Task Two Story One for the 'Pottermore Challenge' - Prompt: Severus Snape, Warning: age gap (light Severus/Harry).
He leant forward over the bubbling cauldron, taking in the aubergine sparks which were spluttering out of the mixture periodically. He took out the long metal stirrer, certain this time he had the correct number of stirs. The solution to the error he kept making had been alluding him for weeks, and it had been aggravating him at all hours trying to think of a way around the potion exploding.
Just as the dark haired man lowered the rod into the delicate potion, a light tap echoed from the door which lead to the rest of the castle. Cursing, he continued to stir counter-clockwise; to take the rod out at this point would be folly. The aubergine sparks slowly turned maroon, and the knock sounded louder on the wooden door.
If the person on the other side of the door continued to distract him he was going to neuter them, no matter who they were. Finally finishing his stirring, he removed the stirrer and carefully pushed the carefully sliced boomslang skin in. Seeing the surface flash gold, his lips tilted in satisfaction and he carefully bottled the mixture. Only then did he turned to the insistent knocking which still was sounding out from the door.
Jerking the door open, he stood rigidly with a sneer plastered across his features. An apologetic Harry Potter stood outside, sheepish expression on his face.
A sigh sounded out from Potion's master, sneer melting off his face as he took in the younger man. He motioned Harry in, taking a glance at his watch to double check his suspicions and cursing again silently when he saw the time.
"I know you hate being disturbed when you have a new idea, Severus, but you asked me to make sure you got to class on time." The taller man nodded contritely at Harry as he started packing up the potions ingredients to get ready for his first class of the day. He didn't start at the hand touching his lower back, used to the casual touches from the younger man.
The younger man reached out a hand to the bottled potion, lifting it to the light to observe the colour. Seeing the pearlescent shade of maroon, a smile crossed Harry's face as he looked proudly up at the pale man beside him.
"You finished it!" he exclaimed, then at the look on Severus's face he quickly covered himself; "Not that I ever doubted you."
A small, forgiving smile appeared on the older mans face; a rare sight. Despite being significantly more happy and at peace since the end of the war, Severus still had trouble showing what he was truly feeling- even to those who were close to him.
"Yes. That discussion we had last night was truly the key to this discovery." silky tones stated, and a pleased grin pasted itself on Harry's face.
"You always know I'm happy to brainstorm, Severus. Even though no-one would have believed me capable of it during my school years." A self-depreciating laugh sounded out from the ex-Gryffindor, as they both grimaced at the terrible marks he had gained in his potions class. Really, it was remarkable that he had managed to study enough after school to catch up on the potions knowledge he needed to get into Healer training.
But he had and now he was proudly the medi-wizard available at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, serving the school alongside his snarky partner, Severus Snape.
"I best be off, Severus. You know the little monsters get up to all sorts of trouble this early in the day." The older man nodded his head, and Harry lightly touched his arm before heading to the door. "I will see you later, and we can celebrate." The words were thrown over Harry's shoulder as he exited the classroom, making sure that Severus could not object.
Severus hated celebrating.