Serendipity [Book 2]

Heating Things Up

“Hey Snark!” Ariella greeted cheerfully as breakfast. Remus turned to her surprise as she bounced into the empty seat between the two men.

“Elle, you alright?” He asked as Severus scowled in Ariella’s direction.

“Oh, Moony. I’m fine. Better than fine actually. Great! Today’s a beautiful day. Voldemort’s,” Ariella paused as she watched Snape and Remus wince.

“Isn’t alive and I’ve a blueberry tart! It’s fantastic day!” She finished with a wide grin as Remus quirked an eyebrow as the smiling woman before directing his astonished eyes onto Severus’s silent and unconcerned form.

“Right. Well, glad you’re feeling better, Elle. I hate seeing you down,” Remus added before turning back to his breakfast.

“Stop grinning, you fool,” Severus growled as Ariella smirked at him.

“Unnerved are we, Snark? Going to attack me? Snog me, maybe? I think a good snogging would lighten your mood a bit. How about it?” She asked as she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively in the Potion Master’s direction. Severus choked as he turned to her in horrified shock as Remus choked on his pumpkin juice and his laughter. Ariella giggled giddily as she took a bite out of her the tart in her hand.

“Cross, that’s absolutely absurd,” Snape hissed quietly. Ariella turned to him with a quirked eyebrow.

“Is it? When’s the last time you got shagged, Snape?” She asked, taking another bite out of her tart. By now, the entire staff table had their eyes on the History of Magic teacher and the Potion Master. One was smirking annoyingly haughty and the other was sitting in horror of the former.

“Cross, that is not up for discussion,” Snape snarled as Ariella shrugged.

“I’ll admit it’s been a while for me. Almost two years, I think. How about you?”

“Cross!” Snape exclaimed in shock. Suddenly he noticed Ariella’s pupils were dilated and her muscles were relaxed as she leaned back in her chair.

“Who gave you Axless Draught?” He growled as Ariella tilted her head to the side. Axless Draught was often referred to as Liquid Courage. It was a relatively simple potion that allowed for the person who drank it to feel relieved. It is often given to panic attack victims and people who get so stressed they become ill.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” She replied before bursting into a wild fit of laughter.

“Severus, please escort Ariella out of the Hall. We can’t have her students thinking she’s gone mad,” Minerva hissed from her place down the table. Severus sighed as Remus smiled sympathetically at him.

“Come along, Cross. I have a reversal potion for you,” Snape remarked as he held on Ariella’s arm, tightly and he pulled her away from the table.

“Ow, Severus! Let me go, would you? I won’t shag you!” Ariella exclaimed once they were clear of the Great Hall. Severus frowned. He knew her words shouldn’t matter, that they shouldn’t hurt him, but they did. He cursed himself for letting her have that much power over him, for making him think about her even when she wasn't in the room.

“Severus?” She questioned as he stopped mid-step.

“Cross, we must talk,” He growled as he dragged her into a nearby deserted classroom.

“Talk? What for? Let’s just snog and be done with it!” Ariella replied carelessly as Severus released her arm.

“Cross, you must be aware of what you’re saying. The Anxiety Draught only allows for you to be uninhibited by your own anxiety.” He muttered darkly as he frowned at her. Ariella sighed.

“Of course I know what I’m saying, Snape. I just wanted to mess with you,” She answered as she brushed invisible dust off of her crimson robes. Severus stared at her.

“Who made it?” He asked suspiciously as Ariella smirked.

“I did.” She replied with a shrug.

“You made it? By yourself?” He reiterated as he stood there, flabbergasted. Ariella's smirk fell as she huffed in annoyance.

"What are you trying to say?  I'm quite adept at potion-making,as well you know. After all, I was your potions partner for five years,remember?" She remarked  as Snape sighed. The memory passed quickly across his mind.

"Yes. I also remember our cauldron blowing up every other week," He growled.  Ariella looked affronted as she folded her arms across her chest. She pouted.

"That was one time! If yyou hadn't been so damn quiet and stuck, it wouldn't have even happened! How can you blame me?" She responded darkly as her eyes narrowed.

"You were distracting me, you foolish woman!"

"How?" Ariella interrupted harshly as Severus took an unconcious step toward her.

"Sitting there in those clothes,"

"My robes?!" She interjected.

"Your perfect hair," Snape continued as if she hadn't spoken at all. Ariella glared at him.

"Perfect, ha!"

"And that stupid half grin you do when you look at me," Snape finished as Ariella paused. Severus easily pressed her against a nearby desk.

"That annoying giggle, and that obnoxious glint in your eyes when you're planning some stupid stunt," Ariella could only stare at him.

"Those absurd and random displays when we're alone. You must know how distracting you are," Snape admitted as he leaned closer to her. He watched a blush settle across her cheeks and he felt a little triumphant to know he had caused it.

"Severus," was all Ariella could mutter as she felt caught up in the depth of his onyx eyes. Her hands that had been hanging limply at her side, now rose and settled on Snape's waist. The contact caused Severus to tense and back away slightly. Ariella seemed unperturbed by his reluctance. 

"I don't understand you," Ariella mumbled as she finally shook herself from the trance she had been in. Severus quirked an eyebrow at her admittance. He didn't think of himself as confusing.

"You swear you don't care, yet you keep saving me. You swear you hate me, yet you succumb to my wishes. Your words and your actions are quite contradictory. " Ariella explained as Severus stared at her in surprise. Had he really been clashing as much outwardly as he had been inwardly?

"I know you only  agreed to help Remus because I asked you to," Ariella commented with a soft smile as Severus frowned at the mention of the werewolf.

"I did it because Dumbledore asked it of me," he corrected as Ariella smirked.

"To which you said no. Do not fool with me, Severus," She warned as Severus stared at her. Suddenly  he bent forward and captured her lips with his. He felt electricity surge through his body as he pulled her closer. Ariella stared at him with wide eyes before pulling away.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she struggled to regain her lost breath. Severus stared at her, unsure of how to explain his uncharacteristic actions. He himself didn't understand why he had kissed the insufferable woman, so how could he make her understand?

"Snape, answer me! Why did you kiss me?" Ariella demanded as she brushed her tangled curls away from her face.

"I don't know," Severus growled. Ariella frowned before slamming her lips against his. Severus tensed before ensnaring his long fingers in her blonde curls and pulling her against his body. Ariella locked her arms around his neck and tightened her grip. When they parted, both had deep flushes spreading across their cheeks. Snape awkwardly tried to untangle his fingers as Ariella pulled her hands away to help him. Neither said a word as they exited the classroom and went into their separate directions: Snape to the Dungeons and Ariella up two floors to the History of Magic Classroom.