Lyria sat nervously at the small candle-lit desk in her room. She read over the lesson plan she had written for the thousandth time that evening.

Tomorrow's lecture had to be perfect, she tried to include elements of Professor Snape's teaching style as well as some techniques she had observed McGonagall use. Her lesson was well paced, allowing plenty of time for questions and clarification, but not so easy as to let the students slack off.

The students wouldn't have to brew the potion until Tuesday, so she just had to focus on the description for now. She had descriptions of each ingredient memorized and every step thought out, she had even come up with a few tricks to help students remember key elements 'The potion makes the drinker go against their wishes, go against the clock and stir counterclockwise' She included an in depth description of the lunar cycle and its effect on the potion towards the end of the lecture. She was amazed that Snape had worked it out so they would start brewing on the exact day of the new moon. Maybe the students had a chance at getting this right after all.

Despite the late hour she did not feel tired. If she didn't get to sleep soon though she wouldn't be in the best shape for the lesson tomorrow.

She sighed and wrapped her cloak over her night dress. The thin straps and sheer fabric were comfortable but weren't quite warm. The potions classroom would be too cold to go into without the cloak. She hated to rely on potions to make her body function as it was supposed to, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Lyria slid out of her room into the quiet corridor beyond. Although she was not a student and wouldn't be punished for being out after hours, she still wished to avoid anyone while in her current state of dress.

She glanced down the halls in both directions before padding down the corridor to the potions classroom. The door was unlocked and she slipped in, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Lumos"

She lit her wand and made her way to the store room. Hopefully Snape would have some calming draught if not actual sleeping draught. Either would be a welcome aid.

Searching the shelves she made a mental note to tidy the place next time she came to work with Snape. She could hardly find anything.

Feeling a bit uneasy about rummaging through the Potion Master's store room, she whispered "Accio Calming Draught" and to her relief a bottle presented itself to her.

She grabbed it out of the air and turned to leave.

It wasn't until she was part way to the door that she became aware of a presence in the room.

She turned the light of her wand to a corner to her left and saw Snape sitting there calmly watching her.

"Find what you needed?"

"I-I… I'm sorry Professor I should have asked but I didn't wish to wake you. I just-"

He stood and walked to her, he didn't look angry which surprised her, she paused in her frantic apology as he drew nearer to her.

"Lyria, as my apprentice you have full access to the store room and are welcome to anything you may need. However," He paused and she noticed his cheeks flush a bit as he took in her light blue silk dressing gown.

Embarrassed she drew her cloak around her to cover herself and he continued.

"Might I inquire as to why you would need a Calming Draught?"

She was about to lie, tell him it was just nerves, that it was a one time thing. But she could tell that would be useless. He knew she hadn't been sleeping, she had felt his eyes on her at dinner, and had noted the concern in his stare as he noted the pronounced bags under her eyes. She knew he just wanted her to be honest.

He had had a feeling she would come to the potions room, she hadn't emerged from her room all weekend until dinner that evening, and he had noticed dark purple rings around her eyes. She was no fool, she knew she would need rest to teach tomorrow, so he sat and waited for her to appear.

When she walked in and he heard her summon the draught his suspicions were confirmed.

He was prepared to confront her about her recent lack of self care, however he was not prepared to react to her the way he did. The way heat had rushed to his cheeks when he saw her in her dressing gown was entirely unexpected.

The pale blue dress seemed to glow in contrast to her pale skin, and her long red hair was out of its typical braid and spilled over her shoulders in waves. She was stunning.

He tried to focus on the matter at hand. His apprentice was sleep deprived, and he couldn't have a sleep deprived teacher running his classroom.

The excuse was pathetic but it kept him going nonetheless.

Her response was quiet, "I have been having trouble sleeping. I'm sorry Severus."

She looked so ashamed, not at being caught, but at admitting she needed the help of a potion to sleep.

"How long has this been an issue Lyria?"

He tried to make her feel comfortable, encourage her to talk to him. Boy that was a first, he actually wanted someone to open up to him.

"Since I came to the castle, it just.. Hasn't been the same… it's been-" she hesitated, glancing at him before continuing. "-lonely. I don't do well when I am left to myself so much. Preparing for this lesson has been the only thing keeping me going."

He felt terrible. Of course she felt lonely, he knew just how she felt. He knew how isolating it was to be an apprentice, he just hadn't thought of Lyria in that way. She was always so strong, so in command, he figured she would be fine.

He could see now that he had made a mistake, she needed company as much as anyone else.

"Lyria, come with me."

She had been staring at the ground, hoping to hide the blush that had spread across her chest and neck. She hated to feel so vulnerable, but she didn't have any strength left to argue.

When he called for her to follow him she did as he asked, not even caring where they were going. Nothing could be worse than admitting her loneliness.

He led her back to the storeroom and went inside. Where she had had trouble finding anything, he went right to a shelf in the upper right hand corner and grabbed a small vile.

He brought it and offered it to her.

"This should help more than the Calming Draught."

She took the vile filled with purple liquid and handed the one she had grabbed back to Snape. As she did their hands brushed and she jumped at the electricity she felt. When he drew his hand back abruptly she knew he had felt it too.

"Thank you Severus."

She turned to leave once more but Severus had grabbed her wrist and she turned back to him. Her cloak flowed over her shoulders and the sudden movement and exposed her night dress once more.

This time she didn't pull away to fix it, partially because he still had her wrist in his grasp. But also because of how his eye widened. She liked him looking at her.

"Lyria…"

"Yes?"

"You are not alone." It was just above a whisper, but she heard it all the same.

He couldn't help but glance at her one last time before tearing his eyes off away and releasing her wrist. He moved quickly through the classroom door and was gone.

She was left standing in the cold potions classroom, absolutely astonished at what had just happened.

Lyria slowly made her way back to her room and met no one else in the hall. When she sat down on the bed she decided to take the potion right away. Now that thoughts of how Snape had looked at her, the feel of his hand on her wrist, and his words of comfort had joined her worries for the next day, she knew unaided sleep was hopeless.

She unstoppered the bottle and smelled. Unlike a regular sleeping draught that smelled like lavender and the other earthy ingredients it held, this light purple potion smelled of clementines. It was entirely foreign.

She hesitated for a moment, but trusted that Severus was truly trying to help her. She gulped it back and immediately felt her eyelids weighing down.

Laying back on the bed she fell into her first restful sleep in ages.