This chapter is dedicated to lilokaimana for the many comments and votes, thanks much!
•••
Snape paced the office as Florence sat in his chair in his desk, reading lesson material. The wizard wore a scowl on his face as he searched for the lost ingredient.
"I have to go find beetle shells in the storage closet. Can I trust you to study here?"
"Of course....S..," Florence trailed off almost saying his name.
The man turned his heel and headed out the door, his cape swirling the air around the witch's bare skin. She sighed as her eyes wanted to roll into the back of her head at the sound of his rich voice.
His office, connected to the classroom, was small-medium sized and tan stone lined its borders. Ingredients spotted the shelves and a sturdy oak desk was plopped center. The witch admired the brass chandelier above her head, that held many candles.
Florence was anxious for him to come back because she was dying to have a non-school conversation with the man. What would kill time? she thought. The impatient woman got up and wandered around, admiring the way Snape kept his area in a sort of clean-mess.
She childishly plopped herself back in his chair and grasped the brass handle of the man's desk drawer. Her fingers played with the dents carved into the gold metal. And out of nowhere the drawer opened, punching her knuckles. She cradled her arm to her chest.
Florence caught sight of a picture laying in the outstretched drawer. She leaned closer to study the photograph: a woman, with blazing red hair and a gentle face was laughing. She was tall and confident. Her smile was contagious, even through a moving image. But all emotion was swiftly erased from Florence's face. Why would Severus Snape have a photo of a woman in his desk? Holy crap...is he dating.....or even worse married? The young woman felt guilty and dumb for just assuming it was OK to kiss him. I mean what if he really is bound to another witch?
The witch didn't have anymore time to worry because it was apparent someone was now in the office. She slowly lifted her chin to the door frame.......Professor Snape. Fuck!
"Leave." the man spat, walking in a menacing manner, towards the witch.
It was clear Snape was inches away from blowing something up. His fists were clenched and his features contorted. His chest was puffed out and Florence knew she was in the wrong.
"Professor...I...uh," words failed her guilty head.
"I said Get the Hell Out!"
The man was holding his wand so tight it could turn to mush upon any more force. She flinched followed by a small swallow. Never in her life had she heard the wizard actually yell. Florence slid her bag on a shoulder and pushed the door open.
•••
It was already September 1st again. Florence had helped prep Minerva's classroom for the new school year. She cleaned their quarters and studied up on her subjects. But most of all she avoided Snape at all costs. The woman had no idea what to say to the arrogant wizard. And even though they were far from "an item," she felt betrayed that he didn't think it important enough to tell her he was with another woman. Not to mention she was highly jealous of the red-headed woman.
"Morning dear," Minerva bid, as she remained entranced with pouring a hot liquid.
"You too, ready to see the cute little first years?"
With that comment, McGonagall looked up, a charming smile playing out on her lips and it spread to her eyes.
"Don't even get me started, Helens," the older witch warned playfully.
Florence returned a smirk.
The 2 friends had an early breakfast and they dressed into their formal robes. Florence was thankful to have gotten a set of her own. The young witch offered to clean up after their meal so the professor could go finish getting the transfiguration classroom prepped. McGonagall gratefully accepted the offer before wandering off.
After finishing her duty, Florence paced down to Minerva's room. On her way, Snape had unfortunately happened to be heading the other way. Florence cursed to herself, out of all the damn hallways I chose THIS one?! She didn't know whether to smile or ignore him. After all she was the one who snooped in his private things. There were many time he was wrong, but this was not one. She went with hugging her shoulder closely to the stone wall, as they passed. Snape lightly sneered but somehow the witch got the impression that he wasn't fully invested in it.
The cold air swirled from his cloak to her fingers. Her stomach, immaturely, did a flip. She put a hand on her stomach in instinct, but this only made it worse. For her mind became misted with thoughts of Gabriel and everything that happened at that time. She blinked in response, walking faster to leave her thoughts in the dust.
As she continued down Hogwarts' halls, she saw a few professors walking in and getting set up. She waved to Professor Trewlaney, who didn't seem to notice the young witch.
Florence arrived in time to see Minerva racing around frantically.
"Minerva......"
The professor jumped, instantly putting her hand to her chest in surprise.
"Oh, Florence," McGonagall sighed out.
"Is everything all right?"
"Not exactly, I think Severus might of borrowed some of my vases and forgot to return them. I do need to use them tomorrow," the woman said with a sort of proper-ness in her voice, "the nerve of the wizard, going about and taking from my personal supply..."
Florence smiled inwardly. Snape was so cute even if he was mad at her right now, and she, him.
•••
The main doors busted open revealing a young, and quite large bushy-haired man. He sported a beard and tan clothes with a messy pair of boots. Behind him a clump of small and eager children swarmed together. Florence looked over to see Minerva go from thrilled to an strictly elegant and composed woman. If one went solely on physical impression, you'd say the older professor was an unforgiving woman.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here," she said politely, looking him in the eye.
"Of course Professor," he replied gruffly, respect distinctly laced into his words.
The first years followed like a mass of clumsy ducklings. And the rest of the student body went to their respective dormitories.
Florence grinned down at the little peers. She walked up to the front. Minerva leaned to whisper,
"So when we arrive to the main hall we are going to get them sitting in alphabetical order. Pomona will call out attendance as soon as we're done. I'll hand over the task of getting M-Z seated on tables Hufflepuff and Slytherin."
They arrived at the great hall. McGonagall shushed everyone and explained what was to happen. With a wave of her wand, the doors revealed the massive space.
Gasps and excited chatter could be heard among the students.
Florence called out for the last names of M-Z. They made their way over to her and some looked up to her for the next instruction. She explained and they all started wandering to their spots. Well, all but one. A little boy began to cry. His head was adorned with thick, dark hair and his eyes glistened with tears. The boy came up to her waist and it didn't help that Florence was a particularly tall woman. The witch knelt down and asked tenderly,
"What's your name?"
"Z...io....n," he responded between sniffles.
The 28 year old smiled and grabbed his hand. He gratefully took it and she got up off the floor. She turned around and caught.....Professor Snape.......what?! looking at her and Zion. As soon as they caught eyes he quickly averted his gaze. Zion looked from him to her in confusion. Hastily she snapped back and led him to his proper seating. The attendance was called and after awhile the rest of the student body joined in for sorting and dinner.
•••
Minerva and Florence sat on the couch, a glass of wine upheld in each woman's hand. They talked for a while until a knock shook the walls. Minerva slid her wand out and gripped it. Florence stood up ready. The whole situation was blown out of proportion when the person turned out to be Snape. The wizard looked from Minerva's wand to anxious Florence and his face formed a sort of confused shock. Minerva quickly warmed her expression. Florence sat back down sighing. Severus asked his colleague a question and was about to turn around but she said,
"Do join us for a glass of wine, Severus?" with too much emphasis on us for Florence's liking.
"Minerva I can't."
"Firewhiskey, perhaps?" the older witch smirked in a teasing manner.
The man glared.
But he responded respectfully, only because she was his elder.
"I have stuff....Cleaning."
Minerva nodded but rolled her eyes, and commented in a kid-like manner,
"Fine..., your loss."
He merely grunted before stalking off. The older lady walked back in eyeing Florence mischievously.
"What?!"
"Nothing," her professor shrugged. But her behavior suggested differently.
Florence felt her cheeks flush with a pink tone.
She stood up and walked to grab more wine.
•••
It was 11:30 and the restless woman couldn't get Snape and the whole red-haired woman thing out of her head. After hours of tossing and turning Florence sat up and slid off. Her bare feet kissing the cold stone floor. She remembered the spell Minerva used to unlock the library. Florence muttered it and quietly slipped into the dusty smelling room.
The wide awake-woman found the section in the library where records were kept. Only, she didn't know even where to start. After all she didn't know the woman's name, not to mention she didn't even know if this particular witch had ever attended Hogwarts.
"Accio red-haired girl files."
Obviously nothing happened. Moonlight shone perfectly on the old shelves. The witch began to run her fingers along all the labels, eyeing each one individually. She made a guess as to which year Severus has gone to school and guessed the witch had to have been around his age. She began pulling out every female file from those years.
After minutes had turned into an hour she sat down on the floor, exhausted. She thought she heard a few rustles. Her back straightened and she began to stand up. Then all was silent again.
"Lumos," she muttered.
Her face became tinted with a blue glow. She walked closer to the exit and almost ran into a table. On that very table was a page from a book. It had many creases so you could tell it had been folded over and over. She picked it up and brought it closer to her face. Her wand lit it up as she read and re-read the parchment. On it was a picture of the very red-haired lady she'd been searching for. Lily Evans Potter, it read. It had her birth and.....death? She was married to a James Potter and had a boy named Harry. The Harry Potter? The words continued on to explain the couple had died at the hands of Voldemort. Florence was no longer jealous of Lily.
She was beginning to wonder if Snape had placed the paper there. How had he known who I was looking for; let alone seen that I was out of bed at the library? And why would he bother with clarifying the situation? The man confused her beyond explanation. Sometimes he could be the most secretively-caring and modest person, and in other instances he could be a completely arrogant and heartless bastard. She shook her head and went back to her quarters, careful to look for Snape.