A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 7: waking

Meg woke to see strange drapes above her head. She blinked sleepy eyes and realized her arm was pressed up against something warm. She turned her head and looked at Severus lying beside her.

He was flat out on his front; his head turned towards her, his face was softer in sleep, younger and less strained.

A slow smug smile crept across her face as she remembered last night. They'd started off in his study and ended up here, in his bedroom. The candles were almost burnt to their end, so she knew it was morning, even though it was windowless in the dungeon rooms they had.

She wondered if she could slip out without waking him. She needed to use his bathroom. She shifted carefully, till she was out of the bed; he hadn't even stirred. Shivering in the cold air she reached down, and plucked his robe from the floor, shrugging into it before heading towards the bathroom.

Half an hour later she came back into the room fully clothed and clean, but the bed was empty. His clothes had been removed from the pile on the floor, but she could hear nothing to indicate where he was.

"Severus?" she called his name, her voice shaking slightly.

"In here."

She turned and saw him sitting fully dressed at his desk in the study adjoining the bedroom. Relief flooded through her, quickly followed by embarrassment and surprise.

"Was I that long?"

"Well, I just celebrated my eightieth birthday," he said dryly not looking up from the magazine he was looking through.

"Really? And you don't look a day over fifty," she said sweetly, a blush coloured her cheeks as he looked up at her.

Passion in the heat of the night was one thing; but to suddenly be confronted with the object of your passion in the cold light of day was quite another. Especially as he was sitting looking at her with a dark unreadable expression on his face.

"Come here and say that, Professor Kincaid," he drawled and sat back throwing the magazine down.

Meg crossed to him, uncertain of his reaction to her.

She was suddenly assailed with doubts. Was he about to kick her out with a 'thank you and let's not refer to it again'?

A slow malicious grin spread across his face as he reached out and caught hold of the waistband of her skirt. He tugged her closer till she was standing directly in front of him and then he moved round slightly and pulled her in between his legs.

She looked down at him, her bottom lip between her teeth.

"If you're so determined on severing your bottom lip, let me do it," he whispered and catching hold of her shoulder, he pulled her down to face level as his other hand let go of her skirt and slid inside her jumper to caress her back.

"Severus, I think..."

"Really?" He cut her off with a frown. "Still able to think? That's not good," he muttered and slid his hand in even bigger circles, causing her to shudder. His mouth claimed hers, his teeth worried at her bottom lip, making her groan as sensations filled her once more.

He chuckled into her mouth before letting his tongue explore her.

She pulled back from him, gasping for air. Her hands had found their way into his hair.

"Severus, I....."

"Still talking?" he mused and arched an eyebrow at her.

"Yes." She grinned at him. "I'd better go and get some fresh clothes."

"Sneaking up to your bedroom?" He let her move away from him.

She shook her head and picked up her own robe.

"Better not let Minerva see you emerging from the dungeons," he muttered with an evil chuckle.

"Oh. She's quite used to it; I sometimes end up sleeping in my study!"

Snape regarded her with a small frown.

"I didn't know that," he said slowly.

She looked at him, one eyebrow rose.

"Contrary to what you would like to believe; there are a lot of things that get by you."

"Really?" His frown deepened. "Sometimes things are best ignored."

She opened her mouth to say "Yes Malfoy, for one!" but thought better of it and shut her mouth again.

"You're thinking of Malfoy aren't you," he said silkily his face still giving nothing away.

She straightened up, glaring at him.

"Do you read minds?"

"Only yours," he smirked. "You may be able to keep your face perfectly straight and fool everyone else, but your eyes give you away every time."

"Oh, that's good to know." She couldn't help but smile at him. "I'll remember if I want to put one over on you, I'll cover my eyes first."

Snape stood and crossed to her slowly.

"You'll never be able to pull one over on me," he said arrogantly. "I can read you like a book."

He caught her hair in one hand and gripped it tightly but not painfully.

"Severus!" She moved closer to him to take the pressure of her hair.

"Are you cooking with Longbottom tonight?" he asked her ignoring her cry of protest.

"Yes."

He slid his hand through her hair till he was cupping the back of her head.

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"What about?" she frowned

"His stupidity in potions," he intoned. He brought his other hand up to trace her features with one finger. A tiny smug smile played round his lips as she shivered under his touch.

"Will you stop that!" she snapped, irritated with his comment about Neville.

"No." He shook his head. "I like it." His finger traced around her ear and she jerked in response.

"Pack it in!" She tried to pull back but he wasn't letting her go. "We've got to get to breakfast yet."

"So we have," he drawled and lowered his head till his lips were centimetres away from hers. "But I'm hungry now," he whispered before taking her lips in a deep kiss that had her clinging to his shoulders, totally swept away by the man who was so thoroughly kissing her.

A loud banging on the door had both of them jumping apart startled.

Snape frowned, annoyed at being interrupted.

"Who is it?" He demanded as he banged the door open.

Meg had dodged behind the bedroom door, not wanting to be seen.

"Severus, we have a problem; someone has let all the Boggarts out. They're everywhere! The first years are in hysterics, along with half the second and third years!"

Meg recognized Minerva's high voice and realised it was probably the only time she'd ever heard Minerva flustered.

"Boggarts? Who let the Boggarts out?" he demanded, angry now.

"I have no idea, would you fetch, Professor Kincaid? I tried her room but I expect she'd fallen asleep in her study again. I must go back to Dumbledore." She hurried off before Snape could say anything.

"Boggarts?" Meg came forward slowly.

"Apparently," He snapped and held the door open for her to leave.