The American Assistant (Y/N x Severus Snape)

Chapter 11- Second Task

Students and professors, along with ministry employees and family members of champions, all sit in the stands in the middle of the black lake. Everyone stares into the water intently, as the hour is nearly up. Harry Potter has used gillyweed - ingenious, really, but you do wonder where he got it. Snape leans against the railing, his hands gripping it tightly, his dark eyes staring into the motionless water. You eye him, seeing his jaw grinding back and forth, anxiously. If you didn't know Snape like you do now, if you can even say you know him, you wouldn't think him anxious. He looks like he normally does - his face lacking emotion and his cloak enveloping any body language he may be having.

"Severus." You murmur.

He furrows his brows, glancing to you, not moving his head. You place a hand on his arm.

"Relax." You soothe.

He scoffs.

"Always so unworried, Y/N. If Potter survives this, he'll be serving detention with me for the next week." Snape says, menacingly.

You roll your eyes, taking your arm away, leaning agaisnt the railing. Snape glances at you, then to his arm, wanting you to touch him again.

"Why? What did he do this time? Walk in the same corridor as you?" You ask.

Snape stares into the water, seeing it begin to pick up. Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang emerge and people begin to cheer.

"Do you think Potter grew or found his own gillyweed? I bet he stole it from my stores." Snape sneers.

You look at him in disbelief.

"Leave him alone! Don't you get tired of being mean to kids?!" You demand.

Snape leans down to you, mere inches from you face.

"Not the child of James Potter." Snape whispers, his teeth bared at you.

Snape stares at you hardly and all you can do is stare back. You lean closer to him.

"I feel sorry for you, Severus." You whisper.

The water crashes and Snape turns back to the water, seeing who has come up next. Krum has emerged with Granger. You clap for him, smiling as they get out of the water.

"See, Y/N, this is why we aren't friends. Always putting me down when-"

You quickly cut him off.

"I have helped you immensely, both inside and outside of class. Not that I needed to. Not that I needed to stay on as your assistant! Like you said before, I could have went on someone else's service, a professor who would have been welcoming and wanted to help students. A professor who would have appreciated me." You say, the tone of your voice pure ice.

Snape presses his hand to his nose, pinching the bridge of it. He exhales, turning to you.

"I do appreciate you. I don't know how I would have gotten through this much of the year without you. Is that what you want to hear?" Snape demands.

His hand is balled into a fist at his side. You realize it must be difficult for Snape to even say these things. You look back into the water as you see Fleur Delacour's sister and Ron Weasley come up. Snape's eyes widen and he subtly leans over the rail, searching the water.

"Where's Potter?!" He whispers.

You shake your head, unsure. Snape let's go of the railing, striding away, swiftly climbing down the stairs to the platform. You watch him glide to Dumbledore and begin to talk heatedly to him. You can't understand this man - he hates Harry Potter yet is worried sick for him. Your lips part when you see Snape step towards the edge of the platform, as if he is about to go in after Potter himself. Before he can take another step, Harry Potter literally flies out of the water and lands roughly onto the platform. Snape quickly slides away, heading back to the castle. You push off the railing and begin to walk after him. He didn't even stay for the winner. Snape doesn't care, you begin to understand, who wins these tasks. Only that Harry Potter is alright.