Chapter Twenty-two;

[December 18th, 1998]

As Friday approached, their relationship quickly spread. By Thursday breakfast everyone in the castle knew, so by today this morning Sirius had joked about everyone in Hogsmeade now know. Severus did not find this amusing and scowled at him before leaving to finish up the potions for the hols, which began today as early in the morning students who were heading home were boarded onto the Hogwarts Express to go home. When Sirius walked into the Great Hall for lunch, he could tell that hols began if he didn't already know. Only a total of six students had stayed at Hogwarts; Hermione, Ron, Harry, two Ravenclaw second-year girls, and a lone Slytherin boy. Sirius nodded to all his students and took a seat at the head table, looking up when he heard his name called out by Albus.

"Sirius, I think the Professors deserve a break, Hagrid has agreed to watch over the students, care to head to the Three Broomsticks tonight after dinner with the rest of us?" Albus had asked, giving him a smile.

Sirius chuckled and nodded his head "Oh, yeah. Sounds great, Albus."

"You'll also try and convince Severus to come?" Albus asked with a hopeful tone.

"We've made everyone promise they won't bring up your relationship, well at least ask questions," Minerva stated.

"Yeah, I'll get him to say yes," Sirius said, smiling and beginning to eat his lunch.

Lunch was a quiet affair, Severus never showing up which didn't surprise him, he knew Poppy had ordered quite a few potions for when students returned, and Severus preferred to finish early. Sirius left the Great Hall and went straight to Severus' potion lab, wrinkling his sensitive nose as he pushed the door open and was hit by Pepperup Potions very strong aroma. He looked around the room and noticed several cauldrons with the liquid inside it brewing, all of them seemed to be on the same stage, as they were the same shade and the same ingredients were cut up beside each cauldron to be added. He frowned when he didn't see Severus, walking around the room and to the ingredient closet to peer inside. He didn't see him and sighed, he knew he couldn't be far as he never was when potions were brewing.

Sirius was brought out of his thoughts by a fake cough to get his attention "Sirius, what're you doing?" came that baritone voice that made Sirius smile as he turned around.

"I was looking for you. Where were you?" Sirius asked as he watched Severus enter the room and go over to a cauldron to add in the ingredients.

"Putting me under watch? Must you know everything I'm doing at every moment of the day?" Severus asked, his back was turned to Sirius but Sirius could feel the scowl at the end of the sentence.

He rolled his eyes, "Of course not, Sev. I was just looking for you. Bloody hell, what's got your knickers in a twist?"

He was awarded by a glare. "Do you know what happens when I walk in the halls?"

Sirius quirked his eyebrow "Uh, no?"

"Children… giggle at me…" Severus admitted.

"They… they giggle? What?" Sirius asked, trying to contain his chuckle.

"They giggle, damn it!" Severus bellowed, turning to face Sirius and crossing his arms over his chest. "They giggle, and the girls blush at me! I was confused yesterday why it was happening, and then on my way back from the bathroom, I heard girls talking, and they… they were commenting on my relationship with you!"

Sirius raised his eyebrow once again, propping himself to sit on a desk. "Well, were they insulting us?"

"No… no. They were… they said… it was… /cute/…" Severus slowly said, frowning.

Sirius was silent; he had a straight emotionless face as he watched Severus frowning. As seconds turned to minutes of silence, Severus made an incoherent noise, glaring up at Sirius as if to tell him with his eyes to say something. Sirius pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth, not trusting himself to speak, but not being able to hold it in anymore. He hunched over, holding his stomach as he began to laugh as loud as he could. He had no idea how long he laughed, but when he was finished, Severus had his fists clenched together and arms to his side, his nose flared in anger, and his right eye just slightly twitching of annoyance.

"Th-they… they said… cute? /Cute/!" Sirius said between trying to contain his laughs.

"This isn't funny, Black!" Severus bellowed.

'Back to surnames, are we?' Sirius thought to himself, though never controlling his laughing completely. He bit the inside of his cheek as he stood straight and tried to even out his breathing. "I'm… Sev, it's hilarious…" he said, he was going to apologize, but why do that when it was the truth.

"Black… nothing I, Severus Snape do, is… can be defined as /cute/" Severus said, trying to keep a calm tone.

"Oh?" Sirius asked. Severus glared and curtly nodded, which made Sirius smile. "Oh, well I think you're cute when you're angry."

Severus' expression went blank, and inwardly he swore to himself if he could help it to never get angry at Sirius again. He then turned in a swift wave of black robes and went back to his cauldron. Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair "After dinner, the staff is going to Three Broomsticks," he said, remembering why he came down here other than just to see Severus. "Albus wants you to come, and I do too, so will you? Minerva threatened everyone so there will be no comments on… /us/" Sirius finished speaking, hoping Severus would say yes. He watched as Severus silently chopped some salamander tail up and then after he finished giving a quick nod. Sirius grinned. "Excellent. I'll just see you then and let you get back to work and go bother Remus or something," Sirius said as he turned and walked out of Severus' potions lab.