Don't Own

Please R&R

This is for the Teacher Crush Challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum

Summary: Luna develops a crush on Professor Snape after a potions accident, how will he let her down without breaking her fragile, teenage heart.

Enjoy!

…

Severus Snape sat at his desk grading essays while his class of fifth year's potions students brewed strengthening solution. It wasn't a very hard potion to make but with a class of hormonal, teenage dunderheads, one always had to be on their guard.

Case and point, Colin Creevey; who had just added powdered root of asphodel instead of crushed valerian roots that the instructions called for.

Snape was on his feet in an instance. He could see Colin's potion starting to bubble and he knew he had less than a few seconds before it exploded.

"Everyone get down" he shouted knowing that there wouldn't be enough time for his students to get out of the classroom, hopefully none of them would be hit by the potion if they shielded themselves and had the protection of their desks.

Snape watched as all but one of his students hit the floor.

Luna Lovegood, who sat directly behind Colin, was lost in her own thoughts which wasn't a rare occurrence, and seemed to not have a single clue about what was going on around her.

Snape groaned as he ran at Luna with the hopes of shielding her from the potion with his own body, knowing that his cloak would protect both of them.

Snape basically tackled Luna to the ground before he heard the potion erupt behind him.

Luna was startled as she looked up into Snape's dark eyes with fright.

Snape took in the frightened look on her face but there was nothing he could do for that now, it would have been much worse for her if the potion had hit her. She would have broken out in very painful hives that would cover everywhere that the potion touched her skin.

Snape could feel the hot potion hitting his back but his cloak was protecting them.

When he looked back down at Luna her expression had changed and Snape started to feel uncomfortable.

He had received that same look a number of times before and it had never boded well for him; he groaned internally, hopefully he was just imagining it.

After a few minutes, when the remainder of Colin's potion had cooled down, Snape stood up. "Is everyone okay?" he asked after he had vanished the last of the potion.

It seemed all of his students had gotten down in time, thankfully.

After Snape had deducted points from Colin he went back to his desk and told his students to resume where they had left off.

Before he went back to grading papers he looked around the room to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to. He was unnerved when his gaze landed on Luna; she was staring directly at him with a dreamy look on her face. He quickly looked away.

So he hadn't been imagining it.

He had definitely seen that look before, more times than he wanted to admit. Over the past few years enough girls, and even some guys, had gotten that look after they had started to 'like' him.

Yes, as weird as it would seem, students developed crushes on him quite often. He guessed it was because he was the most suitable choice when most of the other male teachers were a lot older than him and looked like Dumbledore or Flitwick.

Luckily though, sometimes those who had a crush on him got over it after a while by themselves. He hoped that was the case this time.

If not he had weeks of Luna staying after class to talk to him, seeking him out in the halls, bringing him gifts, trying to get close to him and much more annoying things to look forward to.

Snape was just glad that it was the end of the year, there was only two more weeks left until school would end. Hopefully over the summer Luna would forget her crush because Snape hated the task of trying to let students down gently; it almost never ended well.

…

"Thanks again Luna," Hermione said, they were sitting in the blonde's room, Luna on the floor and Hermione on the bed "my summer potions project wouldn't have worked out half as well without the plants from your dad's garden."

Luna, who had been lost in her thoughts, looked up at Hermione "Oh…don't worry about it," she said "we have plenty." Then she went back to staring out the window.

Hermione frowned, she had noticed before summer had started that Luna had been acting differently and today, at the end of July, she was still acting weird…or weirder for Luna that is.

"Luna…" Hermione began, wanting to know what had gotten into her friend "has something happened, you seem different, like more…dreamy than usual."

Luna looked at Hermione again "I'm in love" she said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Love?" Hermione asked amazed.

"Yes love" Luna said.

"With who?" Hermione asked "Do they go to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah but there's an age difference" Luna stated, barely listening to Hermione.

"An age difference…" Hermione said, sorting through the options in her head "So he's in my year…or is he younger?"

Luna sighed "No he's older, but he's not in your year."

"Not in my year but that leaves…" Hermione gasped "Shit your not serious! You like a teacher? Who?"

Luna sighed again and clutched her potions book, which had currently been sitting in her lap, to her chest.

Hermione's eyes widened "Snape! You like Snape!"

"No," Luna said and Hermione was momentarily relieved "I'm in love with him."

Hermione shook her head "But you can't! I mean he's a teacher, and like twice your age and…and it's wrong!"

Luna frowned at her "I know he's my teacher but in two years he won't be anymore and I just know we can make it work."

"But it's Snape!" Hermione practically shouted.

"Yes and he's handsome, smart, he's an amazing potions master and so much more" Luna said and then went back to dreamily staring out the window.

"Oh Merlin" Hermione groaned, she couldn't see this turning out well.

Maybe by the time school started again Luna would have gotten over this silly notion.

…

"Professor Snape?"

Snape almost groaned, he had been so close to getting though the first day without having to see Miss. Lovegood once, since he didn't have sixth year potions today.

He had known since the Welcoming Feast that Luna still had a crush on him; she hadn't taken her eyes off him the whole night.

Snape turned away from the staff room door that he had been just about to enter and turned to look at Luna. "Ah Miss Lovegood, what can I do for you?" Snape had to put all his effort into not sneering the last part.

Luna blushed up at him "My father and I spent most of the summer in our garden, he has plenty of rare herbs and I thought you might appreciate the value of some of them, so here" Luna handed him a package with a little blue bow on the top.

Snape felt like grabbing Luna's shoulder, shaking her and yelling "Don't do this to me!" but instead he nodded his head, muttered thanks and walked into the staff room.

Once he was inside he slumped against the door and sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Severus?"

Snape looked over at McGonagall, the only other person in the room, he nodded to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Severus walked over to the armchair across from the one McGonagall was sitting in and slumped down into it. "Another crush" he said tiredly.

"Oh my," McGonagall said "Who is it this time?"

"Miss Lovegood" Snape answered.

McGonagall shook her head "What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know," Snape groaned out "I hoped that she would get over this silly crush during the summer but the time away has only seemed to intensify it. I just can't go through it again!"

McGonagall nodded in understanding, she was obviously remembering the last time a girl had a crush on Snape. When he had tried to let her down gently she had cried her eyes out and then tried to throw herself off the Astronomy Tower, however the wards there to prevent such occurrences stopped her.

"How bad is it?" McGonagall asked.

"Bad," Snape said "She's already started giving me gifts and whenever we are within eye contact she continuously stares at me. What am I going to do Minerva?"

McGonagall sighed "You're going to have to tell her that her behavior is inappropriate for a student and that you're sorry but you don't feel the same way."

Snape looked like he was going to argue but McGonagall cut him off.

"You have to Severus, before her infatuation for you gets any stronger. It's the best thing for the situation and I'll tell all of her teachers to be on the look out for the tattle tale signs of depression. If she needs help we will get it for her but its best this situation is dealt with sooner rather than later" McGonagall said.

Snape shook his head "I know you're right but it's just so hard; contrary to what most people would believe, I don't like going around crushing girl's hearts."

"I know Severus," McGonagall said "but don't worry, Miss Lovegood is a strong girl, she'll get over it."

…

The next day when Snape was on his way to the Great Hall for lunch he saw Luna and some of her friends in the courtyard.

There weren't many people around and Snape thought he should probably get this issue over and dealt with.

He walked across the courtyard, past Neville and Dean who were dueling for fun and over to Luna who was talking with Hermione and Harry.

"Miss Lovegood may I have a word with you?" Snape asked.

Luna's smile brightly at him and walked over to him.

"What is it you want Professor?" she asked.

Snape took a deep breath "Miss Lovegood, I have come to inform you that your behavior over the last few…" Snape stopped, Luna was barely listening to him. She was staring at him with love shining from her big blue eyes and a goofy smile on her face.

Snape knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with her in this state of mind. He was about to say something when he heard someone call from behind them "Luna look out" and then a boy was diving in front of him and knocking Luna to the ground as a spell went flying past them afterwards.

"Sorry about that Luna" Neville said standing up and helping the blonde haired girl to her feet.

"You…you jumped in front of that spell for me" Luna stuttered at Neville.

Neville rubbed the back of his neck with his hand "Well I didn't want it to hit you, it would have given you nasty, painful boils if it had."

"But it could have hit you" Luna said.

Neville shrugged "It was nothing" he said before turning back to Dean.

Snape shook his head "Miss. Lovegood" he said to get her attention, he really wanted to get this over with.

"Oh sorry Professor Snape" Luna said turning back to him.

Snape started again but noticed Luna still couldn't keep focus. However this time it wasn't because she was staring at him, it was because her eyes kept drifting over to where Neville was standing.

Snape smirked to himself, he had a feeling he didn't need to worry about Luna's crush on him anymore.

"Miss Lovegood" he said getting her attention one last time "I have to get to a meeting, you're free to go."

"Oh…uh thanks Professor Snape" Luna said distractedly then she turned and walked over to Neville.

As Snape walked away he couldn't help but thank Merlin, for the first time in his life, for Neville Longbottom.