Hayes, Bellevue. Gryffindor.
Sometimes, you can't let others make up your mind for you…
Sometimes, you need to make your own mistakes…
A Snape/OC fanfic.
Disclaimer: Excepting Bellevue Hayes (so far) everything else belongs to JK Rowling
~ Prologue ~
Slowly but surely, he had started to notice her. In every Potions class, she would sit there silently, carefully working on her Potion. Her book was open next to her, but she would barely cast a glance at it.
Perhaps it was this that made him leave the safety of his desk. For other reasons, at least. After all, he had seen plenty of potions that were blue when they were meant to be black, or bubbling when they were meant to be still.
Just the other night, he had begun to wonder if making a mistake was in her nature.
He knew that the Draught of Living Death was not an easy potion to make. In fact, judging by the complaints put forth by the rest of the class the following day, so did they.
For him, however, it fell under one of those reasons. A test, if you will.
He watched her flick through the pages of her Potions book. Whether it was fervently, or earnestly, he couldn't decide.
However, she worked with the same measured pace she did in all his classes. But, she appeared to be the only one. He crossed the room straight to her, wanting to commend her on her work.
He glimpsed into her cauldron, well aware that she was watching him do this. He looked up at her. Far from looking caught out, she looked at him with an expression of shyness. Apologetic, even. But she didn't have the scared look so many others did.
He was intrigued, to say the least. And lost for words. Except for the ones that asked her to stay behind after class. As he turned away, he saw her nod. He looked over the rest of the potions. Or imitations of potions.
With a wave of his wand, words appeared on the board behind him. He doubted homework would help this sorry lot, but what kind of a Professor would he be if he did not give them any?
The class filed out hastily, books thrown carelessly in bags, and ingredients left behind. Also left behind was her. It was most likely in the flurry of students leaving, but she had packed away all her belongings, and carefully at that.
She was looking in his direction, but at the same time she was not.
He crossed the dungeon to where she sat, then reached for a chair and sat in front of her.
Then he felt it what it was like to have her look at him. She shifted slightly, then smiled.
Before he got too lost in those eyes, he averted his gaze. Perhaps down-wards wasn't the best, but he thought upwards would be a tad odd. Then, equally as quickly, he changed his mind. He was going to give her a mere warning, but that would mean letting her go… free, he supposed.
And he couldn't have that. Abruptly he stood up. She looked up at him, slightly confused. Perhaps even anticipating. He strode away, standing behind his desk. She also stood, and placed her bag upon her shoulder, then neared the door.
Before she disappeared from his view, however, she turned to face him. He thought for a moment she was going to ask why he had kept her behind for no apparent reason. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised. He heard her honeyed tones wish him a good evening.
Then, before he could formulate any kind of reply, she had gone. Free.