Do not own anything but the names you don't recognize...
Rhiannon Landon, a seventh year Hufflepuff, turned a corner sharply and quickened her pace. It was only 2 weeks since returning to Hogwarts and it was the third time she was late for Potions. She had quite a record for being late to that class, which she couldn't explain; Potions was one of her favorites. Slowing down slightly, she reached the classroom; from the sounds of it, Professor Snape had already started the lesson--she could hear him talking. She slipped in as quietly as she could, and as she took her seat in the back of the room, she almost thought she was in the clear.
"Miss Landon, how nice of you to grace us with your presence."
The other students in the class turned to glance at Rhiannon, who felt her face heat up. She stared at the top of the table, without glancing up at the Potions Master.
"You seem to be making a habit out of this." Professor Snape continued while the rest of the students turned back to face the front of the room. "Five points from Hufflepuff for disrupting the class."
Rhiannon didn't need to see the irritation on the faces of the other Hufflepuffs, she already knew they didn't like her very much because she was mostly the one to always get points taken away.
"Now, as I was saying." Professor Snape said, continuing with the lesson.
Rhiannon ran her fingers through her long, auburn hair sighing quietly. She normally would have said something about how unjust it was, she wasn't that late, but with the Potions Master it was a different story. No, she wasn't afraid of him like the other students; she was attracted to him. Ever since her first year at Hogwarts, she loved her Potions class. Half the time she wished she'd ended up in Slytherin just so she could be closer to him. Of course, it was irrational, the way she thought. There was no reason for her to like the greasy haired, sallow skinned man that was constantly yelling at her; yet to her, there was every reason.
"Mr. Saller, something you'd like to share?"
The harsh bark at the student next to Rhiannon threw her from her daze, and she glanced at the blonde boy who she knew as Alex, who'd been talking quietly to the boy in front of him. Alex looked up at the professor and slowly shook his head. Professor Snape stared at him for an intense moment before he continued talking and turned to the rest of the class. Rhiannon noticed that while she'd been thinking of her "love" for the professor, he'd already put the instructions on the board. A lot of the class were scribbling down bits and pieces of the things he said; hanging on to everyword so as not to mess up. Rhiannon cursed under her breath; as she had a habit for being late, she also had a habit for daydreaming and not following the correct procedures. There was no way she was going to ask the Potions Master to repeat himself, she'd probably end up asking the kid Alex what was going on, that is, if he wasn't too annoyed with her for losing points.
"Begin." again Rhiannon was thrown from her thoughts as the Potions Master spoke.
He turned and walked back to his desk, as students bustled about quickly to get to work. Rhiannon glanced over at Alex who had resumed talking to the boy in front of him.
"Miss Landon, a word."
Rhiannon looked back at the front of the room. Professor Snape was busy with papers on his desk, and he wasn't looking at her. A few of her fellow Hufflepuffs looked at her, some with looks of sympathy, others with those of 'serves-you-right'. Rhiannon absentmindedly patted her hair again, and stood up slowly. She was afraid that if she stood up any faster she would have charged at the Potions Master. She slowly walked up to the desk, and when she stopped he looked up at her, his black eyes unreadable.
"Can I ask why you were late today?" he questioned, going back to the paper he was grading.
Rhiannon looked down, you can ask but I might not have a smart answer. Thinking better of it, she straightened the front of her robes and searched her brain for a reasonable response.
"I was on my way here," she began slowly, "And I realized I didn't have my book, so I had to go back to my dorm and grab the book." She averted her gaze when the professor glanced back up at her. "And then as I was coming back here, I dropped my bag down the stairs, and a bunch of my stuff fell out..and I had to...pick it up..."
"Don't let it happen again." Professor Snape said.
Rhiannon looked back down at him, and he made a particularly angry face at the paper he was grading, probably some third year's paper. He looked back up at her.
"Can I help you with something?" he asked, looking as if he'd rather not.
Rhiannon felt her face redden again, and she quickly stammered out that she didn't need anything. Then she turned and practically ran back to her seat, hoping that no one was watching. When she sat down, she risked a glance at Professor Snape who had been watching her, but now he looked away and slightly shook his head. You're so obvious, Rhiannon scolded herself, then she turned back to Alex, hoping her face wasn't as flushed as it felt, and she quietly asked what was to be done for the lesson that day.
