A Potion for Two (Snape x Reader)

Hogsmeade

This weekend you were going with your friends to Hogsmeade. Visiting the quaint little town was something you looked forward to each year. It brought you out of the castle which grew less novel each day you spent rushing through its halls to class and allowed you to relax and get a breath of fresh air. Of course, your friends didn't let you escape from the rushing about as they immediately dragged you over to the shops.

The sweet smell of confectionaries made you salivate as you stepped into Honeyduke's. You fought your way through the mass of students that had crowded into the small shop and browsed around, leaning this way and that way to try and see the items blocked by those in front of you. Trying not to buy one of everything was hard, luckily you didn't have enough pocket money for that or nothing could have stopped you. Eventually, you settled on a bag of Peach Rings, a scoop of Yorkshire Mix, a box of Glacial Snow Flakes and a tin of Crystallized Pineapple. The line to check out was excruciatingly long but you managed to wait, listening into some gossip as you did so. Eventually you excited the store having stuffed your bounty into a small bag your parent's had bought you that was fitted with an Extension Charm.

When you got out and looked around, you realized that you had no idea where your friends had gone. Who knew whether they were still inside or had ditched you to go to Zonko's Joke Shop. Regardless, you realized that this was a stroke of luck and double checked that the coast was clear before rushing to Gladrags Wizardwear. 

Stepping into the store you noticed a few students laughing at a peculiar selection of socks. Certainly, this store did have quite a selection of enchanted apparel that might sell better at Zonko's, but these weren't the reason you were here. After having slowly growing closer to Professor Snape by spending most of your free time with him in his potions classroom, you had finally built up the courage to take another step forward. You wanted to get something for him, something to show that he was in your thoughts or perhaps you just wanted to see him with something from you, you weren't too sure.

It took some planning to figure out what you would get for him. At first you had thought of making him something, it would be more heartfelt that way and would show that you cared more. But, what if he doesn't accept gifts? What if he looks at it in disgust? You couldn't bare the thought of it so you decided to test the waters with something you bought. 

There was another problem though; you didn't know what his tastes were when it came to, well, anything. Some potions ingredients he surely already had. A new cauldron, he'd have to get used to it and it didn't seem as though he was unhappy with his current one. Some sweets from Honeyduke's, but does he like sweets? You surely hoped so, he had eaten the caramel you had given him after all. You smiled to yourself as you thought of the stone-faced professor eating sweets. It was cute. But enough of that. Eventually you decided to get him a scarf. It was simple, something he could use, and not something that would seem out of place on the man. It got cold in the dungeons where the potions classroom was.

So, you meticulously browsed through the selection of scarves in the shop until you came across one that wasn't gaudy and had no strange enchantments on it. A solid emerald green scarf, no tassels, just a simple strip of silver trim on the ends. Perfect for a Slytherin. After buying it you hastily put it in your bag and left the warm shop for Zonko's to meet back up with your friends. 

__________________________

Pacing outside the door to the potions room, you started second guessing yourself. Your heart was racing and the butterflies in your stomach were rising to your throat, trying to break free. The anxiety was killing you, a million 'what ifs' flew around in your head and made you want to flee. But you didn't get a chance to do so. Startled, you scampered backwards as the door swung open and Professor Snape stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

With a raised brow he said, "you do know what time it is don't you?"

Of course you knew. There would hardly be anyone out and about this close to curfew which is why you had decided to come at this time. You didn't want any of your classmates to see in fear that they might catch on.

"Yes, professor. I was just about to head back to the dorm but I remembered that I had forgotten to give you something." Saying that, you suddenly realized that you could have waited to give it to him at Christmas but it was too late for that. You hastily tried to find an explanation but he didn't give yo much time to think.

"Oh? And what's the occasion?" He asked, reaching to grab the scarf out of your hand. You felt a faint heat on your cheeks as you struggled out a response. "I, uh, saw it in Hogsmeade and though you might, um, you might like it since it gets so cold in the dungeons." You pointed at the cloud that had appeared in front of your face as you talked to prove your point. Of course, you couldn't tell him that you bought it because...

You froze as his expression suddenly changed and you lifted your hands over your mouth in shock. You hadn't said it aloud had you? No, it wasn't possible, you couldn't have made a mistake that big. How could you know that Professor Snape was a Legilimens. He gave no hints, having used it nonverbally and wandlessly. You could only stand there in shock, confused, and scared. 

You both stood there silently for a while and you dared not look up at him. Eventually, Professor Snape raised a shaky finger and said in a low, hoarse voice, "leave." When you looked up at him, tears threatening to fall from your eyes, he raised his voice. "NOW!" 

You couldn't hold them back any longer and you whipped around as the tears streamed down your face. Running through the halls, you paid no attention to where you were going and eventually found yourself outside. Exhaustion overcame you and you slowly walked towards the forest, overcome by sorrow and regret.