Oh my gosh! Pleeease don't hate me for delaying this chapter by so much! My life has been so crazy with work and random traveling. Not only that but I've kinda gone through a writer's block. I'm thinking it starting to get better, but I don't wanna just leave you guys with something that was quickly written and just bs. Haha :)

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Not the most eventful. I've got my ideas all thought out, just have to be able to write it.

Thanks again for all the reviews and follows! I truly appreciate them all!

Chapter 10

"Stop!" I scream, quickly sitting up and clutching my bed sheets to my chest. My chest is heaving up and down, and I'm breathing hard. I place my hand on my forehead and it's burning. The sheets at the end of my bed are all wrinkled, which means I was undoubtedly kicking in my sleep. I look over at the clock on my bedside table.

7:43am.

I lay back down and bury my face into my pillow, until I suddenly recollect all that happened last night and a large smile crosses my face.

After Severus had expressed that he wanted to prove himself to me, we stayed in the Astronomy Tower for the rest of the evening. We held each other and swayed for a while, until he led me over to the railing so that we could gaze at the stars. Small talk was made about our current classes and how the year is progressing, but we dodged conversation of anything relating to the war. I believe we both knew there would be another time and another place for that discussion. By the time we made our way back into the castle halls, it was well after midnight. Severus walked me to my quarters and bid me goodnight, even placing a tender kiss on my cheek.

I find the strength to finally climb out of bed and get ready for the day. It's a Sunday, so there are multiple things I could do, grading tests being one of those things that I really need to do. After weighing my options, going to find Severus sounds like a good choice.

On my way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, I pass by many students also on their way there. A few groups of them say hello to me, others only look at me as I go by.

Just as I'm about to enter the Great Hall, I spot Hermione Granger with Harry Potter over in a corner. She looks to be scolding him and I notice Harry grab a book out of her hands before he quickly paces into the hall, leaving Hermione in the corner, basically pouting to herself.

I walk up to the staff table to take my seat and instantly notice that Severus is not there.

"Just missed him, my dear" Professor Slughorn tells me, interjecting my thoughts.

"I'm sorry?" I ask.

"You're looking for Professor Snape, yes? Fellow just left about ten minutes ago. Seemed to be in quite a hurry."

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"I'm not sure. But I did see him take the side door over there." He says and points to the door behind us to our right. I think I know exactly where Severus has gone.

"Thank you, Professor." I say and stroll out the door as quickly as possible.

I pace down the back hallway and out into the courtyard, spotting Severus precisely where I knew he'd be.

"What are you doing out here in the middle of the morning?" I ask him, settling myself into the vacant spot next to him. I notice that he doesn't even flinch when I come from behind him, as if he knew I was there, he just continues to look forward.

"It's still early enough that I will not be disturbed by any dunderheads out here." I laugh.

"I can see your clear love for the children."

"Yes, they're wonderful. I think very highly of them all, can't you tell?" he says in the most monotone voice, adding a smirk at the end. I grasp onto his hand.

"That's good because I know they all love you." I hear him snort and I begin to giggle even more. "But, in all seriousness, why are you really out here?" He looks at me with a raised brow. "Slughorn said you seemed to be in a hurry when you left."

"I was meeting with… someone." He says and faces forward again.

"And may I ask whooo?" I enquire, wrapping my arm around his and pulling myself closer.

"It is of nothing that concerns you." Still facing forward with a disinterested look on his face.

"Whyyy?" I turn my body towards his.

"Because it doesn't." Still facing forward.

"Why can't you tell meee?" I have got to be getting on his nerves by now.

"Why do you insist on acting like a child?" He asks, raising an eyebrow and turning his gaze towards me.

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean, Sir." I say, getting up from my spot and set myself in his lap.

"What are you doing?" He scoots himself out from under me and sets me back in my spot on the bench. "And don't call me Sir."

"You don't like me showing affection towards you?" I cross my arms, giving him the best fake lip pout that I can. I know Severus isn't big on displaying affection, especially when others could see.

"Not here, no."

"Fine." I say, letting go of him and scooting an inch or two away from him.

"What are you doing?"

"Scooting away to make sure I won't show you any liking." Unexpectedly, Severus is up and out of his spot, snatching my wrist and jerking me off of the bench, hauling me through the courtyard and into the corridors.

Just a few minutes later, Severus and I are in his private quarters. He pulls me through the door and slams it shut before warding it. I suddenly feel my back forced against the hard wooden door and Severus pressed against my front, his face directly in front of mine.

I can feel myself getting nervous and tense, my palms of my hands lying flat against the wall, beginning to shake. I gaze up and realize that Severus is staring hard at me, like he's waiting to see what I'll do. He's not even holding me down and yet I feel like some sort of force is preventing me from moving. He brings his hand up but doesn't touch me, his hand hovering next to my face for a moment. I try to look into his eyes and figure out what he's thinking, but I just can't.

Without warning, I feel his hand reach the side of my face, his thumb lightly brushing in circles against my cheek. I can't help but to close my eyes and lean my head into his hand. This is something that Severus used to do years ago. When he could tell that I was stressed or worried, he would make those same little circles on my cheek. Sometimes, it would even put me to sleep. I'm drawn back out of my daze when he suddenly stops, but leaves his hand on the side of my face.

"Do you really want to know who I was meeting with?" Severus asks. I nod my head and his thumb begins to make the circles again. He takes a deep breathe. "Lucius and myself were called upon by the Dark Lord." I place my hand over his and he stops moving.

"Are you doing this because you're about to tell me something that you know I'll start worrying about?" I question him. Severus' eyes dart to the floor for a moment and then back to mine.

"Yes." He removes his hand and it falls to his side.

"What is it?" Severus looks almost apprehensive to tell me.

"As Lucius said last night, your return to the school has not gone unnoticed by the Dark Lord," he pauses for a moment and takes both of my hands in his, "and he knows about your brother being arrested by the Aurors."

I knew something like this was going to happen. Robert had never been one of Voldemort's most favored Death Eaters, being of my mother's blood, but he was still a follower none-the-less.

"Why was Lucius involved?" I ask.

"The Dark Lord knew of the festivities last night, and it appears that someone voiced to him that Lucius had allowed you into his home. He also knew that you had accompanied me, but for some reason he did not question it." Severus reaches into his robe and pulls out the morning's edition of The Daily Prophet. The front page has my brother's moving mugshot. "The Dark Lord is planning to somehow help your brother in escaping from Azkaban."

"Why would he do that? He has plenty of other Death Eaters." Not that I don't want my brother to be sitting in that shit hole, but it's true. Why would Tom be willing to go to such a length for Robert?

"Apparently it has to do with the deal that your brother made him when he gave himself up for your mother."

"Severus…" I let go of his hands and make my way over to his sofa, setting myself down in the middle of it and staring into the fireplace. "Robert isn't as powerful as Tom might believe him to be."

"I know that." He finds a spot next to me on the sofa and I promptly look over at him.

"You do?"

"Well, your brother dropped out of Hogwarts, so he clearly didn't finish his training." I shake my head.

"He dropped out the beginning of his 6th year and gave up wizardry. He knows only few of the more complicated spells because my father taught him, being an Auror. But all Robert really has is our family name. Other than that, I hate to say this but, he's pretty useless as a Death Eater. He'd likely get himself killed in battle."

"And I believe that your name and bloodline is what is helping him for the time being."

"What is Tom having you do in all of this?" I ask.

"He knows that you are a professor here and has given me the duty of looking after you." Severus pauses for a moment and wraps his arm around my waist. "Little does the Dark Lord know that I've already given myself that duty." I laugh a little and lightly smack at his arm.

"You're cheeky." Severus laughs deeply in his throat. He starts pulling on my waist to bring me closer to him, before finally moving me to sit on his lap. "Now you let me sit on you?"

"We're all alone now, no one can see us." He brings his hand up to cup my cheek. I stare into his eyes for a moment and try to study him. What is he doing?

Severus suddenly slides his hand closer to the back of my head, his fingers in my hair. He slowly pulls me forward until our faces are but centimeters from each other.

"Severus…" I whisper, placing my hands on his chest and closing my eyes.

"I'm sorry." He says, and I feel him remove his hand from my head, lowering it to rest on my leg. I open my eyes and take my hands off his chest, placing them in my lap.

I begin to feel a twinge of disappointment in my chest, and I hope it doesn't register on my face. Was I really hoping for Severus to kiss me? What had stopped him? He has kissed me recently and had said just last night that he loves me. But even at his remarks, I still find myself questioning them. Does he really love me? His love for Lily Potter is something I have known about for years and, when I found out, it was very clear how much he still loved her. There is no way that I can compete with a dead woman who has had his regard for so long, even if she didn't truly deserve it. But maybe Severus does, in fact, love me and can love me for the rest of my life. Over the past months, I have seen a changed man. Could he possibly…

Before I know it, my hands are on the sides of his face and my lips are on his, placing a soft kiss on them. We both are still for a moment and I'm starting to get the feeling I may have just made a mistake. Severus has not responded to my action and I can feel my hands beginning to shake, that is until I feel his own hands lightly grab onto my hips. I slowly pull my face from his but, not able to look him in the eyes, I turn my gaze down and place my hands in my lap.

Severus' hand rises and, again, finds its spot against my cheek, his thumb lightly brushing circles.

"You've recognized that I'm nervous?" I ask.

"It seems that I know you too well." He says as he continues to make circles.

He knows me too well... but I feel as if I hardly know myself right now. I just kissed him, the man who says he loves me, and he did not kiss me in return. Now we're sitting here casually, awkwardly but casually. Did I just make a mistake? Am I starting to let my feelings take over? But Severus has been so open with me lately about his own feelings. He was the one who pulled me onto his lap in the first place. He has said that he wants to be the one to look after me. What am I missing?!

"I have to go." I abruptly stand from his lap. "I'm sorry."

Making my way to the door, I hear Severus quickly rise from the sofa.

"Regina, where are you goi-" SLAM

I hold onto the door handle a moment longer before walking off into the hallways.