Don't own anything recognisable from JK Rowling's Harry Potter books

Chapter 8.

Pain Relief???

Katrina finished her lesson early to the delight of her students, because she had a stinking headache. Usually she carried on without using drugs, instead following a small path of meditation she had been taught on her travels, but she wasn't a masochist. Knowing that the pain this morning was more than she could take, she went to Madam Pomfrey for a cure.

"We ran out of pain relief this morning, I'm afraid," she said sympathetically. "But Severus is making another batch. You could go and see if he's finished it yet!"

Deciding that she wouldn't be able to survive the next lesson (first year Gryffindors and Slytherins) with the headache, she made her way down to his private rooms.

After knocking and receiving no reply, she approached his classroom. He was stood in the middle of his room muttering, while stirring a mixture in his cauldron. She looked at him silently for a moment from the doorframe.

He added a couple of drops of a clear mixture he was holding to the cauldron, and then after sniffing it, he added the whole bottle.

Katrina frowned. "I thought Potions was a refined art about following instructions to the detail. Including measurements."

Severus jumped slightly at her voice, but when he turned around, maintained his usual bland expression.

"It is. I, however, have been studying potions for as long as I can remember, and therefore can prepare some things without measuring them." He turned back to the mixture quickly, and placed the bottle he was holding behind the other bottles and jars on a table beside the cauldron. He seemed to do that too calmly though, so Katrina decided to investigate.

She walked over to him and asked. "What are you making then?"

"Just a simple pain-relieving potion for Madam Pomfrey," he answered looking at her out of the corner of his eye as she approached the table beside him.

"That's good, I have a headache. When will it be ready?"

"Not long now."

"What's this then??" she asked and picked up the discarded bottle, reading the label. "Vine juice, huh?"

"Yes," he answered curtly.

She sniffed the bottle. "Then why does it smell like Chokecherry? A famous plant renowned for it's uselessness in potions, and its incredibly bitter taste."

Severus shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

She pulled his arm so that he faced her. "So… you spike the aspirins then?"

"Spike??" Severus asked blandly.

"Yes. I should have known." She rolled her eyes. "You make it taste disgusting on purpose!"

"That's none of your business," he said, and returned his attention to his mixture.

She shrugged at his back and continued reading the labels on his bottles.

"Here," he said bluntly a few seconds later, and shoved a spoon in her face. She swallowed the potion, which removed her headache within seconds, and winced at the sour taste. 

"Anything else?" he asked rudely, and turned his back on her.

She realised that she had been dismissed, and headed for the door. "You had better make up another batch," she warned. "This time without the Chokecherry and label it Professor Phaon. I don't want the same stuff you give the students."

She grinned at his startled look. "I wouldn't want to ruin the only fun you have would I? I'm heading to my rooms. If you want me I'll be there. Have fun, sweetie. Don't torture all the kids!"

A look of astonishment appeared on his face, and hers. She couldn't believe what she had just said.

"Well… I'd better go," she said hesitantly, and vanished leaving Severus alone in his room.

If she had looked back after she shut the door, she would have been dumbfounded to see the grin, followed hastily by a grimace that fluttered across Severus' face, but she didn't look back.

Instead she decided to go back to her room; after all, she did have a couple of hours before her next class.

Entering the cluttered room she sank down onto her bed.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself. "Teasing Severus is not a good idea when you want to keep a low profile, especially when he is concerned."

She stared critically at herself in the magical mirror opposite the bed. She lifted the brown fringe off of her face, then moved her hair on the top of her head around and grimaced. Her black roots were beginning to show.

"I don't know why I didn't just do this the magical way," she grumbled at the mirror. Rolling her eyes she answered her question. "Of course I do. The magical way can be reversed quickly by an enemy."

Entering her bathroom, she went over to the cabinet on the wall and took out a wash bag.

"Damn!" she exclaimed, after unzipping the bag and pouring the contents on the floor. "Almost out."

She picked up assorted bits from the floor, including plastic gloves, and her last bottle of light brown coloured permanent hair dye. She made a face at the mirror.

"I should use this now, but I'll need to buy some more." She looked at the floor again counting the boxes.

"And my prescription for the tinted contact lenses is due."

She started to run the water through the shower and, stripping her clothes off, she mumbled to herself.

"I'll have to go to a chemists, so I need to go through Diagon Alley to get to the muggle world. I can go on a weekend, but what can I say for an excuse?"

Inspiration hit her.

"I'm going to need something for a lesson… Maybe a book or something."

She slipped into the shower and began to plan her trip.

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

Severus was sat in the staff room reading. The latest trials of the other professors washed over him as he perused his "New Potions" magazine. (Or what he termed as a magazine, which was a hardback 200-page book!)

He rarely came to the staff room (it was worse than sitting in an Iron Maiden to him!), the last few occasions had been Albus' meetings, and whenever a piece of juicy gossip went around, and he could mock the person mercilessly.

This time he was there to find Katrina.

He still hadn't talked to her about her silly crush on him. Something about the last time they had met prevented him from doing so. He had become confused over her, but she energized him at the same time; she seemed almost familiar to him, but he couldn't place her. Also he found a lot more pleasure in teasing her than anyone else, including Neville Longbottom. But he also liked it when she teased him, like last night.

His torture was soon rewarded when she entered the room.

Her eyes scanned the room, and he could have sworn they settled on him for a moment longer than anyone else.

"Albus!" she exclaimed when she noticed the headmaster sat beside Professor Flitwick having a debate about the best pudding to go with a meal.

Albus looked up at her, and Severus felt a jolt of …something go through him when Katrina smiled faintly.

"I need to go to Diagon Alley this weekend. I need this book…" Her voice took on a confiding tone. "Hermione Granger keeps asking me about the sixteenth century witches, and I'm afraid that that was my worst subject."

Albus beamed at her. "That's great timing!" He turned to Severus. "Isn't that great timing, Severus? Just as you need to go to Diagon Alley to pick up more potions supplies…" He lowered his voice. "And that other thing we talked about."
Katrina smiled weakly. "I can pick up whatever you want," she said to Severus but, before he could reply, Albus butted in.

"No, no my dear! I meant you two could go together! I'm sure two heads are better than one!"

He was distracted by Professor McGonagall saying, "Albus! I need to talk to you!"

Severus looked at Katrina in the eye. She looked worried, biting on her lower lip.

'Surely not because of me.' he thought. Then changed his mind. 'Why shouldn't she look nervous? I'm Severus Snape!'

She coughed slightly. "Looks like we're going together."

"Let me know when you want to leave, and I'll be at the Main entrance," he said curtly, and left the room.

Only to hear Professor McGonagall and Albus talking.

"What do you think you're doing Albus?"

"I don't know what you mean!"

"Yes you do. I know you view all of the students and professors as if they were your family, all you want to do is make them happy, but to act like a matchmaker to them!"

"A matchmaker?" Dumbledore's voice was full of innocence.

"Look here, Albus. I didn't object to you putting Pat and Sirius in situations together - it was obvious that they were made for each other - but to try and push Severus and Katrina together…"
"I wouldn't do any such thing!"

"Come on, Albus! You know full well that Katrina can pick up the supplies on her own. It's not fair!"

Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I worry about Katrina. There's something in her past that well… I don't know."
"Has she said that to you?"

"Not as such. No."

"Stop it! You know full well that Severus cannot enter into a relationship!"

Severus glared at the hushed voices. He stormed off towards his classroom.

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

"Well, that worked well!" Albus said cheerfully to Minerva McGonagall as they watched Severus march down the corridor, taking at least 30 house points in the one passageway.

Minerva looked at Albus distrustfully. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Of course it is!" He puffed out his chest proudly. "I can spot a good couple a mile away!"

Minerva nodded silently for a moment and then turned to Dumbledore.

"What's the important thing that you need Severus to pick up?"

"Ah… A very delicate operation! One that requires skill and intelligence!" he proclaimed seriously. "I need some raspberry-ripple lollipops and hot fudge ice-cream! I do tend to find that muggles make the best sweets, don't they."

Minerva shook her head and watched in amazement as Albus walked down the corridor, gently sucking on something red that he had dug out of his robe. She muttered to herself in disbelief.

"He sends Severus for sweets, but Hagrid for the Philosopher's Stone?"

A/N

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, including Alexgray, Joebob1370, Kelest, and Miss_Edith.

I would like to apologize to Miss_Edith for my appalling grammar!! ** blushes **. I hadn't noticed that, but needless to say I have checked though the chapters I have written (And I got someone else to read through them too) and there are no…. Well no noticeable spelling or grammar errors!

Bye!

Love Krusty. xxx