Because You Love Me

30. Their Deepest and Most Desperate Desires

Once they reached the castle, Alaina and Severus spend the rest of the day together in the Dungeons thawing out in front of the fireplace in Severus's private quarters.  They were propped up against his couch with a blanket draped around the both of them.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Alaina whispered.  She leaned her head back against Severus's chest.

"Why?" Severus asked, running his fingers affectionately through her long hair.  "Did I surprise you?"

She smiled.  "Yes, you did.  I didn't expect you to kiss me back.  In fact, I had no idea how you might react."

He leaned down and kissed her on the head.  "Can I tell you something?"

She looked up at him and nodded.  

"I've been hoping it would happen again for a very long time."

Alaina frowned.  "Why didn't you say anything?"

He sighed.  "For the same reason you didn't.  I was afraid you thought of me as a friend and nothing more."

"No.  We've always had some sort of connection since the first time I ever laid eyes on you," she told him.  "It's strange."

"I know what you mean.  I felt it, too."  He wrapped his arms around her tighter.  "I only have one concern."

"What?"

"Harry."

Alaina sat up and turned around to face him.  "I had forgotten about him to be honest."  She bit her lower lip.  "Oh, Severus what do you think he'll say?  Not just Harry, but the whole school?"

"To be honest I really don't care, Alaina.  I like you."

She smiled.  "I like you too, Severus, but what about your image?  You're too apathetic to have a girlfriend and I think it might be weird."

He sighed.  She was right.  "So, what do you want to do, just keep it between us?"

Alaina frowned.  "I don't really want to, but  I think it would be best.  We can see each other whenever we have free time and we can save all the PDA for when we're alone in your office or mine.  Deal?"

Severus smiled.  "It's a deal for now."

She kissed him lightly on the lips.  "Great."  She got up from the floor.  Severus watched her smooth down her dress and stretch.

"Where are you going?"

She smiled at him.  "You're going on patrol."

Severus looked up at the clock.  "Is it that time already?"

Alaina nodded.  "Yep.  I figure you can walk me back to my room and then start from there.  Is that okay with you?"

"Perfect," Severus commented.  He got to his feet.  "I wouldn't dare let you walk by yourself.  That's for sure."

Severus walked Alaina up to the seventh floor right to the door of her office.  They said their goodbyes and shared a quick kiss while there was no one else in the hallway and then he left.  He searched the seventh floor corridors over before he moved down.  It took him a good twenty minutes to do a sweep of the other floors.  He saved the third floor for last.  He checked it over extremely well before he went down to the ground floor.  He walked past the library several times and then went down to the Dungeons to look around down there for a few minutes.

Harry watched him disappear from the point where he was standing.  He had to get to the library to look in the restricted section.  He had seen Snape and his mother leave, so he knew he would eventually be coming back.  He decided he would wait until he seen him return.  This way he wouldn't get caught by him.  Harry turned and hurried toward the library.