"Do you really think she fancies him?" a voice enquired as Lynette paused in the doorway from her dorm to the common room.
Stepping through silently, she looked over at the group of huddled third-years who sat oblivious to her on the dark green Chesterfield sofas.
"Maybe," sniffed Pansy, "who knows? I've always thought she was a bit too perfect to be true...perhaps he appeals to something in her, some defect."
"Pansy!" admonished Daphne Greengrass, "That's unkind to her and to Professor Snape!"
Lynette bit back a sigh of exasperation. The teasing had died down in the previous few weeks, and she was half-convinced that Percy Weasley had threatened his brothers, what she hadn't expected was to now find herself the gossip of the lower years in her own common room.
"Are you sure it was her, Astoria?" asked Tracey Davies turning to the second-year who sat timidly beside her sister.
"Well, yes it was her...but..."
"But what?"
"Well, it was Luna Lovegood who was saying it."
"Well, what exactly did Loony Lovegood say?" drawled Draco.
"She was sort of talking aloud, in that dreamy voice of hers about how she'd been searching for Moon frogs on that Saturday when you all went to Hogsmeade."
"What the fuck are Moon frogs?"
"Language, Blaise," Daphne chided.
"I don't know," continued Astoria, "Luna's always talking in Charms class about animals I've never heard of...anyway I was only sort of half-listening and then she said that the Moon frogs were probably frightened away by the girl and the professor meeting by the lake."
"But how do you know it was Lynette she was talking about?"
"Because Daisy French started questioning Luna about it, and while Luna was her usual vague self, she did say that the girl was the one who fainted at the start of term feast and she was wondering if the professor was telling her how the Lesser Spotted Dibblyboo uses fainting as a means to fool its prey."
"Lesser Spotted...what?!"
"Dibblyboo," shrugged Astoria.
"But she didn't say it was Professor Snape?"
"Who else would it be, Pansy?" Daphne asked scornfully.
"So the rumour is true," mused Draco, "perhaps I should write to my father."
"Trying to get Snape sacked as well as Hagrid now?" enquired Blaise with a raised eyebrow.
"No, of course not!" retorted Draco from the opposite sofa, "I was actually going to suggest to father that he speak to Geraint Travers and put in a good word for Professor Snape... something amused you?" he added as the other boy snorted in derision.
"I think you grossly overestimate your father's powers, Draco... as per usual."
"You think so, do you, Blaise?" snapped Draco, "I'm not sure what you would know about it considering you only have a mother!"
An awkward silence fell, as Blaise looked back at Draco, a cool smile on his handsome face, "You're right, Draco... I don't have a daddy to come running every time I need my arse wiped... and perhaps your father could persuade a pureblood supremacist to let his only daughter live happily ever after with a half-blood, it's a really romantic idea... Oh, hello, Marcus, come and join us, Draco was just telling us about his master plan to help our Head of House get off with your girlfriend."
Draco's head whipped around to the empty entranceway so fast he let out a squeak of pain, "Very funny," he hissed turning back to Blaise as he rubbed his strained neck.
"Yeah, it was... and well, maybe all of you should stop spreading gossip and rumours which could cause upset to a lot of Slytherins," Blaise replied getting to his feet and strolling off to his dorm room.
The others fell quiet and Lynette took the opportunity to step back into her dorm.
She worried her lip nervously, it had never struck her that another student might have seen her and Professor Lupin. Still, at least the observer seemed to have not realised or divulged the name of the teacher, and it was hardly that scandalous, was it? Just standing chatting with him? Honestly, were the other pupils that bored? She sighed to herself. She supposed her imagined romantic interests were a titillating distraction for them from the threat of Sirius Black and the continued presence of the Dementors, but it seemed to her most unfair that it was for her to provide them with entertainment considering she was not in any way shape or form conducting a secret affair with the Potions Master.
Another week slipped by, but the sniggers that came from the group of second-year Ravenclaws as they passed her showed Lynette that the meandering recollections of Luna Lovegood had been heard by others.
"Ignore them!" ordered Mabel throwing the small girls a disdainful look.
"I am trying to," replied Lynette before coming to a stop with a sigh.
"It could be worse," Mabel offered as more students manoeuvred past them in the busy hallway, "at least it hasn't got out about you moaning in Potions."
"What?!" came an incredulous voice.
"Piss off, Weasley!" hissed Mabel as the boy approached them.
"Oh, come on, Blishwick, you can't say something like that in public and expect me not to want further details" George grinned, "Seriously, Travers, with friends like Mabel who needs enemies, am I right?"
Lynette turned haughtily away from him though inside she was furious, what was it with Mabel and opening her mouth at the worst possible times?
"Five points from Gryffindor."
The three of them turned to find none other than Snape looming over them as he glowered down at George.
"What for?"
"You should have been in class two minutes ago, Mr Weasley. Do you wish to lose another five by arguing about it?"
"Oh, that," smirked the boy insolently, "I thought it was going to be for talking to your girl-... favourite student, sir."
The expression of deep loathing on Snape's face deepened, "Ten more points and detention, now get out of my sight before I make it a week's and fifty points."
Seeming to prefer not to push his luck further George walked away, but not before winking at Mabel with a whispered, "Fill me in later"
"And where are you two going?" enquired Snape turning his gaze to the young women.
"We have a free period, sir. We were going to the library," Lynette replied, watching Filch who passed grumbling with mop and bucket in hand but not before his eyes flickered between her and her professor, and Lynette wondered with a sinking feeling if even the caretaker had heard the rumour.
"I see... I have acquired that book on the history of Veritaserum you were asking about if you wish to come to my office and collect it?" offered Snape.
"Could I... Could you not give it to me in class instead, sir?" Lynette replied hesitantly.
Snape raised his eyebrows and looked down his prominent nose at her, "Why?"
"Because... because people will..." she paused sighing, "I'm sorry, sir, but there is this rumour going around and..." she stopped again her face flushing, wondering if she could explain it in any way that wouldn't cause dreadful embarrassment to them both... and then she thought that perhaps she was being ridiculous, that he had gone out of his way to get her a book she was interested in, was she really going to throw this uncharacteristic kindness back in his face because...
"Everyone is saying she fancies you, sir," Mabel interjected, "so she doesn't want to be seen alone with you because it's so humiliating for her that people would think she was attracted to you," she added cheerfully. Lynette gazed in horror at Mabel who looked back nonplussed, "Well, that's what you were going to say, wasn't it?"
Snape stood motionless, two spots of colour had appeared high on his cheeks. "I see," he replied his voice brittle, "very wise of you, Miss Travers. One must always be careful about who one is seen alone with... Perhaps though, you should follow that rule always. Choose those you gift your precious free time to more wisely, or people might think you were up to something you shouldn't be."
Lynette stared hard at the floor, aware that she was most likely the colour of beetroot, he had seen her and Professor Lupin. He had seen and he suspected... suspected what though?
Snape glowered at her bent head and then turned and stalked away.
"I think you offended him," murmured Mabel.
"I offended him?! I?!" cried Lynette incredulously, "You were the one who can't think before opening that great mouth of yours!"
"How dare you! You brought it on yourself, I wasn't the one who got all breathy in Potions class because I stupidly breathed in some dodgy Amortentia!"
"No, you were the one who announced to the library that I wanted to marry him!"
"Well, you were the one who was spotted by some barmy Ravenclaw having a clandestine meeting with him by the lake when you were supposed to be ill in bed!" hissed Mabel.
Lynette turned away, the argument was pointless and she was too upset to want to fight.
"Look, I'm sorry," Mabel replied softly, "I know it's unfair you can't talk to him without everyone thinking..." and then she trailed off taking in the look on her friend's face, "It was him, wasn't it? Professor Snape, I mean, by the lake?"
"That girl was mistaken; it wasn't me with whoever it was! I'm going to the library," Lynette declared escaping away from her friend's curious gaze.
For a few moments, Mabel paused looking after her and then she turned and hurried away in the direction that Snape had departed in.
By that afternoon Lynette had regained some equilibrium, though she couldn't recall most of the lesson which was about to end. She had been far too distracted, and it was not, for once, because she'd been gazing at Professor Lupin. Instead, it was guilt for the hurt that had momentarily flashed across Snape's face following Mabel's explanation, as well as what he had been implying with his warning...
"And that is the end of the lesson. Class dismissed, oh, but, Lynette, could you wait back a moment there is something I want to speak with you about."
She nodded trying not to blush, none of her fellow students seemed to think there was anything in Professor Lupin asking her to stay behind, and she thanked her lucky stars Mabel had chosen a different option from Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Remaining seated she concentrated her gaze on the desk, willing herself to keep it together and not start imagining romantic scenarios where he was about to confess his undying love for her. She guessed the most likely explanation was that he'd noticed her lack of focus in class and was about to tick her off for it.
Finally, the room fell silent as the last of the students departed, and Remus crossed over to perch on the corner of the desk in front of her.
"I just wanted to say two things to you," he began with a smile.
"Yes, professor?" she said forcing herself to make eye contact with him, and chanting inside her head don't blush, don't blush, don't blush.
"First of all I wanted to say that Professor Hagrid has been singing your praises," Remus explained, "he has told me about you asking to see the hippogriffs as well as how much respect you showed them and continue to show him during Care of Magical Creatures. I'm afraid it's been rather hard on him, it's not easy being a new teacher and with the accident…for someone like you to be so courteous, well it means a lot and I think you should be praised."
"Oh, it's nothing," Lynette mumbled.
"It's not 'nothing' to him."
"I know, I just...well, I don't believe in all that…I mean if a wizard as great as Professor Dumbledore thinks he's good enough to be a teacher, who are any of us to argue?" she finished awkwardly.
Remus made no reply but gazed at her thoughtfully, and for Lynette, the classroom suddenly felt unbearably hot and stuffy.
"Erm, what was the second thing, sir?"
"Ah, that," Remus replied snapping out of whatever he was musing on, "well I've seen a massive improvement in your wand work since the start of term, I know you don't find offensive spells easy…"
"I prefer potions," she sighed, "I seem to bottle it when it comes to some spells."
"Yes, I've heard you are top in Professor Snape's class," replied Remus, a slightly mischievous smile ghosting across his lips.
Oh, Merlin, he's heard the gossip, Lynette thought as her face turned crimson, "Please don't think that!"
"Think what?"
"That I'm in love with Professor Snape, or whatever they are saying, it's not true!"
"I didn't think for a mo-"
"Please, just, don't!" she interrupted tearfully.
Concern bloomed across Remus' face, "I'm so sorry, please don't cry, Lynette! I shouldn't have teased you!"
But it was too late, hot tears were falling from her eyes and she felt herself losing control of her words, "I don't care what anyone else thinks, but I can't have you thinking that, I can't! Mabel started that stupid rumour because I was reading a book about the minor wizarding families," Lynette cried, the words tumbling out, the perfect, mindful demeanour collapsing.
"I see, well I…" Remus murmured with confusion as he reached hesitantly forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Don't you see? Can't you guess who I was looking up in the book?!" she sobbed hysterically.
The weeks of painful secret yearning, having to pretend to everyone, the teasing in the corridors, the gossip of the common room, it was all suddenly too much and she got up and recklessly threw herself against Remus, weeping into his robes.
He carefully held her, not pushing her away but not drawing her in closer either. Eventually, her sobs gave way to hiccups and she became aware of the thumping of his heart against her ear and the labour of his breathing.
He gently moved her back but still held on to her forearms, "Lynette, who were you-?" but he was cut off as the classroom door was thrown open and the couple jumped instinctively apart as Snape loomed into the room.
"Severus," Remus blinked, "I was just-"
"Were you indeed?!" Snape interrupted with a snarl, "Miss Travers, my office, now!" he barked.
Lynette looked with fright between the two of them. Remus gave her a weak if somewhat reassuring smile, and she meekly followed her irate Head of House from the classroom.