THC/The Houses Competition
House: Hufflepuff
Class: Muggle Studies
Category: Drabble
Prompt(s): [First Line] "If he'd/she'd/I'd/they'd known the day was going to end this way, he/she/I/they wouldn't have gotten out of bed."
Word Count:736
A huge thank you to my betas!
If he'd known the day was going to end this way, he wouldn't have gotten out of bed. Severus knew Spring was coming, the dreaded season of ever-changing weather and allergies. He knew he would be expected to brew the usual potions including Pepper-Up, fever potions, and something to counteract the myriad of seasonal allergies the students seemed to possess. He was more than certain half of these were completely made up as an excuse to get out of class and enjoy the weather.
He scowled as he made his way to his lab, his personal lab where absolutely no students should be. He pushed open the heavy wooden door and stared at the fact Hermione Granger was sitting on his desk. Not at his desk, no, her arse was planted firmly on the desk, looking out into the empty room. He sighed. He'd forgotten in his annoyance at the season that she would be here this morning. He'd been assigned an assistant, he'd had no say in the matter.
Minerva had been very persuasive in the matter that he needed an extra set of hands since his did not quite work as smoothly as they had before he'd been attacked by a venomous snake. He'd requested Draco. Draco was a competent brewer, he had a temperament that Severus could handle, and he happened to have the advantage of being someone Severus actually liked.
Hermione Granger was none of these things. She was brilliant at following directions, at remembering things she'd read, but Severus personally thought she lacked creativity when it came to potions, she lacked the passion for discovery, of creating something new. With a sigh, he stepped into the room.
"Miss Granger."
"Sir, I didn't know what time you'd be arriving."
"Eight, I always arrive at eight, unless there is something that requires me to be here earlier. Today we will be brewing the list Madame Pomfrey has sent of what she needs for the infirmary this allergy season. I trust you know how to brew these?" he asked, handing her the sheet of parchment of what needed to be done today. There was nothing overly complicated on it. He watched her read it and then she nodded.
"Yes, Sir, I can brew all of these."
"Good, then get started. With you working on these, it does free up my time for my research."
"What-"
Severus held up a hand to stop her mid-sentence.
"You are not to ask about my research, Miss Granger, it is on a need to know basis and you do not, currently, need to know. Will that be a problem?" he asked, watching the expression on her face fall. She shook her head and turned her attention back to the list.
"No, Sir, it won't," she replied. He nodded, letting her get started on her brewing. He watched her a moment, making sure she still possessed the skills required before turning his attention to his own cauldron. Being one of the few potions' masters in the world did bring its challenges. The one he was currently working on was a potion that would destroy what was left of the Dark Marks Lord Voldemort had used to mark his followers.
There was a theory that those marks could somehow poison their wearers, possess them and make them commit more crimes, or contain some other Dark Magic that they knew of. Severus' current task was to figure out exactly what the marks were made of. He'd narrowed it down, knowing it was more than just seared flesh, more than just ink. The Marks were only on those who had done terrible things.
He'd just started when he heard Hermione muttering something. He looked over just in time to her wrinkle her nose, sniffling, and then let out a sneeze that nearly shook the lab. His arm smacked the cauldron in shock with enough force to knock it off the table. He sighed.
"Hospital wing, Miss Granger until you are officially discharged as neither ill nor allergic," he ordered, watching the witch hang her head.
"Sorry, Sir,' she whispered, slipping from the room. He sighed. He could start all over on his potion, or brew the things that were actually needed. Grumbling, he picked up the list Hermione had left on the table and got on gathering the ingredients for a fever potion. Yes, he never should have gotten out of bed today.