It's A One Time Thing It Just Happens A Lot.

Dealing

A/N: :) Thank you for reading this. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Huge thanks to Jennifer for picking out the errors. :)

It is rather long, sorry.

-----------------------

She was falling, her arms and legs flailing, trying desperately to catch the broomstick that was just out of her reach. Never moving closer and never moving away.

She could hear screaming, blood curdling screams, that she knew were her own. Severus was leaning over the broomstick, shouting at her. Yelling at her to catch the broomstick, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't grip the twigs or handle.

She could feel tears pouring down her face. Panic, cold and hard, settled in her chest.

Severus leaned over, his fingertips brushing the ends of hers; never able to grasp her properly. His face began to swim out of view and it became Dean leaning over, laughing down at her. He began to sing and she could hear the words in her head over and over again.

"Rock a bye, Megan on a broomstick....

When the broom breaks her death will be quick..."

Meg clamped her hands over her ears, and tried to stop the words echoing around and around her head.

"No!" She could see the ground rushing up closer, ever closer. She was going to die; desperation washed over her, there was nothing she could do to stop the inevitable.

"Severus!" She screamed his name, clawing at something tangible now.

"Megan! Wake up, you're dreaming, it's just a dream!" Cool hands on her hot arms stopped her from trying to get away.

"Help me, please!" She tried to claw herself up his arms, frantically clinging to him, still caught in her nightmare.

"Megan, calm down. Open your eyes and look at me. You're quite safe." Words whispered in her ear, hands holding her still against the mattress, not allowing her to thrash about and hurt herself even more.

She opened her eyes and sighed heavily as the ceiling of the infirmary came into view. She was safe, she wasn't dead. Relief made her breath catch in her throat. Relief so strong she sagged into his chest, her head buried in his robes. Her breathing coming hard now as his hands stroked her back, his voice, soft and low, whispering words into her ear, words she didn't understand, didn't take in. But they calmed her all the same.

Tears wouldn't come. Her eyes dry as she clung to him, keeping her head buried in the security of the black robes that she was pressed against.

Severus. Severus was holding her. She was safe; she wasn't dead, no one had died.

She raised her head slightly, letting him pull back slightly. She avoided his eyes and instead lay back, covering her bruised face with her hands.

"Megan?" HIs voice was soft and deep.

But Megan didn't respond, didn't say anything at all. She made no move to show she'd even heard him. She was lost in herself; unable to get past the images of her dream.

"Megan." His voice held the same soft and low tone he used with the students. A tone of voice that couldn't be ignored, she drew in a shuddering breath. She lowered her hands and looked at his face. His black eyes regarded her closely.

"I'm sorry," she whispered the words, her eyes slipped from his to the top button on his frock coat; which was buttoned up.

"He will be caught." His words were quiet, but she heard the dark, menacing quality behind them.