Swept From the Past

Chapter 24: A midnight rendezvous

Severus Snape went upstairs in the Shrieking Shack to join Madam Pomfrey, the werewolf, and the healers, Miss Laura Linsay and Mr. Brian Grammi. Severus was furious. How dare Potter judge him. Of course, Katarina had changed because of him! How could he forget? Torturing her? He would have never done that to her. Never. But she didn't trust him.

Severus entered the room.

"Professor Snape," Mr. Grammi said, "I have checked on the potions you brought, and I think your theories are right. Miss Linsay thinks it can be a little dangerous. But if we don't do anything, that poor man will remain a beast for the rest of his life."

That poor man? Severus couldn't repress a smirk. Had Lupin ever been a man?

Mr. Grammi uttered a Sleeping Spell on Lupin. The werewolf stopped growling and collapsed on the floor. Then Miss Linsay filled a needle with the concoction Snape had brewed and opened the cage. She knelt down and stuck the needle into Lupin's fur.

"It's done," she said. She stood up and went out of the cage. "Now we have to wait."

After a few seconds, Lupin's limbs shook. His head and body narrowed. His imposing stature, his whole morphology, transformed into a human one. Hair disappeared from his body. His claws turned into nails.

"Give him a blanket," Mr. Grammi ordered to Miss Linsay. The nurse conjured a large cover. She uttered a spell to make the blanket levitate into the locked cage and land on Lupin's back.

"Now," Mr. Grammi said, "we will know if it really worked." He pointed his wand at Lupin. "Ennervate!"

Lupin's eyes flew open suddenly. He raised his chest and pulled the covers around him. He looked around with a panicked look.

"It's all right, Remus," Madam Pomfrey said. "You're in Hogwarts. In the Shrieking Shack."

"W... why...?" Lupin asked. His teeth chattered.

"The potion won't last," Severus said to Mr. Grammi. "It may only work for twenty minutes."

"Madam Pomfrey," Mr. Grammi said, "maybe you should bring back the Headmaster."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and left the room quickly.

"W--?" Lupin asked.

"You have remained a werewolf for more than a month, Lupin," Severus interrupted. "I've prepared a potion to cure you, but the effects are short-lived. You must tell us exactly what happened. As such, I will be able to brew a better concoction next time. You will turn back into a werewolf in a few minutes."

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"Remus," Dumbledore said. "I am glad the potion worked."

"Harry," Lupin whispered. "How is Harry?"

"He's fine," Dumbledore replied.

"He wanted me to kill him," Lupin said.

"Who?" Dumbledore asked.

"Voldemort," Lupin retorted. The healers and Madam Pomfrey flinched. "He starved me. He penetrated my mind and forced me to focus on Harry's image. Bellatrix stuck a needle full of something into my arm. I hardly remember what happened next. I think Voldemort controlled my mind. I have the vague dream of having walked into the Forbidden Forest. Then... I don't know. Did I... hurt someone?"

"No," Dumbledore replied.

"Yes," Severus responded at the same time. Dumbledore threw him a reproachful stare.

"Who?" Lupin gasped.

"You tried to attack Harry," Dumbledore replied. "But Professor Burns protected him. You injured her, but she is cured now."

"Did I--?" Lupin queried. His face turned white.

"No," Dumbledore responded. "You did not bite her."

"You could have," Severus retorted coldly.

"But you did not," Dumbledore cut the conversation short. "Do you remember anything else, Remus?"

"No," Lupin responded. "I just... I went back to my apartment, and... I fell unconscious. When I woke up, Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange were in front of me. That's all."

"I see," Dumbledore replied.

Severus had heard enough. He had never liked Lupin, but he had tolerated him because of Katarina. He would work on a potion to help him, but he would certainly not stay around him.

"I'll go back to my office," he said. He turned back and, without waiting for an answer, left the room. When he went downstairs, he saw that Burns was seated on a chair. She was staring at the floor, deep in thought.

"Professor Burns?" Severus whispered.

She raised her head, but she didn't reply.

"What are--?" Severus queried.

"I'm waiting for Professor Dumbledore," Burns interrupted.

"He's upstairs," Severus replied. "With Lupin. I brought the healers a potion. Lupin turned back into a man, but the effects of the potion are short-lived." Severus looked at his watch. "In less than ten minutes," he said, "Lupin will transform again." He paused. "You should go and see him now."

"No," Burns snapped. "I want to see Dumbledore."

Severus was puzzled. She didn't want to see Lupin? Why?

"Do you still think I want to poison him?" Severus hissed.

Burns sighed. "I don't know," she replied coldly. "I don't know why or how. I don't know what your aim is. And for the moment, I really don't care. I have a big headache, I'm tired, and I just want to see Dumbledore.

"But Lupin--" Severus continued.

"Lupin has suffered enough," Burns interrupted. "He's a werewolf. He lost his best friends and his mother. And he has just spent a terrible month as a beast. He doesn't need to suffer more. He has learnt to live without my presence for fifteen years. It'll be easier for him to accept my death if he doesn't see me."

Severus' arched an eyebrow. She didn't want Lupin to get attached to her? Nor Potter? That was why she rejected the werewolf?

"Easier for Lupin," Severus replied. "But terrible for me."

"Yeah, and terrible for Voldie," Burns said sarcastically.

Severus' heart sank. He was about to reply, but they heard a loud howl coming from upstairs. Dumbledore entered the room.

"Oh, Professor Burns," the Headmaster said. Burns stood up and joined Dumbledore.

Severus knew he couldn't say anything more. Not now. He left. When he was walking to the castle, he thought of his seventh year. The year his life had changed. Yet, it had started badly...

***

Hogwarts, the fourth of September, Severus' seventh year.

Severus and Burns were in the Potions class for their extra Potions lessons.

"I said three minutes!!!" Severus yelled. He quickly pulled the cauldron off of the flames. "Bloody, stupid Gryffindor!" he barked. "The Potion was supposed to turn red, not black!!!"

Severus had resumed his old habits, just like before the summer holidays. Maybe he had missed them a little. He had almost forgotten how pleasant it was to anger her.

"Don't yell at me, Snivellus!" Kat replied loudly. "You were supposed to supervise me! And I really thought it was boiling for two minutes!"

"You thought?!" Severus shouted. "Haven't you checked?! You have a watch, just use it! And by the way, do the same with your little brain!!!"

"Shut up, Snivellus!" Burns replied. "You also have shampoo in your bathroom, just use it!!!"

Severus raised an eyebrow. That was a sharp reply. Now she was winning! Although he hadn't wanted to, his face turned red. Burns wasn't so mean the last time he had seen her, was she?

"I promise I'll hex you next time I cross your path!" he yelled.

He wouldn't let her take advantage of him.

"Maybe you should try to teach me before hexing me!" she exclaimed. "If you weren't always shouting at me for nothing, maybe I could succeed!"

"I think a Skrewt would be a better student than you!" Severus hissed.

"Greasy bastard!" Burns replied with anger.

"Bloody bitch!" he retorted.

"Wash your hair!" she yelled.

"Shut your big mouth!" he responded furiously.

"Even with my mouth shut, I tell cleverer things than you do!" she replied.

"You look cleverer when your mouth is shut!" he retorted.

"That's enough, Snake!" she interrupted, deforming his name. "Why can't you just teach me normally, for once! Is it really impossible for you to call a truce for one hour? To forget this stupid Gryffindor/Slytherin war for JUST ONE BLOODY HOUR?!"

"One hour with you is enough to remind me why our two houses hate each other!" he replied meanly.

BANG! She violently hit her desk with her fist. Then she sighed deeply.

"You are really getting on my nerves," she whispered. She looked discouraged and tired. "All that hate... Just because of two gits who died a long time ago... Just because Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor couldn't bear each other, the fate of the two houses is sealed. Things will never change!" She sighed again. "Can't people have normal relations instead of fighting all the time? It's war and we waste our time squabbling stupidly."

"It doesn't bother your friends, apparently!" Severus replied, furiously. "Famous Potter and wonderful Black!" Dumbledore had forbidden him from talking about what had happened with the werewolf. But not talking about something didn't mean forgetting, and certainly not forgiving.

"I told them to leave you alone!" Burns responded. "I often told them! I don't know why they attack you all the time! I don't understand why! Even if you are insufferable!"

Severus wouldn't let her tragic tone mess all that he had done! He hated her, that was all!

"It doesn't change anything!" Severus snapped. She could be persuasive. He had to keep his guard up. "I still--"

"Yeah, I know, you still hate me," Burns interrupted. She looked bored. "You should change your record sometimes!"

"Silly--" Severus retorted.

"...Miss-Know-It-All," Burns continued with a dull voice. "Yeah, I know... Now, you are going to grumble," she added.

He frowned.

"Bloody--" he replied.

"...Mudblood's friend," she went on. "Yeah, I still remember that part."

***

Frustrated. That was the way Severus Snape had felt after that first extra Potions lesson of the year. The Potions master remembered the incoherent thoughts and feelings that had come to him...

***

Hogwarts, the fourth of September, Severus' seventh year.

Severus left the Potions class, angry and confused. At first, it had been fun to be mean with Burns, to squabble with her and get on her nerves, but she had got the upper hand too often. And then the lesson had ended. He had felt it too short, a sensation of unfinished things, that he didn't do all that he wanted to do. He had so many other nasty things to tell her, and one bloody hour was not enough for that! He felt furious! Next time, he would be sharper, meaner, and colder than ever.

He descended the stairs, when he heard some whispers. Severus stopped. The voices echoed in the empty corridors. Severus was able to hear everything. How lucky he was! Potter and Black's voices! What were they planning? Potter, or Plotter as Severus called him, and Black, were always plotting against him. And whether it was against him or not, there was no reason for him not to know what was going on. After all, Severus could have been killed by Lupin because of Black. And Dumbledore had only given the bloody bastard detention! Severus' jaws clenched. He wanted Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew to pay. Severus pricked up his ears.

"That will happen tonight," Potter said. "We planned it around one o'clock in the morning."

"Are you sure that everything will be all right, Prongs?" Black asked. "It would be terrible if someone saw me!"

Well, well, well... How interesting that was!

"I'm certain, Padfoot," Potter replied. "We'll have to pay attention. If Dumbledore discovers you, mate, you'll be expelled!"

And that was even better. Expelled? It sounded good to Severus' ears.

"What about Filch?" Black asked.

"Don't worry," Potter replied, "I'll take care of him. He'll be too busy to go to the Restricted Section. Then you'll be free to go there and steal it."

Black would steal something in the Restricted Section? What did he want to steal? And... he would do it all alone?

"Shhh," Black interrupted. "I think we should talk about it in our common room. It's too dangerous here!"

Damn! Severus made his decision. Tonight, he would go to the library. He would wait for Black. When the bastard came to the Restricted Section, Severus would hex him from behind. Then Severus would go and bring Professor Blazy.

***

Professor Burns returned to her office. Dumbledore had said Lupin had come back to his normal state for a few minutes. Burns sat on her chair and closed her eyes. Lupin had turned back to himself for just a few minutes... She hoped the potion didn't have awful 'unexpected' effects. Unexpected for the healers, but planned by someone else. Snivellus had always hated Lupin. After all, Snivelly had tried to take revenge on him once. Or was it on Sirius? Impossible to remember. Burns sighed. Anyway, if she wanted everything to be in order before her death, she had to classify those damn Pensieves quickly...

***

Hogwarts, the fourth of September, Katarina's seventh year.

Katarina and Peter chatted in their common room. Sirius and James entered. They were laughing hard, until their eyes were full of tears. They held their bellies and almost fell on the floor, their faces red. Katarina wondered what was going on.

"So, what's so funny?" Peter asked, amused.

"We... we..." said Sirius. He burst into laughter again.

James tried to calm down, but he couldn't do better than Sirius. After a few minutes, they managed to utter a few comprehensible words. James took his glasses off and wiped his eyes.

"We were in the corridors," Sirius said, "when we saw Snivellus' name on the Marauder's Map. So we... spoke as if we had a dangerous and well-hidden secret."

Katarina looked at them. She raised an eyebrow.

"But you do," she said. "Remus' secret."

"Er... yes," James replied. He cleared his throat. He looked awkward. "Not that secret. But a mysterious thing a certain person wants to steal in the Restricted Section tonight at one o'clock!"

Oh, God! What had they done? For Katarina, it sounded like a bad joke.

Sirius and James burst into laughter again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Peter asked.

"We made Snivellus believe that Padfoot will steal something in the Restricted Section," James replied.

"Why?" Katarina asked. She frowned.

"Because old Snivelly wants to take revenge on me!" Sirius retorted.

From Sirius? It sounded strange to Katarina. Why especially Sirius? Severus hated James too.

"And because it was fun," James added.

"Anyway," Sirius continued, "We said that if someone discovered us, I could be expelled! I bet that Snivelly will go and check it out himself! He'll be disappointed!" Sirius grinned. "Maybe expelled, if we're lucky!"

Peter joined them and burst into laughter.

"That's bad," Katarina said.

"Bad?" Sirius asked. "We didn't force him to listen! It's very bad to spy!"

"Are you sure he heard you?" Katarina queried.

"Well," James said. "Considering the fact that his name stopped moving on the map, I think he did!"

Katarina didn't say anything. She felt sad for Severus. Even if he was always awful with her, even if he spied on Sirius and James, Katarina felt in her heart that she couldn't let him go there and be caught.

***

Severus Snape entered his chambers and ordered a cup of tea. Then he lay on his bed and kept thinking of that day, the fourth of September, when Black and Potter had played a new joke on him. For once, one of their pranks did not end too badly...

***

Hogwarts, the fourth of September, Severus' seventh year.

Severus didn't return to the Slytherin common room in the evening. He wanted revenge from Black. He had waited for the occasion so long. He couldn't let it go. The corridors which led to the library were shrouded in darkness, lit by the rays of the full moon. Severus walked along them. He looked around every minute, in case Filch would cross his path. Potter had probably not taken care of Filch yet, since it was just midnight. But Severus wanted to be in the library before Black arrived. Severus found himself in front of the locked library's door. "Alohomora!" he uttered. Then he entered noiselessly and reached the Restricted Section.

"I knew you would come!" A voice exclaimed behind him. Severus jumped. He turned around. Burns? What was the stupid girl doing in the library?

"What are you doing here?" he replied, angrily. "Of course, Miss Know-It-All spying on me? What a surprise!"

"You can speak, Snivellus!" she replied with a smirk. "Spying is a speciality of yours!"

"And talking nonsense is yours!" he retorted.

"You'll get in trouble if someone finds you here at night!" Burns said.

"So what?" Severus replied. "This is none of your business!"

"This is my business!" Burns retorted. "My friends played a bad joke on you, and I must repair the damage!"

What was she talking about? A joke?

"How do you know it was a joke?" Severus asked. "They didn't see me!"

"Of course, they did!" Burns replied. "They knew you were spying on them, wandering around! They gave you bad information!"

"I repeat my question," Severus said. "How do you know that was a joke?"

"Oh God, Severus!" Burns rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever think? They are my friends! Sirius and James, the most arrogant guys in the school. It wasn't hard to get them to brag about their latest trick!"

Severus considered her a minute. Why had she come? Had she planned something against him? No, she was much too kind for that. Idiot girl!

"Since they are not here, I suppose they did," Severus said finally. "How did you follow me? I didn't see you!"

"I can be very discreet," Burns responded.

Severus smirked. That was a very good occasion to be mean.

"Really?" he said. "I didn't know discretion was one of your best talents! Making potions explode is not very discreet!"

"I should have let you get in trouble, bastard!!!" Burns exclaimed.

He had succeeded. She was angry. However, she hit him on the shoulder.

"Ow! Don't hit me!" he replied. He pushed her backwards. She fell onto the floor.

"Ouch!" she screamed.

All right, maybe he shouldn't have pushed her. Severus hoped that she hadn't been hurt too much. However, he was not going to tell her.

"Shut up!" he menaced. "You will alert Filch!"

The door of the library opened.

"Is there anyone here?" the voice of the caretaker said. "I warn you, nobody is allowed to walk in the school by night! I think I'll use some new techniques of torture this evening... Go, Mrs. Danvers, find the imprudent student!"

"Shit!" Burns murmured.

"Now, you've done it!" Severus whispered. "We'll be expelled!"

"What? I didn't do anything," Burns retorted. "I tried to help you! Ok... come here..." she said. She held him by the arm. She lured him into one of the aisles of the library and picked up something lying on the floor.

"Is it...?" Snape asked.

"Yes, it's an invisibility cloak," she replied. "And if you tell anyone, you'll regret it! I don't know if Mrs. Danvers can see through it, but it's our only chance! Come on!"

They sat in a corner, against the wall and the big shelves, and hid themselves behind the cloak. The cloak was not very large, so they were obliged to remain very close, squeezed to each other.

"What are you... doing?" Severus said. He was not at ease in this position. He was much too close to her. Disgusting! Like when he had received her letter. He knew he wouldn't forget their filthy closeness. That made him sick. He had butterflies in his stomach. A curious impression. He felt agitated.

"Shhh!" retorted Burns.

They didn't move and remained silent for several minutes. Then Severus saw the light of Filch's lantern. The caretaker observed the library with a great attention. At his right, his cat was looking around. The fire light of the torch flashed in Mrs. Danvers' eyes. The cat turned to the corner where Severus and Burns were hidden, as if she had seen something. Burns shivered. She unconsciously pressed more closely to Severus. He noticed.

That was strange. How could he be so ill and find that so pleasant? He could smell the delicate fragrance of her hair. Vanilla. His heart beat faster. His hands were moist. That sensation was uncomfortable, but he would have liked it to last.

Then the cat went to the left and Filch followed her. The caretaker grumbled. After a while, Severus heard him close the door of the library.

"He left," Burns said. She sighed. "You shouldn't have come, Severus. If I didn't have this cloak, you would have been expelled!"

She removed the cloak and turned back to him. The silver ray of the full moon filtered through the window and lit her face. Severus hardly breathed. He stared at her green eyes, then at her lips. He found her so beautiful... Suddenly, he seized her by her shoulders, leant and kissed her passionately.

He didn't know why he had done something so stupid, why he had felt like this. It had just been stronger than him. As if he'd finally done something he wanted for so long. But there was something even more surprising, something he couldn't understand. Why had she returned the kiss? She had put her arms around his neck, as they were kissing. A wonderful kiss.

At least, it had been wonderful until the moment she had suddenly broken the kiss. He heard her startled breath. Saw the scared expression on her face. She had looked completely lost, disorientated. "Whaw," she said, standing and running from the library. Her cloak lay forgotten on the floor.

Severus felt hurt. That, he had understood! Of course, she had been disgusted. Why had he kissed her? What was he thinking? And, the worst of all, he had to teach her Potions the following day. Life really sucked!

***

Burns grimaced. Those memories were like Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans. You never knew what you were going to get. And Burns hated this memory. Katarina and Snape's first kiss on that bloody day. Why hadn't she cursed him? Why the hell had she returned his bloody kiss? How stupid she had been! But of course, Snivellus had known that he could take advantage of her...

***

Hogwarts, the fifth of September, Katarina's seventh year.

Katarina left the girls dormitories to go to the Potions class for her extra lessons. When she entered the Gryffindor common room, she heard Sirius' agreeable and gentle voice speaking to her.

"WHY DID YOU GO AND HELP SNIVELLUS?" Sirius yelled. "WE SAW YOU ON THE MAP!"

Of course they had seen her! That was the reason why she avoided them since breakfast! He, James, and Peter had probably been staring at the Map the whole night in their Animagus form. How tempting to see Severus discovered and expelled!

"Because I had to repair the damage!" Katarina replied. "And I don't regret it. You shouldn't have done that!"

"DO YOU REALISE THAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN EXPELLED?" James shouted too. "We all worried, when Filch entered the library! How did you manage to get out of there?"

"I had my invisibility cloak," she replied. "And maybe you should stop shouting, James, or Lily could hear what you wanted to do! I don't think that would please her!"

James didn't reply.

"You showed Snivellus your cloak?" Sirius asked, angrily. "He will tell everyone you have one!"

"I had to use it," Katarina replied. "And believe me, he won't tell anyone. And by the way, that is none of your business, Sirius!"

She left without adding anything. She really didn't care about Sirius and James' reactions for the moment. Severus had missed both breakfast and lunch.

She entered her Potions class. He was not there yet. And he used to be very punctual! Katarina knew that was because of her. She had a heavy heart, and also felt angry. He avoided her! If only they could speak about that! He had kissed her! Severus Snape, the most inaccessible and coldest guy in the entire world, had kissed her. What was that supposed to mean? He kept telling her he hated her! Did he have a crush on her? But if he had, why was he so sharp with her, although she tried to be as kind as she could with him?

Katarina knew Severus would refuse to speak about the kiss. He would deny everything, especially after the way she had escaped the previous night. But she had been so surprised! And scared! She didn't expect him to kiss her! If it had been Sirius, he would have probably tried. But Severus? That was highly impossible. And yet...

Katarina felt really anxious. She had to make Severus speak about what had happened. But it would be like facing a wall. Maybe she just had to follow her intuition? She took a deep breath to give herself courage.

***

Severus remembered the agitation that had taken him after that first - and wonderful - kiss. His anger, for having been rejected by Katarina. He had felt it like a humiliation...

***

Hogwarts, the fifth of September, Severus' seventh year.

Severus was more irate than ever. When he finally decided to enter the Potions class and found himself alone with Burns, his whole attitude was murderous. He threw her invisibility cloak onto the table without looking at her.

"Let's do this stupid Potions lesson!" he said sharply. He hated her and he wanted her to know. That kiss had been a mistake. He had been caught off guard! The vanilla probably. Bloody girl!

"Hmmm... yes..." Burns replied in murmur. She looked disorientated.

Fine, she seemed to have got the message.

"What antidote do you use, when you've been bitten by a poisonous dragon?" Severus asked coldly.

"I don't know..." Burns replied. "Maybe... maybe something with a bezoar," she said, confused.

"That's insufficient!" he hissed. "You haven't revised, I guess," he said ironically.

Yes, that was it. Making fun of her abilities again. Pushing her to her limits. Today, she would have enough and abandon his class. Her choice.

"I have revised!" she retorted. "But I haven't read anything about it!"

"The Subtle Art of Potions for NEWTs Students! Chapter three, 'Heals and wounds'!" he said icily. "But, of course, you haven't done your reading before coming here, as always! I suppose you had some other things to do with your so smart friends!"

"You're right!" she exclaimed. "I had to focus on something else, like helping a stupid Slytherin to find his way back to his dormitories last night!"

Ouch! The situation escaped his control. He didn't want to speak about that humiliating night!

"I didn't need the help of a boring, little, pretentious girl!" he whispered under his breath. "I didn't ask you for anything!" he shouted finally.

"And I didn't ask to be taught by a ridiculous, brainless git!" she yelled.

Bloody Gryffindor! He hated her! Didn't she see how much he hated her?

"Fine!" he bellowed. "I'll give up! I won't spend my time with you anymore! Trying to explain the subtle art of potions to you is impossible!!!"

"The subtle art of potions?" She laughed.

Was she making fun of him? Bloody... bloody bitch!

"You know your classics!" she said, pointing to her potions textbook.

Severus snorted. He was upset.

"You know what an impossible mission to accomplish really is?" Burns continued. "Having a civilised discussion with you!" she yelled. "You know what? You should prepare a good-mood potion and drink it! Maybe it would solve your problems!"

"Drink an anti-insupportable-stupid-girls potion, and it'll resolve all my problems!" Severus replied, angrily. Who did that girl think she was?

"I believe you are the problem!" Burns said. "You say awful things to me, you torture me, and then you kiss me?! What sort of guy are you?"

Danger. She had mentioned the kiss. Since she didn't want to leave, he had to. This was an emergency.

"That's enough!" Severus interrupted. "I don't want to hear more!" He stood up.

However, Burns seized him firmly by the arm.

"Not so quick, Mr. Snape, you won't escape like that!!!" she said. "You owe me a frank explanation! And believe me, I won't let you leave this room until everything is cleared up!"

"Leave me alone!" he barked. Sadistic, clever girl! He was trapped!

"Severus, we must speak about what happened last night!"

"I don't want to speak about it!" he replied coldly.

"But I do!" Burns exclaimed.

"And I don't want to!" he retorted louder. He hated her so much!

"We kissed, Severus!" Burns shouted. "We need to talk about it! It was so... so weird!" She sighed.

Weird? Severus' eyes opened wide. Now, he was more than upset. Weird???

"Weird?!" he yelled. "All right, I get it! Kissing Severus Snape is weird! I suppose you told your friends! The best way to humiliate me! Severus Snape is a bad kisser!"

"No, cretin," Burns shouted, "you don't understand! That was great!"

Severus blinked. He was shocked and stopped speaking for a few seconds. "So it was weird because you didn't expect me to be a good kisser?!" He replied with fury. "That's so much better!"

"Severus, it's not that at all!"

"What is it then?" Severus continued furiously. "Were you comparing my technique to Black's, your lover?"

"I... What?" Burns exclaimed. She looked surprised. "I don't date him! He's just a friend!"

"...And I guess the comparison was weird!" Severus added.

"Oh, Severus, shut up!" Burns interrupted. "The weird thing was what I felt when you kissed me, idiot!"

Severus suddenly kept silent. She had hit on something. It was as if he had been knocked with a club. He was unable to continue thinking or speaking.

"Now, you should say something," Burns said after a few embarrassing long seconds. She blushed.

"What you felt when I kissed you?" Severus repeated, dumbfounded. "I... I don't get it," he said, losing all his assurance.

She looked down the floor shyly. She sighed. Then she seemed to make a decision. She looked up and came closer. Severus' anger had faded; he felt really scared. He didn't control anything! And she was much too close. He was not used to those situations, not used to be approached by someone like her. Not used to enjoying such closeness.

"Boys will be boys," Burns said. She seemed to be exasperated. She held him by the neck and kissed him as passionately as the previous night.

"Is that clear?" she added when the kiss ended.

"Well..." he said, amazed and breathless. He was still scared, but he was under her spell. "Not... not yet..." he replied. He kissed her again.

***

The Potions master smiled slightly. How scared he had been when he had realised Katarina had kissed him...

***

Hogwarts, the fifth of September, Severus' seventh year.

Severus was seated, dumbfounded, in the empty Slytherin common room. "That is actually weird," he thought. He and Burns had kissed intensely for a minute. Then he had left quickly, pretending he had something important to do, leaving her alone in the classroom. He had raced to the Slytherin common room, before stopping to catch his breath.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed to himself, not knowing what else to say. "Oh my God!" This time, she had kissed him. And he had kissed her back, without being aware of what he was doing. Oh, God, she was a bloody Gryffindor! And he was her worst enemy, a Slytherin! A bloody Slytherin, he thought in spite of himself. He was completely lost and panicked as if he had done something very bad, although it had been more than pleasant.

"What are you talking about?" he said loudly. "She just makes me sick!" he exclaimed, trying to convince himself he had not liked the kiss. "I hate her!" But, in spite of all his bad thoughts, he couldn't prevent himself from grinning.

"Stop that!" he ordered. "Now, she makes you smile! She's evil, very, very evil!" he said, seeing her in his mind again. "Oh, God!!!" he shouted, "Just go!!! I don't need to see you in front of me! Just leave me alone!"

But the image didn't leave.

"Has she cast a spell on me, to make me think of her like that? She must be the descendant of a Veela! You should hear me, you, stupid, irritating, beautiful girl! Leave me alone!!!"

Had he really called her a beautiful girl? What was going on with him? Was he going mad? Then the words she told him came back to him: 'The weird thing was what I felt when you kissed me, idiot!' Why had she said that? But he knew exactly what she meant.

"Oh, no... what will the other Slytherins say?" he feared suddenly. But the strange thing was that he didn't care. Did he actually care for her??? That was definitely weird! And, just for a minute, even if he would have died rather than admitting it, he thought of what it would be like to just be with her, without the barrier of Houses.

The following day, Severus had to give Burns another lesson, especially since he had missed the previous one. He decided to enter the class, conceited and proud, ready to tell her that everything had been a terrible mistake, the result of a bet with the other Slytherins. She would be furious, she would hate him, he would be disappointed... disappointed? And she would leave him alone. He just wanted to be all alone... yes, that would be great... to be all alone... all alone... with her...

"Do not even think about that!" he said to himself, trying to correct the bad ideas which crossed his mind. "Shame on you, Severus! You dishonour the Slytherin House by thinking of kissing a Gryffindor!" he thought. "Even if she's gorgeous," he continued in his mind... "and clever, and kind, and brave..." he added without wanting it. "Oh, shut up!" he exclaimed.

He reached the Potions class and opened the door, self-confident. He knew exactly the words he was about to say. He had repeated the scene before the confrontation. He was strong, full of pride; a real Slytherin ready to hit a Gryffindor; ready to make her pay for having turned his head... Yes, he was ready.

Then he turned the handle and entered the room. Burns was seated at her place and stood up. She looked anxious. Of course, she didn't know what to expect from him. Severus felt dizzy. Suddenly, the scene he had directed in his head faded from his memory. He just came to her, held her by the shoulders and kissed her without a word.

"I'm glad you're here," said Burns, when their lips parted finally.

"So am I," he responded, kissing her again. At that moment, nothing mattered, not even the Slytherins. For Severus, she was the only one who really mattered.

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