Always

Chapter 11: Confession

She did not realize that she had fallen asleep in his arms. She rubbed her eyes and the sound of a blaring alarm was going off. She then gasped as she was in Severus' bed. He was already awake and he gently turned the noisy thing off. "Good morning." He spoke gravely because his voice was always so deep in the morning. Deeper than it was usually. She looked around shocked. "Did I just.....sleep in your bed?!" She asked as he nodded. "I did not wish to carry you back to your quarters Elizabeth. Besides, you were very cold so I wanted to keep you warm last night. The temperatures in Scotland get quite brisk so I wish to keep you warm." He spoke as he had already showered and had his robes on. "What time is it?" Beth asked softly as she sat up. His bed was super comfortable, she barely knew that she was sleeping next to him. "7:30 am my dear. You have 30 minutes to get ready." He said as she got up and looked at him. "I am so sorry about last night. I should have woken up and gone back to my room." She sighed. "Do not apologize." He said as she walked over to him and hugged him. "Thank you for keeping me warm..." She said as he smiled down at her. "It was my pleasure, my dear." He said as he kissed the top of her head and she then widened her eyes. "I don't have my floured covered robes!" She said. "Not to worry, while you slept, I retrieved another pair of your robes. They are right here." He said pointing to his dresser that had her folded up robes. "You're the best!" She smiled grabbing them as she looked at him. "Oh.....um...." She said as he turned away from her and she changed into her robes. He felt like they had not gotten to that stage of the relationship so he would give her privacy.

She changed and looked at the time. A Wednesday morning. She looked at him. "You can look now." She said as he turned back to her. He smiled at her. "Lovely." He said in his gentle voice as she looked up at him. "Will you do my hair, please? I love it when you do it." She asked and he nodded walking over to her. She sat on the bed and he sat beside her. "Any requests?" He asked as she smiled. "Surprise me then." She stated as he held her hair. He leaned down and sniffed her hair that was washed last night. It smelled of lemons, and he exhaled deeply. "You always smell so.....sweet." He said as she smiled. "Only for you, Severus." She said as he started to braid her long red hair. He kissed the back of her neck and she shivered as his lips tickled her skin. "Your lips feel so comforting." She said as he smirked and he pulled her hair gently so her head tilted backward and she was looking at him from upside down. "Is that so?" He asked as he slowly kissed her lips and she blushed red. He always took her by surprise with the affection he gave now. Of course he didn't do it when around other people. He released his lips on hers and he said casually "Even upside down, you are still beautiful." She giggled as she looked at him and then he let her move back and he finished her hair. She turned to face him and they shared another deep kiss and his cold hand held her cheek. She could kiss him all day and all night. He then whispered "We should get to breakfast, hmm?" She nodded as they got up and he used his wand to make the bed and they quickly walked out of his room so that it did not look like she slept there.

They walked to the Great Hall and she really wanted to hold his arm but they had yet to tell the professors that they were now seeing each other. He stayed close to her as she touched her two big fishtail braids carefully. She looked at him softly as she smiled, before she entered into the Great Hall with him. They walked together and people were catching on. The students mostly. Severus walked to his seat but remained standing until Beth got there. He pulled out her chair for her and she thanked him for sitting down before he sat down next to her. Immediately, Madam Hooch said "Since when have you decided to be a gentleman?" He looked to her gravely. "Is it not rude to not pull out the chair for a woman?" He asked as she shook her head. "You are becoming quite strange Severus Snape. Surely you have noticed." She mumbled. "What if I enjoy this change, hmm Rolanda? Perhaps it may have been the best thing to happen to me." He spoke as he looked to Beth. Hooch gently turned away while Beth quietly giggled. Minerva stood up and walked to the podium doing her usual announcements. Severus was not sure how to tell the other professors, or if he even wanted to. He feared he would be seen as weak and that his students would continue to harass him and make him feel awful.