The Exposure

Chapter Fifty

Hey guys, I just wanted to apologize for that ridiculously long gap between chapters. I hit a pretty bad place with my mental health so I had to take a step back from everything for a little while. I'm doing a little better now and am just happy to be writing again. This story and the Alan/Snape/HP community is sometimes one of the only things that keep me going, so thank you guys for just existing lol. I'll do my best to keep updating the story more frequently :)

This chapter's a bit longer. Thanks for your patience and as always, thanks for reading!

                                                                     Chapter Fifty

          10am rolls around and you walk quietly out past the boundary of Hogwarts, hidden just beyond the view of any watching eyes. It's warm out today, the sun melting away the remainder of winter. You approach the sign to Hogsmeade and think you must be alone as you glance around. You stoop down and see the beginnings of spring, little sprouts of grass and a single yellow asphodel flower pushing through the softened earth. You touch the petals gingerly and smile to yourself.

          "Beautiful," you turn and see Severus watching you. You laugh at how quiet he always is, "How long have you been standing there?" He smirks, "Long enough to enjoy the view." You smile and blush as you walk toward him, your eyes looking him over. "You look very good in white..." you say with a flirtatious grin. He wears a white long-sleeved shirt and black trousers. You note how different he looks without his foreboding cape and buttoned coat. He offers his arm and you take it.

          In a sudden black whirl, he apparates you both to your new favorite place. He opens the door for you and you step inside to see he's started a fire and cooked.

          You nearly gasp at the pretty sight. You inhale the wonderful scent of eggs, sausage, apples, and cinnamon. The table is extravagantly spread with a beautiful arrangement of fruit and other mouth-watering foods and a bottle of champagne and pitcher orange juice. "How did you do all this?" "Hard work," he says with a hint of mischief. You give him a dubious look, "Did you use magic?" He smirks and quips, "Magic is hard work..." You laugh and he grabs you by the hand, spinning you around and suddenly pulling your body against his, his other hand on the small of your back. His dark eyes look down at you and he brings his lips softly to yours.

          "Thank you, Severus," you say dreamily as you gaze up into his eyes. His own sparkle down at you and he smiles, "I am happy to do it."

          You spend the next hour or so eating, drinking mimosas and talking, explaining everything that happened with Angel. He sits back in his chair and crosses his arms, wearing a concerned, disbelieving look. He shakes his head, "Well. I suppose that's another piece of this convoluted puzzle." He looks away and his jaw tightens. "Are you mad?" He pauses and breathes deeply before answering, "Obviously, my first thought is to Ava-Kada that witch. I can't believe she kissed you. What on earth was she thinking?"

          He looks out the window thoughtfully a moment before his eyes glance back to you adoringly, his voice low, "Can't say I blame her for wanting you..." You blush and look down at your plate. "Why do you do that?" You look at him with a questioning glance, "Do what?" "Look away when I tell you how I feel." Your eyes automatically avert from his and you struggle to raise them back up to meet his gaze so as not to prove his point.

          "I...feel weird with positive attention, I'm not used to it. Any attention feels like bad attention to me. I'm still learning how to untangle it all." You give him an apologetic look and he gently takes your chin in his hand, "Well, then I promise...to only give you positive attention, until you become used to it," he says with a soft, kind smile.