Ch14

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Sailor Moon and nor do I own Harry Potter.

AN: I am soooo sorry for the long wait. Things had been so hectic for me since I last updated. First my summer job was hectic and all where I'm teaching creative writing and Spanish. And last but not least, the biggest problem of all…I GOT WRITER'S BLOCK!!!! Sadly, not just for this chapter, but for all my other stories as well. T-T

But when I started to get some ideas, school had already started yet again. And now I'm being pounded with reports to write and midterms to take for my classes. I am so horrible for making all of you wait. Hopefully you'll all enjoy this chapter for my repentance.


Severus and Usagi had already gotten most of the supplies they needed to get for the lessons. Now they were taking a break by a café, not one was talking to each other. While Usagi immersed herself in her tea, Severus couldn't help but notice how the gazes of the people walking by were immediately focused on his companion. He could tell by the look in the male's eyes what they were thinking, the way their eyes narrowed in jealousy and disappointment when they look at his way already confirmed his suspicion that they believed he wasn't good enough for Usagi.

That thought caused his to cough back up the coffee he was drinking, bringing Usagi's attention to him. Why would they think that they were going out to begin with? He shook his head slightly and sighed as he gazed deeply into his drink. Well, maybe for the fact that he was a young man and she being a young woman and that they're alone. He glanced back up at her to see that she went back to her tea. He guessed if he had been one of the spectators, he too would've thought that they were on a date as well.

"So, Ms…"

"Call me by my last name and I'll be forced to use you as a target practice and I assure you, I don't miss," Usagi said, glaring at him, "If you must, you can call me Serenity or Usagi, but no Potter. It makes me feel as if you see my father instead of me."

"Very well, Ms. Serenity, what is your real reason of being here?" Severus felt his face grow hot when he saw Usagi's head tilt slightly to the side like a kitten. He quickly covered his face with his hand as he forced a light cough. "I mean, the only real reason that you gave for coming back was to help us defeat the dark lord, but I sense that there's something else. You've been missing for the past sixteen years and appeared out of nowhere."

"What is it with you and being polite?" Usagi said, shaking her head, "You know there's no reason to call my name with Ms. in front of it."

"And what is it with you and changing the subject to what you want it to be?" Severus asked, causing Usagi to laugh. "Please answer the questions, Ms. Serenity. If it is something that might benefit us in this war then you must tell us."

Usagi picked up her cup and said, "I just needed to get away from my present life that's all. I was sent away with a purpose I needed to fulfill and when I did, I wanted to be with my brother once again. Is there something wrong with wanting to be close to the very last blood relation you have left?"

Severus stared at her and said softly, "No there's nothing wrong."

Usagi then smiled at him and said, "And besides after I found out that my fiancé was cheating on me, it's natural for anybody in my shoes to want to get away."

"That's true," Severus said, drinking his coffee when all of a sudden, he spit it back out and shouted, "Fiancé?", causing everybody around them to look at them. Slightly blushing in embarrassment, he sat back down and coughed into his hand, trying to regain the last of his dignity left within him.

Usagi giggled slightly and couldn't help but smirk at him. "Is it that surprising, Severus?" she asked.

Trying to get rid of the cold shiver going up and down his spine, Severus shook his head and said, "It's just that you're so young and…"

"I'm twenty years old and according to the tradition I am to follow, I have to get married before I turn twenty-two," Usagi said, "We've been going out since I was fifteen and he was nineteen years old."

"That's a huge age gap," he said softly, but deep in his mind he couldn't help but think, "But the gap between the two of us is much bigger. What am I thinking? I'm practically old enough to be her father considering Potter and I are the same age."

"I suspected that he would be cheating on me but I had to keep the appearances up after all, it wasn't time for me to come and get Harry," Usagi said, "It wasn't until we defeated the last threat at home and everything in the plan was completed that I came here."

Severus eyed her curiously and said, "So it wasn't just coincidence that you and the other professors know how to protect and defend so well. You guys were warriors."

Usagi gasped and covered her lips. "I can't believe I just blurted that part out," she said mentally, panicking. "I'm sorry, but it's getting late so I should get going," she said, standing up and bowing slightly.

She was about to leave when Severus grabbed her by the hand, causing her to turn around in shock. "Please, tell me everything," he said.

"Promise that you won't tell the others," Usagi whispered. The last thing she needed was to have her family find out about her past and start to fuss over her every movement.

Severus thought about it and then nodded. "If it won't endanger Dumbledore and the others then I won't tell them," he said. He watched as Usagi sat back down, taking a deep breath, and nodded. "Do you want us to talk here or do you want to go somewhere more private?" he asked.

Usagi took the hand holding hers with the other and just smiled. "Come, I know the perfect place to talk and where you can truly understand everything," she said. Taking his hand in hers, she stood up and led him away from prying eyes. Severus didn't notice but with each step they took away from civilization, they were slowly vanishing into thin air until they were gone completely.

/-/

"Where is she?" Haruka shouted, pacing back and forth in her dormitory's living room. She ignored the curious eyes of the Golden Trio, the sighing from her two friends and adopted daughter. "They've been gone for hours. They should've been back by now!"

"Oh, Ruka, stop exaggerating," Michiru said, "They've only been gone for one hour."

"But they should've been back by now," Haruka repeated, "I mean, honestly how long does it to buy several supplies."

"You make it sound like Usagi-mama was probably kidnapped and held hostage," Hotaru said, glancing through her book.

Haruka's entire body froze as she slowly turned around and stared at Hotaru in fear. "Don't even joke about that!" she shouted, jumping up, pointing at her. She paused and held a hand to her face as she was quiet with her girlfriend and daughter staring at her curiously. "Unless it is what happened then…OH MY GOD!" She quickly rushed to the door, only to be held back by Michiru.

"Ruka, you better calm down," she said. When she saw that Haruka wasn't listening to her, she sighed and took hold of a large textbook and slammed it down on her head, at times like this, not even the threat of a couch can distract Haruka.

/-/

Severus stared at Usagi in complete shock, or at least that's what it looks like to the blonde. He had taken her to the supposedly haunted house where she proceeded to tell him the entire story from her life in Silver Millennium to the life she lived in Japan. As he listened about the part of her ex-fiancé, he couldn't believe that there was anyone so stupid to throw away a rare jewel as the young professor. Usagi is as he had said, a rare jewel, no matter how hard he might now want to admit. She's beautiful yet she sees herself as plain; she's kind yet firm when she has to be; she's strong yet frail at same time. Often time, he would pass by his students and he would hear how popular the DADA teacher was, even to his own household.

"How exactly did you know about the betrayal?" Severus couldn't help but ask. He had a feeling that there was something the princess was not telling him.

Usagi just smiled and said, "It's a secret." She giggled when she saw him look at her with an annoyed look on his face that almost resembled a pout; she sighed and shook her head slightly. "I had some inside informer who told me," she said. She stood up and tried to pat the dust off her dress. "I hope that you won't be treating me any differently now that you know the truth."

"I won't," Severus said with a smirk on his face. "I never treated Potter as a pampered hero like the others so you know that it doesn't matter to me who you are." He stood up and began to walk out the door. "So are you prepared for the ball, it is just two days away?" he said, glancing at her.

"Is it mandatory for the professors to have a date?" she asked.

"No." Severus glanced at her and watched as she was quiet in thought. "Did somebody ask to take you?" he asked, teasing her. He ignored the clench in his chest when he asked that.

Usagi shook her head. "No, I was just wondering," she replied.

The two were already heading back to the school when they heard a voice, shouting, "Professor Snape." They turned around to see a tall man about Usagi's age with light brown hair holding a broom with one hand and a luggage with the other.

AN: So who is that man who called out to the two? I'm sorry to say that you'll have to wait for the next chapter for that. R&R