The Magic of Different Worlds || Severus Snape x Reader ||

Chapter 32: Date Night

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GTKYQ: Favorite ice cream flavor?

"I have quite a lot to learn about you."

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I stood at her door patiently, one hand trembling and the other gripping the bouquet of orchids like they would fly away if I let go.

Perhaps I had gone a bit overboard as far as preparing for our reserved dinner tonight. I woke up in a nervous sweat, completely distracted and far away during all of my classes to the point where I believe the students thought I was suffering from a stroke. 

I spent the day going back and forth over what to wear, when to show up, how to say hello, what to bring, and what to do on the date itself. I worked myself into a pit of anxiety and nerves...something I knew I needed to get over at some point or else I would die of a heart attack before I could get anywhere with her. 

I settled on an outfit that, frankly, wasn't much different than all the other times we had spent the evenings together. Black slacks, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up just enough...but not too far, black shoes, and I even took the liberty of slicking my hair back just enough to make it look less...dungeon bat. 

It was actually Minerva's idea to bring her flowers. We were exiting winter and heading into spring, but there were still plenty of flowers blooming this time of year. Magical plants are very different from Muggle plants, so I had to be sure not to choose anything that would bite, scratch, or set her home on fire. 

Orchids seemed like a safe choice. They come in a variety of bright colors, and they last longer than most flowers once they're cut. I also had the good idea (if I do say so myself) to cast a charm on them to give them a slight sparkle. Sparkling orchids were certainly pretty, but never as pretty as her.

I knew that I would be less nervous once I laid eyes on her. It was the anticipation that was driving me mad. 

As discussed, I arrived at her pub the next night after her Muggle Studies adventure to talk about our next outing. She had been adamant about planning this one, and what she came up with seemed simple enough.

She had chosen for us to have dinner at a (and I quote): "place that's a bit nicer...but I promise it's nowhere that you can't fit in." 

I trusted that she wasn't planning on taking me anywhere that would cause me to expose my identity, so I felt comfortable with that. We agreed that I would meet her at her home, and we set a date and time. 

Here I was, Friday evening and right on time.

She told me the last time I saw her that I was "more than welcome" to let myself into her flat once I arrived. In all honesty, that was the last thing I wanted to do because I didn't fancy getting arrested for breaking in if someone saw me. I opted to knock first, but after a couple of minutes without a response, it seemed that was my only option. 

She disclosed to me that she owned two spare keys -- one belonged to Blaire and the other was kept under the mat at her door. I flipped the corner of the mat to reveal the ground underneath and (naturally) it was there.

How original. I need to tell her to relocate this key.

I unlocked the door with ease, entering quietly and slowly in case I was disrupting her. The flat was quiet until I heard the jingle of a collar and a set of four feet running toward me. Pepper was as chipper as usual. 

"Hello girl," I stroked her shiny black fur. "Where's [Y/N]?"

I didn't get a response of course -- not from the dog anyway.