A/N: I've been struggling with how to write the next few chapters—I know what I want to happen, but I've needed a bridge to get to that point. And the framework for that bridge has been—tricky—to figure out.
I meant to get this chapter out around Valentine's Day, but that didn't happen. I hope you enjoy it regardless!
***
The following week in the Hospital Wing was spent gazing longingly out upon the snowy scene shown through the windows placed tauntingly on either side of my bed. It reached the point that, on the third day of my complete lockdown since the funeral of my freedom, when I seldom lifted my gaze from the window, that Madam Pomfrey clouded the glass as to "protect my sanity".
"This is torture," I said crossly, in a half-sitting position on my bed a few days after Madam Pomfrey had stolen from me my one true joy.
"Must you always be so melodramatic?" Severus—who was sat in a chair at my bedside—asked, shaking his head slightly, a faint smirk playing upon his lips.
"It's my sole source of entertainment these days," I said. "What potion did we brew today?"
"By 'we', I'm assuming you mean your dunderhead classmates who somehow managed to scrape an E on their Potions O.W.L., yet have thus far failed to demonstrate their abilities which helped them achieve that grade."
I gave him a pointed look, and he said, "I gave a lecture in preparation for the potion which will be brewed in the next lesson—the Love Potion Antidote."
"Just in time for Valentine's Day. I would have expected you to teach a poison or something," I said.
"That privilege is reserved for first-years," Severus said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "I figured the antidote may be of use to them, reckless as they are—you are."
I felt slightly stung to be placed in the same grouping as my peers, even though I knew it was rather pretentious of me for doing so. I had always thought I was different, I was special in Severus's eyes—but that one playful jibe had me rethinking that.
"What, you think I would slip someone a Love Potion? I think you're confused, Severus. That's more your sort of thing."
Severus groaned in remembrance of his little Halloween prank, when he had me test a Love Potion before the class, claiming it would turn my head into a pumpkin. That seemed so long ago, but it had really only been three months. In merely three months, Voldemort died, Lily died, I discovered Severus was a Death Eater and then that he was a double-agent, I began to fall in love with Severus, my father became engaged to a Veela, I obtained a pet monkey, I discovered Cecil was a Death Eater and that she and Severus were working on a potion to revive Voldemort, I was attacked by Severus in the Forbidden Forest, Severus nearly brought back Lily from the grave, Sage was cursed, I kissed Severus, I lost Aura as a friend, I was friend-zoned by Severus, and I was quarantined in the Hospital Wing, not even allowed to look out a window. All in merely three months.
"That was stupid of me."
"Did the Severus Snape, feared Potions Master and proud Slytherin, just admit his own error?" I said mockingly.
He grumbled in response, and quickly changed the subject. "I spoke with Madam Pomfrey earlier."
"Have you finally talked sense into her? Is she going to let me look out the window again?"
"Not quite."
"I always knew she had it out for me."
"Yes, that is precisely why she's releasing you in two days."
I felt my jaw drop, and soon lift up into a grin. "Two days? As in, the day after tomorrow? On Friday?"
"That would be it."
"Severus Snape, you are a deity." I said, my grin only widening at the impact these words had on Severus's face. His black eyes shone with both shock and joy, and I wondered the last time someone had said something kind to him.
For one of the rare moments in his life, it seemed as though I had left Severus speechless.
"Really, though, how'd you convince Madam Pomfrey to release me? After last week, I thought I was going to be in here forever..."
"She was going to keep you in here to recover mentally, seeing as she's done all that can be done to treat your physical wounds—but I convinced her that your mental state was more at risk should you stay in here, and after the 'window incident', she agreed with me."
"You—er—you know about the window incident?" I asked abashedly, feeling my cheeks flush. The "window incident" referred to a sudden lapse in my sanity after Madam Pomfrey had clouded the windows. I wanted to look out the window, so I had rebelliously taken my wand and attempted to un-cloud a window—and incidentally blew out a large portion of the wall.
"Everyone knows about the window incident," said Severus with a smirk.
"Bloody brilliant," I mumbled.
"Wait, Friday—that's Valentine's Day. Isn't there a Hogsmeade trip after lessons? D'you think Madam Pomfrey will let me go on it?" I said.
"Why don't you ask her?" said Severus. Madam Pomfrey had just entered the Hospital Wing, most likely to give me another dosage of healing potion.
"Madam Pomfrey," I said in the sweetest voice I could muster as the Mediwitch approached my bed.
"Miss Kelly," Madam Pomfrey said in response, mocking my falsely-sweet tone.
"Professor Snape here was just telling me that you were planning on releasing me this Friday, and I remembered that Friday happens to be Valentine's Day, and ever-so conveniently a trip to Hogsmeade is scheduled as well..."
"And?"
"Well, I was wondering if I would be allowed on the trip?—I know about our agreement on not going outside, but I think it might really help with my mental state. Besides, I feel the need to pay my respects to Saint Valentine."
"As hesitant as I am to allow you outside in the snow again, I do think a Hogsmeade trip would do you some good..." said Madam Pomfrey. I crossed my fingers under my sheets as I awaited her decision. "Yes, you may go to Hogsmeade—"
"Thank—"
"—accompanied by a chaperone."
I considered this for a moment. Then, with a quick glance at Severus, I said, "Yes, all right, I'll agree to that. Thank you, Madam Pomfrey!"
Madam Pomfrey saw to me drinking my dosage of the healing potion, then returned to her office. She had grown rather accustomed to Severus's presence at my bedside since I had been admitted to the Hospital Wing, and no longer questioned it. I suppose that Severus had the excuse of guilt, seeing as it had been he who had cast the curse on me on the first place.
"I suppose you're expecting me to accompany you to Hogsmeade?" Severus asked.
"That would be ideal, yes." I said hopefully.
"On Valentine's Day?"
"Why not? There must be at least one holiday for every day on the calendar, but that doesn't mean that every one is significant. Friday is Valentine's Day, sure, but it's also just another day."
"And the same could be said about birthdays?"
"The same could be said about birthdays. This world holds billions of people, and even more dead, but we only celebrate the birthdays of a selected few. It's a statement, really—by choosing which days you celebrate, you're stating what you deem worthy of celebration. By the way, when's your birthday?"
"That is of no significance."
"Maybe not to you, but it is to me."
With a sigh, Severus said, "The ninth of January."
"I've missed your birthday?"
"It doesn't matter—"
"Only because you say it doesn't. You know, Severus, if you tried to care, you might actually end up caring."
"And that's what I fear above all else."
A few moments passed in a troubling silence, in which Severus sulked and I watched him. Finally, he broke his musing. "Would you care to accompany me to Hogsmeade this Friday?"
My eyes met with those of Severus, who was watching me stoically in anticipation of my response. Biting my cheek to suppress the smile forming on my lips, I asked, "Are you asking me on a date?"
"No, nothing of the sort—I'm merely being charitable by taking pity upon you. Also, I'm concerned you might catch frostbite again and I'll have to prepare another salve when there will already be one-hundred students and staff alike pestering me for Love Potions or their antidotes." he said hastily, a slight crease in his brow.
"Right, of course. And just where, exactly, in Hogsmeade would it be that I would be accompanying you?"
"I was thinking perhaps an inn called the Hog's Head."
"I can't say I've heard of such a place."
"It's not exactly frequented by students—or staff, for that matter."
"This is sounding suspiciously like a date to me..." I said with a slight smirk.
"It's only two friends honoring the memory of Saint Valentine."
"As you like it."
"Would you care to go, then?"
"Why, Severus, I would love to."
* * *
I graciously entered a run-down old shop of which I couldn't quite make out the sign due to the blizzard outside from which I was seeking refuge. Incidentally, this "shop" happened to be the Hog's Head, to which I was headed.
I immediately located Severus sat at a table in the corner; it was not a difficult task, seeing as there were so few people in the joint.
"Sorry I'm late," I said, taking a seat across from Severus at the table, "It's a right mess outside."
"You don't look well," said Severus, removing his coat. "Here," He wrapped his coat over my shoulders, and when I opened my mouth to protest, he said, "I live in the dungeons. I'm by now quite accustomed to the cold."
"If you insist," I said hesitantly.
"Happy Valentine's Day," From his wand, Severus produced a bouquet of bright yellow tulips, which he then handed to me. "Yellow—the color of friendship."
"Yes, friendship," I agreed, "what Valentine's Day is all about." Severus's lip twitched upwards.
"So, who are your past Valentines?" I said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well, you have to have spent Valentine's Day with someone else before—who?"
"I'd prefer not to talk about it."
Completely misreading the situation, I continued to pester him. "Oh, there's no need to be embarrassed. You can tell me, Severus—we are friends, after all." Just friends, I silently reminded myself.
"When I attended Hogwarts, I—I always fancied Lily. In my fifth year, I finally gained the courage to ask her to Hogsmeade with me. But before I could do that, I received a letter from Lily. It said to meet her on Valentine's Day at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I was elated—I didn't think about it twice.
"The following day—Valentine's Day—lessons ended early, and everyone went to Hogsmeade. But I stayed, and went to meet Lily at the Forest. When I got there, I waited. I waited for an hour, and there was no sign of her. I thought maybe I had confused the time—maybe my watch was broken—so I waited another hour, two.
"Soon enough it was nightfall, and everyone was returning from Hogsmeade. I had a perfect view of the gates from that spot, and I saw Lily walking with Potter, returning from Hogsmeade.
"Then an owl delivered a letter to me as I watched Lily and Potter walk towards the castle. It was all a prank. The letter wasn't from Lily; it was from Potter.
"Since then, I've hated this day—I've loathed it. So, to answer your question, I haven't spent Valentine's Day with anyone before."
"I'm sorry for digging up the past like that; it wasn't my intention—"
Severus dismissively waved a hand through the air. "That much is obvious. Though I have at times wondered if your sole purpose is to bring me pain, Amarina, I do know that it is never intentional."
"I beg your pardon?" I said, rather taken aback. "My sole purpose is to bring you pain? What—what is that supposed to mean? I thought—I thought we were friends..."
"Do you know how much pain it brings me to see your half-mutilated face every day, knowing that I did that to you? Do you know how painful it is to love someone you just can't have—" He cut himself off there, realizing what he had said. But it was too late; the words were said, the damage was done.
"You—love me?" I asked blankly.
Severus remained silent, deep in thought, for a few moments. Then, very carefully, he said, "You'll—have to forgive me. I mistook you for Lily for a moment there."
"Oh," I said, my hopes deflating rapidly—perhaps more like "popping". "Yeah, of course. I understand."
My vision blurred slightly, and I realized that tears were welling up in my eyes. I looked down and furiously blinked them away.
"So," I said after a long moment's pause and after having successfully prevented myself from crying, "If you hate Valentine's Day so much, what made you decide to celebrate it with me?"
"I'm not entirely sure." he said, "Perhaps I've decided to give it a second chance." For some reason, I had a strange feeling that he was not just talking about Valentine's Day when he said this.
"Well, that's mighty generous of you. Easter wronged me when I was seven, and I've yet to make amends with it."
"Oh? How so?"
"My uncle—I hope he's burning in hell now—was a bit of a sadist. We went to his and my aunt's house for a Sunday roast. We were eating our meal, and I said that the ham was very good. My uncle replied that it wasn't ham—it was the Easter bunny.
"Then he took out his wand and flicked it at the roast, assembling it into the shape of a rabbit and making it hop around me and the room in the air. I had nightmares for a year."
"You were seven?" said Severus. "Have you seen your uncle since?"
"Once—at his funeral. Buried with him upon request was—you'll never believe it—a rabbit's foot."
"He would have given the Dark Lord a run for his money."
"I have to agree with you on that one."
"Say...are you still on for that snowball fight?" I asked suddenly, catching sudden inspiration from seeing the falling snow thinning.
"I am now quite certain that you have a death wish."
"What's a little wind and snow?"
"'A little wind and snow' turned your skin numb and black but a fortnight ago!"
"A fortnight already? It seems like just yesterday we..." I trailed off, lost in the memory and also feeling a bit awkward mentioning our amorous exchange that one evening. How absurd an evening it had been—and now, everything seemed to be the same as it was before. It was as though the events of that one night had never transpired.
"You didn't answer my question." I said, pulling myself out of my reverie.
With a sigh, Severus capitulated. "Loser buys the winner a Butterbeer?"
"You're on!"
* * *
"Here's your Butterbeer," said Severus, placing a Butterbeer on the table before me and grumpily sitting down across from me.
"Why, thank you, Severus." I said, taking a sip of sweet victory. Unsurprisingly, it tasted of caramel.
"The flowers are covered in snow." I said, referring to the tulip bouquet which Severus had given me.
"I do sincerely hope that that is not symbolic of our friendship." said Severus.
"I had no idea you were such a poet. Do indulge me in your works," I said, feeling a sense of déjà vu from the ice-cream shop during winter holidays. Only this time, the roles were reversed.
"I think I'll leave that to Vergil." said Severus.
"Hmph," I sipped more of my Butterbeer, and soon caught myself staring at Severus. He didn't seem too perturbed; in fact, he was staring right back at me. I cleared my throat, and quickly looked down at my mug on the table.
"What's your favorite color?" Severus asked out of the blue.
I looked up questioningly. "What—? Erm, I guess blue? Maybe navy?—Let me guess; yours is black."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever would give you that impression? Actually, it's green."
"Oh, sorry to misjudge you." I said with a snicker. "Any particular shade?"
"Emerald."
"Ah. How very Slytherin. Why don't you wear an emerald cloak, then? I think it would quite suit you."
"Absolutely not."
"And why not? It's just a color. They don't bite, you know."
"I don't see why my fashion choices should be of your concern."
"All right, all right. You don't like color—I get it. Just consider it?"
"I'll make you a deal—I will wear the color emerald, blue—even magenta—the day that Dumbledore wears black. Does that sound fair?"
With a scheme in mind, I smiled and said, "Completely."
* * *
"This is unfair." said Severus.
"Well, life is unfair," I said dismissively, tauntingly skating around Severus. I had caught sight of the empty ice-skating rink as we were walking around the village, and dragged Severus over, paying no regard to the sign warning of thin ice. I had ice-skated first when I was seven, and became quite good at it. I only ever pursued it leisurely—but when I was little, I used to dream of being a professional figure-skater, a ballerina on ice.
"Come on, just take my hand and I promise I won't let you fall." I said, stopping in front of Severus and holding out my hand.
With a moment's hesitation, Severus put his hand in mine and I began to skate, leading him around the rink.
"I think I'm getting it," said Severus.
"You think? I'm going to let go now,"
"Wait—" I let go of Severus's hand. For a moment, he stumbled. Then, he swept past me, skating with an air of confidence which was absent in his walk.
"Yes! You've got it!" I said, watching as Severus skated around the rink with an uncontrollable smile on his face.
He broke broke out of the loop, and stopped closely in front of me.
"I did it?"
"You did it!" I said, a smile breaking out on my face and soon reflecting upon Severus's.
"You might want to reconsider magenta robes—it's what all the best ice-skaters wear."
"Is that so?" said Severus.
"Absolutely. And before long, you'll be doing flips and axels and salchows—"
Suddenly, a sickening crack emitted from the ground beneath us. Before I could say a word, I was falling into the ground.
The earth swallowed me up, I thought, and I've plunged into the center of it. That would explain why I had the sensation that I was floating, and my lungs burned when I tried to breathe. My nerves were numb, and I began to lose the feeling in my limbs, and soon the rest of my body as well—only the part of my body that was still on-the-mend from the "Forest incident".
When I opened my eyes, I found myself at the bottom of the pond upon which we had been ice-skating. Severus was beside me, although his eyes were shut. The freezing water burned my eyes, and I soon squeezed them shut as well. It felt like my lungs were on fire, as I had wasted my oxygen when I tried to breathe.
I grabbed a hold of Severus's hand, raised my hand in the air, and shouted, "Ascendio!"
We shot out of the water, and the sensation made my heart drop. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that we had landed on the outskirts of the grove of evergreen trees bordering on the pond. I had lost feeling of everything in my body, and was shivering immensely. Severus cast a spell to dry us both off, and conjured two thick blankets.
"S-s-sorry 'bou-bout that..." I said through chattering teeth. I snuggled into my blanket, and realized that it had a warming charm on it.
"Why are you apologizing? It's not as though you caused the ice to break."
"B-but I m-made you get on it-t."
Once I had stopped shivering, I was able to fully appreciate and laugh at Severus's appearance; his hair was dry, but it was a mess.
"What's so funny?"
I bit my lip to keep from laughter further. "Just- it's just your hair."
His hands flew up to his hair. "It's not bad." I said quickly, "Just different."
Severus's hair was different; usually it was was neat, and greasy, but now it was wild with no trace of grease.
He scowled at me and said, "Your hair is just as bad." I felt my tangled hair in my hands. How had one quick dive into the pond and an Ascendio charm caused my hair to knot so much?
"I think it's a good look for you." I said.
"Not a word of this to Madam Pomfrey—agreed?"
"Agreed." I said, burrowing myself into the warmth of the blanket.
"Well, now that we've broken the ice, is there anything you need to get off your chest?" I said.
"Your play on words is terrible."
"I thought I was rather clever."
Then I saw a group of silhouettes in the distance. "Er—quick! Hide!"
"Don't be ridiculous—"
Before he could finish, I grabbed Severus by the rim of his blanket and dragged him deeper into grove of evergreens—shakily, as I was walking on my skates—and watched with bated breath as the figures drew nearer.
"You may let go of me now." said Severus. I released his blanket, and peered out from behind a tree as the group became recognizable. They were my friends—Ava and Noah, Shay and Oliver. Absent from them, for whatever reason, was Aura—she was still ignoring me, so I was unsure of her Valentine's plans—and Sage, of course, was still in the Hospital Wing.
The snow muffled their voices, so their words were incomprehensible—judging from their facial expressions, however, they appeared to be enjoying themselves. They stopped for a moment at the brink of the skating rink, and Noah picked something up from the ground—the tulips, I realized. After a moment, Noah dropped the tulips on the ground with a shrug, and he, along with Ava, Shay and Oliver, resumed walking. They passed by the trees without glancing in Severus's and my direction, and I let out a sigh of relief once they disappeared off into the distance.
"That was close." I said, turning to face Severus, who was leant back against a tree.
He offered only a raised eyebrow in response.
A twig from an evergreen tree had fallen onto Severus's shoulder. "You see? Green suits you." I said, lightly touching the twig.
He brushed it off his shoulder carelessly. "Perhaps I should don an entire tree, then."
"It might be a bit heavy."
"You don't think I'm strong enough to lift a tree?"
I snickered. "Do you think you are?"
"A small one."
"Oh, I had no idea you were so fit. It must be from all the stirring potions."
"Actually, I've a self-stirring caldron."
"You're terrible at flirting."
"You're one to talk."
I laughed. "Do you have much experience in flirting?"
"What do you think?"
"I dunno, you might practice with your pillow—or maybe a house-elf—"
"Have you practiced flirting with a house-elf?"
"No, of course not!" I said. "Only with a monkey."
"Dare I ask?" said Severus.
"It was only jokingly. Rutherford and I are completely satisfied in a platonic relationship."
"And—" Severus started, but stopped himself short.
"And what?"
"It was a stupid thought."
"Come now, Severus, you use Legilimency on me and get to know all my stupid thoughts all the time. You could at least return the favor by telling me your thoughts." I said. "—Or I might just learn Legilimency myself."
"I'll have you know, I haven't used Legilimency on you since I made my promise. I've kept my word."
"You deserve a medal," I said, shaking my head.
"Legilimency is rather addictive." he said.
I gave Severus a withering look. "Fine. I was going to ask if you were completely satisfied in a platonic relationship with me." he said, looking away from me.
"Oh," was all I could say at first. "Well, I suppose—I suppose I'd like to be more than 'just friends'—but I know how inappropriate that would be, so I guess..."
"You guess?" His eyes met mine. I didn't have to use Legilimency to know what he was thinking—it was all in his eyes. It was always in his eyes, I realized; he tried so hard to conceal his emotions and appear cold, but his eyes always gave him away. Presently, he was anxious. He was anxious while waiting for me to finish.
"I guess I'll have to grow accustomed to that, and learn to be satisfied with our friendship. A year and a half may not seem so long to you, but it's a tenth of my life so far."
"You make me sound as old as Dumbledore—I'm only five years your senior. Besides, it has been only two weeks, and I have already capitulated by accompanying you to Hogsmeade. Do you really think that I'm capable of restraining myself for a year and a half?" said Severus.
"No, remember, Severus? This outing is only two friends honoring Saint Valentine!" I mocked. Severus didn't smile, so I put on a serious face. "What should we do, then?"
"I think—" His eyes tried to meet mine, but soon retracted. I knew that whatever was coming wasn't good.
"I think we should stop seeing each other outside of lessons."
"What?" was all I was able to say. There was no way that we had made it this far that now Severus wanted to stop being friends altogether.
"Not permanently," he said quickly. "Only until we can—manage our emotions."
"Why does it always have to be back and forth with you, Severus? One minute we're friends, the next we're having a row. You kiss me, and then you say you don't even want to be friends! I-I just don't know what you want anymore. You know as well as I that, even if I agreed to make our relationship strictly professional, we would give that up in a matter of days. If every time we fight, we'll always revert to how things were before, why do we bother fight? Why can't we just have blissful consistency?"
"Because it's human nature." Severus said. "Over the years, I've recognized a pattern, much as you have described, present in many different situations. The reason why this is so recurrent, I've concluded, is that life tends to favor chaos. Several years ago, I was arguing with Potter, probably over Lily. Then Lily stepped in, siding with me, and in doing so ended the argument. It was then I realized that, when I attained what we had been arguing over, I was in a state of peculiar dissatisfaction; the act of fighting had been more enjoyable than the attainment of the object of interest.
"Do you see what I'm trying to say? We argue and bicker simply because it gives us more pleasure than the consistency and orderliness of friendship."
"Yes, I know what you're saying. But in this situation, I have to disagree. Because the chaos isn't with each other—it's with the world." I said.
"You sound like such a teenager."
"Well, I am a teenager. But seriously, consider it: we're fighting societal expectations in having a relationship beyond one of the professional variety. Once I'm out of Hogwarts, and no longer your student, we'll no longer have that hindrance, that chaos. But will we be truly satisfied then?"
"I'd like to think so. Perhaps there are multiple—'hindrances', as you so put it. There will, quite possibly, always be something to come between us. But that's what gives life meaning—overcoming those hindrances."
"You are quite poetic today, might I say." I said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but, from your perspective, life seems to be somewhat of a battle?"
"Not a battle, exactly—more of a duel."
"And what are you dueling for?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well, you wouldn't enter a duel with countless opponents without a purpose. So, what's yours?"
"Unless you're forced into it." he muttered. A bit louder, he said, "Redemption."
"You earned that long ago—I don't see why you're so persistent in your belief that you still need to right your past wrongs."
"Because I keep wronging people whenever I try to redeem myself! Look at what I've done as a Death Eater; look in the mirror."
"Sometimes damage must be dealt for one to be truly healed," I said. "You may have injured me, sure, but in doing so you reconciled our friendship."
"I'm not so sure that's a good thing."
"Sorry?"
"I didn't just injure you; I nearly killed you. You were better off before I met you; just think where you'd be now if we hadn't met on the train that day."
"Things would be a lot less—complicated, I'll admit, but—like you said—that's what gives live meaning."
Severus considered this for a moment, then said, "What are you dueling for?"
"At the moment?" I said, "You."
"That was terribly clichéd."
"Well, it is Valentine's Day," I said with a smile. "I do mean it, though."
"Then wouldn't it be terribly unsatisfactory if you were to—attain me?" Severus said with a smirk.
"Oh, Severus, there's no point in playing hard-to-get."
"And why's that?"
"Because I've already got you."
"You're incredibly cheeky today."
"I don't see you denying anything."
"No, I suppose not. But I don't doubt that some handsome young wizard will catch your fancy, and you won't give me a second glance in due time."
"Except this isn't just a passing fancy."
"Isn't it?"
"I think that you're not taking me seriously because of my age."
"Age does equate to experience," Severus said.
"What about Lily?"
"What does Lily have to do with this?"
"No, what I was trying to say was—when did you fall in love with Lily?"
"That's different."
"How so?"
"Because it made sense for someone to love Lily; it doesn't make sense for someone to love me."
"Stop being so self-deprecating! Stop acting like you're unloveable, or don't deserve to be loved, because—because you are. You are loved."
He flinched, and turned away from me.
"Severus, please. Please look at me." He slowly turned and, after what felt like eons, his eyes met mine.
"You are loved. And to say otherwise would be an insult to me, because I love you."
"Yes," he said slowly, "I-I love you too."
A smile spread across my face.
"But—we can't—we have to remain just friends." Severus said.
"And I suppose this is the chaos that's supposed to be enjoyable?" I said.
"Perhaps not all chaos is enjoyable." Severus said.
I found it such a twist of fate that years before, on this very day, Severus had once waited in vain for his love underneath evergreen trees, and now, he found it, once again, but had to suppress it, underneath evergreen trees.
***
A/N: This entire chapter was a rollercoaster of a tease. For that I am sorry. But at the same time, I really enjoyed writing it—the cheesy lines and failed flirting attempts, of course, but also the more profound thoughts expressed. And I do like a good bit of symbolism.
Ta,
Cherry