Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 4 - Legilimency

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

The next morning in the Great Hall, Both Severus and Lockhart were missing from his usual spot at the staff table. "Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, have you seen Professor Snape?" Rowan asked as she sat in between the two empty seats. "You can call me Minerva, dear. To answer your question, I saw them chatting near the corridor that leads to the courtyard earlier," McGonagall explained casually before returning to her eyes to watch over the students. "Oh no," Rowan whispered as she stood up and began to run out of the Great Hall. Her best friends, as well as Dumbledore, called out to ask questions, but she didn't stop. She knew that Lockhart's arrogance could press Severus' in the cruelest of ways, and she feared what he would do.

When she reached the pair, she wasn't surprised to find them locked in a duel with one another. Lockhart was throwing spell after spell at Severus, who was using defensive spells to stop them from hitting him. "What the hell are you doing?" Rowan yelled, causing Severus to lose his concentration. Severus turned to Rowan but before he could speak, Lockhart threw another spell his way. "Stupefy!" Lockhart yelled out strongly and Severus was flung backward and had been knocked unconscious. 

"Severus!" Rowan exclaimed as she ran over to his body and pulled it up onto her own. "Rowan, I didn't mean-" Lockhart began but Rowan immediately cut him off. "You didn't mean to use that spell or you didn't mean to get caught?" She said, standing up and drawing her wand. "You're nothing but a filthy rat, Lockhart!" Rowan exclaimed as she silently cast the expelliarmus, knocking his wand to the ground. "Professor Knight, you really must understand that this wasn't my fault!" Lockhart said, angering Rowan even more. She put her wand to his throat before she let him continue to speak. "I was simply asking him to allow you to travel with me to Hogsmeade and he said that he wouldn't allow it. Push came to shove and we got into a duel and-"

"You slug! You knocked him unconscious because you wanted to take me on a date? How daft are you, Gilderoy?" Rowan said as she pushed him away from her. Lockhart stumbled until a wall caught his fall. "There is no way I would ever go out with you. Do you understand that? Would you like me to write it down in your autobiography that you thought would be a good gift? You loathsome-"

"Rowan..." The sound of his voice sounded as if the heavens had opened up. Rowan spun around and ran to Severus' side. "Severus, are you alright?" 

"He will be fine, Ro-"

"Another word, Lockhart, and I will hex you into Azkaban where you belong!" She snapped before returning her gaze to Severus. "I will be fine, Professor Knight. Will you help me get to my classroom?" Severus asked groggily. Throwing looks like daggers at Lockhart, Rowan helped to stabilize the professor as they walked down to the dungeons. "I'm sorry I distracted you, Severus. I was hoping to startle Lockhart instead," Rowan apologized with shame in her voice. "There is no need to apologize. I was simply trying to defend your honor," He admitted as they reached the potions classroom. 

"Severus you didn't-" Just as Rowan was about to settle things once and for all, Blaise Zabini burst through the door. "Rowan did you really call Lockhart a rat- Oh. Hello, Professor Snape," Blaise said while rubbing the back of his neck. "Take a seat, Mr. Zabini. You are in my first class, correct?" Severus said and Blaise did nothing but nod and take a seat. "10 points to Slytherin for being early," Rowan said with an apologetic smile. 

Not too long after, the rest of the students arrived and Rowan sat down behind Severus' desk so that he could take the majority of the student's attention. After all, she was just his assistant. Severus was beginning to give the speech he gave every year to the students. Rowan had basically memorized his speech so she again let her mind wander. She hadn't expected her mind to end up with imagines of Severus bending her over her old desk and slamming into her. She pressed her legs together as images all similar to the one before flashed in her head. 

"Professor Knight," Severus said with gritted teeth. Rowan immediately snapped out of her daydreaming and stood up, joining him in front of the class. "Why don't you ask the students what they would need for amortentia. We will be teaching that after the draught of living death," He said as he went and sat down behind his desk, leaving Rowan standing alone with all eyes on her. I thought we learned about amortentia in February... Rowan thought to herself but shook it off. "Okay, does anyone know the answer?" She asked, looking back at Severus who was shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Many students raised their hand, which pleased Rowan, but Severus was preoccupied with his own thoughts. 

He had decided that he would look into her mind once more, and once only.  He was surprised and fascinated by what he had found. He knew that she had cared for him in some way after she had threatened Lockhart. He hadn't heard all of the confrontation between Rowan and Lockhart, but he had learned from the Zabini boy that she had called the former professor a rat. He hadn't expected at all that he would find images of himself and his assistant entangled all over his potions classroom. He had to quickly think of a way to get behind his desk before his students saw his pants tightening. He had to find out if she really thought that way about him, so he decided to push the amortentia lesson up. Surely, she couldn't have feelings for him. Perhaps her mind had wandered to places she hadn't meant, or to places that disgusted her. That would be the only explanation. 

Soon, their classes for the day were over and Rowan hadn't stopped thinking about Severus. He hadn't had enough control to stop himself from indulging in her mind. Severus was able to stand up again by the end of the day. He hadn't been able to give his speech, but he figured that he could always do it the next day. He had to let her know that he had seen what she was thinking about, but how? 

Rowan was straightening up the classroom, using a cleaning spell to make sure it was prepared for the next day when Severus started to walk toward her. At first, she thought nothing of it. That was until he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. "Sev-" She began but Severus placed his thumb against her mouth. "You needn't let your mind wander to such places, Rowan," He said as he swiped his thumb across her plump lips. Their eyes met and Rowan couldn't believe that this was happening. She had to be dreaming. "This is no dream, Miss Knight," Severus said as he started to lean in closer to her face. Confusion spread onto her face but before anything could happen, the potions professor sped out of the classroom. Rowan stood there, her fingers against her tingling lips. 

Realization spread on her face as she remembered that Severus was well trained in the art of Legilimency. With a sigh, she leaned against the desk behind her. She had to go and see Millicent and Juniper. They would know what to do.