Intolerable Man [SnapexOC]

14. Double jeopardy

Lana and Severus appeared at the gates of the castle. Severus said nothing as he stormed through doors of enchanted iron, Lana was hot on his trail, calling his name. Damning that same name in her head.

"Severus." she said calmly at first, watching her step, cursing as her boot sank into the mud. She yanked her foot out of the muck, and raised her gaze, hoping Severus had stopped. He had not.

"Please say something." she said, pleadingly. He still continued, now several meters ahead.

"Severus, please-" she felt a warm tear trickle down her cheek, which was instantly turned ice cold by the cool damp winter air.

No more begging.

"Good. Great, Severus. Now we've both fucked a member of the Black family. Does this mean we can work on us now? Because frankly, I am sick and tired of the back and forth!" Lana exploded, stamping her boot back into the mud and cursing again. "FUCK!"
These were feelings she had repressed since the moment she returned to Hogwarts. She was in the wrong, and felt like she wasn't allowed to be upset. But Severus had taken advantage of her guilt.

A raised brow was all he gave her, after finally turning to acknowledge her. He hesitated a moment, contemplating storming up to the castle but decided to give into the argument.

"No. Not good, or great. Lana. I can't believe what you've done to yourself." His tone was all malice. He wanted to hurt Lana, never physically, but in the same ways he had been hurt by her leaving. That emotional hell she had put him through by only leaving a measly letter.

"I'm sorry! Do I need to say it again? That I was scared, and young?" she lifted her skirt, freed her foot from the mucky ground, and trekked through the slush toward the tall brooding man.

"Well?" she threw up her arms, and her voice was tired.

Severus took a step toward Lana, he towered over her. He angled his chin down, to lock eyes as he asked "Why him?".

Lana shrugged. She didn't know. There wasn't a reason. No connection beyond their awful love lives. Maybe he was funny, but it's not like she was in love.

"Maybe, I wanted to move on. You seemed to.".

"You slept with him.". That tinge of disgust returned to his words.

"I could have done so much more." Lana took a step last Severus. She was tired, their conversation had grown dull and repetitive.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he called after her.

"I Could have fallen in love with him. Like you obviously have with, what was it? "Cissa"." Lana laughed mockingly, if only to hide how hurt she was.
This had shut Severus up. He narrowed his brows, like he was thinking up something terrible, but said nothing. So, they continued toward the castle, not necessarily next to each other, but Severus stayed right behind Lana, no matter how fast she tried to walk, he kept up.

After reaching the castle, Severus asked Lana to come to his office in the classroom. Maybe so no one could hear them scream at each other. It was possible he wanted to apologize for being a heinous prick. She couldn't really tell his reasoning from his manner alone, he seemed his usual, unamused self. Against Lana's better judgment, she agreed, and lead the way to the dungeons.

Once they reached his office, he opened the door and allowed Lana to enter first. Lana scoffed at his half assed gesture. She stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.

"I don't." was all he offered.

"Don't what, Severus?" she said, arms still crossed, and growing more and more annoyed every second.

"I don't love her." he stood in front of Lana now.

"Lucky her." Lana spat. "Was that all, did I come all the way down here for that? You do know, how far my room is from here, right?".

"No.".

"Get me a map."

"No, I meant," he exhaled, pinching the bridge of his aquiline nose. "That's not all. You asked if we could talk, about us. I'd like that.". It seemed to hurt him to admit he actually needed to talk.

"Oh." Lana's arms fell to her sides. "Okay.".

"I guess, I'll start." he cleared his throat. "This, this is strange, for me, Lana. I have only ever cared for a handful of people and you make up most of them. You hurt me. More than I ever thought I could be hurt.". Severus' face actually showed emotion. Pain.

"I-" Lana started but quickly stopped.

"I know, you're sorry. But it doesn't mean that I'm not still hurt. Even if I am glad to have you back...maybe not as my own, any longer, but at least as my friend, Lana." He explained, while simultaneously making his way toward Lana.

"Friends?" she said barely above a whisper. Although Lana knew the thought was ludicrous, she'd hoped to go back to being, more, much more than friends when she'd returned to Hogwarts.

"Is that okay?" he asked.

"Of course but-" she stopped, realizing how pathetic the words would sound coming from her now. "Nevermind." Lana turned to leave, believing the conversation was over. But Severus did not feel the same. She felt his firm grasp around her wrist, and with a slight tug she spun around to meet him.

"What?" his tone was desperate, hungry, almost.

"Nothing. It's not worth it." Lana took her wrist back, savoring his touch as she held it in her other hand.

"Are you sure?" He said, closing the space between them slightly.

Lana internally panicked, unsure of what this meant. A moment ago he said friends, but this was very friendly behavior. More than friendly.

Severus' hand came up to Lana's chin, angling it upward, and then he kissed her. Lana had never thought she'd taste him again, or have him this close again. He only pulled away when he tasted the saltiness of the tears that had begun streaming down Lana's face.

"Friends or Lovers?" She asked, crying softly.

"Who says the two have to be mutually exclusive?" He asked jokingly, before kissing her again. Lana threw her arms around his neck, embracing him, but careful enough not to break the kiss.

It became very clear, Lana would not be returning to her room tonight.

Severus broke away first for the second time. "You should shower. You smell a bit like wet dog." Severus laughed into Lana's neck. She punched him as hard as she could in the arm.

"Do not." She said as her lead her to his chambers down the hall. "What does that even mean?" She asked. Severus only shook his head.

He let Lana use his shower first. She stared at him for a few moments, wondering why after all this time, after 9 or so years of knowing each other, being romantically involved for 2 of them, he had still not wanted to shower with her. She shrugged and called "your loss" out to him as she threw her muddied skirts at him. She laughed as he groaned in disapproval.

While Lana tried her best to scrub away the affections of Sirius Black, her neck and breasts still bared his marks. She'd tried, and hoped Severus wouldn't say anything, and maybe attempt to cover them with his own markings instead. Lana turned the water off, stepped out of the bath and into a towel. After drying off for a minute or two, she made her way out of the bathroom to find Severus, and get him in the shower so she could ravage him. But she found him fast asleep, on the sofa. She scoffed, and pouted a bit before finding one of his night shirts to wrap herself in for the night, since she decided she was not going back to her room under any circumstances.

Lana dressed herself, then settled in next to Severus on the rich green sofa. She fell asleep faster than she anticipated to, and slept soundly through the entire night. Better than she had in quite a while.