Ch. 16 Chills and Warmth
Severus was sitting at his desk watching the pot on the cast iron stove in his office not boil. This morning was particularly frigid, though this kind of cold didn't typically happen, even in the dead of winter. However this morning when Severus got out of bed he could see his breath hanging in the air. There are just something's in nature that even magic has little effect on, weather was one of them, and the strength of nature, could at times, defeat even the best heating charms. So with that, most of the last thirty minutes since he rose he was busy trying to get heat into the potions office, and warm liquids available.
Having to be busy this early in the morning was not very upsetting, especially today. For the past day Severus found himself being consumed by thoughts of Tabatha, and her gift to him, as well as what to get her in return. He also had to find some way of asking her about her 'Soul of Midas' potion without looking like a pathetic git who felt the need to follow his friend to town because he was jealous. Severus continued to watch the pot, and as his thought returned to it for moment, he realize that it was still not boiling.
"Bloody hell" he grumbled
"Some truth in the watched pot yarn now isn't there?" a very familiar sassy voice came from behind him.
Severus spun around the chair and saw just what he was expecting to find. Standing in the door way between her room and the potions office Tabatha was leaning against the door frame with a slick little smirk.
Severus lips formed a slight half smile "Cheeky this morning I see?"
"As always Sev, however, though cheeky, still correct as usual" she flashed her smile.
Severus' lips twitched as he held his face as hard to avoid a larger grin. "Conceded are we Tabs?"
"Oh no, never." Her smile widened as she raised her hand to point behind Severus towards the stove "Convinced." And with that the pot started a low whistle that slowly grew larger.
Severus hearing the noise spun around and glared back at Tabatha pressing his lips harder yet.
"Touché". Severus got up from his chair and took the pot off the heat. "Join me in a cup of tea before breakfast?" he called behind him.
"Yes please, it's freezing in here!" Tabatha walked over to fire in the hearth.
"One of the draw backs of the pleasant isolation of the dungeon I'm afraid. When it gets this cold it's horrid down here. But most of the time it's not too bad; this weather is not that common for us."
Severus carefully poured the tea into the cups. "Lemon and honey as usual I presume?"
"You remembered." Tabatha smiled as she rubbed her hands together; a slight shiver then came from her lips.
Severus smiled widely in the corner, then hearing the shiver he glanced back at her "Look to the right of the hearth" Severus then continued fixing their tea.
Tabatha looked over and hanging on a rack was Severus Slytherin quilt, quite toasty from the glow off the fire.
"Oh Sev, you know how much I love this quit!" she giggled as she wrapped herself up in it and walked over to the sofa and sat down cuddling in.
Severus turned with tea in hand and started to walk towards Tabatha. Handing her the tea cup and sitting in the chair across from her he quizzical mused "Yes I'm very aware; however I have no idea why, you have almost the same one in your room on your own bed."
Tabatha just smiled for a moment and though of how fond she was of that quilt, more so the familiar wonderful scent of leather, musk and herbs that hugged the quilt. A scent that over the past few months had become something she knew brought her feeling of comfort, and belonging.
Smiling up at Severus Tabatha only responded "I know, but I like yours better". A mischievous twinkle was in her eye.
Lifting the cup to his lips Severus slowly shook his head "of course you do, why did I expect anything less."
Tabatha chuckled then felt a chill run through her again.
"Well I'm glad the temperature is not always this cold down here, every once in a while I can deal with, but if this was all winter I would have to insist we move to warmer part of the castle. Imagine winter after winter of this, it would drive me mental." Tabatha giggled "No thank you, I'm sure we could find some other isolated place you'd like just as much but not in a damp freezing dungeon."
Severus drank his cup slowly never taking his eyes off her, his chest tightened and his pulse could be heard in his ears. She would insist we move, not just her move. We would try to find an isolated place He'd like. If this was anyone else he was sure he would be furious at them for assuming that he would change anything about himself for them, but this was much different. Hearing Tabatha speak like that, hearing her use words that connected the two them was making him feel very strange, his stomach was flipping and his body was reacting.
He then forced himself to ask her something, something he was almost too afraid to ask.
"What…" he licked his drying lips. "...What if I didn't want to leave the dungeon?"
It took every ounce of Severus' will to not let his voice tremble; he sat their glaring at Tabatha waiting for her response, hardly breathing.
Tabatha looked over as Severus, his face was cool as ever, but his eyes… his eyes were soft, almost glimmering. They were waiting; no searching for something, though Tabatha wasn't sure what it was. She glared a bit deeper into his eye, and then realization hit her. He wanted to know if she'd leave anyway. She cocked her head slightly to the left and her eye brows came together as she took a moment to carefully construct the tone and the words in a very precise way. Then a soft smile crossed her lips.
"Well I suppose if you're going to be so sentimental over the potions office, I'd have to make due wouldn't I. However, if that is the case then I think I need a much fuller wardrobe." She giggled pulling the blanket back. "This uniform is nice, but really I could so use some jeans."
Severus lips pressed together, his stomach flipped again, but this time any fear was gone. She would stay with him. They would stay together, and she used the words years earlier, Tabatha Rewolf was planning on staying with him for years. Again his body reacted but this time in a much more apparent way. He quickly crossed his legs, and ran his hand though his hair, and tried to keep his cool exterior.
"Jeans you say? How interested that would look under class robes." He allowed his eyebrow to cock up. "Converse high tops as well?"
"Yes maybe if I was a guy and this was 1988" Tabatha laughed "You do not have much experience with non-wizards cloths do you."
Severus gave a bit of sheepish grin. "I have not worn Muggle clothing in many years your right, but I grew up in the Muggle world so I'm not totally clueless, maybe just a tad out of touch."
Tabatha leaned forwards with a look of wonder on her face.
"You grew up in the Muggle word? Really? That would be an interesting story to hear someday."
Severus glanced away nervously and that back at Tabatha. "Yes someday, maybe." He saw the look of confusion on her face maybe even a bit hurt from what he said. He then gave a small warm smile "maybe when you get your memories back, then we can both have stories?"
Tabatha smile came back in its full radiance. "Sounds like a plan potions master. However I think it's about time for breakfast in the great hall." Tabatha placed the tea cup on the table and stood up. As she was folded the quilt she looked over at Severus who was glaring into the fire.
"You coming Sev?" she asked walking over to place the quilt back on the rack
Severus glanced up at her to answer but all that came from his lips first was a whisper of a gasp. From where Tabatha was standing the soft warm glow of the fire was illuminating her in every conceivably correct way. Her hair was sparkling; only in this light could you see the distinct blond and auburn highlights that made her hair in normal light have such a unique brown color. The amber color of the light made her features seem warmer, softer, and kinder if that was even possible. She glanced towards him and smiled, she was always smiling at him and Severus had grown to love it. It was then he saw her eyes, the fire made every small flick of gold that swam in hazel hue glimmer. If there was anything you could say Severus was even close to being partial to it was the eye,s and Tabatha had the second set in his life time that made him feel this way. Noticing he held her glance for a moment to long he recovered.
"What was that Tabs?" he said as he tried to control the pitch of his voice.
"I asked if you were coming to breakfast silly" Tabatha smirked.
"Oh, um… yes of course" Severus paused searching for words. "But you go on a head I want to stoke all the fires before we leave so it doesn't go out in our absents."
Tabatha walked to the door, turning around she shook her head and smiled "What am I gonna do with you Severus Snape." She then laughed "Ok I'll see you upstairs." She quickly added as she closed the door behind her.
Severus was still in the chair, his legs was still crossed though it wasn't helping much and before he could stop himself all he could think was "you can do any you like with me Tabatha Rewolf, anything you like."
Trying to control his body he forced his mind to think of something else, and fast.
"This isn't just a beautiful girl" his thought "though she is, oh Merlin she is." Severus forced his mind to shift back again "No she is also my friend, and I am her friend, her best friend!"
That was much more valuable than anything to Severus. However images of her standing by the fire, in her uniform kept trying to creep into his mind and he was very diligently pushing them out. "Maybe if she had jeans, I wouldn't act like such a pubescent prat around her." He chuckled to himself.
"That's it!" Severus stood up fast; he had just gotten the perfect idea for her Christmas gift. Severus raced over to his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and started to write down quickly. The first line read;
I Severus Snape of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry inquire the services of Twilfit & Tatting's custom tailors for a very special and rushed order….