Even though there may be times
It seems I'm far away
Never wonder where I am
'Cause I am always by your side."

- Celine Dion, The Power of Love

Chapter 5: The Gryffindor and the Slytherin

Severus was walking back to the Slytherin House after studying. It was quite late but fortunately enough his portrait wasn't far. It was about 2 in the morning and if he got caught, he would only be in so much trouble. Suddenly someone came barreling out of no where and slammed into him. Taking Severus down to the ground, the person was right on top of him.

"Faith!" he breathed.

"Shhhh!" She demanded as she placed a finger to his lips. She rolled off him and helped him collect his things. There was the sound of shouting in the other hallway. The two pressed themselves against the wall.

"Are you trying to get detention!" Severus whispered sharply.

"No..Not really." She snapped back.

"Well your doing a damn well job of getting it." He said as he listened carefully for the sound of prefect feet.

"Well for your information I was tr-" Faith started back but Severus silenced her by grabbing her hand and leading her into a nearby classroom. He clamped a hand over her mouth and looked carefully out the door as the Head Girl walked by.

"That was the strictest of them all.She's a Ravenclaw and believes the rules are gold." Severus whispered as he watched her leave. Faith rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't roll your eyes at me." He snapped and took his hand from her mouth. He was silenced though as he noticed how close he was to her. She noticed it too because she didn't respond to his remark on rolling eyes. Severus could feel his breath being sucked out of his body as their lips lightly touched.

"Is there someone in here?" A prefect called out breaking the moment between Faith and Severus. The two were dead silent as the prefect entered the room. He took a quick look around the room and then turned to leave. At the chosen moment, Ms. Norris came out of a dark corner and jumped onto the table that Faith and Severus stood next to it. As if on purpose, she knocked over a glass bottle. It fell to the ground with a loud shatter. The prefect spun around and flashed the light from his wand on the corner.

"Ok you two, I think detention sounds in order,"

As with any school, rumor spread like wildfire at Hogwarts the next morning. Everyone knew about a Gryffindor and Slytherin caught in a classroom together late at night. Everyone knew the basics, but no one knew who it was. Each person talked with the Huffelpuff prefect to see if they could catch a name of one of the students was, but the prefect never said.

"How disgusting!" Evelyn Marsh spat while at the Slytherin table. Severus took the seat across from her.

"Severus have you heard the awful news?" She asked quickly. Severus's parents were close friends with Eleven's family. She was your basic stuck up, spoiled, pureblood, but Severus could tolerate her. All he had to do was tune her out if she got too annoying and nod at appropriate spots.

"Hear what?" Severus mumbled as he grabbed a glass of water.

"Well," Evelyn began into a rather long story, "Last night, at what time I don't know, but I know it was last night, a Huffelpuff prefect, at least I think it was a Huffelpuff prefect, I know it was a prefect for a fact. This Huffelpuff prefect caught a Gryffindor and Slytherin in one of the Charms room…together!" Severus sputtered water everywhere as he choked out

"What?"

"I know. I couldn't believe it either. I wonder who it was. I only hope that it was a pureblood Gryffindor…what few there are," Evelyn continued.

"Do you mean you don't know who it was?" Severus inquired, his voice shaking.

"No. No one knows who it was. Well, only that Huffelpuff prefect and the two that were caught. Oh I wonder who it was…maybe it was-" Evelyn started in one of her usual rants. Severus tuned her out and looked past her to see Faith laughing with Lily about something.

Severus surveyed his class room. It was 6th year Huffelpuff's and Ravenclaw's. The Ravenclaws appeared to know what they were doing, but the Huffelpuffs were helpless cases. Thankfully the bell rang and gave him sometime to regain a bit of sanity before the next class came. The next class was 6th year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Severus didn't think he had met a group of more incompetent students than this batch of Gryffindors.

He instructed them to follow the potion written on the board and have it done before class was over. They immediately got to work and he watched with mild interest. After a few minutes he marched directly up to Neville Longbottoms cauldron which was spitting purple smoke. He glared down at the potion and opened his mouth to scold Neville but was cut off by another voice.

"Professor?"

He turned and saw Faith standing in the doorway of his classroom.

"Would you happen to have any polyjuice potion by chance?" she inquired as she peered around the room.

"This is a potions classroom," he began, "Of course I do" She gave a slight smile and said, "Well can I have it then?"

"I guess," he sighed jokingly. She smiled brighter as he went to grab the spare polyjuice potion. When she had left he turned back to Neville's cauldron.

"Better add Bitrocellu Root Longbottom," he advised absentmindedly. Neville nodded and added the root with shaking hands.