A.N. Hey to all my reviewers! Thanks so much! You guys are very encouraging, and you make me want to write more. Unfortunately, my muse does not always inspire me to write a story in chronological order...I have the chapters containing the Christmas hols, but not the ones containing the intermediate times...Hopefully, I will write those chapters quickly, but it may or may not happen. I have finals in two weeks, so don't expect too much for about a month. Anyways, thanks again for reading.
Previously…
i "So tell me, Harry," the DADA teacher began a conversation, "Did Professor Snape test your mental shields, or did you two just jump straight to insults and hexes?" Beside her, Harry managed a small grin.
"I threw him out," he grunted proudly, his smile twisting into a grimace as he spoke. "You didn't lose your ten galleons." Brethany laughed.
"I knew you would, Harry." She grinned. "So, what started your duel?" The young woman watched as his ears flushed. "He nailed you on the snogging, didn't he?" she asked knowingly. "I told you he would be able to tell." Harry glared blearily at her, then growled halfheartedly. Brethany only laughed. "Served you right." The teenager pointedly ignored her the rest of the way to the infirmary./i
And Now…
"Good morning, sunshine!" Brethany sang happily, a sadistic note of pleasure in her voice. Severus Snape cracked open a single eye, took one bleary look at her, then groaned and rolled to his other side.
"If this is punishment for past sins, I must contest this treatment. No sin deserves this sort of punishment." He hauled the infirmary blanket over his head.
Brethany smirked. "Not a good idea, Snape," she told him in a sing-song voice.
"What in Merlin's name are you blathering ab-" Snape's muffled question erupted into a screech of dismay. Grinning widely, the other teacher bounced off to Harry's bed as the Potions Master jerked upright, soaked in freezing cold water.
Harry was already awake, having been aroused by the noise. The teenager took one look at the shivering man in the next bed, Brethany's mad smile, and the wand in her hand, then immediately began to look as awake as possible.
"Awake, then, Harry?" his DADA teacher asked him, something akin to disappointment in her voice. Harry nodded vigorously, and quickly put his glasses on. "How are you feeling? Fully recovered?"
"I'm still rather sore," the young man admitted, stretching his arms experimentally and wincing. "At least I can move my arm, now; and my wrist is fully healed, too." He paused. "How's Snape? I mean, Professor Snape? Skele-grow is a bit nasty…"
"I don't need your pity, Potter," Snape growled, pulling the sopping blanket off his head. Brethany and Harry burst out laughing at the sight he made.
Mussed black hair had plastered to the pale face, and the thin, wet hospital gown was nearly transparent against the man's chest. Although most of the cuts and bruises had been healed, Snape still had the shiny remains of a burn on his left cheek, and sleep lines etched into the other. His dark eyes were still sleep-blurred, and the soft lines of exhaustion around his mouth almost made him look…dare it be said…childlike.
"Aw," Brethany cooed, happily taking her revenge for the previous night, "Look at him…he's so cute when he's sleepy."
"Shut…up…woman."
"Well, good morning, you three," Poppy greeted them cheerily as she entered the infirmary. "Are you bothering my patients, Brethany?"
"Yes." "No." both teachers answered at once. The two entered a brief glaring contest.
Brethany grinned sweetly at Snape. "I'm not bothering you, am I, Severus?" The Potions teacher shivered, then crossed his arms and glared harder.
"You poured cold water all over me. Of course you're bothering me. You bother me on the best of days, when I do not even see you, much less interact with you!" This last was spoken at a yell, black eyes flashing in heated aggravation.
"Ooh." An expression of admiration flashed across Brethany's face. "You must admit, Severus, that does take talent on my part. How many people can claim to getting under your skin that thoroughly?"
Snape stared at the young woman for a long moment. "Up to this date, only Potter, the Dark Lord, and the Headmaster." Brethany grinned, not at all surprised by the admission. The man rolled his eyes and turned to the nurse. "Poppy, get this madwoman away from me," he all but pleaded.
"Sorry, Severus," Brethany spoke cheerily. "You must have forgotten; you and I are visiting the vampire colony today."
"Not until tonight," Snape growled. "You specifically told me we would not be leaving until tonight."
The DADA teacher raised an eyebrow. "We might not be leaving until tonight, but we have to go over all the plans for the December trip with Albus. Also, I have to teach you Vampire Etiquette 101." The man looked at her in horror. "We're stuck together for the next three days; you don't have any classes to teach today, remember?" Snape groaned, letting his head fall forward to the blanket in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "I'll see you in Albus' office in an hour, Severus. Don't be late." Brethany waved cheerily as she left the hospital wing.
"I…hate…that…woman," Severus growled half-heartedly.
Harry grinned. "I'm sure she loves you, too, Professor."
--
Brethany looked up with a grin when Snape swept into the Headmaster's office.
"Good morning, Severus!" Albus twinkled at the glowering man. "You seem much improved from last night, my boy." The Potions teacher all but growled.
"Now, now, Severus," Brethany said cheerfully, "No need for all that. Why, you'll scare the vampires tonight, if they hear you growling like that." She stifled a laugh when the man growled louder. "Aw, Severus, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?" the young woman needled shamelessly.
"iYou/i…" Snape's eyes blazed, and his hand actually went to his wand.
"Oh, do go ahead, Snape," the DADA teacher smirked. "I know you want to yell at me. After all, I idid/i wake you up in a most uncomfortable manner…did I mention how cute you are when you've just woken?" That last broke Snape's control, just as Brethany had known it would.
"Insufferable… aggravating… unbearable… addlepated… frustrating… provoking… cattish… blabbering… empty-headed… mind-bogglingly infuriating… blathering… maddening… senseless… dull-minded…"
Brethany sat back, allowing the furious rant to wash over her. Occasionally, she glanced over at Dumbledore, exchanged a quick smile, then looked back to the sputtering Potions Master. The rant lasted several minutes, then suddenly cut off with a wordless growl.
"You…are…infuriating."
Brethany's eyes flared with amusement. "I've often been told as much." Snape stalked to a chair and flung himself down with a growl. "Careful, Severus, or I'll mistake you for a moody teenager." Snape crossed his arms and glowered. "Which isn't too different from a moody adult," Brethany murmured to herself, causing the Headmaster to cover a chuckle. "Ok, I guess I'm playing the adult in this conversation," the young woman rolled her eyes. Snape turned his head away, obviously having used up his repertoire of insults during his rant.
"Well, now that we are all calm," Albus took charge before the meeting could degenerate further, "Brethany, would you please share your itinerary for the weekend?" The young woman sobered slightly.
"Well, first of all, we won't be meeting Pierre de Sordante himself until tomorrow evening," the DADA teacher spoke with some annoyance, speaking of the Master of the vampire colony. "My correspondence with him, while largely satisfactory, has led me to believe that our visit this weekend will be rather more problematic than the trip after Christmas."
Snape looked up at this. "They will not accept two adults into the colony, but will accept thirty obnoxious children? The Vampiric race must be badly off to prefer schoolchildren to the more powerful and matured."
Brethany had to laugh. "Yes, well, at this point, Pierre has recognized the drawbacks to this fieldtrip. The political rapport he will gain with the Ministry after the actual event makes it worth the trouble, but this initial contact is little more than an annoyance."
"Is there cause for concern?"
The young woman instantly shook her head. "Certainly not. I foresee only having to deal with some surliness and unfriendliness," she assured them. "I brought this up because I thought you should know, Albus, that we won't be able to contact you over the weekend. The colony isn't willing to drop their wards to permit communication. No owl will be permitted inside the colony; the floo system may or may not be available to us, and if it is, will be monitored."
"So, any correspondence with the outside world which we may be permitted will be observed?" Severus' dark eyes glittered. The two men digested this information in silence. Then,
"Is it dangerous?" the Headmaster finally asked, the twinkle in his eyes dimming slightly.
"No," Brethany replied, hastening to reassure them. "We are in no active danger from the colony."
"What of passive danger?" Snape demanded. "Will we be delivered into the Dark Lord's hands?" He scowled when the young woman hesitated.
"Pierre will not permit his vampires to betray us," Brethany hastily inserted. "Not all the vampires within the colony have pledged themselves to him, though. In December, all the residents will be bound by blood to leave the visiting students and adults alone. However, Pierre cannot afford to do that twice in such a short time period."
She surveyed their sour expressions. "Look, I truly believe that we are in no danger there. I just wanted to make sure you both understood what we're going into. Vampires are very self-serving; unless it is truly to their long-term benefit, none of them will be attacking us in any way."
"Your words are so reassuring," Snape sneered. Brethany rolled her eyes.
"If we are kidnapped or killed, you can say 'I told you so' as much as you like, Severus. Until then: please, just shut up." Ignoring the other teacher for the moment, Brethany continued laying out the plans for the weekend.
Word Count: 1474