Title: Potions Tutoring
Summary: Harry is in his seventh year and is failing Potions class. Snape offers to tutor him and they grow close. Harry has always had a crush on Snape, but does the Potions Master feel the same about Harry? Snape-mentors-Harry fic with eventual Snarry.
Rated: T
Pairing(s): Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger
Genre(s): Romance, Suspense, Friendship
Warning(s): Violence, angst, intense action and kissing/sexual themes
"Potter!" Snape's deep, baritone voice echoed through the dungeons as Potions class ended. "Stay after class."
"Yes sir," Harry said miserably.
"Try not to be too late to Transfiguration," said Hermione. Harry rolled his eyes as she and Ron got up and left, leaving Harry alone in the dungeons with Snape.
"You needed to talk to me, Professor?" Harry asked after walking up to Snape's desk.
"Yes, Potter. Care to explain to me why your Potions grades are slipping?" Snape asked as he glared at Harry.
"I'm sorry, sir," Harry said, feeling a twinge of guilt. For a while now, his goal had been to impress Snape with his grades, so that the Potions Master would not think he was entirely incompetent. Contrary to popular belief, he actually had a huge crush on Snape. "Really, I am," he added at Snape's raised eyebrow. "It's just...Dumbledore expects me to defeat Voldemort and pass all my classes. I really tried hard last year, sir. But now my grades are slipping and I'm not getting enough sleep. I'm always up all night worrying about the next time Voldemort tries to kill me."
"I see," Snape said. "I will brew you a Dreamless Sleep potion. And I will help you catch up so that you don't fail this course. If you fail, you will be unable to graduate this year. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Harry said.
"Good. From now on, you will meet me for two hours after dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."
"Fridays?" Harry's jaw dropped. "But, sir-"
"Am I clear?" Snape snarled. "Miss a tutoring session, and I will make your life hell. Which is quite overdue, considering how many times I have caught you sleeping in my class."
Ignoring the fact that Snape already made his life hell, Harry decided to be grateful for the extra tutoring. "Thank you for sacrificing so much of your time to help me, Professor," Harry said. Maybe the universe had seen how Harry had failed the first time and decided to give him a second chance. Plus, now he would get to spend time alone with Snape, even if it was on Friday nights. "I won't let you down."
Snape's onyx eyes widened, and Harry felt his heart skip a beat as he met his Professor's gaze. "See that you don't," Snape said. "I will see you tomorrow evening, then."
"Yes," Harry agreed, starting to make his way to the door.
"Potter?" Snape called after him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"What?" Harry double checked to make sure he had his cauldron and his bag. "No."
Snape held out a pass to him. "Minerva doesn't like her students being late."
Harry smiled as he took the pass from Snape. "Thank you sir," he said, blushing slightly as he headed towards his next class.
"Ouch," Ron said later that evening. "That sucks, Harry."
"No, this is good," Hermione said. "This way Harry can get closer to Snape while also improving his grades. It's perfect. Plus, you can still come with us to Hogsmeade, Harry."
"That's true," said Harry, feeling a little better. "There's just one problem. Snape will never return my feelings."
"You could try talking to him," Hermione said. "See if you two have anything in common. Maybe ask him about your mom."
To prove his loyalties, Snape had given Harry his memories a few months earlier. Harry had seen that Snape was best friends with his mom when they were in school, and that he was in love with her.
"I don't know if that's a good idea," Harry said. "Snape's a private person, and he could very well hex me for asking."
"Harry, you have a crush on the man, but you don't know anything about him," Hermione pointed out. "You two have your mother in common, and you have to start somewhere."
Harry sighed. "I know. I'll try."
The next night, Harry and Ron hurried to dinner. They had gotten caught up in homework, and Harry didn't want to miss his meal before tutoring. "Glad we got Hermione out of our hair for the evening," Ron said. "I never knew she was such a romantic."
Earlier, Hermione had made Ron and Harry roleplay with Ron as Snape and Harry as himself. She had scolded them when neither had been able to take it seriously, even when Ron dressed up as Snape. "You're just lucky Snape didn't catch you," Harry said, laughing. "He probably would have thought you were mocking him."
"Well, I kinda was," Ron admitted, laughing as they entered the Great Hall. "I still can't believe you have a crush on him."
"Keep your voice down," Harry hissed as he sat beside Ron at the Gryffindor table. He glanced up at the staff table, where Snape was talking to Dumbledore. He turned and met Harry's gaze, and Harry's heart fluttered. Snape's eyes reminded him of dark chocolate.
After dinner, Harry headed down to the dungeons for his first tutoring session with Snape. "To start off our extra classes, you will be brewing Amortentia," he said. "I trust you are awake enough not to mess it up?"
"Yes sir," Harry said. "Thank you again for the potion. I slept better last night than I have in a long time."
"You're welcome," Snape said, glancing at him with a curious look. "I will be watching you brew the potion and will help you accordingly. Next time, you will brew it without my help or instructions. I trust you to study the instructions in your free time."
"Okay," Harry said, and took the instructions Snape gave him. He went over to the ingredients cabinet and grabbed what he needed. As he started the potion, he felt Snape close behind him, watching over his shoulder. Harry gasped at the feeling of the Potions Master's hot breath on his neck and accidentally knocked over one of the ingredients onto the floor.
"Pick it up, Potter," Snape said.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Gee, if only I'd thought of that," he said as he bent down to get the ingredient. Luckily it had been in a sealed vial and it didn't break.
"Ten points for cheek, Potter," Snape told him.
Harry sighed. "Yeah, I had that coming." He could almost see Snape's smirk as he turned his focus to the potion.
"Well, Potter," Snape said an hour later as he examined the fresh batch of Amortentia. "This is not half bad."
Harry felt his eyes widen in surprise. "Did I just hear a compliment in there?"
Snape rolled his eyes at Harry. "Despite our...differences, I believe that you have potential. Which is why we are here."
Harry smiled slightly. So Snape didn't think he was a total failure after all. "Professor, I was wondering if you could tell me about my mother."
AN: Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Please review :)