbled a bit, but I ignored it and took the paper from Snape's hand. Oh, to have his hand brush through my hair would be Heaven. Taking one more step, I became unbalanced and tripped. Luckily, Snape caught my fall. My hands grasped at is shirt to hold onto something stable. Dizziness had kicked in.

Snape's comfortable voice came back, "What's wrong?"

I tightly closed my eyes, hoping that would lessen the blurriness. I opened them back up to see Snape's eyes very close to mine. He must have helped me stand. I could feel my heart pumping faster and faster, draining blood from my brain. I couldn't think. The grip on Snape became stronger. I held his shoulder and his arm with my shaking hands. My eyes grew heavy like lead, and I couldn't keep them open long enough.

"Maranda," I felt his soft hand caress my cheek before I layed my head on his chest. I felt so weak. So tired. So sick.

And a sudden thought crossed my mind as clear as day: I was love-sick. But not just pretend or in an exhaggerated way. I felt ill to my stomach.

I felt Snape move me and pick me up off the ground with one arm supporting my legs, and one supporting my back. I found a way to cling onto something, probably his chest. If it was his chest, he must've had some muscle. If I was dying, I wanted my last sight to be my friends and Snape. And my last feeling to be his lips on mine, wishing me a romantic trip to Heaven.

0o0o0o0o

"I don't want to die!" I screamed. Not sure if I mentally screamed it or actually yelled.

My eyes burned, my throat ached, body shook, and hand...was warm. Warm with the contact of flesh on flesh. Someone was holding my hand, and I could only hope...

"You're alive!" Gwen's voice boomed in my ears. I rubbed my temple and slowly opened my eyes.

My hand was not being held by him. It was being held by Draco.

"Uhn.." It took me a moment or two to absorb my surroundings. I was in my room, on top of my bed sheets. The pillow under my head was warm and supportive.

Hermione was on the edge of my bed, "You gave Snape quite a scare. He said you were wobbling and clinging onto everything as if you were having a fit."

"I only clung onto him." I admitted, not even aware that Snape was in the corner of my room.

Damn.

Ron glanced at me with worried eyes, "Are you alright?"

"I ache." My responses would now be close to anti-social. I felt too icky to talk.

Snape turned to face everyone and demanded they leave so I could have some quiet time. I didn't argue.

After my friends wished blessings upon me and yadda, yadda, yadda, Snape stood over me. I felt too lazy to even look up at him, which was very sad on my part.

"Maranda," Snape glanced at my position, "if you don't want to lie down in your bed, I can help you walk to the Hospital Wing. I thought it best if you stay down here in your own room, where you won't be disturbed by immature teens. I know how you don't really like being bothered when upset. I felt your forehead, and by judgement, you have the flu."

I forced a half-hearted laugh out of me, "Is that why I was wobbly?"

"Yes.." he cracked a small smile, "I am conjuring some healing potion for you, but it might take overnight before I can give it to you. The best thing you can do right now is stay where you are and relax. I can have the house-elves bring down some juice for you later, if you'd like. If you need anything, just shout for me. I'm only a room away."

My heart felt like leaping into the air. Snape was concerned and caring. I could see in his eyes a glimmer of kindness. If his eyes could cure, I would've been one-thousand times better.

"Thank you," I spoke softly, "I really appreciate this. You're really nice when you want to be."

He half-smiled, "And you're really honest when you want to be.. Of course, I think I win by a landslide."

Before I could even realize what he said, Snape left and closed my door half way.

That's why I loved him. He was so unpredictable and ...Oh, here I go again. Even my brain can't take a break from me. No wonder I fell ill. But, I found it weird that I only started feeling sick after my visit to Hogsmeade. Then again, I always have nerves, so there's no telling if I was sick previously or not.

My body was so exhausted, but I didn't really want to fall asleep over my covers. But then again, I couldn't move. I was never really one to get sick. Go figure that the first time I really feel disgusting is the time someone is willing to take care of me. Maybe I should get ill more often. I had never meant to cling on so tightly to Snape, but I thought I was going to die. I'm so happy he took me in my room though, instead of the Hospital Wing. I guess I should give him credit for that. He knew I wouldn't want to go in there when I'm not even a student.

As I tried to shift a little on my bed, my back began to ache. I let out a small whine in frustration. How could I get a backache from the flu? Then again, how could I get the flu? I hadn't done anything unusual or gone outside without a coat. Yet, I was always one for having bad luck, so that was probably it. Unless someone cursed me or poisoned my food. But then I would actually be dead.

All this thinking was kind of hurting my brain, but I had nothing else to do but sleep, and I wasn't in the mood to sleep yet. If Snape found out I were still awake, he'd probably yell at me. To make him stop, I would give him a cookie and he would leave me alone.

But then, if you give a Snape a cookie, he's going to want some milk. And then he'll want to kill me for fattening him up.

Hehe. Fat Snape. What a funny image!

"Maranda," Ahh! Snape startled me by knocking on the door.

I stayed in my place as he opened the door with a flask in his grasp, "The potion is done early. I see you're not sleeping, as suggested, so why not take this now?"

There was no way I could even try to sit up. "I can't move."

He knelt next to my bed and opened the tiny cover to the flask, "Open your mouth."

Oh Great trains, planes, and automobiles, I wish he would kiss me right now. I opened my mouth a little bit and Snape placed the flask on my lip, slowly slanting it so that I could drink the red liquid. It tasted like cherries and peppermint, not a combination I was used to.

After drinking it, Snape took the flask away and said, "See, that wasn't bad, was it?"

"No." I was too mesmerized by his Snapiness to answer in a longer version.

"Get some rest," He stood up, "I'll be in periodically to check on you. Your skin is pale," he felt my forehead, "and you are hotter than lava. Sleep."

Snape said I was hot. I know! It wasn't in a flirty context.

He left the room before I could say anything. I definitely couldn't sleep now, knowing he was going to come in here every now and then. What if I fell asleep and he came in to kill me? Ha. Ok, I think my brain does need a break.