A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 34: Equally

Disclaimer: As usual. Big, big thanks to Camille for her hard work in beta-ing this.

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And when your fear subsides

And shadows still remain

I know that you can love me

When there's no one left to blame

So never mind the darkness

We can still find a way

Cause nothing lasts forever

Even cold November rain.

November Rain

Guns 'n' Roses

Megan hadn't put on any weight; however, due to all the chocolate that she was eating, being the only thing that would stay down, neither had she lost any weight.

Her dress was still a little tight around the hips, but another spell loosened it slightly. She also used the spell Hillary had shown her on her hair and then stood in front of the mirror, turning this way and that, checking her reflection.

She turned to where Snape was sitting at the desk, slashing red lines through someone's work.

"Are you already ready?" She looked at the midnight black dinner suit he was wearing, a crisp white shirt underneath with a black cravat style tie around the stand-up collar. He had washed his hair and, instead of being untidy, it had been brushed until it hung limply in a straight sheet around his face.

"Not all of us need five hours to put on one piece of clothing," he drawled dryly, not even looking up from the paper that received a deep red slash and a sneer as it was thrust to one side.

"Utterly useless," he sneered, "Merlin help any of them who actually have to face a vampire."

Meg turned and let the dress swish out around her. She cleared her throat and waited for him to look up.

"You would think that, given the level of intelligence some of these children posses, vampires would have a field day if they ever came here," he muttered.

Meg frowned as he carried on talking, his quill still making huge slashes and cutting remarks on the papers.

"Severus?"

"Hum?" He shook his head and gave a snort. "Listen to this.... 'One way to combat a vampire is to wear a string of garlic around your neck.' Don't these brats ever listen? Wearing garlic will certainly help keep away the vast majority of people who have a sense of smell; however, a vampire would probably thank you for leaving yourself completely alone. Complete dunderheads!" he snarled as his quill slashed across the paper.

"Severus!" Meg put her hands on her hips, her temper rising with his lack of interest.

"What?" He finally looked up and his dark eyes swept over her, but he remained silent.

"Well?" She almost stamped her foot. "Are you going to tell me how I look, or do I have to drag it out of you?"

"Look for yourself. The mirror is behind you, and I would imagine that it's working just fine as you've stood in front of it for the last ten minutes."

Meg gaped at him: she couldn't believe that he was being serious. She blinked several times, but his face still remained completely impassive, his eyes faintly mocking.

"Are you joking?" she finally demanded. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"What else would you have me say?" he asked her, a faint sneer curling his lips.