Olivia's POV
I trotted the horse down the familiar path from my childhood. The trail took us off the farm and through the forest a little ways. I was pleased that Snape had agreed to go with me, even if he wasn't responsive when I swerved my horse towards his playfully or made mildly flirtatious comments. Okay so maybe it was more than mildly flirtatious. The truth it, I was crushing on him a bit. He reminded me a little of Lupin…and he was interesting in his own way as well. I knew he cared for me… I just wasn't sure in what way. He didn't actually stop me from flirting.
We followed the trail to the river. I plowed Moonstar through the water to the trail on the other side. Snape and Blaze stopped at the edge of the water.
"I don't think he wants to cross," Snape said anxiously.
"Nonsense. Horses love water. He senses your aversion to it. Urge him forward," I encouraged.
"Come on, horse," Snape said, clicking his tongue.
"His name is Blaze," I insisted.
"Blaze then," Snape said. The horse went forward through the shallow river, throwing water up on either side of him. When they were safely across, we continued down the tail.
The river had drenched my shirt, but the sun was especially warm and I soon dried. The trail came to an end around an apple tree I remembered from my youth.
"Let's let the horses rest before we head back," I said, dismounting. Snape slowed Blaze to a stop and got off awkwardly. I strongly suspected he had never been on a horse before and didn't want me to know. He was a fast learner though, and he watched my movements carefully. I thought it was kinda cute he was trying so hard.
The horses ambled away to graze. I grabbed hold of a low branch and swung myself into the apple tree.
"Olivia, what're you doing?" Snape asked as I easily ascended several branches.
"Climbing a tree, of course," I replied.
"I meant why?"
I stopped and sat on a branch. I plucked an apple and tossed it at him. He caught it and looked at it curiously. I tossed several more onto the ground and the horses trotted over to eat. I took a few bites of an apple. Snape tossed his into the horses' pile. I tossed my core to the ground…and realized I couldn't climb down.
"Um…I never was good at climbing down," I said, clinging to a branch and looking down at him.
"Of course you can't climb down," he said, shaking his head, "…Just drop down. I'll catch you."
"I'm not sure I can. I'm scared."
"Why are you scared?"
"I might fall. I seem to recall falling out of this tree when I was little and breaking my arm."
"Do you really think I would let you fall?" he said, "Don't you trust me?"
I considered this a moment.
"Yes. I do trust you," I said and began lowering myself carefully. Snape reached up, put his hands on my waist, and easily lifted me down.
He remained holding my waist a moment, even after my feet were on the ground. Before he let me go I put my arms around him quickly.
"Thank you," I murmured. He said nothing but held me a moment longer. Then he released me and stepped away, scowling slightly. Still he said nothing, but climbed on Blaze.
"We should go. It's getting late," he said. I nodded, climbed on Moonstar's back, and led the way back up the trail.
When we got back to the tables we returned the horses to their stalls and removed their saddles and bridles.
That evening Snape and I ate dinner in the dining room with all the workers. There several people I knew from my childhood, who I introduced to Snape. There were also several new people, who Don introduced to me. After dinner, Snape went upstairs. I started to follow him, but was intercepted by Thomas and Matthew.
"Hey Livvy. Wanna go down to the river tonight?" Matthew asked me.
"A bunch of kids hand out at a spot a few miles away," Thomas added, "They have bonfires and music."
"Sounds fun…but how're you planning on getting there?" I asked.
"Thomas has a truck."
"No way. I don't ride in vehicles…that's how Ellen died," I said quietly.
"How did you and your uber-creepy guardian get here then?" Matthew inquired.
"Magic," I said, wiggling my fingers mysteriously.
Thomas and Matthew knew I was a witch because of all the things I could do when I was little.
"Why don't you magic us all to the river then?" Thomas asked.
"It doesn't work like that. Besides, I'm not allowed to use magic in front of Muggles."
"What's a Muggle?" Matthew asked, wrinkling his nose.
"You are," I said with a sigh, "It means non-magic folk."
"Oh."
"Hey," Thomas interrupted, "I have an idea. Come on."
They started for the door. I glanced wistfully over my shoulder at the staircase, hoping Snape wouldn't be mad.
The sun was going down as Thomas and Matt led me down the same trail Snape and I had taken earlier. First Thomas tried to walk with me while Matt led the way, then Matt came back and got on the other side of me, grinning and winking at me. When we reached the river, Thomas walked into the brush near the water.
"It sure is dark," I commented.
"Feel free to hold on to me if you need to," Matt said, putting his arm around me. I suppressed an eye roll, but smiled faintly.
"Ta-da!" said Thomas, dragging something out of the underbrush.
It was a small, two-person boat, complete with oars.
"There's not enough room for us all," I observed.
"Nonsense," said Thomas, grinning, "You can sit in my lap."
"No fair," Matt protested.
"Thomas said it first," I said, smiling. Matt made a 'humph' noise and dragged the boat up on the shore a little farther. Thomas climbed into the back and helped me into the boat. I sat between his legs and he put his arms around me as Matt gave the boat a push and hopped in quickly.
"Hand me one of the oars, Thomas," Matt said. Thomas tried to hand him both, but Matt only took one.
"No way you're getting out of rowing," Matt said.
"Was worth a shot," Thomas said with a chuckle. He rested his head on my shoulder as he began to row.
As we glided through the water, there was no noise except the sound of the water moving, bugs chirping, and owls hooting. I looked up and noticed that the moon was full. A pain shot through my heart as I thought of Lupin. I missed him desperately. I wondered where he was tonight, with no one to make the Wolfsbane for him…hopefully somewhere safe…
I stared up at the moon, then closed my eyes, trying to imagine I was back in the Forbidden Forest, with him…
"Yo Livvy," Matt said, snapping his fingers in front of my face, "Look- we're almost there."
I followed his lone of vision to a spot a ways up the river where I could see a fire flickering through the trees. As we got closer, I could hear the sound of voices and laughter. I shook my head to clear it. I wanted to forget about Lupin for one night and just be a teenager.
Matt rowed us up to the shore and we were immediately surrounded by teenagers. Some pulled our boat up on the shore. Others immediately began shoving beers in our hands. I was introduced to what felt like a million people, none of whose names I remembered. We drank around the bonfire for the longest time. I didn't particularly like beer but I liked the feeling it gave me and when one of the kids started passing around a marijuana joint, I didn't say no…
Snape's POV
It was almost 3 a.m. when I was awakened by noises in the hallway. Olivia had never come upstairs after dinner and I had fallen asleep waiting to hear her footsteps on the stairs. The noise that awakened me was definitely not just her on the stairs- it sounded like a herd of elephants stumbling in the hallway.
I got up, grabbed my wand off the bedside table, shoved it in my pocket for easy access, and threw open the door. Olivia was in the hallway, being supported by her friends Thomas and Matthew. All three of them were completely drunk.
"Oh shit," said Matt, voice slurred, and released Olivia. The other boy took one look at me, then they both ran, half slipping down the stairs. Olivia stood a moment, wobbling, then fell. I caught her before she hit the ground.
She was barely conscious. She muttered something unintelligible- I thought I caught my name somewhere in there and something that definitely sounded like Lupin.
I helped her to her room, carrying her for the most part. Up close she smelled like cheap beer and marijuana.
"Oh Olivia," I murmured as I lay her down on the bed, "What have you done?"
She looked up at me, green eyes glazed, and blinked.
"Snape?" she muttered, then hung her head over the side of her bed and vomited. I smoothed her hair out of her face and when she was finished puking, I cleaned it up with my wand. She groaned and lay back down on the pillows. Her forehead was sweaty and she felt feverish. I summoned a wet washcloth and wiped her forehead gently. I couldn't help but recall the night I had rescued her as a baby. How fragile and helpless she had seemed…how she seemed now.
"Snape," she murmured again, eyes closed, "…You're too nice to me. You put up with a lot."
"So it would seem," I said with a sigh.
She didn't speak again but I sat with her until she was fast asleep. I covered her with a blanket and stood to leave. I paused, then leaned down to kiss her forehead swiftly before hurriedly leaving her room and closing the door behind me. I cast a detection spell so that if the boys returned, I could come out and curse them into oblivion. Then I returned to my room. Feeling drained, I collapsed onto my bed and within minutes, I was asleep.
The next morning when I awoke, something warm was curled next to me in my bed. Since this wasn't a normal occurrence, I sat up with a start. Beside me, Olivia stirred and groaned.
"What are you doing?" I demanded, trying to ignore the fact that she was still pressed comfortably against me.
"Shh," she said, eyes squeezed shut, "I've a massive headache."
"It's called a hangover. Now why are you in my bed?"
"I dunno. …God, I think I'm dying," she groaned. She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. I exhaled slowly and got up. I had a variety of Potions ingredients stowed in my trunk in a special compartment for emergencies. I went over to my trunk and began to mix a simple potion which would cure a hangover.
I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Drink this," I said to her. Voice of authority. She turned her head, opened one eye, and looked up at me. She blew out a sigh and dragged herself into a sitting position. She took the potion from me and downed it quickly. After a moment, the dark circles under her eyes vanished and some of the color came back to her cheeks.
"How did you get in here without setting off my Detection Charm?"
"I removed it of course. You aren't the only one who can do magic," she said. I noticed for the first time that her wand lay on the bedside table next to mine. I noticed also for the first time that it was made of willow…just as Lily's had been. The sight of our wands together brought back some memories- some good, some not so good.
Olivia moved to sit beside me on the edge of the bed. She rested her head on my shoulder and pressed her leg against mine.
"Thanks for the potion…and I dimly recall you tucking me in last night," she murmured.
"Olivia…stop," I said, moving away from her.
"Why?"
"Because…you aren't making this easy for me."
"What aren't I making easy?" she asked.
"I'm trying to be the good guy here- you're a student and you're underage."
"That didn't stop Lupin, why should it stop you?"
"I'm not like Lupin," I said, eyes narrowing slightly.
She inclined her head in acceptance.
"Well what if I don't want you to be the good guy?" she said quietly.
"You're just a kid. You don't know what you want."
She glared at me openly.
"I am not a kid," she said coolly. I stood up from the bed, opened the door, and pointed.
"Out," I said. She grabbed her wand off the bedside table and thrust it into the waistband of her black shorts.
"We're not done talking about this," she said as she walked out the door.
"Oh I think we are," I said lightly and shut the door behind her.