September 1st, 1994
I stepped off the train at Hogwarts, a grin on my face. It was finally my last year of school. I was going to be taking my NEWTs and figuring out what I was going to do after I leave. I walked over to the carriages with the other students to head to the school. I climbed into the same carriage as a couple of 2nd year Slytherins, a fifth year Hufflepuff, and my sister. I held my sweet, black cat Ambrosia on my lap as we rode. I ignored the young Hufflepuff and spoke to the Slytherins. Keeping up the usual nonchalant Slytherin attitude.
When we arrived I walked into the Great Hall, Ambrosia immediately heading up to the head table to greet Dumbledore. I watched as she hopped up onto his lap before laying down, she would be very irritated when he went to stand for his first speech of the year. I giggled at the thought then felt two small, soft hands cover my eyes.
"Guess who!" The familiar voice spoke.
"Karina!" I squealed, uncovering my eyes to give her a hug.
She sat beside me, her legs on either side of the bench. We talked about our summers, laughing about some of the crazy things that happened. I told her about the ridiculous amount of letters from Oliver Wood over the summer and how every single one went into the fireplace in my bedroom unopened. I told her about some of the potions I experimented with from our Advanced Potions books. She explained how her sisters both got married over the summer, one to a guy from Beauxbatons and the other from Durmstrang. When I questioned why they didn't meet anyone from Hogwarts, she explained that they met them during a Quidditch game.
When the first years walked in everyone got quiet and watched them. We waited for the sorting to be complete then Dumbledore made his usual speech. Ambrosia grumpily hopped over to Professor McGonagall's lap, upset that Dumbledore woke her up. I wasn't sure what made Ambrosia so keen to cuddle with the Professors but I didn't question it. We suddenly were given a surprise, this year Hogwarts would be hosting the Triwizard Tournament.
Dumbledore introduced the schools that would be staying here this year, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Karina seemed excited to see a couple of her old friends from Beauxbatons. I couldn't be jealous, they'd known her for years like me but they had something more in common with Karina than I did.
I ignored the girls from Beauxbatons who were lead by a blonde and her little sister, Karina said the blonde's name was Fleur Delacour. I couldn't keep my eyes off the raw strength of Durmstrang. Though none of them captured my heart like one of the most feared men at Hogwarts. I felt Ambrosia sit down on my lap, apparently uncomfortable with so many new people in the school.
When the introductions were over and we all were finally able to eat, I left Karina to greet her old friends. As I was walking back to the dormitories I felt someone grab my hand, I turned to see a Hufflepuff boy, about the same age as me, I think his name was Guidry.
"Yes?" I spoke, raising an eyebrow to him.
"I was wondering, even though it is the first day of the year, if you would like to accompany me to Hogsmeade in a couple weeks?" He asked, still holding onto my hand.
I snatched my hand from him, placing it in the pocket of my robes. I raised my eyebrow at him again, flipping my hair over my shoulder.
"I don't think so. For one you are no where near my type and two, you are a Hufflepuff. Now shoo, I would like to get to my dormitory." I laughed, making sure I kept up my Slytherin charade.
"You shagged Oliver Wood last year and he was a Gryffindor. What makes me any different?" The boy snapped, grabbing the arm of my robes.
"Let me go you half-breed!" I snapped, yanking my arm from the boy's hand.
He let me go finally and I took off running towards the dungeons. I couldn't help the fear I felt in that moment. He immediately assumed since I was with Oliver that I would spread my legs for him. It had taken Oliver 8 months to even get to a point where I considered it.
When I finally reached the dormitory, I went straight up to my bed. I slipped out of my robes and into a night gown. I laid down in my bed, knowing Ambrosia would follow Karina here and take her usual spot at my feet. I got comfortable and fell asleep, my curtains closed around me and a silencing charm cast on my bed.
I had dreams of Professor Snape again, I always did. The only difference is the Guidry boy caught us and turned my sweet, loving dream into a nightmare.
When I awoke in the morning, the sound of Ambrosia's purring at my feet let me know she made it here alright. I got out of bed and dressed in my uniform, folding a cloak over my arm. Classes started tomorrow and I was not thrilled. I had divination in the mornings, having to hear Professor Trelawney's insistent ramblings.
I walked from the dorm up to the great hall but as I passed the potions room I heard something shatter then a shout. The door was partially open so I peaked my head in to see Professor Snape clutching a bleeding hand and a shattered phial laid on the ground.
"Professor? Are you alright?" I asked, stepping into the room.
He looked over at me with a scowl before slamming his hand down on the table. I raised an eyebrow and walked over to him, draping my cloak over the back of a nearby chair.
"Here Professor, let me see." I said, taking his hand and unfurling it.
There were shards of glass and a faint smell of Amortentia coming off the floor. Along with shards of glass embedded in his bloody hand. I took out my want and carefully began using a small spell to remove the glass pieces, setting them on the workbench.
"Why were you hold a bottle of Amortentia Professor? I didn't think it was allowed to be used on school grounds?" I asked, slowly working on his hand as to not cause too much pain.
"I needed it for the my first through fourth year students, to show them what it is supposed to look like and how to tell if someone has put in something. I started thinking and I accidentally shattered the phial." He spoke through gritted teeth.
Using the last spell to stop the bleeding and speed his healing I wrapped a cloth around his hand. I let his hand go and used a quick spell to clean up the mess. Looking up at him, I couldn't help the blush that formed on my cheeks. Looking away I grabbed my cloak, heading for the door. Before I left I turned to see him ladling more Amortentia into a phial.
"Professor, you have asked me but I never got the chance to ask you back in fourth year. What does Amortentia smell like to you?" I asked, giving him a slight smile.
"It smells like Lavender, chocolate, cranberry, and pine, Ms. Lynch." He said softly.
"Beautiful." I said, biting my lip.
I walked out of the classroom without a second look at Professor Snape, heading back towards the great hall. My heart soared in my chest at the thought of what he could smell in the Amortentia. He described me, the smell of Lavender, chocolate, cranberry, and pine. It was the smell of my hair wash and robes. Mother always loved having the house elves use a bit of pine to wash our clothing, she thought it gave our clothes a cleaner smell.
When I arrived in the great hall there were very few people there and those that were, were half-asleep. A few girls from Beauxbatons sat at one of the tables along with a few students from Durmstrang. I went over to the Slytherin table and grabbed a bowl of Pixie Puffs. I ate slowly, looking over my potions book for the year. I didn't notice when the same Hufflepuff boy sat down across from me.
"Have you gotten the stick out of your arse yet Lynch?" He growled.
"No I have not Guidry, now if you would be so kind as to leave. I would like to enjoy my bowl of cereal and then head off to the library to check out a couple books on Divination." I replied, not even looking at him.
He grabbed my hand again, holding it in a death grip. I could already feel my hand bruising. I struggled to pull my hand from his grip, a whimper escaping my lips. I wasn't sure why he was being so aggressive but I feared for my safety until a large hand peaking out of a red uniform grabbed the collar of his uniform yanking him back and my hand out of his.
"This is how you treat a lady?" The Bulgarian asked, holding Guidry about half a foot off the ground.
"That is none of your business." Guidry snapped, fear evident in his voice.
"If I vos you I vould apologize to zhe lady. She told you no once before, no?" He spoke again, his accent thick.
"Y-yes." Guidry was helplessly afraid now.
"Apologize to zhe lady, now!"
"I'm sorry Lynch! I'll leave you alone." He cried, almost allowing tears to escape.
The Bulgarian dropped Guidry who immediately ran from the great hall. I bit my lip, not sure what to say to him.
"You are Lynch, yes?" He asked me.
"Adora Lynch, yes. You are?" I replied.
"I am Dimitri Stanislavsky." He said, bowing.
I nodded my head to him before returning to my book, looking over the ingredients and steps for Wolfsbane. I glanced up to notice Dimitri still standing in front of me.
"Oh yeah, thanks for your help." I said, raising an eyebrow.
"Adora, vould you like help studying zhe potions. Ve at Durmstrang are very good at potions." He said.
"No, thanks. I'm the top student in my year for potions. I'm just brushing up." I answered.
He seemed taken aback with the fact that I didn't immediately kiss his feet. He continued to stand there, while I ate and read.
"Can I help you find something?" I snapped, closing my book with a slam.
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Snape was walking towards us. I immediately ducked my head, hoping he wouldn't notice me. I let my hair cover the sides of my face in hopes that I would look like just a regular Slytherin student. I forgot the fact that Snape pretty much knew my smell.
"Ms. Lynch is this student bothering you?" He asked, stopping next to Dimitri.
"No sir, I was just leaving." I replied, standing from the table.
"Well good then, I would like your help getting my classroom ready for the first year students. Remember they start classes today, I need help showing them the differences between what people smell in Amortentia." He spoke, his voice that usual monotone.
I nodded and stood, grabbing my potions book and cloak. I nodded my head goodbye to Dimitri before following Professor Snape to the dungeons. I walked slowly, watching as all the first years filled into the great hall for breakfast before their classes.
When I walked into the potions room Professor Snape handed me the phial of Amortentia. I slipped it into my pocket and helped him set up the cauldrons. I made sure there was heat under each one and a first year potions book in each spot.
By the time I was done first year students began filing into the classroom. Each one was talking, making new friends. Morning potions looked to be with Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. I stood by Snape's desk, my hand gripping the phial I hid in my pocket.
Professor Snape came storming in, in his usual fashion. His robes billowing out behind him as he walked.
"Just like every year in my class. This is potions. There will be no silly wand waving, incantations, or any of the sort. You ill not talk, you will not miss class unless you are dying in the hospital wing. I am Professor Snape and for today Ms. Lynch here will be helping me out. We will be learning about Amortentia. You will not make it until your fourth year but this will help you know if someone is ever trying to use it on you." He spoke.
I pulled the phial of Amortentia out of my pocket, raising it up for the class to see. The pearlescent coloring of the liquid and after uncapping it the spirals that came off the top. I held it up to my nose and inhaled the scent of the potion.
"Now Ms. Lynch tell us what Amortentia smells like to you." Snape spoke, watching me.
"It smells like Pumpkin. Along with herbs, lemons, and a fire." I said, speaking the truth.
"To every person the smell of Amortentia is different. For myself it smells like Chocolate, lavender, cranberry, and pine." Snape spoke, "Now you there, the little Hufflepuff with the red hair."
The girl looked up at him, the same glint of fear in her eyes as every other student who met Snape aside from the Slytherins.
"Yes sir." She said quietly, standing.
"What does the potion smell like to you?" He said, gesturing me to take it for her to smell.
She took a couple large whiffs of the potion. Before thinking about the different smells.
"It smells like pine, a camp fire, daisies, and something else I can't quite place, I think it's almonds." She said, her voice small.
"Who does the smell remind you of?" I said, hoping I didn't overstep any of Snape's boundaries.
"My father. He likes to wear pine scented cologne and he would always have a daisy in his robe pocket. We went camping a lot and he eats a lot of Almonds." She replied.
I nodded and went to stand back next to Snape, the phial of Amortentia still open in my hand. I put the stopper back in, setting it in the rack on his desk meant for phials of potions. I watched from a different view of how he taught, keeping an eye for any students, Hufflepuff or Slytherin who was talking. In the middle of a lecture about proper use of Mayfly wings a Slytherin boy started passing notes to a couple of people. I watched as he used his want to float the paper above Snape's head then quickly drop it in front of a Slytherin girl. I immediately grabbed the note before she could read it, holding it between my middle and pointer finger.
"Professor, it seems as though we already have a young student passing notes to others. Blatantly ignoring the rules." I spoke, looking at the small piece of parchment in my hand.
"Why don't you read the note aloud Ms. Lynch. I'm sure the whole class would like to hear what the boy has to say." Snape replied, glaring daggers at the boy who decided to break his rules.
"It says 'I would smell you in that potion. Meet me at lunch, I would like to get to know you with out the Professor with the stick up his arse.' Seems pretty interesting." I laughed, holding out to Snape.
"What is your name." Snape snapped, looking straight at the boy.
"G-Guidry sir." He replied, his voice shaking.
"Another Guidry? Thought you would be in Hufflepuff with your horrid older brother." I said, crossing my arms.
I hoped this one didn't turn out like his brother, a sniveling little creep who thought it was fun to take advantage of girls.
"No ma'am. Most of our family are Slytherins. He is the only one who isn't." He spoke, still looking at Snape with fear.
"Detention Mr. Guidry. 6Pm tonight. You will be bottling ingredients. Hopefully that will teach you a lesson about passing notes in my class." Snape snapped, "Now all of you, out of my classroom. I will see you all tomorrow morning."
We watched as the first year students scurried out of the classroom, scared of any other punishments. I sat down on a step in front of the desk, exhausted from dealing with the first year students already. I wasn't sure how Snape had done this every year for who knows how long.
"How do you do this?" I laughed, stretching my feet out in front of myself.
"I keep myself emotionless. I don't let the students get away with anything, well aside from you of course. I let you get away with too much." He said, a slight humor behind his voice.
I laughed and leaned back on the stone flooring. Relaxing in the quiet classroom for the first time today.
"What was going on with you and that Durmstrang boy, Stanislavsky I believe." He asked leaning on one of the empty tables.
"He saved me from Guidry, the seventh year in Hufflepuff. He's been harassing me since yesterday. Then he just stood there, as if I was supposed to be kissing his boots or something." I said, looking at my nails.
"Yes well, did you at least thank him?" Snape said, I think it was supposed to be a lame excuse at a joke.
I stood and looked at him, one eyebrow raised, my hand on my hip. I tried to keep a straight face but when I saw the smirk playing on Snape's lips I couldn't help but laugh. I watched as he let out a bit of a chuckle too.
"Holy Salazar! Did the grumpy Professor Snape just laugh!" I teased.
Snape rolled his eyes and flicked his wand. I heard the door lock and I raised an eyebrow at him. I watched as he stood up and walked over to me. I stood face to, well if we are being literal, chest to Snape. Looking up I noticed the height difference between us, I only stood maybe five foot tall while Snape stood a little over six foot. I was stunned as I looked up at him, I didn't know what to say or do. I let my heart take over and stood on my toes, connecting my lips with his.
I was afraid of him rejecting me until I felt his hand wrap itself in my hair, his other hand wrapped around my waist. I grabbed a handful of his inky black hair, trying to pull myself closer to him. I felt my lips mold around his, trying to keep in that spot forever. After a while we broke apart, both of us panting for breath. I felt a laugh bubbling up out of my throat, I still couldn't believe that I had just kissed Severus Snape.
"What are you laughing at?" Snape growled, rejection evident in his eyes.
"That after three years of pining after you and smelling you in every hint of Amortentia I smell I finally get to kiss you." I said through giggles, "I wasn't expecting it to be so amazing!"
Snape grinned and placed another light kiss on my lips, before going to sit at his desk. I caught my breath and grinned at him. I knew my face was bright red and if someone were to come in the room they would automatically think Snape had make me cry.
"So what do I call you now? Sir, Professor, Snape, or maybe Severus?" I said, drawling out his name.
"You may call me Severus in private but around other students and staff our relationship is strictly the same as always. Student and Professor." He said, a seriousness in his eyes I knew I couldn't disobey.
I nodded then leaned over the desk to give him a light kiss. I walked to the door but before unlocking and opening it I turned back towards him.
"Maybe tomorrow after dinner I could come in for detention, Professor." I said before opening the door and walking out towards the library.