Unexpected Love

“My what?!” He stares at her in shock.
She leans closer to him in the chair, smirking up at him. “Oh yes. Your present. I was given explicit instructions on how to, um how shall I say this? Ah yes! On how to HANDLE you from your coworkers. They seemed quite sure that I’d be able to take care of myself around you.”
“The faculty?” His eyes widen in surprise. “They schemed this up?”
She rests her head on her hand, grinning mischievously now. “Yes they did. I am yours to do with as you choose.”
He walks over and sits in a chair heavily, still stunned. “What in bloody hell were they thinking?”
She rises from her chair, black silk dress sliding along her curves as she steps closer to him. “They were thinking you spend too much time in the dungeons hiding away from humanity. They think maybe some personal time with someone who will not judge you or care for an attachment will do you some good.” She sits down in a chair across from him. “We can do nothing more than talk if that is your desire.”
His eyes narrow at her, still not believing this situation. “How much are they paying you? I will easily double it if you’ll let me out of here.”
She chuckles. “Severus, they are paying me nothing. I am here of my own free will. As for getting out of here..” She waves a hand encompassing the room. “I have not the power nor the knowledge of a password to release anything. We are both stuck here til the time is up I am afraid.”
He groans and leans back in the chair, covering his face. “This is insane!”
She smirks again. “And I’m enjoying every minute of it.” She mutters a word and glasses with several bottles of drink appear on the table. “Drink?”
He eyes the bottles. “If I have to be here, then yes.”
She pours him a glass and he downs it within seconds. She pours another and he holds it as he gets up from his chair, pacing the floor. She watches him pace like a caged animal for several minutes before drawing out another deck of cards and one by one laying them out on the table face up. After 30 minutes of pacing, he finally calms enough to look at the woman trapped with him. She lifts another card, placing it face up on a different spot of the table.
He finally walks over and sits down in his chair again. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Tarot.” She sighs. “It is a means of entertainment for me. I do not truly believe any of it will come true but it does kill time.”
He groans. “Another fraud like Trelawny?”
She frowns at him. “No. I’m not claiming to know the stars or predict the future. My only real talent is empathy.”
“Empathy?” His eyebrow lifts. “And what am I feeling right now, Oh Empathic One?”
She calms more at his sarcastic tone. “You are radiating anger like a sun but underneath that is distrust and fear. A fear strong enough to make you want to crawl out the nearest window to get away from me.” She frowns. “You have nothing to fear from me, Severus.”
“Fear? I do not fear you!” He growls angrily, feeling her hit home. “As for distrust, I trust no one! Why should you be any different?”
She tilts her head in thought, eyes locked on his. “There is no reason to for you to distrust me. I am not the one who hurt you. Besides, your statement is false. You trust Albus and in turn should trust me. I am his secret keeper.”
Snape feels his mouth hit the floor in shock. “Albus’ secret keeper? Why are you telling me this? I could go leak that information to anyone!”
“You could.” She nods to him. “But you won’t.”
“And you know that how?” He glares at her, eyes narrowing further to mere slits.
She looks down at the cards again. “I can feel you, Severus. I know your heart. Besides, I trust Albus and whoever he deems trustworthy.”
Snape blinks at her in surprise. His voice grows soft as he realizes the trust she has put in him. “So why are you here other than morbid curiosity?”
She flips another card onto the table. “Albus is very worried about you. He feels you are very close to the edge right now.” She looks up at him again, piercing him with her gaze. “He is right.”
Snape lets this new information sink in. “And what do you plan on doing about it?”
“Nothing.” Another card snicks as it is pulled. “Everything. It is not for me to decide.”
He leans closer and notices the cards are all full of animals. “What is it you see?”
She smirks at the sudden change in subject. “I see cougar over lamb. That usually means there will be a fierce battle with only one surviving.” She lays another card down. “Snake. That card usually means wisdom and cunning. The foe will be very cunning.” She lays down another card and gasps. “I don’t have two snake cards in this deck. This can’t be.”
He glares at the second snake card over the first. “What does that mean?”
“Snake pitted against snake. Only one will live.” She frowns at him. “Snake is usually a good card to have but not this time.”
He sees her place another card over the snake cards. “And now?”
She smiles softly. “The unicorn. It means love and strength. The strength of love will pull one of the snakes through.”
He frowns. “That sounds like a bunch of lies to me.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. “She shrugs as she puts the cards away. “It is not for me to decide.”
His eyebrow dips down more. “Than what is?”