Chapter Twenty-Six- The Subtle Art of Potion Making

The next few weeks seemed to go by smoothly for the roommates. Clara no longer slept in her little bed underneath the window. There was never a discussion about it, but one day while Clara was washing her hair, Severus replaced her tiny bed with a piano from her studio. Clara was delighted by the new addition and never mentioned a word about the absence of a bed. Each night they either fell asleep on the couch, or she would crawl into his bed, claiming the left side as her own. She continued wearing his clothing, much to his amusement. There wasn't much point in getting all dressed up, just to be stuck down in a dungeon all day. It took Severus a few weeks before he noticed that he was missing five pairs of boxers, three undershirts, one bathrobe and even a pair of socks. He tried to get angry with her, but he had to admit to himself that there was nothing sexier then seeing her walk around in a pair of his boxers. He decided to let it go, just so he could enjoy the view.

Although things had been going well, Severus couldn't help but notice Clara had become restless. She had not left his quarters in weeks and had exhausted all forms of entertainment. After reading just about every book she could get her hands on, she had moved on to playing every song she could think of on the piano. When she got sick of that, she attempted to teach Severus how to play various Muggle card games and even made an unsuccessful attempt at teaching herself a magic card trick. She thought she was successful once, but she soon figured out that her triumph was due to the fact that Severus was standing behind her with his wand pointed at the stack of cards.

Severus had not worked up the courage to take their relationship a step further. He had been waiting for the opportune moment and luckily, that moment was coming up quicker then he realized.

Severus came back to his quarters early one June evening. He had not been able to spend much time with Clara since O.W.L's had started. He wanted to at least check on her before he spent the rest of the evening back up in his potions lab. Due to the stress of exams, Poppy was in short supply of Calming Draughts and had requested he brew up a few fresh batches. Severus was disheartened to find Clara looking melancholy, curled up in a ball in one of his armchairs. She had not even noticed that he had walked into the room. Her eyes looked vacant as she absentmindedly stared into the fire.

"Clara, what's wrong?" he said as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. After a few seconds, she looked up impassively and met his gaze with a halfhearted smile.

"I feel so useless being down here. All my students are left without a teacher, you're constantly busy doing things behind the scenes to help others, Albus is God knows where, doing something and I'm stuck down here worrying about what color to paint my finger nails," she spat bitterly. "I want to help, Sev, or at least do something productive."

Severus watched her for a few minutes, contemplating her words. He knew what it was like to feel helpless and he also knew that it was not in her nature to just sit around. Clara was normally abuzz with activity, and he could see her withering away.

"Come with me," he commanded softly, as he held out his hand to her.

"What? Come with you where?"

"Upstairs to my lab. You need a change in scenery and I need an assistant. I will never be able to fill Poppy's order if I don't have some help."

"You want me to help with a potion? Has someone done a memory charm on your brain? Do you not remember the last time I tried to 'help' you with a potion? I almost blew up half the castle and you scared the shit out of me. I'm never touching another cauldron again!" she exclaimed adamantly.

"Oh, yes you are. You can't mess this one up and there are no cats around, I assure you," he said with a smirk. "Get up."

Not in the mood to wait on an answer, Severus grasped onto Clara's arm and pulled her off of the chair and out the door. After adding an absurd amount of wards to his office and potion lab door, he pulled her inside and shoved a small knife into her hand. "I assume you know how to cut things?" he murmured, looking quite amused with himself. Clara shot him back a glare in response. "I need these roots cut into even fourths. Once you are finished with that, I will need you to stir the potion until it comes to an even boil."

"Fine," she responded, trying to repress a smile. It felt good to be needed and cutting up roots was better then being bored to tears.

The duo worked in silence across the table from one another. More than once, Clara could feel his gaze lock onto her. Each time, she would look up from her work, only to find him quickly shifting his eyes away from her. She couldn't help but smile as her cheeks flushed to a rosy pink hue. Once all of the ingredients were organized and measured, Severus started up the fire below the cauldron. "Alright Clara, while I measure out fresh ingredients, I want you to stir until it comes to a boil," he said as he handed her a long wooden spoon.

Clara stuck the spoon into the mixture and began stirring away. "How this, Sev?" she inquired as she made small swirls with the spoon. Severus visibly winced and walked back over to the cauldron. "Not exactly…try doing larger and slower circles," he said gently, trying not to hurt her feelings. Clara did as she was told but judging by the look on the perfectionist's face, it was still not up to his standards.

Severus once again walked over and stood silently staring at the cauldron over her shoulders. After a few moments he snaked his arm across her's, gently linking his fingers with her own around the spoon. Clara let out a small gasp as he began guiding her hand in a wide, slow stir. His hands felt cool on initial contact but they quickly warmed as their body heat fused into one. Clara allowed her body to melt into his as she relaxed her back against his chest. He bent down until his lips were mere inches from her ear. "Can you do it on your own now?" he whispered, letting his breath tickle down her neck.

"No, I think you need to stay," she stammered as she fought to smooth out her quivering tone. His closeness had unnerved her and if it were not for his firm grip around her hand, she knew it would be visibly shaking.

Severus let out a soft chuckle that reverberated from deep within his chest. The low rumble made Clara shiver and back up until she was pressed even closer to him. Her closeness and eagerness for him to stay seemed to trigger something deep within him. Throwing caution to the wind, he slowly wrapped his other arm firmly around her waist. Wanting to make sure he wasn't scaring her, he waited and watched for her reactions. Her breathing became heavier and more labored; he could feel her pulse quicken on the wrist that he was guiding around the cauldron and her body seemed to completely relax into his. He took all these reactions as a good signs.

After a few more stirs, Severus let go of the handle they were sharing. Clara let out a small groan at the sudden loss of contact. "Keep stirring," he whispered as he used his now free hand smooth her hair off to one side of her shoulders, leaving her ear and neck exposed. He slowly began tracing his long fingers up and down her neck, relishing the sight of tiny goosebumps that quickly sprang to the surface. Another good sign, he thought to himself.

Clara's mind was racing and she tried to figure out what he was doing. Severus had never been so physical with her. "Sev, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice sounding higher then normal.

"Making a potion," he responded coolly as he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck, inhaling the familiar scent that he had grown so found of.

Clara giggled as his long hair tickled her exposed skin. "It doesn't look like you are making a potion."

"Hmm, I'm sampling the ingredients," he murmured as he ran his lips across the shell of her ear. "Smells and feels divine, but let's see how it tastes?"

Before Clara could figure out what he was meaning, he began to lightly kiss the skin around her ear, leaving a fiery trail wherever his lips touched. Clara lost all sense of control when he moved back up to her ear and lightly nipped her ear lobe. Her stirring hand froze, and her knees began to give way. Severus tightened his grip around her waist, and ran his other hand up her arm till he was once again holding her and the spoon. "Keep stirring, Clara. We wouldn't want another ruined potion," he purred, as he rubbed his fingers playfully up and down her arm.

Clara didn't know what to think. She had been waiting for this moment for months and now that it was finally happening, she didn't know how to respond. Does she touch him back? Should she turn around and just kiss him? Multiple questions and ideas swam through her clouded mind until she finally just let go and enjoyed the sensation of having him near.

"Potion's done," she whispered, as she flung the spoon over their shoulders knocking down a few bottles in the process.

Severus let out another chuckle and pulled her now free arm up above her head and clasped it around his neck before resuming his delightful work on her neck. Not wanting to stand by and let him have all the fun, she tried twisting her body around but was abruptly halted by Severus' firm grasp around her hips. "Uh, uh, uh, no running off," he said as he continued lavishing his tongue across her neck and jaw.

"Sev…please…I want…I want to kiss you," she said, trying to steady her ragged breathes. "I want you."

Severus' heart rate seemed to accelerate even more at her heated words. "She wants me?" he thought. Moving both hands to her shoulders, he spun her around so he could look at her properly. Her eyes were the darkest blue he had ever seen, they looked wide and dazed yet still soft and warm. Her cheeks, neck and chest were flushed, but what caught his attention the most was the most beautiful and radiant smile he had ever seen. "What do you mean?" he asked, suddenly sounding nervous.

"I want you, Sev. Is that so hard to believe?" she said giving him another smile. Clara giggled at his shocked expression. "Are all guys that oblivious?"

Severus continued to stare with a look of pure amazement. Clara shifted her step back and began looking around the room. For a moment, Severus tensed when he thought that she was leaving, but he soon relaxed after he realized she was only looking for a stool. "Did you really think I would just let any guy kiss my neck like that, Severus? Honestly, if I didn't want it, I would have kicked you in the crotch," she said with another giggle, as she used the stool to perch herself up on his worktable. After flashing a more flirtatious smile, she beckoned him towards her with a curl of her finger.

Severus complied as if under a spell, and before he knew it, he was standing face to face with her. He tried to push away her hair so he could once again taste the sweet skin of her neck but she had other plans. "My turn," she said softly as she playfully swatted his hand away.

"May I?" she asked tentatively, as she placed her hands lightly on the top button of his conservative collared shirt. Severus gulped loudly, his confidence suddenly dwindling as he gave a small nod. After unbuttoning the top three buttons of his shirt, she leaned forward and began placing soft kisses on the same patch of skin that he had just kissed on her. He closed his eyes relishing the feel of her soft lips. Falling deeper under her spell, he let his hands plunge into her curly mane of hair. This was something he had wanted to do for months. It was even silkier then he'd imagined. He felt like he could spend hours just running each curl through his fingers.

"Clara…"

"Yes?" she asked, sitting up straight so she was mere inches from his face.

"Clara, I…I…"

He wasn't sure what he wanted to say. All he knew was that if he didn't taste her lips immediately, he might go crazy. After cupping her chin and running his thumb across her bottom lip, he slowly started to inch closer. Clara's lips involuntarily parted and her eyes fluttered closed. He paused taking in the sight, thinking that he had never seen her look more beautiful than at that very moment.

Severus leaned in once again, and was just about to brush his lips to hers, when a sharp knock sounded from his office door.

"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me?" groaned Clara as she blinked her eyes open.

Severus hastily placed a finger over his her lips and helped her down from the high table. "Quickly, go back down stairs and don't make a sound," he whispered as he guided her out the door. Clara's face looked crestfallen. Severus had been so concerned about her not getting caught that he didn't stop to think about her feelings as he all but pushed her out the door. He caught a glimpse of the hurt expression etched across her face. Then in one swift sweep, he grasped her hand, and pulled her close. Shutting his eyes, he placed a light kiss in the palm of her hand. "I will be right down," he whispered as he planted another kiss onto her knuckles. Clara beamed back up at him and scurried down to his chambers.

With a scowl firmly in place, he wrenched open his office door, only to find a terrified looking Slytherin first year staring back up at him. "What do you want, Mister O'Neal?" he snapped, making the poor little boys knees shake.

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, but Headmistress Umbridge told me to come get you. She says she has some questions about a potion she needs. I think you are supposed to go to her office," he said, almost in a whisper. Although the Potions Professor was not typically cruel to the students in his own house, the young boy knew that delivering demands would be enough to unleash his Head of House's rage.

"I will do no such thing. It is getting late. I will speak with her tomorrow. Run along to your room, Mister O'Neal," he hissed, trying to hold back his rage and not take it out on the boy. That woman had become even more of a thorn in his side since she placed herself in charge. He knew she was after more Veritaserum. He, of course, had a healthy supply in his private cabinet but there was no way he was going to allow her to get her ruddy fingers on any more of it. She would likely try to interrogate every living soul in the castle if she could.

The young boy gave a nervous nod and sprinted off to his common room, breathing in a sigh of relief. After slamming his office door, Severus took in his own nervous breath. He knew that the new Headmistress would not give up so easily. He only hoped that she would leave him alone the rest of the evening. He eyed his chamber door and let out another sigh. A feeling that he had not experienced in many years rose up from his stomach and into his chest. With another deep, cleansing breath, he made his way downstairs.

Clara was a nervous wreck. She had spent the brief time alone, waiting on Severus, alternating between pacing and pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She had tried to stay cool and calm while Severus had been nibbling on her neck but the truth was, she was a walking bundle of nerves. After a few minutes of making laps around the room, she finally settled herself at the piano in hopes that it's familiar timbre would help her relax. She played through a sweet yet melancholy tune that had been running through her head for the past month. The relaxing music and feel of the cool ivory keys under her fingertips finally started to relax her.

Her brief moment of peace was interrupted when a gentle arm wrapped around her waist from behind. His sudden presence startled her, causing a small yelp to escape from her throat. "Shhh, it's just me," Severus whisper into her ear as he nuzzled once again into her neck. "What are you playing? It's very nice."

"Oh, um, it's just something I wrote. It's not polished and I don't think it is really that good but…"

"I like it," he said encouragingly. "What's it called?"

"It doesn't have a title," she lied.

"Well, what is the inspiration?"

"Um…well, that is very personal, Sev," she said growing red. "I don't know if I want to tell you."

Severus gave her his trademark smirk and tugged her up from the bench. After pulling her close he leaned in until his lips were once again only inches from hers.

"Tell me and I'll kiss you," he whispered playfully.

Clara inhaled a shaky breath, as she gazed at his exquisitely sculptured mouth. She blushed and turned her face down so she was no longer looking him in the eyes. "It's about you," she mumbled almost inaudibly.

"You wrote a song about me?" he asked raising one eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, it's not finished and it's not very good. I still have to polish up the beginning and I don't really have a consistent meter. I also need to work on the bridge and don't even get me started on the…"

Severus silenced her nervous chatter by grabbing her chin and planting a firm kiss on her lips. Both of them froze, absorbing the feeling of each others touch. Clara was amazed at just how warm and tender his lips felt. It was more intoxicating than she could have ever imagined. After a few brief seconds, they slowly began to relax and melt into one another. They moved slowly, methodically, taking their time, experiencing each others taste. Severus was awestruck by the little whines and whimpers she made as he ran his hands up her back, then gently tugging her hair. Her lips tasted so sweet and he knew, at that moment, that he would never get enough of them. The kiss was chaste and sweet but it was no time at all before he wanted more.

"Severus," she moaned, which left a window of opportunity for him to gently slide his tongue into her mouth. Clara accepted it willingly and they spent the next few minutes letting their tongues explore one anothers' mouths. Severus took control and Clara allowed him gladly. She wasn't quite sure how long they had been standing there locked in each others embrace, but before she knew it, Severus had backed her up until the back of her legs were pressed against the sofa.

Clara stopped kissing him long enough to give him a quizzical look. Severus responded with an impish grin before gently pushing her down onto the squishy cushions of his oversized sofa. After gauging her reactions once again to make sure she was comfortable with the change in their position, he knelt down above her and resumed his kissing, this time with a little more fervor. "You are so beautiful," he whispered against her mouth, as he nipped at her bottom lip.

The two professional adults spent who knows how long kissing, or as their students would call it, 'snogging' like they were in fact teenagers themselves. They both began to get brave with where they placed their hands and where their lips would brush. Severus finally got fed up with the thick sweatshirt she had put on just before he'd joined her in his quarters, so with a pass of his hand he made it disappear, leaving her in her thin tank top she wore underneath. Clara let out a gasp and made a face like he she was about to scold him, but before she had a chance his lips found their way to the exposed skin just above her breasts. That was her undoing. Her heavy breathing and light whimpers now turned into full-fledged moans and squeals. These cries of delight only spurred him further until he was pressing the full length of his body onto hers. She was very vocal and he loved that. He was hard as a rock, and the mind-blowing delight of being able to press against her only added to the sensation. He wanted her so badly and from her reaction, she wanted him as well.

"Clara, love we either need to stop or might I suggest we take this over to our bed," he whispered as he let his hands travel up and down her hips and thighs.

Clara was positively beaming. Did he really just say 'love' and 'our bed' in one sentence? she thought as she grinned back up at him. She desperately wanted him to make love to her, but more than anything, she wanted him to actually love her. Multiple times in between her moans and sighs, she had almost said it to him, but the thought that he might not feel the same way was too much for her to bare.

Severus pulled her up gently from the sofa and led her with his hands on the small of her back. Guiding her hips, he helped her hop up onto the edge of the bed. "Is this acceptable?" he asked softly, his eyes wide and intense. Not being able to form a proper thought, Clara merely nodded enthusiastically. Just as he bent over to place another kiss onto her adorably swollen lips, a loud ringing noises sounded. Clara flinched and Severus cursed under his breath as he kicked the side of his nightstand. Merlin, how many times are we going to be interrupted?

"Clara…it's the wards I set up in my office. It means that someone is at my door," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair out of frustration. "Let me just run up and check who it is. I promise I will come right back.

"It's okay, Sev. I'll be right here when you get back," she said trying to cover up her disappointment with a smile.

Severus gave her one last lingering kiss and ran up to his office door, once again placing on his trademark scowl. When he opened his office door he was genuinely surprised to see the satisfied smirk of Draco Malfoy.

"Mister Malfoy, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?" he murmured surreptitiously.

"I've got good news, Professor. We caught Potter and his gang breaking about hundred school rules. Headmistress Umbridge has them in her office now. She told me to come get you," he said, looking almost giddy. " Looks like Potter is finally going to get what he deserves."

The wheels in his head quickly started to turn. What had that reckless boy done this time, and how was going to once again get him out of it? "Well, let us hope so, Mister Malfoy. Please lead the way." Draco gave him another smirk and turned on his heels to make his way down the corridors. Severus paused just long enough to take one more look back at his chamber door. This was not how he had envisioned this night turning out. He once again had to play his part. Please forgive me, Clara.

A/N: They finally kissed! YAY! Leave me love!