The first few classes of Advanced Potions went by smoothly, the end of the day fast approaching as the last students came. Harry spent his time writing furiously, taking down notes of all the new ingredients and recipes that Severus was teaching the 6th and 7th years. Harry was enjoying the familiarity of being in a learning environment, but he was a little distracted.
Harry was feeling very nervous by the end of the day, Severus had been watching him in a way that he couldn't decipher. It was almost as if Severus was trying to sneak peeks at him, hoping he wouldn't notice.
Severus felt like an idiot, he couldn't stop staring at Harry. Watching him take over the class like he'd been doing it for years, how charismatic he was being with the students. He's so full of himself, the students fawning over him...such a brat!
Harry unbuttoned the top 3 silver buttons of his shirt, fanning himself. The heat from the front row cauldrons was getting very hot. "Cool down the heat before you burn your Potions! Only 20 minutes left of class, cool down and clean up you'll be graded on your final product."
The girls giggled as they finished up, whispering to their partners while they did the last few steps.
Severus raised a brow at the behavior of his students. Maybe I'll get lucky and the heat will melt their brains. He thought to himself, catching a glimpse of Harry's chest, beads of sweat rolling down his skin.
Harry felt like he'd melt into a puddle, pushing the bangs off his face. "Snape do you want to finish the class or shall I?" He asked, walking up to Severus's desk.
Severus put his scroll and quill down, walking over to the desks. "Everyone finish bottling the potions, and then you are to write down every ingredient you used." He walked down the middle of the desks.
Harry took his cloak off, folding it up and placing it on the chair he pulled off to the side. He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt, rolling the sleeves up.
Severus was use to the heat from being a Potions Professor for so many years, so it barely had any effect on him. "Sloppy!" He snapped loudly at one of the boys in the back, smacking his hand down on the desk. "Write it again!"
Harry came back up to the front, finally feeling some relief from the warmth of the room. "Everyone hand up their work please! You are to study the first 5 chapters of the advanced text, write a brief synopsis of what you learned today on high grade healing potions. The best paper will win a bottle of Professor Snape's healing potion."
Excitement erupted through the class of students, everyone rushing to hand in their finished assignments for the class.
Severus glared at Harry making a decision without asking him first, but he had too much to clean up to make too much of a fuss. "Out of my classroom! Hand your things in and get out! Be early for your next class!"
The students slowly left out the big stone door, leaving a rather big mess behind.
Harry shook his head at the desks covered in powdered ingredients and forgotten chopped pieces of dragon liver on the floor. "Even I never made a mess like this." He scrunched his nose up at the smell of the mess, taking his wand out to start a cleaning spell.
"Detention Mr. Potter!" Severus growled from his front desk.
"What bloody for?!" Harry asked.
"Inappropriate use of uniform and unauthorized use of my high grade potions!" Severus answered monotone, putting away his supplies into the pull drawer of his desk.
Harry looked down at himself. "Seriously??? It was hot! And I shouldn't have to defend myself about the giveaway, it's good initiative for the students to write better work!" He argued.
"Detention! You will go clean yourself up and come back here at 8pm sharp! No complaints, no arguing!" Severus pointed to the door. "Out!"
Harry scoffed loudly with a large scowl, but he knew making a bigger fuss about the matter would end up in physical harm. He grabbed his cloak and left, stomping out in annoyance.
Severus looked up with a grin, he felt satisfied with himself that he could still get a rise out of Harry. He missed making the boy aggravated, but this time it felt different. What did i just do? Harry and I alone at night in a classroom...
× × × ×
Harry spent the next few hours showering and eating a quick dinner before leaving for his detention with Severus, he still felt it wasn't warranted.
He paced back and forth in his kitchen, nibbling his nails with a glass of whiskey in the other. He swirled it around in the crystal glass, thinking about his feelings. "I feel so stupid." He whispered to himself, knocking back his shot.
Severus was already in the classroom, 30 minutes early so he could clean the room top to bottom. His mind was racing along with his heart, he was pissed at himself for making such a rash decision. What am I suppose to do with him for an entire hour?!
He found an unopened package of gold leaf edged parchment in one of the stock cabinets, deciding that the easiest thing would be to make Harry write lines.
Harry had enough of his ridiculous pacing, chucking the crystal in the sink. He quickly sprayed some cedar pine cologne on before he left, grabbing his wand on his way out.
A slow walk helped Harry feel better about his confusion to all of his mental anguish, coming to the conclusion that it was time to settle all of this. He decided to tell Severus how he felt about him, there was no backing out now.
Severus busied himself with writing up a pop quiz to hand out tomorrow, setting up his ink bottles and quills.
Knock knock...Knock!
Harry slowly pushed the door open, coming inside. "Evening." He said quietly, walking cautiously up to Severus's desk.
Severus looked up to see Harry dressed in a black buttondown shirt similar to what he had on before, paired with dark blue jeans and red hightop sneakers. "Sit." He flatly spoke, pointing his quill at the desk infront of his.
Harry said nothing in the interest of keeping this evening's events calm and easy, sitting down at the desk as instructed.
"There's parchment and a green quill infront of you." Severus went back to writing. "I've provided some black ink as well, you'll write lines for an hour."
Harry checked the quill for any breaks or irregularities, dipping the tip in the silky black ink. "What do you want me to write Sir?" He asked, pushing away the memory of what Umbridge did to him a few years back.
"I will ask before I speak." Severus answered. "Or if you prefer 'I will wear my uniform properly' you can do that instead."
Harry still didn't know what he did with his clothes that bothered Severus so badly, but then he looked down at himself like before. Hmmm...should I test this? The shirt is a different color but it's the same.
Severus was pleased that Harry didn't argue, maybe tonight wouldn't be difficult after all. "Pay attention to the clock on the wall, when the hour is up you can go." He went back to the drafts of the tests, not bothering to look up.
Harry wrote down a few lines before he felt the need to test a theory as to why his shirt caused such an issue. He put down his dry quill for a second, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows.
Severus yawned with a sigh, creating a stack of parchment on one side of finished tests. He looked up for a split second to check on Harry, going back to his writing.
Harry wrote down a few more lines to give Severus time to notice, figuring out it wasn't the arms. But that can only mean...He slowly reached up to pull two buttons undone from the collar of his shirt.
Severus froze when he heard the pulling of the buttons, trying not to react. Is...is he messing with me? He looked up to see what Harry was doing.
"Something wrong Sir?" Harry asked, trying not to show any emotion.
Severus ignored it, continuing what he was doing.
Harry wrote 3 more lines a little more slowly this time, unbuttoning a third button that exposed the top of his chest.
Severus snapped the tip of his quill off, lifting his head to glare at Harry. "Did you not learn anything from me giving you this detention Mr. Potter?" He snapped lightly.
Harry was confused as to why this was such an issue, students broke dress code all the time. "Why is my shirt such a distraction?"
"It's not professional for teachers to wear revealing clothing." Severus crossed his arms in irritation.
"Revealing? You think 3 buttons is revealing? Why does my chest bother you?" Harry asked.
Severus blushed for half a second, pretending it didn't happen. "Don't argue with me Potter!"
Harry smirked. "Snape why is this such an issue?" He leaned forward in his seat, the shirt pulling open a little more.
"Write your lines Potter, I wouldn't want to tack on another hour for your stupidity." Severus warned, looking away.
"No." Harry swung his legs over the chair, standing up.
Severus stood abruptly fast, his chair squeaking loudly against the stone floor. "Take your seat now!"
Harry came closer. "Not till we talk."
"Sit down Potter! I'm warning you!" Severus took a step back, his body tensing up as he panicked.
"This is stupid! Why am I in a detention when I haven't done anything?! You had 6 potions, 1 gone means absolutely nothing so I know that's not why!" Harry challenged, taking another step.
Severus didn't know what to do, it seemed getting angry wasn't working anymore. "Potter stop arguing with me and sit back down! I am your teacher, and I have the authority to punish you!"
"Not when I havent broken any rules." Harry yelled. "I know why you're being so difficult and angry." He unbuttoned a 4th button of his shirt, his chest now fully opened.
Severus clenched his fists tightly closed at his sides, frozen where he stood. "I've told you twice now this is highly inappropriate!!!" He spat, looking away in fury and embarrassment.
Harry smirked. "You like me...don't you?" He stopped as he stood on the side of Severus's desk, only a few inches from him. "That's why you're acting this way."
Severus grabbed Harry by the open collar of his shirt, slamming him down on the desk. "Enough! You will not behave this way towards your superior! I won't allow it!!!" He held him down firmly with his palm pressed on his bare chest.
Harry gasped at the hard smack against the wooden framed desk, staring up at Severus looming over him. Many emotions flashed through him at such a sight...fear, worry, guilt...attraction.
Severus felt Harry's violent heartbeat rapidly thumping against his open palm.
"Are you going to hit me? Punish me for exposing your feelings?" Harry asked barely above a whisper, a shaky breath escaping his lips. It truly was terrifying to have Severus so close like this.
Severus battled with himself, terrified with his own heart. How someone like himself could feel this way for someone who was his student for 7 years, a little boy who grew up to be one of the most powerful Wizard's of their world. "Shut up!"
"What are you thinking right now? What is it you'll do?" Harry asked calmly, slowly breathing against the weight of Severus's hand.
Severus started realizing what he had just done, looking down at Harry pinned down on his desk. Why did I do this?! He's scared of me...his heart is beating rapidly against my hand...my hand touching him...
Harry slowly unbuttoned the 5th button on his shirt just under Severus hand, continuing till the last button came undone.
Severus lifted his hand off Harry's chest. "What are you doing Potter?"
Harry pushed the shirt open to the sides. "Touch me." He whispered.
Severus was thrown off guard by that request. "What?" He asked as if he didn't hear him right.
"Touch me." Harry whispered, taking Severus's hand that hovered over him, putting it back on his chest.
Severus pulled his hand away. "You don't understand what you're asking." He turned his back quickly.
Harry sat up. "Yes I do."
Severus was panicking internally, unable to come to terms with what he was feeling. "This discussion is over! Return to your rooms at once!" He took off, fast enough that he wouldn't be stopped.
"Wait!" Harry ran towards the door, but Severus was gone. He stood there motionless as the doors slowly closed infront of him.
Severus ran to his door, practically ripping the hinges off with a erratically casted spell. He rushed inside, locking the door. What just happened??? Did he really just ask me to....impossible!
Harry eventually made his way back to his rooms, defeated and upset. His mind was racing with confusion and regret, wondering what he might have done wrong. I shouldn't have offered myself like that...but why did he run from me like that?
Severus took off all the layers of his cloak and tightly buttoned clothing, turning on the shower. I feel so...I feel so...I don't know what I feel! He stepped under the hot streaming water, closing the shower door.
Harry climbed into bed, opening the nightstand drawer. He pulled out a picture he had hidden under a bunch of items, flipping it over.
Severus was in a fancy black cloak with white and cream ruffled button down on. It had been cut out of the Daily Prophet only a few months after the war had ended.
Harry smiled at the picture as it moved and smiled, it had been an interview about Severus's attack and how his recovery had been going. He kept it when he finally knew he was alive after all that time had passed.
Severus was curled up with a book in bed, unable to read. He kept re-reading the same paragraph, frustrated that his brain wouldn't leave him alone. "Shit!" He hissed, throwing the book across the room.
Harry fell asleep with the picture in his hand, hoping he could find a way to fix this. He didn't realise what all this anger truly meant until he came face to face with Severus, now his heart had a need for more. Please don't run from me, please stay with me...