To Love and to Lose
One
Friday-The Naked Lady
The spotlights were blazing unmercilessly as she stepped behind the closed curtains. She could hear the various loud voices on the other side of the cloth partition. It was another packed house, not to bad for a Friday. Jessica rolled her shoulders to release the pent up anxiety that usually developed before a performance. Familiar nerves wrecked havoc on her before every one of her performances. Her hands sweated something fierce, but she knew that once she was out on the stage things would flow smoothly.
She heard the interlude music start to fade and she pasted on a huge smile for the audience. It was always for the audience. Never let them see you sweat or it was over. She took a deep breath and nodded at the man clutching the ropes.
"Anyone interesting in table three tonight?"
The man chuckled and spoke above the fading music.
"Three distinct men. Shouldn't be a problem for you tonight, Luv."
She nodded in understanding and took up the microphone, mentally bracing herself, forcing the dreaded nerves back into her subconsciousness. The music halted as the, so-called, music director changed it. She took a deep breath again, nodding to the curtain man, and the curtain came up. She stepped out onto the small stage beaming her brightest smile. The new music filling the tiny room.
She started.
Severus Snape wasn't amused.
He didn't have the time or the inclination to sit here while his companions ogled the scantily clad waitresses.
Remus and Sirius were born male sluts in his opinion.
The music here was revolting. Nothing like the smooth mellow orchestral tones, he much preferred. It was way too loud and even more irritating on his senses. He sat back and crossed his arms across his chest. He was trying to shut out the abhorring sounds around him, while going over ingredients of the Helspathic Potion he had planned on getting in Diagon Alley this afternoon before these two idiots seized him and swept him away from the security of Wizard's Row.
Against his wishes, he may add.
He cast several glares at the two men and tried to rise for the exit a few times but was immediately grabbed and forced to sit again. He really did NOT want to be among ragamuffin muggles, his least favorite beings in the world. This lot only reaffirmed his already dim opinion of the majority of people in this world.
He crossed his arms and sat quietly glaring at the two men who didn't seem to notice or care that he wanted to leave.NOW.
Then the music changed and the lights dimmed. Curious, he looked up at the small stage. The stage was so ridiculously small. He was surprised to see that it had a curtain at all, probably an old bed sheet that was transformed into a minute divider between the real world and the fantasy just beyond. The music increased but he didn't recognize the song. An old Muggle song no doubt. He reminded himself where he was as the curtain pulled to the side. His eyes narrowed a bit as a small dainty woman stepped out onto the stage. He remembered thinking that her smile was bigger than she was.
"Interesting."
He murmured to no one particular.
Jessica opened her mouth and started singing.
"The minute you walked in the joint.I could tell you were a man of distinction.A real big spender."
Her eyes roamed over the small crowd, smiling as she slowly moved around the stage. Her tight black beaded mini sparkling from the harsh lights.
"Good looking.so refine."
She stopped before table number three and smiled at the three men. One looked like he really didn't want to be there. The poor guy. The other two looked dopey, grinning leeringly up at her.
Typical of the crowd that stopped in here night after night.
She gave the frowning man a wink, descending the stage steps. Best be safer with the dark one, the other two would no doubt grope her unrelentingly. She knew those looks in their eyes all to well. She saw it almost nightly in this dive.
"How'd you like to know what's going on in my mind?"
She stopped before the black clad man and ran a hand through his hair teasingly. It felt so soft in her fingers.
"So let me get right to the point."
She sat directly on the man's lap and looked into his dark eyes. They were so black, so intense. She felt a flutter in her stomach.
"I don't pop my cork for every man I see."
Smiling now and running a small hand over his face in a caress.
"Hey big spender."
Leaning forward.almost touching lips.
"Spend...A little time with me.."
Severus watched the woman on the stage intrigued that such a powerful voice came out of someone so.small. Her stage presence made up for her diminutive size and he found himself listening to her words with keen interest, watching her as she moved around gracefully.
Okay, so this place wasn't that bad. Not that he would ever step in the place again. But, considering.
Then she was in front of him. He let one eyebrow rise in surprise. Refusing to look over at Remus or Sirius, as she moved into his lap, no doubt his 'Friends' were either very put out or very amused, he really didn't want to know which.
Good Gods.
He tried to keep breathing as she sang right to him. Her eyes delved into him and try as he may, he could not look away. Her hand came up to caress his face and he nearly had a heart attack.
"Spend.a little time with me."
Her lips were so close all he had to do was lean over, just an inch.
Snorts of laughter came from his companions and he turned his head to glare at them. Watching them fall over themselves in the plight of his unfortunate situation. That's right, go on, you idiots. Laugh. Get your jollies while you can. I will get my revenge. You just watch your backs when we get back. He swore to himself just as the woman removed herself from him and whispered softly to him. He didn't know it he was relieved or.disappointed as she moved away.
Jessica kissed his cheek as he turned his head and glanced over at the other two men. Dropping her microphone for a moment and whispered softly to him.
"I hope you didn't mind."
She smiled and stood from his lap to the cheers and hoots from the crowd. The dark man was glaring angrily at his friends. She guessed he would be in trouble with his wife or girlfriend whenever his friends got through telling her what happened here tonight. They looked like the type that would tell on him and happily too.
Poor guy.
She thought once more about him as she moved back to the stage transitioning smoothly into her next number. Her nerves retreated to the back of her mind like they normally did after her first number. She grinned big out over the crowd while, every now and then, glancing over at table number three and giving the man in black a smile.
One
Friday-The Naked Lady
The spotlights were blazing unmercilessly as she stepped behind the closed curtains. She could hear the various loud voices on the other side of the cloth partition. It was another packed house, not to bad for a Friday. Jessica rolled her shoulders to release the pent up anxiety that usually developed before a performance. Familiar nerves wrecked havoc on her before every one of her performances. Her hands sweated something fierce, but she knew that once she was out on the stage things would flow smoothly.
She heard the interlude music start to fade and she pasted on a huge smile for the audience. It was always for the audience. Never let them see you sweat or it was over. She took a deep breath and nodded at the man clutching the ropes.
"Anyone interesting in table three tonight?"
The man chuckled and spoke above the fading music.
"Three distinct men. Shouldn't be a problem for you tonight, Luv."
She nodded in understanding and took up the microphone, mentally bracing herself, forcing the dreaded nerves back into her subconsciousness. The music halted as the, so-called, music director changed it. She took a deep breath again, nodding to the curtain man, and the curtain came up. She stepped out onto the small stage beaming her brightest smile. The new music filling the tiny room.
She started.
Severus Snape wasn't amused.
He didn't have the time or the inclination to sit here while his companions ogled the scantily clad waitresses.
Remus and Sirius were born male sluts in his opinion.
The music here was revolting. Nothing like the smooth mellow orchestral tones, he much preferred. It was way too loud and even more irritating on his senses. He sat back and crossed his arms across his chest. He was trying to shut out the abhorring sounds around him, while going over ingredients of the Helspathic Potion he had planned on getting in Diagon Alley this afternoon before these two idiots seized him and swept him away from the security of Wizard's Row.
Against his wishes, he may add.
He cast several glares at the two men and tried to rise for the exit a few times but was immediately grabbed and forced to sit again. He really did NOT want to be among ragamuffin muggles, his least favorite beings in the world. This lot only reaffirmed his already dim opinion of the majority of people in this world.
He crossed his arms and sat quietly glaring at the two men who didn't seem to notice or care that he wanted to leave.NOW.
Then the music changed and the lights dimmed. Curious, he looked up at the small stage. The stage was so ridiculously small. He was surprised to see that it had a curtain at all, probably an old bed sheet that was transformed into a minute divider between the real world and the fantasy just beyond. The music increased but he didn't recognize the song. An old Muggle song no doubt. He reminded himself where he was as the curtain pulled to the side. His eyes narrowed a bit as a small dainty woman stepped out onto the stage. He remembered thinking that her smile was bigger than she was.
"Interesting."
He murmured to no one particular.
Jessica opened her mouth and started singing.
"The minute you walked in the joint.I could tell you were a man of distinction.A real big spender."
Her eyes roamed over the small crowd, smiling as she slowly moved around the stage. Her tight black beaded mini sparkling from the harsh lights.
"Good looking.so refine."
She stopped before table number three and smiled at the three men. One looked like he really didn't want to be there. The poor guy. The other two looked dopey, grinning leeringly up at her.
Typical of the crowd that stopped in here night after night.
She gave the frowning man a wink, descending the stage steps. Best be safer with the dark one, the other two would no doubt grope her unrelentingly. She knew those looks in their eyes all to well. She saw it almost nightly in this dive.
"How'd you like to know what's going on in my mind?"
She stopped before the black clad man and ran a hand through his hair teasingly. It felt so soft in her fingers.
"So let me get right to the point."
She sat directly on the man's lap and looked into his dark eyes. They were so black, so intense. She felt a flutter in her stomach.
"I don't pop my cork for every man I see."
Smiling now and running a small hand over his face in a caress.
"Hey big spender."
Leaning forward.almost touching lips.
"Spend...A little time with me.."
Severus watched the woman on the stage intrigued that such a powerful voice came out of someone so.small. Her stage presence made up for her diminutive size and he found himself listening to her words with keen interest, watching her as she moved around gracefully.
Okay, so this place wasn't that bad. Not that he would ever step in the place again. But, considering.
Then she was in front of him. He let one eyebrow rise in surprise. Refusing to look over at Remus or Sirius, as she moved into his lap, no doubt his 'Friends' were either very put out or very amused, he really didn't want to know which.
Good Gods.
He tried to keep breathing as she sang right to him. Her eyes delved into him and try as he may, he could not look away. Her hand came up to caress his face and he nearly had a heart attack.
"Spend.a little time with me."
Her lips were so close all he had to do was lean over, just an inch.
Snorts of laughter came from his companions and he turned his head to glare at them. Watching them fall over themselves in the plight of his unfortunate situation. That's right, go on, you idiots. Laugh. Get your jollies while you can. I will get my revenge. You just watch your backs when we get back. He swore to himself just as the woman removed herself from him and whispered softly to him. He didn't know it he was relieved or.disappointed as she moved away.
Jessica kissed his cheek as he turned his head and glanced over at the other two men. Dropping her microphone for a moment and whispered softly to him.
"I hope you didn't mind."
She smiled and stood from his lap to the cheers and hoots from the crowd. The dark man was glaring angrily at his friends. She guessed he would be in trouble with his wife or girlfriend whenever his friends got through telling her what happened here tonight. They looked like the type that would tell on him and happily too.
Poor guy.
She thought once more about him as she moved back to the stage transitioning smoothly into her next number. Her nerves retreated to the back of her mind like they normally did after her first number. She grinned big out over the crowd while, every now and then, glancing over at table number three and giving the man in black a smile.