Hard to Come By

Chapter 4

Just as expected the streets are bustling with everyone doing last minute shopping, but you don't mind the crowd. Everyone is polite although you're all packed in and out the stores like sardines.

Your first stop is Flourish and Blotts, a well known bookstore. You remember taking trips here and buying all your books before the start of the year, but they don't just have textbooks. You need a new journal and you think this is the perfect place to find it.

You squeeze through the door and remain patient while the children and parents bustle their way through, grabbing textbooks. When you finally get to the back of the store you are able to breathe a little. There isn't a huge selection of journals but you quickly pick out a black leather bound book with a lock and latch. Perfect.

As soon as you pay you make your way back out onto the street. Your nerves are high strung right now. It's like the streets have gotten busier. It makes you wonder why anyone would wait last minute to do this much shopping.

You try and scan the shops through their windows and see which ones may be the least crowded. When you come upon one of the clothing boutiques, you quickly make your way inside since there's only a couple people in there. You need some more professional attire.

On a rack to the right, you spot some flowy black slacks that will look perfect with multiple different blouses that you already have. Taking a couple pairs for yourself, you walk further into the shop and come up on some skirts, but you're not sure which style would be best for Hogwarts. In the muggle world, a good pencil skirt never fails to be professional but in the Wizarding world....you're not so sure how everyone would take it. You haven't seen many witches in pencil skirts, but you grab a few anyways. Just to sit on the side of caution you also grab a few knee length A-line skirts is various designs and colors.

"Oh my," the lady at the counter exclaims, "needed a whole wardrobe did ya?" She happily starts to ring up your items with a smile on her face. You just nod and smile, too anxious to focus on regular conversation.

You wander around the streets, enjoying a stroll now that you have all then necessary items you came out to buy. Your stomach grumbles slightly and you take a look at your wrist watch. 4pm. Too late for lunch, too early for supper.

But not too late for a snack. You see one of your favorite ice cream shops appear in the distance and you start making your way to it eagerly. It's been forever since you had Florean Fortescue's and since you're here you may as well get some. The line isn't too long before it's your turn to order. Strawberries and cream is your favorite and you're over the moon when you see they have it in stock today. You order a cone and ask for another pint so you can have some at a later time.

Walking out you cast a charm over the ice cream so it doesn't melt all over your hands. When you get to a safe spot, you disapparate and appear just outside of Hogwarts. You walk into the main hall leisurely with your shopping bags on one arm and your ice cream in your free hand.

It tastes just how you remember it did a few years ago when you had it last. You sigh at the nostalgia and for the first time this afternoon you feel your nerves settle a bit.

"Gone out for a bit of shopping?"

You're too busy with your ice cream to have noticed Snape walking down the hall in your direction. You quickly lick your lips to clean them of any possible ice cream left behind. You give him a nervous smile, so much for getting him off your mind. "Yes sir. I had a few things to get before classes start," you say and he looks down to your ice cream then to your eyes.

"Yes ice cream is of the utmost importance," he says and you can't help but chuckle at his bored tone. You shrug, "I haven't had it since before I graduated, I think a trip to the parlor was well over due." You raise your eyebrows in remembrance and reach into one of the bags, "I have an extra of you want. It's strawberry and cream."

You dig around in your bag trying to find the pint but he stops you before you can, "I'm alright."

You hum in dissatisfaction, "suit yourself professor. It's delicious," you say and take another lick of your ice cream before walking off and past him.

You scold yourself at offering him ice cream. You can't imagine the Professor Snape enjoying ice cream, let alone strawberries and cream.

*

This damn girl shows up everywhere. What a coincidence they pass each other in the same hallways constantly. There's dozens of halls in this castle.

But passing her wasn't Severus' issue.

The more he thinks about her the more fond he grows of her. The precious way she walks and the powerful way she holds herself, chin high and confident. Even if that isn't the case, it's a habit she learned being surrounded for 7 years by some of the snobby Slytherin children.

But now Severus has a new image in his mind. A bit more nefarious. That mouth of hers.

It's not often that he gets flustered by anyone. Not often is he left appalled.

Knowing the girl has at least some semblance of infatuation for him must be what's setting him off so easily. It's been too long since Severus has been desired.

Even when he was desired, it was only sexually and coming from a stranger. But her, she's brilliant and he'd be daft to say she isn't a picture of beauty. But that's the extent he knows her.

To add, they are colleagues. He is her mentor. Anything outside of a professional relationship would be inappropriate and, in his opinion, unethical.

A friendship would be deemed appropriate but fact of the matter is, Severus doesn't have friends. No one knows anything about him except what is on the surface and he'd like to keep it that way. Getting to know who and what he truly is would be torture for her.

Her favorite teacher - a Death Eater, a murderer, a heartless husk. It's the life he's given himself and it's caused him to make sacrifices and has cursed him.

Severus, he feels, will be alone forever.