Loved By You. (A Severus Snape Love Story)

Chapter Five: The Last Supper

Later that night I received a message from my grandfather.
I was sitting comfortably on the arm chair in the living area of my quarters when the bird started pecking at my window.

Dear Aria,
As it is the last night before the school term begins I have decided everyone shall meet tonight at 8:00 for a feast in the Great Hall as the last night of summer. I thought this would be a great chance for you to get to know your professors also.
Hope to see you there.
Your Grandfather,
Albus.

I checked the time quickly. 7:15. I didn't have much time but I could still make it if I got dressed rather quickly.
Assuming it wouldn't be just another dinner at the school but it would be quite a formal meal I choose to dress up a bit.
As my plan tonight was to get noticed by Snape I opted for my short black skater dress with a flattering sweetheart neckline and a corset style bodice, it was simple but would do the trick.
Touching up my hair from earlier and curling a few of the more flattened stands I had 20 minutes left to do my make up and find my way down to the Great Hall.
Applying my signature red lip stick and dark eye make-up I slipped on my black heels and made my way through the castle.
It took me a while to navigate my way to the main corridors of the castle but one I found my way It was just a matter of getting to the hall on time.
I didn't think I was that late but when I entered the room I noticed everyone was already sitting down and ready to start their meal. As the doors banged shut the room fell completely silent. I slowly made my way over to the single table sitting alone in the middle of the hall, with only the click of my heels as company.
"So sorry I'm late, grandfather." I stated acting all sweet. As I rounded the back of my grandfathers chair I noticed there was only one empty space.
On one side of my grandfather, who sat at the head of the table, was Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house. And next to her was a giant hairy man, who I believed to be the groundskeeper, Hagrid. Across from each other was Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick and so on until at the end of the table sat a wide eyed, fuzzy haired, gypsy like woman who was huddled over a large glass of nettle wine.
I smiled when I noticed where the empty seat was, on the other side of my grandfather and right next to Snape.
Everyone watched as I took me seat, everyone except Snape who was trying his hardest to avoid eye contact.
"It's no problem, my dear." Dumbledore chirped. "Just dig in, the elves have prepared a lovely meal for us all." I smiled simply in response, beginning to fill my plate with food.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Snape was no longer staring off into the distance but had taken an interest in the side of my face. The corners of my mouth twitched slightly. I snapped my neck around quickly to catch him out, our eyes met for a brief second but Snape almost instantly turned away.
"I must say, Aria, your looking rather fetching this evening, don't you agree Minerva?" My grandfather proposed.
McGonagall lips tightened a little but she answered politely nonetheless.
"Yes, your granddaughter is a beautiful young woman. It's just a shame her intentions are not as appealing." The latter part of her sentence was mumbled and not expected to be heard but I did and I know that ever since I was sorted into Slytherin McGonagll has had a problem with me.
My grandfather's smile was still in place and he was intend on continuing to express his praise for me as he turned to Snape.
"Severus." He began, catching the potions master attention causing his scowl to become more apparent. "You appear to have been spending a lot of time with my granddaughter these past few days, how do you think she is settling in?"
"I reject your premise, HeadMaster, I don't think I have been spending an awful lot of time with her." He grouched.
"But you are well enough aquatinted with her I assume?"
"I suppose so." He mumbled. "Miss Dumbledore is a headstrong girl, she is intelligent for her age but if say a little too outgoing for my liking."
"I didn't ask for a report, Severus." My grandfather was getting slightly agitated now as Snape's lack of participation and decided to push him further into praising me. "How do you feel about her?"
"I beg your pardon" Snape exclaimed, a shocked expression forming on his face as he turned to me.
I smiled mischievously, knowing that he was already feeling uncomfortable and I hadn't even done anything yet.
"Do you like her? Is she an agreeable girl? Do you think she'll fit in here at Hogwarts and in your house?" My grandfather explained further.
Snape relaxed a bit now taking a long gulp of wine before answering.
"Yes I'd say I do like her headmaster, she tries her best to be accepted and liked, but maybe too hard, I'd like to see the real Aria Dumbledore for once." He smirked turning to face me again, looking a great but more satisfied than he had before.
I didn't like what he was insinuating and instantly began to defend myself.
"I assure you grandfather I am putting on no fake personality this is me and I'm afraid Professor Snape is just uncomfortable to see he has met his match." It was my turn to smirk now.
"What ever could you mean, my dear?"
"Well in my opinion for the little time I've know Professor Snape, that he likes to come across as intimidating, he likes to think he is above everyone else and he's the only intellectual person around since he is used to teaching a load of students. Now I'm not saying the students here aren't smart but at my old school we had a different way if doing things and I think that makes Severus here uncomfortable and maybe now he's the one feeling undermined and inferior." I smirked a little to wide this time but it went unnoticed as my grandfather was too busy chuckling at my statement and for once McGonagall seemed rather impressed by my attitude.
"Well spoken, Aria." He laughed."but I'm afraid Severus could just be feeling a little out of his depth by spending so much time with a young lady like yourself. He's not used to company you see." My grandfather continued laughing lightly until Severus spoke up again.
"I simply prefer solitude Headmaster and it wasn't in my job description to be babysitting teenage girls before the year had even started. Maybe next time Minerva would be more up to the challenge." He snapped.
"I think Severus is afraid to admit that he has rather enjoyed his time with me grandfather." I laughed a little with his as I turned to Snape when no one was looking and have him a sly wink.
Suddenly out of nowhere a deep booming voiced echoed over everyone else's.
"She seems to me to be a brave and fiery girl Headmaster, I can't see why she wasn't sorted into Gryffindor." The half-giant Hagrid announced. "I think the two 0f us will get alone quite well in my classes." He smiled.
"Classes?" I asked confused and unaware that the groundskeeper would be teaching any classes.
"Ah yes. Hagrid here shall be taking the Care of Magical Creatures class in the next term when he comes back from some duties I need him to do at the start if the year." I was informed by my grandfather.
I nodded and smiled in agreement before going back to my dinner and letting everyone else carry on with their separate conversations. Soon it seemed Snape and I were the only ones remaining silent.
Taking a chance I asked my grandfather is I would be allowed some wine as I was almost of age but his response was not as I'd have liked it to be.
"I think not, my dear, I cannot condone you to drinking at this age just because this is a special meal, maybe another night but not when we all have the new year to start tomorrow." I smiled politely and pretended like I was a little disappointed.
After that everyone went back to the conversations and I decided to strike one up with Snape.
"I noticed Severus, everyone else has made a comment on my appearance tonight, whether it be my hair, or my dress, or my shoes, or my make-up... but sadly you have been left out of the equation and has not make any remark." I teased, slyly taking a gulp of his wine as no one was looking and gave him a large flirty wink.
We both knew I was pressuring Snape into saying something nice to me and he didn't want to seem rude so he obliged but deep down he knew it was sincere.
"If I must then I'd  like to make an all round remark on your beauty then, Miss Dumbledore, your look is exquisite." He said through gritted teeth.
The conversation volume had lowered considerably and he knew it would be risky to insult me but he wasn't the best at hiding his emotions. (Well not bad ones anyway.)
Slowly I leaned in to whisper in Snape's ear. I had positioned myself so that Snape couldn't really look many places to hide his expressions but I was up so close to his that my exposed chest was the only way he wasn't outwardly facing the table of teachers.
"How about my dress, Severus, do you like it? I wore it especially for you." I breathed, my lips brushing against the lobe of his ear.
I felt him shift uncomfortably in his seat as he awkwardly tried to look away and avoid eye contact.
I smiled and bit my bottom lip, just to show him that I knew it was making him uncomfortable. As he moved his seat closer to the table and further away from me, I slowly reached down and placed my hand on his stroking it lightly. His face gave off a pinky tone and he shot me daggers trying to intimidate me to make me stop.
I'm shocked to say it didn't work.
I heard a cough and McGonagall started to speak again.
"I'm sure this year it will be quite different, am I right, Severus?" She spoke. Having no clue what she was talking about Snape quickly shoved my hand from his knee and agreed with the old woman. He was getting flustered I could tell and it was quite apparent to the other member of staff.
"Are you alright Severus?, you're looking rather agitated." The cheery Professor Sprout commented.
He cleared his throat a few times and tried to regain his composure. I looked down at the table and smile to myself feeling quite satisfied. But not satisfied enough.
"Yes I'm quite alright." He snapped but his voice was barely audible.
While everyone was focused on Severus I took my chance and moved my elbow ever so slightly, knocking my fork off the table.
"Oops." I whispered and slid off my seat to retrieve it.
It had fell so far under the table I had to get on all fours to try and reach it, but that worked to my advantage.
My already short skirt, became even shorter when I was bent over. I look up to see if Snape was still having problems with his speech but to my delight I caught him staring at me. When my eyes met his, he instantly looking away, trying to play it off like he hadn't done anything.
"Severus, won't you help Aria." I heard my grandfather ask. "I would do it myself only with my bad back I struggle."
"Of course." He replied.
Bending down in his chair Snape grabbed my wrist. "Don't think I don't know what your doing." He hissed into my ear.
"It just makes it more fun." I retorted, pulling my wrist from his grip and grabbing to fork. Snape straightened himself up and like it was nothing I held onto his thigh and pushed myself back up to his seat. Snape's face said it all. He was annoyed and uncomfortable and nervous all at once.
I kept my hand on his thigh for a little while longer, and casually started to stroke the inside of his leg.
Snape was insistent to remove my hand and kept trying to move away from me, but it was to no avail as I was just as intent on keeping it there.
"So Madam Hooch." I turned to the think looking woman with silvery-grey hair. My grandfather had taken it upon himself to make sure I was aquatinted with all of the staff before the new year and I was to learn all of their names and what they taught. Madam Hooch was the flying instructor and Quidditch coach.
"I hear you manage the Quidditch tournaments, and practices." I stated.
"I do indeed, Miss Dumbledore, do you play? I'm sure we could find a spot for you on the Slytherin team."
"I played a little in my old school but maybe I'll just be a stand-in this year as I do have a lot of subjects and extra-curricular's catch up on." I smiled my fake sweet voice thickening.
"Are you finding your way about the castle quite easily?" I heard Professor Flitwick squeak.
"I usually am good at finding my way places." I started, my handing still stroking the inside of Snape's thigh. "But it's so big, that I'm afraid it might take me a few tries, but I'll get there in the end." I smirked, edging my seat closer to Snape as my hand slid closer to his crotch.
"Severus has been taking me around these past few days, I'm sure he'll be glad to show me a bit more. He can be quite charming when he wants to be." I smiled making eye contact with the man next to me and reaching out-
"I have to go." Snape announced jumping up from his seat, causing me to stumble a bit. I look at him wide eyed and watched him.
"Severus." My grandfather exclaimed.
"I'm sorry Headmaster but I have far to much work to catch up on for tomorrow and I cannot be doing such trivial things like a dinner party when I could be getting on with my work." He said, moving away from the table.
"But Severus dessert is on it's way I'm sure you can stay for a while longer." My grandfather called but it was too late Snape was already storming to the doors of the hall.
"I'll go speak to him grandfather, it would be better to speak to him alone."
"If you insist Aria, you too have been spending more time together than any, these past few days."
I nodded and ran after the bat-like man, the click of my heels echoing through the hall.
I stopped him before he reached the doors. I placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him around to face me.
"Severus."
"Don't call me that!" He snapped.
"Professor Snape." I corrected myself trying to sweet talk him. "Just sit down, there is no need for you to walk away, people will ask questions."
"No reason!" He exclaimed, he looked over at the table of teacher awhile were watching intently as we argued.
"Let's do this out side." He order, pushing me lightly into the hall.
He waited until the doors banged shut to start talking.
"No reason! There is no reason to leave, don't you think what you were doing was inappropriate!" He roared. "Don't you understand that what your doing is making me uncomfortable."
"I understand that perfectly." I retorted in a calm tone.
"And you think it makes you superior to me to act like this? Do you think that if you do this you can rule me? Well I'll tell you this right now it's not going to happen!" He shouted.
"Look at you." I said shaking my head. "You can't even say it, can you?pathetic. I thought you were stronger than this but you break so easily." I laughed. "You strut about acting like you are invincible but when a problem comes  up you run away. I thought you were more than this." I sighed, turning as if I was going to leave.
"Wait." He whispered. Taking my shoulder and spinning me around.
"Why are you doing this?" He asked his tone a lot calmer.
"Would you be surprised if I said I liked you." I lied, putting on my sweet voice to charm him. He scoffed, not believing me. "I'm serious. Why do you think I've been around you these past few days? I just don't know how to express my feeling so this is what I do, it's what I've always done. I suppose that's why I got bullied in Salem, they called me a slut and a whore but they never actual got to know me. Everyone just thought I was easy, they thought I would just sleep with anyone but it's all I know how to do! I don't know how to tell people I like them! The truth is... I'm actually really shy but not when I'm acting like this." I lied (well kinda) putting on fake tears to make him feel sympathetic. "Please just come back, I'm begging you. I'm sorry." I apologised.
"Fine." He sighed. "I'll come back but in future don't be so forward with people." I nodded, pretending to wipe away my tears but in reality I was grinning internally.