Snape's Match

Reports began to leak into the Gryffindor common room around dinnertime that Professor Snape was in the foulest temper he had ever been seen in, and that even the teachers were avoiding him. On the basis of these reports, Lia wisely decided to stay away from the Great Hall. She was especially glad of this when Harry told her about Snape’s threat to give him Veritaserum by “accident” in his fourth year, and although her stomach protested, Lia felt she’d seen enough of Professor Severus Snape for the day.
Not least because of the way she had felt during the showdown at lunchtime. It wasn’t his anger or the sarcasm, she was used to those, expected them even. What she wasn’t used to was the flicker she had seen in his eyes when he had first seen her lounging on the banisters. It had been so brief she could almost convince herself she’d imagined it…except for the similar flicker she’d noted during her detention last night. It was exciting and disturbing in equal measure, almost as if he’d thought her beautiful or even (Lia whispered it to herself) desirable. Her fingers tingled.
“Well I think you were completely right to skip dinner,” said Ron as he flopped down into an armchair next to her. “The look on Snape’s face! Almost as if someone had fed him poison…” Ron’s voice trailed off dreamily, and Lia snorted.
“Yeah, I am so glad we don’t have Potions tomorrow.”
“No need to be frozen to death in the dungeons” agreed Ron.
“No need to get points take off us for no reason…” said Harry from behind them. He grinned at Lia. “Brilliant show, by the way.”
“No need to see Snape’s face…” Lia continued. Everyone laughed.
“Uh, Lia?” Hermione was back from dinner too. “Am I the only one who remembers you’re going to be seeing Professor Snape’s face a lot sooner than Friday?”
There was a blank silence. “Obviously,” said Lia, confused.
“I just doubt that he’s going to let you off this easy from it, not after lunchtime.”
“What the hell are you on about, Hermione?” asked Ron angrily. “Spit it out!”
Hermione looked aggrieved. “Detention, that’s what I’m talking about!”
The mouths of those listening in had opened in horror.
“You’ve still got detention with him tonight, Lia! I can’t believe you forgot!”
Lia had gone from normal-coloured to white faster than a traffic light. “Oh not good. Not. Good.”
The Gryffindors were all looking at her as though she was going to her death.
“What time is the detention?” Lia’s voice shook only very slightly. “Hermione?”
Hermione patted her arm, looking scared. “Eight o’clock.”
“And what time is it now?”
“Eight o’clock.”
Lia stood up. The Gryffindors gasped and a babble of talk broke out.
“Lia, you can’t –“
“He’s waiting for you –“
“We can pretend you were still sick –“
“He’ll have poisoned the quill –“
“ – or the SEAT –"
Lia giggled. “Hell, if that’s the worst he can do…”
The common room stared. “Lia, this is SNAPE we’re talking about,” said Harry, “he’s willing to do anything to get back at you – trust me, I know!”
Lia squared her shoulders. “I’m late, Harry,” she said in a falsely melodramatic voice. “I don’t care what Snivellus does to me, but I don’t want any more points taken from this house.”
“On your head be it,” sniggered Ron.
“Good luck, Lia!” Hermione called softly after her, as Lia stepped through the portrait hole, hands trembling, and headed towards the last place on earth she wanted to go to. Snape’s office.

She had never noticed how detailed the door to Snape’s office was before. Carvings of cauldrons, iron spikes and wands adorned what on casual viewing seemed to be a normal door. As normal as you could get in an enchanted castle, of course.
“Come in, Miss Fitzgerald, you’re late!”
Lia jumped. Merlin’s nose! He knew she was there, and his voice had confirmed all the rumors she’d heard about just how furious he was. It had been seething with layer upon layer of rage, sarcasm and vindictiveness. Putting her hand on his door handle and pushing it open was probably the bravest act she’d ever done.
He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, looking for all the world like the Devil himself in the shadowy pit of his jar-filled office.
“Perhaps you would like to lie some more from your current position? You seem to favor it!”
Lia felt a slight twinge of remorse.
He moved away, indicating the bottled ingredients. “Or maybe you’d like to take your pick? Go ahead, I won’t stop you.”
Lia was definitely feeling bad now, not only for Snape’s wounded pride but also for her personal safety. She’d only been here a week but she’d heard the stories about when he got like this.
He spun around on his heel, fixing her with one of those gazes, black eyes flashing. “Although the fact you came here shows you are not completely beyond hope. Why did you not hide away in your dormitory, as your fellow Gryffindor rule-breakers undoubtedly advised you to?”
Lia’s brows knitted. “I knew you would just take about a thousand points from Gryffindor, and also…” Lia stopped.
“Go on, girl, I am truly interested.” Snape actually sounded sincere, but Lia was sure it was simply her imagination. She took a step closer to him.
“Also,” she let her trademark insolent smile spread across her features, “I am not afraid of you. Sir.”
She actually thought he was going to strike her, but instead he took two quick steps towards her. He was now very close.
“Really? Say it now, girl, say you don’t fear me.”
Lia swallowed, but to her amazement, she found that she wasn’t scared anymore. She felt a misture of defiance for the taunting in his eyes, and a feeling she couldn't quite pin down that was making her so so aware of him, looming over her. “I do not fear you, sir.”
He placed his hands on each of her shoulders, and she looked down at them both before looking into his coal-black eyes. So familiar…where had she seen them before?
“And now?”
What's he doing to me? thought Lia, confusedly. “I am not afraid!”
Snape released her. She couldn’t see his face. “Carry on with your, with your…with what you were doing yesterday.”
She barely had time to register surprise before he swooped out of the door, leaving her alone (and at last, somewhat frightened) in the twilight office.

She let out her breath in a long, low whistle. Pulling out her wand, she magicked a chair into existence to sit upon near Snape’s desk. Lia moved a stack of parchment that contained first year homework and reached for a quill.

Three hours passed before Snape returned to the office, not soothed at all by his walk around the castle, the lake, the grounds…He could not get those words out of his head. “I am not afraid.” The door swung open at his command, and he stopped short when he saw the girl curled up in his chair, asleep. He considered waking her, but decided it to be a waste as he studied the sleeping form. She was so perfect. Such hair, and her eyes, although he couldn’t see the bewitching grey color now, captivated him whenever they caught his in class or across the Great Hall. He almost groaned aloud. What in the name of Merlin was wrong with him? How could he even consider having a relationship with a student? It was immoral, unethical…
He wanted it so much!
Minutes passed. Damn, he thought. I’d better get her up to Gryffindor Tower…perhaps it would be best if I carried her.
He paid no attention to the voice in his head maliciously reminding him that it was only because he wanted to touch her.
He picked her up from the chair, afraid that she would wake. She didn’t, and he swayed, almost overcome. She felt so right in his arms, like she was meant to be there. Lia, for her part, turned her head against his chest unconsciously, and rested it there. He looked down, surprised at her unthinking trust, in time to see her awake. It might almost be said that he dropped Lia, so quickly did he let her down. She yawned and looked at him. “Professor Snape?” Lia watched his odd expression with sleepy curiosity.
“You were asleep,” he said shortly.
She smiled at him. “Funnily enough, I’d noticed that. A thought struck her. “Why were you carrying me?”
Snape looked as though she’d asked the wrong question. He stepped closer - Lia could smell the residues left by potion-brewing wafting from his ridiculous black cloak. “Still not afraid?” Snape asked with a curious lopsided grin.
“No” breathed Lia, and Snape kissed her.
The grey-walled office spun away. Nothing mattered to Lia except that Snape’s surprisingly strong arms never let her go. She wrapped her own around his neck, caressing his shoulders. His hand slid down to cup her breast through her suddenly cumbersome robes, and she whimpered into his kiss, sure that if he let her go now she would collapse. Her knees seemed to have become nonexistent and her entire body fizzed at Snape’s touch. What’s happening to me? she asked herself – a day ago I hated this man!
Snape’s skilled mouth became more insistent, and she lost herself in the sensations she was feeling for the first time. It was wildly sensual, exciting…
Suddenly, Snape broke the embrace. His breathing was ragged and he recoiled from her as though consumed with guilt. “I apologize, I shouldn’t have done that.” Lia could barely make out his hoarse whisper.
“Don’t be stupid,” she replied, bewildered. “Why should you have to apologize?”
“You had better leave, Li - Miss Fitzgerald.”
Lia felt as though he’d driven a knife into her side. Tears filled her eyes as she left the office.
Behind her, Snape’s expression would have melted any resentment Lia felt. It had cost him every single ounce of willpower to push Lia away, especially from that magic kiss. He’d been sure there had been sparks in the air around them as they embraced. He looked around for the bottle of whisky he reserved for only desperate situations like this, and then remembered. Serves me right, he thought, bittersweet memories telling him she’d already cured him of that particular bad habit.