Chapter Ninety-Two: Promising Start to a Holiday

Chapter Ninety-Two: Promising Start to a Holiday

Thursday, 1 April 1999

"And you actually met this woman last summer?" Minerva asked, taking a bite of her buttered toast.

"Yes. She struck me at the time as an unusual person. I suppose I even liked her, in a way," Severus said grudgingly. "But that is beside the point. She is Sefton's godmother, Sefton spends time living with her every summer, and they are close. I think that she might provide Suzie with some support as she grows up, but that would be difficult if she can't know that her great-niece is a witch."

Minerva nodded. "I don't think there's a problem with Miss Sefton telling her great-aunt. I think I should give her one of those Ministry brochures about dealing with Muggles."

Severus snorted. "Those are useless, and I'm sure that Suzie's active little brain would find a thousand questions to ask me about it if you were to give one to her. I've already given her the basic talk, but I'll schedule an appointment with her when she gets back. The important thing she and her parents must impress upon Ms Pengaree is that she cannot tell any other relatives or friends about the magic world. I don't believe that will be a problem. The woman didn't seem to be a fool."

Minerva nodded. "Very well. We can speak to Miss Sefton before she gets in the carriage this morning."

Severus nodded. "By the way, if you would care to prepare a contract for me over the holiday, this might be a good time to do it. I thought simply the same one I signed in August, but with the dates changed."

Minerva turned and smiled at him. "I have been wondering about that! I'm glad you decided to stay on. Should we change it to a five-year contract? Or ten?"

Severus's eyebrows came together and his brow furrowed. He shook his head. "No. I still have made no long-term plans."

Minerva nodded, still smiling. "That's fine. I'll have it ready for you tomorrow, then. Are you free this afternoon, though? I have something I'd like you to do for me, perhaps after lunch..."

"No. I have plans for the afternoon."

"Teatime?"

Severus shook his head. "After dinner, perhaps."

"Oh. Oh!" Minerva reflexively looked down the table toward Poppy, but then picked up her teacup. "I see. That's fine. I suppose this is the first day of holiday, after all, once the staff meeting has adjourned."

"That is the idea," Severus said drily. "So shall I come up to your office after dinner?"

Minerva shook her head. "No, that would be too late, I believe."

"Tomorrow..."

"I think Tuesday. I'll let you know," Minerva said.

"Tuesday?"

"It is the Easter holiday, as you point out," Minerva replied. "And there's someone I'd like you to talk to . . . we'll see."

"Oh, no, not that Healer Glyndwr," Severus said with a groan. "Poppy's already spoken to me about it..."

"No, but I think that's a splendid idea."

"No, it isn't . . . but I'll participate in the activities with the rest of the staff during training. I could hardly not, considering I helped to design the programme." Severus sighed.

"I'm actually looking forward to it," Minerva said. "I think it will be good for all of us."

"As long as we don't have to reveal too much," Severus said softly. "Some things are best left . . . private."

Minerva nodded. "I understand. I feel the same way, myself. But," she replied quietly, "you could talk to me or to Albus about them. Or to Poppy."

Severus twitched a shoulder. "I suppose." He saw Suzie stand and get ready to leave breakfast. "Let us speak with Miss Sefton now...unless you are not finished eating."

"No, I've had too much already. I do enjoy kippers for breakfast. I wish the elves made them more frequently."

"You are the Headmistress, you know," Severus said, standing. "They'd serve us all rice gruel every morning if that's what you asked for."

Minerva laughed. "I never think of it except when they're served, and then I forget again. More pressing matters on my mind than fish, I suppose!"

They caught up with Suzie in the entry hall.

"Miss Sefton, I understand that you have a great-aunt of whom you are exceptionally fond," Minerva said.

Suzie blinked, then looked up at her Head of House. She looked back over at the Headmistress and nodded. "Aunt Sadie."

"Professor Snape said that he has cautioned you about what you may and may not reveal."

"Yes, Headmistress."

"I will add your great-aunt's name to the list of those in your immediate family, then," Minerva said briskly.

Suzie looked over at Severus questioningly.

"You and your parents may speak with your great-aunt over the holiday, if you wish, and tell her about Hogwarts," Severus said.

Suzie grinned. "Great! Can I show her my Potions textbook?"

Minerva smiled and the corner of Severus's mouth twitched up.

"Yes, Miss Sefton," Severus said. "You may show her any of your textbooks."

"Wow . . . totally cool! Dad's bringing me to Diagon Alley next week to get me an owl; can Aunt Sadie come with us?"

Severus nodded once. "If she wishes to accompany you, yes."

"I wish I could show her how my wand works," Suzie said with a sigh.

"Whilst you are in Diagon Alley," Minerva said, "stop by Ollivander's. You may use your wand there and demonstrate it to your aunt. Do not overtax Mr Ollivander's time and patience, however, and if he has customers, he will not have time for you."

"I love Mr Ollivander! Both Mr Ollivanders!" Suzie said excitedly. "They didn't even get mad when I made a hole through the ceiling and all the way up through the roof!"

"A hole in the roof?" Minerva asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah. I accidentally sent an ebony wand flying straight up through the ceiling and it just kept going! Mr Ollivander, younger Mr Ollivander, had never seen anything like it before. He thought they'd find the wand, though. I wonder if he ever did. I'll have to ask him!"

"Enjoy your holiday, Miss Sefton," Severus said. "And . . . give your great-aunt my regards."

Suzie grinned. "I will!"

"Run along, now," Minerva said. "You do not wish to miss the carriages! Thirty minutes, Miss Sefton!"

At quarter past eleven, after what felt like a very long staff meeting, Severus hurried down to his quarters to change. He quickly stripped, put on fresh black Y-fronts, and found his long, lightweight silk robe. Black, as all of his robes were, it had silvery grey piping at the collar, which stood up in a band around his neck; the slightly heavier black over-robe that went with it had black braid down the front.

He'd only worn this set of robes a few times since he'd bought them a decade before. Severus never felt fully dressed when wearing only robes and no trousers, although as a student, he had spent the first several years at Hogwarts wearing robes almost exclusively every day. Sixth year, however, he had begun his practice of wearing trousers, shirt, and jacket under his school robe, and even after he left Hogwarts, that had not changed. He had even added a layer, beginning to wear waistcoats regularly, and he often had five layers of clothing on...vest, shirt, waistcoat, jacket, and teaching robe...six if he wore a cloak or overcoat.

Poppy had mentioned once that she liked a man in robes, and Gareth had also said something about the comparative ease of access of robes compared with trousers. As this was also something of a special date, Severus thought that dressing up for the occasion was warranted. He examined himself in the mirror above his dresser. Not bad, actually, he thought. And the over-robe did have a very nice swirl to it when he moved. It fit closely around the torso, but the back had a long pleat from the waist, and it billowed out behind him quite satisfyingly when he walked.

In the bathroom, Severus combed his hair, thought again about Gareth's suggestion that he update the style, then he felt his jaw. Still smooth from his morning shave. He opened the cupboard in the bathroom and hunted around until he found a dark maroon potions bottle with a glass stopper. He put some of the thin potion on his left hand and applied it to his face. It had a slight, pleasantly spicy smell, but it would slow his beard growth and keep his skin feeling freshly shaved for several hours, which was why he was using it. He probably wouldn't even have to shave the next morning.

Severus stepped back into his bedroom and went over to his bedside stand. Opening its drawer, he took out his double-snake ring and put it on. He was about to close the drawer again when he saw the cases with his Orders of Merlin medals in them. He withdrew the larger, royal purple case and snapped it open.

Theurgus Absque Pari. Mage without peer. He shook his head slightly as one finger felt the raised surface of the platinum medal, tracing the image of the great stone throne on its hill, the rays of the setting sun behind it. To safeguard the wizarding world, to protect Muggles from wizarding domination, Merlin's own destiny in life . . . that had been his task for so long, working against Voldemort to protect the wizarding world...and, by extension, the Muggle world. Now Severus did not want to think of the things he had had to do in order to carry out his task. Protecting the wizarding world and defeating Voldemort had not come without cost. At least his contributions had been recognised and valued.

Severus flipped the medal over in its case and looked again at the golden apples on their bough . . . the isle of Avalon, Apple Island, the island that Gareth said he had seen once, and which had once tempted Gertrude. Severus turned the medal back over, closed the case, and put it back into the drawer. Poppy was waiting for him, and that was more than reward enough for Severus on that morning.

Poppy turned the vase slightly. She smiled, admiring the two dozen red tulips that had arrived in her suite that morning just as she was about to leave for breakfast. Perlie had popped in with them and said they'd just been delivered.

The card had only said, To Poppy Pomfrey, from S.S.S., but the flowers themselves spoke volumes. She had double-checked the little card with the list of flower meanings, and there it was: Red Tulips, Declaration of Love. She was certain that he had chosen them precisely for their meaning, just as he had the other flowers he had given her. Just in case he hadn't, though, she wouldn't mention anything about them but to express appreciation for their beauty. She felt herself grow warm, though, at the thought that he might have meant it, that these flowers were a declaration of love. Touching one of the petals and admiring the dark, velvety-looking stamens, Poppy nodded to herself. She would accept his declaration in flowers, and she would accept it in words, if he said them. If he ever said them . . . said them again, and not just in a rush of passion . . . though she would not object to them then, either. She smiled to herself and adjusted a bloom.

She had brought the flowers up to the Ravenclaw guest suite with her after breakfast. She had spread a pale blue tablecloth on the table, then put the flowers right in the centre. The deep red flowers, dark green leaves, and cobalt blue vase looked pretty against the paler blue tablecloth, Poppy thought.

From the high windows of the Ravenclaw suite, she had watched the children clamber onto the Thestral-drawn carriages, Severus overseeing them like a stern father, and Albus looking on, a somewhat bemused and slightly distracted expression on his face. Pomona had shooed stray children like chickens, until finally, all were aboard. After the staff had all climbed into the carriages...Severus last after he had checked each carriage...Poppy had turned away from the window and finished preparing the room for their afternoon date before she left for the staff meeting.

The staff meeting, though not really long, had felt perpetual, and she was relieved when finally Minerva had pushed back from the table, wished everyone a good holiday, and adjourned the meeting. Poppy had rushed up to the Ravenclaw suite to make sure that everything was perfect and to quickly change out of her plain grey robes and white pinny and put on the lilac-coloured robes that Severus seemed to like. She had already ordered lunch from the kitchen elves, and Strilpa would deliver it discreetly at one o'clock, popping it into the room without being seen herself. Now it was just a matter of double-checking the details and waiting for Severus. When she'd left the staff room, Severus was bent over the staff table, examining the proposal with Verity.

It hadn't surprised her that there were a few objections to Minerva's proposal, and more expressions of complete shock, but it had surprised her to hear Pomona say that she was in support of the proposal as long as there were a trial period after which they could return to the current scheme if the innovation was worse than the traditional Sorting. Poppy had been certain that if any Head of House opposed it, it would be Pomona. She was very attached to her Hufflepuffs and loved having the new first-years every year. Poppy had believed that to Pomona, the thought of there being un-Sorted students walking around Hogwarts would be as distressing as seeing abandoned orphaned babies wandering lost in the Forbidden Forest.

Verity had some logical objections, and Cahill had waffled on about history, tradition, and imbuing values in the next generation whilst they were young and receptive. A tear had dribbled down Hagrid's cheek as Cahill described the hundreds of years of entering students all in a line, Sorted into their respective Houses in venerable tradition, but the half-giant hadn't voiced any objections.

Poppy thought that the only people in the room who had heard the proposal before were Albus, Severus and the other Heads of House, and herself...Minerva had talked to her about it over Christmas when it was just a nascent idea, a little notion niggling at the back of her mind, just the thought that the words, "we might sort too young," might actually be more than a wistful speculation, but a truth that deserved some action. Poppy thought that their discussion that night in her suite in the Hospital Wing had been when that niggling idea had begun to grow into a plan.

Albus had said little, only being generally supportive of the plan and making some positive comments about individual components of it. He said just enough for people to recognise that he was in favour of the plan without them thinking that it was his idea. Poppy believed that he had more reservations about it than he voiced, despite agreeing with the general principle that the Sorting might be better made when the students were older.

The newer...and younger...staff members seemed most flexible and willing to give the plan their support if Minerva presented it to the Governors and they approved it, and none of them had objections strong enough that they opposed it. Cahill had continued to huff on about venerable traditions even as he left the room, but no one seemed to pay him any attention, and most people seemed pleased to be beginning the holiday even before noon.

After the meeting, Poppy had stopped to speak to no one, although Pomona had looked at her as though she was thinking of snagging her for a chat, and she had rushed to beat her out the door. But now that she had made sure that everything was right, including the large, fluffy towels in the bathroom and masses of extra pillows on the bed, and she had changed into her pretty lilac-coloured robes, Poppy was at a loss for what to do. It seemed silly to just sit on the sofa doing nothing but wait for Severus, but she had brought no work with her.

She went into the bedroom and looked in the small bookcase there, which held books intended to entertain the guests...or help put them to sleep, she thought, looking at a few of the titles. Poppy plucked a copy of Halloween at Hogwarts from the lower shelf and brought it back out to the small sitting room. She leafed through it, smiling at the photos. Just as she came across one of Severus dancing with her, she heard a click at the door as a password was accepted. She looked up and smiled happily at Severus.

"Wonderful timing, Sev," she said, standing and crossing over to him. "Mmm, my, and don't you look . . . wonderful." She gave him a hug and a kiss, then she pulled back, holding him at arm's length and looking him up and down. "You look luscious. Absolutely delicious."

"Luscious? Will you feast on me, then, and forego your lunch?" Severus asked with a dark smile. "I may have no objections to that, myself." He leaned forward and pulled her towards him, and gave her a hard kiss, tasting her tongue with the tip of his. "Mmm, or I . . . may . . . feast . . . on . . . you," he said, kissing her repeatedly.

As his hands roamed her body, Poppy wished that he were closer, that his hands were touching her bare skin, that she were pressed naked against him. She embraced him more strongly, massaging his buttocks through his robes. When he moaned into her mouth, she smiled inwardly. They really did have some time before lunch. An hour, at least.

She began to work at the clasps of his over-robe with one hand as she continued massage his buttocks with the other, and stepped forward, forcing Severus back and steering him toward the bedroom.

"Mmm . . . where are you taking me, woman?" Severus asked, stopping and becoming an immovable object.

"We have some time, we're alone . . . I'd like to get you out of these robes, as delicious as you look in them."

"So you can eat me alive?" Severus growled. "I think not. I shall feast on you, Madam Pomfrey. I promised you those orgasmic kisses, and I intend to give and to receive."

Poppy gasped as he gripped her tightly and kissed her throat, sucking on it and biting gently.

"Mmm, you do taste good, Poppy." His lips moved to the other side of her throat, where he repeated his gentle nip before kissing and licking his way up to her earlobe.

Poppy didn't resist when Severus pushed her toward the bedroom and then pulled her down onto the bed with him. He made quick work of her hooks and buttons, continuing to kiss and caress her as he undressed her. He toed off his own short boots, using a whispered charm to encourage them off, then he climbed all the way onto the bed with Poppy, his hands kneading her buttocks and legs as his mouth found her breasts and began to tease her nipples with his tongue, going back and forth between her breasts, licking, tickling, and sucking.

Poppy's fingers carded through Severus's hair, and one hand moved to his shoulder and down his back, stroking and massaging him through his robes, frustrated in her attempts to reach the front of the robes and finish unfastening them. She could feel his heavy erection pressed against her leg.

"Gods, Severus! Aren't you going to take these robes off?"

Severus shook his head as he teased a nipple with the tip of his tongue. One of his hands moved up from her thigh to her centre, and she opened her legs to him. "Mmm, not yet. Oh, you are wet there!" He looked up at her face and grinned wickedly. "Time for my appetiser!"

Severus pushed up and kissed Poppy's lips, the sensual, slow kisses that she had so appreciated a few nights before, the tip of his tongue only occasionally brushing hers. His hand continued to stroke and rub her, and when she moved against his hand, raising and lowering her hips, he began to kiss his way down her body, pausing to kiss her belly between her navel and his destination several times. She shivered and moaned, and he smiled and looked up at her.

"You are quite wanton this morning, aren't you? Did you spend the entire staff meeting thinking about this?"

"Not at all," Poppy protested. "I admit that my mind did occasionally stray, particularly when Cahill was droning on and on about 'venerable traditions' and 'our most esteemed Founders,' but I did attempt to maintain my attention otherwise. Of course, you weren't so deliciously dressed at the time. And I wasn't sitting close enough to you to notice how good you smell today. Otherwise, I might not have restrained myself at all."

"Mm, very good, then, that we were seated apart...and that I waited to put on these robes. I also splashed a bit of shaving potion on my face before I came up. You like it?" He'd always thought that scented shaving potions were a bit poncy, but if Poppy liked it, he might use it occasionally.

"Yes, I do. That's a nice one. It isn't too strong, and it's very masculine." She stroked his cheek and jaw.

Severus caught one of her fingers in his mouth and sucked it as he began to stroke her clitoris again. Her moan encouraged him, and he stroked harder before releasing her finger. Poppy raised her hips to meet him as his head moved between her legs. Despite the heavy stimulation he had been giving her, she still gasped as his tongue touched her clit.

"Oh, gods, Sev, that's . . . that's . . . oh, yes . . ." She didn't restrain her gasps and moans as his lips and tongue began their erotic kisses. It even excited her to see his dark head there, moving as he licked, pressed, sucked, and kissed her most private areas.

His tongue flicked faster and harder as Poppy's gasps grew louder. Finally, the pressure mounted, and Poppy let out a shout as she came, wriggling and rocking against him, Severus continuing to lick until she gasped and collapsed back onto the bed. He discreetly wiped his face, then he kissed his way back up her body until he reached her lips.

He looked down at her flushed face and grinned. "So, did that satisfy my wanton, hungry witch?"

"Mmhm," Poppy murmured, stretching then putting her arms around him. "For now . . . but I do want to get you out of these robes, as heavenly as you look in them . . . and feel, too," she added as her hand found his erection and stroked it once through his robes, then pressed her palm against him.

Severus used a free hand to grab some pillows and put them behind him. "Were you planning a massive pillow fight?" he asked as one of the pillows tumbled off the bed.

"No, I just thought that there might be some rather enjoyable ways of getting comfortable with them," Poppy said with a smile. "So, the robes are staying on?"

"Only for now. You don't want to exhaust me too early, woman!"

"Haha! I think that would be impossible with you," Poppy replied. "But it is lovely that we have the whole afternoon stretching out in front of us."

Severus nodded. "Minerva wanted to meet with me this afternoon. I told her to go swim with the Squid...not literally, of course."

"I told her that I was going to be incommunicado this afternoon unless there was an emergency," Poppy replied, "but I didn't mention you."

"That's all right. Couldn't have been anything important. She put it off till Tuesday. I mentioned to Flitwick that we were using the suite today, and he just asked if we needed anything. I told him I thought you had it all in hand."

"Mmm . . . this is what I'd like to have in my hand at the moment, though," Poppy said, her hand slipping beneath the partially open over-robe to caress his penis through the thinner under-robe. "You're wearing pants under this, aren't you?"

Severus nodded. "But only underpants. No trousers."

"And this robe doesn't button all the way down," she observed.

"No. Just to the waist." There was a hidden Charmed slit in an appropriate spot, but he thought he would keep that fact to himself for the time being.

Poppy's hand groped upward and found the bottom button of his under-robe. She started to unbutton it, but Severus took her hand.

"Ah-ah! Not yet!" He took her hand and moved it back to his penis. "I am finding this rather erotic, having you naked next to me whilst I'm fully clothed." He kissed her forehead softly as her fingers stroked him.

"There is something stimulating about it," Poppy said. "Sometime, we must do it the other way 'round."

"Mmm. I might like that, too." He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Poppy's fingers massaging his cock. "You are quite a cock-tease, Madam Pomfrey. In this case, that is a very good thing."

Poppy began to kiss him, his lips feeling warm, sensual, and responsive. His hands took pleasure in caressing her breasts and arse as Poppy continued kissing and caressing him, stroking him increasingly vigorously, until he finally took her hand in his and held it to his chest.

"If you continue, these robes will need a cleaning charm," he said hoarsely. He lay back against his pillows, his eyes closed.

Poppy propped herself up on one elbow and smiled down into his face. She gently caressed his jaw. "I wouldn't mind, but I can think of other things that might be more satisfying for you, if you will ever take your robes off."

Severus cracked one eyelid open. "Don't worry. I plan to ravish you mightily after lunch, and to do that will require our complete nudity."

"I like that. But I might like to do some ravishing of my own, you know."

He quirked a sideways grin. "To be ravished by Poppy Pomfrey in the afternoon, that is something I cannot resist...unless you'd like me to." His grin widened.

"I might not mind a little resistance as long as I prevail in the end," Poppy said with an answering grin.

"The other night, Tuesday, I think, I had a nice little dream about you," Severus said.

"Really? What was it?"

"I don't remember all the details or how it started, but I was in the infirmary, and you were going to examine me for some reason I don't remember, and instead of just examining me, you undressed, climbed up on top of me, and we had sex right there in the infirmary. I woke up with a massive hard-on."

Poppy laughed. "Did you take care of it?"

"I am not saying, but it was difficult to get it out of my mind when I went in to teach the dunderheads."

"That could be exciting, sex in the infirmary," Poppy said. "A bit dangerous, of course. People do come in, and even with the ward charm activated, staff sometimes let themselves in to fetch a potion or something when I'm not there. We could be caught."

"Even more titillating," Severus said with a smirk. "But I'm sure we could take a few precautions to make that unlikely. Use one of the little private rooms, place a ward on that door . . . but not too strong."

"I think we might be able to arrange that . . . perhaps this holiday. Before the rest of the staff returns for the training."

"I wouldn't mind that," Severus said, a glint in his eye. "Have you ever done it in the infirmary before?" He assumed that she had, given the number of years she'd been at Hogwarts, but Poppy shook her head. "Never?" he asked, astonished.

"The closest I've come to having sex in the infirmary is when you were with me in my office that time. I suppose, come to think of it, that we were having sex, in a way. I was, anyway." She grinned. "You were very naughty, Severus! And really wonderful...very sexy, but also very sweet and thoughtful. It's one of the things that . . . well, that I liked about that time."

"You were going to say something else."

Poppy shrugged and settled against him again. "Was I? It was very memorable. In fact, each time we made love was wonderful. Very bonding."

Severus smirked. "Speaking of bonding . . . the time in the staff room was special for me."

Poppy smirked in return. "I'm glad to hear that, Sev." She wasn't going to let on yet, but she had a bit of a surprise planned for him for later, if he was interested in a similar experience.

"When is lunch?" Severus asked as his stomach gurgled.

"One. I could call for it earlier."

"No, it's almost one already."

"I really like the flowers, by the way," Poppy said, thinking of the table. "They are beautiful. It was a wonderful way to start my day."

Severus kissed her. "I'm glad. I had hoped you would like them." He kissed her again.

"You know, as titillating as you might find it to watch me eat lunch in the nude whilst you're still fully clothed, I think I'd be more comfortable with something on," Poppy said, sitting up slightly.

"Very well." Severus ran an appreciative eye down her body, then followed it with a long caress. "If you must, you must. But you are beautiful like this, you know. Beautiful and sexy."

Poppy leaned forward and kissed him. She hoped he always found her so, but she felt a sudden sense of insecurity. He was so much younger than she, and although she believed what he said now, she feared that as she aged, he would find her less and less attractive. She put an arm around him and rested against him, snuggling up closer as he put his arms all the way around her. She loved him, and she wanted him, and she wanted him to want her and to love her.

Author's Note: I've been away for a while, and also RL has interfered with my ability to write, so I apologize for the delay in updating. I have, however, been updating Draco's Heart regularly, and have posted through chapter seven. (That story has an almost completed first draft, so I was able to polish up a few chapters for posting over the last couple weeks.)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We get more of Poppy and Severus's date in the next one!