A mutually-assured attachment

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/52382263.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Relationships: Severus Snape & Original Character(s), Severus Snape/Original Female
Character(s)
Characters: Severus Snape, Original Female Character(s), Albus Dumbledore,
Slytherin Students, Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Potions Master Severus Snape, Potions, Hogwarts, N.E.W.T.s | Nastily
Exhausting Wizarding Tests, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Amortentia Potion
(Harry Potter), Draught of Living Death (Harry Potter), Slow Burn,
Forbidden Love, Teacher-Student Relationship, Hogsmeade, Jealousy,
Sexual Content
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-12-19 Updated: 2024-02-12 Words: 14,643 Chapters:
12/?
 A mutually-assured attachment
by Lucille_Waters

Notes

I wanted to assure you, that even though a student/professor relationship is one that is
frowned upon, in the case of this fiction the student is at least of legal age and is eighteen and
in her final year at Hogwarts. I personally couldn't write an underage fiction, but have
nothing against people who do. I just hope you enjoy, and please give Kudos and comment so
I know how you all feel about it.
 Chapter One

“Interrupting again are we, Miss Moonblossom” Snape snapped as he glared at her across the
room. “I warned you before, one more outburst from you and it would be points taken from
Hufflepuff. Yet apparently that wasn’t enough for you. Still you refuse to keep quiet, so
what’s it to be now?”. Tabitha could feel her mouth drying out, as she was already not looked
at favorably by her fellow housemates.

“I..I…I’m sorry”, she managed to stutter. “I…j..just spilled my inkwell and was asking…”.
“Your outright infinite clumsiness is no excuse for speaking while being spoken to, Miss
Moonblossom. That’ll be another ten points from Hufflepuff and congratulations…you’ve
earned yourself a detention”. She rolled her eyes, groaning to herself. “Now, enough of that,
grab yourself a cloth and clean up your mess. I shall not tolerate any more of your
insufferable attitude in my class”.

Dragging herself up off her stool, she dragged her feet across the room. Blocking out the
laughs of some of the Slytherins in the class, she failed to notice that one of them had stuck
their feet out. Not looking where she was going she tripped over them, and flew back across
the room, the cloth she had grabbed going flying. She grabbed the table to stop herself from
falling, but was pushed and hit her head on the table.

Suddenly the laughter coming from the Slytherins stopped, as they realized that she was hurt.
“Professor, she’s cut her head”, one of them shouted out. “Hospital wing, now…and
Moonblossom…”, Snape started. “Once Madam Pomfrey has dealt with you do NOT return
to my class until everyone has been dismissed. You’ll be helping me rearrange and
alphabetize my supplies cupboard. Perhaps after that, you’ll hold yourself with a little bit
more grace”.

Gathering up her things, she wiped the blood off her forehead with the back of her hand.
Frustrated with herself for once more making a clown of herself in class, she muttered to
herself under her breath as she walked out of the room. Her face flushed as she walked up the
corridor. “Stupid Snape and his stupid potions class.” She hated how she was in his class, and
it really was just in his class that she acted that way. There was just something about him that
made her nervous. Whether it was his appearance, or the tone in which he spoke, or just his
overall air of intimidation.
Walking into the hospital wing, she already felt better and the head wound had stopped
bleeding. Being there felt pointless, but she didn’t have anywhere better to be. After all,
Snape had told her not to return to his classroom until after class had finished. An air of dread
washed over her as she feared what he would say to her. After all, this was not the first time
he had needed to speak to her and most likely wouldn’t be the last.

Her train of thoughts was broken suddenly by Madame Pomfrey taking her arm and leading
her over to a free bed. “Just a small head wound, easy fix. Any dizziness or nausea?” Tabitha
shook her head. “No…I feel just fine now. Just stings a little”. She barely had time to blink
before she was being ushered out of the hospital wing. “There we go, all fixed. Now please
try and be more careful”.

Stepping back out in the corridor everything seemed to have an eerie silence to it. After all,
class was on. Everything seemed so much bigger without the corridors being filled with
students, and her head began to fill with curiosities. She’d read books about the secret
corridors and hidden passages scattered around Hogwarts, but had never really thought much
about exploring.

Walking around in a daze, she found her back down in the dungeons. Though she had walked
down there many times, in the silence it seemed oddly beautiful. Even the stone walls seemed
less cold in silence, the flickering of the candles giving off a glow of warmth. Humming to
herself she wondered how many secrets these walls were holding. How much they had seen,
but were not able to tell. She wandered around, almost in a trance listening and hoping to
hear the whispers that the stones held. What they would have seen; what they would have
heard. The mind could merely wonder.

Her dreamlike trance was soon broken and she was brought back to reality by the shuffling
and chattering of her fellow students. As they flooded out of the classroom, a few of them
looked at her shaking their heads. She really needed to earn back their trust, after all she felt
like Snape was her downfall. In no other class was she as careless and clumsy as she was in
potions.

When the corridor was clear, she stepped into the empty classroom and her gaze met the
professor’s. “You wished to see me after class”, she stepped forward towards him. “Indeed I
did, Miss Moonblossom. You once more managed to be a distraction in my glass. I warned
you from the very first day you walked into my classroom that I would not stand for any
silliness or or foolishness…yet here you are. Both silly and foolish. You used to be such a
model student, but over the last year something about you has changed. You seem…
distracted. Unable to concentrate on my words, yet somehow…your focus seems to never
waiver from me”.
Tabitha held her breath as he walked towards her, her glance never leaving hers. “Try harder,
Miss Moonblossom. It’s not…that..hard. Shift your focus ever so slightly and you won’t be
failing my class. Her entire body shivered with anticipation as he stood in front of her, toe to
toe. He looked down at her as she let out the breath she had been holding. “Your punishment
for your foolishness…”

She could feel her heart racing in her chest as held his gaze while pointing towards the
supplies cupboard. “Those ingredients aren’t going to organize themselves, Miss
Moonblossom. Now I recommend you start now or else you’ll have to return at a later date to
finish what you started. Time is ticking, and you are still expected to be back in your dorm
before lights out”.

She backed away slowly, her gaze still firmly set on him. Letting out a tiny whimper, she
turned from him and quickly moved herself into the supplies cupboard. Leaning herself
against the wall she allowed herself to sink to the floor and hugged her knees. “Pull yourself
together, Tabitha”, she whispered to herself. “He's just a man…he’s your teacher. It’s his job
to assert his authority and push you to your limits. He can see the potential and you need to
just stop this silly obsession with him. Don’t let his intimidation cloud you. You’re capable of
anything you just need to get through this detention”.

Picking herself up off the floor she began to shuffle around some of the jars, wiping layers of
dust off some of them to see what they were. As the jars shuffled around the shelves, the
gentle tinkling sound they made rang in her head making her smile. Though this was a
punishment, she was finding it all quite satisfying. Humming a tune to herself she paused,
listening carefully to the sounds around her. She could hear the sound of music coming from
the adjoining room. Curiosity got the better of her, and abandoning her job she moved
towards the sound. It wasn’t just music…it was singing. A deep baritone voice filled the air
as she moved towards the door. Pressing her ear against it she smiled to herself. The song
flowed through her ears and deep into her bones. Her entire body could feel the tune that was
being sung.

Before she even became aware of what she was doing, she leaned against the door a little too
much and it opened just a crack. The creak that the heavy wooden door gave off brought
about an end to the singing and the music came to a halt. Unable to move, Tabitha was left
standing there as fear washed over her once more as the sound of footsteps echoed as they
approached the door. “Miss Moonblossom, I presume” came the voice from behind the door.
“I do hope that you’ve completed the task I set for you considering you’re snooping where
you have no right to be snooping”.
She gasped, expecting him to walk out from behind the door. “Your silence speaks a thousand
words, no I recommend getting back to your task at hand before it gets too late. “OK
professor” she mumbled, before starting to walk away. “For the record though, I just wanted
to let you know you have a beautiful singing voice”. There was a pause of deadly silence,
before Snape responded. “I do hope you realize that flattery gets you absolutely nowhere with
me, Miss Moonblossom. You’re going to have to focus and work a lot harder if you plan on
passing your N.E.W.T at the end of the year”.

As panic spread across her face, it dawned upon her exactly what it meant for her future
acting the way she did around him. Her entire future was centered around getting a good
grade in potions. Everything had been worked out in her head, and before this year there was
never an issue with potions. She was top of her class and excelled in everything she did. But
now she made careless mistakes, and her note taking was sloppy. “I need to pass, professor.
Not just pass though, I need to get an ‘Outstanding’ grade”.

Opening the door, Snape stared down at her. “Look at me when I say this to you. You’re
going to have to work harder than you’ve ever worked before if you're going to get a
‘Exceeds Expectations’ grade. A grade of ‘Outstanding’ is going to be nothing more than a
miracle. As it stands right now, your actions are putting you at a ‘Poor’ at best. Which is
utterly disappointing because last year you exceeded all expectations and were able to
perfectly brew ‘Felix Felicis’ as well as a very potent ‘Amortentia’ potion. Now your
measurements are off, and your skills aren’t anything to be desired. I was to see you working
at the standard I grew to expect from you. Which means that whatever is distracting you, you
need to forget about. There is plenty of time for…other things…once your exams are over.
For now, you need to stop and listen. You’re more than capable, now show me what you can
do”

Tabitha could feel herself tremble as his words rang clear as day through her ears. She knew
that she was more than capable, she just needed to prove it to herself once more. But there
was that feeling deep inside her, a feeling she wasn’t quite sure she could put her finger on.
But he believed in her, so she couldn’t let him down. “I won’t let you down, professor”. He
laughed, “This isn’t about letting me down, Miss Moonblossom. This is about you not letting
yourself down. You’re letting something get to you, and you’re losing yourself to it. Now…
get back to that supply cupboard and then to your dorm. It’s getting late and I’d hate to have
to prolong your detention for another day. Your time is precious, and it's running out here at
Hogwarts”.

Turning on her heels, she practically ran away and back to the supply cupboard. He was right,
time was running out here for her at Hogwarts and soon enough she’d be out there in a world
of even more distractions. So she needed to muster up all her strength to focus on her classes,
and do herself proud.
 Chapter Two

“Today class, we shall be once more recapping the Amortentia potion, the most powerful of
love potions and if brewed correctly can cause intense infatuation. Now, who can tell me
where this potion gets its name from?” Snape looked round the room as some of the students
raised their hands. His glance scanned the room but landed on Tabitha. “MISS
MOONBLOSSOM!” his voice echoed through the dungeon as all eyes fell on her. Her eyes
grew wide as she placed the quill she’d been fiddling with down on the desk. “Can…can you
repeat the question?” she mumbled, her face flushing with alarm. “I thought I spoke to you
about focus, now…Amortentia. Where does it get its name from?”

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she breathed deeply. “Amortentia…The ‘Amor’
comes from the Roman god of love, as well as the French for love being ‘amour’. While the
‘Tentia’ comes from Latin, meaning ‘held’”. A small smile curled at the corner of Snape’s
mouth. “Well done, and that’s five points for Hufflepuff”. The room filled with whispers, as
this was the first time the Tabitha had actually gained house points in potions class for quite
some time. Snape slammed his hand down on the desk, as the thud echoed through the room
bringing about a deadly and sudden silence. “That’s enough of this nonsense. I have a class to
teach and it appears that none of you are serious about learning today. So if you’re not going
to listen to me, you can leave”.

A few students shuffled around their stool, gathering up their things but most stayed sitting.
“For those who still wish to stay and learn, open your textbook to page 179. Moonblosson, in
order to ensure that your focus remains on this lesson, you shall read from the textbook.
Everyone else needs to follow along”. Snape pointed to her, summoning her forward to the
front of the with a beckoning finger. “Start from the top, and don’t stop until I tell you to”.

The walk up to the front of class seemed far longer than it ever had before, each pair of eyes
in the room watching her. Turning on her heels, she looked at the sea of students in front of
her. Opening her book to the stated page, she cleared her throat and began to read.

“The strongest love potion in existence, Amortentia is considered to be both powerful and
dangerous. While it is impossible to manufacture actual love, one must not underestimate
the deep infatuation created by this potion. Its effect is almost instantaneous; and those
under its spell will harbor an obsession for the administering party. The unfortunate
drinker will also exhibit symptoms which include the following: A sickly pallor, an overly
excitable nature, and dangerous emotional instability toward others. The illusion of love
will last as long as the potion is administered at regular intervals. Once the effects wear
off, the drinker regains free will.
When brewed correctly, Amortentia has a distinct mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises
from it in characteristic spirals”.

Snape placed a hand on her shoulder, pointing at the book with his other hand. “Stop after the
next line and then return to your seat. We’ll be putting Amortentia to bed for the day after
that, and we'll be moving swiftly onto one of the other potions which you’ll need to know,
"The Draught of Living Death”. A shock of static coursed through her whole body as the
professor lay his hand on her. Her entire body went tense, and he felt it. Giving her a gentle
squeeze, she read the final sentence. “ Another singular characteristic of this potion is its
adaptive scent, which will alter to appeal to the preferences of whomever inhales the
aroma”.

“Return to your seat, Miss Moonblossom”. She did, as as she sat down she felt a small
whimper leave her lips. What was that? What just happened? Shaking it off as nothing, she
flicked through the book to the first page on ‘The Draught of the Living Death’. Her face was
flush, and her hands a little clammy. Though she fought back her distractions, it was
becoming increasingly more difficult to do so. It was him. It had to be him. Severus was the
only thing different about how she was in potions compared to her other classes. But what the
distraction was yet, she wasn’t quite able to put her finger on.

As class was dismissed, Snape and Tabitha’s eyes made contact. Eye contact that lingered
perhaps a bit longer than was acceptable. “Moonblossom! I don’t want you leaving in such a
hurry. I would like a word with you before you leave”. A few of the Slytherin boys made
tutting noises, laughing at her as they walked away. “Someone’s in trouble again”, the
taunted, nudging each other as they left the classroom.
 Chapter Three

Before long, it was just the two of them left in the room. “It has become apparent to me that
you may find me a distraction, Miss Moonblossom”. Tabitha’s jaw opened a little, finding
herself lost for words. “I can promise you now that it was never my intention to do so, and
that if you feel that I’m being too harsh on you please speak up”. Words still didn’t come to
the young woman, and she could do nothing but shake her head.

As he turned her back to her, he silently walked over to his cauldron. “Come here, I need to
ask a favor of you. Considering you did such a good job on organizing my supply cupboard, I
need you to collect a few things we’re going to need in order to create a potion”. Following
him up to the cauldon, she looked at the sheet of paper which he removed from his pocket.
Skimming over the list, she gave a smile.

Standard Potioning Water (24 fl. oz.)

Ashwinder Eggs (3, frozen)

Rose Thorns (roughly a handful)

Peppermint (6 flower heads; 12 leaves)

Powdered Moonstone (3 Tbs.)

Brewer or Target of Quaffer's Love's lock of hair or drop of blood

“These are the ingredients for Amortentia, aren’t they, professor” she hummed, smiling up at
him. A smile curled at the corner of his lips as he gave a small nod. “Indeed they are. Now
could you be so kind as to go and gather them from the cupboard for me?” Tabitha squealed a
little with excitement, her heart fluttering in her chest. This was her chance. Her chance to
prove to Snape as well as herself that she was capable.

Floating over to the cupboard, a look of pride on her face as she gazed at the perfectly
organized cupboard that towered in front of her. It was at that moment she realized that all
tension that she was holding onto seemed to have vanished. Humming to herself she gathered
up all she needed.
Meanwhile, back in the classroom Snape sat down in silence; a moment of contemplation.
His head in his hands he let out a groan. It dawned upon him exactly what was happening
here. Something that was rare, but not unheard of. The lingering glances across at him, the
clumsiness, the nerves. Her complete inability to focus on what he is saying, yet having
unbreakable focus on him himself. The girl was besotted with him. He had to handle this
carefully, as she was one of the brightest students he had the honor of teaching, yet her
feelings for him were clearly clouding her abilities.

As Tabitha returned back into the classroom she smiled across the room at him. He gave a
small and nervous smile back at her before walking over and helping take some of the
ingredients from her arms. “Careful, you don’t want to drop anything. After all, you are quite
renowned for your clumsiness in my classroom”. She laughed, allowing herself to gaze into
the man’s eyes as he helped ease the load she carried.

Clocking onto the eye contact she was making, he quickly averted his own gaze away from
her. It was no longer a worry that he was making her nervous, she was making him nervous.
This was a power that made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and not only because his
entire career could be in jeopardy if her secret crush was uncovered. No, because there was a
small part of him deep down that took pleasure in being admired by another the way she did
him. It was that small part that filled him with guilt for allowing himself to open his
classroom to her outside of lesson time. It seemed evil, but a necessary evil as it was this one
on one time that would bring about her focus, and lead her on to showing her full potential as
a true potions master.

“I need you to accurately measure out 24 fluid ounces of standard potioning water and pour it
out into the cauldron”. Keeping the beaker at eye level, Tabitha measured with precision the
exact amount of water needed, checking and double checking before pouring it into the gold
cauldron that sat on the table. Taking out his wand, Snape lit up a low flame underneath the
cauldron. Turning to Tabitha, he observed the gentle flame dancing in her eyes.

Regrettably he allowed himself to get lost in them for a second too long, and was snapped
back to reality with Tabitha laying her hand on top of his. “Are you alright professor?” she
asked, a look of concern on her face. Flinching away from her touch he looked down at the
potion instructions. “I’m fine, but you need to take the peppermint flower heads and bruise
them with a pestle and mortar for me. Once they are sufficiently bruised, you need to sprinkle
them into the water and then add the peppermint leaves”.

Watching intently, he observed her as the strong scent of peppermint filled the room as both
the flowers and leaves were added to the water. “Well done, Miss Moonblossom. Now take
the powdered moonstone and add one tablespoon at a time, ensuring that you stir it clockwise
three times before adding another”. She paused, looking down at the instructions, feeling that
there was something off about the instruction he had just given her. “But professor, the
instructions clearly state that the potion needs to be stirred three times in a counter-clockwise
direction”. He looked down at the paper, and gave a nod. “Correct you are, Moonblossom. I
was merely….testing you. And on this occasion, you passed”.

Picking up the rose thorns, Snape sprinkled them into the potion while it continued to spiral.
“Sorry, but those needed to be added while the potion was still in motion, and I feared that
you were going to be too slow, thus making the potion null and void and completely useless. I
am not very favorable towards the wasting of my ingredients”. A frown furrowed his brow as
he removed the flame that glowed under the cauldon with a simple flick of his wrist. A cold
chill filled the room as the heat from the flame died down to nothing then a tiny glow.

As the pair of them stared at the dying embers, Snape reached into his pocket and pulled out
a silken handkerchief. “Now, we cover the potion and put it in a dark place. I believe that this
cupboard will do nicely”, Snape states, as he walks over to the cupboard and opens it. “Now,
carefully pick up the cauldron and place it in here”. Tabitha followed instruction and placed it
in the cupboard before closing it. With another flick of his wand, Severus fabricated a
padlock and locked the cupboard tight. “Now, please return the ashwinder eggs to the supply
cupboard then return to me. We shall discuss what we need to do next…in regards to the
continuation and completion of this potion”.

As Tabitha returned, she sat down next to Severus. An air of tension was felt between the two
of them, but both chose to ignore it. They were there for a reason, and it was that reason
alone that she chose to stay. “So, what happens now with the potion, professor?”, she asked,
feeling her heart beating faster. “For now, there is nothing more we can do. But you will need
to return to that potion once a day for the next seven days, and stir it seven times in a
counterclockwise direction and then re-cover it and place it back in the cupboard”.
 Chapter Four

In the days following the creation of the potion, Tabitha returned once a day to stir and re-
cover the potion. Each and every day, the potent scents that emerged from the potion filled
her and made her heart sing. It was said that the scent of the amortentia potion differed from
person to person and was all dependent on what the individual found appealing. For Tabitha,
this was the smell that came from a new book, leather and a deep musky smell which she
wasn’t quite able to put her finger on. But each day she stirred it, she found herself humming
softly and her heart racing.

It was on the seventh and final day the potion needed stirring, that when she went into the
classroom to attend to the potion that she felt herself being drawn away from the potion and
towards Snape’s office. While she stirred, she kept glancing over towards the door to his
office and feeling a strong pull towards it. Though the room was eerily quiet, there was an
almost inaudible whisper in the air. The distant sound made Tabitha’s heart dance in the same
way that the scent of the potion did, and curiosity got the better of her as she placed the
potion back into the cupboard and moved over towards the door and pressed her ear against it
to try and hear better.

Even through the heavy wooden door, the sound seemed louder and even more enticing. To
start with, she could only pick up on a few words, but the more she listened, the more she
seemed to hear and recognise. The song was so familiar to her, something that she’d heard
growing up but wouldn’t necessarily have chosen to listen to of her own choosing. It was
definitely something her mother would have played while she was growing up, and brought
back fond memories of her. Without even realizing, she began to sing along. Softly at first,
but as she got into it her voice became louder and began to harmonize with the voice behind
the door.

Finding herself compelled to enter, she gazed upon the man who sat at the desk, sketching
something while singing to himself. He gazed up, not allowing her presents to distract him
from what he was doing and continued to sing. “Well, I've been afraid of changin', 'cause I've
built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting
older too”. She didn’t even want him to stop, singing along beside him, her face glowing with
a warm happiness. “Oh-oh, take my love, take it down. Oh-oh, climb a mountain and you
turn around. And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills. Well, the landslide bring
it down. And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills. Well, the landslide bring it
down. Oh-ohh, the landslide bring it down”

He smiled at her, not at all seeming bothered by her intrusion but still pointing it out to her.
“You know, it is customary to knock on a door before entering, Miss Moonblossom”, he said
with a small smile curling at the edges of his mouth. “I never took you for the kind of person
to listen to Fleetwood Mac, professor”, she smiled back at him. “I was thinking just the same
about you, Miss Moonblossom. Would have thought that they were a little bit…before your
time”. She walked over to the desk, sitting herself down on the edge of it, almost close
enough to Snape that if she reached out she could touch him. “My mother used to sing me
their songs. Landslide was always a favorite of mine”. She found that if she closed her eyes,
she could still picture her mother in the lounge, playing her guitar and singing the songs of
Fleetwood Mac. “I remember the stories she used to tell me about the white witch, Stevie
Nicks. This was even years before she realized that I myself was a witch. I always admired
her, and her songs always resonated with me. It's funny to think that before my Hogwarts
letter arrived, my father never really spoke about being a wizard and I was raised as a
muggle. The shock when I realized that there was a whole other world out there for me to
explore”.

Her heart sank a little, clocking onto the fact she was talking about her mother in the past
tense. “You’re not the only one to have lost a mother, though I lost mine years before she
passed. After how my father treated her she was never quite the same. Though I spent most
of my life here at Hogwarts, when I went home my house was plagued with constant anger,
raised voices and violence. I’d be in my room and music would be my only solace.
Considering my father was a muggle, I’d listen to a lot of muggle music on the radio ”.

Reached out, Tabitha took a hold of Snape’s hand. “Losing a parent is one of the most
difficult things a child can do”,she hummed, allowing her fingers to lace round his. “It's a
pain that nobody can even get close to understanding without going through it themselves”.
Her heart was pounding as she pulled herself a little closer to him, leading into him for a kiss.
She however did not get the response she was expecting. Shaking her hand off his, he moved
away leaving her alone on the desk. “I need you to leave now, Tabitha”, he said, turning his
back to her. Right now he couldn’t even bear to look her in the eye. “The potion need not be
touched now for another two days so unless you’re attending class…please don’t come
anywhere near this room”.

A combination of anger, understanding and frustration washed over her as she pulled herself
up off the desk and walked back towards the door. “I guess…I’ll see you later then
professor”, she sighed, her gaze not leaving the man who was now surrounded in an aura of
sadness and regret. There was definitely something there, but she wasn’t going to push it.
Though now there was no hiding how she felt about that man, and it was obvious to him her
true feelings towards him.
 Chapter Five

Back in the office, Snape sat with his head in his hands. He felt frustrated with himself for
allowing Tabitha get as close to him as she had, but also that there was a part of him that
wished that he hadn’t pulled away from her. However wrong it was to allow himself to gain
forbidden feelings for a student, she was everything he could have wished for. He hadn’t felt
this way for anyone since Lily. He knew that nothing would have ever come about with her,
but with Tabitha the feeling was mutual and was getting ever more difficult to push aside and
avoid. Thinking about how close he was to feeling his lips against hers, how it took every
fiber of his being to not allow anything to happen. Standing up he began to pace around the
room, his hands balled into tight fists. “AHHHHHHHHH”, he cried out, his scream echoing
through the entire dungeon.

Walking out of his office, he made his way towards the cupboard where the potion was being
kept and took it out. Staring at it, he wanted nothing more than to tip the damn thing away,
blaming the potion for the feelings that had arisen between the two of them. Raising the
cauldon up with his wand, he was about to launch it at the wall when he smelt it. The smells
that arose from the cauldron filled his entire being and made him smile. The smell of grass
after rain, bonfire and…there it was. That smell…he couldn’t do it. Placing the cauldron back
down onto the desk he stared at it. After years of making this potion he knew all too well
what the third smell was and it was at that moment it became obvious that it wasn’t the
potion at fault for the feelings.

For days, the two of them avoided one another. Tabitha felt embarrassed for what she had
done, and Severus was still coming to terms with his feelings. But when day nine of the
potion making came about their meeting became unavoidable. As Tabitha walked into the
classroom she couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with her professor. “I’d better get
the Ashwinder eggs so we can finish this potion”, she mumbled, shuffling over to the supply
cupboard.

“STOP!” Snape shouted. “Come here, before we continue I believe we need to have a talk
about what happened the other day”. Letting out a sigh, she made her way over to him, still
unable to look at him. “What you did was silly, and reckless. I am your professor, Miss
Moonblossom. I have a duty to protect you, and it would be completely unethical for
anything to happen between us”. She could feel her face flush with embarrassment as his
words repeated in her mind.

“However…”, he walked over to her until they were toe to toe. “However, spending this time
with you has by far been the most pleasant…no…enjoyable. It has been the best, and I wish
that I could spend more time with you. You’re not only unbelievably smart, but your
company has filled me with delight each and every day. You match me not only in smarts, but
the conversations which we have had have made me open myself up and have allowed me to
show my vulnerabilities for the first time in far too long”. He pulled her close, tilting her
head up so she finally made eye contact with him. Tabitha opened her mouth to speak, but no
words came out. “Say nothing”, Severus smiled, leaning down and softly kissing her lips. For
a man who came across dark and harsh, his kiss was gentle and warm. It became clear to her
that behind this hard exterior was a light that few were able to see. His hands wrapped around
her waist as her fingers entwined themselves though his hair. Gasping as she allowed this kiss
to deepen, a gentle moan escaped her lips.

At hearing this, Snape began to pull away, peppering her lips with tiny kisses as gentle as the
wings of a butterfly. “Tabitha”, he whispered. “I would like nothing more than to give myself
to you right now, but as I said before…you are my student and I just wouldn’t be right. So for
now at least, this is all I can offer you. Even that would have been enough for the headmaster
to be having very harsh words with me. But to…” She pressed a finger to his lips, shaking
her head. “One word, Severus. Amortentia”. He stared at her, knowing what she was thinking
just by looking into her eyes. “We can’t…It’s not right”.

Ignoring him, she pulled herself up onto the desk that was behind her knocking over the
cauldron that was on there. Letting out a scream, the pair of them looked down at the
iridescent liquid that puddled and spread across the stone floor. Tabitha’s eyes widened as she
realized that the days of hard work and watching of that potion was just gone. Her eyes filled
with tears, before Severus turned her gaze back to him and kissed her once more, this time
pulling himself closer to her. “You’re right, Tabitha. Amortentia is a very powerful love
potion, and considering the skills we collectively have in potion making I can say with
certainty that the potion we brewed would be extremely powerful. With no evidence to show
that the potion was incomplete, it would be a shame to waste this opportunity. Even if we can
only keep up the charade for today”. He couldn’t believe that he was allowing himself to give
into the immoral temptations, but it was clear that the feeling that the two of them shared
were not that of lust, but of a love that could no longer be denied.
 Chapter Six

Tabitha allowed her hands to move over Severus’ robes, carefully and slowly undoing each
button before opening it to reveal his chest. Her fingers traced over his skin, connecting up
the freckles he had with her fingertip. Leaning forward she kissed at his perfect
imperfections, her lips warm against his skin. He gently stroked her hair, kissing the top of
her head as she deeply inhaled his scent. There it was, that deep musky scent that she had
smelt from the potion. It was his scent.

Holding her close to him, she was able to hear his heart which raced at every touch she gave
him. This was not about thrill seeking, but was about him giving himself to someone who
truly cared. Though he had previously offered himself to people, they would either shun him
away or take advantage of him. Hence why he had built this wall around him; not only to
keep people away but to protect what lay beneath that harsh exterior.

As he stood there exposed, he could feel his body start to quiver as her kisses started to move
down his body. “Tabitha….” he whispered as her hands explored further, her hand brushing
over the slight bulge that began to grow in his pants. “Tabitha…” he repeated, taking hold of
her wrist and entwining his fingers round her. “We can’t do this…not right now. It just
doesn’t feel right”.

She looked up at him, his eyes dark and saddened. “It isn’t that I don’t want this, because
trust me I do. I really do. But right now, it doesn’t feel right”. He leaned down and kissed her
forehead. “One day…I promise you. One day we’ll do this and I won’t stop you. But right
now, I can see your mind and I know how it works and it really is the most wondrous thing.
But I need to know you more intimately, I need to find out who you are past your brains and
educational discussion. I need to know the woman behind the smarts before I…” She took
her hand away from his and began to button his robes back up. “I understand…” she
hummed, cradling his face in her hand while kissing him once more.

The pair froze mid kiss as they heard the rattling of the door handle. Pulling away from each
other, they managed to straighten themselves out just in time before the headmaster walked
into the room and gazed down at the spillage that still lay on the floor. “ Oh my, Severus.
Quite the mess you’ve got yourself into here” he said, first looking down at the spillage and
then up at Tabitha. “That was my fault, Professor Dumbledore. I knocked over the cauldron
and it spilled all over the floor. I was just about to grab a mop and clear it up before you
walked in”, she stammered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “No need for that,
dear”, Dumbledore said, waving his wand and the liquid evaporating before their very eyes.
“Accidents happen, don’t they”, he smiled, his gaze darting between the two that stood before
him. “Perhaps you just need to be…a little more careful next time. Things could have turned
out far worse. A little mess we can deal with, but sometimes accidents can’t be undone. So
keep on your toes, and proceed with caution”.

Snape cleared his throat, his attention on Dumbledore and his choice of words. “So what was
it you wanted here, Albus?” he questioned, curious as to why exactly the other man was here.
“Ah yes…I wanted to speak with you Severus. Perhaps once you and Miss Moonblossom are
done here you could come and join me in my office for a…chat”.

Tabitha looked up at Severus, before turning her attention back to Dumbledore. “I…can come
back later if you want to speak with professor Snape. I have N.E.W.Ts to study for and its not
as if I can attend to my potion any more. Professor Snape, I’ll return later for my detention
and I’ll do my best to not be so careless and clumsy next time”. With a coy smile, she gazed
over at the potions master briefly before leaving out of the door.

Dumbledore waited until she had left before turning to Severus. “She’s quite the student isn’t
she? Such a smart student with a brain eager to learn” Snape nodded, doing his best to mask
any feelings that may be surfacing. “So if you’re in agreement, then why do you insist on
penalizing that girl for every little mistake she makes and constantly punishing her with
detention and the removal of house points”. Severus was lost for words, his jaw dropping
open. “I…I…don’t really have an answer. I just thought that if I pushed her then…”.
Dumbledore cut him off. “You’re not pushing her though, you’re punishing her. Even you
weren’t perfect every time, you can’t expect that of any of your students no matter how
talented they are. This year alone you’ve taken as many house points from her as she’s earnt
in every other class she had combined. She needs nurturing, not crushing”.

“I think you’ll find Albus, that it's been weeks since I’ve taken a single house point off her,
and I have been nurturing her skills and ability with one to one tuition”. Dumbledore
hummed, his eyes narrowing. “Alright, but I want to hear no more about house point removal
and detentions for acts of human nature”. He nodded, straightening out a crease in his robes.
“I’ll have a word with her when she attends what will be her last detention, and try to be
more understanding about her clumsiness”.

Dumbledore nodded, turning away and making his way towards the door. “Just remember
Severus. She is still young and still a student. Boundaries must be set and as her professor
you must lead by example. She’s in your safe hands for the next few months, and after that…
well that’s up to you. I can’t tell you what to do, but remember that there’s nothing at this
castle that gets past me. Even if nobody else sees, I do. Do not throw caution to the wind so
close to the end of term. It’s not just her and her grades that could suffer. You too could get
hurt, and as your friend and employer it would break my heart to see that happen to someone
I’ve put such trust in”.

And with that he left the room, leaving Severus alone to absorb what had just happened.
 Chapter Seven

Knocking on the door to Snape’s office, Tabitha let herself in and walked over to where he
stood in the corner of the room. Embracing him, she rested her head on him and let out a
sigh. “Judging by the look on your face, Dumbledore suspects something doesn’t he”. He
held her tightly, not wanting to let go. “He certainly does, and now I know he's watching, we
need to be even more careful. Two more months and then your studies will be over and I’ll no
longer be your professor. No more hiding in the shadows, no more glances across the
classroom, no more Dumbledore and his ever watching eye”. The two held each other in an
embrace they never wanted to end. “So no more detentions then”, Tabitha sighed, letting out
a small laugh. “Certainly not, Miss Moonblossom”, he teased back. “Nothing but
encouragement from me and dedication to your studies from now on. Do I make myself
clear?”

Pulling herself away from him, her eyes never left him, a longing look in them. “Perfectly
clear, Professor Snape”, she said, sitting herself up on his desk. “I can see what you’re
doing”, he groaned, side eyeing her. “It’s not going to work”. “I don’t know what you’re
referring to, Professor. Now, how about that encouragement you were just speaking of. I have
a study period after lunch and I would really quite like it if you talked me through the
creation of Veritaserum”. He chuckled, shaking his head. “I could talk you through
Veritaserum, but I have a feeling that you’re already rather knowledgeable on the creation of
it. In fact, if you can tell me the ingredients that the potion requires as well as how long the
potion takes to brew…I may have to reward you with a little something more than house
points”.

He stood in front of her, looking down at her as she rattled her brains to find the information.
“Veritaserum requires…standard potioning water; a vial of ptolemy; powdered moonstone;
adders folk; jobberknoll feathers and…” She looked up at him, knowing perfectly well what
the final ingredient was but was enjoying just watching him wait. He raised her chin up to
make eye contact, smiling. “I know you know it, Tabitha…now say it”. She laughed, biting
down on her bottom lip. “Sopophorous beans”.

Bending down and allowing his lips to brush over hers, he pressed against them causing her
to catch her breath. “And tell me…how long does it…” She cut him off with another kiss,
deepening it and wrapping her arms around his neck, and her legs around the back of his
knees drawing him closer. He pressed himself against her wanting nothing more than to be as
close as possible to her. “28 days, which is the equivalent of one lunar cycle” she hummed
against his lips. “Now, what’s my reward Professor?”
Pulling himself away from her was nearly impossible, but he had already been warned by
Dumbledore so took heed in his actions. “Dinner, Miss Moonblossom. I’d like to invite you
to join me for dinner. A chance for the two of us to sit down away from the classroom and get
to know one another a little better. I like you, Tabitha. I really do, and I really don’t want to
just jump into anything without first getting to know you…and it gives you the chance to get
to know me too”.

Tabitha patted the desk next to where she was sitting, encouraging Snape to sit down next to
her. Sitting down next to her, he took her hand in his. His hand was a little clammy, but she
really didn’t mind. “Dinner sounds perfect, Severus”, she leaned her head on his shoulder.
“How does tomorrow night at seven in my quarters sound? I’ll cook, and you need not bring
anything but yourself”. “Sounds perfect”. The two of them just sat there, enjoying each
other's company while sitting in complete silence. Silence can be a terribly awkward thing,
but there and then it was the most comfortable they had both been in quite some time.

“I do believe, Miss Moonblossom…that there’s a distinct possibility that I may…ever so

slightly be falling for you”, Snape whispered, sighing. Without a second of hesitation,
Tabitha squeezed his hand and without looking away from the spot she was staring at
responded. “I do believe that I may be falling for you too, Severus”.
 Chapter Eight

As the sun started to sink on the night that followed, Tabitha sneaked out of the Hufflepuff
common room and across the castle towards Severus’ quarters. Turning a corner, she bumped
into a group of Slytherin boys. “Oh look who it is, Little Tabby KlutzBlossom” one of the
boys laughed. His friends laughed along too, before he shot them each a look and the laughter
abruptly stopped. Tabitha recognised the boy and hated that he’d been in a lot of her classes
ever since her first year at Hogwarts. He had been the thorn in her side for too long, and he
was at his worst in potions class. Perhaps it was something to do with Snape being head of
Slytherin house, but he always seemed to put on a show in front of him.

“Please leave me alone, Marcus”, she begged as he stood in front of her blocking his path.
Marcus Burke was always trying to be a jokester, but it never really came across as funny to
her; just cruel and spiteful. She stepped to the side, but he mirrored her stepping once more to
block her path. “Where do you think you’re going at this time of night?”, he questioned,
eyeing her up and down. In her eyes, he was nothing but a bully and a brute, but he was also
smart which meant that he got away with a lot more than he really should. He reached out to
grab her arm, but with her quick reflexes stopped him in his tracks by putting her arm up like
a guard.

Marcus’ friends, Robin Zabini and Curtis Gosforth, stepped forward to back him up but he
looked back at them calling them off. “You’ll pay for that, you halfblood”, Curtis spat.
Marcus turned to him, shooting him a filthy look. “I think you’ll find that I’m the one who
makes the comments around here, and you seem to forget…you’re a halfblood too, you
absolute buffoon”. He stepped back, a look of embarrassment on his face. “IDIOT”, Robin
chimed in, punching Curtis in the arm. “OUCH”, the other shouted back, taking a swing back
at him.

While the two of them fought amongst themselves, Marcus drew his attention back to
Tabitha. “Let me pass, Marcus”, she pleaded, trying to push past him. This time when he
reached out to her he managed to grab her arm. She flinched, “You’re hurting me, let me go”.
He let her go, looking her up and down. “What do you want from me?”, she asked. “It's
coming up to the end of our final year, and I had something to ask you”. She rubbed her arm
where he had just grabbed her. “What is it? What could you possibly want to ask me?”

“We both know that you and I are the smartest in our year, and with it being the end of our
time at Hogwarts there’s going to be an end of school ball”. Tabitha looked at Marcus, her
eyes narrowed. “Yes…the end of school ball. What about it?” He smiled at her, leaning
himself against the wall. “How about you let me take you to the ball? Imagine it, the biggest
brains in the year…arm in arm. Dancing the night away together. Perhaps even after we carry
on the party elsewhere?” She looked at him disgusted. “You want me…to go to the ball with
you? The one person that has constantly been bothering me since day one? The one who is
constant with the name calling, the bully that has been known to make my life a living hell?”

His face flushed red, and she wasn’t certain at that moment if it was with embarrassment or
anger. “I…I…hadn’t realized I made things that bad for you. I only meant to tease a little.
Was all just a bit of fun”. She scoffed at him, shaking her head. “A bit of fun? You think it
was all a bit of fun? You deliberately sabotaged my potions…on numerous occasions. You
put bowtruckles down the back of my top. You purposefully tripped me up. You…” Her list
of things he had done was cut short by an intrusive kiss. His lips were rough against hers, yet
somehow soft at the same time.

Though she tried her best not to kiss back, she found herself ever so slightly returning the
kiss before pulling away and slapping him in the face. Holding his face, he stared back at her.
“I knew you liked me”, he laughed, giving his rouged cheek a rub. “You kissed me back”, he
laughed while his friends just looked confused.

“You just kissed, Moonblossom?”, asked Robin, looking at Curtis. Curtis looked back at him,
shrugging his shoulders. “You two would never understand”, sighed Marcus. “Love makes
you do stupid things, and I have been very stupid”. He reached out, to take her by the hand
but she recoiled away from him. “So…what do you say? Will you do me the honor of going
to the ball with me?”

Before she had a chance to respond, footsteps could be heard and from round the corner came
Severus Snape. He looked at Tabitha, and then at Marcus. Robin and Curtis had made a run
for it when they heard the footsteps. “And what are you a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin doing
out of their dorms at this time?”he asked, darting a glance between the pair. “I was…just on
my way to the library to get some late night studies in preparation for my upcoming
N.E.W.Ts, professor”, stammered Marcus, looking over at Tabitha. “I was taking a walk
around the school to clear my head. I’ve been struggling to sleep as of recently and thought
the walk would do me good”.

“Back to your dorm, Burke. You have plenty of reading material there. There’s no need for
you to be in the library now. If you so chose to, there will be plenty of opportunities
tomorrow to visit the library in your study periods”. Marcus nodded, and turned on his heel
and began to walk back towards the dorms. Looking back he smiled at Tabitha. “You think
about my proposition, Moonblossom. I’ll give you 48 hours and then I want my answer.
Don’t let me down, alright”, he winked at her, before leaving her and Severus alone.
“Moonblossom…you can come with me. I think you and I need to have a chat. Don’t you
agree?” Her eyes looked sad as his tones seemed to be far more stern than how he had spoken
to her as of recently. “I can explain…I promise”, she whimpered as she followed him. “I’m
sure you can”, he responded as the pair of them walked towards Severus’ quarters.
 Chapter Nine

As Severus walked back towards his quarters with Tabitha walking behind, struggling to keep
up, he couldn’t bear to look at her. His whole body felt numb, and his heart ached. “Severus,
please…slow down”, she begged. She pushed herself to keep up with him, until she was
walking alongside him. “Talk to me, please”. He stopped, looking her dead in the eye. “Not
now…not here. We’ll speak when we’re away from prying eyes”.

Her heart raced as her mind spiraled with panic. As they approached the door to his quarters,
he looked round ensuring that nobody saw. Opening it, he ushered her inside before leading
her to a table that was beautifully laid with candles that gave the room a warm glow. “Please
sit”, he said sternly, pulling up a chair for her. Sitting down, her palms were clammy from
nerves. “Severus, please. You’re scaring me. Please say something”.

He pulled up a chair next to her, recoiling away as she reached out for his hand. “Tabitha…
would you care to explain to me why I found you skulking down the corridors with Mr
Burke, instead of joining me for our lovely dinner I had prepared for us? You and him looked
awfully…cozy”. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t bring herself to say anything.
The look in his eyes; she could see the pain. But why the pain was there she didn’t
understand. “Severus..please. It wasn’t what you think. You’ve got it all wrong, just let me
explain”. He sighed, closing his eyes. Looking at her right now made his stomach knot.
“Fine…explain yourself”.

In that moment she wanted nothing more to comfort him, and tell him that what he saw was
nothing but a misunderstanding, but it wasn’t what he wanted from her right now. Right now
she just had to explain herself and hope that he believed her. After all, it was all the truth. “I
was on my way to meet you when the Slytherin boys appeared and blocked my path. I tried
to push past them but they just continued to tease me as they normally do. Except this time,
Marcus…he told me…he…well. He said that he teased me because he liked me and then…
and then he kissed me”.

Snape’s heart sank at the thought of someone else’s lips touching hers. But he knew that what
she said was true. The evidence was all there in front of him. “You kissed him? I thought as
much. The fact that he had your lipstick smeared across his lips. The only other explanation
would be that Burke was experimenting with makeup and just so happened to share the same
taste in colour as yourself. But that…it highly unlikely”. Tabitha couldn’t help but chuckle a
little at the thought of that, but soon stopped when Snape shot her a look. “I’m so glad that
you find my suffering so amusing, Miss Moonblossom”, he snapped. “Now you have one last
chance to explain yourself and the truth behind the secret tryst that’s going on in the shadows
with yourself and Marcus Burke”.

Her face screwed up, and anger brewed up inside her. “So you noticed the lipstick that he had
on his lips, but you failed to notice the delightful hand print that was on his face? How
convenient of you. Did you ever think for even a second that I didn’t ask for him to kiss me?
That he violated my personal space and stole a kiss from lips that wish only to be kissed by
another? I did not consent to that kiss, and I would never. I have no interest in that bully of a
boy. It’s you I want, and only you. It’s always been you”. Tears began to roll down her cheek.

He froze, looking her up and down. Taking out a handkerchief, he wiped away the lipstick
that was smudged across her face. “No man should ever touch you without consent, dear…
and no man should ever jump to conclusions before having all of the facts. Now, please.
Relax your shoulders and unclench your jaw”. Tabitha followed instruction before looking up
at Severus. “I would never betray you, not now or ever. I can’t imagine kissing anyone else
the way you kiss me”.

He leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips, taking her hand in his. “My behavior there was
completely unacceptable, and I really should not have allowed experiences from my past to
cloud my judgement on what we have”. She felt herself melt into him, as it dawned upon her
that he was slowly starting to open up a little to her. “Who was it that hurt you, Severus? I
want to know, so I can ensure that they can never hurt you like that again”

She felt his entire body tense up at her words, a whimpering cry escaping him.”It doesn’t
matter who she was. I can say with certainty that she won’t hurt me ever again, she
can’t….she’s dead”. Tabitha was lost for words, she just couldn’t think of how to respond to
that. “You don’t have to say any more if you don’t want to, Severus. But I am curious as to
what she did to you to make you think for even a second that I was interested in Marcus
Burke”.

He got up, and began pacing round the room. There was so much going on in his head, but
the words just seemed to jumble together. “Her name was Lily…Lily Evans. But she wasn't
Evans when she died. Her name was Lily Potter”. The name seemed familiar to her, but she
couldn’t quite put her finger in it. “I first met her when I was young; before I even started at
Hogwarts. We both lived close by and she had muggle parents. I watched her grow and find
her magic, and we were inseparable. That was until we started school and she was sorted into
Gryffindor and myself into Slytherin. After that we gradually drifted apart, but my feelings
for her never dwindled. Though I showed an interest in her, the feelings were never
reciprocated and eventually she fell for the boy who made my life a living nightmare”.
Standing up, and taking hold of his hand she could sense the pain and suffering he was
reliving in his head. “Come on, you don’t need to say any more if you don’t want to”. He
squeezed her hand, reassuring her that he was OK and wished to continue. “What about the
food, Severus. We could sit down and eat first…talk later”. Shaking his head, he continued.
“I watched the girl I loved drift apart from me, and straight into the arms of a cold hearted
bully. I guess I was concerned that history was about to repeat itself when I saw you with
Burke, and your lipstick on his face”.

She froze, thinking back to the events that had unfurled earlier that evening. Severus felt her
body tense, turning to look at her. “Would you like to talk about what happened? Now my
emotions are less erratic, I’d like to hear your side of the story before I decide what
punishment best fits the crime, and trust me. I will not stand for non-consent towards any of
my students, yet alone you my dear”.

They both sat down, Snape not breaking eye contact with her the whole time she spoke.
Sighing, she twiddled her thumbs and began. “I was on my way to see you when Marcus,
Robin and Curtis stood and blocked my path. They were being their usual self and being
spiteful. In fact he called me ‘Little Tabby Klutzblossom’, clearly a reference to my
clumsiness. But then while Robin and Curtis bickered, he decided to inform me that he was
being cruel to me because he liked me and wanted to take me to the ‘end of school’ ball”.
Snape looked up at her, the words rattling his brain. “He wants to take you to the ball? You
mean that oaf likes you? Why would anyone who likes you treat you the way that he did? It
just doesn’t make sense.” The room was so silent that you could hear the cogs turning in his
brain. She let out a nervous laugh, “Trust me, I was as shocked as you are…and it was after
that bombshell he took it upon himself to kiss me. He was heavy handed and rough, and it
was not at all like when you kiss me. He was just so forceful, and I was scared…confused.
But when the fog cleared in my head…that’s when I slapped him. If you hadn’t appeared I
don’t know what could have happened. But it was clear to me that I was what he wanted, and
I don’t think he’s going to let this one go without a fight”.

He tucked her hair behind her ear and wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek. “Hey,
there’s no point in thinking about what could have happened. I’m just glad that I got there
when I did. I’m just so sorry I didn’t get to you sooner, and I’m sorry for even doubting you
for a second. I should have known that you’d never go for someone like that. But my past got
to me and for a second I couldn’t help but think the worst”. Taking her head in his hand, he
pulled her in for a kiss. She melted into him, the kiss soft and tender. It was warm and
welcoming, the feeling of Marcus' kiss being erased from her lips. All the emotions of the
evening flooded her mind and overwhelmed her.
“Severus…”, she said, her voice pleading. “Severus, can you please take me to bed? I’m so
very tired”. He sighed, giving her a coy smile. “It’s been a long day, my love…come on. Just
one night, but you must be gone by morning, understand? We’re already being watched, and
it would be less than ideal for others to know about us now”. He scooped her up into his arms
and carried her off to his bedroom, laying her down on his bed. Kissing her forehead, he
removed his ropes before laying down next to her in bed. She softly hummed as she nuzzled
down next to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “Good night, Severus”, she yawned
before closing her eyes and drifting off safely in his arms.
 Chapter Ten
Chapter Notes

It's time for them to Marvin Gaye and get it on...fasten your seatbelts.

As Tabitha stirred in the bed, she rolled over forgetting for a moment that there was a second
person in the bed with her. Enjoying the warmth of him next to her, it took her a second to
realize that the man next to her was crying in his sleep and was clearly in distress. Shaking
him softly, she failed to wake the sleeping Snape.

“Hey…Severus. Wake up, you’re having a bad dream”, she gently patted his arm. Still no
good, he wouldn’t wake from his slumber. She was powerless, watching her love in the grips
of a nightmare. “Lily”, he whimpered out, tears rolling down his cheek. Though it hurt to
hear another woman’s name escape his lips while she lay next to him, she understood that he
had a past and it was clearly haunting him right now. Feeling somewhat guilty for perhaps
subconsciously being the reason for the memories resurfacing, she could do nothing but hold
him while he fought his demons.

Placing her hand on his chest, she felt his heart racing. Feeling every ounce of pain that he
was exuding, she began to weep alongside him. She wished that she could take all that pain
from him, but knew that what he experienced made him who he was today. Tabitha just
wished that she could understand what it was that was causing the pain, but she didn’t wish to
pry. He shook as if he was cold, so she wrapped herself around him more, “Oh Severus”, she
whispered, kissing his forehead, rubbing the tip of her nose over his affectionately.

His eyes began to flutter open, looking up at her. Catching his breath, he gave a weak smile,
giving her hand a squeeze. “Tabitha….” She smiled back at him, squeezing his hand in
return. “Yes, it’s me. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere”. As the first rays of sunlight
began to creep into the room, the two of them brushed lips, gently embracing one another and
enjoying the closeness that they both felt.

Fumbling with buttons, Tabitha removed her shirt before pressing her bare flesh against his.
She was close, but she just wanted to be closer to him; closer than they had ever been before.
Taking her hand, she allowed it to move down Severus’ body, stopping as her hand cupped
his boxers. “May I?” she asked, waiting for him to give the nod before allowing her hand to
reach in and gently stroke his member. Feeling him grow with her touch, he took his hand
and moved it down towards her knickers, giving him a smile and nod. Reaching in he stroked
her soft outer lips causing her to whimper in his ear. “Oh, Severus”, she moaned, as he
continued to tease her, his thumb circling on her clit as her hand moved up and down his
shaft.

She nuzzled her head deep into his neck as he continued to tease her clit. He began thrusting
himself into her hand, as her breath was warm on his neck. Taking hold of her wrist, he
whispered in her ear to stop. Without hesitation she followed instructions letting go and
allowing her fingers to intertwine around his. Teasing her slit that he felt it was already plenty
wet enough. “I’m going to make you cum, Tabitha”, he said, nibbling on her earlobe. “I’d
like you to cum for me”. With that, he slipped in two fingers, her eyes widening at the
intrusion. She lost herself in his eyes as he moved his fingers in a come hither motion inside
her, hitting her sweet spot. Tabitha couldn’t look away, she watched him as he watched her
unravel before his very eyes, moans of pure pleasure washing over her as she came. Wave
after wave of ecstasy pulsating through her entire body. She became a quivering mess in his
arms, and he couldn’t help but smile.

Reaching into the drawer of his bedside table he took out a condom. Undoing it, he rolled it
down his member before positioning himself on top of her, the tip pressing ever so slightly on
her already swollen pussy. Staring into her eyes, he waited for consent before entering her.
With a nod from Tabitha he slowly pushed the head of his member allowing her to relax fully
before giving her his entire length. She closed her eyes, gasping at the sudden fullness she
felt. Wrapping her legs around him, she pulled him closer, loving how it felt to just have him
still and inside her. Nobody else had been as close to her as he was right now.

Thrusting slowly at first, he was mesmerized by her reactions to his touch, falling for even
more with every little whimper and groan. As she opened her eyes, she saw the twinkle in his
eyes as she pulled him in to kiss. Their kiss became more intense and passionate as their
bodies moved in sync with each other.

Their bodies moved together in a rhythmic motion, each thrust bringing them closer to the
edge. Tabitha’s moans became louder as she felt herself getting closer and closer to another
climax. Severus’ grunts and groans only adding to the intensity of the moment. As the pair of
them reached their peak, their bodies trembled with pleasure as they both let out a
simultaneous cry of ecstasy. Collapsing onto the bed, their bodies still tangled together they
slowly began to catch their breath. Resting her head on his chest, Severus’ racing heartbeat
soothed her and brought her back to reality. “I love you, Tabitha”, Snape said, without a hint
of hesitation in his voice. Turning her head to look up at him, a smile spread from ear to ear.
“I love you too, Severus”.
 Chapter Eleven

As the morning sun began to flood Snape’s chamber, Tabitha gathered up her clothes and got
herself dressed. Still bathing in the afterglow of the early morning’s events she felt as if she
was floating as high as the clouds. Snape just lay in bed, watching her and smiling. “I never
got round to asking you, but what was it your nightmare was about?”she asked, running her
fingers through her hair and messily tying it back up. Snape shook his head, “it doesn’t
matter now. I’ll tell you later though. How about we try for dinner again? Friday night, once
all classes are done?” Leaning across the bed, she kissed his cheek. “Friday night dinner
sounds perfect?”

Straightening herself out, she turned back to him. “How do I look?, she asked, appreciating
how he was looking at her with such adoring eyes. “Positively radiant, my love”, he said,
getting off the bed and walking towards her. “Oh what I’d do for just a little longer. Just you
and me”. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him once more. “I would love that
too, but you told me I had to be gone by morning and the sun is up and I need to leave before
the other students start leaving the dorms. You know that Dumbledore has his watchful eye
on us and you and I are more than aware of what the consequences are if we get caught”.

Walking her towards the door, he stole himself one last kiss before watching her leave his
quarters and walk along the dungeon corridors. He hated to see her leave, but he wouldn’t
allow this to be the last night he spent with her. He knew that she’d be back in his arms once
more before long, or so he hoped.

Humming to herself and walking around in a daze, Tabitha unknowingly bumped into
someone. “I’m so sorry”, she said, without looking up at who she’d bumped into. As her gaze
met the person she had bumped into, her heart froze. Her eyes met those of Marcus Burke,
and he had a rather large grin on his face. “Snape gave you a good talking to last night, did
he?” She chose to ignore him, trying to walk away but as per usual, Marcus blocked her
path.

“Moonblossom, look at me when I’m talking to you!” he said forcefully, her gaze turning to
him. “What do you want, Marcus?” she asked, wanting nothing more than to return to her
dorm and get herself dressed out of yesterday's ropes. “Must have been one hell of a talking
to for you to be leaving his quarters so early? Don’t tell me you were there with him all
night?” he laughed, half joking. Tabitha didn’t find what he was saying very funny. “It’s
really not what you think, Marcus. I was asked last night to return some textbooks to Severus
which I’d borrowed after a study session. I was awake early so dropped them round to him”.
Tabitha felt terrible for lying about what she was doing, but this was Marcus. She needed to
lie to protect them both, her and Severus. “Oh, and you just so happened to drop those
textbooks off dressed in the same clothes you were wearing yesterday did you? I would have
thought that a prim and proper Hufflepuff like yourself would have been eager to start the day
with her blouse buttons done up correctly”. With that, she looked down knowing in that
moment she had fallen into a trip. Her buttons weren’t incorrectly done up. “So why don’t
you start again, Tabitha. Why was it you were leaving Snape’s quarters at this hour, why does
your hair look like it’s yet to see a brush today and why…did you just refer to him as
Severus”.

Her mind drew a blank as panic washed over her. No matter how hard she tried to find a way
around this, it was futile. He had her in checkmate. “Sneaking out of Snape’s quarters in a
little world of your own, grinning from ear to ear. There’s only one explanation”, Marcus
pulled a face of disgust. “The butter wouldn’t melt, sweet and innocent Little Tabby
Moonblossom and the old, slimy, greasy haired potions master…a pairing that nobody would
have ever expected. Why? Why on earth would you go for that, when you have such a young
and handsome Slytherin who’d love to have you on his arm!”

Tabitha looked down at the floor, hating how he was speaking about Severus. “You fucked
him, didn’t you? You let that old man touch you. You gave yourself to him willingly.
Disgusting. Such a creepy old pervert, fucking a student. I bet Dumbledore would have a
field day with this!” She covered her ears, not wanting to hear another world from him. “It’s
not like that, Marcus”. “In fact…forget about me telling Dumbledore. You know, I could just
as easily tell the whole school about this little rendezvous of yours and Professor Snape’s.
With everyone in the know, your whole life would fall apart, and what about Snivellus? He’d
lose his job,perhaps even be locked away in Azkaban for indecency with a student”.

Panic filled the Hufflepuff, as she imagined if everyone knew. Every single student and
professor at the school knowing her secret. A secret that needed to stay that way for
everyone’s sake. “What is this? The desperate babbling of scorn Slytherin who realized he
didn’t stand a chance because the girl he wanted had a real man? Pathetic really”.

He laughed, “I’m glad you think this is all so funny because as it stands right now I hold all
the cards. I really have nothing to lose here. You just said yourself that you’ve got yourself a
‘real man’ so you were never mine to lose. But…if you want your little secret to remain a
secret I have a proposition for you”. He grinned from ear to ear, enjoying seeing Tabitha
completely powerless. “I’ll keep your secret if you agree to do something for me in return”.
She rolled her eyes, glancing away from him. “I told you before, Marcus. I have no interest in
going to the ball with you”. He laughed, “However wonderful it would have been to go to the
ball with you, I have something else planned”. There was a pause, as she watched him
carefully. “I’ll keep your secret if you agree to go on a date with me. This Friday, after class.
You and me at The Three Broomsticks. We grab some butterbeers, perhaps a bit of food…and
then we part ways”. He held out his hand to her, hoping that she’d shake it in agreement.
Hesitantly, she took his hand and shook it. “Fine…one date. An hour tops, Friday at The
Three Broomsticks. I agree to those terms, and you don’t breathe a word about what you saw
to anyone.

Marcus grinned triumphantly, and this made Tabitha feel more nervous than she did before.
After all, he was a Slytherin and they were renowned for both their cunning and their skills in
manipulation. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was going to do, but he knew that he had to
take full advantage of the position he had Tabitha in. He was blackmailing her, and she
needed to tread carefully in order to protect Severus who had far more to lose.
 Chapter Twelve

My dearest Severus,

It’s with the heaviest of hearts that I tell you this.

This morning as I left you, I was spotted by none other that Marcus Burke.

He pieced together all that he saw and is now threatening to out us to the entire school if I
do not comply with his request.

A request that brings a sickening to my stomach, but it is a must for your safety and future
at Hogwarts.

He has requested that on Friday, after all classes are finished that I join him at The Three
Broomsticks for butterbeers, and that it shall be a date.

I fear that this clashes with our dinner date, and I shall not allow him to ruin yet another
of our dinners.

I’ve told him that I shall be there for butterbeers and will not be sticking around for any
longer than an hour.

After that, I shall join you for what I hope to be a romantic evening.

See you soon my love,

Tabitha Moonblossom

As Friday evening came about, Tabitha found herself wandering around the dungeons in hope
of seeing Severus before she left for he’date’.r. No such luck came to her though, instead she
found herself standing outside the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Straightening out
her dress, she took some deep breaths. Considering he wanted this to be a ‘date’ she had
thought she should at least dress for the charade. Her shoulder length hair which she normally
wore up in a bun was let down. The dress she wore was yellow, as she never turned down an
opportunity to wear her house colour with pride. Checking the time, she shook off her nerves
before starting to walk away.

She had taken no more than three steps before the entrance to the Slytherin common room
opened and out stepped Marcus. He was dressed all in black, with his hair slicked back. He
gave her a warm smile as she saw her standing just ahead of her. Closing her eyes, she
couldn’t bring herself to look at him, yet he walked right up to her and tilted up her chin so
she looked him in the eye. “You’re looking quite the treat, aren’t you? ” he said. His words
caused chills through her. “I thought that I’d at least make some sort of effort for you
considering you currently have, as you worded it, all the cards in your hand”. Pulling her in
close, he whispered in her ear. “And don’t you forget it. You play nice, or else one wrong
move and it's game over for you…and your precious professor”.

Marcus held out his arm for Tabitha, who put on her best smile and linked her arm around
his. “Now isn’t that much better. Relax…it’s just a date. Two fellow Hogwarts students
enjoying each other's company; taking a break from their studies just before their N.E.W.Ts' '.
She softened her smile a little, but inside she was breaking. As the pair of them walked
through the corridors arm in arm, people started to whisper. Marcus reveled in the looks and
the whispers, proud of himself for finally having the girl he wanted on his arm and everyone
seeing it. He’d had eyes for her since she first sat down on the stool during the sorting
ceremony. He could tell just by looking at her that she was going to be sorted into Hufflepuff.
Her kind heart and gentle nature were completely parallelled to him who was undoubtedly
destined for Slytherin.

Knowing that this was just a part that she was playing, Tabitha let her body relax and lean
into him, turning to look at him. This wasn’t just a look of gloating that he had, it was more
than just a reason to have his ego rubbed. “So, what is it you’re expecting to come from this
date, Marcus? You clearly know that I’m not going to abandon the man I love and run off into
the sunset with you”.

Holding the grand wooden doors open at the front of Hogwarts, he shook his head. “This
isn’t about me stealing you from him. This is about me proving to you that you can do better
than old Snivellus and opening your eyes to what you could have if you choose it. I’m not the
bully that I made myself out to be, I’m just a fool for love and it's you I’ve loved…always.
This date is me proving to you that I can be everything you wish for and more. If only you
give me the chance”.

Walking through the doors, he escorted her to an awaiting carriage, holding the door open to
it he took hold of her hand and helped her in. “I thought that we might get to know one
another a little better on the way to Hogsmeade, and travelling by carriage would be better
than walking”. As he sat across from her, she began to shiver, partially through nerves and
partially because there was a nip in the air. Taking off his jacket, Marcus offered it to Tabitha
who just sat there shaking her head. “I’m fine Marcus, don’t be so ridiculous. Just put your
jacket back on”, she snapped at him, shuffling uncomfortably in her seat.

“There’s something I’d like to say to you, Tabitha”. She looked up at him, a strange warmth
in his eyes that she’d never seen before. “I want to tell you how sorry I am for how I’ve
treated you over the years. My father had always told me, apparently wrongly, that in order to
capture a girl's heart you need to treat them mean. I think the phrase he used was ‘treat them
mean, keep them keen’. It seemed to work for my mother, but clearly it doesn’t work for
everyone. I should have treated you how you deserved to be treated. Perhaps if I hadn’t
followed such terrible advice I could have stood a chance with you”. Coughing, she adjusted
in her seat.

“Well, parents aren’t always right despite what they might think”, she said, smiling a little.
“My mother neglected to tell my father that she was a witch until she had no choice but to.
Let’s just say that when I got my Hogwarts letter my poor father was more than a little
shocked”. The two of them laughed together for the first time, and she began to relax.

“I’ve always admired you, Tabitha. Perhaps sometimes I may have even envied you. Your
parents, they really love each other and that’s a love that I’ve never really been around. Being
half-blood, the bringing together of magic folk and muggles. My family being pureblood
means that I have expectations that need to be upheld. I have my whole life laid out in front
of me, everything from my job to who I’m supposed to marry. My father would do whatever
it takes to ensure that I keep the blood of my family pure, and falling for you was never part
of their plan. So I fought it; I pushed it away and made your life difficult. Can you imagine a
Burke with a half-blood? They tell me that by keeping the blood pure it keeps it strong. But
there’s a whole new strength in the joining of differences. I’m supposed to follow the
standards they set for me, but at the end of the day I’m my own person and I should have the
right to my own beliefs”.

She reached out, putting a hand on his leg, “Everyone has a choice, Marcus. A parents job is
to guide their child along the path of life; allow them to make their own decisions. It sounds
to me that your parents don’t want you to live your own life, but have made you a puppet, not
a son. It’s never too late though to take control of your own life”. He placed his hand on top
of hers as the carriage pulled to a halt outside of The Three Broomsticks.

“Come on now. We may as well try and enjoy ourselves tonight. Your methods of getting me
here were far from ideal, but let's just make the most of this bad situation”. She jumped out of
the carriage, offering her hand to Marcus and he climbed out of the carriage and offered her
his arm once more. “Let's get you out of the cold and find a table next to the fire. I may not
be the massive jerk I thought you were, but I still stand by what I said before. I can give you
only an hour of my time as I have other plans”.

With that it dawned upon him where she was going after their date, and the thought of it
made his blood boil. He had been nothing but charming to her, yet she was still going to just
walk away from him after an hour and head straight into the arms of Snape. His plan was
clearly failing and it appeared that he’d have to take more drastic action to ensure that he got
what he wanted. Though she had now seen his vulnerable side, he was still a Slytherin and
had to be one step ahead of her. He was and always would be unapologetically ambitious, and
refused to let anything or anyone stand in his way.
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