A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 26: Bed of roses

Okay, first up a huge thank you to everyone who said such wonderful things about this story!

This was originally only going to be an one-shot epilogue; but as always my imagination gets the better of me and low and behold... another story. If I had known where this was headed, I would have started another story with a new name... but I had no idea.

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Meg sat in between Snape and Flitwick.

She was running her finger round the rim of her glass, singing the Hogwarts song to an upbeat version of "Hooray, and up she rises!" much to the merriment of Flitwick beside her. Every second line she'd sink back into the original song and a finally a gust of laughter from the tiny professor drew the attention of the students at the front of the hall.

Snape moved his hand to her thigh and squeezed tightly; his face rigid, but his eyes giving away the tiniest amount of humour.

His own version of the song was almost a rap he whizzed through it so fast and so quietly.

The song finally came to an end and she felt his fingers relax slightly but he didn't move them away.

She listened with half an ear to Dumbledore dismiss the students and gave a sigh.

"I love these first feasts, don't you?" she asked brightly to both men.

"Wonderful." Flitwick smiled as he stood up; his tiny hand patted her arm gently.

"It didn't take me long to realise that as long as food is present, you're happy," Snape snorted dryly and stood, holding the back of her chair to help her up.

"True, true!" She nodded and taking the napkin from the table that was discreetly hiding a bread roll and a chicken leg or two, she stood up and let him guide her out of the hall, his hand on her elbow.

"I wonder if the first years and indeed all of them will be as inept as always."

"Most probably for you, yes," she remarked as they took the stairs that lead to their apartment in the dungeons. A soft smile played over her lips; she guessed where this was leading. After three years it was hard not to know.

"And why for me?" he demanded opening the door to let her go through.

"Well you only get as much as you look for, Severus!" She set the napkin down on her side of the big desk that occupied one wall and taking her robes off walked through into the bathroom.

"Tell me that Sunderland isn't completely useless then."

"Daniel Sunderland..." She shrugged out of her jumper and folded it before letting it drop to the floor. "Is one poor unfortunate among many more competent students!"

She undid the zip on her trousers and sliding them off crossed to sit on the side of the bath and turn the taps on.

"In that case they must leave their brains in your classroom, because the minute they step into mine..."

"You frighten them, Severus," she said slowly. "And we had this conversation last year and the year before that and every year you get me all worked up. You do it for sheer devilment, don't you?" her voice was calm as she stood up and stripping completely sunk into the foamy water.

She refused to look across at where she knew he was leaning in the open doorway. His arms would be crossed over his chest; his face would be dark, his eyebrows drawn together in an even darker frown. But his eyes would be betraying his motives for their conversation.

"I get you all worked up?" He stood up straight and crossed to sit beside her, he drew his wand down his sleeve and with a quick flick every bubble had disappeared to leave plain water.