An Old Friend

Chapter Seven

What Lies Behind the Aged Face of a Young Man? 

Eleanora's pov

After the incident with the ever defensive Draco, the rest of my day went smoothly. It seems most of my classes are full of good students who are going to excel within my classroom. Severus had to monitor the great hall during lunch so I ate alone in my office taking care of a few things so my evening would be clear. While finishing up some paperwork from the WWO that I have been procrastinating, an owl landed in my window. Getting up I grab the letter from it and hand it a treat. Recognizing the wax seal from the British minister of magic, I already have an assumption of what this letter contains. After reading the briefly worded letter, I scribble my response and send the bird on it's way with a final treat for the road. Taking note of the time, I decide to start my trek to the great hall for supper.

Easily spotting Severus at the faculty table, I glide over to him as quickly as I can. "Hello, love." I smile as he looks up at me. I am already feeling substantially happier to be back near him.

"Darling." He greets back with a smirk that is almost impossible to see. If I was not so good at reading him, I would surely think he was not at least a tiny bit happy to see me. I really have to commend him on keeping his facade intact so well. Hiding behind this emotionless face is a brutally honest man willing to tear the world apart for the people he cares about. I'm just glad to know the man behind his act. "Do you know how many detentions I had to give out today concerning you?" Severus pulls me out of my inner appreciation of him.

"Concerning me?", I scrunch my brows in confusion.

"Yes, apparently you are on the forefront of nearly every male student's mind.", he casually drawls out.

"How many? One? Two? You're terribly dramatic, you know that?"

"29 and it is about to be 30." Severus says while glaring at something or should I say someone across the room. I place my hand on his arm before he gets up and starts dishing out more detentions.

"First Draco and now you. I can defend myself against hormone-filled teenage boys." I chuckle out finding amusement in their antics.

"Draco?" Severus asks, looking back at me now.

"Yes, I figured you would have heard by now, but he was ready to start a full brawl in my classroom this morning because some Gryffindor boy tried to hit on me. Which then led Potter's group to start asking questions concerning my relationship with Draco, and that was enough to spark another flame under our godson."

"Hmm, I might just have to award him some house points for that." Laughing, I lightly slap his arm.

"You will not."

"Then maybe I'll just have to lay one on you right here in front of everyone. They'll surely leave you alone if they know I already have my claws stuck in you."

"Severus please, we both know you'd hate the drama that would follow those actions." I chided gently.

"I have a knack for the dramatic arts, you've said so yourself." He drawls out.

"They'll eventually find out, but you have to admit the sneaking around is quite exciting." I purr quietly, watching his reaction closely. One would think my words alone changed the entire atmosphere of the great hall, the tension raising quickly between Severus and I was almost palpable. The hitch of his breath, slight darkening of his eyes, and tick of his jaw all pushing me to start a game that I might just lose. I inconspicuously lay my hand on his leg closest to me and lean over until my chest is brushing against him to greet Minerva, who gladly starts a conversation completely oblivious to the extremely rigid man between us.