Under My Skin

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

After Severus gracefully glided to his rooms that night, he wondered what it was about Grace Vasquez he was so damn attracted to. He hadn't been attracted to any woman in a very long time, so why now and why her? It was unnerving to think of all the nasty things he thought about Grace prior to their first kiss. He had always thought of her as a very intellectual, yet arrogant person. And for some reason that reminded him of something or someone he knew, but he couldn't quite place what or who. He thought back to the experience of his erection about a week ago. He remembered seeing her bite her lip in concentration as she thought of the spell, and at that point something in his mind clicked, but what it clicked to, he couldn't tell.

Whatever it was about this woman, Severus enjoyed it immensely. But, as she practically said, he was way too old for her. They were almost twenty years apart. As Severus thought about the age difference, he began to wonder where these ludicrous thoughts were coming from. Why should he care about their age difference? She'd be nothing more to him than a good shag. If and when it got around to that, he'd throw her away like the whore she truly was.

Severus was in need of whiskey and fast.

He stalked over to his bar in the hallway and grabbed an unopened bottle of whiskey. As he held the whiskey, he used his wand to light a fire and conjure his black leather chair next to it. He sat down and downed half the bottle in one gulp. He felt the liquid slide down his throat gracefully and soon all his thoughts were disoriented.

"Ron, I'm done with the bet."

"What? Why?" Ron questioned. Both men were out by the lake the day before the students were to arrive. Harry was skipping stones in the lake like a little boy while Ron watched him.

"I just don't think we should be doing this. Someone could get hurt," he replied. He truly liked Grace and definitely didn't want to see her get hurt. He sighed and looked around for more skipping stones.

"Are you afraid you're going to loose?" Ron challenged.

"No, that's not it!" he defended back. Ron dropped the subject for now and continued to watch Harry.

"Pussy," Ron muttered.

Harry heard this and turned to face Ron in a swift move. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me! You're afraid you're going to lose. And that worries you because Perfect Potter has never lost anything to Weasel Weasley. There's a first time for everything!" Ron yelled.

"You've got no room to call anyone a pussy, fag!" Harry was on high on his toes now trying to cast down upon the equally tall Ron. They were inches from each other and as the moments passed, their faces became redder.

"I'm not a fag!" Ron retorted uneasily.

"Oh, okay. Gay, not straight, pussy, ass fucker, as in not attracted to women as you should!" Ron was taken aback by Harry's harsh words; he had not once in his life heard Harry use such foul language. He didn't even know Harry knew these words.

"So this is what you really think of me?" Ron pestered.

"Hell yeah!" A self-satisfied smirk reigned across Harry's face, but it was replaced by a sharp "Oh!" when Ron punched him in the gut. The sudden impact on Harry's stomach had him gaping for air as he struggled to stand as he was now bended over with his hands to his abdomen. He stood straight as soon as he felt his body could hold him up.

"I'm going to kick your ass!" yelled Harry.

Ron who had started to head back to the castle suddenly found himself on the floor, face pushed into the mud, with Harry on top of him.

"Hey! I thought you didn't swing that way Harry." He soon regretted that statement as his sides were pummelled till he found it hard to breathe.

Strength from nowhere appeared and he managed to roll Harry off him so he could defend himself. He managed to punch once before Harry was on him again. Adrenaline was pulsing through both the men; increasing their strength and endurance. Ron had just managed to roll Harry under him so he could get some serious payback when:

"Boys, boys!" yelled McGonagall over the hustle of the fight in front of her. She grabbed both men's ears like little school boys and hauled them off each other. For an old woman, she certainly had strength. She was beyond livid now, her face red. She didn't understand why hostile attention was being charged at one another in the castle. "Oh, for God's sake." she muttered under her breath. "What is the meaning of this?" she fumed.

"Nothing, Professor," Harry was the first one to speak after catching his breath. He was slumped over, trying to regulate his breathing.

"Nothing? I find that hard to believe! Then why were you at each other's throats not two minutes ago? I swear, if Dumbledore knew all the fighting that's been going on..." she mumbled more to herself than the men. Ron sighed and moved away from McGonagall's painful grasp of his ear. Harry did the same and shot a death glare at Ron.

"Boys," McGonagall warned. "I suggest you go back to your rooms and do some last minute prep."

"But-"

"No 'buts'. Up, now! And I will be telling the Headmaster about this. Honestly, the things..." and she began walking back to the castle, muttering to herself.

"I.." began Ron, but he stopped and began walking back towards the castle, a few feet behind McGonagall. Harry stood there watching him, glad he didn't really have to explain himself.

A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! I feel so proud of myself, actually. So go ahead and review again! It'll make me update faster!