“Stop moving so much.” Severus grumbled, shifting underneath you to get comfortable for the dozenth time.
“Sorry. You’re just so warm.” You bubbled.
His chest rumbled with the low chuckle that vibrated out of his chest. His nose was buried into the crown of your head, nestling into it as he allowed the serenity of the evening soak in. The house was quiet and still, and neither of you had moved from the sofa. Dinner had been delicious and filling, so the two of you couldn’t help but crash afterwards.
Besides, the circumstances were right for a perfect night in. It had been raining outside since lunchtime, and it didn’t show any signs of stopping. The unrelenting rain outside mixed with the wintery air was far too much of a nuisance. It was a much better idea to stay inside in front of the fire while snuggled up with one another. It wasn’t often that you were granted this kind of opportunity, so it was a chance well taken.
“I’m beginning to wonder if we’re the most boring couple on the planet.” You murmured into the material of his sweater.
“Boring? What about us makes you believe that we’re boring?” Severus let out a noise that was a mix of a snort and a scoff.
“It’s a Friday night and we’ve hardly moved in nearly an hour.” You remarked.
“That makes us boring?” He asked.
“To most people.” You giggled.
“I don’t think of us as ‘most people’. We’ve always been homebodies, my love.” He pressed a kiss to your head.
He had a point. To be honest, if the two of you were given the option to go out or stay in – odds were that you’d choose to spend your time at home. Both of you took advantage of the time set aside for recharging your social batteries. After the crazy busy week that the two of you had, your batteries had been low for days. You’d both be ready to get back to it by the time Monday came back around, but for now you were content to stay right where you were.
The drum of the rainfall on the roof was almost enough to lull you to sleep. You weren’t sure if you could get up from your position right now even if you did want to. It was a perfect, blissful moment that you wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. When you got married just over two years ago, this wasn’t exactly what you had pictured for your day-to-day life as a married couple. You didn’t exactly imagine the two of you as a non-stop, always on the go kind of couple. However, you also didn’t envision this either.
Not that you were complaining at all. This was better than anything you ever could’ve dreamed up.
“We can go somewhere if you wish. We don’t have to-”
“No, no, no. Don’t move. Stay.” You latched to him a little tighter.
He let out a proper laugh this time, clearly not expecting your reaction to be so desperate. He wrapped his arms around you fully, keeping you just where you had been for the last hour.
“Alright,” He grinned. “The world can wait, yes?”
You giggled again at that. It sounded so silly when he put it that way. Of course the world wasn’t going to stop spinning just so the two of you could recharge and have an excuse to be lazy. Was that going to make you feel bad about doing it? Not at all.
“Do you ever wish we could stay like this forever?” You questioned.
“Hm. I don’t know about forever, but I’d very much like to do this more often.” He answered.
You turned your head so that your chin was resting on his chest and your eyes were on his. His heart beat a little faster at the way you tilted your head when you gazed up at him. He’d never get used to being taken breathless when he looked at you. He didn’t want to get used to it.
“Then why don’t we?” You grinned.
That was the best idea that you had proposed in weeks. If only he had thought of it. He leaned down to kiss your forehead, his lips turning up into a smirk against your skin.
A/N:This is the first chapter of my current Wattpad Snape x reader series! It’s a Muggle reader and Snape, which is different than what I’ve done in the past. It is currently a non-completed fic. All currently available chapters are available on my Wattpad @seriouslysnape and my ao3 @allixiler - the book is titled The Magic of Different Worlds! (No, this is not the promised Snape fic. It’s coming soon!”
Word Count:4.7k
“I’ve been doing this a long time. It comes naturally too.”
To this day, I have absolutely no idea how to make Firewhisky. Believe me when I say that I’ve tried. I’ve tasted plenty of glasses of Firewhisky. It has become one of my favorite alcoholic beverages to sip on at the end of a long day. It’s not like any other alcohol I’ve ever tried, and it has certain effects on me that not even the most potent tequila could even attempt to mimic. I’ve spent an embarrassingly long time trying to replicate a drink that even remotely tastes like Firewhisky. I’ve never come close, and I’ve pretty much given up on trying to get it right.
I also have absolutely, positively, not even the slightest idea of how he ended up walking into my life that night. To put it plainly, our lives were so different. You could even argue that we didn’t live in the same world. In many ways, that argument completely fair. We didn’t live the same lives. We didn’t eat the same things. We didn’t know much about each other’s interests. Hell, we didn’t even KNOW any of the same people.
So how was it that our souls were so perfectly connected? How was it that all of the blurry spots of our lives became so blatantly clear when the stars in our eyes danced together? How was it that I fell in love with a man who was never even ever supposed to cross my path? I don’t have an answer for any of those questions. To this day, I still don’t know.
And I am perfectly fine with that.
I lived a fairly “average” life. I stuck to a schedule that worked for me and made my life both productive and easy. I slept from 5 AM to 12 PM, then I took a shower, then I had lunch, I did chores around my apartment, went to work at 8 PM, came back home at 4 AM, and the cycle repeated. My work hours probably sound a little odd to you. Most people work a regular 9 to 5 job to return home to their family by dinnertime. I should probably preface that I was a bartender.
A damn good one at that.
I had been a bartender since college, and had sort of gotten stuck in the profession. The bartending gig was meant to be temporary. It was just supposed to be a short-term job to keep me financially stable enough until I found a job that was more…acceptable (in the eyes of my parents, at least). One year at the bar turned into two, and then into three, and then before I knew it I had put in over a decade behind that bar. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it the way that I did.
I fell in love with the thrill that came with the rush of the late night crowds. I became proud of the way I became able to make any kind of drink without giving it a second thought. I grew to adore the conversations that I had with people. I made friendships with my regulars, and left my one-timers with a good lasting impression. I loved the way that I fit so perfectly into my job.
It was one of two things in my life that made me feel complete.
Most nights were pretty much the same. I’d clock into work, make sure that the bar top was just as clean as I left it from closing last shift, and work through my nine hour shift. I was a fun bartender. I was constantly making conversations, keeping the music on an upbeat shuffle, and doing skillful bar tricks that I had both learned and made up over the years. The bar was my sanctuary. It was my place of refuge, and the place where I found myself each day when I felt hopelessly lost. That bar in downtown London was my happiness, my comfort, and my world. I didn’t think that my world was ever going to change.
Not until I saw him for the very first time.
I had never seen him before. He definitely wasn’t one of my regulars. He was strikingly good looking, yet he didn’t look like anyone I had ever seen. He had long black hair, and his eyes were pools of matching inky black. He had pale skin, and a hard frown on his features. In my years of bartending, there had only been two people that had stopped me dead in my tracks behind my usually fast pace behind the bar.
This man, and another guy from about five years ago who had just escaped from prison (still in his prison jumpsuit and everything).
As a bartender, I had grown to read people over the years. I could see when people were burdened. I could tell when people were coming in to kill their sorrows by drowning them with each burning swallow of alcohol. With this man, I could see that he had been hurt. He had been hurt more than once, and each time had been worse than the last. He had beautiful eyes, the kind that were easy to get lost in and the kind that told stories. I saw far within his eyes. I saw the brokenness, the insecurity, and the hate for the world. He was a lost, shattered man.
And it absolutely pained my heart to see such a sad human being.
He was extremely out of place. I knew it, the other bar patrons knew it, and honestly I’m pretty sure that he knew it too. I could tell that he wasn’t exactly comfortable being there. I broke out of my daze once he found an empty space at the bar. I remember that he had been wearing a black collared shirt and slacks. It was a pretty standard outfit, but it didn’t look like something he’d usually wear. I wasn’t judging him in the slightest, but I was extremely curious.
He had entered the bar at around 2:00 AM. The bar closed at 3:00, so he only had about 45 minutes before I announced last call and an hour before closing. It had been an extremely busy Friday night, and the bar hadn’t slowed since opening at 8:00 PM. However, when I spoke to him, it felt like we were the only ones in the room.
“Hi there.” I greeted the man with my usual smile, catching his frazzled gaze.
He looked at me silently for only a second or two before he replied. I could tell he was nervous, or maybe just confused. It wasn’t uncommon for people to get a little overwhelmed within the bar. Between the music and the busy chatter, it was a lot of noises to process at once. But he didn’t seem like that kind of nervous. He seemed like he was hiding something.
“Hello.” He greeted me back.
His voice sent a shudder down my spine. It was deep and dark, like an empty cave at the bottom of the ocean. It was cool too. It had a collected tone that would make me believe that he had never raised his voice a day in his life. As intimidating as it was, it was calming as well. It was the kind of voice that I wouldn’t mind putting me to sleep at night.
“Can I get something started for you?” I asked him for his order.
There was this fun game that I used to play with myself whenever I encountered a new customer. I would try to challenge myself by predicting what they were going to order before they actually ordered. Sometimes I was spot on, and other times I was dead wrong. I’ve had the most prim and proper women come in and order straight up shots of vodka with no chaser. I’ve had big, burly men come in and order a lemon drop cocktail. Some people were predictable, and some people weren’t.
That was just life in general.
I had a feeling he’d order a beer to start off with, and them something stronger later in the evening. He seemed like the kind of guy who started out slow and then totally snowball into the deeper stuff. Instead, he shocked me with his answer.
“I’ll have a Firewhisky.” He requested.
The moment the words fell from his mouth, I could tell that he regretted it. I stared at him blankly, my head tilting to the side in puzzlement. I had been bartender for twelve years, and I had made and memorized any alcoholic drink under the sun. It had been a very long time since someone had come in and ordered something that I wasn’t familiar with. Firewhisky didn’t ring a bell. Not even remotely.
“I’m afraid I don’t know how to make a Firewhisky,” I told him, “But if you tell me what’s in it, I could try to make it!”
He looked like a toddler who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. No, scratch that. He looked as if he had just straight up confessed to murder.
“I-I, uh, it’s not- forget it. I’ll just have something else.” He sputtered.
His cheeks began to burn red, like he had just embarrassed himself to death. I was gentle with him. I could tell he was flustered, and I knew that some people had a hard time trying to adjust to being in such a crowded space. I knew that it was still very possible that he had just ordered something that I simply didn’t know how to make. Even though it was unlikely, it wasn’t impossible.
“I assure you that I can probably make it if you tell me what’s in it. I want to be sure that you get what you want.” I continued to smile in hopes of settling him down a bit.
“Trust me when I say that you probably can’t.” He responded, his eyes flashing with a certain mysterious gleam.
Normally, I would’ve taken that as an insult or as a jab at my bartending skills. However, I could tell that wasn’t what he meant. He was implying that it was actually impossible for me to make it…for whatever reason. I let it go, because there was no sense in making him more uncomfortable, but I did make a mental note to look it up later.
“Alright then. Is there something else that you want?” I moved on.
He thought about it for a second…or at least, he pretended to think about it before he answered.
“Surprise me.” He replied.
Usually, I hated it when people said that. Like I said before, there was usually NO way to tell what sort of drinks satisfied people’s pallets. He could’ve been the type of person to prefer something sweeter and I’d give him a vodka soda. It was an innocent request with complicated results. However, I humored him and let the wheels turn.
I decided to go for something simple to start off with. A lot of men liked hard liquors, or the ones that weren’t as “feminine”. I plucked a clean whiskey glass from under the bar, filling it only about a fourth of the way with scotch whiskey. It served it straight, giving him just enough to try it first before I gave him more.
While he was taste testing, I moved down the bar to an older man that had flagged me down. He was a first-time customer, and I remembered that his name was Jerry. One of my most admirable traits was that I never forgot a name once someone told me. Jerry politely asked for another beer, watching me pour him another mug and handing it to him. He thanked me with a kind smile, sliding me a tip that I appreciated with a grin. I made a few more new drinks, (and cut off a very, VERY drunk newly 21 year old) and made sure everyone was satisfied.
I could feel him watching me. Not in a weird way, but in a fascinated way. He looked captivated by the shakers, strainers, bar spoons, and cocktails pourers. He had never seen a bartender at work before…or at least, not any bartender that I was familiar with. I went to return to him shortly after, but noticed that a very familiar face had snuck in while I was occupied.
Isobel had been a regular customer of mine for about a year. She was in the bar usually about once a week, and it was almost always on Saturday night/early Sunday morning (in this case, it was technically Sunday morning). She never failed to order the exact same thing. A dry martini with extra olives. She was sitting just a few seats down from the mystery man that I was trying to get back to, but I could never deny Isobel my attention. She was one of my most loyal customers after all.
“Hi, Isobel! You’re a bit late. I’m announcing last call in about fifteen minutes.” I told her, not even realizing how much time had already passed since the man had walked in.
Isobel smiled her kindest smile…well, honestly she always gave me her kindest smile. She was tall and lean, and she was significantly older than me. She had some age on her and it showed, but she was a beautiful woman nonetheless. She was extremely motherly, but I would’ve also ventured to say that she was truly a friend of mine. Isobel was eccentric, or even quirky if you will. There was always something about her that struck me as odd. I never could figure it out on my own. I felt like I never actually saw her walk in. She always seemed to end up sitting at the bar before I could notice her entrance. I don’t think I had ever seen her leave either. Some people were just sneaky that way.
“Oh, no worries, dear. I’m only having one tonight,” She stated, her eyes focused on the man, “Do you know that man?”
I poured the liquid into a martini glass, looking over at him in response. His eyes were trained at the bottom of his now empty glass. I snickered to myself. I guess he liked the scotch.
“I don’t. This is his first time here,” I replied, “Why?”
“He’s been looking at you ever since I sat down.” She said, looking at me from under her lashes.
I knew what she was trying to say, but I ignored it. Isobel was constantly trying to set me up with men around the bar. I always turned her down, because I had convinced myself long ago that the love of my life wouldn’t ever walk into my bar.
“He’s just nervous. Some people have trouble settling in to a place that they’re unfamiliar with.” I declared, setting her glass in front of her.
She continued to stare the man down. She looked at him almost as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. Seriously, I was convinced that she was trying to bore a hole through the poor man.
“Don’t stare at him, Isobel. You’ll scare him off. I can’t have you scaring off my potential regulars,” I hissed, “Speaking of, I need to check in on him.”
I left Isobel to enjoy her martini, although I’m pretty sure her eyes never left me as she watched me interact with the man. He looked up at me when he noticed my presence, his expression still stoically still.
“Enjoy the scotch?” I asked, pointing towards his empty glass.
He looked down into the glass as if he were putting two and two together, and he nodded. He extended his arm just a touch to put the glass closer to me.
“Could I possibly-”
Before he could finish his request, I was already pouring a heavier fill of the same scotch into his glass. He looked at me quizzically, as if I had read his mind. I gave him a smirk, setting the bottle back in the cocktail rail for easy access later.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. It comes naturally too.” I answered his non-verbal question.
He was stunned as he watched me work my way back down the bar. Most people had hit their limit already, calling for cabs and stumbling out onto the street to walk home. I announced last call at 2:45 AM. If you don’t know what a last call is, it’s basically to let the people who aren’t done drinking that the bar was closing soon and that any orders needed to be put in within the next 15 minutes. There were always two or three that put in a last call order, but most of the time, people took that as a sign to go ahead and close their tab.
The crowd started to thin out, piles of people exiting through the front door and waving me goodbye as they did so. I noticed that Isobel had (per usual) slipped out undetected, but paid for her drink as always with a healthy tip. I never minded when she left without saying goodbye, because I knew she’d be back.
I always got SUPER busy in the last fifteen minutes. Calling cabs, safely storing car keys for the people too drunk to drive home (don’t worry, they always came by the next shift to get their cars), closing tabs, turning the music off, and getting the place ready for close out. I got so busy, in fact, that I didn’t even notice the last bar patron until they were gathering themself to leave.
One of the downsides to bartending was that no matter how much or how little of a connection that I made with a customer on the first time, there was always a chance that I’d never see them again. Sometimes it was because it was a London tourist only staying for a few nights. Sometimes it was because that person drank so much that the next morning’s hangover was bad enough to convince them to never return. And sometimes (and this one hurt the most) it was because that person came into the bar with a purpose of escaping their life for a few hours…but they were too far gone to get away from it. So, they never come back because my bar wasn’t enough of a place of comfort for them.
It was the man, the one that I had been trying to get through to within the last hour. He had left the money on the bar top (along with a tip) and was getting ready to walk out when I saw him. His stomach did this weird, instinctive roll that I had never felt it do. My gut was screaming at me not to let him leave. I had a strong intuition that rarely ever failed me. Now, it was yelling at me louder than ever.
I could not let this man walk out of this bar.
“Hey, do you want another one?” I asked, re-entering behind the bar.
He stopped what he was doing, pausing to look at me. I looked pretty stereotypical in this moment. I had a rag in one hand and a shaker in the other as I dried it from being freshly washed. He looked at me with uncertainty, his eyes darting to the clock on the wall. It was a few minutes after 3:00, so technically the bar was closed. But I’d be a liar if I said that I never let a person stay after hours from time to time.
“Are you sure?” He questioned, clearly not wanting to bother me.
“I’m positive. I’ll pour you another one.” I reached for the same bottle.
He settled back into the barstool, his eyes following the stream of the amber liquid as it rose higher and higher into the glass. I was amused at how entertained he was by it. It was so everyday for me that I never really saw the magic in it anymore. I set the glass between his hands, also sliding the money that he had put down earlier back towards him.
“Drinks are on the house tonight. I always treat my first timers.” I told him, watching as he lifted the glass to his lips.
He thanked me as he took a sip, an extended silence floating between us as the next few seconds passed by. I could tell he wanted to say something, but couldn’t seem to get the words out. I took the lead on the conversation. I never minded doing that.
“I’m pretty sure this makes me the worst bartender in the world…but I don’t believe I caught your name,” I held my hand out to him, “I’m [Y/N].”
He took my hand to shake it, but another look of hesitation crossed his features. I wasn’t sure what it was about him telling me his name that was so daunting. He blushed when he told me what it was.
“Severus.” He finally said.
That was one for the books. I had met some people with some CRAZY names. I wouldn’t necessarily consider Severus a totally wild name, but it was definitely unusual. Despite that, I could see how that name fit him so perfectly. He was definitely a Severus.
“Last name?” I pushed.
“Snape.”
Severus Snape. It fit him like a glove.
“It’s nice to meet you, Severus. What brings you to London?” I questioned, leaning on my palms against the edge of the bar top.
“Is it that obvious that I’m not from around here?” He queried, spinning the glass slowly and watching the way the liquid splashed back into the center when he stopped.
“I can tell the locals from the tourists, but I have to say that you don’t look like either.” I told him.
He avoided my gaze completely. I had met some shy customers over the years, but he was up there in the top five for sure. Still, he was incredibly cute.
“You’re right about that. Let’s just say that you wouldn’t be able to find your way to where I’m from.” Severus claimed.
I shrugged. Okay, then. I guess I hadn’t ever been that great with geography anyways.
“Fair enough. Do you have family in London?” I questioned, trying to get some sort of conversation going.
“No.” He replied blankly.
Strike one.
“Do you work in the city?” I tried again.
“I do not.”
Strike two.
I was running out of conversation starters. I had never had anyone who didn’t reply yes to at least one or all three of the questions I had already asked. Severus was one tough nut to crack.
“Are you planning on staying in London?” I questioned.
“Nope.”
Strikeout. Severus was not giving anything up.
While I was a bit frustrated, I was also amused. Some people just didn’t like to share their personal lives. I was completely fine with that, but it felt more like Severus couldn’t tell me rather than he didn’t want to. I huffed at him, wiping down the bar to begin cleaning up for the night. I had to dig a little deeper to get to a question that would make this work.
“What do you do for a living?” I acquired, thinking that there was no way he couldn’t answer that one.
He paused for about half a second before he responded.
“I’m a teacher.” He stated plainly.
I did a silent cheer. Now we were getting somewhere.
“Oh, that’s so nice. Do you like teaching?” I went on.
“Some days. Kids can be challenging.” He answered.
“Kids” meant that he probably wasn’t a university professor, and (quite frankly) he didn’t exactly look the part for preschool age students. I ballparked that he was probably a middle and upper grade school teacher. I could definitely see him teaching moody teenagers.
“That they can. You wouldn’t believe the underage kids I get in here.” I snorted, refilling his glass once it was empty again.
It was easy to see that he wasn’t much of a drinker. You’d be surprised at the number of non-drinkers that came in. I made just as many “mocktails” as I did actual alcoholic drinks.
“Is it usually as busy as it was tonight?” Severus questioned.
“Pretty much. It depends on the day and time of year.” I answered, returning all the bottles from the cocktail rack.
A silence soon fell between us, and I knew this conversation wasn’t going anywhere else. It had been a lousy one anyway. He had clammed up completely, and honestly I wasn’t sure what to say either. I think he had pushed his boundaries and stepped outside of his comfort level enough for one evening. I knew that I couldn’t make him come back, but I hoped with every part of me that he would.
He downed the last of his third drink, the smooth liquid sliding down his throat with ease. He stood from his seat, and I felt the dejection in my chest. I tried not to take it personally that he wasn’t any more interested in talking to me. Some people were just like that.
“Thanks for letting me stay.” He said meekly, his eyes never meeting mine.
He walked to the front of the bar, ready to make his leave when I spoke up again.
“Anytime, Severus,” I smiled, “So, will I see you again soon?” I asked with a glimmer of hope that he’d say yes.
He stopped just as his hand landed on the door handle. I was actually sad to see him go. His eyes flickered up at me and sparkled like the most dazzling black diamond. It sent a chill down my back, and my heart fluttered like I had never felt before.
“Yes. I’ll be back.”
Without another word, Severus exited the bar and disappeared around the corner. I leaned back against the back counter, my hand absentmindedly continuing to work the rag over the highball glass that was beyond dry and squeaky clean. I was replaying my encounter with Severus over and over again. I was exceedingly interested in him. I could definitively say that I had never met anyone quite like him.
And trust me when I say that I had met a lot of people in my life.
Mysterious was the only way that I knew how to describe him. He wasn’t as easy to read as most people were, but I could tell that it was an intentional trait. I wanted to be friends with him. I wanted to make a connection with him. I remembered how broken he had looked when he first walked in. I wondered if he had always been that way.
I wondered if he had spent all of his Christmas holidays alone, sitting by himself and staring out the window as he watched the December snow fall from the gray skies, wondering what it would be like to have someone to share his life with. It hurt me to think of all the birthday candles he had blown out in the emptiness of his kitchen, his sad and black eyes watching the temporary line of smoke rise and dissipate out into nothingness.
I wondered if that was how he felt about himself. Like he was nothing more than a temporary being, the clock counting down to the moment where he didn’t exist anymore. As if there wouldn’t be even the slightest break in the atmosphere if he were to suddenly disappear into the past as nothing more than a memory.
I wanted to know who or what had broken him to such a state of self-hatred.
His heart didn’t deserve to feel that way. No one deserved to feel that level of unloved and uncared for. The soul wasn’t designed to feel worthless. No matter how shattered and damaged a soul might be, there was always a chance of coming back to see the good in life again. I wanted to know more about Severus. I wanted to know everything about Severus.
I wanted to unravel the mystery that was Severus Snape.
Tags: Acromantula, mentions of blood, death of a mythical creature, gore, angst, fluff, smut, bullying, broken bones, hippogriffs, unicorns, fluffy, centaurs, syringes, major character injury, near-death experience, age gap, teacher/18-year-old student relationship, unprotected sex, fingering, begging, forced reveal of feelings, forbidden forest, family drama, and I think that’s it.
A/N: I altered the timeline a little to make this flow better. I realize that Gilderoy lost his memory during the Chamber of Secrets era. I also realize that Severus didn’t take on the DADA teaching position until Harry’s 6th year. I just wanted to make that clear for everyone. :) Enjoy!
“Hmm…difficult, very difficult. Mmm yes, lots of ambition and very loyal too. A hint of creativity, but you seem to mask it well with your bravery…” As the sorting hat’s voice echoed throughout the Great Hall, your mind began to flood with the past week’s events.
It was the day after your eighteenth birthday when you discovered your Hogwarts letter. Your grandmother had been a great witch and even taught at Hogwarts after she finished her seventh year. From the moment you were born, she knew you were destined for good things. Your parents had forbidden her from using magic around you and even went so far as to hide your letter of acceptance on your eleventh birthday. It wasn’t until you were going through some of your childhood toys in the attic that you came across it.
The letter was stuck to the back of an old photo album, and the writing had nearly faded completely. You ran your fingers over the yellowing parchment, the tip of your index finger raising slightly as it slid over the sealing wax. You recognized the symbol immediately. Your grandmother had it all over her house, and you’d thought it to be your family’s crest. The wax gave way easily and you pulled the letter out as carefully as you could. Your heart began to race and your breath caught in your throat. The letter was for you! You had been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
You blinked and brought yourself back to reality, the hat seemed to be finishing up his assessment. “…better make it…Slytherin!” The table full of students to the far-right of the hall erupted in cheer as you walked towards them. You took your seat and after the rest of the first years were sorted into their houses, the Headmaster approached the podium. He raised his hands and without saying a word, the whole room went silent.
“Welcome! Welcome, everyone! It is my great pleasure to start off a new school year with a few minor changes. As many of you know, Gilderoy Lockhart is no longer capable of teaching. It seems a memory charm backfired and he’s lost all memory of who he is. Be that as it may, I am very pleased to announce that our own Severus Snape will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.” Your eyes scanned the teachers at the head table and stopped when they landed on a man who looked slightly younger than the others. He stood and nodded ever so slightly before taking his seat again. Your gaze lingered on him as Professor Dumbledore continued on with his speech.
“Thus it’s only fitting that the one and only Professor Horace Slughorn takes Severus’ place as Potions teacher.” Another professor stood up from the table and smiled as a round of applause reverberated off the walls. “Now that we’ve determined who will be teaching what subject, I have an additional announcement to make. All students will refrain from entering the forbidden forest. Anyone who isn’t experienced enough to handle themselves will most certainly die a very horrible death. Now, without further interruption, let the feast begin!”
With a wave of his hand, the empty plates filled with a delicious looking meal. You ate quietly as the other Slytherins talked and carried on. Every so often, you turned to look at the mysterious man with the all-black attire. Mysterious didn’t even begin to describe him. Even though it wasn’t classified as magic, you had always found yourself skilled in reading people. He looked particularly confident, his shoulder-length black hair bouncing slightly as he talked among the other teachers. There was just something you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Was it pain? The very moment you thought the word to yourself, his eyes snapped up to yours. Horrified that you were caught staring, you quickly turned your attention to your plate. Had he read your mind?
Deciding not to dwell on it any longer, you continued eating your meal thinking about the new chapter in your life. Though you didn’t know much about Hogwarts and the world of magic, you did know that this house, in particular, had a bad reputation. Your grandmother was a Ravenclaw, and would sometimes divulge knowledge about the other houses. The one thing you remembered about Slytherin was that its founder believed only certain people should be allowed to attend this school and practice magic. Purebloods.
You were the farthest thing from being a pureblood. In fact, you were what other witches and wizards would call a Muggle. That was another thing you learned from your grandma. Muggle was a term used to describe someone who had non-magic blood, or the less liked derogatory name, mud-blood. The fork in your left hand scraped across your plate as you pushed your food around aimlessly. Why on Earth would the sorting hat put you in Slytherin?
Soon, dinner was over and the prefects led the students back to their respective common rooms. You followed the other female students to the girl’s dormitory and found your trunk and owl had already been brought in. Nova chirped and tilted her head when she saw you, and you couldn’t help but giggle. “Miss me already, sweetheart? Well, I missed you too.” The soft feathers on her head slid between your fingers while you talked to her. Even though she didn’t talk back, it was always nice to feel like someone was listening.
You settled on your bed and began drawing in your sketchpad as the other girls in your room talked among themselves. Their conversation hardly registered with you, your focus solely on the drawing of Nova you were currently working on. It wasn’t until one of the other girls tapped you on your shoulder that you noticed they were talking to you. “Hellooo? Were you even listening to us?” You set your sketch pad next to you on the bed and looked up at the three girls staring at you intently. “S-Sorry, I didn’t realize you were talking to me. I was um … I was focused on my drawing.”
The girl closest to you rolled her eyes and huffed impatiently. “I said, why aren’t you eleven like the other first years?” There it was, the question you knew would be asked eventually. You just didn’t think you’d have to answer it this soon. “My um… Well, I suppose it’s because my parents hid my acceptance letter from me.” The one with the blonde hair began to laugh. “Why that’s absurd. Why anyone would hide a Hogwarts letter from their child is beyond me. Unless… wait… are you not a pureblood?”
A sudden feeling of shame overtook you and your gaze wandered to your lap, a loose string on your blanket became instantly more interesting. “I-I… Well, no… I’ve got non-magic parents actually.” The third girl scoffed. “Daphne, can you believe they let scum like this into our house?” Blondie, who you presumed to be Daphne, snatched your sketchbook off the bed and tore it in two and laughed. “Serves her right. Mud-bloods don’t belong in Slytherin.” She drew her wand and pushed the tip into the skin of your throat making your whole body quake in fear. “Listen up you vile little wretch, you’d better not lose us any house points if you value your life at all. Understand?”
Tears pricked your eyes as you nodded quickly. “Y-Yes… Yes, I-I understand.” She removed her wand and the two other girls followed close behind as they left the room. Closing your eyes, you took a few deep breaths trying to slow the rapid beating of your heart. A few minutes later, you let out a shaky breath and began to clean up the remnants of your sketch pad. Luckily, this was a brand new one and Daphne hadn’t torn up anything too valuable.
Once you were finished, you slipped on your shoes and held out your arm to Nova. She chirped happily and sidestepped to your shoulder. Staying in your room anywhere near the other Slytherin girls was the last thing you wanted to do, so you decided to explore the castle grounds a little before bed. After all, it was only Friday night, and classes didn’t start for another two weeks.
The crisp fall air licked at your skin the moment you stepped out in the courtyard. It felt good to breathe the fresh air and you suspected that Nova felt the same. She immediately took flight and let out a happy screech. Part of you envied her. Being able to soar as high as the clouds away from all the negativity was something you could only dream of doing.
You wandered around the castle grounds until you spotted a hut nestled at the edge of a tree line. The stone exterior and the pointed roof reminded you of the fairy tales your parents used to read as bedtime stories when you were little. Light grey smoke billowed out of the chimney and you could faintly hear someone humming. Curiosity got the better of you, and you soon found yourself at the foot of the steps.
Before you could knock, the front door swung open and none other than Hagrid looked down at you. “Why ‘ello there, lass! Teh what do I owe yeh the pleasure?” You’d only known him for a few hours, but you could tell that Hagrid had a big heart and good intentions. “I just needed some fresh air that’s all. Things are… a bit much in my house.” Hagrid studied you as you spoke. It didn’t take a genius to know something was bothering you, and he saw right through the fake smile plastered on your face. “Why don’t yeh come in fer a spot of tea? I can tell something is troublin’ yeh.”
It became a sort of routine, the evenings you’d spend with the Hogwarts groundskeeper. After Hagrid had learned the way the other Slytherins were treating you, he’d made it clear that you could spend the night in his spare room any time you needed to. You insisted on paying him for his hospitality, but he always refused. All he had ever asked in return was help taking care of the mythical creatures. Most would probably view it as a chore, but you found it extremely therapeutic.
Friday evening before school started, you noticed Hagrid was missing from the teacher’s table. After dinner, you jogged along the path to his house and noticed the lights inside his hut were off. Hmm…that’s weird, you thought to yourself. Normally, he’d be making a pot of tea right about now. Tentatively, you walked up the steps and lightly knocked on his door. “Hagrid? Hey, are you home? It’s Y/N…” You tried the door, and it opened easily. “Hagrid? I’m coming in…” Fang peeked at you over his paw and yawned lazily. Other than the glow of the fire, nothing showed signs that he was home. As quietly as you could you walked to the back towards his bedroom. There, wrapped up in blankets and looking beyond miserable, was the half-giant himself.
“Oh, Hagrid… what’s the matter? You look like you feel awful.” He coughed and sneezed a few times before blowing his nose into a hankey. His skin was clammy, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “I’m sick, lass. Yeh shouldn’t come near me if ye know what’s good fer ya.” Out of instinct you put the underside of your wrist against his forehead and grimaced. “Hagrid, you’re burning up! Come on! We have to get you to Madame Pomfrey.”
You helped him stand and carefully started to lead him towards the castle. It took nearly fifteen minutes, but finally, you were able to get him to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey motioned to a bed and helped you lay him down. She insisted that she keep him overnight so she could monitor him, but Hagrid was having none of it. “No! Absolutely not! I can’t stay ‘ere overnight. Who’ll feed Fang an all me other beasts? Buckbeak ain’t the nicest Hippogriff when he’s missed a meal yeh know.”
Your hand came down to cover his as you looked him in the eyes. “Hagrid, please…stay here and let Madame Pomfrey take care of you. I’ll take care of feeding them tonight, okay? It’s not like I haven’t helped you make your rounds for the past week and a half.” The groundskeeper sighed with defeat and nodded. “Alright Y/N, I’ll stay an let yeh take care o’ my pets, but yeh have ta promise me you’ll be careful.”
You gave him a soft smile and stood to smooth out your robes. “Don’t worry, Hagrid. I’ll be quick and efficient just like you taught me. I even made myself a list so I remember which animal eats what as well as where they’re all located. I’ve got this!” Before he could change his mind, you hurried out of the room and back to his hut to grab what you needed. According to the list, you had five different species to feed tonight. The unicorns, Buckbeak the hippogriff, Fluffy the three-headed dog, the centaurs, and Aragog the acromantula.
None of these mythical beasts ever acted like they were harmful, but they weren’t to be taken lightly either. Not to mention you were with Hagrid every time you’d fed them before. After loading up the bags with their food, you made sure you had your wand before approaching the edge of the forest. It didn’t matter what time of day it was, the shadow from the trees always made the forest dark and a thin layer of mist lingered near the forest floor.
Fluffy was first on your list. His doghouse was about fifty feet within the forest. Brandishing your wand, you cast Lumos Maxima and took the trail to the west. A few minutes later, you could hear light snores echoing off the trees. Making sure you had the three slabs of meat at the ready, you whistled to get the giant beast’s attention.
"Fluffy! I got you some dinner!” The dog’s left head yawned enthusiastically and you couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, that’s enough sleeping. It’s time for some yummy meat!” The middle head began to growl and bare its teeth at you while the one on the right shook its head back and forth violently. “There we go, nice and easy…” You slowly got closer and gently set the slabs of meat within his reach before backing off.“
You stuck around long enough to make sure he saw the food and then walked north towards the part of the forest where unicorns made their homes. It surprised you to learn that they preferred witches over wizards. Hagrid had told you that they were very fast, so much so that they could outrun a werewolf.
Instead of trying to seek them out, he set up feed pails around their homes and filled them with food. As you were filling the pails, you saw a golden blur out of the corner of your eye. It startled you at first, but then you remembered Hagrid telling you that unicorn fouls were gold in color.
Staying completely still, you waited until it poked its head out from behind the tree. "Hi, sweetheart. You want some food?” At the mention of food, the foul whinnied and slowly approached your outstretched hand. It broke your heart that these beautiful creatures were nearly extinct. You gave light scratches to the tufts of fur behind its ears, the serene moment nearly making you forget where you were.
After hand-feeding the baby for a few minutes, you quickly filled the rest of the pails before heading towards the centaurs. Hagrid always made sure you remembered how proud the centaur breed was. They didn’t like to be classified as “beasts” along with thestrals, merfolk, or werewolves. They also ate both human and equine food.
It was a good thing you remembered to grab both types. You didn’t want to upset them at all, let alone do so without Hagrid around to protect you. As you approached their den, a familiar face came to greet you. “Good evening, Y/N.” Firenze stood tall as he looked down at you, his unwavering gaze making you a bit nervous. “H-Hey! Sorry, it took me a bit to get here. Hagrid isn’t feeling well, and I had to take him to the hospital wing."
The creature nodded and uncrossed his arms. "That’s quite alright. I see you brought my colony dinner.” You offered a smile and held out two big knapsacks of food. “I did! I wasn’t sure what you would prefer so I came bearing a variety of things…I-I hope that’s okay.” Firenze chuckled and placed one of his large hands on your shoulder. “That’s very kind of you, Y/N. Please give Hagrid my best. I do hope he recovers quickly.” With a nod and a wave, you watched him until he was out of sight.
Adjusting the bag on your shoulder, you turned east and walked in the direction of the area Buckbeak frequented. You’d come to love the Hippogriff ever since Hagrid introduced you to him. It only took you about five minutes to navigate the trail before you could hear the excited bleats coming from a group of trees. Making sure to stop the moment you crested the hill, you made eye contact with Buckbeak and bowed low. The Hippogriff turned and tilted its head momentarily and then bowed in return. You took the dead ferrets out of the bag and tossed them in the air for him to catch. When you ran out he nudged the side of your face and chirped happily. “Yes, I love you too, Beaky. You’re a good boy!” Kissing his beak sweetly, you bade him goodnight and walked south toward the heart of the forest. Time to feed the final species on your list. Aragog.
Even though they were capable of human speech, acromantulas were the one beast you had a fear of. As you approached Aragog’s lair, hundreds of tiny spiders crawled on the ground next to you. Taking a few deep breaths to compose yourself, you crept into the pitch-black den with your senses on high alert. At the heart of it sat the beast himself. “Who dares to come into my home?” With a shaky hand, you reached into your bag and quickly pulled out a dead fox as an offering.
“A-Aragog? It’s um…it’s Y/N, the one who has been coming with Hagrid to feed you. I have umm… I have some birds and foxes for you.” The large arachnid stalked closer to you, it’s eyes like black holes as it seemed to stare into your soul. “Yes… the young fleshy girl who claims to be a friend of Hagrid. Tell me, where is my keeper? What have you done to him?”
The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end and your fight or flight instincts began to kick in. “I-I-I didn’t do anything to him. He… he isn’t feeling well and I told him I’d come and bring you dinner…” You hadn’t realized you were backing up until your heel caught a crooked root poking through the ground. Pain shot through your ankle as you fell against the floor of the den. Aragog clicked his fangs together and you flinched as his voice boomed around you angrily. “I don’t believe you! I’ve known Hagrid for over fifty years, and not once has he gotten sick!”
As graceful as your sprained ankle would allow, you scrambled to your feet and dumped the dead birds and foxes on the ground in front of you. “H-Here’s your food… I… I’m just gonna go…” The venom from his fangs began to drip on the ground as he moved even closer to you. “Go? Oh, I don’t think so, friend of Hagrid. Those foxes and birds may sate my son’s and daughter’s hunger, but they won’t satisfy me.“
Ignoring the throb in your injured foot, you clambered out of the den as fast as you could. Branches swatted you in the face as you sprinted toward Hagrid’s hut. Aragog was hot on your heels as the castle grounds became more and more visible. Just a few more feet and you’d be safe.
A rotted tree trunk caught your eye, but it was too late for you to avoid it. You hit the ground with a sickening thud, your wrist that broke your fall was surely broken. Turning to face the fast approaching acromantula, you pleaded for him to stop. "Aragog, please! ….I…I didn’t do anything to Hagrid… please don’t hurt me!"
The giant spider loomed over you, it’s fangs clicking together violently. "Goodbye, friend of Hagrid…” You let out a blood-curdling scream as its pincers tore into your flesh, the moonlight fading away until you slipped into unconsciousness.
Nights were usually the time Severus took to think. It was his free time, save for the occasional disobedient student wandering the corridors. He’d just walked past the open courtyard when a small owl flew down to land on his shoulder. “Get off me you insolent bird!” It let out a screech and circled him before settling on his other arm.
“Merlin’s beard, what is it that you want?!” Just as he was about to send it away, he noticed a small charm bracelet attached to the owl’s left leg. Curious, he cast Lumos and read the inscription.
Name: Nova Jane
Property of: Y/F/N Y/L/N
“I see…you’re the property of the new Slytherin girl. Go on then! Go back to the dormitory.” Nova nipped at the buttons on his sleeve and screeched loudly. Just as Severus was about to scare it off, your scream echoed throughout the castle grounds.
“Take me to her! Now!” Nova took flight and soared in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Severus ran as quickly as he could, his robes flowing behind him like a cape. His heart thundered against his chest as he broke through the treeline.
The moment he saw Hagrid’s acromantula towering over you, he drew his wand and aimed for its head. “AVADA KEDAVRA!” The spell sent Aragog catapulting backward, its body falling lifeless against the base of a large tree.
Seeing you lying there motionless made his blood run cold. “Oh, Merlin…no no no…” He sank down in the mud and put two fingers against your neck, a breath of relief falling from his lips when a faint pulse fluttered against them. His eyes scanned your body, worry prickling his skin at the number of deep cuts you had. He knew you wouldn’t survive if he didn’t act now.
With a shaky hand, he pointed his wand to the deep gash in your abdomen. “Vulnera sanentur…” A glow illuminated from it and within seconds it was as if the wound never existed. He did the same for the other large wounds as well as your wrist and ankle before lifting you into his arms. He may have stopped the bleeding, but you still had the acromantula’s venom flowing freely in your veins. He only had a few minutes to reverse the toxins.
Closing his eyes, he apparated to his sleeping chambers and gently laid you on his bed. Severus worked quickly to mix up the antivenom. Once it was mixed properly, he used a syringe to inject it into all of your main arteries.
It became a waiting game. You’d lost a lot of blood, nearly too much, and all Severus could do now was hope you’d wake up. He found himself pacing, checking your pulse every so often to make sure you were still breathing. Eventually, the adrenaline in his body wore off, and it made him realize how tired he was.
He shed his robe, toed his shoes off, and with a snap of his fingers, a fire began to crackle and pop in the fireplace. He sat and pondered to himself. What was he supposed to do with you? It wasn’t like he could take you to Madame Pomfrey now. Not after he’d healed you the best he could. Plus, he was sure the other Hogwarts staff would question him on why he took you back to his chambers. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure why he’d done it. He acted on pure instinct.
His gaze wandered over to where you were laying. Severus felt himself relax upon seeing your chest rise and fall. He’d done it. He’d saved you. His eyes began to get heavy as he listened to your soft breathing. Unable to stay awake any longer, he let sleep consume him.
The smell of tea filled your nostrils as you tried to recall where you were. Last night’s events flooded your mind and your eyes immediately snapped open.
Scanning the room, your brows furrowed in confusion. This wasn’t the hospital wing, and it definitely wasn’t Hagrid’s. You sat up, your back against the headboard, and scanned your exposed skin. Other than a few bruises, there wasn’t any sign of injury on you at all. Had it all been a dream?
The sound of the door opening brought you out of your thoughts. Your eyes widened at the sight of your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher carrying a teacup and saucer. “Oh, you’re up. Good.” He strode over and set the cup down on the nightstand next to you. “Drink this. It’ll help you feel better."
You blinked up at him, your eyes staring into his obsidian ones. Even though he wore a scowl ninety percent of the time, your professor wasn’t bad looking. In fact, you found him quite attractive. His form-fitting robes with all those buttons and his confidence drew you in almost immediately.
It was then that you remembered he’d spoken to you. Forcing your brain to form words, you stuttered out a response. "I…um…th-thank you, Professor…” His stone-faced expression didn’t waver as he sat down on the comforter next to you. “Why, Y/N? Why would you put yourself in danger like that?! You could have been killed! Merlin, if it wasn’t for your insolent bird, you would have been!"
You focused on your lap, your cheeks red with shame. "M'sorry… I was just t-trying to help Hagrid fe-” You slapped your hand over your mouth and internally cursed yourself. Hagrid made you promise not to tell anyone you were helping him, and here you’ve almost told none other than Professor Snape!
“Go on…” Shaking your head, you moved to get off the bed. “I… I can't… Thank you for saving me, Professor. I’ll just be going…” His firm hand came to rest on your thigh and with little force, he pushed you back down onto the bed. “Listen to me, Y/N. I’m your Head of House. Either you tell me what you were doing in that forest, or I’ll make you tell me.
The demand in his tone sent shivers down your spine. It really should be a sin to have a voice like his. "I-I…um…” Severus rolled his eyes and stood to walk across the room. He came back with a vial, a small amount of liquid in the bottom. “Know what this is?” You shook your head. “This is Veritaserum. Three drops of this, and it’ll make you spill your darkest…of secrets…"
You watched as he poured the small amount of liquid into a glass of butterbeer. "Drink…” Instead of obeying his orders you grabbed the teacup off the saucer and swallowed its contents. “Thank you, Professor, but I’m no longer thirsty and I don’t like butterbeer."
For the first time since you arrived at Hogwarts, his lips gave a hint of a smile. "It’s no matter. What do you suppose I did with the rest of the serum, hm?” All the color drained from your face, your mouth opening and closing like you were a fish out of water.
“The tea…” Your professor chuckled, “Yes, the tea. Now, tell me, what were you doing in the Forbidden Forest after curfew?” You couldn’t stop them. It was as if you were possessed. The words came flowing out of you on their own accord. “I was helping Hagrid feed his mythical creatures. He’s in the infirmary sick and I offered to do it so he didn’t have to."
Severus narrowed his eyes. "How long have you been doing this?” You swallowed thickly. “Since the first day of school. Some of the other Slytherin girls were bullying me so I went for a walk. It was then that I formally met Hagrid. He offered me his spare bedroom, and I’ve been sleeping there ever since…” He rose to his feet and began pacing again, his hands behind his back. “And he lets you stay…for free?”
“I can stay as long as I help him tend to the mythical creatures that live in the forest. He taught me everything he knows and I help him with feedings.” Severus stopped and turned to face you. “Did you ever think of coming to me for help with the bullying? I am the Head of Slytherin you know.”
Oh, how you wished you could hold back the words threatening to escape. No matter how hard you tried, it was no use. “I was too nervous to come to you, Professor.” He raised an eyebrow, his hands fidgeting out in front of him. He knew his presence intimidated most of the children attending Hogwarts, but he decided to use this to his advantage. “Obviously…And why, do you suppose, I make you so nervous, Y/N?”
“I suppose it’s because I’m in love with you.” Your response came out just above a whisper, but he still heard every word. Out of every scenario in his mind, Severus did not expect you, a young woman, to say that. For a rare moment in his life, he was rendered speechless. It took him a moment to collect himself, but once he did he noticed your face was buried in your hands. Merlin, help him, you were crying and it was all his fault.
He slowly moved to where you were laying and sat down so he was at your level. Without giving it any thought, he pulled you into his chest and began rubbing small circles on your back to soothe you. “Merlin, what was I thinking? I shouldn’t have forced the truth out of you like that. Please…forgive me.” You clutched at his robes and moved your tear-filled eyes to his. “I forgave you the moment it happened, Professor.” A few silent moments passed between the two of you and he continued to hold your gaze. Severus was the first to move. Ever so slowly, he leaned down to capture your lips.
His mouth melded with yours perfectly, and he didn’t stop until his lungs demanded it. Your eyes closed, your forehead coming to rest against his. “Professor I-” He silenced you with another chaste kiss. “Severus…Call me Severus, Y/N.”
“Please Severus…make love to me.” His resolve broke the moment the plea fell from your lips. Severus gently laid you back and gently rid you of your tattered robes. His calloused hands slid over your smooth skin making your breath hitch. He peppered kisses down into the crook of your neck, his path moving to the valley between your breasts. “S-Severus…please…need you…” He nipped playfully at your jaw and sat up slightly to take his shirt off. “Patience, Y/N… I’ll take care of you.”
Once he was bare before you he made his way between your legs. His touch was tentative, his fingertips brushing your folds gingerly. He circled your clit making you arch off the bed. “Oh, Merlin!… Fuck!” Severus chuckled and slid two of his fingers inside you curling them upwards. “Bloody hell, you’re soaked, Y/N…” He easily found the sensitive spot inside of you, the coil in your core winding tighter and tighter with each passing second. “Please! Oh…shit… Se-Severus! M’gonna cum… please… please make me cum!” His cock twitched at your words, precum leaking from the tip. “Let go, Y/N…cum for me…” With a cry of his name, you fell over the edge. Your chest heaved as you pulled him up for a heated kiss.
“Need you, Sev. Need you inside me. Please…” As carefully as he could, Severus lined himself up and pushed into you. “Merlin, you’re so tight!” His thrusts were steady and his kisses were fervent as he made love to you. “Oh, fuck! Sev! Oh, you’re so good… so good, baby…” Both of you wanted it to last, but it was clear you both needed the release more. “Y/N, I won’t last much longer like this… you feel amazing…so amazing.” You slid your fingers through his thick hair and pulled his mouth down to yours. “Cum with me, Severus…”
A moment later, both of you soared into bliss together. His lips rested against your own and his body shook as he spilled into you, your own walls clenching around his cock. Severus was spent as he settled behind you, his arm wrapped protectively around your waist. “Y/N, I need to know you’re okay with this…with us…” Threading your fingers with his, you planted a sweet kiss to the back of his hand. “Severus, our love may be forbidden, but I’d choose you no matter what it cost me. I’ll take you as you are. Your highs, your lows, all of it. I’ll love you until my last breath.”
He turned you in his arms and cupped your cheek. “I never thought I’d ever love another. Not after Lily, but seeing you in the forest like that sparked something in me. Something I haven’t felt for nearly fourteen years. I’ll spend forever protecting and loving you.
As your eyes grew heavy, you felt a new sense of worth. Coming to Hogwarts was something you’d only dreamed of growing up. The moment you found your acceptance letter, you knew your life would change. You never thought you’d find someone to love here, but for once you were happy, and that’s all you’d ever wanted.
Summary: You find Snape and take him back to his rooms to patch him up and, of course, offer some comfort and healing in the best way you know how.
Notes: This is a bit of a lighter chapter for you. Enjoy!
Warnings/content:NSFW, oral sex (M receiving), teasing, blood/injury/wound mentions, hurt/comfort
As you approach the staffroom at a run, you see Filch scurrying away, Mrs Norris hopping down from a nearby gargoyle to follow him.
Pushing the door open, you’re relieved to find Snape sitting in a low armchair by the fire - but as you move closer you see he’s hunched over his leg looking uneasy. He snaps his head up to see who entered, softening immediately when he his eyes fall on you.
‘Sev? What’s the matter?’ You drop to his feet, inspecting his leg to find a tear in the shin of his trousers, the fabric and his skin stained with blood.
'My leg will be fine,’ he snaps, 'it’s Potter.’
Unconvinced, you begin to unfasten the buttons at his ankle to get a better look at the injury. 'What’s he done, now?’
'He barged in here not five minutes ago, saw my leg - he saw Filch trying to help me with it. What if he starts spreading rumours? I’m supposed to be keeping the stone safe and now Potter of all people, has seen that something unfortunate happened to me while a troll was lose in the castle. I think he knows about the stone, and it won’t take much more for him to start thinking he’s on to something with me.’
'Sev,’ you said calmly, removing his shoe to check for swelling, 'this injury could have been from anything at all as far as Harry’s concerned. It’s very unlikely he’ll link it to the stone, even if he does know about it.’
'But I need to keep him safe!’ Snape protests, shrinking back immediately when he hears himself, surprised at having said those words out loud.
You watch as a number of emotions dance across his eyes, deciding not to push the topic.
'Let’s get you back to your rooms where I can clean this up properly.’
He stands, albeit unsteadily, with your help. 'Merlin,’ he hisses as a sharp stab of pain shoots up his leg, 'if only we could apparate.’
You pull his arm up and around your shoulders, sliding your own around his lithe waist to steady him. 'Come on, it’s not far. Lean on me,’ you encourage, helping him limp through the corridors, taking a route you know will be mostly deserted.
Reaching his door, you ask, 'How did you get this? Fluffy?’
'Of course,’ he says, wincing as he hobbles over to his bed and flops down.
'Lay back,’ you command, propping his leg up on a plump cushion and moving up to stroke his hair.
He looks up at you with such exasperated eyes you can’t help but sigh on his behalf.
'It’ll be alright, Sev. Let’s focus on getting you healed tonight, ok?’
He nods, chewing his lips into a grimace of reluctance.
You disappear into the bathroom to gather a wet flannel, reemerging to search the contents of his sideboard.
'Do you still have some essence of dittany in here?’
'It’s on my desk. I had a paper cut earlier and couldn’t stand the stinging from some ingredients I was using,’ he mumbles, eyes closed, and actually beginning to relax - or as close to relaxing as Snape can get.
You grab the dittany and perch at the foot of the bed, pushing his trouser leg further up to cradle his calm in the palm of your hand. Snape squirms slightly at the pressure of the flannel dabbing away the dried blood.
'The bleeding seems to have stopped,’ you mutter, 'and although the wound is fairly deep, it doesn’t look infected… the dittany should be enough.’
'We’ll make a healer out of you yet,’ he quips, hissing as you apply the earthy-scented essence to the deep gash twisting over his shin, which begins to close up almost immediately.
'I’m so sorry, Sev,’ you whisper watching his eyes screw shut in discomfort.
'No - don’t be - thank you,’ he mumbles through gritted teeth as the stinging dissipates.
'There must be something else I can do to help make it better?’ You ask, fingers lightly kneading the flesh of his calf. 'To take your mind off the pain?’
Snape’s eyes snap open and lock on yours; he knows that voice. He wonders how on earth you’re finding him sexy right now; pathetic and injured, practically unable to handle the application of some simple dittany…
Before he has much more time to wonder though, your hand slides further up his leg, and you lean forward, lips inches from the edge of the wound - you close the gap momentarily before looking up at him through lust-filled eyes.
'Perhaps I could… kiss it better?’ You utter seductively, and all the breath seems to leave his body at once.
Carefully, you crawl further up to place your fingers delicately at the buttons of his fly and settle yourself between his legs.
'Is this ok?’
'Oh- yes it’s- it’s ok,’ he starts, breathless already and almost unable to find those words, let alone any others.
Your fingers make quick work of unbuttoning his trousers, and you slide your hand inside to free his cock, already hard by the time your fingers wrap around it to pump lazily as you watch his pupils dilate and his face relax into the pleasure.
'Ohfuck,’ he whispers, closing his eyes in bliss as the sweet taste of release already edges close, the sting of pain in his leg subsiding with every delicious flick of your wrist.
'Let me take care of you, just relax,’ you whisper and he hums in agreement.
'Is this helping, baby?’ You move your hand to the base of his cock, freeing it up to lick a firm stripe up to the tip and swallow up a thick bead of precome that’s formed there.
He nods desperately, humming at the warm, wet slide of your tongue against his hot flesh, hips bucking involuntarily for more.
He needn’t beg for it though; you flick your tongue over the tip once again (he whimpers needily), and wrap your lips around him, bobbing your head in time with the pumping of your hand where your mouth can’t quite reach.
’Ah… oh- fuck!’ Snape calls, fingers gripping onto the duvet for dear life as you speed up your ministrations. 'I’m- mmhhh - I’m going to-’
One of his hands leaves the duvet to push into your hair, pulling gently at the strands around his fingers, and you moan, sending a tingle through his length that tips him over the edge.
He calls your name in a strangled cry, mouth remaining open and back arching off the bed as he empties his hot seed into your throat.
When he relaxes back against the bed, you remove your mouth from his length with a pop, wiping away any excess come from your lips with the back of your hand, and tuck him back into his trousers.
’Fuck,’ he grumbles, panting as you move up to lay on his chest, face to face with him. 'I wouldn’t have got that in the hospital wing.’
'Oh I don’t know,’ you smirk, tracing patterns over his clothed chest with one gentle finger, 'I always thought Poppy had thing for you, you know.’
'She’s old enough to be my mother!’ Snape protests, and you laugh, pressing the tip of your nose to his.
'If she didn’t give you a blow job, I would have.’
'In the hospital wing?’
'Anywhere,’ you answer, and you mean it.
'You really are insatiable, you know.’
'Only when it comes to you, my love.’ You press your lips to his. 'Now, where’s that paper cut you were telling me about?’
He holds up his left index finger. 'Here, but it’s- ohh-’
You take his finger into your mouth and suck hungrily, swirling your tongue around the digit and moaning wantonly.
'Better?’ You tease, cocking an eyebrow.
'Perhaps the paper cut was worse than I first thought,’ he smirks, eyes glittering.
'Oh, well, we’ll just have to find a few more ways to get you better then, won’t we?'
Requests: hiiii! I have an idea for a Snape x reader. The battle of Hogwarts has finally ended and reader thinks that Snape has been killed, The reader loved him but never got to confess due to being scared of rejection. The reader would go to the astronomy tower after the battle and cry mourning Snape but Snape comes to them, The reader would be overwhelmed and hug him and even confess without realizing. Snape would simply smile and kiss them accepting the love confession.
Maybe Snape x shy ravenclaw reader (fluff) after the battle of hogwarts? I am thinking a big reunion
Both requests were send anonymously
Warnings: NSFW| Smut
A/N: Hello Sneople!
I hope I’m doing the requests justice here. I loved writing this scenario and I might come back to it again.
Also I kinda forgot what the Astronomy tower really was. In my mind it was like a small tower that reader and Snape turned into a little hideout.
Let me know what you think ✨
(The story title is a quote from my favorite book: The book thief. If you don’t know it please give it a try. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful!)
A/N: okay, honestly I am not even going to apologize for this because I loved it too much and I just hope you do to :D and it brought me out of my writers block so… enjoy xD
Warnings: mmmm so this is not smut, but there is heavy sex talk; it is a friends with benefits situation and it is a bit more descriptive than my usual works so I just rather be safe so not 18+ but maybe yes 16+; also reader smokes, Severus being an asshole (at first) and Malfoy and his friends making crude and crass comments about the reader so please don’t read if that will make you uncomfortable and let me know if I missed anything; also use of mudblood
Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter :D and this beautiful gif isn’t mine :)
Find me somebody to love Somebody somebody somebody somebody Somebody find me somebody to love
You had no idea how this happened. No. That was a lie. You knew exactly how it happened. For years you had considered Severus Snape to be your nemesis. You didn’t know exactly what it was. You had never gotten along with him. It didn’t help that you were in Gryffindor and he was in Slytherin. The two of you were always bickering and trying to defeat each other when it came to your courses. He was better at Potions, obviously. But you were better at Charms. He was better at Defense Against the Dark Arts but you were better at Herbology. No matter what it was, the two of you were constantly competing against each other. However, deep down… deep, deep down, you had always found him bewitching. There was something about him. You would never let anybody know, of course, since he was your sworn enemy, but you couldn’t help to feel drawn to him. You had been doing a marvelous job at hiding it, until one day…
“I can’t believe you got us detention!”he complained for about the hundredth time as the two of you cleaned the cauldrons in the Dungeons without magic.
“For the last time, Snape, I did not get us detention! This was your fault!”
“How was this my fault?!”
“I told you that you needed to brew the bloody potion the other way around but did you listen? Of course not, because you think nobody but you knows how to brew a bloody potion!”
“I could have made that stupid potion in my sleep if I wanted to! But you had to come with your stupid Gryffindor complex and make it all about yourself making the potion explode!”
“Oh, Merlin! Are you honestly so bloody pretentious that you can’t even admit the one time you might be wrong?!” you yelled, walking closer to him.
“I would admit if I was wrong, but I wasn’t!” he said, getting closer to you as well.
“No? Then why did our bloody potion explode?!”
“It was your fault!” he snapped, making you walk back into a wall.
“How? How was it my fault?!”
“Because you distracted me!” he blurted out.
“I distracted you?”
“Yes!”
“How did I distract you?”
“The same way you always do! You can never shut up! And you wore your stupid hair differently today! And you drenched yourself in your bloody perfume and the way you fucking bite your lip all the time!” he yelled and he was breathing heavily when he finished.
You had no idea if you were imagining this but you couldn’t dare to move. Severus had never been this close to you. And he had never talked to you that way. You were certain he felt the same way you did, and if he didn’t, you didn’t care anymore. You had to go for it. You grabbed the collar of his shirt and you brought him down to your lips. Severus widened his eyes in surprise for a mere moment before he closed them and wrapped his arms around your waist bringing you closer. There was no going back now.
