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How the other half lived	By : MusicLady2009 Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 1881 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling's characters, places or ideas and I do not make any money off this story.

Chapter List
- 1-How the other half lived
- 2-2-3
- 3-4
- 4-5
- 5-6
- 6-7
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 6

To Memory…

The days pass quickly for everyone and soon, the holidays were nearing. Chris’ classes, one student fewer than they began with, are moving along more smoothly than usual. Even the Slytherin students in general seem to be making more effort than they have in past years. It was surprising to Chris that she was actually able to finish her grading early one evening. A cup of coffee and a trip to visit Paige seemed in order. Over the last few months, Chris and Paige seemed to have picked up right where they left off. They were back to being fast friends. The only issue they had was that a dark cloud seemed to hang over Paige. Chris did understand how she was feeling. They all felt that Sirius betrayed them, and Paige most of all. It did cause a dark place in their friendship though. The past was off limits for discussion.

Lights out was an hour ago, so the halls were deserted as Chris made her way towards the kitchen, meaning to stop by and get some snacks and a cup of coffee to take with her. She entered the kitchen and her light mood faltered a bit. There, sitting at a small round table in the corner, was Snape. He had a cup of coffee and a pudding in front of him. Chris didn’t get to say a word before one of the little house elves, Lissy (who had been there since they were in school and had aided them on many a midnight chocolate run) ran up to her.

“Oh, Miss Chris, Lissy is glad to see you. Coffee and chocolate for tonight?” the house elf smiled up at her, and seemed almost to bounce with excitement at getting to help her.

“Yes please, Lissy. Enough for Paige too, if you don’t mind I’m headed down to see her.”

“You would like Lissy to put it in a bag for you then Miss?”

“If you would, thank you.”

“Lissy will have it ready in a moment. Sit, sit…” another elf had already sat a cup of steaming coffee at the table across from Severus as well as a small jar of sugar and a container of cream. “Lissy will have it all ready for you and Miss Paige in a moment.” Lissy ran off, leaving Chris no choice but to sit across from Snape and wait patiently.

“Good evening Severus,” she says with a small smile as she fixes her coffee just right.

“Good evening Miss Smith,” He returns nodding in her direction. He seems to barely notice her presence and she says nothing till she has taken the first sip of her coffee.

“You know, Severus, my name is Chris… and you needn’t be so formal when students aren’t around.” She is hoping maybe it will be a step. She hates being hated. He looks up at her. He is obviously deep in thought.

“No, it isn’t,” he finally says bluntly. “I did think you could at least tell your own name.” Chris frowns deeply at him, but he continues before she can say anything. “Last I knew your name was Christine Smith. Therefore, if you prefer I call you something other than Miss Smith, it will be your own name.”

Is he… Joking?... I don’t think I have ever heard the man make a joke… I didn’t know he could.

“Christine it is then, though I have gone by Chris for so long I may not answer to it immediately.” He lets out a small laugh. Lissy comes over and looks at his cup.

“Ooh… Master Severus…” the elf shakes her head and takes his coffee away. “Lissy told you not to be adding to your coffee. Students are not to be seeing you this way.”

Ah… drunk… which explains the joking… and the laughing…

“I am fine Lissy.” He stands, a little too quickly and has to catch himself on the table. Chris looks at Lissy.

“Lissy, hold the snacks here for me, I will see him to his rooms.” She smiles up at him. “Come on, Professor; let’s get you to your rooms.” He shakes his head.

“I am perfectly able to get there on my own, Christine. I am not a child, nor am I so inebriated that I cannot find my own quarters.” He stands again, determined not to appear as drunk as he is. Chris looks him over and sighs.

“Maybe you aren’t but perhaps I have an ulterior motive. You see, I have a headache beginning and the potion you gave me at the beginning of the year was wonderful and beyond anything Poppy has in the hospital wing.” He nods

“Of course it is. I discovered it.” Chris has to suppress a chuckle.

“You wouldn’t happen to have any more you could share would you”

“I suppose I could help you with that.” He nods decisively “Come along then.” He begins to move towards the door, swaying a bit. Chris smiles to herself and follows him out; eventually she steps beside him, trying to keep the worst of his swaying controlled so that he doesn’t hit anything. They are soon slowly making their way through the dungeons. They pass right by the door to his office.

“Um… Severus… Your office is right here,” she says slowly.

“I know bloody well where my office is. The potion however, is in my private stock in my quarters. Which, as I am head of house, is not attached to my office as yours is,” he snaps at her as he stops beside a seemingly blank wall with an ornate green vase the only thing to break up the long wall. He pulls his wand out of his robes and Chris watches with interest as he taps 3 random bricks. A green haze seems to cover the expanse of stone and when it clears a black door with a silver handle appears. A muttered word from him is all it takes and the door opens, seemingly of its own accord. He steps aside.

“Ladies first,” he says with his usual sneer.

“Thank you,” is her only reply, though she rolls her eyes a bit at his mock courtesy. Chris steps into the room and is blown away by its difference from her own. Let alone the size of the area, the darkness of it is almost oppressive. The furniture in the sitting area is black leather, the carpet under her feet, while plush, is also black. The walls are painted a deep emerald green, though little of them can be seen as they are also lined with bookshelves. The room has a scent of a library, but it is not unpleasant as there are other smells mixed with it, including a smoky smell and a hint of sandalwood. As Severus enters behind her he waves his hand at the fireplace and the fire roars to life in the grate. Small globes around the room seeming to be filled with flame give light to the place. He motions her to the couch.

“Have a seat, I will get the potion.” He passes by her and moves towards a hallway and through a door in it as she sits as instructed, her eyes wandering over his bookshelves. Chris has a fascination with books and would love to spend time looking over his collection. He returns a moment later holding 2 vials. One potion is green and identical to the one he gave her before, the other filled with a clear liquid. He hands her the green one. “Would I assume correctly that you do not really need this?” He asks before she takes it.

“Why would you think that?” She answers after a moment.

“Because you don’t act like you are in pain, and I am drunk.” She thinks through her answer for a long moment and then sighs.

“No, you are right. I wanted to make sure you got back here alright.” Again, his eyes seem to bore into her soul. She cannot meet his eyes this time.

“Thank you,” he says after a moment. A statement Chris did not expect. “I was having… a moment. Coffee?” He moves to a shelf and taps a silver pot as he speaks. It glows a moment as he begins scooping things into another pot.

“You’re welcome, and yes, coffee would be nice,” she finally manages to say. He pours the now steaming water from the silver pot into the other and brings it to the coffee table. He sets it between them and strains it into 2 cups.

“It’s not like Lissy’s. You shouldn’t need cream and sugar, but I can get them for you if you do.”

“Thank you.” Chris takes a tentative sip as she watches him add 3 drops from the vial of clear potion to his own cup. Hers is the best cup of coffee she has ever tasted. No need for sugar, as there is not an ounce of bitterness in the black liquid, no need for cream as the flavor is perfect. She looks at him, amazed. “If I could make coffee like this, I would never need to go see Lissy again.”

“Ah. Family secret though,” he sips from his own cup, “it is stronger than it seems though so more than one cup is inadvisable unless you wish to be awake for a very long time.” He smiles a little. “It even covers the taste of a hangover potion, which is supposed to be a punishment for indulging in itself.” Chris laughs as she sets her cup down.

“I wouldn’t know. I have never been able to brew it myself, and the occasions I needed it I didn’t plan for so I have never bought any.”

“Ah. You are not missing much. What you purchase at the apothecary is no more helpful than muggle aspirin, and unless your skills at potion making are much improved over the years, I would not ingest anything you brew, nor would I recommend anyone else do so.”

“No,” Chris laughs, “They are just as abysmal as they always were. I avoid brewing anything stronger than a cup of tea.”

“That is the best idea.” He says with a smile. “Take that vial with you, and come see me if you need more. What I make for Poppy is weaker, for the students.”

“Thank you, again.” She says. She looks at him, for the first time really looks at him. With a smile on his face, the angles are softer. His cheeks flushed from the alcohol and the reflection of the fire also makes him seem younger. And his light teasing makes him easier to talk to. His eyes are black as coal, and his hair is very straight, but certainly not the greasy mess it was when they were in school… or did it just seem that way…Chris gets lost in thought, and they sit there in companionable silence as they drink their coffee. Soon, he stands and goes to the back of the room. He returns with a pair of decanters and a bottle of fire whiskey.

“Care to join me in my drowning out the week, Christine?” he asks, offering her the clear vial as well. She looks from him, to the bottle for a long moment. “You have to take this with the coffee if you want it…”

“Thank you, again,” she says as she takes the vial.

“3 drops only,” he says as he pours generous amounts of the amber liquid into the glasses. She adds the potion to the last drink of her coffee and then drains the cup. He offers her the other and then settles back further in his chair with his own. Chris looks to him.

“What shall we drink to?” he looks down at the glass and then to her, for once, the pain in his mind peeking into his eyes.

“To memory…” he says softly. She nods, understanding the gravity of his statement.

“To memory…” she repeats, just as softly, and takes the first long swallow of her drink. The burn of the alcohol down her throat is comforting. She looks into the fire and then back at him. “You know, Severus… some memories are best left in the past…” She is not sure she wants to tread on this area, but it needs to be done… and now seems better than any other time.

“True…” he says, a slight edge to his voice, “though that is easier for some of us than others.”

“Also true…” She sighs… “Blast it… I don’t want to beat around it like this. I have been meaning to tell you something for a long time… and this is, I believe, the first opportunity I have had to say it.” He nods, inviting her to continue.

“I… I don’t know exactly how to say this…” She pauses a moment and then drains the rest of her glass in one swallow. Her eyes tear a bit but she refrains from coughing. Without a word, he takes her glass and fills it again.

“Just say it, Christine… Whatever it is can’t be nearly as painful as anything else I am remembering tonight.”

“I’m sorry…” She finally says. “Things happened when we were young that never should have. There were times I said things that hurt you, things that should never have been said to another child. I witnessed horrid acts and did nothing to stop my friends, and I…” she pauses… she knows what he and Lilly had… and she knows this is not something he knows about… something she did to him that is probably unforgivable… “…I encouraged Lilly to give up on you. I was foolish. I was childish, and I believe I have caused you pain that is unforgiveable… and yet… that is what I ask for… perhaps not forgiveness, perhaps just an acceptance of my apology. That would be a start.” Chis cannot meet his eyes as she finishes speaking. She looks down into her glass and takes another long swallow.

Minutes tick by. Severus refills his glass… drains it… and fills it again. Finally, Chris looks up at him, their eyes meet and again, her whole mind feels lain bare before him. She feels as if he can almost see the memories in her head. Chris sitting beside Sirius in potions class and dropping a dung bomb in his cauldron as it simmers…Chris standing by the tree laughing along as the boys turn him upside down and tease him… and then Chris hugging Lilly later that day, comforting her and talking about what an uncouth greasy git he was and how he could never change… Encouraging her to let him sleep in the hall rather than go downstairs…. Chris remembers these things in extreme detail as their eyes are locked. It is a long few minutes.

“I can give that…” he says softly “not forgiveness… not yet… at least, not tonight… but I can accept your apology. You have suffered over these things as much as I have it seems. No need for us both to suffer from them any longer.” Chris lets out a half-hearted laugh.

“It is all or nothing, Severus. I know what we did, and I know how bad it hurts. I was treated by Malfoy and Narcissa much the same as you were by the Marauders. I knew what you suffered, and yet I continued. No, we will both suffer, or neither of us will…” She drains her glass again.

“Then both will suffer for now. It is not an easy thing to forgive.”

Chris nods and smiles a little. “I know that too, I didn’t expect anything from you at all. Accepting my apology and being willing to entertain the thought of forgiving me is more than I could have hoped for.” Severus smiles at her, refills her glass and raises his own to her.

“To the first step then…”

“To the first step…” She smiles and taps her glass to his before draining it. “I should be getting back to my rooms... It’s late…” He nods and stands, a bit wobbly, to walk her out. Chris sets her glass on the table and then stands as well. She gets half way up before falling back to the couch. She giggles and looks up at him, holding out a hand to him. “I may need some help.” He steps towards her.

“Miss Smith. I am surprised at you. You were supposed to be escorting my drunken arse to my quarters, and now who is there to walk you to yours?”

“Just help me up. I can make it back.” She is still giggling as he takes her hand. He pulls her up to him and she stumbles forward. She ends up bumping into his chest and grabbing his shoulder for support. He laughs. His laugh is deep and clear sounding.

“Can you now,” he unwittingly holds her close to him. She makes no move to back away.

“What else do you expect me to do?” she looks up at him, not sure if she is unable to back away from him because of the alcohol flowing through her, or because of the warmth of him as she is held against his chest. Or maybe it is because the smell of the room that was so pleasing to her when she entered turns out to be the scent of him. Whatever the reason, she makes no effort to move.

He looks down at her. He is struck by something about her suddenly. Her eyes are as blue as Lilly’s were green. Her hair falling against the hand that moved to her back to steady her is soft and satiny against his skin. And, while she does smell of alcohol, there is something else too. Not something flowery or perfumed, just something that is uniquely her. He looks down at her for a long time, enjoying the feel of her plush breasts against him and the delicate curve of her back as his hand rests there. His smile fades for a moment and then, without further thought, his lips are on hers. Not deep, not demanding, a soft, slow, tender kiss, almost innocent in its simplicity. To his surprise, and hers for that matter, she returns his kiss with equal gentleness. More shocking though is that, after a moment, rather than pulling away, Chris’ hand moves to the back of his neck and she is the one who deepens the kiss, parting her lips ever so slightly and teasing his lips with her tongue.

The kiss lingers along moment and when their lips part Chris smiles up at him. “That was… unexpected,” she says softly.

“That it was. Unexpected but not, surprisingly, unpleasant,” he answers. Neither makes a move to back away for a few minutes. It is Severus who speaks first. “Christine, it is late, and we are both intoxicated. If you are ready to say good night you are welcome to use the floo.” There is no attempt made to let her go. It has been a long time since he has had a woman standing close to him completely of her own free will. Though an argument could be made that the alcohol was an influence, Snape could see into her thoughts like an open book. She was there because she wanted to be and drunk or not, she would have already been gone if she did not want to be there.

“I think walking would be safer. I say the wrong thing and I may end up stepping my drunken arse onto McGonagall’s hearth.” She giggles.

“True though that may be, I do not think wandering the halls in this state is advisable either.”

“No? Then what should I do?”

“Well… You could stay here.” There is a long moment of silence that follows. Chris ponders the implications of that simple statement.

“No,” she finally answers, “I don’t think that is the best idea tonight.” Chris smiles at him and Severus nods. He understands he is not being put off entirely, just for the moment.

“We are still left with the dilemma of how to return you to your room”

“No, I have a solution there too… as long as you can keep a secret.” She steps back from him and finds her wand in her robes.

“You have me intrigued, Christine”

“Good.” She smiles at him once more and then kisses him on the cheek. “Good Night Severus, I will see you at breakfast.” She gives him no chance to say anything before her transformation begins. In moments there is a small, calico kitten sitting in her place. The kitten has Chris’ bright blue eyes, and the dark brown of her own hair is the kitten’s main coloring. She sits there a moment before moving to rub against his leg and then walk over to sit by the door.

“I see,” Severus says with a laugh, “better the students see a drunken cat wandering the halls than a drunken professor. Good night, Christine.” He reaches down and strokes her back once and then opens the door for her. He watches her stumble down the hall and closes the door only once she is out of sight.
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How the other half lived