The Choice of Destiny (Snape Love Story)

No Need for Introductions

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Four o’clock in the morning was too early for everyone, and Severus was no exception. Yet here he was, at the top of the Astronomy Tower, waiting. The air was rather chilly for the end of February and Severus‘ hands were already painfully cold.

Listening in carefully, he finally heard her soft footsteps. They were barely audible, yet he has already grown accustommed to the way the girl moved. Sometimes it felt like the girl was more careful than a unicorn, faster than a werewolf and more cunning than a sphinx.

He smiled as she walked out of the shadow, more dancing than walking already. Her lips met his in a gentle welcome gesture.

„Good morning,“ she whispered. Severus noticed she carried a pouch made of yellow silk over her shoulder.

„Are you ready Cat?“ he asked. He saw the girl smile.

„Yes I just need to put the shoes on. Here Sev,“ to his surprise, she was handing him a pair of gloves. The question must have been obvious in his eyes because she shrugged.

„Somehow I knew you wouldn’t have them.“

Severus gladly pulled the gloves on even they were a little small for him. He watched her sit down and pull her ballet shoes on. She threw her cloak off revealing her naked arms. She looked at him nervously,

„You know that you’re the first person to ever ask me to dance for them?“

Before Severus managed to open his mouth to tell her that she didn’t have to do it, she flowed into a graceful movement.

Severus leaned back on the railing and watched, thinking that waking up this early in the morning really has been worth his time.

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Just couple of hours later Catalina sat down at breakfast. She looked around if she would see Severus but then she realized that he didn’t have any morning classes today. He was probably catching up with his sleep.

Or chatting with Dumbledore. Thought Catalina as she noted the Headmaster’s absence.

She winced as Seamus accidentally kicked her under the table; her feet were sore from this morning. As she felt her toes against the fabric of her shoes, she could tell that at least one of them has bled. But she knew that if Severus asked her, she would dance for him again, even right now.

She poured herself a cup of coffee, tasting the black liquid carefully as not to burn her lips. Even without sugar, it worked as a sweet, calming balm that spread all the way to her injured toes.

Taking a quill into her hand, she started to sketch dance figures on a piece of parchment. After all, she decided that Maria was going to get her choreography, and sooner the better.

She felt someone’s gaze upon her. Catalina looked up.

For some reason, the Headmaster of Durmstrang was frowning upon her. She glared back in wonder.

Her and Karkaroff have interracted only upon the occassion of the Yule Ball.

Does he remember and is frowning upon me because he found me in an intimate embrace with a professor? She wondered.

The man gave her an uneasy feeling that seemed to be rooted somewhere inside her head but she wasn’t afraid of him.

Her eyes found his, not flinching.

The man looked away immediately. Catalina bent down her head to continue the flow of her dancing ideas.

She looked up again only to notice that Karkaroff’s gaze has turned to her again. This time he wore a sleazy, even nasty expression on his face.