Hogwarts, Slytherin Common Room

It was a drizzly, gray Saturday afternoon at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The common rooms were filled with the hum of students avoiding their homework, and the castle corridors were mostly deserted. Severus Snape, however, found himself unusually restless. The half-finished Potions essay on his desk had lost its allure, and the usual solace he found in his books eluded him. With a scowl, he shut his Potions textbook and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling of his quiet dormitory.

What am I doing with my time? Severus thought, his fingers drumming on the desk. At seventeen, he had mastered most of the spells taught in the curriculum and even created a few of his own. But today, a different sort of challenge called to him—one that was decidedly more... unconventional.

An idea sparked in his mind, one that made his lips curl into a rare, confident smirk. He reached for a blank notebook, its pages crisp and untouched. Flipping it open, he dipped his quill in ink and wrote at the top of the first page in neat, precise handwriting: The Great Kiss Experiment.

Severus had always been a curious person, and today, his curiosity had taken a rather unexpected turn. Who, he wondered, was the best kisser at Hogwarts? Of course, this was purely for his own knowledge, a personal inquiry. Nothing more.

He stood up, slipping the notebook into his robe pocket, and made his way out of the Slytherin common room, his black robes billowing behind him like a shadow. As he ascended the dungeon stairs, his mind wandered to potential candidates. There were, of course, many students who might be willing to participate—some who might even be eager. But he needed someone who wouldn't question his motives, someone he could approach without hesitation.

And then it hit him.

Regulus Black.

Severus found Regulus in the library, as he expected. The younger Slytherin was leaning over a stack of books, his dark curls falling into his eyes as he scribbled notes furiously. Regulus was one of the few people Severus respected—intelligent, quiet, and not prone to unnecessary chatter. He was also, Severus had to admit, rather attractive.

Without preamble, Severus approached the table and sat down across from Regulus, his gaze sharp and unwavering. Regulus looked up, his quill pausing mid-sentence.

"Snape," Regulus greeted, his tone more surprised than usual. "What brings you here?"

Severus leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked onto Regulus's. "I need something from you," he said, his voice low and steady.

Regulus blinked, clearly taken aback by the directness. "What is it?"

"A kiss," Severus replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Regulus's quill slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the parchment below. He stared at Severus, his pale cheeks flushing a deep red. "W-what?"

Severus remained unfazed, his expression unchanging. "A kiss," he repeated, as if he were asking for nothing more than a spare piece of parchment.

Regulus swallowed hard, his usual composure crumbling under the weight of Severus's intense gaze. "Why—why would you ask me that?"

Severus tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Because I know you'll do it."

Regulus opened his mouth to respond, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He looked around the library, as if hoping for some sort of escape, but they were alone. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alright."

Severus didn't waste a moment. He stood up, crossing over to Regulus's side of the table in a few swift steps. Regulus, still seated, looked up at him with wide, uncertain eyes. Severus leaned down, his confidence unwavering, and pressed his lips against Regulus's.

The kiss was brief, just a light touch, but it sent a shiver down Regulus's spine. When Severus pulled back, Regulus's cheeks were burning, his breath coming in uneven gasps.

Severus observed him for a moment, then gave a single nod. "Noted," he said simply, his voice as calm as ever.

Regulus stared up at him, still too flustered to form a coherent response. "I—um, I—"

But Severus was already turning away, pulling the notebook from his robes as he walked towards the library exit. "Thank you for your cooperation," he called over his shoulder, leaving Regulus alone with his racing heart and the ghost of a kiss lingering on his lips.

As Severus left the library, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. The experiment had begun, and he had a feeling it would be... enlightening.

And perhaps, even more enjoyable than he had initially expected.

Hogwarts, Library

Regulus stared off into the distance, his finger hovering over his lips as he replayed the kiss he'd shared with Severus in his mind. The lingering tingle on his lips was a reminder of the unexpected, intimate moment they had shared, and he couldn't help but dwell on it.

His thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions. The kiss had been brief, yet it was charged with a depth he hadn't anticipated. Regulus's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of exhilaration and anxiety swirling within him. The sensation of Severus's lips against his was both thrilling and unsettling, leaving him caught between longing and confusion.

He sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on a distant point as if hoping the answer would materialize before him. The quiet of the room seemed to amplify his thoughts, each one more intense than the last.

"Why does this have to be so complicated?" Regulus murmured to himself. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of the emotions that were both new and overwhelming.

As he continued to stare into the distance, he couldn't shake the feeling that this kiss had changed something. It wasn't just a fleeting experiment; it felt significant, a hint of something more profound that he wasn't ready to fully acknowledge. The intensity of his feelings made it clear that he needed to confront them sooner or later.

"Maybe another kiss is what I need.."