I was late for an extra potions lesson with Snape, so I was shooting down the corridors and hallways until I reached the dungeons, out of breath. I proceeded calmly to the potions classroom. I knocked on the oak door and heard a booming, silky voice call "Enter."
I opened the door to find Snape sitting at his desk scrawling marks on parchment in his lovely calligraphic handwriting. He continued this for a few silent minutes until he noticed me. "Miss Sinclair, you are late. Do you value your extra potions lessons as much as I do? I dare say not, as you have found yourself arrogant enough to waltz into my room 15 minutes late."
"But I-" I stammered.
He sighed. "You are one of my finest students. As such, you are expected to be on time."
"I have a good excuse for being late. You know I'm always on time. I overslept, sir. I'm really sorry." I explained.
Snape's face remained impassive. "I'll make an arrangement with you, Miss Sinclair. I'm going to a staff meeting for about 30 minutes. If you can successfully brew me a cauldron of Sleeping Draught, I will consider dismissing this incident."
I smiled widely. "Yes, sir. You won't regret this!" I set to work at once, grabbing all the ingredients I needed. He shot me a brief glimpse as he stalked out of the room, his black robes abounding rhythmically after him. I sat down and put the cauldron down in front of me on the table. Everything was going accordingly until I accidentally knocked over a nearby jar of bloodroot which seeped into the finished potion. The cauldron started smoking and its contents fizzling over. Snape came in at the worst moment possible to check my progress. The room was encompassed with smothering red masses of smoke. He coughed harshly as he approached me and the cauldron. "Get back!" He shouted at me just as the cauldron exploded, causing a second wave of immense smoke to shroud the air.
Snape coughed frantically, waving the smoke out of his face as he opened the windows in the room. His face was searing with anger as he shot daggers at me from across the room. He coughed several more times before turning his cutting gaze on me again. I stood speechless, in the deathly quiet. "Do you care to reveal to me how this happened, Miss Sinclair?" Snape asked irritably.
"It was an accident! I was just trying to-"
"Trying to suffocate me to death?!" He spat. "Get. Out."
"No! I accidentally knocked bloodroot into the potion! I was finished!" I cried.
His eyes gleamed furiously. "Bloodroot is a poison, child. Had I breathed enough of that in, I would be dead, as would you. Were you trying to kill us all?!"
"I made a terrible mistake! Please give me another chance! You know I can do it!" I begged.
Snape calculated me thoughtfully. "I do not enjoy being nearly asphyxiated in my own classroom..." He sighed profoundly. "In spite of this, you have never deceived me intentionally before. Very well, Miss Sinclair. You may attempt the potion again."
I shot him a grateful look. "You won't regret this, sir! I'll amaze you!"
He smirked. "I'm going to observe you this time."
I got another cauldron and more ingredients and sat down at the table as he watched me. "Aren't you going to the hospital wing?"
"For?" Snape questioned.
"For the smoke. You said it could've killed us." I said flatly.
He coughed, clearing his lungs. "I'm well enough, Miss Sinclair."
"But you're still coughing! Do you have a death wish, Professor Snape?" I asked incredulously.
Snape sighed. "Why the sudden change of heart? Don't you wish I were dead like every other Gryffindor student I teach?"
I shot up out of my chair. "That's not true! Why don't you make this potion yourself since you think so lowly of one of your finest students!" I shrilled, mocking his earlier words.
I heard him scamper up behind me fast. I craned my head just in time to see him reaching for my hand. "Don't you dare put your hands on me! You may think its perfectly sweet to touch your other female students but you better keep your distance from me."
He took a deep breath. "You must overlook my temper, Miss Sinclair. I am grateful for your interest in my health. It may not seem likely, however, I am extremely fond of you. You have me at a standstill. Please, I would be delighted to see you finish the potion."
I frowned but nodded. Snape led me back into the classroom. I eyed him suspiciously as I went back to the table. "You intrigue me, Professor Snape."
His black eyes locked with my hazel ones. "Please, call me Severus. We are past the formalities."
"Why? Because I exaggerated?!" I exclaimed. "You were coughing!"
Snape sighed longingly. "I know you're in love with me, Heather."
"You hate me, remember? I should just get out, right?" I snapped.
"Don't mock me." Snape warned, his voice rising.
"Or what?"
He shot me an ominous glare. "My patience wears thin."
There was an awkward pause before Snape burst into spectacular coughing fit, expelling the air deep in his lungs.
I hurried over to him, patting his back gently and massaging his writhing muscles carefully until the dynamic coughing diminished. "Are you okay?!" I asked anxiously. "Breathe deeply."
He sighed deeply.
"Do you feel better, Severus?"
Snape nodded silently.
"After I'm done brewing I'm taking you to the hospital wing." I commented.
"I think you're making an unnecessary fuss." He argued hotly. "I'm not going."
"You sound like you have pneumonia. You need potions."
"Which I can brew myself." Snape sneered.
"I'm keeping an eye on you. If you get worse I'll drag you there." I threatened.
I finished the potion successfully this time and we went to Severus's chambers as quietly as we could. I hopped on his bed, while he undressed and slowly entwined his body with mine under the covers. "I have a confession to make." He smiled as he kissed my neck and made his way downward. "I love you, Heather."
I smiled back and pulled him into a breathless kiss. When we cracked apart, he turned his head away from me quickly and coughed, bringing clear liquid up from his lungs. He coughed repeatedly. I cringed. "I hope you don't get me sick."
I grabbed him and kissed him passionately, and we entangled our tongues together. "I love you so much, Severus."
Severus smiled and began pushing into me. He was very big, my walls hurt to accommodate him. "O gods that be, help me!" I shouted as his came inside me.
He leaned down and slid his tongue in my mouth. Snape coughed briefly as we broke off. "You really frightened me earlier. I was a nervous wreck about your coughing." I remarked, smiling against his lips.
He looked at me and sighed. "I'm touched. Don't worry about me."
I kissed him hard as he started pulsating inside me again. We slept soundly in each others arms after a night of unbelievable sex.