when lights go down | severus snape

chapter vi - grimmauld place

wednesday, september 3rd - time unknown

i feel myself waking up to the birds chirping outside. i open my eyes and sit up, still half-asleep. i wonder what time it is, and try to judge it by how much sunlight peers through the window. unfortunately, i feel there may be more than perhaps plausible for a time before 7am.

i quickly grab my phone from the bedside table and check.

"6:48am"
shit. better than what i was expecting, but still, shit.

i fling the duvet off of my legs and get up out of bed. i stand, frozen, as i have a mind-blank moment due to the rush i am in. clothes! i am still wearing the outfit i wore yesterday, as i didn't bring my pyjamas with me. hell, i didn't bring any extra clothes with me! i look in the mirror, surveying whether i can salvage getting away with another day of wearing it. i reckon i can. i brush my hair, wash my face with just water in the ensuite sink, and put my docs back on.
then, i swiftly repack my bag, placing my laptop inside. i am holding my phone and wand in my hands. i check the time.

"6:54am"

just in the nick of. i swing my backpack on behind me and make my way out of the room and downstairs.

just as i suspected, snape is already there. he is the only other person awake at this time, it would seem, as the pub is empty. he is stood, staring almost suspiciously outside of the window. his clothes and hair are, well, spotless. did he even get any sleep?

he hears me coming down the stairs, and turns around.

"good morning, professor."

"good morning, miss swanboro."

"is everything alright?" i furrow my brow.

"there were snatchers down here earlier this morning. unnoticeable to the ordinary eye, but i recognised them. they were heading towards borgin and burke's."

"oh.." i said, walking towards the window and looking out.

"what do you think they were doing?"

"i am uncertain. perhaps heading to a rendezvous. i would have followed them, but i did not want to bring danger here or leave you alone."

i replay his words in my head.

'or leave you alone'

does he think i am unable to protect myself?
then again, maybe i like the thought of being protected by him..
he doesn't want to leave me alone?
then again, that is his job. dumbledore told him to keep me safe.

snap out of it, chloe.
i'm looking far too deep into this. but why is that? i couldn't possibly like...

no. absolutely not.

i notice snape giving me a quizzical look, but i just half-smile and say,

"how thoughtful of you, professor."

he gives a small "mm" and grabs his bag from one of the chairs in the pub.

"dumbledore expects us at grimmauld place in 10 minutes."

"okay. are we apparating, professor?"

"yes. do you feel able to?"

from my research, nausea and dizziness can follow a day full of apparating, like yesterday. i, however, felt okay. i owe it to the comfy beds here.

"i feel absolutely fine."

with a nod, he extends his forearm out. i walk towards him, making eye contact as i come up beside him. we hold eachothers gaze for a moment until i swiftly place my hand on his arm. we immediately disapparate.