Severus kissed Cassie the way she had longed for him to in his office weeks ago. He pressed her against his desk with his hips, effectively pinning her in place as his elegant hands tangled in her thick black hair. Cassie had been caught completely off guard by his sudden decision to shut the rest of the world away and pull her into his arms without another word, but she certainly wasn't going to complain.
It was like being a woman who had been starving for a month and had suddenly been offered the most delicious spread imaginable.
The Potions Master's tongue slipped into her mouth. Her hands slid beneath the black cloak that covered his towering figure, encircling his torso and pulling him even closer. She wondered what his skin felt like beneath all those layers of robes.
Every nerve in her body was on fire. His hands moved to cradle her face again, even though every part of her now screamed for his touch. Cassie was almost completely lost in the moment, the worries of the day's events melting away as their lips moved together.
If it weren't for her recent memory of rejection, she might have been able to completely surrender to the moment. Even as Severus deepened the kiss, she couldn't help but wonder what might set him off this time. She feared he would leave her feeling like a damn fool all over again.
She tried to tell herself not to worry. He had made it quite clear that he cared about her, even if he hadn't actually said the words. And now he was bent over her, the weight of his lanky frame slowly pushing her down onto his desk as quills and books were knocked to the floor. Cassie couldn't help but giggle when the bouquet of daisies from Charlie came crashing down with them.
Severus's mouth found hers again, his kisses growing deeper and more demanding by the second. Yet his hands never strayed far from her face or her hair. His touch sent delicious tingles racing up and down her spine.
Their movements were playful, frantic, and a little desperate. Both were thrilled to be caught up in what was happening, but Cassie was terrified at the same time. She wondered if he felt the same.
"Shit!" Severus spat, straightening as much as he could with Cassie's arms still wrapped around him. Her heart dropped at the troubled tone in his voice.
"What is it, Severus?" she demanded. She was ready to argue, because this time, she wasn't simply going to walk away if he told her to.
"We have to stop." He grabbed her arms and gently pulled them away from his body.
"No!" Cassie protested, reaching out to catch his forearm. "We don't, Severus! I don't know what keeps going through your head—"
"Cassie," Severus interrupted, raising an eyebrow as though she were being particularly ridiculous. "I have to supervise detention."
Cassie, relieved that he wasn't having second thoughts, was still not remotely thrilled that their activities had come to such a screeching halt. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"I'm not." He stood up and took a few steps away from the desk. Cassie remained lying on her back for a few moments, trying to catch her breath.
"Can't you have someone else do it?"
"Do you realize how suspicious that would look? You're not in your common room, and if I passed my duties off to another teacher—"
"Severus, if anything, they'd assume you were just comforting me after the crap I went through today!" She knew she looked ridiculous, with her thick hair disheveled and her cheeks flushed. She could barely meet his eyes as she sat up.
Then she realized that he must not have thought she looked ridiculous at all. He was staring at her with his mouth slightly open.
Cassie blushed even harder.
"I—" he began, apparently considering her argument. Then he shook his head. "No. I'm not risking it. It starts in ten minutes. It will be over in two hours—where are you going?"
Cassie smoothed her clothing as best she could and began striding toward the door. At his question, she turned to look at him in surprise. "You have detention, so I'm leaving."
"I didn't tell you to leave!" Severus looked genuinely perturbed at the very idea. She was annoyed by the sharpness of his tone, but beneath that irritation was a rush of relief. He wasn't using his prior engagement as an excuse to get rid of her.
"So I'm supposed to sit in your office?" she asked, wondering how she was supposed to survive two hours alone in there after doing all of that with him.
"No." He caught her elbow and guided her toward the back of his office. Suddenly, they were standing in front of the door that led to his private quarters.
Cassie looked up at him in astonishment. In all the time she had spent with him outside their academic relationship, she had never seen his living quarters at Hogwarts.
"Ashwinder eggs," Severus said without a moment's hesitation. The door opened, and he led Cassie across the threshold.
She was touched that he felt comfortable enough to let her stay there without him. She had been to Spinner's End a few times, but never without Severus.
Cassie turned toward the Head of Slytherin, intending to offer him some sort of embrace. He immediately backed up several paces. "No," he said quickly. "Or there will be no hope of me leaving."
Cassie smiled and nodded in agreement. "So what do you want me to do while you're away, Severus?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Not go through my personal belongings, for a start."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
He sighed, obviously not entirely convinced that would be the case, and left without another word. Cassie was alone in the professor's living quarters.
The space consisted of a small living area, where she was standing, with a fireplace, two armchairs, and a black leather loveseat. Bookcases lined the walls, but there were few personal artifacts beyond the well-used texts filling the shelves. It was strangely reminiscent of Severus's home at Spinner's End.
She lit a fire with a flick of her wand and sat in one of the chairs for several minutes before feeling brave enough to explore the rest of the little suite.
This felt like an intimate step, and it wasn't something she wanted to take for granted. But curiosity eventually won out.
She ventured into the bedroom, where a large four-poster bed with plush grey bedding sat empty. Her mind immediately began conjuring all sorts of scenarios she hoped might eventually take place, and she felt heat rise to her cheeks once again.
The bathroom contained an inviting-looking tub, and, feeling particularly bold, Cassie decided to take a long, relaxing soak. Severus's soap was musky, scented with warm vanilla and amber, and she loved that her skin smelled like him when she was finished.
She had no clothing with her other than the Slytherin uniform she'd worn that day, so she decided to risk aggravating Severus by opening the top drawer of his wardrobe. She helped herself to one of his grey nightshirts, which hung a little oversized on her.
Cassie considered waiting for Severus on his bed, then decided she would let him invite her there for the first time. She could only hope he wouldn't be annoyed that she had used his bathtub and helped herself to his pajamas.
Instead, she selected a rather ancient-looking textbook on African medicinal elixirs. She settled in front of the fire, trying desperately to focus on something other than the fact that in less than an hour, he would be back there with her.
Even though her entire purpose was to wait for him, she still jumped when she heard the door open. She shivered slightly as she heard his footsteps cross the threshold, the door close, and the lock click into place.
Cassie stood to return the tattered book to its place on the shelf. She knew how much Severus liked his collection organized. "Hi," she greeted him breathlessly as she carefully replaced the text, then turned to meet his eyes.
She watched as his black eyes moved slowly down her entire body, from her face to the floor and then back up again. "You certainly made yourself at home," he said curtly. Cassie couldn't tell whether he was pleased or repulsed by her choice of clothing. His expression gave nothing away.
His mood had shifted in the few hours since she'd last seen him. Perhaps it was simply the result of dealing with students, but it was something she had been worried about. Severus was prone to overthinking. She could easily imagine him sitting at his desk the entire time, pretending to grade papers while actually convincing himself of all the reasons why being with her would be a terrible idea.
"I thought that was the idea." Cassie sat back down in the chair where she'd waited for him. She felt her emotional defenses slide back into place, uncertain what he was thinking.
Severus went to a cabinet near the bedroom door and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glass tumblers. He poured a small amount into each, then crossed the room and handed one to her.
"I'm surprised you didn't find this," he mused.
"Should have given me another hour," she teased, taking a sip and immediately grimacing at the taste. He remained standing, watching her as he drank. "Will you sit down?"
"Why?"
"You're making me nervous."
"If you're nervous being here, Cassie, you're more than welcome to leave—"
"No, Severus. That's not what I meant." She finished the contents of her glass, willing the alcohol burning its way down her throat to grant her some instant courage. Then she stood and placed the tumbler on the coffee table so her hands were free. "I'm so grateful that you were open to letting me come in here. I am."
"Yes. And take extra care not to tell anyone, or that will be my job," he replied. Cassie scoffed.
"Of course I'm not going to tell anyone. I'm not stupid."
He didn't respond. He simply continued watching her carefully as he took another sip of the amber liquid. She assumed he was weighing his options, calculating his next move. The man was nothing if not meticulous, and she knew he was probably doubting his judgment.
She cursed the nameless students who had earned detention that evening, essentially ruining what they had been doing only hours earlier. Now she was beginning to dread the possibility that he might ask her to leave. All she wanted was for him to touch her again.
"Severus?" she asked meekly, breaking the silence between them.
He was still standing with his whiskey in hand. Cassie stood by the fireplace, her arms crossed defensively over her chest, suddenly feeling exposed in nothing but his nightshirt.
"Hmm?"
"Do you want me to leave?"
He took a deep breath. The seconds of silence before he answered seemed like an eternity. Finally, he said, "No."
Cassie hadn't been expecting that response. She laughed.
"What's so funny?" Severus spat, looking bitter.
She shook her head and crossed the room toward him. "Nothing's funny, Severus." She slowly took the tumbler from his hand, finished the last of his drink, and set it on the coffee table beside hers. "I'm thrilled."
"You're odd, Miss Black," he said quietly. His eyes remained locked on her as she reached up to his shoulders. Her fingers slipped beneath his cloak, pushing it from him until it fell to the floor in a heap.
"You really ought to stop calling me that," Cassie said with a sly smile. She expected him to argue, perhaps even protest the fact that she had taken the initiative to remove part of his ensemble. Instead, his hands settled on her shoulders, gently caressing them before sliding down her upper arms. Even the innocent contact sent exquisite shivers throughout her body.
Her blue eyes dropped to his lips. She imagined them pressed against hers again, and whatever composure she had left dissolved within seconds.
She gripped the front of his black robes and pulled him toward the loveseat. Once he was in front of it, she pushed him down and made him sit.
Before he could question her actions, she joined him, settling herself across his lap. She caught his lips in a passionate kiss, and he returned it enthusiastically.
She slid her hands beneath his arms and melted against him, seeking every bit of closeness she could manage. The heat between them was nearly unbearable, and Cassie's heart pounded against her ribcage.
She shifted against him, and he groaned into her mouth. Taking it as encouragement, Cassie reached toward his belt.
He caught her wandering wrist in his hand. "Cassie," he said, his low voice husky. "You don't have to—"
"I want to," she reassured him breathlessly. Her lips found his again, even as his grip tightened slightly around her wrist.
Then, all at once, Severus stopped her advances. He turned his head to break the kiss, his hands moving to her shoulders. Cassie's eyes widened in shock as he gently guided her from his lap and onto the loveseat beside him.
Both of them were struggling to catch their breath as they stared at each other.
"Severus, what are you doing?"
"Stopping this before it goes too far," he said firmly.
"I thought this was what you wanted," she said, feeling thoroughly deflated as she settled onto the cushion beside him.
"I will. I do." He sighed heavily. "I do not mean to make you feel that I don't desire you."
"Then why stop?" she asked, growing more perturbed with every passing second. "I told you I wanted to—"
"I fear we are moving too quickly, Cassie," he said bluntly.
Cassie stared at him, wrestling with the strange combination of frustration and fear twisting inside her. "I'm not a virgin," she said curtly. She suspected he assumed she and Charlie had done the deed. Perhaps he needed to hear it.
"That is beside the point," he replied quietly.
"Then what is the point?" she demanded, folding her arms over her chest. Without their bodies pressed together, she was suddenly aware of the chill in the dungeon living room.
Severus summoned a thick, charcoal-coloured blanket with a flick of his wrist and handed it to her before continuing. "I don't want you to do something you might regret later."
"I won't regret it," she insisted, her voice rising slightly. "I told you. I want to." She pulled the blanket around herself, feeling a little braver beneath its warmth. "I want you."
The expression on Severus's face was impossible to read. For several moments, Cassie wasn't sure whether he was about to smile or launch into a rage. His tone remained steady. "I am asking that you remain patient."
"For how long, Severus?"
"Until I am certain you are not making a rash decision," he said firmly.
Cassie groaned and leaned back against the loveseat. "You think too much."
"I can't help that I must make up for your lack of sensibility," he deadpanned. For a moment, Cassie wondered if he was deliberately trying to anger her so she wouldn't attempt to kiss him again.
Then she noticed the tiny quiver at the corner of his mouth. She grabbed an emerald-green throw pillow from beside her and tossed it at him. His pale face broke into a full-fledged smile.
Just as she began to wonder whether he might banish her from his quarters after all, he murmured, "You look beautiful."
Every trace of doubt evaporated. His thumb and forefinger gently caught her chin, tilting her face upward. Her breath caught in her throat as his onyx eyes studied her. It felt as though he were looking straight into her soul.
This time, Severus initiated the kiss. Where the previous ones had been frantic and heated, this one made Cassie relax into his touch. She didn't try to push things further when he finally pulled away.
"Warm me up?" she asked coyly. Severus beckoned her closer, and she settled against his chest before pulling the blanket over them both. The embrace reminded her of the way he had held her in the hospital wing.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. They simply enjoyed being together. Cassie felt so peaceful listening to the wizard's heartbeat that she was almost asleep when he finally stirred.
"Cassie," Severus said, his low voice like music to her ears, although she suspected she might not like what he was about to say. "I have to patrol the corridors for a few hours. I'm sorry."
Cassie sighed. "I suppose I can't convince you to skip it."
"You can stay here for the time being, if you'd like."
"I'll stay," she told him. He started to sit up. "But you'll come right back, won't you?"
"Where else would I go?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I just want you near me, is all. It's been a rough day."
"Well, hopefully, it hasn't been all bad," Severus said as he flicked his wand toward the fireplace. The orange flames danced higher against the room's darkness.
Cassie burst out laughing. "Severus Snape, did you just make a joke?"
He was already pulling his cloak back on as he glanced at her. "Just try to get some rest, will you? I don't know if I can justify letting you skip classes again tomorrow, and I don't intend on letting you sleep when I get back from patrolling."
Cassie grinned in delight.
Severus's demeanor rarely changed beyond pissed off or stoic, but as she watched him leave, she could have sworn there was the tiniest bounce in his step.