Snape stood at the head of the class, watching as they tried to carry off a perfect draught of living death. A few seemed to have created something living and some where covered in outcomes of mixing the wrong ingredients, or mixing the correct ones too fast.

He walked over to where Krissy was mixing hers and watched as she cut her ingredients neatly, she looked up and smiled, her long black fringe pinned back from her face, revealing her bright blue eyes beneath heavy framed glasses.

"Very good Miss Valentine, carry on." He smiled slightly back before going to check on the rest of the class.

After doing a sweep of the class, he sat down and watched her from behind a potions book. Every so often she would look up from her cauldron and a blush would tint her cheek, he hid his smile in the pages and watched her all the more.

It carried on for a few weeks, exchanging glances and smiles, complimenting her through her potions (now don't think him foolish, they were very good. They weren't the best in the class, but they were good) until one lesson he summoned up the courage to see her again.

Whilst she was chatting idly to her friends, he called her without even looking up.

"Miss Valentine."

"Yes Sir."

"You are talking when you should be working. Detention tonight, I will see you at eight o'clock sharp in my office." He hid his smile well, but said it all with his eyes. She kept her smile a secret and nodded, letting her classmates say how unfair it was, agreeing with them, all the while watching him.

He sat in his office waiting; it was only a few minutes to eight. He smoothed his robes out and steadied his breathing, had he really thought this through? The consequences of his actions reeled through his head again and again. What if they were seen? What if someone found out, or guessed? He would lose his job, she her education, was it really worth it?

He did not believe that for a second he was, and deemed to tell her that tonight.

A tap at the door and a flick of his wand and she was inside and the door was locked. He stood up and walked towards her, and took her hands. She looked up at him and smiled.

"You are so handsome."

"You can't really mean that." He looked away as he said that, repressed years of being completely unwanted clawing to be let out.

"Yes, I can, it doesn't matter to me that you are so much older or that you are my professor. You amaze me and always have. I wouldn't do this with just anyone."

"And what are we doing?" His voice barely a whisper.

In answer she leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his, letting one hand come away and entangle itself in his long hair. He took one hand and pulled her close, the other stroking her neck.

The embrace lasted only momentarily, but the passion of it burned for a long time afterwards. He grabbed her hand and took her to his desk; he sat down on the cushioned armchair and sat her on his lap. They kissed once more and spent the night talking, not really about anything in particular.

An hour passed and Snape checked the clock; he brushed her hair out of her face before kissing her once more.

"Your detention is up for today." He smiled.

"I've definitely learnt my lesson Sir." She grinned at him cheekily.

He stood up and lifted her onto the desk, where she pulled him into a passionate kiss which felt like it could last forever.

"I think detentions should last a tiny bit longer." She smiled at him.

"I think you are right Miss Valentine." He sighed and backed away from her, holding her hands and pulling her off the desk and into his chest, where he held her there for a moment.

"What are we doing Krissy?"

"I think the word is embracing Sir."

He smiled and started to laugh, a deep and gentle chuckling that he had not heard himself do in many years, he stroked her messed up hair and put his hand under her chin, kissing her once more.

"Your laugh should be heard more often Severus, it is a pleasant sound."

"I hope to hear it more often, now that I have you." He took her hand and touched it to his cheek before kissing it gently. "And now, it really is time for you to go, you will have so many detentions this year your parents will wonder what happened to you."

"I highly doubt that Severus." His eyebrow lifted and he looked at her with a slight smile.

"You cannot be telling me that this delightful young women standing in front of me is but a mere trouble maker inside?"

"Oh yes," a devilish grin came upon her face, "the very worst."

"Well then, looks like a few more detentions won't go amiss."

He leant down and kissed her cheek before grabbing her hand and turning her slowly.

"The door Miss Valentine, off you go."

"Yes, professor." A petite courtesy sent shivers down his spine and she smiled once again.

"Goodnight, dearest Severus."

He bowed elegantly.

"Goodnight, sweet Valentine."

And with that, she made her way to the door and left, leaving a strange sense hanging in the air after her.