I sat in the library hovered over books and parchment. I calmly told myself for the millionth time to focus.

"You!" Someone shouted and several people including myself jerked their heads up to see what was happening.

I saw Susan marching towards me. The look on her face was not a happy one.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

I looked down at the spread in front of myself. "Transfiguration."

"That's not what I'm talking about." She snorted. "I've heard that you have detention with Snape again."

"Oh, that's what you mean." I said.

"So it's true then?" She asked. "What did you do this time? Everyone says you turned in a bad potion but I know you've never made a bad potion in your life so what really happened."

"Where did you hear this?" I asked.

"A few fourth year Slytherins said they walked in on Snape giving you detention." She said.

"Well the good news is that it's only for tonight." I offered as if that would make everything better.

"What did you do?" She demanded.

I looked down at my quill still in my hand. "I turned in a rotten potion and he gave me detention."

"When did you ever do poorly in potions?"

"I was nervous about talking to hi…defense club." I slipped. "I was thinking about that and I guess I wasn't paying attention to anything."

She gave a sigh. "Oh, Ruby. You sure it's only for tonight? He isn't going to change his mind and make it another month?"

"I'm going to try to not give him a reason to do that." I said.

"Why do you give him reason to do things like this?" She asked. "You know he doesn't like you. You need to be more careful."

A blur of black caught my attention and I watched Severus walk past a bookshelf. A crumpled up piece of paper fell from his hand and rolled to a stop a few feet from my chair. I tried not to look at it obviously.

"Oh, look!" I said. "Mark is here!"

I pointed to an area in the opposite direction of the paper and Susan's head snapped around in that direction. I quickly withdrew my wand and muttered accio paper. The small ball flew into my free hand as Susan looked back at me. I slammed my hand with the paper ball palm down on the table top.

"That's not Mark." She said eyeing me suspiciously.

"Are you sure?" I questioned. "I could have sworn that…yeah there he is!"

She turned again and I rapidly opened the piece of paper. Scribbled inside the paper ball were the words Dress Warmly. Susan looked around at me again and I slammed my hand back on the paper.

"That's not Mark." She said slightly annoyed.

"Oh, right." I said standing up and hastily packing books and parchment along with the small scrap of paper into my bag. "I see that now. I must be going mad. Anyways, I have to put this away. I'll meet you at supper."

I rushed upstairs to Ravenclaw tower and dumped my books onto my bed. I pulled the curtains shut and moved to my trunk and placed my coat, a hat my nan knitted for me, and my star covered gloves. I charmed my bag to remain square looking as though filled with books rather than a big coat.

I hurried down the stairs to meet Susan outside of the Great Hall for dinner losing myself in thoughts of what Severus could possibly have planned. The only thing I was almost completely sure of was that we would be going outside.

"I thought you were putting that away." Susan said gesturing to my bag when I reached her.

I looked down at my bag. "Right, I was going to but then I remembered I had detention so I switched out books and decided to take it along after all."

"Uh huh, because Snape is going to let you do homework on his time." Susan scoffed.

I shrugged. "A girl can dream."

She laughed and we entered the Great Hall. Severus sat in his spot next to Flitwick chatting quietly. He gave me a discreet glance and I detected a faint almost smile sweep across his lips but only for a moment before he returned to his normal disinterested scowl.

I sat across from Susan and picked at my food never really eating anything. I glanced quickly at Severus every few minutes to see if he was still there. Susan talked about classes and Mark. We'd finally gotten past the point where everything he did was adorable and had moved into the part where she complained about nearly everything.

"…Seriously, Ruby, the way he nibbles on the end of his quill is disgusting." Susan said for the third time since we sat down.

"So I hear." I said flicking my eyes to Severus again.

Susan having obviously noticed my looks over her head turned around to see what I was looking at. "He's so vile. He's sitting there talking as if everything were alright, meanwhile, you're sitting here so nervous that you can hardly eat."

I wasn't about to correct her that my lack of appetite was caused by anxious excitement rather than nerves so I nodded my head in agreement.

At that moment I watched Severus stand up from his seat and walk towards the exit. I pushed food around my plate a little more and nibbled on a roll. The minutes that past after his leaving felt like had they been in an hour glass the contents would have dripped slower than cold molasses. I couldn't take waiting anymore. I excused myself from the table and made an obligatory roll of the eyes and gagging sound at Susan to signify the discontent I was meant to feel.

As soon as I was through the doors I looked around and made sprint for the dungeon door. I could not remember flying down those steps so quickly and marveled at myself that I didn't fall on my face rushing at that speed.

I flung open the Potions' classroom door to find Severus standing at the front tying a heavy cloak over his shoulders. I dropped my bag on the nearest desk and shoved myself into my coat, hat, and gloves. In the time it took me to put on all of my warm clothes he had managed to put on a single leather glove. I flung my bag on with strap across my body so my hands could remain free and walked excitedly up to him.

"What are we doing?" I asked with an eager smile. "Where are we going?"

A small look of amusement crossed his face. "It's a surprise and you'll have to wait and see."

"Well let's go." I urged grabbing his gloved hand and pulling.

"Where is it that you're pulling me?" He asked. "You don't know where it is we should be heading."

I dropped his hand and he pulled his other glove over his bare hand. "Follow me."

He walked into the ingredients cupboard where I followed. He stood facing the shelf less wall and withdrew his wand. I watched as he dragged his wand over the stones in an intricate pattern. The bricks began to appear has if they were melting and a passageway appeared in place of the wall that had been there moments before. He replaced his wand in his robes and offered me his hand in which I placed my own hand with an excited leap of the heart.

"You have your own passage?" I asked obviously knowing the answer already.

"One of the tasks that comes with being potions master is needing to reach the grounds at various times day and night." He said. "It's much easier to have my own way outside than having to deal with Filch and his cat. Mrs. Norris still confuses me for a student and this way is much easier."

He led me through the new portal. The light from the potions cabinet lingered for long enough to dimly illuminate a stone spiral staircase before the wall sealed itself. I was in complete darkness but I still held on to Severus's gloved hand. He gave a gentle tug to my arm and I walked blindly through the darkness.

"Step." He said suddenly causing me to jump at the sound of his voice.

I lifted my foot and brought it forward apprehensively. I held my breath unconsciously until my foot made contact with the hard surface of the step. I made the way up the rest of the steps sliding my feet and gripping tightly to Severus's hand until he stopped. I heard the rustling of robes and then the scraping of something across stone.

The darkness was fractured by small slits of moonlight seeping through the melting stones. A cold wind rushed upon my face as the wall in front of us disappeared. Severus took a few step into the bright moonlight that was strangely blinding after having been in complete darkness.

"What a full moon." I said. "Biggest one I remember."

There was a silence and I regretted my awkward observation.

"Please tell me we aren't going back to the Shrieking Shack." I blurted. "I really don't want to take a chance of running into the werewolf."

"I told you the werewolf is gone." Severus reminded me. "Besides, I have something else planned. Something better."

"What are we doing then?" I asked.

"It's still a surprise." He said in a teasing tone. "But I can tell you we need to go in there."

I watched his hand as it moved to gesture to the forest on the other side of the grounds.

"The forest?" I shivered. "The Forbidden Forest? As in it's forbidden?"

"I am completely within my rights as a professor to take a student into the forest to serve detention." He smiled expectantly at me.

"That is not a thing." I argued.

"Oh, but it is." He said. "I can take a student into the forest for detention as long as I keep said student safe and make sure you remain in my company for the duration of our time in the forest."

"So I can be attacked by the Erumpent?" I asked terrified.

"Dumbledore had the Erumpent removed when I told him of its presence in the forest." Severus assured.

"Removed? As in killed?"

"Of course not. Captured and returned to Africa where it will be more at home. We're still not sure how it came to be in the forest in the first place. Now let's go. We don't have much time."

I didn't move.

"Ruby, let's go." He gestured to the edge of the woods.

I lifted my hand slightly expecting him to take it again but he turned and took large strides across the open grounds.

I let my hand fall back to my side and surveyed the area around. There were two people standing at a window on the third floor looking down. I stiffened and awkwardly followed Severus to the trees. He disappeared into the dark. I took a deep breath before following him.

I was plunged into darkness for the second time in moments. My nervousness heightened my sense of hearing and I flinched at every sound I heard. I felt as though I could hear the blood running through my veins. My breath caught in my throat when I heard the snap of a twig.

Something brushed against my hand. I jerked it up and took several quick steps back.

"It's just me." Severus's voice whispered.

I felt his hand brush mine and I could barely make out his pale skin against the darkness. I clungwildly to his arm with both hands and held myself against him as closely as I could.

"You're sure there are no Erumpents?" I asked just to be sure.

"I'm sure." He said. "Now a family of Acromantulas I cannot guarantee the lack of but, as long as you stay with me they shouldn't be a problem."

I clung even tighter to his arm and whined, "I hate spiders."

He began to lead me between the numerous tree trunks shining dimly grey in the low light of the moon through the foliage. The deeper we ventured the duller the light became until finally Severus pulled out his wand to light the way.

"You were joking about the Acromantulas weren't you?" I asked to distract myself from the overwhelming tension I felt from the forest.

"Not at all." Severus replied. "Hagrid told me of them after I had ventured in here a few times to collect ingredients. He said he raised the patriarch of the family since it was a baby. Named it Armabog or something but he said to be careful and told me were to avoid. I haven't had the bravery to go see if they are really there or not."

He was silent for a moment and the only sound was the crunching of earth and rocks under our feet. I noticed there was no snow on the ground under the thick treetops.

I heard Severus take a quick intake of breath and my blood turned to ice. "We should go pay the arachnids a visit tonight, don't you think?"

I snapped my head to look up at him. "No!" I shrieked in a strangely deep voice.

He laughed. "Perhaps another time then."

"How can a family of giant spiders live in here and you have yet to see one?" I asked.

"This forest is much larger than anyone can imagine." He said. "Almost like there is an expanding spell on it. Hagrid has many creatures lurking these woods. They all trust him but others are not so lucky. I wouldn't be surprised if the Erumpent was one of his."

We were quiet again and I was still latched tightly to his arm. I took a chance and leaned my head on his shoulder. He didn't pull away or even look at me. I slid my hand down the inside of his arm and stopped once it reached his hand before I laced my fingers in between his.

We came to a stop a little while later in a strange clearing somewhere in the middle of the woods. The trees still blotted out the moon except for three streams of moonlight. Under each of the beams of light was a small bush with flowers. The petals were such a pale purple they almost looked white. Severus led me closer to the bushes.

As I came closer to them I smelled warm milk and spices. The smell warmed my nose and insides with every breath. The scent and feeling were calming and I could feel my eyelids become heavy with drowsiness.

I wandered over to a tree next to the plants. I gently brushed my hands over the needle covered leaves and swirled my fingers over the prickly base of one of the flowers.

I inhaled deeply of the spiced aroma that warmed my lungs and looked over at Severus. "Moon Thistle. I've only ever read about these. How did you know these were here?"

"I walk around the forest a lot." He said. "No one bothers me here and as long as I'm cautious nothing else bothers me either. I stumbled on these a few weeks ago but they need a full moon to be of use. They'll be good for the first years to make a weak sleeping draft."

I sat with my back against a tree near the Moon Thistle. I watched Severus walk over and sit next to me. I rested the back of my head against the tree and closed my eyes. The drowsy feeling the flowers gave me wiped away my inhibitions.

"When did you decide you liked me?" I asked with my eyes still closed.

I heard him shift in the dirt. "What?"

"You kissed me the other day, you clearly like me, but when did you decide that you did?" I said finally looking at him.

He sat looking at me with his mouth slightly open, he inhaled before he answered. "The Cruorlappa Berry incident."

"What?" I laughed slightly. "I bled out on your floor. How does that make you like me?"

He shrugged. "You gave me a piece of you mind though, before you lost consciousness. No one has yelled at me like that since Lily."

My stomach flip flopped. "So you only like me because I remind you of Lily?"

He shook his head. "I hated you because you reminded me of Lily, the anger you showed that night was purely Ruby. I liked your conviction, I suppose."

I struggled to fight back a smile. No one had ever referred to my explosive temper as conviction before.

"When did you decide you liked me?" He asked.

"There isn't one moment I can look to and say that is it." I thought out loud. "It's more like the sum of all the little times I got glimpses into who you really are that make me like you."

He looked at me straight faced. "And who am I really?"

I wrinkled my nose and squinted my eyes as I thought about my deductions. "You're loyal, that's simple. With all your talk about Dumbledore and how much you owe him, you are incredibly loyal. You are also very no nonsense and very secretive. Insecure but you don't like anyone to know so you cover it up with rudeness."

"Rudeness?" He interrupted.

"Don't argue!" I exclaimed. "You are very rude to the casual observer."

He sighed. "Alright, but why is any of that likeable?"

"You didn't let me finish." I said.

"Well, then, please continue." He smiled.

"You're clever." I said. "I like clever."

"Is that all?" He asked.

"For now that is all I know about you." I finished.

Severus was the one to lace his fingers with mine this time. The light of the moon went out leaving us in momentary darkness before a strange light reflected off Severus' face. I turned to see the blossoms of the Moon Thistle were glowing in the absence of the moon.

The light was, like the flowers, very faintly purple.

"I was starting to think the moon was never going away." Severus said as he pulled his hand from mine and stood up. "They are at their best when picked when glowing. Would you like to help?"

I was handed a small bag and I watched Severus as he cupped his fingers around the prickly base and lifted straight up. The blossom, base and all, separated and he placed both into his bag. I copied his movements and filled my own bag. With each picked flower the smell of milk and spices became stronger, almost intoxicating. I became dizzy, like standing up too quickly with a head cold.

"We should go." Severus said noticing my wobbly stance. "This should be more than enough for the first years."

He hid his bag full of Moon Thistle in his robes and took my hand in his once again before leading me from the strangely glowing plant. Soon he had his wand out again to light our way in between the trees. This time I was less afraid and concentrated on the pressure created by Severus' hand wrapped around mine.

We reached the edge of the woods in seemingly not time at all. I continued walking until my arm jerked when Severus stopped. He pulled my arm so I tripped over to him.

"I need the Moon Thistle." He said holding out his hand.

I dropped the bag in his outstretched hand and he let go of me. I thought this meant I should leave so I turned slowly.

"Ruby." He said and I turned towards him. He reached into the bag I had just given him and pulled out a dimly glowing flower.

He made to place the flower in the pocket of my robes and in doing so came close enough to me that our bodies pressed against one another. His closeness gave me a shiver. He placed his palm on mine and lifted our hands together to eye level. His fingers were a knuckle length longer than mine. He bent them over the top of my fingertips.

I was too distracted by the sight of our hands together to notice Severus leaning closer until his lips pressed on mine. My heart exploded like fireworks. I separated our hands and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands ran smoothly down my sides and came to a stop on my hips. I inhaled deeply as the kissing intensified.

I stick snapped not far from us and we rapidly broke apart. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand.

"Uh, thanks for helping." Severus said as he bent down to pick up the partially spilled bag of Moon Thistle from the ground.

I nodded as I searched for what made the twig snap but I couldn't see anything.

"You head for the front door and I'll use the passage to my classroom." He said before looking around.

He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss before walking from the forest.

I stood watching him walk away with a stupid smile on my face. I heard a low grumble that startled me from my stupor. I squealed before I ran as fast as I could from the woods. I made it a few feet outside before I calmed myself and smoothed my robes. My hand hit a bump and I reached into my pocket and held onto the blossom as I walked nonchalantly to the castle.