Severus stood a few paces before her. His eyes were on the ruined cauldron.
"Tell me," his voice shook, and tears formed in his eyes, "why do you wear flowers in your hair?"
He kept looking to his cauldron.
"I don't understand."
"How does such a sim...
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Saturday morning. Page 444. Snow flurries spiralized on the grounds, and Felicity shifted her weight to bundle the blanket tighter around herself on the common room sofa. Christmas Day awaited tomorrow. Since September's end, Felicity had prioritized O.W.L. preparation, but next plowing through the hefty psychology book. Luna refused to tell her of her hypothesis until she found the book she sought, should she be wrong.
With the frigid weather outside, cocoa warmed her stomach up even better than usual. She sipped her favorite creamy chocolate amaretto, thinking about Professor Snape.
Actually, she read every word in the book with Severus in mind. It was the whole reason she sought out self-analyzing her behavior, after all. George's remark echoed.
'. . . accentuated like Snape!'
At a small level, we subconsciously mimic the gestures and personalities of those we like. Especially with those we harbor an attraction for. She had summarized from parts of the book.
The Mere-Exposure Effect: the more we are exposed to something, the more we like it. By the Familiarity Principle, it said to justify why lovers "fall deeper in love" the more they are around each other.
Over the years, she had grown fond of Professor Snape. But with Occlumency Lessons, grading, and just prying him from his chained desk to occasional walks together, she depended on his company just as much as she did Luna's friendship.
Did Severus Snape, feared Potions Master, dark and brooding, return the flutters in her heart?
"Joining us at the Burrow tonight?"
Felicity slipped a bookmark. She looked up to find Ron, followed by Hermione and Harry entering the common room.
Felicity sighed. "I'd love to, but I'm helping with tree trimming at Luna's, then its all baking onward."
On the table, she scooped up a heap of gifts and handed them to the trio. "For you guys, Ginny, Fred, and George."
Felicity couldn't wait for them to open their gifts. For Hermione, she got her anti-fraying wool yarn, with S.P.E.W. efficiency in mind, along with a small booklet on various House Elf fashion patterns she could try from. Ron would open to find tickets to another international quidditch cup, and Harry a multi-weather, many pocketed jacket, which magically changed with his needs. It would help him organize his necessities for teaching the D.A, quidditch games, Hogsmeade dates, or straight-up Dark Wizard dueling. Ginny would receive a selection of her favorite ฬєครɭєץร' ฬเչคг๔ ฬђєєչєร products since in a fit of sibling quarrels, her brothers kept overcharging her. Felicity chose her messy, mischievous potions she had created to gift to the Weasley twins to use in their joke shop products.
"Aw, thanks!" Hermione beamed at her. Harry and Ron nodded and grinned in agreement.
The trio planted their gifts to Luna and Felicity on the table.
