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Arabella's Secret
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HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
3
Views:
2,622
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Category:
HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
3
Views:
2,622
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
The Potterverse is the property of JK Rowling. I make no money from this little ditty, and I promise to return Severus for the next person to toy with when I am done.
Two
Chapter Two
The July sun burned hot. Severus knelt in the dirt around his fragrant herbs, working the soil to insure a good crop. The first of his garden would be ready for cutting within a matter of days.
He lifted his eyes once again to the house across the street. It had remained vacant for so long. He’d gotten very used to the peace and quiet of having no neighbors to bother him, be they of the Magick community or Muggles. So, when the moving van showed up yesterday and began loading furnishings into the house, he’d cringed both inwardly and outwardly. They’d made extremely short work of setting up house, and quickly sped off. Severus had yet to see his new neighbor, but apparently, they’d arrived during the night. A simple car now sat in the drive.
A car meant either Muggle, or an intelligent Wizarding family who knew how to keep up appearances for Muggle benefit. He growled under his breath and tore ferociously at the creeping weeds trying to smother his baby’s breath.
“Now, that’s no way to get rid of the weeds. All that does is remove the top, but leaves the roots to grow fresh.”
Severus swallowed. It couldn’t be. Did he dare look? He knew that voice better than he knew his own. His body responded instantly; was there any way it couldn’t be the object of his every waking and sleeping moment since that fateful day?
Cautiously, he lifted his eyes from the ground and toward the source of the sound. His throat dried instantly, preventing him from uttering a word.
She knelt down beside him and placed her hands on his. “Here, let me show you the best way to make sure you get all the roots without having to resort to magick.” Arabella did not wait for him to reply in any way. “The Head Master sent you off to London so quickly that I didn’t get to see you at graduation. I bought this house during Christmas Holiday and didn’t realize you would be my neighbor until about six weeks ago.”
The fog parted on his brain, allowing speech to resume. “Graduation? You still have another year.”
Those amazing eyes locked to his. “Didn’t you know? I’ve been using a Time Turner for the last 2 years.” She reached up and brushed some strands of hair from his face. “I’m no longer your student. I’m now your very nosy neighbor.” She grinned that evil grin again. “I hope you aren’t easily offended, but I rarely close my drapes, and I much prefer to sunbathe in the nude. Tan lines are such a hassle.” She turned her attention to the garden.
His breath was caught in his throat. The idea of her nude body so close—he swallowed hard, trying to bring his heart rate under control. His eyes caressed her body while she crouched before him, working the weeds carefully loose from his precious plants. Not a single tan line showed around the tight-fitting tank. He couldn’t see her bottom from this position, but he knew she wouldn’t lie. There would be no lines there, either. “Miss Giovanni—“
“Please, nothing so formal any longer. School is out for the summer, and you needn’t keep up such stark appearances. My name is Arabella.” She giggled, but it was musical, not that silly school-girl sound he heard echoing through the dormitory. “Of course, you already know that don’t you?” He watched her eyelids lower. “May I call you by your given name, or must I still call you Professor?”
Severus wasn’t certain how to answer that question. His mind was jumbled with the numerous fantasies he’d harboured for so long. He decided to choose a safer topic. Safer for him, at least. “How did you convince the Head Master to approve use of the Time Turner? It is rare to allow a student such an opportunity.”
The girl straightened, dusting the soil from her hands. She looked him in the eye when she spoke. “My parents were so hesitant about having a witch in the family. It took a lot of talking on my grandmother’s part as well as repeated visits from many others in the wizarding community. I didn’t start my first year until I was nearing fourteen years. They took pity and allowed me to take extra classes so that I could graduate within a year or two of others my age, rather than being twenty-one years before I finally finished my education.”
He knew his mouth had fallen open. If she was nearing fourteen, and she’d been at Hogwart’s for six years, that made her…
“You certainly looked as if you were in the right year. You have a very…youthful appearance.”
A blush stole across her cheeks. She didn’t speak, only returned to the task of ridding his flowerbed of unwanted growth. After a few moments, she dusted her hands again. “There. All done.”
Severus stood, offering his hand to her. Arabella rested her palm on his lightly. Tingles jumped along his fingers. His eyes locked to hers. They stood for what seemed like forever before she drew an unsteady breath and took a step backward.
“Look at what time it is. I have so much unpacking to do. I really must get busy if I expect to have anything to wear tomorrow.” She glanced him over, then turned around and headed back toward her own place. She paused at the curb and glanced back. “I don’t really know anyone around here, and my family is off in South Africa on an archaeological expedition. If you feel like joining me, dinner will be at 7, Severus.” She didn’t wait for an answer.
He wasn’t necessarily certain if he wasn’t simply projecting his own desires on her, but he thought her voice carried an invitation. The way his name glided from her lips sent chills down his spine. He doubted he would sleep much at all.
Arabella closed the front door, stopping herself from her habit of locking it. It would give mixed signals to carry forward with her plan if she locked him out. Of course, he could apparate, and there were many ways to get around a locked door, but she’d been working too long on this plan to have anything create an even longer delay. As soon as the contract had been signed on the house, she’d hired an interior decorator to rearrange some of the rooms. The work had to be completed within months, not starting until after Christmas holiday, and finished before summer. She didn’t want any hint of change to the outside; she wanted her presence to be a complete surprise. That part, at least, had gone off without a hitch.
Now to begin Phase Two.
Over the next two hours, Arabella started the food to a slow bake and finished arranging her furniture. She kept reminding herself not to get too excited, that he may not show, but her gut told her otherwise. The man was completely bewitched. Now that he knew she wasn’t nearly as young as he first thought, the task should get a bit easier.
She slid the last chair into place and glanced around the dining area. The house really was fantastic. The dining room had sliding glass doors that led to a spacious deck. It overlooked a medium-sized private lake. The kitchen was very open, with another door which led to the garage. The master bed and bath had taken the most design work. She’d requested both be made larger, which meant that everything else inside the house had to be rearranged to fit. One third of the space of the main floor contained the master suite. The bath had a fantastic large whirlpool tub which looked more like a private stone pond than a tub.
Arabella stretched, the aches and pains of the move showing themselves. She thought of the powerful jets and booster heater on the tub and sighed. A quick glance at the clock told her she had just enough time to change her clothes before he was due to arrive. The bath would have to wait. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she passed the large room.
Severus surveyed himself one last time, smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles. He stared at the reflection, not quite sure what to think. “This is ludicrous,” he spoke aloud. The man in the mirror said nothing in response. The dark eyes peering back at him showed the degree of his nervousness, and it was high. He still couldn’t believe he was going through with it. He kept telling himself he should ignore the invitation. Then another part of him reminded of his manners, and how rude it would be to turn down an invitation from a new neighbor. After all, he hadn’t had any sort of neighbor in a very long time. The only person who ever invited him to sup was the Head Master, and Severus felt most of the time, it was simply to gain information or make arrangements for school-related activities. He was accustomed to dining with groups due to meals at the school, but the women he’d had, none of them were the kind to take to dinner. He paid for their time, and they gave him what he paid for, nothing else.
This, this was different. There was no paying for this. At least, not with galleons, or pounds, but perhaps with a piece of his soul, for she had already stolen his heart.
He drew a deep breath into his lungs, tightened and straightened his tie, and set his resolve. This is just dinner with a student and neighbor. Nothing more. Nothing less. Severus tucked his wand into is pocket and set off across the street.
Arabella swallowed the lump of nervous tension threatening her throat. Her stomach constricted in anticipation as she smoothed the dress over her curves. It had taken some work to get the back fastened right, but she’d managed. It would come off much easier than it went on. She would see to that. The honey-based tincture worked perfectly to hold the material in place over her breasts. She sensed his approach and smiled. “It’s show time, girls. Don’t let me down.” One more quick adjustment had the best view of cleavage possible for her barely B cups.
She drew a steadying breath and prepared the first stage of the show. Just as he stepped onto the porch, she turned her back to the door and bent forward to light the candles. A quick flick of her wand over her shoulder had the door open wide just as he poised to knock. Arabella spoke without looking, knowing that his gaze would not escape the view she presented him. “Come on in, Severus. I’m just getting ready to serve.” The three-inch strappy spike heels helped accentuate the natural sway of her hips as she strode to the kitchen.
The plates were the picture of perfection. Steaming hot steaks cooked to perfection (he liked his medium well, her own was well done), baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, steamed broccoli with a creamy cheese sauce and a tossed salad, with cherries jubilee for dessert. Everything sat neat and tidy on the serving cart just waiting for the perfect moment. The second shelf held a bucket of ice with chilled champagne and two Austrian crystal flutes, hand carved with Celtic knot work.
Arabella felt his eyes watching her every move as she pushed the serving cart to the dining table. His gaze caught on the very open display of flesh shown by the deep cut dipping low between her breasts. Its gentle curving material just barely covered the darkened flesh of her areolas, which threatened to make their presence known as she set the dishes on the table. She handed the champagne bottle and cork screw to her guest while she added the finishing touches to the display.
“Would you mind terribly, Severus?”
Severus accepted the bottle from her, their hands brushing in the process. His mind instantly jumped to their kiss in his office. He felt himself reacting, quickly regretting not wearing his robes to dinner. He turned away from her, ensconcing himself in the chore of removing the cork from the champagne. His hands shook as he twisted the curved metal tine into the soft wood. With a soft ‘pop’, the task was completed much too soon.
Arabella was not looking when he turned back to face the table and poured the bubbly liquid into the flutes. She was busy arranging the plates. She spoke without raising her eyes. “Please, have a seat.”
The raven-haired wizard set the glasses on the table and walked around to the chair opposite him. He pulled it out and motioned to the seat. “After you, madam.”
Arabella suppressed a shiver as his voice washed over her. Oh, this was going to be a very long meal. If three simple words created such emotional havoc within her, what would an entire conversation do? She wasn’t too sure she could handle that much exchange of sexual tension without release. Judging by the bulge in his midsection, he wasn’t faring much better. She stifled a knowing grin and forced herself not to stare while he held the seat for her before taking his own.
Several bites passed in silence before Severus spoke. “This is very good. You are a talented cook.”
She ran her tongue over her lips before she spoke. She felt his eyes watch the simple motion. “Thank you. My father taught me when I was very young.”
He raised an eyebrow at her again. “Your father?”
She smiled. “Oh, yes. He’s a chef at the Palace in New York City. My mother couldn’t boil water to save her own life. She fell for his cooking before she did him.”
They both laughed, easily falling into relaxed conversation after that. Before they realized it, they’d finished the meal and most of the dessert. The champagne remained untouched for the most part.
Snape looked at her barely touched glass. “Not much in a drinking mood tonight?”
Arabella gave a silent laugh. “Not for champagne, really. It sounded good when I was getting everything around, but I much prefer a good, solid Captain and Coke to anything of this type of bubbly nature. You don’t really strike me as a Captain and Coke sort of person.” She rose from her chair. “Let me get this cleaned up. Then we can go sit on the porch and chat under the light of the moon.”
Her guest stood and started helping her.
“Now, Severus, let me do that. You’re my guest tonight.”
“Don’t be silly. I can help clean up, and we’ll be sitting on the porch sooner.”
Arabella grinned. He likely hadn’t realized how much more relaxed he’d become while they ate. He was letting his guard down. She nodded. “Fine. But have it noted that I voiced my opinion.” She reached across the table for his napkin, but jerked to a stop using the table to catch herself. She bit back a small screech.
He heard, though. Severus glanced up. “What’s wrong?”
She fought valiantly against the waves of pain, biting her lip, and tried to push herself into a standing position again, to no avail. The slightest motion increased the pain. She drew a deep breath, forcing back the yelp trying to bubble to the surface. “I overdid myself today getting the furniture in place. Unfortunately, one bad thing I inherited from my mother is the tendency to get pinched nerves. It would appear that an emergency trip to the chiropractor is in order for the morning.” She tried again to push herself up, succeeding only in buckling her knees with the wave of agony.
His arms caught her, sweeping her up just before her head reached the table top. “You should not have tried to organize the whole house in one day, Arabella.” He looked around. Her sofa was little more than a love seat; there was not enough room for her to stretch out there. Thinking quickly, he asked, “Where is your room?”
Arabella would have laughed at the irony of being in his arms, he asking directions to her room, if she could think through the anguish circling her spine. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, relaxing in his hold, and said, “Down the hall, first door on the left.” She fought the tears pooling in her eyes. The evening had just taken an unexpected turn for the worse, and all of her carefully laid plans were fairly well ruined.
Severus carefully deposited his load on her large four poster bed and then took a seat next to her. He brushed her hair away from her face, noting the moisture threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. “Do you have your potions cabinet assembled yet?”
She giggled. “Severus Snape. As my former potions master, knowing my propensity for the art, just what do you think was the first thing I unpacked?” She waved a hand toward the bathroom. “I’ve enchanted my medicine cabinet so that I could fit everything there.”
He stepped away, quickly searched the cabinet and brought a bottle of clear liquid back with him. Arabella had rolled on to her stomach and was in the process of twisting her back. “What are you doing?”
She startled, regretting the jerking muscles. She gritted her teeth. “I’m trying to realign my back to alleviate the pressure on the nerve. Unfortunately, it’s one of those that never wants to release right.” She rolled back onto her stomach and punched the pillow. “Damn it.”
Severus was surprised by the emotional display. The closest he’d ever seen to any display of emotion from his young protégé in her six years at school was with the hiccup potion, and that was aggravation. Not what appeared to be frustration or anger. “My, my, Arabella. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you speak in such a way.”
She grunted. “That’s because I don’t usually swear. I just had tonight planned out, and every time I plan something, everything seems to go wrong.” She blushed. “I apologize for my outburst. It really isn’t like me.”
Snape set the glass bottle on the stand by the bed, then seated himself beside her. He swallowed hard before he spoke. His hands trembled like a novice teenager caught in the closet for the first time in a game of spin the bottle. He cleared his throat. “Do you trust me, Arabella?”
She peered over her shoulder. “If I didn’t trust you, Severus, you wouldn’t be in my house, sitting on the edge of my bed.”
He chuckled. “Point taken.” He shifted to face her more directly. “I’m going to unfasten the back of your dress so that I can massage your back a little. Perhaps we can get that nerve to slide back where it belongs. In the least, it will relax the muscles that keep sending spasms along your spine.”
Arabella closed her eyes as his hands slid along, unfastening the petite chains holding the back of her dress in place. She’d wanted this, yes. She’s planned to have his hands doing just what they were doing. But not for the same reason. She wanted them completely infused with passion. Still, as the warm oil trickled along her back, followed quickly by his expert fingers, she had to fight back a purely physical purr. A moan escaped. “Woh, Nellie, that feels great.”
Severus couldn’t help the swelling of pride from her words. He took extra care in working out the kinks and knots in her muscles. His fingers deftly found the errant disk, applying very light pressure in small increments. He would work the disk for a short time, then spread his motions to cover the rest of her beautiful pale back. She gave up trying to stifle her moans and gave in to his ministrations.
“That feels amazing.”
Snape felt himself slipping into mesmerism and knew his hands would wander if he did not distract his mind. “So, other than sitting under the moon, what kind of plans did you have in mind?”
She blushed all over. He could tell that Arabella did not want to voice her intentions just yet. His imagination kicked into overdrive trying to figure out what would have had the girl turn this distinct shade of pink.
Her voice was husky with her enjoyment of his touch. “I don’t know if you could handle an honest answer to that question just yet, my friend.”
Severus had mixed emotions at hearing her say those words. She could be calling him friend to draw the proverbial line in the sand for him. Then again, he thought, she could simply be using it as an endearment. He huffed silently. A woman, using an endearment for him? Most of the time, it amounted to something on the lines of ‘greasy git.’ Finally, after nearly half an hour, he felt the distinct catch that signaled the disk had moved.
Arabella gasped, then let out a long held breath. “Oh, dear god, I’ve died and gone to heaven.” She peeked over her shoulder at her self-appointed doctor. “You have many hidden skills, Severus.” Her lids lowered as she gazed at him. “And the most amazing touch…” her voice trailed off.
He licked his lips, then cleared his throat. “Would you like me to…uh…refasten the links on your dress?”
She smiled. “Perhaps I should slip into something else. It would take nearly an hour to help you figure out the criss-cross pattern those chains go in.”
Severus rose and nodded. “I’ll wait in the –“
She closed her fingers around his, stopping his exodus. “Would you mind sliding the zipper for me?”
He knew he should turn and run, stop the action before it started. It was the responsible thing to do. But his mind had memorized the feel of her flesh beneath his touch. It was intoxicating, in the least. She used the leverage of his arm to raise herself from her prone position and knelt before him on the mattress, her back to him. Severus had to lean close to reach the fastening. He didn’t know whether he did it on purpose, or simply by accident, but the slider moved ever slowly down her back. His free hand rested on her hip, absently caressing her waist.
Arabella bit her lip as his exhaled breath cascaded over her already feverish skin. “Severus, do you still think of me as your student? Or are you able to see me as a woman?”
The fog in his mind barely allowed the words through. But when they found their home, they lodged in his cerebellum with great force, waking him from his trance. “I’m going to go finish cleaning up.”
She watched his retreating shape, biting her lip to keep from uttering aloud until he’d gone from earshot. “Stubborn bastard!” She exhaled a growl. “Damnable ethic-bound, single-minded, stubborn bastard.” Arabella drew a steadying breath, forcing her nerves to calm. “Who is the north to the south of my compass. Damn it. Come on, girl. Don’t give up just yet. It just might take a bit more work than you thought.” She quickly changed into short denim shorts and a pastel pink spaghetti strap tank, then made her way toward her kitchen.
“Holy—“ She bit back the curse resting on her tongue.
“I can’t stand being idle.”
Every dish was cleaned and returned to its place, the food stored, and all the surfaces sparkled.
Severus walked toward her hesitantly. He raised her hand, pressing his lips softly to her knuckles before releasing it yet again. “Thank you for a marvelous dinner. I really must be going. You’ll need to rest and allow the rest of the pain to subside from that pinched nerve. I just don’t see you as the type to even consider relaxing while you have company.”
The anger she’d forced to the back of her mind bubbled toward the surface. Arabella struggled against it, gritting her teeth. “Do you mean to tell me that I went to all of this trouble for nothing?”
His eyes flew wide at the strength behind her words. “Excuse me?”
She stepped toward him, pushing a finger into his chest. “I rushed through my unpacking while cooking a full dinner at the same time. I struggled my way into the most seductive dress I own. And you’re just going to walk away? How many times do I have to wiggle you into a corner before you’ll act? Do you know what I went through to acquire this house? To steal all of your Reversa-Tic potions? To make Mikel forget how he managed to get poke weed in his hands when it should have been locked up? Can you at least appreciate the effort and pretend to want to spend time with me?” As soon as the rant left her lips, she wished she had her time turner still to reverse it and stop herself from saying any of the words.
Severus couldn’t believe his ears. She’s lied to him. She’d stolen from him. And now she was trying to manipulate him. He turned on his heels and left without speaking a word.
Arabella felt a scream erupting in her throat, yet she knew she only had herself to blame for the predicament. If she could ever learn to control her tongue, she’d get farther. Her words must have really thrown him for a loop. After all, she was the quiet student, the one who he never witnessed doing anything other than studying. Of course, being in class with students three years younger than you will do that to you, but still. When she let loose with the Italian temper, he retreated faster than her grandfather when Grandmum was on the rampage.
She grabbed the closest glass figurine within reach and hurled it across the room. “Damn it!” The force she put behind the motion caused her hips to shift, sliding yet another nerve between two vertebrae. She stifled a yelp as her legs went numb, knocking her to the floor. A tear escaped the death grip of pain and dropped to splash on the carpet. “Ow,” the simple word, though spoken softly, cooled her tantrum instantly. She pushed herself back to her feet very carefully, waiting for the pain to subside before she started toward the bathroom.
Arabella settled into the steaming tub of bubbly water, letting the relaxing elements of her salts and oils soak into her skin and bones. She closed her eyes, allowing the rose and chamomile candle fragrances to relax her mind. She had to regroup and figure out a way around the tirade and his defenses.
Severus stormed through his home, slamming pans and cauldrons, books and herbs from one location to another. He should not have gone to dinner. He should have listened to the little niggling voice—the voice that told him Arabella had known all along what she was doing and had given herself the hiccups to trap him. Him. Her professor. Who did she think she was? He could have been terminated. He could have been tried with sexual harassment of a minor. He could have—but she wasn’t a minor, was she? She was a scheming, conniving woman. And now she was his neighbor. He would see her every day. He was certain of that fact. She would see to it, if only to drive him crazy. Maybe he could call the seller and outbid her before the deal was closed. But what would he do with another house? He would show her. That’s what he would do.
But first, he wanted answers. The more he stomped from room to room in his own home, the more he wished to throttle the woman. He ached to wrap his hands around her waist—no, her neck. Right, around her gorgeous, long, creamy neck that begged for caressing. No! To strangle her. To watch the light in her eyes burn with passion—no, fear. He cursed aloud. “Damn the woman for confounding me.” Severus grabbed the small string of anger and wrapped it tightly to him, hoping it would help to cool the burning in his loins. The painful, glorious tightness caused by the simple thought of the gentle roundness of her bottom, her dress slinking seductively higher as she leaned over the table to light the candles, the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers as he worked the disk into place, the amazing sounds emitting from her beautiful lips, the tone caressing his nerves so that he nearly worked his way around to graze her creamy breasts.
Severus stopped in his tracks. He ripped a notebook from the nearby counter and threw it across the room. “How can I get her out of my head?” he screamed. The strength of his pounding heart echoed through the room, absorbing all other noise from his ears. He grasped the edge of the counter, his breath ragged, and closed his eyes. In the darkness of his own making, the glimmer of her teasing gaze shimmered in his mind.
Without realizing how he’d gotten there, Snape found himself staring out the front window toward the house across the way. She hadn’t lied about leaving the curtains open. He watched as she winced from the pain of what he assumed was another errant disk, as the clothes dropped to the floor, as she stepped into the steaming tub.
He shook himself both mentally and physically to force his attention away from the display presented for his viewing pleasure. After all, she had warned him.
The July sun burned hot. Severus knelt in the dirt around his fragrant herbs, working the soil to insure a good crop. The first of his garden would be ready for cutting within a matter of days.
He lifted his eyes once again to the house across the street. It had remained vacant for so long. He’d gotten very used to the peace and quiet of having no neighbors to bother him, be they of the Magick community or Muggles. So, when the moving van showed up yesterday and began loading furnishings into the house, he’d cringed both inwardly and outwardly. They’d made extremely short work of setting up house, and quickly sped off. Severus had yet to see his new neighbor, but apparently, they’d arrived during the night. A simple car now sat in the drive.
A car meant either Muggle, or an intelligent Wizarding family who knew how to keep up appearances for Muggle benefit. He growled under his breath and tore ferociously at the creeping weeds trying to smother his baby’s breath.
“Now, that’s no way to get rid of the weeds. All that does is remove the top, but leaves the roots to grow fresh.”
Severus swallowed. It couldn’t be. Did he dare look? He knew that voice better than he knew his own. His body responded instantly; was there any way it couldn’t be the object of his every waking and sleeping moment since that fateful day?
Cautiously, he lifted his eyes from the ground and toward the source of the sound. His throat dried instantly, preventing him from uttering a word.
She knelt down beside him and placed her hands on his. “Here, let me show you the best way to make sure you get all the roots without having to resort to magick.” Arabella did not wait for him to reply in any way. “The Head Master sent you off to London so quickly that I didn’t get to see you at graduation. I bought this house during Christmas Holiday and didn’t realize you would be my neighbor until about six weeks ago.”
The fog parted on his brain, allowing speech to resume. “Graduation? You still have another year.”
Those amazing eyes locked to his. “Didn’t you know? I’ve been using a Time Turner for the last 2 years.” She reached up and brushed some strands of hair from his face. “I’m no longer your student. I’m now your very nosy neighbor.” She grinned that evil grin again. “I hope you aren’t easily offended, but I rarely close my drapes, and I much prefer to sunbathe in the nude. Tan lines are such a hassle.” She turned her attention to the garden.
His breath was caught in his throat. The idea of her nude body so close—he swallowed hard, trying to bring his heart rate under control. His eyes caressed her body while she crouched before him, working the weeds carefully loose from his precious plants. Not a single tan line showed around the tight-fitting tank. He couldn’t see her bottom from this position, but he knew she wouldn’t lie. There would be no lines there, either. “Miss Giovanni—“
“Please, nothing so formal any longer. School is out for the summer, and you needn’t keep up such stark appearances. My name is Arabella.” She giggled, but it was musical, not that silly school-girl sound he heard echoing through the dormitory. “Of course, you already know that don’t you?” He watched her eyelids lower. “May I call you by your given name, or must I still call you Professor?”
Severus wasn’t certain how to answer that question. His mind was jumbled with the numerous fantasies he’d harboured for so long. He decided to choose a safer topic. Safer for him, at least. “How did you convince the Head Master to approve use of the Time Turner? It is rare to allow a student such an opportunity.”
The girl straightened, dusting the soil from her hands. She looked him in the eye when she spoke. “My parents were so hesitant about having a witch in the family. It took a lot of talking on my grandmother’s part as well as repeated visits from many others in the wizarding community. I didn’t start my first year until I was nearing fourteen years. They took pity and allowed me to take extra classes so that I could graduate within a year or two of others my age, rather than being twenty-one years before I finally finished my education.”
He knew his mouth had fallen open. If she was nearing fourteen, and she’d been at Hogwart’s for six years, that made her…
“You certainly looked as if you were in the right year. You have a very…youthful appearance.”
A blush stole across her cheeks. She didn’t speak, only returned to the task of ridding his flowerbed of unwanted growth. After a few moments, she dusted her hands again. “There. All done.”
Severus stood, offering his hand to her. Arabella rested her palm on his lightly. Tingles jumped along his fingers. His eyes locked to hers. They stood for what seemed like forever before she drew an unsteady breath and took a step backward.
“Look at what time it is. I have so much unpacking to do. I really must get busy if I expect to have anything to wear tomorrow.” She glanced him over, then turned around and headed back toward her own place. She paused at the curb and glanced back. “I don’t really know anyone around here, and my family is off in South Africa on an archaeological expedition. If you feel like joining me, dinner will be at 7, Severus.” She didn’t wait for an answer.
He wasn’t necessarily certain if he wasn’t simply projecting his own desires on her, but he thought her voice carried an invitation. The way his name glided from her lips sent chills down his spine. He doubted he would sleep much at all.
Arabella closed the front door, stopping herself from her habit of locking it. It would give mixed signals to carry forward with her plan if she locked him out. Of course, he could apparate, and there were many ways to get around a locked door, but she’d been working too long on this plan to have anything create an even longer delay. As soon as the contract had been signed on the house, she’d hired an interior decorator to rearrange some of the rooms. The work had to be completed within months, not starting until after Christmas holiday, and finished before summer. She didn’t want any hint of change to the outside; she wanted her presence to be a complete surprise. That part, at least, had gone off without a hitch.
Now to begin Phase Two.
Over the next two hours, Arabella started the food to a slow bake and finished arranging her furniture. She kept reminding herself not to get too excited, that he may not show, but her gut told her otherwise. The man was completely bewitched. Now that he knew she wasn’t nearly as young as he first thought, the task should get a bit easier.
She slid the last chair into place and glanced around the dining area. The house really was fantastic. The dining room had sliding glass doors that led to a spacious deck. It overlooked a medium-sized private lake. The kitchen was very open, with another door which led to the garage. The master bed and bath had taken the most design work. She’d requested both be made larger, which meant that everything else inside the house had to be rearranged to fit. One third of the space of the main floor contained the master suite. The bath had a fantastic large whirlpool tub which looked more like a private stone pond than a tub.
Arabella stretched, the aches and pains of the move showing themselves. She thought of the powerful jets and booster heater on the tub and sighed. A quick glance at the clock told her she had just enough time to change her clothes before he was due to arrive. The bath would have to wait. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she passed the large room.
Severus surveyed himself one last time, smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles. He stared at the reflection, not quite sure what to think. “This is ludicrous,” he spoke aloud. The man in the mirror said nothing in response. The dark eyes peering back at him showed the degree of his nervousness, and it was high. He still couldn’t believe he was going through with it. He kept telling himself he should ignore the invitation. Then another part of him reminded of his manners, and how rude it would be to turn down an invitation from a new neighbor. After all, he hadn’t had any sort of neighbor in a very long time. The only person who ever invited him to sup was the Head Master, and Severus felt most of the time, it was simply to gain information or make arrangements for school-related activities. He was accustomed to dining with groups due to meals at the school, but the women he’d had, none of them were the kind to take to dinner. He paid for their time, and they gave him what he paid for, nothing else.
This, this was different. There was no paying for this. At least, not with galleons, or pounds, but perhaps with a piece of his soul, for she had already stolen his heart.
He drew a deep breath into his lungs, tightened and straightened his tie, and set his resolve. This is just dinner with a student and neighbor. Nothing more. Nothing less. Severus tucked his wand into is pocket and set off across the street.
Arabella swallowed the lump of nervous tension threatening her throat. Her stomach constricted in anticipation as she smoothed the dress over her curves. It had taken some work to get the back fastened right, but she’d managed. It would come off much easier than it went on. She would see to that. The honey-based tincture worked perfectly to hold the material in place over her breasts. She sensed his approach and smiled. “It’s show time, girls. Don’t let me down.” One more quick adjustment had the best view of cleavage possible for her barely B cups.
She drew a steadying breath and prepared the first stage of the show. Just as he stepped onto the porch, she turned her back to the door and bent forward to light the candles. A quick flick of her wand over her shoulder had the door open wide just as he poised to knock. Arabella spoke without looking, knowing that his gaze would not escape the view she presented him. “Come on in, Severus. I’m just getting ready to serve.” The three-inch strappy spike heels helped accentuate the natural sway of her hips as she strode to the kitchen.
The plates were the picture of perfection. Steaming hot steaks cooked to perfection (he liked his medium well, her own was well done), baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, steamed broccoli with a creamy cheese sauce and a tossed salad, with cherries jubilee for dessert. Everything sat neat and tidy on the serving cart just waiting for the perfect moment. The second shelf held a bucket of ice with chilled champagne and two Austrian crystal flutes, hand carved with Celtic knot work.
Arabella felt his eyes watching her every move as she pushed the serving cart to the dining table. His gaze caught on the very open display of flesh shown by the deep cut dipping low between her breasts. Its gentle curving material just barely covered the darkened flesh of her areolas, which threatened to make their presence known as she set the dishes on the table. She handed the champagne bottle and cork screw to her guest while she added the finishing touches to the display.
“Would you mind terribly, Severus?”
Severus accepted the bottle from her, their hands brushing in the process. His mind instantly jumped to their kiss in his office. He felt himself reacting, quickly regretting not wearing his robes to dinner. He turned away from her, ensconcing himself in the chore of removing the cork from the champagne. His hands shook as he twisted the curved metal tine into the soft wood. With a soft ‘pop’, the task was completed much too soon.
Arabella was not looking when he turned back to face the table and poured the bubbly liquid into the flutes. She was busy arranging the plates. She spoke without raising her eyes. “Please, have a seat.”
The raven-haired wizard set the glasses on the table and walked around to the chair opposite him. He pulled it out and motioned to the seat. “After you, madam.”
Arabella suppressed a shiver as his voice washed over her. Oh, this was going to be a very long meal. If three simple words created such emotional havoc within her, what would an entire conversation do? She wasn’t too sure she could handle that much exchange of sexual tension without release. Judging by the bulge in his midsection, he wasn’t faring much better. She stifled a knowing grin and forced herself not to stare while he held the seat for her before taking his own.
Several bites passed in silence before Severus spoke. “This is very good. You are a talented cook.”
She ran her tongue over her lips before she spoke. She felt his eyes watch the simple motion. “Thank you. My father taught me when I was very young.”
He raised an eyebrow at her again. “Your father?”
She smiled. “Oh, yes. He’s a chef at the Palace in New York City. My mother couldn’t boil water to save her own life. She fell for his cooking before she did him.”
They both laughed, easily falling into relaxed conversation after that. Before they realized it, they’d finished the meal and most of the dessert. The champagne remained untouched for the most part.
Snape looked at her barely touched glass. “Not much in a drinking mood tonight?”
Arabella gave a silent laugh. “Not for champagne, really. It sounded good when I was getting everything around, but I much prefer a good, solid Captain and Coke to anything of this type of bubbly nature. You don’t really strike me as a Captain and Coke sort of person.” She rose from her chair. “Let me get this cleaned up. Then we can go sit on the porch and chat under the light of the moon.”
Her guest stood and started helping her.
“Now, Severus, let me do that. You’re my guest tonight.”
“Don’t be silly. I can help clean up, and we’ll be sitting on the porch sooner.”
Arabella grinned. He likely hadn’t realized how much more relaxed he’d become while they ate. He was letting his guard down. She nodded. “Fine. But have it noted that I voiced my opinion.” She reached across the table for his napkin, but jerked to a stop using the table to catch herself. She bit back a small screech.
He heard, though. Severus glanced up. “What’s wrong?”
She fought valiantly against the waves of pain, biting her lip, and tried to push herself into a standing position again, to no avail. The slightest motion increased the pain. She drew a deep breath, forcing back the yelp trying to bubble to the surface. “I overdid myself today getting the furniture in place. Unfortunately, one bad thing I inherited from my mother is the tendency to get pinched nerves. It would appear that an emergency trip to the chiropractor is in order for the morning.” She tried again to push herself up, succeeding only in buckling her knees with the wave of agony.
His arms caught her, sweeping her up just before her head reached the table top. “You should not have tried to organize the whole house in one day, Arabella.” He looked around. Her sofa was little more than a love seat; there was not enough room for her to stretch out there. Thinking quickly, he asked, “Where is your room?”
Arabella would have laughed at the irony of being in his arms, he asking directions to her room, if she could think through the anguish circling her spine. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, relaxing in his hold, and said, “Down the hall, first door on the left.” She fought the tears pooling in her eyes. The evening had just taken an unexpected turn for the worse, and all of her carefully laid plans were fairly well ruined.
Severus carefully deposited his load on her large four poster bed and then took a seat next to her. He brushed her hair away from her face, noting the moisture threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. “Do you have your potions cabinet assembled yet?”
She giggled. “Severus Snape. As my former potions master, knowing my propensity for the art, just what do you think was the first thing I unpacked?” She waved a hand toward the bathroom. “I’ve enchanted my medicine cabinet so that I could fit everything there.”
He stepped away, quickly searched the cabinet and brought a bottle of clear liquid back with him. Arabella had rolled on to her stomach and was in the process of twisting her back. “What are you doing?”
She startled, regretting the jerking muscles. She gritted her teeth. “I’m trying to realign my back to alleviate the pressure on the nerve. Unfortunately, it’s one of those that never wants to release right.” She rolled back onto her stomach and punched the pillow. “Damn it.”
Severus was surprised by the emotional display. The closest he’d ever seen to any display of emotion from his young protégé in her six years at school was with the hiccup potion, and that was aggravation. Not what appeared to be frustration or anger. “My, my, Arabella. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you speak in such a way.”
She grunted. “That’s because I don’t usually swear. I just had tonight planned out, and every time I plan something, everything seems to go wrong.” She blushed. “I apologize for my outburst. It really isn’t like me.”
Snape set the glass bottle on the stand by the bed, then seated himself beside her. He swallowed hard before he spoke. His hands trembled like a novice teenager caught in the closet for the first time in a game of spin the bottle. He cleared his throat. “Do you trust me, Arabella?”
She peered over her shoulder. “If I didn’t trust you, Severus, you wouldn’t be in my house, sitting on the edge of my bed.”
He chuckled. “Point taken.” He shifted to face her more directly. “I’m going to unfasten the back of your dress so that I can massage your back a little. Perhaps we can get that nerve to slide back where it belongs. In the least, it will relax the muscles that keep sending spasms along your spine.”
Arabella closed her eyes as his hands slid along, unfastening the petite chains holding the back of her dress in place. She’d wanted this, yes. She’s planned to have his hands doing just what they were doing. But not for the same reason. She wanted them completely infused with passion. Still, as the warm oil trickled along her back, followed quickly by his expert fingers, she had to fight back a purely physical purr. A moan escaped. “Woh, Nellie, that feels great.”
Severus couldn’t help the swelling of pride from her words. He took extra care in working out the kinks and knots in her muscles. His fingers deftly found the errant disk, applying very light pressure in small increments. He would work the disk for a short time, then spread his motions to cover the rest of her beautiful pale back. She gave up trying to stifle her moans and gave in to his ministrations.
“That feels amazing.”
Snape felt himself slipping into mesmerism and knew his hands would wander if he did not distract his mind. “So, other than sitting under the moon, what kind of plans did you have in mind?”
She blushed all over. He could tell that Arabella did not want to voice her intentions just yet. His imagination kicked into overdrive trying to figure out what would have had the girl turn this distinct shade of pink.
Her voice was husky with her enjoyment of his touch. “I don’t know if you could handle an honest answer to that question just yet, my friend.”
Severus had mixed emotions at hearing her say those words. She could be calling him friend to draw the proverbial line in the sand for him. Then again, he thought, she could simply be using it as an endearment. He huffed silently. A woman, using an endearment for him? Most of the time, it amounted to something on the lines of ‘greasy git.’ Finally, after nearly half an hour, he felt the distinct catch that signaled the disk had moved.
Arabella gasped, then let out a long held breath. “Oh, dear god, I’ve died and gone to heaven.” She peeked over her shoulder at her self-appointed doctor. “You have many hidden skills, Severus.” Her lids lowered as she gazed at him. “And the most amazing touch…” her voice trailed off.
He licked his lips, then cleared his throat. “Would you like me to…uh…refasten the links on your dress?”
She smiled. “Perhaps I should slip into something else. It would take nearly an hour to help you figure out the criss-cross pattern those chains go in.”
Severus rose and nodded. “I’ll wait in the –“
She closed her fingers around his, stopping his exodus. “Would you mind sliding the zipper for me?”
He knew he should turn and run, stop the action before it started. It was the responsible thing to do. But his mind had memorized the feel of her flesh beneath his touch. It was intoxicating, in the least. She used the leverage of his arm to raise herself from her prone position and knelt before him on the mattress, her back to him. Severus had to lean close to reach the fastening. He didn’t know whether he did it on purpose, or simply by accident, but the slider moved ever slowly down her back. His free hand rested on her hip, absently caressing her waist.
Arabella bit her lip as his exhaled breath cascaded over her already feverish skin. “Severus, do you still think of me as your student? Or are you able to see me as a woman?”
The fog in his mind barely allowed the words through. But when they found their home, they lodged in his cerebellum with great force, waking him from his trance. “I’m going to go finish cleaning up.”
She watched his retreating shape, biting her lip to keep from uttering aloud until he’d gone from earshot. “Stubborn bastard!” She exhaled a growl. “Damnable ethic-bound, single-minded, stubborn bastard.” Arabella drew a steadying breath, forcing her nerves to calm. “Who is the north to the south of my compass. Damn it. Come on, girl. Don’t give up just yet. It just might take a bit more work than you thought.” She quickly changed into short denim shorts and a pastel pink spaghetti strap tank, then made her way toward her kitchen.
“Holy—“ She bit back the curse resting on her tongue.
“I can’t stand being idle.”
Every dish was cleaned and returned to its place, the food stored, and all the surfaces sparkled.
Severus walked toward her hesitantly. He raised her hand, pressing his lips softly to her knuckles before releasing it yet again. “Thank you for a marvelous dinner. I really must be going. You’ll need to rest and allow the rest of the pain to subside from that pinched nerve. I just don’t see you as the type to even consider relaxing while you have company.”
The anger she’d forced to the back of her mind bubbled toward the surface. Arabella struggled against it, gritting her teeth. “Do you mean to tell me that I went to all of this trouble for nothing?”
His eyes flew wide at the strength behind her words. “Excuse me?”
She stepped toward him, pushing a finger into his chest. “I rushed through my unpacking while cooking a full dinner at the same time. I struggled my way into the most seductive dress I own. And you’re just going to walk away? How many times do I have to wiggle you into a corner before you’ll act? Do you know what I went through to acquire this house? To steal all of your Reversa-Tic potions? To make Mikel forget how he managed to get poke weed in his hands when it should have been locked up? Can you at least appreciate the effort and pretend to want to spend time with me?” As soon as the rant left her lips, she wished she had her time turner still to reverse it and stop herself from saying any of the words.
Severus couldn’t believe his ears. She’s lied to him. She’d stolen from him. And now she was trying to manipulate him. He turned on his heels and left without speaking a word.
Arabella felt a scream erupting in her throat, yet she knew she only had herself to blame for the predicament. If she could ever learn to control her tongue, she’d get farther. Her words must have really thrown him for a loop. After all, she was the quiet student, the one who he never witnessed doing anything other than studying. Of course, being in class with students three years younger than you will do that to you, but still. When she let loose with the Italian temper, he retreated faster than her grandfather when Grandmum was on the rampage.
She grabbed the closest glass figurine within reach and hurled it across the room. “Damn it!” The force she put behind the motion caused her hips to shift, sliding yet another nerve between two vertebrae. She stifled a yelp as her legs went numb, knocking her to the floor. A tear escaped the death grip of pain and dropped to splash on the carpet. “Ow,” the simple word, though spoken softly, cooled her tantrum instantly. She pushed herself back to her feet very carefully, waiting for the pain to subside before she started toward the bathroom.
Arabella settled into the steaming tub of bubbly water, letting the relaxing elements of her salts and oils soak into her skin and bones. She closed her eyes, allowing the rose and chamomile candle fragrances to relax her mind. She had to regroup and figure out a way around the tirade and his defenses.
Severus stormed through his home, slamming pans and cauldrons, books and herbs from one location to another. He should not have gone to dinner. He should have listened to the little niggling voice—the voice that told him Arabella had known all along what she was doing and had given herself the hiccups to trap him. Him. Her professor. Who did she think she was? He could have been terminated. He could have been tried with sexual harassment of a minor. He could have—but she wasn’t a minor, was she? She was a scheming, conniving woman. And now she was his neighbor. He would see her every day. He was certain of that fact. She would see to it, if only to drive him crazy. Maybe he could call the seller and outbid her before the deal was closed. But what would he do with another house? He would show her. That’s what he would do.
But first, he wanted answers. The more he stomped from room to room in his own home, the more he wished to throttle the woman. He ached to wrap his hands around her waist—no, her neck. Right, around her gorgeous, long, creamy neck that begged for caressing. No! To strangle her. To watch the light in her eyes burn with passion—no, fear. He cursed aloud. “Damn the woman for confounding me.” Severus grabbed the small string of anger and wrapped it tightly to him, hoping it would help to cool the burning in his loins. The painful, glorious tightness caused by the simple thought of the gentle roundness of her bottom, her dress slinking seductively higher as she leaned over the table to light the candles, the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers as he worked the disk into place, the amazing sounds emitting from her beautiful lips, the tone caressing his nerves so that he nearly worked his way around to graze her creamy breasts.
Severus stopped in his tracks. He ripped a notebook from the nearby counter and threw it across the room. “How can I get her out of my head?” he screamed. The strength of his pounding heart echoed through the room, absorbing all other noise from his ears. He grasped the edge of the counter, his breath ragged, and closed his eyes. In the darkness of his own making, the glimmer of her teasing gaze shimmered in his mind.
Without realizing how he’d gotten there, Snape found himself staring out the front window toward the house across the way. She hadn’t lied about leaving the curtains open. He watched as she winced from the pain of what he assumed was another errant disk, as the clothes dropped to the floor, as she stepped into the steaming tub.
He shook himself both mentally and physically to force his attention away from the display presented for his viewing pleasure. After all, she had warned him.