Disclaimer: I'm a poor little high school girl filled with failure and lack of skill. I do not own the masterpiece that is Harry Potter or the ever lovely Severus Snape
Snape: Please… Don't call me lovely.
Me: Oh, but you are!
Snape: *sighs* children… sickening.
Oh, he loves me. I know it. ^_^ *giggle* Anyway, it's the first time I've written an HP fan-fiction in god-knows how many months. So! We'll see how it goes, a'right? :D
Warnings: This is Snarry fiction. It's gay. If it sickens you, please go look up some Romione and get over it. It's not HBP compliant in the least and I refuse to allow Dumby die, much less at Severus' hand, in ANY fic I write.
Anywho... Enjoy!
PS I've just realized I don't have any good tasty Snarry smut up on my account yet! I guess this will be the first. *does a little dance* I love it so.
==/there there baby it's just textbook stuff - it's in the ABC of growing up\\==
Severus Snape fought back a groan of agony as he watched his failure of a class struggle to concoct the simple healing potion he'd assigned. The level of this potion was that of second year and yet, his fifth year students seemed to have no idea what to do with it. He didn't mind all that much, though, as he was teaching his personal favorite combination of houses. His Slytherins and their rivals, the Gryffindors, always made for an interesting class. He had always found an odd sort of amusement out of tormenting Gryffindors for the Slytherins' pleasure. His favorite student, Draco Malfoy, got a great kick out of it, leading his classmates in taunts and jeers.
Severus surveyed the room, taking in the disaster zone. The Longbottom boy, useless whenever it came to potions class, was flailing about, trying to rescue his potion from the brink of explosion, under the watchful and helpful eye of the frizzy haired know-it-all Granger girl. Severus sneered at the pair and looked away quickly.
On the other side of the room, Draco sat next to the youngest Weasley boy and they bickered playfully back and forth as they worked on their potion. Severus rolled his eyes. The two had been together for over a month and were still trying to keep it all secret. Severus had to admit, begrudgingly, if he didn't already know, he never would have guessed. Slytherins and Gryffindors together was a rarity, but two boys from rival houses? That was almost completely unheard of - that's not to say homosexuality was uncommon in Hogwarts, but most of the homosexual relationships were hidden, out of habit and fear of an ancient prejudice that died with Merlin and his gay lover. But still he'd been totally shocked when Draco had confided in him and had agreed to help them - which turned out to be harder than Severus had anticipated; the number of times he had to pull Draco out of a broom closet or set a silencing charm on a normally empty classroom... he shook his head.
Severus continued his scan across the class and finally, he found what he had been looking for: young Potter. Severus sneered as he thought of the boy. Potter had always been a bother. Swollen-headed and stubborn, much like his father, he was loud, obnoxious and rude. And too pretty. The Potter family square build and tousled dark hair combined far too nicely with the Evans' family fair skin and long face for Severus' liking. Too distracting. Severus' sneer deepened and he hid a growl of agitation. Stupid gorgeous stubborn overly-intelligent Potter... Look at him, sitting there, writing away in his little leather book, not a care in the world - well, except Voldemort and the whole orphan business... and Draco flashing him an evil grin every now and again... and having to save the world. For someone with so many problems, Potter seemed to handle them fairly well - sitting in the back of an advanced NEWT level potions class, slowly stirring what looked like a perfectly made potion and scribbling in his little black book, face calm and at ease. How could someone so young and yet so important look so unaffected?
Severus wiped his face of all emotion, replaced his sneer of hatred with something a little lighter and stood to make his way down the aisles. He made a snide comment at Longbottom, who looked close to tears, took points from a few more Gryffindors, smiled at his Slytherins, awarded Draco points just to do so and finally arrived at Potter's desk.
Potter did not look concerned or bothered. He looked almost happy, as he closed his notebook, dropped it to the ground and awaited judgment, smiling lightly. Severus fought the urge to snarl. Damn Potter and his ridiculous half smile. He diverted his gaze, looking instead down to the simmering cauldron before him.
"And what..." Severus drawled effortlessly, "Is this?"
The rest of the class fell silent, in anticipation for some proper Potter bashing. The Gryffindors sat twitching in their seats.
"This is the potion you assigned. Just as you instructed. Sir," Potter replied, grinning confidently, adding the 'sir' with only a small amount of smugness.
"Indeed... And you believe this is... sufficient?" Severus smirked, turning the stirring rod slowly with the tip of his spindly potion-stained fingers.
Potter simply nodded, eyes locked on Severus' hand, an almost... lustful gleam in his eyes. Severus arched an eyebrow and removed his hands and placing them instead on the table edge. Potter looked up at him again and had the common sense to blush and look down to his lap.
"Yes, sir," he murmured.
"Very well, then. Draco, fetch me an empty vial. I am going to sample Potter's potion."
Potter's head snapped up again, eyes wide.
"What, you mean... you mean now?" he said, voice slightly higher in pitch than usually. Severus smirked.
"When else, Potter, would I test this? You're not worried, are you? It's perfect, isn't it, if you followed all my instructions correctly this time..."
There was cold laughter from the Slytherins, which Severus ignored, attention still locked on Potter's face. Potter stared back, quietly, eyes full of something other than the usual rage and disdain and defiance. Severus waited.
Draco approached him after a moment, clutching an empty vial and smirking down at Potter cruelly. Severus ignored the idea of slapping the arrogant child, snatched the vial and ushered him back to his seat. Severus noticed the Weasley boy pinching Draco when he sat down into his seat. Draco pouted. Severus rolled his eyes. He looked once more down to Potter, who looked back. There was definitely something different about the way Potter looked at him - something new in those eyes, perhaps...
Severus shook himself mentally, sneer rising once more, as he ladled some of the hot potion into the vial and swirled it slowly. He watched Potter's reaction as he blew the steam off the top and tilted the vial back to drink it all in one gulp. He waited. There was nothing. He smirked. And then he froze, eyebrows rising in confusion as a rush of warm air filled him and expanded, flooding through his veins and relaxing the years of tension from his muscles. He felt the cobwebs slip away from the corners of his mind and then a twinge shot through his left arm, leaving a heat in his fingertips. He flexed his hands reflexively and stared down at Potter. Potter simply smiled again, eyes glittering with that something-different-about-it look.
Severus slid into his sneer quickly and sniffed.
"Sludge," he announced, with a new clip to his voice, "Detention, Potter. Tomorrow night at 8. Do not be late."
"Yes... sir," Harry - Potter, Severus reprimanded himself, not Harry - replied, ducking to hide his own smirk.
Severus spun and marched to the front of the room, trying hard not to notice the new bounce in his step or how the old fluidity and grace came easier. He turned back to the class, glaring.
"Bottle your samples and clean up. For homework, I want a two foot essay on the uses of porcupine quill in healing potions and its effects."
There was a great clatter of chairs as everyone stood and began filling vials. Severus watched, out of the corner of his eye, as Potter pulled a flask from his back pocket and filled it with his potion before stowing it away in his bag. Severus chose not to say anything.
The bell rang and there was a great fuss to get out of the room as fast as possible, chattering and laughter adding to the din as the students left. For a moment, Severus simply sat and felt. Potter's potion was still sliding through him, flowing like water through his body, recharging his mind and vibrating through his bones. Eventually, he stood again and made his way slowly across the room, spelling clean whatever messes were left behind and sweeping scraps of parchment off the floor into the bin. As he approached the back of the room, he noticed something resting against the leg of one of his tables. It was a thin leather notebook, worn and a little tattered, but in an 'old money' sort of way. It took Severus a moment to realize that it was the notebook Potter had been scribbling in. He sneered and almost rolled his eyes, before remembering he was more mature than that and so instead, merely sighed and picked it up. It was oddly warm in his hand and something inside him shivered. There was shuffle of feet from outside the door, announcing the arrival of his new class and Severus tucked the book quickly into his inner pocket, before gliding to the door to let the students in. He would just have to return the journal to Potter at his detention.
==/there there baby it's just textbook stuff - it's in the ABC of growing up\\==