InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I want a hedgehooooog"

Essery Elizabeth Oakby (oakbye) wrote in wished,
@ 2010-10-03 21:21:00

Entry tags:

!2003: 10, !complete, essery oakby, severus snape

Who: Essery and Snape
What: Chess & Kittens
Where: Snape's office
When: Tonight
Warning: TBA

Essery came back just a bit earlier than she thought she might, but it was still after curfew and, on seeing what she'd brought back, Sinistra had offered just to keep watch until the last few lights went out about Hufflepuff, too. Which left Essery with her hours free - and with one very new tenant in her rooms to contend with. Honestly, she hadn't been expecting to come back with one, her jokes last week aside. Still, how could she resist that smooshed up face and those blue eyes peering up at her from the box outside the M&S?

It did leave her with a problem, though. She'd wanted to spend the night in another hard fought chess game - Severus was quickly becoming someone who she looked forward to talking with, and after their last conversation... Well, she had been looking forward to playing. And she doubted he'd want the kitten running about his office. Still, she couldn't leave it in her rooms alone, and she couldn't stand him up. So she found herself at his office door in a pair of jeans and an old charity tee-shirt, knocking, with the kitten purring and trying to climb out of her arms.

As soon as he opened the door, she was already apologizing. "I know that you likely don't want him here, but I didn't want you to think that I wasn't interested in playing. I can't leave him alone in my rooms, though, so I was going to take a rain - " before she could finish excusing herself, the kitten had managed to jump out of her arms and past him, into his office, and she was cursing under her breath and nursing a new scratch to her forearm.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

oakbye
2010-10-05 11:45 pm UTC (link)

She figured out what room it was just by his hesitance, and at least was polite enough to wait in the doorway, even if she did take the chance to look around. The photographs... she'd have liked to have been able to get a better look at those, but it seemed presumptuous to ask, so she waited until Severus came bakc with the cat held out to her, and then she laughed and took him back.

He was purring. Quite loudly, actually.

"You know, I think he likes you."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 12:14 am UTC (link)

Severus glanced down at the cat. It was purring, which, he decided, was because it had seen its owner again, and must have been terribly eager to be returned to her possession. "Animals don't like me," he said firmly, fixing her with a reproachful look. "He's only happy to see you. And if you'll be kind enough to take relieve him of my clothes, the two of you can be reunited permanently." It wasn't leaving with his scarf, not with fall coming on.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	oakbye 2010-10-06 12:21 am UTC (link)
	"Well this one does," She said, and for a second there was something sly underneath it, like maybe she wasn't speaking entirely of the cat, but then she laughed it off and tried to unwind the scarf from the tiny claws - which the kitten though, apparently, was a very fun game. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 12:52 am UTC (link)

People didn't like him either, come to that. He cocked his eyebrow at her, skeptical. "I'm going shopping, I see," he said, pulling the scarf away from the cat as it was slowly liberated, inch by inch, woolen threads sticking out in every direction. But he was smiling, even if it was closer to a smirk. Things that ought to have angered him didn't seem to do so, when she was at the root of them. He had never been very objective. "Before the first freeze comes along, anyway."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	oakbye 2010-10-06 12:57 am UTC (link)
	"Well, new clothes are always a benefit... " she looked apologetic, though, finally giving over the last few tattered inches of the scarf's tassels. "Sorry for that. Bad kitten." But she didn't sound at all as if she were really scolding it. "Maybe we can make him a bed, for while we finish the game? Or ward a corner so that he can't wander away from it?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 01:11 am UTC (link)

"Yes, I must have had this one for all of - three years?" he said, balling the remains of the scarf in his hands. "Clearly due for a renewal. I think we might be able to find something for him to entertain himself with." And warding a corner was a better solution than immobilizing the creature, if not quite as satisfying. "Since he's already made this his own, I see no reason he shouldn't have it." Maybe he'd tangle himself in it irreversibly. A man could hope.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

oakbye
2010-10-06 01:18 am UTC (link)

He was giving the kitten his scarf? Essery knew it was probably grudgingly, since the scarf was well and destroyed, but still something in the gesture made her smile as she cradled the kitten in against her and looked around more obviously this time. "So, this is where the Headmaster lives..." She wondered suddenly if she was the only person who had been invited in - even if she wasn't particularly invited, in the classical sense.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 01:25 am UTC (link)

She was certainly the only person who had been invited in - and being allowed to follow was as close to an invitation as Severus had ever given, as far as his personal quarters were concerned. "I was disappointed, too," he said, his expression flat and dry. "But one makes do, of course." It was better than the room he'd kept down in the dungeons, better than he'd ever lived, but it wasn't really built to impress. Or he hadn't decorated to that effect, anyway. "It has the benefit of not being spied upon by my dead predecessors, which can't be said for my office."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	oakbye 2010-10-06 01:27 am UTC (link)
	"I can't imagine the rows of dead Headmasters looking down on you does much for your social life, no...." Essery smiled up at him, then leaned in the doorway, fingers sliding over the white fur that was still purring in her arms. "You don't tend toward the lived in look, do you.... No desire to decorate?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 01:37 am UTC (link)

"They don't do much for anything. They're all wretched second guessers." Keep the students safe, Severus. Trust Harry, Severus. Intolerable. But his social life had over, more important hurdles to overcome. For instance, his lack of concern for his surroundings. He shrugged.

"I don't spend an awful lot of time here; the office is more important. I don't see that it matters very much." And he didn't know what he would do, either, as the only material things he cared about were books.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

oakbye
2010-10-06 01:41 am UTC (link)

"Hrm..." She considered that, looking about again, and her eyes fell on the pictures again curiously, but then she turned from the doorway and started back through the rooms, toward the office. "Maybe you ought to practice hosting guests? Though, I guess you're right. The only person I've had over in mine is my brother." Still, hers were pretty lived in already - she liked to feel at home.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 01:51 am UTC (link)

He followed, happy enough to leave behind the few bits of decoration he had. "That's one thing I don't think I need any practice in, thank you." Not because he had any experience, of course. "I discharge my hosting duties in the Great Hall. If I had to offer remarks more than twice a year, I doubt if I would even fulfill those." Back in his office, he felt more at ease, if not quite as enlivened. He set his glass safely on the table again, and drew a silvery barrier around the base of the table with his wand - the cat could live underneath, for now.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	oakbye 2010-10-06 01:54 am UTC (link)
	It could run about their feet, then, and Essery thought maybe that was better. She sat the cat down, then sat down again herself. "Must make dating a bit of a challenge..." she offered, trying not to sound as if she was digging for information as she picked her glass back up. "I don't remember who's turn it was." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 02:07 am UTC (link)

Severus sat, giving her a brief but searching look. It was a strange comment to make, considering she'd had him as a professor and an employer, and he in his arrogance and insecurity expected that everyone in her position had come to their own conclusions about his social life, or lack thereof. "The job has never helped, I'm afraid," he said lightly, though, turning his attention to the board. "Neither do I - ah." His knight wasn't attempting to bite his fingers off, so he supposed it was his turn. "The people one meets in academia tend to be of a type, really, although there are occasional surprises." He didn't bother to pretend he was referring to anyone but her. The people one met as a Death Eater were even more limited.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

oakbye
2010-10-06 02:10 am UTC (link)

"The people one meets outside of it aren't much better," Essery said with a roll of her eyes, then she watched him move his piece and gave a half smirking sort of smile. "Not for the most part, anyway." And she wondered, suddenly, if he'd seen her brother's not at all subtle attempt to sell her off via the journals.

She wondered what he'd thought about it, if he had.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 02:21 am UTC (link)

He wasn't as qualified to have this conversation as he was letting on, having not spent any time looking for anyone recently - or even considering the possibility until a very, very short while ago. "There are idiots across the full spectrum, I'm sure. I understand some people prefer to leave it to chance."

He had indeed noticed it, as close as eye as he kept on public communications, and had not approved. The more familiar part of himself had considered it thoroughly distasteful, a stunt that wasn't worthy of any attention - and some younger part of him had seriously considered sabotage, all while being vaguely pleased to realize that she was ... available.

'Available' was such a vulgar term. He wasn't used to feeling so divided. He wasn't used to doing anything without a reason, though, and this sort of thing was entirely outside of his experience. He knew, anyhow, that if she started skipping out like Longbottom was, he would have opinions about it.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

oakbye
2010-10-06 02:27 am UTC (link)

"In all shapes and sizes," She agreed with a laugh, and for a moment she turned her attention to board to make a move - but the strategy she thought she'd had when they'd started, she'd completely forgotten about now. After she moved her bishop, she reached down to scratch at the kitten winding his way around her leg.

She couldn't really say anymore more on the subject without being too obvious, when she wasn't sure what she was interested in at the moment, and so she let it drop in favor of something that was safer, "You read quite a bit, I've noticed. You can't miss the books lining every wall."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

in_the_grass
2010-10-06 02:35 am UTC (link)

Severus wasn't paying as much attention to strategy as he might have, either. His prediction that their games wouldn't be long, complicated affairs seemed to be coming to bear. He didn't mind. "It's a hobby," he said with a shrug, advancing another pawn. "You run a charity and take in wayward animals and teach young children to sing more or less on key, and I read books. Mine's rather tidier, I think," he added, nudging the cat when it decided to rub against his leg - and pushing it a little more sharply when it refused to move. "But I'm sure you're to be thanked for your contributions to the choir."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -