Severus's POV
I muttered my password and opened the door. I stumbled in shock slightly when I saw Albus standing next to my fireplace, my Slug Club picture in his hand. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Ah Severus. I trust you had a good walk." I rolled my eyes, throwing my cloak over the back of a dining chair, and headed towards my kitchen.
"Why are you here Albus?" I asked, pouring myself a small glass of Firewhiskey.
"Am I not allowed to be?" He asked, replacing the small photo onto the mantle.
"It may be nice if you had asked, these are my personal chambers after all."
"Duly noted Severus. However for now I would like to talk to you. May we sit?" He asked, gesturing towards my table. I nodded and sat down, gently sipping my drink.
"What?" I asked, rather rudely.
"Now Severus, there is no need for hostility. Anyway, do you wish to tell me anything?" I swallowed and watched the clear blue eyes that were giving nothing away.
"I don't know? Do I?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and sipping my drink again.
"I think you might do." He said, looking at me over the rim of his glasses. "Remember what we discussed." I sighed and put down my drink. We had discussed that if anything were to happen between me and Amelia, I would tell him.
"Albus." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Please."
"Okay, okay. I understand." He said, holding up his hands. "But Severus, I just want to help you. Remember that." He got up to leave and was almost out of the door when I changed my mind.
"Wait." I called, the old man looked to me expectantly. "I kissed her." I admitted, looking into my glass in shame. I saw Albus nod in the corner of my eye.
"Well, thank you for telling me. Even if you were somewhat hesitant. I do not mind Severus, as you already know. But please, for her sake as well as your own. Be careful." I looked up at him just as he was shutting the door. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled. As I listened to his footsteps get gradually quieter, I smiled and looked at the pile of papers that Amelia had marked. Quickly scanning over the top one, I chuckled at how similar our style of marking was. Then again, I thought to myself, she is the one who taught me how to mark like I do today. Amelia. I quickly gulped back the rest of my drink and took the glass to the sink. Heading back to my sofa, I picked up my book and started to read.
***
Amelia's POV
I walked into the common room and immediately spotted Ron sat at the small table in the corner, he was flicking through a small book and occasionally writing on the parchment next to him.
"Hey." I said, sitting down opposite him. He looked up at me in surprise.
"Hello stranger. Where have you been all morning? Hermione was going to send out a missing person notice for you before the dress arrived."
"Dress?"
"Rebecca's dress for the ball. They are all cooing over it upstairs. Mad..."
"Got what you are wearing?" I asked.
"Yeah. He said. "I asked Mum for some money and got myself a tux. Looks good. Well... I mean I think it does anyway. But I'm no expert."
"What about a date?" I asked. Ron blushed and looked down at his work.
"Don't have one." He replied.
"Hmm... Okay."
"What?" He asked, looking up at me again.
"What about Hermione?" I said, my eyes boring into his. He looked at me sheepishly and smiled.
"I swear I can't hide anything from you can I?"
"Nope. So...?"
"Amy. I have no chance. Have you seen some of the people who have asked her? She's outta my league." I grinned at him. "What?!"
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." I said, getting up to walk to the dorm. "There is a reason she has turned down everyone else." I chuckled at Ron's look of shock as I made my way up the stairs. I glanced out of the window and caught sight of the Old Oak. I grinned to myself, remembering my kiss with Severus. I got to the door and walked in. I was met immediately by the squeals and giggles of the girls inside. I rolled my eyes at Rebecca, who was holding a pale pink, flowing dress to herself, and was dancing around.
"Amelia Baxter!" Hermione shouted at me suddenly, making me jump.
"Jeez Hermione. What?" She grabbed my arm and sat me on her bed. Joining me, she pulled the curtains around us and cast a silencing charm.
"And where were you I breakfast. Or at any point this morning." I couldn't stop myself from blushing at her question. Unfortunately she saw. "Oh my God. What? Tell me?"
"Nothing, I... Er, went for a walk." I said.
"Right, yeah. And I'll pretend I'm an idiot." She put her hands on her hips and glared at me.
"What?!"
"Amy. I love you dearly. But you have to stop this not telling me the truth thing. We're best friends."
I sighed and tried to give her an equally cold glare. "Fine. If you must know. I went to see Se... Snape." I watched as her eyes widened fractionally.
"Oh. Okay. And that casually takes up the whole morning? What did you do?"
"Well... We talked, I helped him mark some papers, made breakfast, Dumbledore came to talk to us, and we went for a walk."
"That's it?" I knew I looked guilty, but I wasn't going to tell her everything straight away.
"Yeah. That's it." I replied. She squinted her eyes at me and I tried to hold her gaze. I suddenly blushed and looked away. She squealed excitedly.
"Amy!! What else happened?"
"I don't know what you mean." I said innocently.
"Oh my God Amy! How long have I known you? What else happened?"
"Well..."
"Yes?!"
"We kissed." I laughed as her mouth dropped open in shock and her eyes turned to saucers.
"Oh. My. God. What?!" I looked down at my hands. After a short while of Hermione not saying anything for once, I looked up to find her smiling at me.
"What?" I asked.
"What did I flipping tell you? And Ron! We both told you!"
"Yeah I know. Oh, and do me a favour. This time don't tell Ron."
"Why?"
"Because... Well. Look, I don't know, just don't tell him. You know what he's like."
"Okay fine." We were interrupted by Ginny popping her head through the curtains.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing." We both replied at the same time, which made Ginny give us a very weird look.
"Well, okay. Whatever you weren't talking about. Ron wants you."
"Okay."
***
Sat in the hall at lunch, I kept seeing Hermione glance a Severus.
"What are you doing?" I asked as I bit into my ham sandwich.
"Nothing." She said, looking at me guiltily. I raised my eyebrows at her and she sighed.
"Well. It's just so... Romantic."
"Oh God."
"I mean. He's your teacher, and so it's forbidden. But you continue to love each other through everything..." I let her go on like this for a short while before I stopped her.
"Jeez Hermione. How much have you read into this? It was one kiss."
"But could turn into more." She said.
"No." I replied sternly. "We have agreed that nothing more can happen whilst I am still a student." She snorted in disbelief, which caused Ron (Who was talking to Ginny) to glance over at us.
"Yeah. Cause your both going to be able to stick to that plan."
"Right. Oh! I forgot to tell you..." I explained about me teaching on Thursdays.
"That's great! Wait, how did this come about?"
"Snape told Dumbledore that I want to teach Potions this morning so he suggested it. I'm looking forward to it actually."
"So basically. Dumbledore tried to get you two to spend more time together." Hermione said, grinning at me. I hit her arm playfully, laughing.
"No! He tried to give me an experience of teaching."
"Alright! Fine." She rolled her eyes and joined in on Ron and Ginny's conversation about The Dance. I looked at Severus and caught his eye. He smiled at me and raised his goblet slightly. I did the same and turned back to my sandwich, smiling to myself.
***
Later that day, the girls were all helping Ginny pick a dress from the catalogue, and Ron was out playing Quidditch. I quietly slipped away and made my way to the Astronomy tower. Climbing up, I found myself looking over at the majority of the grounds of Hogwarts. I leant against the rail and closed my eyes, I could hear a few birds and the occasional shout from the Quidditch pitch. Suddenly I heard a small rustle of fabric behind me. I opened my eyes and smiled.
"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to sneak up on people Severus?" I said loudly. A deep chuckle sounded behind me as I turned around to face him. He stepped out of the shadows and came to stand beside me.
"Nothing gets past you does it?"
"Nope. Why were you following me?"
"I wasn't. I'm not a stalker. I had to send a letter."
"Ah." He looked over the grounds and saw the boys on the pitch. He glanced at his watch and frowned.
"Will you relax?" I said. "It's Sunday. We have a week left at school and even then only about ten days till the Christmas ball. Let them have fun. Oh, that reminds me. Are you going?"
"To the Dance?"
"Yes." He looked at me and raised his eyebrows.
"I have to. For half the night at least. I'm on duty. But Sinistra will take over from me at about Ten."
"Okay."
"Why, may I ask?"
"Just curious."
"Right." I looked up at him and smiled.
"I have to go." I said. Moving away from the railing. "When should I meet you on Thursday?"
"Come to me after school on Tuesday. I will go through what you will be doing. And on Thursday..." He paused. "Come to my chambers in the morning again. I will help you prepare what you will be doing."
"Okay." I said, turning around. I stopped at the door and faced him again. "Goodnight Sev."
He turned to me and smiled. "Goodnight Amy."
***
As I walked into the dorm, Hermione flung herself at me and squashed me in a hug.
"OhmyGodAmyIloveyousomuchyouaresoamazingthankyou!" She squealed at a thousand miles a minute. I saw Ginny, Rebecca and Emily getting ready for bed.
"Er... Okay? What did I do?" She pulled back from me and blushed.
"Well. Ron asked me to the dance!" I congratulated her and she told me how Ron said I had something to do with it. Getting into bed about an hour later, my mind had switched off from their constant chatting about the people they were going to the ball with. Putting out my light, I put a silencing charm around my bed to drown out the noise and closed my eyes.