The weekend arrived quickly and with it the opportunity to visit Hogsmeade. Normally I'd prefer to spent my weekend at the Room of Requirements brewing but since my attempt at the liquid luck had gone to waste and I didn't have enough ingredients for a second try, I decided to go to the village. Edward would accompany me. Alex was too busy with Quidditch practice to do so.

I hadn't told them what exactly had happened at detention and they hadn't bothered to ask. The real surprise occurred Friday though. My favorite professor had wanted everyone to finish the Draught of living Death – everyone but me. I had been about to get my ingredients, when the dark-haired man appeared in front of me.

"You may leave already, Miss Brighton."

Puzzled I had looked at him. "Sir?"

"You finished your potion already", he had said calmly, his voice almost… well, almost friendly. "There is nothing else I could teach you about the draught."

Completely speechless I had nodded and turned to pack my things. What had just happen? Never had I heard of someone who was allowed to leave the Potions Master's class early. Everyone had been watching me, just as stunned as I was, as I had left the room.

That night I had trouble sleeping again but it wasn't because of my usual nightmares. No, this time it was the professor who kept me awake. I couldn't wrap my head around it why he had let me go early. Was it his way of apologizing? Of appreciating that I kept his secret? I didn't know but I couldn't help that my 'special treatment' as my classmates had called it, gave me a warm feeling. Maybe I was at least a little special to him.

"What are you smiling at?"

Edward's voice brought me back from my thoughts as we reached Hogsmeade.

"Huh?"

"You've been smiling for quite a while now. Is there something on your mind?"

A slight blush reached my cheeks. "No, nothing particular."

"Sure…" His face gave away that he didn't believe me. "So, where would you like to go?"

"Oh, I need to restock a few ingredients so Dogweed and Deathcap. And Tomes and Scrolls, maybe they have something new."

"Booooring."

I rolled my eyes at my best friend. "Well, where do you want to go?"

"Zonko's and Honeydukes of course."

"So…"

"…we'll meet at the Three Broomsticks."

It was always that way when it was just the two of us. We were very different, exact opposites actually. He was a troublemaker, his grades barely over average. It wasn't because of lack of intelligence though, not at all, he just hated to study. He preferred to drive the teachers insane to make everyone else laugh. He was pretty popular which always made me wonder why he liked to be with me.

Same went for Alex. She was a Chaser for our House team and a pretty good one. She was fancied by the boys and easily made friends. She was the one who had talked to me at the Hogwarts Express, who had started our friendship.

I always felt a little left out, being overlooked quite often when I was with them. I was a nerd, an outsider. The Slytherin that had adoptive muggle parents. At the beginning it had hurt me a lot but now I didn't mind anymore. I had Edward and Alex, I didn't care about anyone else.

'Well that's almost true', I admitted to myself, my thoughts returning to my potions professor as I entered Tomes and Scrolls.

The owner greeted me with a nod while I started browsing the shelves. There wasn't any potions book I hadn't read yet on the shelves but after a while I found Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science which I hadn't seen in the Hogwarts library just yet.

Happy to have found something new I paid and made my way to Dogweed and Deathcap. I entered the shop, my nose already stuck in the book while, paying little attention to my surroundings. I went over to the shelve with the dried plants to grab what I needed to refill my ingredients storage.

Packing my book into my bag, I went to the cashier to pay when I remembered that I still needed Occamy eggshells if I wanted to have another try at Felix Felicis. I knew it was a long shot but since there was no Apothecary in Hogsmeade, maybe they had some?

"Excuse me", I asked shyly while the woman in front of me packed my paid goods. "You don't sell Occamy eggshells by any chance do you? Or do you know where I could get some in Hogsmeade?"

"And why would you need those, Miss Brighton?"

It hadn't been the elderly woman in front of me who answered. Flustered I turned around and looked into the face of Professor Snape. His dark hair surrounding his pale, sullen face, his black eyes attentively observing me. I had been so occupied by my new book that I hadn't noticed him in the shop.

"I, um, need some for a potion…"

"Well they don't sell them here or anywhere else in Hogsmeade."

"Oh… well, thank you for the information, Sir."

I quickly grabbed my things and left the shop but didn't make it very far. I had just brought a few steps between the shop and me as I heard his voice again.

"Miss Brighton."

With a deep breath I turned around. "Yes, Professor?"

"What potion exactly are you trying to make? I don't remember giving you an assignment that would require Occamy eggshells."

"It's not for an assignment…", I tried, not wanting to tell him but his black eyes seemed to see through me, making any excuse useless.

"I am trying to brew liquid luck."

He furrowed his brow, his arms crossed in front of his body. "Felix Felicis? For what exactly?"

"Nothing in particular, I just wanted to see if I am capable of doing it."

I could see the surprise in his eyes as his stiff posture loosened a little. "That's a highly difficult potion for a sixth year." His eyes went over me again. "If you succeed, I'd like to see your results."

I couldn't help and smiled, feeling pride to have piqued his interest. "I'd be honored to get your opinion, Professor."

He gave me a small nod before turning around, his black cloak waving in the wind behind him while I still stared in disbelief. Now I simply had to finish the potion.

The weekend was over more quickly than I'd like it to. I hadn't even made it to the Room of Requirements, having had too much homework. Normally I would've regretted going to Hogsmeade but this time I simply couldn't. I remembered Edward asking me why I was smiling again, when I had entered the Three Broomsticks but I had simply shrugged.

During potions on Monday, Professor Snape just treated me like before Halloween again, even awarding me a few house points for correctly answered questions.

I was still on for detention the next day though but this time I was almost looking forward to it. I couldn't help it. I was to spend time alone with the impressive man, maybe even learning something from him without other students slowing me down.

"Enter", I heard a few seconds after having knocked on his office door on Tuesday night.

"Good evening, Professor Snape."

"Miss Brighton, take a look please."

This time he was standing next to his desk, a tiny cauldron on it. He looked at me as I came closer, observing the brown liquid.

"What exactly is it supposed to be, Sir?"

"According to the student who brewed it, an elixir to induce euphoria."

I couldn't contain a chuckle. "Well this one would certainly not induce that."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. It should be a bright yellow in the end." I didn't even look at him, just answering mechanically. "I am pretty sure it didn't emit rainbows in the end either."

"You're quite right, Miss Brighton. Your work for today is trying to fix this miserable one. My private storage," he pointed at a door right of his desk, "is right there. Take whatever you need. And this time you may use your book."

"Thank you, Sir", I answered and pulled the book out of my bag, searching for the correct recipe. I read the instructions before walking over to the storage room. Seeing all the exotic ingredients made my fingers twitch. What would I give for having just a few of those? Maybe some day.

I quickly grabbed Sopophorous beans, Wormwood and Porcupine quills and brought them over before I remembered something and rushed back to the storage room, searching.

"Anything else you need? I think you got everything the recipe calls for."

"I know, I was just wondering if you had some peppermint twigs as well." I answered, searching between the herbs. "It'll do without it of course, if you don't."

The dark-haired man seemed stunned for a second before coming over and reaching for a tiny box to my right. He was standing right behind me and I was once more enveloped by his scent, blushing in the process.

"Here."

"Thank you." I whispered, quickly making my way back to the cauldron to get to work. I took another look at the recipe before looking into the cauldron again. It seemed that the student didn't stir enough after having added the quills, so they hadn't dissolved properly and the concentration had been off. Adding some more and stirring again should get it back on track.

I observed the girl closely while she was grinding and stirring, a more than excited look on her face. Before starting she had quickly braided her blonde curls which normally reached over her shoulders, obviously wanting to get them out of her way. And there was that look in her green eyes I had noticed last week already. A fire seemed to be dancing in them.

I had noticed that she was different than in class. I had gotten to know her as a talented but shy girl over the years, but since I had spent time with her not being surrounded by her classmates, I had seen a different side, especially when she was brewing or talking about potions. It seemed that something changed in her then. She seemed stronger, more confident. I wasn't sure she noticed it herself but it was quite intriguing to watch.

I had wanted to test her. Ever since she had brewed the potion without having to take a look in her book last week. And after I had met her in Hogsmeade and heard of her attempt at Felix Felicis, I had to know just how good she really was. She had reminded me of myself, when she had entered the shop in Hogsmeade. Nose buried in a book, buying potion ingredients – it had been like looking at a younger version of myself – and at the same time not. Her smile radiated pure light, a light I hadn't seen for a long time, that I myself didn't posses.

I quietly observed her work and stepped a little closer when she stirred the last ingredient in, watching the color of the potion change. As it turned yellow and tiny rainbows emitted, she couldn't hide her smile.

"I am done, Professor."

"Would you mind telling me what you used the peppermint for?"

"Well I hope, it helps containing the side effects", she answered, taking another look at her potion. "I remembered reading something about the effects of peppermint and thought it would be useful."

I couldn't hide my astonishment. She was surely something else. Without a word I went to the storage room and returned, a small box in my hand.

"Take as many as you need, Miss Brighton. Simply return it to me when you're done."

Confused she took the box and opened it, looking at several Occamy eggshells. I could see a glimmer in her eyes, as she clutched the box harder. "Thank you so much, Professor Snape!"

I gave her a short nod and turned around, no longer being able to look in the green eyes. "You may go."

"Good night", I still heard her say before she shut the door behind her. With a wave of my wand I locked it, sinking onto a chair and loosening my collar in the process. The yellow liquid in front of me was still emitting tiny rainbows. Another perfect potion. And those eyes.

I let out a tiny sigh. What was that feeling? Did I actually enjoy spending time with her? With a student? I couldn't remember when I last enjoyed time with anyone. I preferred to be alone; even avoiding my colleagues as much as I could. The regular talk with Dumbledore once a month was enough human contact outside of class for me.

Was I just that impressed of her because her eyes reminded me of Lily's? I had thought so at first but the more I experienced her skills, the more I spent time with her, the less I believed it. In fact, her eyes were the only thing she had in common with my first love. But why did I feel drawn to her then? No, it had to be the eyes, it simply had to.