Chapter Nine

Friday night Abby had wanted to do nothing more than run back to Severus' house and patch things up. She couldn't understand why he was acting the way he was, but that didn't stop her instincts to want to become closer with him. They both lived out here alone so they might as well become friends.

But after he left and she contemplated running after him she remembered that Fred and Johnny would soon arrive at the train station.

"Miss Abby, it was so much fun. There's a lake and there's this huge blown up float and someone would sit on one end and then someone else would jump on the other end and the one that was just sitting there would be thrown into the air -" Fourteen year old Johnny was still going on the next morning.

"That's sounds like a lot of fun, Johnny." She looked around the kitchen, hurrying to put on the eggs because the bacon was soon ready. "Where's Fred?"

Johnny, who was still immature for his age scoffed dramatically, "He's on the phone with Annie."

"I hope he knows that I'm not made of money." She walked over to the stairs wiping her hands in a dishtowel and yelled up them, "Fred! Breakfast is almost ready!"

She waited for a response but was distracted at the knock on her door. Confused for a second, her face lifted and she ran for the door."

Pulling in open, her heart leapt at the sight of Severus standing there, looking rather peeved.

"Good morning."

Snape couldn't figure out his motivation as he found himself in front of Abby listening to her say she was sorry – for what he didn't even know. He just looked her up and down and frowned with amusement.

She had an apron on, her hair was up but then barely up since pieces were falling everywhere. She had flour on her cheeks and one long smear of what looked like stroking chocolate from brow to jaw. She looked busy.

"I see that you're busy -" he started.

"No! Well not really, come in, Fred and Johnny are here I must warn." She ran a hand down her side, and Snape felt all hot again. "Explains the look, huh?" then she turned back to him and gave him one of her smiles again. His heart, what he could only describe had moved.

Snape followed her into the kitchen and if he had thought Abby was a mess the teenaged boy sitting on his knees at the kitchen table was worse.

The boy looked up, "Miss Abby I didn't know you had a boyfriend."

Snape felt awkward for what seemed the first time in years, and Abigail just laughed nervously.

"Actually this is Mr. Snape, he lives next door." She turned t him, "You hungry?" She asked with a pleading look on her face.

"Alright." He would allow her this.

Just then came in another boy. "I didn't know that we were having company." he said looking Snape up and down.

Abigail introduced everyone and Snape assessed the two boys. They both had dark blonde hair, they could have been her children the way they looked so at ease around her – especially fourteen year old Johnny – Snape noted looking over their painted faces and mushed light hair. His eyes lingered on Abigail's face longer than he had thought and she mildly blushed. He looked away.

The boys, after saying their well-mannered 'How'd you do's' told Abigil, and himself everything that had transpired in the past week. They spoke at once.

Abigail looked interested and disorientated all at the same time.

Snape noticed the three dogs lying on the floor around the table. He scanned the kitchen for the wolf and found him sitting reserved at the kitchen door. Snape watched him with curiosity.

Under the blaze of Snape's suspicious eyes the wolf turned and walked from the doorway. Snape narrowed his eyes but was suddenly dragged into the conversation by little Johnny.

"Do you have many friends, Mr. Snape?" Johnny asked with interest and a childish innocence. "I have seven really good friends and ten more." He added. Then he waited for Snape's response.

Snape looked over at Abigail. At her pretty face and her caring and interesting eyes. She was watching and waiting as well.

"No," he finally said. "I don't."

Johnny looked outraged and Fred scoffed, "You haven't not a single friend?" At Snape's shake of the head, he added, "But how can that be?"

"Not that interesting." Snape said sarcastically.

The room was silent. Everyone deep in thought. Except Abigail.

"I'm your friend." She whispered.

Johnny smiled brightly, "And, what a great friend she will be to you Mr. Snape." He said nodding his agreement with his statement.

Then the boys began to talk about their upcoming activities at the camp. Abigail nodded and laughed with them but Snape just stared at her in wonder.

Snape stayed a while longer.

Fred had asked Abigail if Snape could accompany them into the neighboring city to go to an indoor pool. Abigail said it was a wonderful idea. He declined but agreed to come over for dinner. The next day he had went over for breakfast again but after being invited for a hike said that he had many things to do that day.

It was after dark, Sunday, when Abigail saw Snape again. She had dropped the boys at the train station after lunch and had gone to see her Great-aunt's lawyer again since he had called her in the morning to tell her that he had come across a letter for her.

Snape was sitting on her doorstep when she had finally arrived home.

"Hey." She said her heart racing a little.

"Hello." He got up and stood at her side as she unlocked her house. "They were charming boys." He said detachedly.

Abby agreed and once they were sitting across from each other in her living room she couldn't help herself. "Kiss me again."

Snape just stared at her, it's was all he had been thinking about all day. It was why he was sitting on her front door step for the past hour. But as it came from her lips he couldn't help but become angry at her.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I know you want to."

Snape got up and strode towards her, "No, I do not."

Abby stood to, "I think you're wrong."

Abby smiled and raised onto her toes, he stiffened but didn't pull away so she braced her hands on his arms and leaned closer.

The moment their lips touched Snape forgot why he disliked her. It wasn't quite as frantic as it was the first time but it was a desperate kiss. When her arms settled around his neck he felt his arms snaking around her back to spread and roam. He fisted a handful of her hair in one hand and stroked his other up and down her spine. She moaned into his mouth and he groaned, his body tightening.

What was he doing? He pushed her back and stalked out of her house. Abby fell onto her couch and sighed heavily.