The Web Wizard

The next morning, Tara woke up with a smile on her face. It was Friday, and she remembered the events of the night before, and felt a delicious tingle go through her body. She stretched, and Henry did too. She was glad she had such a large bed to sprawl out in with the cats.

Bouncing out of bed, she grabbed a Diet Pepsi out of her little refrigerator, and checked her e-mail. A message from her mom and another from Dumbledore with her to do list for that day, which wasn't too bad for a change.

She showered and dressed and heard a knock on the door. She went to the door in stockinged feet. She opened it and there was Severus.

"Good morning, Tara," he said softly, a smile playing on his lips.

"Good morning, Sev. I have to put my shoes on," she said, as he stepped inside behind her, and closed the door.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"Like I haven't for years!" she said, sighing happily. She pulled on one running shoe and tied it, then the other. Henry was doing a full windup around Severus's legs, meowing happily, and purring loudly. Heidi laid on the bed, looking up at him through almost closed, slitted eyelids, also purring.

"They like you," Tara commented, then went to the armoire and tried to decide which robe to wear over her jeans and t shirt.

"You look stunning in blue." Tara turned around and smiled, and chose the blue one, and put it on.

"Now don't get the idea you're always going to get your way," she warned, fastening it around her.

"I never said, it was just a suggestion."

"I know, I know."

She grabbed her fanny pack, then thought a moment. "I don't smoke anymore. I don't need to take this, unless I'm taking pictures...think think think...hang on!"

She glided over to her computer to pull up her Palm Desktop software to check her schedule. No pictures were scheduled, but she did need to take her tool bag with her laptop in it. She grabbed it from its shelf and she was ready to go.

"Okay, I'm ready."

He extended his arm to her, and then pulled her close and kissed her. Her world began to sway slowly and she almost fell over when they separated. He caught her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, touched by her reaction.

"Like I said...a wizard's kiss is really an awful lot for a mere muggle to bear..."

She opened the door, and they walked out, arm in arm, and right at that moment, Dumbledore happened by. He saw them both leaving her room and wondered what was going on. They hadn't seen him, so he just let it go and headed down to the hall himself, walking quietly, some distance behind them.

It was obvious what the relationship was turning to, and Albus was pleased to see his potions master happy for a change. Young Tara obviously made him feel so.

The students in the hall all hushed when the two walked in, smiling and talking. They had never seen Snape crack a smile - not ever. The pair split up to sit in their respective seats. M squeezed Tara's hand.

"Is it true then?" she asked her.

"Is what true?"

"You and the Professor."

"Yes, I guess it is," she said, and felt a flutter and looked over to find Severus looking at her, enchantedly. She smiled at him, and held his gaze with her own.

Hagrid burst into the room, looking flustered. "Sorry I'm late, but we had a little plumbing problem this morning. Someone flushed a whole bunch of these rolled up paper things down the toilet and we had to run a--"

"That'll keep, Rubeus. We are trying to eat breakfast here," Albus told him.

Paper rolled up things? Oh no. Tara looked nervously over at Severus and he looked at her knowingly. She had plugged up the ancient plumbing with her smoke-ending toilet ritual.

Dumbledore had begun speaking and the new Defense against the Dark Arts Instructor, Professor Chloe Perl, seated next to Snape had to elbow him. "Would you two get a room or something?" Chloe said in a whisper. Snape scowled and regained his composure. Tara cleared her throat. She felt like she was 12 years old with her first crush! Concentrate. Don't lose it. You're an adult. Act like one. She continued lecturing herself and managed to calm down and get through breakfast. But afterwards, she started to go outside and remembered no. She had given up her smoking. She gritted her teeth and wished she had one of those patch things. She went outside anyway to get some air. Severus followed her.

Tara went outside to where she used to go to smoke and looked out over the railing and inhaled deeply. She was definitely edgy.

"Tara, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I am just jonesing for a smoke."

"You're what?"

"It's called withdrawal!" she snapped. "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I hope I don't become a colossal bitch. Sheesh...a colossal fat whale bitch..."

"How so?"

"Well, people who quit smoking typically gain weight and I'm not exactly svelte as it is," she said patting her midsection. "Thank heavens I get to wear lots of robes around this place! Nothing else may fit me in a few weeks!"

"I don't like skinny females," he told her.

"That's sweet of you to say," she said. He was holding both of her hands, and then leaned down to kiss her. "Your breath is nice and sweet now," he reminded her, and kissed her again.

"Sev, someone might see us..."

"Let them!"

"Now that is very out of character for you. What did you do, make yourself some kind of potion?" she accused. He was taken aback, hurt.

"Of course not! What do you take me for? Do you think that I am not capable of such feelings and actions all by myself? Do you think me some sort of heartless creature?" He was very angry with her and she felt her heart skip a few beats and a wave of fear and nausea go through her.

"It's just - you went from this moody bastard - oh never mind. I'm sorry," she wailed, and walked quickly away from him.

He was a little surprised at how hurt and angry he felt. Moody bastard? She had really gotten to him. Perhaps it was all a mistake, getting sweet on a muggle. Or anyone for that matter.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Snape turned to see Dumbledore, looking a little bit sad.

"It's all a mistake. Muggles...She can be the most challenging--"

"Severus, they all are. Muggle or not," Albus told him.

Tara was running up the stairs now. She knew she was going to cry and had to get up to her room before anyone saw. Breathless, she opened the door and slammed it behind her and threw herself down on her bed, sobbing. She was so pissed off at herself, she had screwed up a delicate situation and now she felt like a fool. She wanted a cigarette really badly now but then remembered her toilet ceremony. She began cursing herself some more, realizing she was having a full fledged teenaged heartbreak tantrum, and had to get hold of herself.

She had to get through this. At least they hadn't slept together; the relationship was basically only hours old. She slid off the bed and checked her e-mail, and began working on the design for the site. She had almost enough material. Then she closed all of her applications and there was her new wallpaper on her computer; the photo of the end of their dance. A lump rose in her throat and she wondered how she could be so upset with such a new relationship ending abruptly. The intensity. That had to be.

Tara laid low all day. She even arranged for M to bring her dinner to her. She came in and found Tara lying in bed, with dark circles under her puffy eyes.

"Oh Tara, what is the matter? We haven't seen you all day..."

"I know. I fu---screwed up!" She told her what had happened. "So it's over as quickly as it started and it's all my fault, and I'm so stupid! I called him a moody bastard and I plugged up the plumbing!" she sobbed, as M took her in her arms.

"Plugged up the plumbing?"

"Yes. I quit smoking and flushed all of my cigarettes down the toilet," she sobbed. M couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "You won't tell anyone, will you? Only one person besides you knows....he was here..."

"Oh, I see. Well your secret is safe with me, and I'm sure he won't say anything either."

She comforted her friend, and then gestured towards the meal she had brought in. She had set it on the small table in Tara's sitting area.

"I don't really think I can eat," she said.

"You need to, otherwise you'll get sick. You don't want to do that, do you?"

"No..."

She sat down and frowned at the food she was supposed to eat. This wasn't going to happen, she could tell. She took a few bites of her salad but that was all.

"Maybe I should stick this in the fridge' and eat it later," she said.

"Okay well I'll leave it. You're sure you'll be all right?"

"I'm fine."

In his dungeon, Severus was working on a potion to demonstrate for the first years. Something simple, but challenging, but he couldn't concentrate. He got up and wandered by the storage room where Tara played the piano. There was no music or light coming out the window. He frowned, feeling empty. He shouldn't have gotten so upset with her, but she really riled him up, questioning his feelings. He hadn't realized how much he had exposed to her, and she really had struck a nerve with her doubt. He had no idea how to win her back, or if it had all just been a terrible mistake on his part.

The days dragged on and one day Seth came looking for Tara. He found her installing software on some of the PCs in the Slytherin house. It was mid afternoon on a Wednesday, so the students were all in class, and Tara made sure Snape was too.

"I haven't seen you in a long time," Seth said, entering the room. She looked up and forced a smile at him. "Yeah, I've been kind of busy is all," she said.

"That's not what I heard."

She frowned. "Does all of Europe know?"

"Practically. Now we can still be friends, can't we? I'd like to take you to dinner. Cheer you up. I heard you've been holing up in your quarters every night and having your meals sent up there."

"Well, yes...but I'm okay."

"You won't have dinner with me?"

Tara sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know. I don't want to lead you on or anything."

"You wouldn't be. I enjoy your company. Please say you'll come out with me?"

"Well, if you're going to whine about it," she said with a small laugh. He smiled; he enjoyed her teasing.

"If you want to go grab a drink at a pub first, are you almost done?"

"Yeah, this is just about done--there it goes." She stood up and grabbed her tool bag, and they walked out together. She had to go up the stairs to her room to drop off her tool bag. It was much easier to get up the stairs now - she could breathe so much better and felt much better. She hadn't gained weight either; but then again, she wasn't exactly eating. She ate a tiny bit each day and if anything, she was losing weight.

She opened up her door and locked it behind her, then ran right into Severus Snape, literally. "Oh God. Oops, gotta go," she said with a quick but frightened smile, and literally ran down the stairs from him. Where was she going in such a hurry? He had wanted to see if she could come and fix the computer in the dungeon, it suddenly couldn't get on the network, but she was gone in a flash. So much for that. He wondered where she was going and with whom. His question was soon answered when he saw Seth with Tara securely mounted on a broomstick fly past, and in the direction of London. He sighed, feeling a pang of remorse and jealousy. She's his problem now, he told himself.

He turned and went back down to his dungeon. To hell with her!