Ella ○ Harry Potter

One: I Missed You, Severus.

"Oh, dear Severus!" the familiar voice of Ella Gray made the Potions professor cringe. "How I'm missed you over the summer!" she continued in a posh voice, striding into the classroom with confidence. She held her arms open, as though going for an hug.

"Stay right where you are, Gray," the professor warned her, making her tilt her head to the side. "Not even a step closer. Take your seat and stay silent."

"Oh, come on, Professor Snape, sir," she giggled, "I know you missed me-- your life are worthless without my lovely smile."

"Unfortunately, as a professor in this school, I cannot answer you as I'd like," he paused, "so take your seat."

Ella's lips twisted into a smile, and she took a step back, sitting in first row. She straightened her green and silver tie, staring creepily at her teacher. She knew it irritated him.

"Ella," he hissed, using her first name. That was rare enough.

"Yes Severus?" she asked innocently.

"Stop it," he growled. Ella smiled widely, apologizing.

"Of course Mr. Professor, of course," she was smiling at him, playing with her black skirt. He simply stared at her a moment more before turning away. The whole class filled in before Snape finally looked up once more, only to find Ella taking one of her 10 required naps she needed in order to survive a day. He'd wake her up halfway through the class, causing her to stress over the potion that she had no chance of making with the little time left.

"Open your books and," Snape paused, gesturing at the board with his wand, "make the Shrinking Solution, pages 157 to 161."

•

"Ms. Gray," a monotone voice called, taking away the glass of hot milk and kittens. Ella made a disapproving noise, not liking the change in the cats' meowing, but the voice continued interrupting the beautiful world in her mind. "Ms. Gray, wake up right now or I'll be sending you back home, for good this time."

"No, come back Mr. Tickles," she muttered. "I won't eat your marshmallow no more," she promised, but suddenly she fell to the floor, letting out a yelp.

She blinked away the sleep from her eyes, surprised to find herself on the cold floor. She jumped up, not liking the cold.

"Thank you for finally joining us in our class, Ms. Gray."

Ella turned to see Snape watching her with a scowl on his face. She smiled at him, as she always did when she got someone mad. It usually made them ever angrier, and she found that hilarious.

"I apologize once more, Professor sir."

She heard a few snickers, and turned her head to the side, seeing a few fellow Slytherins sighing. Most snickers came from Gryffindors.

"Detention, Ms. Gray," Snape swiftly said, making her grin.

"With you, Mr. Snape, sir?" his eyes stared at her a moment more, "oh, lovely, sir! We could finally catch up on whatever happened over the summer! I've got so much to tell you from the trip to Italy, truly lovely--"

"Ms. Gray," he warned, "keep talking and you'll get a month worth detention with Mr. Filch."

That shut her up.

"Yes Professor sir," she mumbled, poking a random ingredient on her table with a knife.

"I'd like to remind you that you are in class and that you must make a potion," he pointed at the board, making Ella open the book in page 157, her eyes quickly scanning the book. Her mouth agape, she turned to watch the clock.

"But sir, unless I am as brilliant as you are, I have no chance of making this potion in the time I have left!"

"Ms. Gray, I am quite tired of hearing your useless excuses, and it's our first class this year," Professor Snape barked angrily. "Should I remind you that you were a left a year, again?"

"Oh, trust me, I know quite well I was supposed to be a fifth year by now," she muttered bitterly, "you really don't need to remind me." She glared for a moment before a smile took over her face. "But of course, more time with you is always quite a bonus!"

"You think you're funny, don't you, Ms. Gray?" Snape snapped, glaring at her. Ella thought for a moment, of course she thought she was funny; she had to say so for herself, she's never met anyone funnier. But that hardly had anything to do with the situation, so she decided not to reply with a blunt yes, but with a;

"I think I'm adorable, Mr. Professor Snape, sir."

"Detention for two weeks," he spat out, making Ella smile, "with Professor Lupin." Ella's smile dropped. She wasn't one for prejudice thinking or anything, but the new Defense Against Dark Arts professor seemed as though he might not be able to make it through the month, and with Ella around him for two weeks, she was sure he'd drop dead.

"But Professor-"

"Would you rather two months with Filch?"

Now, that really shut her up.