Unhappy Endings

58: Progressing Onto Year Four With Progression

"Good evening! It gives me great pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the final of the 422nd Quidditch World Cup. Let the match begin!" The Minister of Magic's voice rang out over the crowd and you jumped up and down with excitement while you held onto a certain Potions professor's arm.

"You're so pink, I could chew you." Severus made an attempt at a joke, but you couldn't hear him over the crowd. He just smiled and looked down at you. As angry as he had been over the escape of Sirius Black, it had taken only mere moments for you to convince him that it wasn't you and to let it go. What was it about you that made him that way? The way your arms squeezed his, the way your face looked painted with your favorite team's colors... He almost felt like your significant other.

You had half a mind to think he was as well. After all, who buys extremely expensive tickets to the Quidditch World Cup and invites a woman with them if that woman is not so? Not going to push the matter, of course, but you were very pleased how things were progressing. You and Dumbledore both.

Both of you were quite content to have a snuggle for the entirety of the game, it was chilly, you favored one another-- why not? And Severus was sure to keep a hold on you the entire way back to the tent. He figured you would be able to find him using your abilities, but he'd rather not take the chance. Back at the tent, you both walked in, un-linked arms and took a seat on the small couch, Severus tossing his arm around the back of your seat. The tent had been enchanted just enough for you both to have your own beds, but it had very limited seating otherwise.

Here is where is got awkward. Your body turned chartreuse, fuchsia, chartreuse, lilac in a confusing smattering of colors for Severus. You were socially uncomfortable, but the other two were colors he thought of as positive. He looked at you quizzically until you stayed chartreuse. And then sudden, light blue.

"Severus, I just remembered! Dumbledore said that we have a very strange but very adept teacher coming in this year for DADA. Aren't you excited to see who it is."

His face was soft as it gazed at yours. The fireworks sounded around you and there were loud cheers from outside. Why did you want to speak of work? He had taken you on a vacation... didn't you have anything else to talk about?

"S-Severus?" You whispered as you noticed him moving closer, leaning in. "Severu--"

His lips met yours in a moment of exultation. Quickly, you pressed back into his and gently locked your arms around his neck. You felt the moment as well. His lips explored yours clumsily-- it was his first kiss-- but with passion. He loved the way you felt beneath him, the way you were acquiescing to his desires, pulling him on top of you.

The cheers turned to screams and all music stopped. People began running around the tent, you both heard it and the moment was lost.

"What's happening, Severus?" Your kiss-swollen lips spoke to his heart.

"Come." His arm started to burn. His dark mark. "We must go. Now!"

He yanked you up and dragged you out of the tent, it took only a moment for him to apparate you and himself to somewhere safe. Back to just outside Hogwarts. Severus thanked Merlin for his magical abilities-- not many people could apparate as safely as he could. You both looked at each other very seriously. And proceeded to race to Dumbledore's office.

AN: Literally the cutest chapter of them yet just saying I love this story and this couple.