Severus T. Snape is just brewing potions. (infaustus) wrote in thebreach, @ 2010-08-05 21:52:00 |
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It was a bit ridiculous that every time the door opened Severus looked up. Far from scowling away every customer, he was actually being surprisingly responsive to customers. He hadn’t even groaned when Master Jigger had asked him to watch the counter for the afternoon. For a young man who far preferred steamy (and frequently smelly) cauldrons to dealing with even the nicest customer, that was something to be noted. The entire conversation with Bertha Jorkins had taken him off guard. To begin with the woman seemed to confuse him more frequently than not. Every time he talked to her he found himself caught off guard in some way or another, but now that he’d realized that she was flirting with him he realized that made sense. He sort of half-remembered Bertha from school. Half-remembered because she hadn’t been Lily and any girl who wasn’t Lily fell into the half-remembered category. Even now he wasn’t certain about the fact that Bertha flirting with him had gotten Lily to talk to him. And the only thing he could actually come up with was an exasperated ‘women’. The shop had slowed for a brief moment so this meant that he was filling his time by checking the containers behind the counter, making certain they were filled and as he was working on this task wondering what he’d actually say if she came in. Would she come in? Max seemed to think that she would, and how did Max who could not remember blonde Hufflepuff know that she was flirting with him? It was one of life’s many small mysteries, which meant that it needed to be solved. Bertha had thought about Elladora’s offer to accompany her to the potions shop, but after some consideration it seemed to her a bit much to need a chaperon so to speak, when she was really only going to buy potions. Besides if he was attractive and interested, having another girl who was really, if she was honest, nearly as pretty as she was around might not be the best thing. Even if Ella was one of her best friends. They could always come back later too. And she was sure Ella would understand. She’d gotten off work a bit early and popped by her flat to change out of her work robes into something a bit less dour and more attractive, then slipped her St. Ambrosius day mask in her bag and went out the door and into Diagon proper. She really didn’t know much about the young man to be honest, but the fact that he’d been friends with Lily put him in a good light. Lily had such an attractive husband after all. He was younger than she was, but she’d had the worst of luck with older men, so perhaps this was not a bad thing. When she pushed open the door of the shop she tried to look completely blase about where she was, but her smile brightened a bit as she stepped inside and spotted the young man behind the counter. When the shop bell rang Severus looked up and half froze. It was her. He was pretty certain it was her. Yes... it was her and she was smiling at him. Somewhere in the back of his mind it clicked that he ought to smile back and so he forced his lips upward, half afraid that he’d now be doing that thing Max claimed he did where he looked more terrifying because he was trying to smile. That made the smile freeze, and he pushed all thoughts of anything else from his mind. She’d said she needed potions to pick up and he could deal with that. If you focused on that, then it wouldn’t be too terrifying to think about. “Hi,” he greeted and then thought he maybe should have gone with ‘Welcome’ or ‘How may I help you?’ He pushed the insecurity back and reached a hand up to push his hair behind his ear and hopefully in the process improve his overall appearance. “You came by.” Her smile broadened a bit more as she came further into the shop, the door shutting behind her and blocking out some of the street noise. “Well, I said I would,” she said. “Your offer was obviously just too tempting.” She crossed the floor to the counter and leaned on it, regarding him with curious eyes. It was probably the first time she’d had a good look at him. He was dark and not unhandsome, although he could use some of Gilderoy’s touch with clothes and ... well everything. Still not all bad. And he seemed happy to see her didn’t he? “And here it’s you I’m seeing and not Mr. Jigger I do hope he won’t be disappointed.” As often, with Bertha, it was impossible to tell if she was joking or serious from her tone of voice, but the way she looked around the shop seemed to indicate it could be the latter. She looked back over her shoulder at the revelry outside. “Quite the party. You aren’t going to participate?” Severus watched her as she stepped closer. He hadn’t really thought about her since Hogwarts which meant that he hadn’t really thought about what she looked like much. He seemed to remember her being all right, and as he eyed her, he decided that he’d even go with cute. She had a nice smile and very rosy cheeks and while she wasn’t the sort of woman that he would usually look twice at, there was something rather appealing about someone that was interested enough to flirt with him. And there was the added remembrance that Lily had seemed almost surprised at the turn of events. Which was enough to make him wonder why Lily cared in the first place. The time for it to be appropriate for her to care had long since passed and the thought of that meant a bit of extra determination set in. Severus was not the only young man alive for whom no woman showed any interest -- obviously. And he was going to make certain the world knew that. “I don’t think he’ll mind much,” Severus said with what he hoped was a NOT terrifying smile, and he stepped up to the counter. “He just stepped out for a bit, but hopefully I’ll be able to help you?” He realized as he started talking that he had no idea what constituted as flirting. He hadn’t realized he was doing it last night -- he’d just been trying to answer her admittedly somewhat dense questions and that’s all he thought he’d been doing before he’d been assaulted from all sides by people who thought that he was flirting. Hopefully she wasn’t seriously upset that Mr Jigger wasn’t around... and hopefully whatever he’d been doing last night, he was able to replicate today. It wouldn’t be any good if he put her off by not flirting today. “You mean the celebrations?” He glanced out the window and it was on the tip of his tongue to say that the celebrations weren’t really his thing, but he looked back at her and his thought changed mid-course. “I would like to, although it’ll have to wait until I get off work,” he said with a shrug. “And it’s always a bit dull to walk around by oneself.” That much, at least, was true. And it perhaps suggested that one would like a partner to walk around with... although that might be too flirtatious. Assuming it wasn’t just creepy -- an internal panic seemed to have set into his brain, but he pushed it back. Bertha was surprised somewhat by his forwardness, considering what Lily had said she’d thought he wouldn’t be so bold to suggest that he might like someone to go to the festivities with, but obviously he was. She had been right that he was interested. “I’m sure you’ll be able to help me,” she said, taking her list out of her bag so she wouldn’t forget anything, and brushing her hand over her mask as she did so. It was a simple enough mask, an owl, but she thought it was nice. “And I’d had much the same thought,” she said. “I’d like to go but I don’t really like to go by myself.” She tapped the list with her fingertips for a moment. “Especially with everything that happened last week.” She looked back up at him, big blue eyes very wide and innocent. “I’m sure nothing bad will happen tonight though. Especially if maybe I had you for company?” Yes it was a bit pushy but she’d never found it detrimental to be assertive when she wanted something. It always worked in the beginning. Just somehow things always seemed to go to shite as time went on. She still wasn’t sure why. Well that had worked surprisingly more easily than Severus had thought that it might. For a moment there was half-terror as he wasn’t certain what to do next, but that subsided as the question answered itself. Obviously he asked her if she wanted to walk about Diagon tonight. Nothing was likely to happen -- at least he’d been warned of nothing -- and there was admittedly something flattering about the idea that he might be able to protect her from something bad if there was something. It was nice to have it recognised when it seemed as if no one ever would, and by no one, he mostly meant a certain ginger who seemed to think all of the studies he’d done were likely to make him the dangerous person. “I don’t get off for a few hours yet,” he said, raising a hand and pushing hair behind his ear again. “But I’d very much like to walk about later, and if you’ve not got other plans already perhaps you could join me? I’m sure it’ll be safe. The Aurors and MLE and what not are likely out in force today and I don’t think anyone would try anything.” Some part of his mind was screaming at him what in Merlin’s name was he doing? Walking about would require things like buying her sweets, or talking and there was no guarantee that he’d get anything from it. But the more decisive part of him was saying that he was tired of being the hopeless and inexperienced bloke. He ought to have recognized that she were flirting, as an example. And Severus was clever enough to know that the only way to really become better at something was practise. If a woman had fallen into his lap, he was a fool to not use the situation to his advantage. Bertha felt incredibly pleased at this turn of events. Admittedly he was younger than the older men she tended to date, but as she’d thought, this might not be a bad thing. And he seemed awfully sweet. “I’d like that,” she said. “I don’t live too far. And I”ll probably walk about a bit and meet you here later? When you close?” Yes, Bertha was a fairly obvious flirt, but she also knew that for the most part men liked that. It was flattering, wasn’t it, thinking someone liked you. She certainly thought so. And he did seem to like her. She wasn’t sure what else exactly to say just then so instead she pushed the list of potions across to him. “But I suppose in the meantime I might as well get what I came for.” She looked down at the list again, realizing it was actually the Quidditch roster she’d been searching for last week and then up at him sharply before snatching it back. “Err. Sorry. Here.” She rummaged in her bag for the actual list instead. Severus couldn’t help but smile at her agreement. Despite the fact that she’d all but asked him to walk around with her, he had been half afraid that she’d say no, or was just waiting for him to ask so she could say no and go back and laugh at all of her friends about the boy that thought she liked him enough to walk about with him at Ambrosius. “That would work,” he said, and had reached his hand out for the list when it got snatched away and he found himself waiting for the second list. He did take that one when he got it and nodded. “I think we’ve got most of this,” he said, more business like than he’d been a moment before. And so he started to gather up the items on the list, ringing each one up individually and as he finished he gave her the total. “And most of those were on sale because you came in today,” he added with a smile. Of course they were, Bertha thought to herself. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he seemed to at least fancy her a little. And she had a date! The first in months it seemed. “I’m awfully glad I did,” she said, passing her money across to him and then taking the parcel of potions for him. “It was a very good day to stop in.” She smiled at him and then gave him a little wave before promising to be back. It was a few hours later that she found herself back outside the shop. She’d gone back home and changed entirely. And taken a shower and cleaned her house and even changed the sheets for good measure before admonishing her rats to be on their best behaviour and heading out into Diagon. It was later now, Ambrosius seeming to bring out a party atmosphere that had been sorely lacking lately. She was wearing bright blue robes which went with the silvery blue of her owl mask when she tapped on the window and pushed the mask up on top of her head so he could see her. It wasn’t particularly usual for hours at work to drag by, but considering that he was on the desk and he had somehow managed to get himself a date they had. Severus had cleaned every bottle and not because they needed it, but because he did. Whatever might have passed for boldness earlier was sinking down into his usual terror at the thought of spending more than five minutes with a woman. But she liked him. She’d half asked him. She was flirting with him when he didn’t even realize that he’d been flirting -- or she had been. All of these things meant that it was going to be a good evening. Of course he hadn’t had time to change, but fortunately since he’d been behind the counter his robes hadn’t had the opportunity to really get dirty at all. They weren’t very festive, but they were clean, and as the shop had cleared off he’d gone back to the toilets to throw water on his face and ensure he didn’t look a total fright. So when Bertha did show up a few hours later, he was as ready as he could possibly be considering, and he’d closed up the shop, setting the wards for closed. “Hi,” he greeted her for the second time that day and gave her a smile. Women like to be told they look nice, something in the back of his head prompted him and he stuck his hands in his pockets awkwardly but added albeit rather inelegantly: “You look good.” He thought she looked good! Bertha’s smile widened and she pushed back a long strand of curly hair that had escaped her mask and fallen in her eyes. “Thank you,” she said. “So do you. I mean, you look nice.” He did look a bit better out of the shop, a bit happier maybe, and she reflected that he was quite handsome when he smiled. “Did you make any more good sales?” she asked. “I imagine with these crowds you might have.” It was always easy for her to talk, she never had a problem with it, although she might not always say the right thing. Severus was fairly certain that she was just being polite as he didn’t think he looked much different than he had earlier in the day, but he would accept such niceness because it was certainly better than being told that he looked like he’d been in a shop all day -- even if that was true. He nodded in answer to her question. The shop had been busy today -- maybe not as busy as it had been the following year, but he supposed with the attack so much on everyone’s mind that people would have stayed home or some people would have anyway. “There were a number of people that came in,” he said with a shrug. “I mean, it’s always busy on a holiday like this, and add in the sale, which I suspect might have gone better had Master Jigger advertised in the Prophet and not just in my journal, but people heard about it, surprisingly. So, there were a number of people in.” And he was rambling on about shops and sales and that was hardly very interesting. “Shall we walk?” He motioned out on the street and rather slowly took a step in that direction. He didn’t know if he was supposed to offer her his arm. He knew some men did, but it didn’t quite seem like him and even though she’d agreed to walk around with him, he didn’t want it to seem like he was overly pushy. He’d see how things went, and if she hadn’t slapped him in fifteen minutes than he might try that, he supposed. She seemed in good spirits and she was pretty, so maybe things would keep going well. Maybe he’d keep being able to flirt and he wouldn’t make her run away too scared too quickly. “What was your afternoon like?” He asked, turning the conversation back on her which was infinitely more comfortable. She followed his lead out onto the street, eyes tracking people in costume and masks as they walked, her steps even and not in the least hesitant. “My afternoon was probably much less uneventful than yours. I had some time coming to me from working some over hours so I took off an extra hour or two early, did some cleaning at home, that sort of thing.” She took a careful step to avoid a crowd of children in masks and nearly bumped into his side. “It was better than being at work though, which is always pleasant. Of course I think half my department left early just because they could.” Severus nodded, realizing that he had absolutely no idea what she did or where she worked, although department tended to indicate Ministry. He half reached a hand out to touch her elbow to keep her steady from all of the crowds. Maybe the whole offering his arm wasn’t such a bad idea considering how many people were out this evening. “I think anyone who didn’t have to work today didn’t,” he admitted. Although he wasn’t going to admit that he probably could have had the day off and had chosen not to take it. Severus Snape, workaholic, that was probably him, but she didn’t need to know that. “What department do you work at? I mean, at the Ministry? You do work at the ministry?” And all of a sudden he felt very awkward not certain whether he should have assumed she did work at the Ministry but it seemed likely so he shut his mouth and hoped that he hadn’t already made a royal ridiculous out of himself. “Yes, I work at the Ministry,” she said. “I work in the Department of Magical Games and Sports. I used to work in the Spirit Division, which I liked better, but I guess they decided they need me somewhere else.” She shrugged, glossing over her rather tenuous work history. “It’s not my ideal but I do get free tickets to a lot of the Quidditch matches, which is nice at least. And most of my department is pretty relaxed.” Which was good because unlike some of the more uptight departments they were less likely to sack her for making a simple mistake. Really, they took themselves so seriously. As the crowd pressed against them she slipped her hand through the loop of his arm, hoping he didn’t mind and liking the little feeling of security it gave her. He seemed to be having a nice time so far. “You haven’t worked too long at the Potions shop have you? You want to be a Potions Master?” She remembered vaguely talking to someone about that, it was probably him. Magical games and sports, Severus tucked it away like he did most information, possibly something that might come in useful in the future and since he was on a date with her he was trying to pay attention, although he had to admit that it wouldn’t be the department that he would consider the most interesting of departments. Spirit Division would be more interesting, likely. And as she slid her hand through his arm he glanced over and half smiled even as he was going through various questions in his mind. Was it appropriate to kiss a girl on the first date? Was it more or less appropriate if she’d practically asked you out on said date? Was there any reason why he shouldn’t kiss her at the end of the date? He shook these thoughts away at her questions and said: “A while, just mostly since I finished Hogwarts. I actually just finished my Mastery this past fall, and now I’m doing basically an apprenticeship of sorts while I get experience. Eventually maybe I’ll have my own shop, or do potions research...” he shrugged not certain he wanted to get into his life plans with a first date. Or, really anyone, but certainly not a first date, which meant that food seemed like an excellent diversion. “Do you want to get something to drink maybe? Or ice cream? Something?” So he wasn’t that much younger than her if he’d done all that. This was much more cheering. And really he was very oddly sweet, which she really wasn’t used to honestly. “I’d like that,” she said. “Either would be fine. But ice cream maybe? We could sit outside at the tables.” She felt just a little giddy because well, this was going much better than she would have thought. “Ice cream is always better eaten out of doors, I think.” “Ice cream works,” Severus said feeling relieved that he’d done that thing right. And there would be going to the shop, and then picking our flavours when he could ask her what her favourite flavour was, and then they could sit out of doors and actually eat the ice cream and watch people and he could ask her... well whatever he would ask her, and maybe this entire thing wouldn’t end up a terrible idea. Thus far it hadn’t, he supposed. Since her arm was linked with his it was easy enough to change course towards Fortescues. “And it is always best out of doors,” he added. “Inside it gets too nippy if you’re not careful, so outside is better and the tables would work well.” The problem of course was what to say next. Coming up with topics of conversation was not particularly Severus forte under the best of circumstances and feeling rather nervous while walking a girl down Diagon Alley was not the best of circumstances. “So what do you do at the Ministry, exactly?” Work... boring, but probably safe. “Nothing awfully exciting,” she said. “I’m secretary to the Head of Magical Games and Sports. Which mostly means I send a lot of owls and make appointments and get coffee when people need it.” She shrugged slightly, not really liking to talk about her job because it sort of was a sore subject. “Hopefully I’ll move up though! Someday.” She liked to think she might be good at being a team liaison maybe or higher up in Administration, if she wasn’t sacked that is. A man in a skeleton mask popped up in front of them and shouted menacingly before darting away, and Bertha clutched her date’s arm instinctively. “Well it’s good people are having a nice time,” she said. “At least I assume so.” Severus half frowned at Mr Skeleton Mask before trying to regain thread of conversation. Secretary, owls, so nobody particularly important then. Not that he would have expected her to be someone particularly important, or that it particularly mattered. “I think people are having a good time, and I feel as if I ought not to say anything lest wise I jinx us, but i do rather thing it’s going to be a mostly uneventful day. Which, you know, good,” they were approaching the ice cream shop and he helped to guide her through the crowds and towards the door before opening it for her. “I’d rather have less events than there were last weekend. But - on a more cheerful note, what would you like?” The ice cream shop and its hundred different flavours of ice cream were in front of them and Severus gave a quick glance at the prices trying to mentally calculate what was the least that he could have without it being too difficult later on in the month. and it would depend of course upon what she wanted as well. “There’s always too many flavours for me to decide very quickly.” “I always get the same thing. A cone with a small scoop of chocolate and a small of pumpkin,” Bertha said. “But I’m rather relentlessly predictable like that.” She leaned on the counter and observed the flavours of ice cream behind the glass. “I like the way they taste together,” she added. But iIt all looks good though.” Severus grinned. “Well, if you like what you like, then why mix it up too much?” Perhaps part of the problem was that he just didn’t have ice cream very much, and so a favourite flavour wasn’t really something that he had ready picked out and easily stated like Bertha’s obviously was. After a moment he ordered said cone with a scoop of chocolate and pumpkin for her and after only a brief hesitation he added: “And a bowl with a scoop of black currant and one of vanilla.” He turned to Bertha and said hesitantly. “Maybe you ought to grab us a table outside? I think those people are leaving, and it was fairly crowded yet, and I’ll get these and bring them out.” “All right,” she said, smiling at him and going to the table. From here she could watch the crowds but also surreptitiously watch him as he paid for their ice cream. It was very nice of him and she really hadn’t expected him to do so to be honest. He was gangly and a bit awkward from behind she thought, and she wondered a little what he was like other than what it seemed on the outside. Lonely perhaps? She remembered their conversation about having someone to wake up with at night and it was nice to know she wasn’t the only one that felt that way. She conveniently had forgotten the rest of what they’d been talking about. Severus did pay, counting out the coins carefully and giving the clerk a sort of half-smile that was his trade-mark non-scowling look. Once he’d gathered up the cone and the bowl, he turned around to look for Bertha. It looked as if she had found the table that he’d been thinking of so he stepped back outside and made his away around to the table trying not to run over any small children as he reached the chair. “Here,” he smiled handing over the cone as he sat down. And now we were back to him having no idea what to say. This was reminding him of why he never even attempted dates. The one woman he used to be able to talk to -- a certain Lily now Potter -- he couldn’t talk to now, and everyone else he just froze up around. It was easier to do flirting over the journals, he thought, grasping for some topic to use: “So, any significance with the owl mask?” Bertha tasted her ice cream and looked up, surprised at his question. She hadn’t really given it too much thought in all honesty but she’d liked it. If he was uncomfortable with her she was largely oblivious to it, mostly because she tended not to notice that sort of thing. “Not really,” she admitted. “I had it from last year, and if I remember I got it on sale. It’s pretty though, I think.” She pulled it off the top or her head and put it down on the table between them. It was pretty, all silver and blue and she considered it as she took another lick of ice cream. “Although it did remind me of The Owl and the Pussycat. Do you know that? My father used to read it to me when I was little.” Severus listened and considered the mask. It was pretty, as masks went and certainly he didn’t have anything that frivolous. It made him wonder how much Bertha was used to having, possibly more than he was, considering the mask. But then if she had a Ministry position, maybe she was better paid than he was at this point... or possibly she just had more money, and even as his mind went around thinking about it, he was annoyed at himself for considering it. It wasn’t important. Well, it was only important if one date became multiple dates, and considering that he was having a difficult time talking to her, he didn’t know if it would become multiple dates. On the other hand, if she didn’t turn a kiss down later maybe it would be multiple dates... The spoon was dipped into the ice cream and he took a bite of the black currant. “I think I vaguely remember it,” he offered. “Remind me how it goes again?” “Oh goodness, I’m not sure,” she said. “I’m awful at remembering things. But the first part is like this.” She folded her hands together neatly around the cone as she thought. “The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea Saying it made her laugh and shake her head. “It’s silly I suppose. Childish. But I can remember really liking it when I was seven.” Severus took a spoonful of ice cream and stuck it in his mouth as he listened. He did remember it, vaguely. It was something he was pretty certain that his Mother had said when he was younger. “I think you’re allowed to like silly things when you’re seven,” he said simply. “At least, I think most kids do, and it’s probably all right. Even if it’s a bit childish.” He wondered for a moment if he’d ever really liked anything silly. He’d had childish dreams, he supposed, but it was so long ago that it was hard to remember -- hard to remember even the childish dreams at least most of them and certainly they had never been practical. “The mask would work for the owl. I suppose that means that if I had a mask it would need to be a cat one,” he said. “Of course that would have required us to plan ahead a bit.” “Probably.” She was genuinely pleased he even suggested it, really, it was sweet. Odd that but true. “Well, it’s only once a year,” she said. “But it’s a nice thought anyway.” She took a bite of her ice cream and then made a little face at the cold. “Thank you for wanting to come out with me tonight,” she said. “It’s nice to have company.” Severus slid his spoon into his ice cream thinking that she was at least not horribly put off by the fact that he didn’t feel charming or engaging. Maybe he was coming across more of both of those things than he had anticipated that he might but it seemed unlikely. “Your welcome,” he said automatically. “I mean, but really I should thank you,” he returned realizing that was probably the polite thing to do. “You’ve saved me from a dreadfully monotonous evening of potion brewing.” Granted, he didn’t actually find said evening monotonous and in some ways would have preferred it, but on the other hand a woman had agreed to a date with him, which was quite worth putting the potion off for a few hours -- or more. Eyes darted up to look her over. She was very definitely cute and although she wasn’t the beauty some of his friends might have been able to score, the fact that she’d agreed and didn’t seem to be laughing at him at all made the social activity worth while. “And I wouldn’t want you to have to wander about by yourself,” he added, sliding the spoonful of ice cream into his mouth and giving her a smile. “You are awfully sweet,” she told him, neatly catching a bit of dripping ice cream with her tongue. “To be concerned.” She focused on her cone for a moment, eyes watching the crowds around them for a moment before coming back to him. “Do you think you’d mind seeing me home tonight? After we’ve walked around?” Severus glanced down at his ice cream to hide a smile. Being told that he was ‘sweet’ wasn’t something that happened often... or really, at all. And as it turned out it was probably a god thing that he had looked down because at her next question he was startled and completely uncertain. The obvious answer was yes, of course he would see her home, and certainly he wouldn’t have thought of just leaving her somewhere without walking her back to her flat, but did she actually mean something more than that? He pushed that thought away to contemplated in a moment or two and looked up to nod. “I don’t mind,” he said, trying not to sound as confused as he felt. “You live around here, right?” “Yes,” she said. “Down Rackharrow Row. Not too awfully far.” Her voice was clear and free from guile as she said it, having no idea of the thoughts going through his mind just then. She had nearly finished her ice cream down to the cone and she set it down for a moment to use a napkin. “You don’t, do you? I mean I don’t see you around the neighbourhood other than the shop. I’d hate for you to be caught out after curfew just because of me.” “No, I don’t live around here,” Severus confirmed. “I’ve got a flat in Hogsmeade,” well room, but flat sounded a bit more impressive, and it wasn’t as if he would be inviting her over to see it. If she actually did have a flat he wasn’t about to admit that he didn’t. He took a glance at his watch, because if she wasn’t going to invite him in, then he really didn’t intend on getting caught out after Curfew -- particularly not tonight as he had no desire to spend the night in a holding cell with Mr Strip-tease drunk. “Perhaps we ought to actually walk now though -- if we want to do some walking,” he suggested. “I think I can handle finishing off my ice cream while walking.” “All right,” she said. “I think I can too.” She took up what was left of her cone after tucking her mask back in her purse and walking beside him through the streets which were less crowded then they’d been even a little while ago. It wasn’t too far to her turn, just past Wiseacres and to the right, and she looked over at him as they left the more populated streets of Diagon and into the more poorly lit Rackharrow Row. “Do you think you’d want to come up for a bit?” she said. “I’ve a little floo and you can always use that to go home.” Her eyes were carefully considering him for someone who was usually as flighty as she was, she was interested in his response. Surely if he said yes and wanted to stay and perhaps get better acquainted it would be an indication he’d liked her. And if he didn’t, well, she wasn’t sure. He seemed to like her, didn’t he? Severus walked beside her, finishing off his ice cream in a few more bites and as they moved into Rackharrow Row, he stepped a bit closer to her almost instinctively. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to poorly lit streets -- he was. And it wasn’t that he didn’t recognize that it was home to her -- he did. But overall, he supposed if he was the protection, he ought to actually behave as if he were. Despite all of his internal monologuing and questioning on the subject, her question startled him a bit. Did he want to come up? If she was inviting him in, unchaperoned, just the two of them, what did that actually mean? For an instant, it was on the tip of his tongue to say no, because there was in the back of his mind his mother’s statements about the way men treat ladies, but he curbed that. Whatever his mother’s statements, they hadn’t done him any good when it came to Lily, and Bertha was not Lily and she was inviting him up. If it was terribly boring he could always leave, and if it wasn’t terribly boring, well -- then it might be interesting. His dark eyes flitted over her face almost as if trying to decide what she intended with the question, and then he smiled. “I should welcome the excuse to put my potion off a while longer. You don’t mind?” Bertha met his gaze with a half smile, her head tilting a little to the side in consideration. “I wouldn’t have asked you if I did.” Despite all of her past experiences and rather dodgy history when it came to men, she was still always happy to give them the benefit of the doubt. “As long as you don’t mind rats.” The statement was half question, half serious statement and was enough to break the seriousness of the mood and make it seem just a little more relaxed. “But I can always put them up.” Severus was startled for a moment and then he remembered -- rats. She had one, as a pet, he shook his head with a smile. “So long as they aren’t going to crawl up my trousers leg or anything like that,” he said wryly. And admittedly, he thought as he followed her. He was a bit curious. Outside of his own, the only homes he’d ever been in were those of his friends from school and they were nothing like the majority of the Wizarding World. He was somewhat curious how she lived and what her living space was like. He suspected he could find out a good deal about her simply from that alone. “Have you lived here long?” “A year and a half I think?” she said thoughtfully as she tried to remember. She let them into the building after searching her bag for her key and finally finding it, then went up the stairs to the low slung attic where her small bedsit was, fighting with the lock to open it and then pushing the door open. “I lived with my parents for a while when I left Hogwarts, but once I’d saved a little bit I wanted a place of my own.” She gestured him in to the small space, which was largely one room, with slanting ceilings and a wee kitchen off to one side and a door leading ostensibly to a bathroom or a cupboard. The room was divided into living quarters with a small table and chairs, a sofa and low table and then there was a curtained off area in the back that surrounded her bed. Most of the furniture was largely second hand and temperamental, including a little footstool that startled when they came in and tumbled over itself before running away and hiding under the lone arm chair in a corner by the window. It was painted a bright and cheery yellow though, and had a decent window that jutted out over the eaves and opened up over the streets with a little tiny ledge that one person could probably sit on if they really wanted to or one could hang a wash. A rustling from the small kitchen revealed two beady eyed faces who peered out of an old tea kettle, curious, before nestling back down inside it and she turned back to look at him as she slipped off her outer robe to hang it on a hook by the door. “Can I get you anything?” Severus stepped in and the very first thing he noticed, after having been startled by the footstool, was the yellow of the walls. It was so positively bright and unlike anything he’d ever grown up with, or would have even considered, that it was almost overwhelming. But maybe it suited Bertha, actually. He looked around and it was small, like his room was, but it was more homey. Maybe that was just a girl thing. “Um,” he had no idea what was appropriate to ask for. Some part of him that had listened to too many discussions behind wards thought that something alcoholic was likely to be better for this type of scenario, but that wasn’t really his think. After a moment’s hesitation because he wasn’t certain if the suggestion would make him look foolish, he said: “Maybe some tea -- if it’s not too much bother?” “Not at all,” Bertha said, going towards the kitchen and slipping off her shoes in the process. She turned on the hob with a poke of her wand and filled a newer less ratly tea kettle with water before putting it on and reaching for her tin of tea. Once she had everything steeping, she turned back to where her guest was looking around her rooms and joined him in the living room with two cups, which she set down on the table. “I know I said this before,” she said. “Or maybe I didn’t. I’m not sure. But I really had a nice time tonight.” “Oh,” Severus looked half startled by this admission as if the idea that a woman might have a nice time with him was shocking, and to be honest, it was a bit surprising, albeit somewhat pleasing at the same time. “I have to. I mean, thus far, and we still have tea,” he motioned to the cups. “This is nice,” he said waving a hand around the apartment. It wasn’t very fancy and it certainly was nothing like the Wilkes or the Rosiers but it was ten times more cheerful than home had been and certainly was more furnished than his room at the Hog’s Head. “Yes. Tea.” She gave him a little half smile and then followed his gaze around her flat. “And I like it,” she said. “It’s all mine in any case and that is always nice.” She sat down and invited him to sit beside her, leaning her head on her hand as she put one elbow on the back of the couch, the other holding her teacup. She took a sip and then set it down again, before looking over at him. “You don’t have to go home right away,” she said after a moment. “Unless you want to.” He reached for the tea cup as he attempted to unpack that statement. He wondered if there was something he just missed about women that kept him from understanding their intentions. He’d had no idea that she was flirting with him and now he couldn’t figure out whether she was intending something more, or just being friendly. A sip was taken and he looked over at her, eyes resting for a moment on the top button of her robes. “Do you want me to stay around?” He asked, hoping maybe she’d say something that would help him figure out what in Merlin’s name was going on. Bertha was somewhat dim, but even she didn’t miss when his eyes lowered. She tended to take that as an encouraging sign. “I’d like you to, yes.” She moved her hand up and gently brushed his shoulder with her fingers, then let her hand rest on the front of his robes. “I’m not going to ask you to leave.” Severus glanced down at her hand and then back up to Bertha’s face. She’d left her hand on the front of his robes and Severus was fairly certain his heart was beating wildly enough that she would be able to feel it through all of the robes. So she didn’t want him to leave, wasn’t going to ask him to leave... It made him wonder if he’d accidentally dropped felix felicitas in his tea that morning. Eyes dropped to her lips for a minute and then back to her face and she hadn’t moved away so he leaned forward slightly, if she didn’t pull back, then he was going to kiss her. When he leaned forward a little smile curved up her lips. Yes, he was most definitely interested. The thought made her feel a little giddy, as she usually did about something like this, pleased and excited that someone liked her and wanted her. It had never really consciously occured to her that she might be being used by the majority of men, because she wouldn’t put such motives on them. It was always something else, obviously that made it not work out in the end. As he leaned in she leaned in as well, eyes going up to his, which were dark and very handsome in their own way. He seemed a little hesitant, and she smoothed her hand over the front of his shirt, thinking suddenly about how Lily had said he really didn’t flirt with other people and that maybe... maybe he wasn’t that experienced with girls? She had leaned in and Severus decided that he wasn’t going to sit here and debate the possible merits of whether or not she wanted to be kissed any longer. If she didn’t want to be then she could slap him and ask him to leave and she’d said she wasn’t going to do that. He closed his eyes and praying that he wasn’t going to completely mess this up, pressed his lips to hers. It certainly wasn’t the nicest or most romantic kiss Bertha had ever had (that had belonged to a certain awful someone that was best most definitely not remembered) but it was still a kiss and that was nice. He did seem a little hesitant, and so she agreeably leaned in and returned the kiss, her hand sliding up from his shoulder to cup his jaw and her lips pressing against his as she instinctively showed him what it should feel like to kiss someone. And that probably answered the question in his mind about whether or not she wanted to be kissed. He was fairly certain that she was kissing him now, and her hand on his jaw was soft, and Severus decided that he could very definitely get used to this feeling. A touch uncertain about where to put his own hand he finally settled on her shoulder, but then that felt a bit awkward as well, so he took the risk of moving it up, sliding it under her hair to rest on the back of her neck as he returned that kiss. When he did pull back, he didn’t drop his hand away, but looked up at her and his lips turned upward into a smile. He didn’t really know what you said after kissing someone, so finally he settled on: “That was nice.” Bertha laughed. It wasn’t a mean laugh, more a nervous sort of giggle, and she lowered her eyes and then looked back up at him again. “You could do it again you know. I mean if you wanted to.” Her thumb brushed along his jaw and this time she was the one that leaned in to kiss him. After all, what was St. Ambrosius without either sweets or a decent snog? |