After changing my clothes that got dirty during the fight into clean ones, I rush to the Potions classroom, only to see Severus wasn't there - neither was he in his chamber. So, I began to walk around the castle to find him. "Minerva! Have you seen Severus?" I ask when I spot the friend other side of the corridor. Both of her eyebrows raise:"Severus? No, no I have not.". "Where is that man..?" I sigh frustrated as I come beside her. "Don't tell me you two have been fighting again." she frowns slightly worried. Lift my head up to look at her:"What? No! No, no. Nothing like that.". It seems that after our little dueling match in front of the second years, news got spread around about how the Potions Master and the Professor of History of Magic doesn't get along well...
According to some of the students, Severus and I can't stand each other. Absurd accusation, really. Then again, it has helped us to keep our relationship as a secret from others. Minerva and I exchanged few words before continuing our own ways. Merlin, Severus... Where the hell are you?! For some reason, this isn't anything unusual from him. He always seemed to disappear time to time somewhere, and then come back like nothing ever happened. He really is... Like a black cat. After walking some time, a young Ravenclaw runs up to me:"Professor!! Professor!". The fourth year looks stressed. "What? What is it?" I ask. He's out of breath:"...In the boys bathroom... The..- There is a...", I hold onto his shoulder:"Hey. Calm down. Take a deep breath, then tell me what happened.". The boy does as told.
After taking the deep breath, he continues while pointing at the right direction:"There is a fight going on in the boys bathroom!". "What?! By whom?" I frown worried and hesitatenly start heading there, still little bit suspicious if the student is being honest about this or not. "Ha-Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Professor." the boy lets out while watching me go. What?! Quickly, I thanked the student for telling me and rushed towards the nearest boys bathroom. While running there, I feel my heart raising. Harry and Draco?! I have always known those two don't get along, but... Actually fighting in school? Wonder what lead them into this? For whatever reason got them so upset and start fighting, this kind of behavior is unacceptable. I need to get to them and fast!
As I'm running towards the bathroom, I can hear how there are spells being cast, and how they are wrecking the place. Oh, no! It's a lot worse than I feared. Just when I'm about to come near the door that leads into the room, I pull out my wand - just in case that I'll need it to put them in order. When I finally touch the handle of the door, another hand comes in sight and places their hand on top of mine. Huh?! Immediately my head snaps up to look at them. It's Severus! Eyes wide, I stare back at him:"Sev..!". He won't say anything, but he looks very cold and calculating. It actually sends small shivers of discomfort down my spine. Without a word, he opens the door and goes inside first. Then it hit me. It has gone quiet in the bathroom - too quiet even. Only the sound of water floating to the tile floor can be heard. That made my heart drop and stomach twist, and I go after him.
First thing I notice as I walk in the boys bathroom is the light fog that is all around the room because of the water that is flooding. The water splatters from every step I take. What happened in here? I can only see Harry, who's standing there, his back facing me. Severus walks in front of the students and glares at him in pause. That's when I realize... Draco is laying on the floor, whimpering as he's bleeding from in middle of his torso. No. Shocked by this, I stop approaching and just stare the horrific sight. No, no, no, no!! The blood is streaming into the water. Draco..! Even I can't see Harry's face, I can just tell he's shocked as well. As first reaction, I'd like to start yelling at him and blast him with questions what the hell happened, but the words are stuck in my throat. Harry...
Then, Harry turns around and heads out of the boys bathroom. I give him the space to walk past me with shocked look on my face. "Har..- Harry..." I let under my breath and watch as he goes. The boy won't stop and just he rushes out. There is this twist in my heart and I take a step to go after him. I need to..- "(Y/N)." Severus's smooth, yet dangerously cold voice calls behind me as in ordering me not to go after the student. My breath shudders and legs stops themselves. It's like cold breeze just past me. To be quite honest, the way he just called my name... It actually made me a bit scared. Worried look on my face, I turn around to see him. Severus is already kneeled down and hold his wand on Draco's chest. What is he doing?
Then, Severus started to mutter under his breath a spell. Almost sounding like he was muttering a song of somekind. At first I didn't hear what he was saying, but I saw how the blood started to go back into Draco. Wait... Finally, I hear what he's been saying:"Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur...". Looks like Draco's wounds slowly started to heal as his flesh knitted together. Letting out a sharp breath I watch all of this happening. Not even realizing it, there are some tears on my eyes. Feels like at the same time, my head is empty, but at the same time full of everything. All of the questions, wonders, hopes, wishes, curses, worries, sadness... Everything. "...Is he going to be alright?" is the only thing I could let out of my mouth with timid voice. The Potions Master lift his gaze up to take a look at me. They are still cold and calculating:"Yes.". The feeling of relief settles in and I take a quiet, deep breath to calm down the nerves.
Soon enough, Minerva and Dumbledore rushed in, and Draco was taken to the Hospital Wing. Being shaken by all that happened, Severus took me to his classroom and made cup of tea for us. "Do you wish me to get your niffler here?" Severus ask as he hands me the cup. My head started to shake on its own and I whisper while keeping the gaze down:"No.". Then, I compose myself and take a sip of the tea. He goes sit down:"I added two drops of a potion that calms down the nerves. Should affect in a minute.". I nod as acknowledgment. While slowly drinking the tea, I notice corner of my eye there is a potion bottle on the desk that is meant for curing bruises. Severus sees this and is quick to snatch the bottle and throw it inside one of his drawers.
Before I can ask about it, he starts with calm manner:"I heard from our Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor you got in trouble in Diagon Alley earlier today. Care to explain..?". My heart skips a beat and eyes widens for split second out of surprise. He told him?! Not knowing what to say here:"...I, uh...". Severus isn't pleased:"Haven't I told you before to stay out of trouble?". Slight panic hits:"I..- it wasn't my fault! I didn't do anything wrong. I just... Happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. That's all.". He raise an eyebrow:"Really? You always seem... To get into the wrong places in the wrong times, (Y/N).". I shrug and try to light up the mood:"What can I say? Guess I'm cursed then.". "Perhaps..." he mutters under his breath and takes a sip of his tea.
Once again, it looks like his thoughts went elsewhere. It makes me think how he called my name back in the boys bathroom. How it made me feel... Scared? Out of place? Small? Then again, it was really intense moment, so I get why he might have sound too harsh towards me. Maybe I am being too sensitive here... I wanted to come clean with him and ended up telling him everything that has happened to me and my friends in these past months. Everything that was said and happened in that Christmas Eve at the Burrow. How I agreed to help if they ever need help with You-Know-Who. How Death Eaters attacked Weasleys home and how we fought against them. How I saw Lucius, and how Harry now thinks Draco might be one of them.
All this time, Severus stays quiet and just listens. The look on his face is unreadable. Hard to tell if he's mad or worried, or even slightly impressed. "I want you to promise me something, (Y/N)." Severus all of sudden starts. Both of my eyebrows raise and I lift my gaze back up to him:"Hm? What is it?". He already had his eyes on me, looking so serious:"Promise me, whatever happens... If you ever happen to run into trouble again... Instead of staying and fighting, you'll run.". "What?" I let out confused by the request. "And after learning the Apparate spell, you'll use that to escape whenever necessary." he added. At first, I frown confused at him. Then raise nervous smile on my face:"Sev... Didn't you just hear what I said? I promised to be there to help. I can fight. You should have seen me when..-", "DON'T be stubborn about this." he snapped back. It actually made me flinch a bit in my seat. He's really taking this way too heavily. Severus sees the stunned look on my face and drops down his shoulders and head to calm himself down. For a moment I stare at the man in front of me, wondering what's going thru his mind right now.
He then sighs and keeps his head down:"Forgive me, (Y/N)... I just... Can't bare the thought that anything bad could happen to you.". My heart pounded once strongly after hearing that. He sounded so... Broken. Tilting my head a bit and hold onto his left arm to caress it in soothing way:"Oh, Sev... You got nothing to worry about. Okay?". Severus stares down my hand as my thumb gently strokes over the arm that is resting on the desk. He looks so pensive. "Look at me." I tell him in soft tone. Severus raise his black eyes to look into my (e/c) eyes. Giving him the reassuring eyes:"Nothing bad is going to happen to me. Specially when I got you by my side.". With that, I trace my hand down his arm to hold his hand, making us interlock our fingers. My heart beats calm while looking deep into his beautiful, yet sad eyes. We keep our hands like that for a moment. Both of us gently caressing each others hands with our thumbs. Then, I take soft exhale thru my nose and lift my eyes up to his before opening my mouth:"Severus... I lo..-", Severus quickly cuts me off by pulling me into a deep kiss while having his free hand behind my head. I know he made a vow never to read my mind again, but... Now it's the time I'd wish he would read it. I love you.