The Little Voices
Potions was Draco Malfoy's favorite class, not because he liked brewing (though it was fun he'll admit), but because it was the only class that he could watch Potter and his Gryffindors get verbal abused, and today was no different.
Or so Draco thought.
The sight of one Professor Snape stalking into the room silenced the class, the Professor stopping once he got to the front and turned to the students.
"Today we will see if any of you actually studied, Anti-Hangover Potion, get to work"
Several groans had Snape raising his brow, but thankfully for those students he decided to ignore them in favor of sitting at his desk and watching as the students went to the cupboard to grab ingredients, Draco noted that the man's eyes followed Potter.
"Not unusual" the blonde thought as he went back to his seat, ingredients in hand.
After all the students returned to their seats, the classroom was soon filled with the sounds of chopping, slicing and dicing quickly followed by the bubbling of brewing. Snape placed the parchment he was reading (or pretending to read, you never know with Snape) down and started making his way down the aisle, checking the students' work.
As usual, he praised the Slytherins, or firmly corrected them. When he got to the Gryffindors, Draco sat up straighter, and eagerly watched the show that was about to unfold. Sure enough, the Professor was soon sneering and barking criticism to most of the Gryffindors, Longbottom being the worse. Draco grinned when the Professor finally got to Potter.
Potter went tense as the Professor looked at his brewing potion (coloring was a little off), gulping when the man looked up at him, there was silence until to the surprise of everyone in the room; Snape sniffed and continued on.
Jaw dropping, Draco stared at Snape before whirling back to Potter expecting to see the other boy equally flabbergasted, instead he saw the boy mumbling quietly to himself and blushing.
"What the bloody hell is going on!?" Draco thought.
When the bell rung signaling the end of class, Draco rushed out the classroom, he was in such a hurry to get to the owlery to owl his parents that he didn't hear Snape ask Potter to stay for a moment.
~.~
"Potter, a moment"
Harry froze, and looked over his shoulder at his Professor who was sitting at his desk, eyes wide.
"Close the door and come here"
Harry gulped but did so, the worried looks of Hermione and Ron was the last thing he saw.
Remember you are a Gryffindor, brave and fearless.
Isn't that just a polite way of saying stupid and hardheaded?
Shut up, you're not helping!
"Y-Yes Professor" Harry squeaked when he stopped at the desk.
The student squirmed as the man stared at him with a slight tilt of the head.
"Thank you for the gift last night" the Professor finally said.
Did he just-?
I think he did, our sexy Professor thanked us for the gift! There really is a god! Quick, stop impersonating a gold fish and say something!
Harry stopped said impersonation, and quickly stuttered a "you're welcome", face blushing furiously.
"I've never tasted anything like them, may I ask where did you buy them?" Severus then asked, curious about the boy's blush.
"I didn't buy them" Harry said, "I made them myself"
Severus blinked; a brief look of astonishment went across the man's face before it went back to its usual blank expression.
"You made them yourself?" the Potion Master then said slowly, skepticism laced in his voice.
Harry's eyes narrowed in slight annoyance, his infamous temper beginning to rise.
Hey, hey, hey, clam down.
Yeah, remember he doesn't know you pride yourself in your cooking.
Not to mention we're supposed to be making him like us, that won't work if you lose your temper.
Calming down, Harry realized the voices were right, his Professor didn't know that he loved cooking or why he had prided himself in his cooking, which was surprisingly because of the Dursleys. Many who knew his experience with his relatives would think he would hate having to do anything related with them. It was true in some ways, cooking was different.
It started when his Aunt had decided that he was old enough to learn to cook (he had been six), it was the only time his Aunt had shown any kind of attention towards him that wasn't mixed with insults and scowls, the woman had been surprisingly patient with him as she taught him the way to chop, slice, dice, mix, etc.
It had been fun.
Then came the day when all three of his relatives had actually acknowledged him with something good (back when he still thought he could somehow get their love and affection), his Uncle was hosting a dinner party inviting (it was also the only time he wasn't locked in his cupboard and had something nice to wear) several important business people, Harry had spent the entire day cooking all kinds of food.
They had loved his cooking.
Never before had he gotten so much praises, so much attention, and the best part, his Uncle had ruffled his hair, smiled at him and said he did a good job and that he was proud.
That had been a long time ago.
Now, years later, he stilled cooked. He had created many of his own recipes, some successful, some not (his Aunt allowed him to play in the kitchen as long as his other chores are done, and Dudley was a more than willing guinea pig during those times). But he enjoyed it all none the less. He even has dreams of opening his own restaurant (if he survived the whole Voldemort thing, which he did).
While the white chocolates had been Hermione's idea, the recipe had been his.
"It's a recipe I created some time ago" Harry said to his waiting Professor, "I'm glad you liked it"
Severus continued to stared his mouth slightly a jawed.
Awwww we surprised him!
Suddenly the door opened and Hermione shyly poked her head in.
"Excuse me Professor" she said, "but Harry has to get to class"
Severus looked at her and nodded.
"Go" he said.
Harry left, a big smile on his face.
~.~
"My son tells me that you've finally snapped"
Severus inwardly groaned.
"Go away" he said, throwing his throw pillow at the man standing on his Persian rug, smirking when the pillow hit his target
"Now, now, no need to be so hostile" Lucius said with a scowl before he moved to the couch his friend was sprawled on.
Severus grunted when his legs were moved so the blonde could sit down.
"Why are you here?" Severus asked, kicking the blonde
"Like I said earlier, my son thinks you've finally snapped" Lucius said, before throwing a pillow at the man for the attack
"He's just now figuring this out?"
Lucius chuckled, "He says, that you didn't yell at Potter today"
The blonde raised a brow when he got silence as his answer, both brows going up when he got a mumbled reply.
"I'm sorry my hearing must be leaving me, but it just sounded like you said Potter gave you chocolates"
"He did" Severus said to the ceiling, "he made them himself and give them to me as a gift"
"….Huh"
"Exactly"
Lucius stared at his friend who was staring up at the ceiling with a familiar expression on his face, the same expression his friend usually wore when he thought of one Lily Evans-Potter.
~.~
I can't believe the chocolates worked!
Well Hermione isn't called a Know-it-all for nothing.
Harry giggled as he climbed through portrait, he found Ron playing chest against another poor soul, he waved at his friend.
"Hey Harry" Ron said before destroying his opponent's queen and getting checkmate.
"Hermione's here?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, she's up in the our room tutoring Neville or something"
"Great thanks!"
Harry hurried to his room.
"Hey Hermione I—what are you two doing?"
Neville squeaked and released his hold on Hermione.
"Hey Harry" Hermione said.
"It isn't what it looked like!" Neville exclaimed arms failing and red-faced.
"Right" Harry blinked, before turning his attention to his best friend, "I have an idea for Severus!"
"Does it involve skirts and vibrators?"
"What? No!" Harry blushed.
"Um…." Neville said
"What is with you ,and dressing me in skirts?"
"What? You would look great in a skirt. By the way you didn't protest about the vibrators, so does that mean a yes for them?"
"Guys?"
"N-No!"
"You just stuttered!"
"You know what I gonna just…go" Neville said inching toward the door.
"I didn—Never mind, listen I think I may know a way to get Severus to like me, or at least see me in a different way.
Whoever said "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" might actually be a genius.
Hey, where did Neville go?
Review Please!