-89-
In middle of the night, I wake up to this... Distant noise. "..Mmhhm..?" lazily opening my eyes and hear how the noise becomes more clear. Then I realize, someone's knocking at the door. What? My heart jumps and I shoot up to sit. Immediately I can feel the cold breeze touching the skin that once was covered the warm blanket. The knocking won't stop. Quickly, I got up and rush to the door. Right when I swing the door open, ready to deal whoever is behind it, my whole body froze for a second. It's Severus! Got no time to react when he scoops me in his arms and our bodies presses together. Huh?! "(Y/N)." he let's under his breath like we haven't seen each other in years. Severus..? He holds me so tight as one of his hand is wrapped around behind my back, one caressing back of my hair. What is this?
Even I'm partly petrified by the sudden embrace, I can't help but notice the scent of him... The warmth of his body against mine... The way his strong arms are around me firmly... My heart starts beating faster and I can feel how my whole body goes from stiff to relaxed one. Severus... He then leans a bit away to look me and gently brushes piece of hair out of my face:"(Y/N)...". Giving him no change to say or do anything else, I cup his face and pull him close, so our lips connect. Eyes closed, I taste those wonderful lips against mine finally. Oh, how much I've been craving them. We both inhale thru our noses as the kiss gets deeper. This feels right. This feels... Like it should be. Without breaking the kiss, he shuts the door behind him with one, simple swift move. Then we both start walking deeper into the room as the hunger grew bigger. I can't stop myself. Even if I wanted to.
The back of my knees hits the edge of the bed, and we both fall down on to the surface of the bed. The eagerness inside me raises and we continue kissing. Severus's hands starts wandering around my body which makes me feel insane. My hands tangles into his dark hair and we both let out soft moans into each others mouths. I want to feel him. All of him. "(Y/N)." he calls in middle of the heated moment. I want to tell him not to say anything. Please don't say anything that could ruin this moment. I... Want him. I need him. Only him. When all of sudden, in middle of our kissing, his tongue turns into long and thin one that splits in half - like snakes have. What?! My eyes widens and I quickly shove him off, fear raising in me. Before I knew it, he had turned into Nagini - whose at least five times bigger than before. The feeling that once was Severus's arms wrapped around me was now the snake's tail, strangling me. No!!
Just when the snake is about to make the attack with the sharp teeth, my eyes shoots up wide open and I gasp:"HA-!!". And just like that... I've woken up from my own bed. Cold sweat streaming down as the heart is beating fast. Quickly, I raise myself to sit to look around. As I bring my hand over to the chest, I instinctively hold onto the chain that is tangling around my neck. It's still in middle of the night. It was... Just a dream. When it sinks in there is no real danger and I'm all alone in this room, I let out long and deep exhale to calm down the nerves. Oh, Merlin..! That was intense. Running fingers thru my hair and try to calm down. It felt somewhat real. As I think thru what I saw, a light blush ends up creeping on my face. I still feel the heat in my lower stomach. Severus... Bigger blush raises on my face now. Nooo...!! I slap my cheeks with both hands at the same time to get my thoughts in order. What's wrong with me?!
The days goes by. Things really has changed around here. There are no longer students running around the castle, laughing and having fun after the classes. No... This is way worse than the time Umbridge briefly took the lead when Dumbledore was away. Children are basically rushing back into their dormitories as soon as the classes are over to avoid running into the Carrow twins. The castle itself is also in its worse shape than ever before, since most of the elves has left Hogwarts 'because they are just elves, we don't need to pay them' - according to the new order that came from the Ministry. Pretty much over half of the elves left to look for another job after they heard they weren't going to get payed of their work. Luckily, there are some elves who decided to stay loyal to Hogwarts and keep on working here. Dongy being one of them.
As grateful we all are the ones that stayed here with us... Because there aren't so many of them, therefor, the corridors gets filthy because there is no one to scrub the mud that comes from people's shoes after have walked in from outside in rainy days. The bushes in the garden grows uneven, because there is no one to cut them back into their shapes as they keep growing. Us Professors are doing the best we can to help after the classes, but let's be honest, the castle is way too big for us to handle among the job itself. No one really thinks how much time and effort it really takes to keep the whole Hogwarts nice and tidy everyday. Talk about making the food for everybody as well!
So, us Professors have made a deal whose doing what to help after the classes are over for the day. I have agreed to help in the kitchen. My cooking may not be the best, but at least I can help to set the plates and food on them before they get send up to the Great Hall for the kids. "There... All done!" I sigh proudly after putting the feast together with two other elves. "(Y/N) has done great job today! Dongy is forever thankful how (Y/N) always comes down here to help us all." Dongy smiles as he places the last decoration on the table we have just put all together for tonight's dinner. "Of course, Dongy. Happy to help!" I smile back while wiping my hand into a small kitchen towel. Then, Dongy snaps his fingers and the food disappears before our eyes, up to the Great Hall for everyone to enjoy. After that, I ate with the elves in the kitchen while sitting on the small stool. I've spend many lunches and dinners in here. Mostly because I don't want to run into the twins even by accident on my break.
It's the night of the Halloween. As expected, we don't celebrate it - or at least not the way we used to. There are no pumpkins and candles floating around. Nor candies and other sweets hidden somewhere in the castle. No. It's treated like any other day here. And to be honest... It sucks. Then again, nothing has stopped me from decorating my own classroom. That's where I have created the real Halloween theme that children loves to come watch whenever they have time between the classes. The fact it brings smiles on their faces makes me feel warm inside. Obviously, Headmaster and Carrows are rolling their eyes at me on this, but I don't care. I'll do anything to have that little warmth here again.
After I ate, I left the kitchen. I tried to offer help with the dishes when they'll return after everyone have eaten, but Dongy insisted I'll head back to my own chamber to rest. So, now I'm walking in hallway all alone. Got to be honest, I'm exhausted - more than I'd like to admit. As soon as I'll get to the chamber, I will go straight to bed. Urgh, but I guess I should wash my hair before I'll..- "Professor (Y/L)!" a female student calls other side of the hallway. "Hm?" I turn around. It's Cho Chang - a Ravenclaw student, Cedric Diggory's girlfriend. She walks up to me with polite smile on her face which makes me smile back to her:"Good evening, Miss Chang. What can I do for you?". "Oh, I was just wondering, have you had the time to check on the assignment I returned this Monday?" she asks. Both of my eyebrows raise:"Assignment?".
For a second I stare at the girl in front of me like what in the world is she talking about, but then it hit me. "Right..!! Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Miss Chang. Unfortunately, I completely forgot all about it." I let out apologetic chuckle. "That's alright, Professor. I know you have been busy lately." she nods politely. I chuckle:"Ah, yes, well... It still doesn't give me the right to dismiss my duty. Heh... I-I promise you, I'll look into it this week.". "Thank you." she smiles gently. She's always so polite. Just when we are about to say our good nights, we hear how someone steps in the hallway with us. Right away, Cho and I turn our heads to see who it is. Amycus. Immediately, I sense his sudden appearance makes the girl next to me tensed up. I've done pretty good job keeping my distance towards him and his sister. This is pretty much the first time we meet like this during the semester.
Amycus narrows his eyes on us other side of the hallway:"Shouldn't students be already in their beds?". Cho tenses up even more. The look on Amycus face gives me the creeps. Something tells me he and his sister are always trying to find a reason to give the students detention. Even from the smallest reasons. "Not in another hour, Professor Carrow." I answer in calm and cool manner. The small smirk corner of his mouth goes down after I said that. Then, I turn to the student with warm smile on my face:"Why don't I walk you back to your Common Room, Miss Chang? That way, we can discuss more about the thing you asked me about... The Goblin Mines, yes?". Cho looks at me slightly confused at first, but soon catches up:"Yes. Thank you, Professor. I'd like that.".
I give her a nod and we both turn our backs to the Carrow twin and walk away from him. The look on his face goes more stern as he keeps his eyes on us as long as we get out of the sight. Phew... After I escorted Miss Chang to her Common Room, I start heading to my chamber. While walking there, I started to wonder... I take the Remembrall between my two fingers and look at it. Now that I think about it... This Remembrall hasn't turn into red, not once since I got it! And knowing myself, I'm sure the assignment Miss Chang was talking about isn't the only thing I've forgot over these past weeks. It only has this fade, silvery wisp inside. Moving slowly and smoothly, like piece of hair. Hmph. Must be broken. Then, I let go of the ball and it neatly falls down onto my chest and I start walking faster towards the chamber while yawning. Merlin, am I tired!