Dreaming in Color

Chapter 22

It had been a week since Snape had stormed out. A week since Lauren had last laid eyes on him. A drearily long, stretched-out week since she had last heard the deep baritone of his silky voice that could inflect just the right amount of disdain, sarcasm or arrogance (usually all three if he was in one of his moods). And it felt as though it had been forever since she had last locked eyes with his dark, fathomless gaze that could peer so deeply into her soul, yet reveal none of his innermost thoughts.

Lauren sighed deeply as she cradled her cheek in her hand, her elbow resting on the wooden kitchen table and her other hand curled around a steaming mug of tea.

Damn, I miss that crotchety old grouch, she thought mulishly.

Her gaze came to settle on the stack of books that she had been perusing all week; many on various poisons, antidotes and theories pertaining to both subjects.

Lauren blew out a long drawn-out huff. She had spent endless hours poring over those books in an attempt to distract herself and keep her mind off the Potion Master, and maybe find even a half-assed solution to Severus' fate, but as of yet she was having very little luck in both distraction and solution.

Lauren had then tried a different form of distraction and had explored the manor, but that had not helped either. Truth was, Severus Snape was not far from her waking thoughts.

I need a drink.

With that thought in mind, Lauren cut her gaze over to Blinky, who was stacking away the last of the breakfast dishes neatly in the cupboard.

Not that you will be able to help me with that...

Lauren had tried to coerce the house-elf into getting her a bottle of anything alcoholic after Snape's little prank (by this stage she wasn't fussy and would have even settled for Tequila – a liquor which she absolutely abhorred). But the little elf had crossed her spindly arms firmly over her chest and had shaken her head in refusal.

"Master Dumbledore has told Blinky that Blinky must not buy Mistress Lauren any alcohol."

Blinky had then shot Lauren a look of disapproval for even asking such a thing of her.

Lauren leaned back in her chair, her irritation growing. It would seem that I have two of the smartest and most cunning wizards in the world working against me on this. I'm doomed to a life of dull, boring sobriety.

And her plans to make moonshine were falling flat, mainly because she had no idea how to even make the stuff. And it wasn't as though she had Google at her disposal.

Suddenly a sharp, commanding mental nudge startled Lauren, jolting her out of her thoughts and almost making her slosh her tea all over herself.

Severus!

She'd recognize that mental signature anywhere.

A huge grin stretched on Lauren's lips, and the odd sensation that she had felt on a few occasions whilst in his presence settled like a warm, glowing ember within her chest. She mentally opened the wards to allow him in, her excitement almost at bubbling point.

No sooner had she granted him entrance than the fireplace flared green and out stepped Severus Snape, swathed in all his glorious black and his raven hair framing his pale features like a glossy curtain.

He cast the cleansing spell upon himself and then his gaze snapped up, focusing on her with such penetrating force that it almost stole the very air from Lauren's lungs. Inwardly she puzzled as the odd sensation intensified as their eyes locked. She could not explain the foreign emotion, for she had never experienced anything like it before.