Eternally Yours (Severus Snape x Reader)

Chapter 16 Your small miracle

Today was the graduation day. Yesterday, many students left Hogwarts to go back to their homes and today at 6:00pm, there was going to be the certificates ceremony and then the after party. The students from the other years already were on summer break so later that day it would be just the seventh year students with their families along with all the teachers and staff.

For you, yesterday was one of your worst days as you could barely keep your consciousness. But today, you felt really good, energy was pumping through your veins and you could only smile as today was the day you would see your friends graduate.

As you were writing a letter to your best friend, your mind wandered to the Potions Master. He hadn't come as regularly as he used to for the past two months. At first you thought he didn't want to come and see you, why would he? To his eyes, you were just another student he had to teach.

But during the past month, you started to think that maybe he was just busy as the graduation was coming and being Head of House, he needed to be in every meeting the staff made for this huge event.

On the other hand, when Severus returned from Hogsmeade the day he bought the dress, he started to wonder if it was prudent for him to give his present to you. Sure, you wanted the dress and he had bought it for you alongside a pair of comfortable shoes for you to wear. But still 'would it be appropriate to give her this?' 'what if she doesn't like it?' These questions and more invaded Severus' mind. And every time he saw you lying in the hospital bed, he wanted to give his gift to you but his own doubts always held him back.

After a couple of minutes, you finished your letter and gave it to an owl "Take this to Celestia Warren." The brown owl took it and flew out of the window. You smiled slightly as it flew away and suddenly, an idea popped into your mind and you stood up from your bed, putting on your shoes, you left the hospital wing and started to walk down the corridors and into the cold dungeons. You soon arrived at the potions classroom and taking a deep breath, you knocked on the door in your usual pattern. You heard no response from the other side so you assumed that Professor Snape wasn't in there so you turned over your heels, ready to get back to the medical room when the door swung open.

You turned around and faced once more, the Head of Slytherin "What are you doing down here Miss (y/n)?" he asked sternly, more in the demanding tone rather than the question one "I-I just wanted to... you know...spend some time with you." you said back nervously.

Severus raised an eyebrow at your smaller figure and, in that moment, he realised he had barely seen you. He was so immersed in his own little world that he forgot to go to the hospital wing after dinner and accompany you in your lonely evenings. "Well... I've been busy with the graduation and all." Severus replied and you sighed inwardly at his words, knowing that you hadn't done anything wrong to upset him, he was just busy. Or that was what he wanted you to believe. Severus didn't want you to know the truth, that he's been stressing himself out since the day he bought that dress. He wanted to give the box to you and tell you how he felt but his insecurities always held him back. The words would always stay in his throat everytime he thought about it. He couldn't even mutter them. "If you are busy then I'll just get going." you said "Actually... would you like to... come in?" Severus asked, fearing that you would decline but, why would he fear that? You've been in his classroom countless times and now, now when he was inviting you, that's when he felt nervous.

But his nerves calmed down once you smiled up at him "Yeah, I'd like that." he opened the door widely for you to enter the rather familiar room and he followed you, closing the door behind him. You sat in front of his desk and he sat in his usual chair "How have you been feeling?" Severus asked. His voice soft and concerned "I've been fine, today I feel really good actually. Though yesterday was one of my bad days, I felt really drained."

He hummed "With whom are you going to the graduation ball?" you laughed slightly at his question "Well... I'm not going to go." Severus' eyes widened slightly "Why?" he asked, now curious about the matter in hand "Firstly, because I don't want to exhaust myself and secondly because... I do not have... a dress." you said before glancing down at your lap, realizing how embarrassing that must have sounded. "Then, I think today is your lucky day." said Severus, barely smiling.

You looked up at him, his 'smile' vanishing from his lips "How so?" you asked innocently. He stood up from his chair "Follow me." and with that, the Potions Master started to walk to a door at the back of the classroom, you walking close behind him.

He opened the door just to be met by his living quarters. They were cosy, with black and green furniture. Severus walked to another room, to which you assumed to be his bedroom, but you didn't dare to follow him there, you already felt intrusive by just standing in his living room.

Minutes later, Severus came back from his bedroom with a big pink box in his hands. It was totally out of place, seeing the rest of the room was dark. He placed the box down on the coffee table and you walked towards it. You looked up at Severus, silently asking permission to open the beautiful and mysterious box and as if he read your thoughts, he said "Go on, open it."

Your delicate fingers traced the lid before you opened the box and what was inside made your eyes water. There was the dress you saw in Hogsmeade with Celestia, the one you liked so much but was really expensive for you, there were also a pair of light pink flats and another box but this one was silver and smaller.

You took the silver box and opened it just to reveal a beautiful tiara with pink flowers that matched the dress. You put a hand over your mouth "Do you like it?" you heard Severus ask from behind you. Turning around, now facing him, you said, still with the opened silver box in your hand "No-one ever gifted me something like this." you whispered "Thank you." you smiled through your tears and without giving it a second thought, you hugged him from the waist.

At first Severus didn't reciprocate your embrace as he wasn't used to people hugging him, and also because he was still confused about how that tiara got in the box. He doesn't remember buying it but he wasn't going to tell you that. Coming back from his trance, Severus slowly brought his hands around your figure, hugging you too. "I really like it." you said before the two of you separated from the embrace.

You turned to look back at the opened box on the coffee table with a wide smile on your face "Wasn't it too expensive?" you asked as you took the dress from the box, putting in front of you "No, don't worry about it." It was obviously expensive but Severus didn't want you to know that. He wanted you to enjoy this night and even if he had to spend his last galleon on buying you that dress, he would have. Without hesitation as he just realised how deep and sincere his love for you was.

"You should go and get ready, it's already four o'clock and the ceremony starts at six." he said and you nodded. Putting everything back in the box, you wiped your happy tears from your (e/c) eyes and, taking the big box, you exited his quarters and then his classroom not before saying "Thank you again, Severus. See you later." and with that, you were out in the corridors again, not wanting to wait another second to get in the dress.

A/N I'm sorry guys but this is going to be the last chapter for the week as I'm really stressed with school as it's the end of the semester and projects and exams are coming up, but I promise next week you guys will have another update. Take care everyone xxx

Word count: 1402

May/18/2021