1996-01-20: Never Doubt

Participants:

Snape_icon.gif Siobhan_icon.gif

Scene Title Never Doubt
Synopsis Siobhan and Severus spend their Saturday in experimental brewing. What they do with their Saturday night however … leads to some unexpected results.
Location Snape's Quarters
Date January 20, 1996
Watch For Weird magic, good smut, touch of romance NOTE: There are scenes of an adult nature included in this log. They are behind a collapsible tag. If you don't want to see them, don't click it, the log will read fine without it.
Logger The Bad Wolf

It's been a long day, but not in a dreary way at all. Severus Snape sits in 'his' chair, sipping at a glass of something, looking over his notes. He and Siobhan have been brewing together for a good portion of the day. By unspoken agreement, they haven't done anything more than touch lightly and make comments through the whole process, so his skin, his magic and his libido are all alight. He finishes writing down the notes on the process of brewing, and sets them aside, unable to focus. He sips slowly at his drink, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair impatiently. Tap, tap, tap. He's impatient, filled with expectation, but also nervous and unsure. It's still a very new thing — she wants him. She made the overt move. He stacks the parchments again, straightening them out, tapping them on the table together to align them, then sets them back down again.

After the two of them had cleaned the classroom and parted ways that evening, Siobhan had found that she had a rather full mind. Wandering the grounds ended up taking her to the clearing in the forest where her - at least in her own mind, it's her - herd likes to graze at twilight hours. Long minutes were spent walking among them, running hands over soft and slender necks, withers and rumps; pockets searched for treats and muzzles shoved against her face. It was comforting to be surrounded by the acceptance of the herd. No questions, just 'glad you're back'. It gave her time and space to think, sprawled out over Thanatos' bare back. This is a dangerous road to go down for her - her previous two attempts had ended up in severe heartbreak. She thought about that for a good three-quarters of an hour out there with nothing but 'horse smell' and night breezes for company. The last few days hadn't allowed for the chance to process. She needed that, just then. And yet…

And yet, when she finds herself standing in front of Circe's portrait, windswept and chilled, it's with a strange kind of peace. Despite everything, it feels right to push open the hidden door and step inside this place - just as she has a hundred times before and yet never done before. That has to mean something, right? And so, after everything, it's with clear eyes and a warm smile that she offers her silent greeting. And a gift. "Thought these might come in handy." A fistful of wiry black tail hairs is extended.

When Siobhan enters the room with no loud fuss, no fanfare, Severus seems to relax a little. He settles in his chair, looking up with quirked eyebrows. "Thestral hair? Indeed. I can definitely use them." There's a long pause before he realizes something needs to be added. "Thank you." Dark eyes, full of the intensity kept from their day together rake over her, both seeming to check safety and appreciate her beauty. He is very aware of their proximity — or lack thereof — and his magic seems almost to reach out toward hers without much thought.

Siobhan's grin grows into something brighter and yet more vulnerable. Nodding her acknowledgement of his thanks, she sets the hair carefully on his desk and then sheds her heavy coat, settling it on the back of his chair before leaning over said chair and kissing him - soft but quick. Her own magic jolts at the touch, very nearly leaping forward to twist and meet its complement. "Mind if I grab a drink?" she asks as she straightens. "It's gonna be a blizzard tonight."

Severus smirks when she kisses him, and his magic twines gently with the strands of sunlight twisting with his own. Instead of replying, he stands up, moving over to where the drinks are. "Rather, I shall get one for you." He quirks a brow at her again, asking silently what she wants to drink. "Well, then," he begins, unable to resist the cheesy innuendo she leaves herself open for, "we shall have to do our best to remain warm." He glances quickly toward the portrait, where Eileen is feigning sleep, he is sure. When Siobhan gives him her drink choice, he efficiently prepares it, and hands it to her, stepping into her 'space' slowly to do so. It's a slow, torturous dance, at least at the moment, and he's perfectly willing to keep teasing until one of them breaks. He's certain it won't take that long at all. To that end, as he passes her the glass, he lets his finger trail along her wrist and down her hand.

The gesture of civility surprises Siobhan a little - pleasantly so - and she leans her forearms once again on the back of the chair, one hip cocked out in a comfortable stance to watch him in. Since his back is turned for at least part of the time, she doesn't even bother to try and pretend her gaze isn't … wandering. She accepts her glass from him with a grin, giving her sunshine a little nudge when his fingers trail along her skin. The touch provides a very handy conduit for it to leap across, shooting up his arm to flare deep in his stomach. "Thank you." Simple words, but heartfelt. Even with a coat and warming charms, her skin is still cool from her outdoor jaunt and she tosses back the amber mead like a shot. Not so potent as whiskey, it nevertheless sets up a pleasant warmth in her chest. "Mmm, much better." Stepping around him - and doing so in close enough proximity to brush her arm against his - she perches on the arm of his chair. "Did I give you enough time to finish your notes?"

"Mmm-hmmm." Severus' wordless comment is enough answer for both. He closes his eyes, reveling in the touch of her magic. "It only took me a few minutes to write down my thoughts." There weren't many in his head, at least related to potions. With a shudder, he lowers his hand, resting it on the cocked hip, right where her jumper rises. He slides his hand around to her back, feeling the cold of her skin. "I see that you do need a little warmth. It appears your skin is rather cold right here."

Not for long, it isn't - not if that soft gasp is anything to go by. Sure enough, Siobhan's heart rate picks up, her breathing a little more shallow. Her mouth feels dry; she has to swallow a couple of times before she can say anything. "S'what I get for standing outside at twilight in a Scottish January." The hand not holding her now-empty glass reaches up to rest the palm against the side of his bare neck, thumb running lightly along his jaw. Her smile stretches into something electric and contagious. "Much better off in here where it's warm."

Much better. Severus clearly agrees. He lowers his head closer to hers, lips near her ear. "Perhaps, as we are behind wards, we may raise the temperature quite a bit more." He shifts a bit, leaning in to kiss her with a deep well of passion that flares quickly. After a few moments, he pulls back, holding out a hand for her to take, or, if she'd rather, to put her empty glass in. Either way works. "What, pray tell, was so fascinating outside at this time of night?" There is no censure in his tone, just low, dark curiosity.

Siobhan shivers, her whole body responding to his closeness, his touch… his mouth at her ear. When he kisses her like that, she lights up - almost literally - the full brunt of her golden magic pushing forward to mesh with his oceans. She returns it fiercely, the sheer force of their combined need making her so dizzy that she has to grip his shoulder with her other hand. Either she willed it away or he did or there's an empty glass rolling about on the floor somewhere. Whichever the case, she continues to need the balance he provides for a moment after he pulls back. "Quiet," she answers him breathlessly. "I go sit with the herd for a while when I need to think." Filters are pretty much gone, at least right now, so he gets the whole, unvarnished truth, even as she pulls the hand from his neck to rest it in his outstretched palm. "I needed to process." She knows it's cliche in the most horrid way, but so many things changed so drastically so quickly - and all at the same time - that she hadn't had a chance to really consider what it is she's doing. Lifting her eyes to his, she seems as if she's looking for something, though exactly what, she does not say. "I'll bring you, sometime. You'd like them, I think." In fact, he may be the only other person who shares her strange idea of beauty, for that's how she finds the 'heralds of death'. Beautiful; dark and beautiful.

"I think I'd like that." Filters are definitely translucent for him as well. They aren't completely gone yet, simply because they never are, however, they are as low as they have been around another person that wasn't his mother's portrait for a while. The oceans in his magical core seem to pale with the infusion of her magic, and like a bowl overfull, the 'water' pours from his skin, warming further and seeming to steam directly into her own magical center. "It is often hard to find a place to gather one's thoughts in this hotbed of adolescent humanity." He pulls on her arm, hoping to pull her to a standing position. "The only place I have found is here, through that door, though it isn't completely secluded — usually." Tonight, he's got everything sealed off. There may be an alert on his Floo and door, but tonight, he's unreachable. He leans back in to her, bringing his free hand up to her side, slowly sliding under the edge of her jumper again, stroking slowly on the soft skin. "I recall watching you when we were first focusing to find our magics. You looked so serene. I noticed …" For a moment he pauses, freeing the hand in hers, running it down her cheek. "I noticed your strength then. Not the strength of your magic," though he has noticed that, "but your strong force of will. You would not be denied the one concession from your experience." His voice is full of admiration, and he pulls her closer, into a proper embrace.

That flowing over seems to fill Siobhan with a weightlessness - a freedom from burdens that seem ready to drag her under - that she hasn't felt in … well, for several years at least. With so much of her magic flowing forth and his flowing back, it's hard for her to tell where he ends and she begins. Shaking her head slightly to try and clear it, she stands, leaning into him, into that embrace, and wrapping her small arms around his middle, hands fisting in the fabric over his shoulder blades. She laughs, the sound soft and heated against his neck. "I should have known something was up the night you burned me." Deflecting the compliment and focusing on the mention of their mutual work. "Your magic up my arm felt so good," she purrs, rubbing her cheek on his chest. Her hands slide down his back, but the layered black teaching robes don't give her such easy access to skin as her jumper gives him. Somehow, that strikes her as funny, though her voice is soft and heavy with desire. "You sure don't make this easy." Since she can't get to skin, she'll content herself for the moment with resting both hands on his hips, running a thumb over the protruding joint.

"And your magic is warmth both inside and out." Severus is growing intoxicated with her scent and her presence. "I am curious to see if you can get your little wisps of sunshine to remedy the situation." He is unafraid of her magic damaging him, not when the intent is so important. "But, perhaps, such an attempt should be made …" He tilts his head toward the door of his bedroom. "Away from … prying eyes." Nosy mothers and their portraits, and all. He slides his hands up, reaching up to stick a finger underneath the back strap of her bra. His own amusement shows in a smirk, and by the light dancing in his eyes.

Oh, right. Eileen. Sparing a thought of gratitude for whoever gave the professors sitting rooms separate from their bedrooms, Siobhan nods her agreement, leaning up to whisper softly against the shell of his ear. "And here I was going to use my teeth." Twisting just far enough out of his reach, she takes his hand once more and follows him in - always staying just a hair too far off to really touch.

After a long, dreamless sleep, Severus stirs early, unable to sleep very late even though something happened the night before. His lover is still tangled in his arms, though he's softened and they've shifted enough that she lays in his arms, and he's curled around her, holding her close. He presses a soft kiss to her shoulder, luxuriating in the feel of her in his arms for just a little bit longer.

Though still in the stage of her life where she could sleep for whole days if allowed, experiences over the past year have created all kinds of unpleasant fodder for Siobhan's mind to use against her when she is under the spell of sleep. It's this that makes her a light sleeper. Every sound could be a nightmare come true. Though there were no nightmares in this slumber, Siobhan still sleeps light enough that the kiss to her shoulder makes her stir, body turning to her other side and sliding her arm around his middle with a hazy-sleepy smile on her face. "Mornin'," she whispers, voice still hoarse from sleep and, well, screaming, and unwilling to break the magic spell that early morning casts on everything.

"Good morning." Severus' voice is also sleep-roughened. "I had hoped to let you sleep a little longer," but he's not going to complain at having her here, whether awake or asleep. "I am debating the merits of having you call that elf of yours and getting us breakfast rather than braving the day." He rubs small circles on her waist, just above her hip. "I do not particularly want to move for a good long while." This is a side of Severus very few have ever seen. "I am …" he pauses, eyes full of deep emotion. "I do not believe I have any experience in my life with which I could accurately compare last night." He tightens his grip slightly, then relaxes again. "You are exquisite." He shifts to kiss her softly, not initiating anything more than 'good morning, dear'.

Siobhan, still not quite half-awake, does her best to pretend to consider this, weighing their options. "Mmm, breakfast in a warm bed or down with the implets and their Glorious Leader…" It's a tough choice, really it is. She opens her mouth to summon said elf, but the next things out of his mouth freeze her in her tracks. "With respect to the fact that my life's not as long as yours yet, I know I haven't," she answers him, quiet and sincere. Her eyes lift to lock with his and she slips in without even meaning to. You're perfect. It wasn't even supposed to be more than a private thought, but apparently she's not as awake as she needs to be if she's dipping into his mind without even meaning to. "Sorry," she mumbles, rolling over to the empty side of the bed. "Janet!" she calls, not very loudly and quite a bit roughly, but it's enough. By the time the old house elf finishes scolding them both for not eating enough and pops off to actually get them food, Sio's a touch more awake, though still abnormally relaxed.

The sentiment expressed in raw form inside his mind touches Severus to the core. "Do not apologize," he says, still speaking softly, though not as softly as she. As the house elf scolds them, Severus cannot help but laugh at the scolding, probably lengthening the diatribe a bit. He could not care less at the moment. "I have not even read or heard of such an experience occurring, though you may have some more idea than I, since your tastes seem to overlap mine." In such a frame of mind, even phrasing things like that makes him smirk, the unintended pun slipping out. He moves to scoot closer to her, curling around her again, though perhaps not quite as closely. Something finally catches up with him, and he chuckles aloud. "Implets?" It fits.

Siobhan shakes her head. "I know better." He's the one who taught her to know better than that. Still, his laugh is … wonderful to hear. It's the first time she's heard him laugh, not snort, smirk or chuckle, but really, genuinely laugh and the sound makes strange butterflies take up residence in her chest. She shakes her head. "Sorry to disappoint, but it's news to me, too." She seems to consider this a moment. "Mind you, none of those dusty old books on wandless talked about fantastic sex." If they did, they'd be much more popular among the students than they are now. She chews on her lip, considering, but is surprised to feel him curl around her again, pulling her close. Something eases inside her and she nestles in close enough to hear his heartbeat. "Mhmm, they're every last one of them baby imps - especially Bean and Rene." Despite the not-so-nice term, her tone is one of endearment; she really does adore her baby snakes.

Severus' words take on a whole new meaning when he says,"I am by no means disappointed." He smirks again, the expression nearing a full smile. With a snort, he agrees with her comments about old, dusty books. "That is a shame. However, many times, in earlier eras, many topics were glossed over, because one simply did not speak of such." Well, and Severus does that sometimes, too. "Agreed. Legume has grown considerably this term, both physically and otherwise, but he and D'Allemange are still two seeds in a pod." He, too, does like most of his snakes, at least more than any other student in the school.

Sev's assurances of satisfaction make something in Sio's chest jump. Which, it shouldn't, but without the guiding force of her magic pushing her forward, Siobhan isn't … sure of herself. There's no question she wants this, but whether or not her ever-practical lover will still think it's a good idea is … unknown. Conveniently, it's now that their food arrives, a tray with toast, oatmeal and fresh fruit is set on the bedside table nearest Severus. "So if the Great and Good at the time when people still did wandless magic were too stuffy to talk about possible side-effects, how do we figure out just what that was?"

Severus speaks his first thought. "Many hours of experimentation." He means it one way, but the other way works, too. He looks down, ostensibly at the food, but there is just the slightest tinge of color to the apples of his cheeks. He's a little uncertain as well. "I believe that we can draw a few conclusions from it, but the rest we may just have to observe. I am also uncertain if further coupling will be as explosively connecting, or if it was a single connection that will simply reinforce itself through our contact." He's just talking through the idea logically. He spots the tray on his table, shifts to accommodate it, and moves it to his lap. He slides it close to Siobhan, letting her pick what she wants from the tray before he does the same.

Siobhan has always been a light eater first thing, comes from too many mornings woken up nauseated. Nodding her thanks, she reaches in to take a strawberry from the bowl and bite off the narrow half, sucking on the juices that spill from it. She smiles a little at the double entendre, licking a bit of stray water from the inside of her wrist. "These must be French," she muses to herself. No British grown fruits are so succulent this time of year. Nibbling on the other half of her strawberry, she considers. "I'm of two minds on that." Not that her opinion was asked for, but she's gonna give it anyway. "As amazing as that was, it was also intense." Almost too intense. "If it's like that all the time, we'll never get the chance to be creative with it." She blazes right on through, determined not to be the reason this dies. "And getting creative is half the fun." She'll take one more fat strawberry to nibble on, and she'll sip at the coffee on the tray, but that's enough this early and she settles back against the pillows while he finishes what he will.

Severus is an early riser, and since that's when his quiet and solitude are most present, they are most dear. Not that he minds at all having Siobhan nearby, but it may explain why he takes the bowl of oatmeal, scoops a few blueberries and dark berries from the fruit into it, and mixes it precisely. Then, he eats the cereal slowly, reaching out to sip at a cup of tea between bites. "Perhaps. If it is a singular experience, perhaps it is more widely known among pairs, who then either do not speak of it, or speak of it in only hushed tones and fairy-tale fantasies." Dark eyes meet hers, barely avoiding speaking into her mind, but the sense of satisfaction and connection may remain for a moment or two. "They are rather good." He takes another bite, pulling the spoon out slowly. "But you are correct that if it is that intense every time, it may almost be too much for us to handle." He wants to do that again. And often. And if they're both that wiped, it'll show. He falls silent, eating his meal, still processing the experience and 'shelving it' behind his shields.

"Well it's the first time I've seen anything like it." And while her experience is - admittedly - limited, he didn't break anything inside her last night, so it should stand to reason that she has some. The brush of satisfaction and connection settles Siobhan. He wouldn't be speaking in long terms if he meant to walk away now. She doesn't quite look away in time to keep the little surge of hope and relief to herself, but it's only a flash. Shifting the tray on to his lap, Siobhan curls into his side. He still has enough room to maneuver and eat, but her body heat is nearby, soft and steady. "Let's hope for less intense, then." Because she wants more of him, too. "At least most of the time."

"Mmm." Severus will agree to her hope, and accept the flash of emotion he feels from her all in one fell swoop. He finishes his breakfast, sets the tray aside for Janet to return it to wherever she got it, and pulls Siobhan to himself. He gives her a slow, soft kiss, trying to reassure the both of them. When he pulls back, he whispers in her ear. "Never doubt. Even now."

Finding herself pulled and held close, Siobhan returns the embrace - a little for balance, but mostly to be close and touching. She'll return that kiss in kind, savoring the warmth it brings, but it's that whisper, that short and simple statement, that eases the knot inside her and makes her smile against his jaw. "Never doubt," she murmurs back, rolling the sounds around in her mouth; tasting them before drawing him back into a slow, sensual kiss. They have the rest of the day to enjoy and explore each other before reality sets in on the morrow. Siobhan plans to use that time to its fullest, secure in the knowledge that whatever reality brings (when it finally comes) she won't be facing it alone.


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