Threshold - Severus Snape

Chapter 7 - Almost Too Real

Dessert was Black Forest cake, and it was heavenly. I tried my best not to look down to the other end of the table where Professor Snape was sitting, but I felt like my neck was starting to ache with the effort. When I finally did look, I was thankful he was not looking at me, and I got a chance to really look at him.  His mannerisms while he ate were intriguing. To me at least... I'm sure not too many people were so interested in how Professor Snape ate his dessert. For having such a masculine appearance, the way he moved was surprisingly elegant, like he seemed completely comfortable in his own skin. He ate in a very non-self-conscious way too, like he didn't care who was watching him.  And of course now, as if on cue, he turned to see me watching him. I know I've been caught, so I fess up to it, silently, offering him an embarrassed smile before turning back to my dessert.

Reu spoke softly in my direction, "I would love to give you some advice, my darling, but I think you're doing quite splendidly on your own."  I never really imagined having a romantic connection in this Realm, but it seemed like an interesting prospect. Then, as if he had read my mind, he offered gently, "Just try to remember that this is all real, and pain is still pain, even if it is in the form of a heartache." 

I thought about that for a moment. He was right of course. This wasn't just a game. Stakes were just as high here as they were in the real world. Unless of course I bailed, like the last Traveler, but I didn't want to even consider that possibility.  I would not, however, give up the chance to really live. If my heart or body gets broken, so be it. I'm going all out. All in, all out... yeah, whatever it takes to take full advantage of this bonus life.

"However, if you do ever need a shoulder to cry on, you are always welcome to mine," he said sincerely.

"Thanks Reu," I said, standing to leave, placing my hand momentarily on his shoulder in appreciation of his friendship.

"Oh, and by the way, drinks tonight in my room at Eight. You're going to meet the other, well, you know, Professor. It looks like he didn't make it to dinner," he said quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

"I will be there," I said, and took off, walking back towards my room with a lot to think about.

"Professor Airhart," I heard the voice I knew could only belong to Professor Snape.

I wondered if I would ever get to call him by his first name, and he mine, I hoped so. I wondered why he stopped me, especially since his expression was quite serious, and I felt my nerves heightened as he stepped up close to look down at me.

"Professor, I'm a little surprised that the Professor of Magical Etiquette, and her professional colleague, would find it appropriate to behave like school children in front of the students and staff," he said, and although his words were admonishing, I thought for a second I could see a glint of humor in his eyes. 

"It is the weekend, Professor Snape. Everyone should have a time when they can let loose a little, and in my opinion, the weekend is an appropriate time for that," I said, and I really wanted to let him know that having fun wasn't necessarily a bad thing when done appropriately, while not giving him a clue that I was a little pissy that he had basically just scolded me and my new friend for 'acting up.' 

"Then maybe you will deem it appropriate to call me Severus on the weekend, instead of Professor Snape," he said with an adorable pull of the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you, Severus. And you're welcome to call me Avia," I choked out, feeling like I made a monumental breakthrough. And on my first day at that.

"You seem different, Professor... Avia," he said, and my heart skipped.

Maybe my personality was too far removed from Avia's. Maybe he suspected something was up. I would be sad to have to conform to a more restrained personality though. I did not like having to put on an act. "Let's just say I've been working on some things. I'm letting go of some constraints that I have been bound by for way too long. For good or bad... this is me," I said as explanation of my change in personality, feeling a little special that he was even talking to me, and not in the short-tempered way he did when I first spoke to him today.  I also felt a little special with how close he was standing to me at this very moment. Well, I wouldn't call it special, but I felt something... well, special. We weren't alone really, since we were in one of the main hallways, but we were standing off to the side in a niche created by one of the support columns. It felt strangely intimate, and the good-natured flirtatious vibes that I felt from Reu earlier were tame compared to the almost overpowering current of pulsing energy emanating from this powerful wizard standing close enough to me now that I could reach out and touch him if I wanted... Of course I wanted to, feeling the draw to him that was both frightening and exhilarating. But I knew I wouldn't. Just then he reached towards me with his hand, and I froze, my lips parting, my eyes transfixed on his hand moving slowly towards my face. His fingers gently touched my jawline, and his thumb moved to glide across my chin. I felt tingles all the way down to my toes at his tender touch.

"Chocolate," he said, before drawing back his hand.

I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding, and my eyes regained focus. I could see the small quirk of a smile on his face, which I was beginning to recognize as a smirk, and he looked quite pleased with himself. I was a little embarrassed that I had been talking to him with dessert on my face, also for my deer-in-headlights reaction to him, and he obviously found it all amusing.

"Since it is still the weekend, would you like to perhaps share a drink with me?" he asked, nonchalantly, as if it was a common occurrence to ask me to share a drink with him, and I fought to keep my mouth from dropping open.

Then again, I would be meeting Professor Thomas and the other Traveler tonight for drinks, but that was completely different. This was not what I was expecting, and I panicked. Severus Snape from the movies would never have done this! I wasn't ready for drinks with this man! It was too much too soon...

"Or perhaps another time?" he offered, an amused eyebrow raising at the question, and I immediately wondered if I had let my guard down on my thoughts.

Nope, still there. Maybe he was just perceptive, like Reu, and I didn't need to remind myself that my face was an open book. "Thank you, Severus. Maybe sometime later this week?" I replied.

"Ah, so maybe not on the weekend... Are you afraid of 'letting loose' around me?" he said, and I inwardly cursed him for using my own words against me, and so adeptly at that.

"As I have already mentioned, Severus, I am not afraid of you," I straight out lied. Not exactly a lie I guess. I wasn't afraid of him in a traditional sense of the word. "However, 'letting loose' doesn't necessarily need to be limited to 'just' the weekends," I said, and maybe I meant it how it sounded, or maybe I didn't. And what is up with me and limits, like it's my new favorite word or something? Maybe if I strike it from my vocabulary I won't stick my foot in my mouth so much. Well, would you look at that, he may actually be at a loss for words. And I am almost certain his cheeks gained a little color.

"Touché," he said, raising an eyebrow, and it didn't get past me that the word had already been used at least once this evening.  Either I'm a 'word-fighting' champion, or he overheard Reu at dinner. Or maybe it was just a coincidence that this seemed to be the word for the day. Regardless, I was pretty exited about the chance to have a drink date with Severus, and I told him so, "I look forward to it."

"As do I. Until then," Severus said, bowing slightly at the waist before turning on his heel to head on his way.

Whew. That was extremely intense. I don't know if this is what I expected when I came here. It was all almost too real, if that is even possible. I hadn't even started teaching my classes yet, and it was already a lot to take in. One step at a time, my mom used to say. I decided I would just focus on the meeting with the other two Travelers tonight, then get some sleep, and then see what tomorrow brings.