p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus sighed as he walked down the long corridor to breakfast the next morning. His lungs were much better. Just a deep cough every once in a while. Severus had much to do. Dumbledore asked him to give Harry Potter Occlumency lessons. He hated the boy so./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus let out a deep cough from his lungs as he took his seat next to Dumbledore. He looked down at me, sighing loudly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I met his eyes as he stared at me intensely, letting another immense sigh slip from his lungs. I saw him bring his fist to his lips and cough. Severus ate his breakfast and left the Great Hall. I caught up with him as he stormed down the corridor, long black robes sweeping behind him./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Hey, are you ok?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus sighed heavily. "That depends on your definition of ok, Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""What's wrong, Severus?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""It is none of your concern." He spat./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I huffed and walked back in the opposite direction./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"That night at dinner, I looked up to see the same pair of eyes watching me from above./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Harry came over to sit next to me and I rolled my eyes. "Can't you take a hint? I'm not interested."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus was shooting us both an icy glare from his seat./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I heard you're Snape's new apprentice. I just came to warn you. He's a slimy git, Winter. Haven't you heard the things about him?" Harry asked./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I'm only helping him to be nice." I frowned. "What things?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""He was a Death Eater once." Harry replied./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""He told me you might say something like that." I said quietly. "But he told me to ask him instead of believing you and your friends."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I'm telling you, Winter. Don't trust him." Harry cautioned before leaving the table to sit with Hermione and Ron../span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I ate dinner fast and then stopped by my room for some items I thought I may need. Then I headed to the dungeons. As I got to the classroom door, I ran into Harry again. "What are you doing here?" I asked in confusion./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Dumbledore wants me to take Occlumency lessons from Snape so Voldemort can't read my mind." Harry replied. "I was just leaving."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I heard Severus cough loudly behind Harry in the open door. "Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Harry took it as his cue to leave. He started walking toward the Gryffindor common room./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus brought his fist to his lips and coughed deeply from his lungs. He shot me an intense gaze in the doorway. "Potter told you, I see."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I would rather hear your version of the story." I said softly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus looked at me and sighed piercingly loudly. "The Headmaster has requested that I teach Potter Occlumency." He coughed deeply for a moment. "That is the only reason why he was here."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I want to trust you, Severus. I'm your friend."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"His lungs blasted as Severus sighed vociferously from them. "I know you are." He inhaled and sighed again from his lungs, the sound caroming off the walls. "You are the only friend I have had in a number of years, perhaps twenty."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus looked at me solemnly. "I know you may not fully trust me yet..." Severus paused and exhaled a slow sigh from his lungs. "However, I trust you."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I nodded. "I do trust you."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus eyed me. "I was not certain that you did." He drew in a breath into his lungs and sighed it out of his lungs profoundly. "Nevertheless, I am pleased that you do." He gave me a thin smile./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus coughed suddenly, bringing his fist to his lips. He coughed deeply, expelling debris from his lungs quickly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Severus?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He held up a hand as he coughed as if to tell me to wait a moment./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus coughed, removing any excess irritants from his lungs. He coughed again sharply to clear them./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Miss Jones...Winter. Would you mind terribly to brew me some lung clearing potion? I would very much like to get some rest this evening. I do not wish to have insomnia from coughing all evening long."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I smiled. "Of course, Severus."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus inhaled deeply and sighed it out of his lungs. "Thank you, Winter."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I brewed the potion and Severus drank it from a vial. Immediately, he coughed deeply expelling liquid from his lungs./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"The sound was thunderous as Severus coughed critically. He finally finished coughing the fluid rooted within his lungs./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"The Potions Master sighed, giving me a mollified expression. "Miss Jones, you will make a fine addition at the ministry someday."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Would you give me a recommendation?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus sighed from his lungs. "Perhaps when you are seventeen, Miss Jones." A small, loud cough emitted from his lungs. "Madame Pomfrey told me that the case of pneumonia I have may be diminished from within my lungs in three days."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He sighed, making his way over to me. "I cannot help but believe we are meant to be in some..." Severus gazed at me intensely. "Fashion, Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He let a distressing sigh slip from his lungs. "If only." Severus closed the gap between us and we were in the same spot as a few days ago. I could feel the air whooshing from in and out of his lungs as he breathed./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Miss Jones, perhaps you would enjoy one of these. Besides, if you did not save my life..." Severus exhaled deeply from his lungs. The powerful gust blew a few of the strands of my hair back. "I would not be breathing right now. Am I correct?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I was speechless./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He cupped my face and gave me a soft, generous timed kiss of about ten seconds. Severus coughed, clearing his lungs. He looked at me seriously. "I shall see you tomorrow, Winter."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus let out a deep cough from his lungs as he took his seat next to Dumbledore. He looked down at me, sighing loudly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I met his eyes as he stared at me intensely, letting another immense sigh slip from his lungs. I saw him bring his fist to his lips and cough. Severus ate his breakfast and left the Great Hall. I caught up with him as he stormed down the corridor, long black robes sweeping behind him./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Hey, are you ok?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus sighed heavily. "That depends on your definition of ok, Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""What's wrong, Severus?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""It is none of your concern." He spat./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I huffed and walked back in the opposite direction./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"That night at dinner, I looked up to see the same pair of eyes watching me from above./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Harry came over to sit next to me and I rolled my eyes. "Can't you take a hint? I'm not interested."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus was shooting us both an icy glare from his seat./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I heard you're Snape's new apprentice. I just came to warn you. He's a slimy git, Winter. Haven't you heard the things about him?" Harry asked./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I'm only helping him to be nice." I frowned. "What things?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""He was a Death Eater once." Harry replied./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""He told me you might say something like that." I said quietly. "But he told me to ask him instead of believing you and your friends."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I'm telling you, Winter. Don't trust him." Harry cautioned before leaving the table to sit with Hermione and Ron../span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I ate dinner fast and then stopped by my room for some items I thought I may need. Then I headed to the dungeons. As I got to the classroom door, I ran into Harry again. "What are you doing here?" I asked in confusion./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Dumbledore wants me to take Occlumency lessons from Snape so Voldemort can't read my mind." Harry replied. "I was just leaving."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I heard Severus cough loudly behind Harry in the open door. "Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Harry took it as his cue to leave. He started walking toward the Gryffindor common room./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus brought his fist to his lips and coughed deeply from his lungs. He shot me an intense gaze in the doorway. "Potter told you, I see."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I would rather hear your version of the story." I said softly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus looked at me and sighed piercingly loudly. "The Headmaster has requested that I teach Potter Occlumency." He coughed deeply for a moment. "That is the only reason why he was here."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""I want to trust you, Severus. I'm your friend."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"His lungs blasted as Severus sighed vociferously from them. "I know you are." He inhaled and sighed again from his lungs, the sound caroming off the walls. "You are the only friend I have had in a number of years, perhaps twenty."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus looked at me solemnly. "I know you may not fully trust me yet..." Severus paused and exhaled a slow sigh from his lungs. "However, I trust you."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I nodded. "I do trust you."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus eyed me. "I was not certain that you did." He drew in a breath into his lungs and sighed it out of his lungs profoundly. "Nevertheless, I am pleased that you do." He gave me a thin smile./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus coughed suddenly, bringing his fist to his lips. He coughed deeply, expelling debris from his lungs quickly./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Severus?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He held up a hand as he coughed as if to tell me to wait a moment./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus coughed, removing any excess irritants from his lungs. He coughed again sharply to clear them./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Miss Jones...Winter. Would you mind terribly to brew me some lung clearing potion? I would very much like to get some rest this evening. I do not wish to have insomnia from coughing all evening long."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I smiled. "Of course, Severus."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus inhaled deeply and sighed it out of his lungs. "Thank you, Winter."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I brewed the potion and Severus drank it from a vial. Immediately, he coughed deeply expelling liquid from his lungs./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"The sound was thunderous as Severus coughed critically. He finally finished coughing the fluid rooted within his lungs./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"The Potions Master sighed, giving me a mollified expression. "Miss Jones, you will make a fine addition at the ministry someday."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;""Would you give me a recommendation?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus sighed from his lungs. "Perhaps when you are seventeen, Miss Jones." A small, loud cough emitted from his lungs. "Madame Pomfrey told me that the case of pneumonia I have may be diminished from within my lungs in three days."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He sighed, making his way over to me. "I cannot help but believe we are meant to be in some..." Severus gazed at me intensely. "Fashion, Miss Jones."/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He let a distressing sigh slip from his lungs. "If only." Severus closed the gap between us and we were in the same spot as a few days ago. I could feel the air whooshing from in and out of his lungs as he breathed./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"Severus leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Miss Jones, perhaps you would enjoy one of these. Besides, if you did not save my life..." Severus exhaled deeply from his lungs. The powerful gust blew a few of the strands of my hair back. "I would not be breathing right now. Am I correct?"/span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"I was speechless./span/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.079999923706055px;"strongspan style="font-style: italic;"He cupped my face and gave me a soft, generous timed kiss of about ten seconds. Severus coughed, clearing his lungs. He looked at me seriously. "I shall see you tomorrow, Winter."/span/strong/p
