Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

Visitors

After lunch that same day, Severus and Florence were on their way to their Herbology review class when Dumbledore intercepted them.

"Hello, Headmaster," greeted Florence.

"Good afternoon, Miss Delacour, Mr Snape. Go on to your class, Severus, I need to have a word with Florence," said Dumbledore.

Severus nodded and resumed walking after glancing at his friend, a little concerned about what the Headmaster could want with her.

Dumbledore waited until the boy was into the Greenhouse to speak again:

"I'll go straight to the point, Florence: are there any special abilities you may have forgotten to tell me?"

"No," she lied.

Being that that was the answer he had expected to hear, Dumbledore shook his head and continued: "So explain to me how did you and your friend clean all those dirty cauldrons last night in less than an hour?"

She put on a poker face and replied: "We just scrubbed them really fast and efficiently, Headmaster."

Dumbledore laughed, "You're really your father's daughter. It was very convenient of you to forget to tell me such an interesting ability as wandless magic."

She crossed her arms, "Even if I did what you're accusing me of doing." she neither denied nor confirmed his suspicions, "It was really unfair that we had to clean all those disgusting cauldrons as a punishment for teaching those big-headed Gryffindors a lesson! They started it! They deserved what they got!"

"Do you really think Sirius Black deserved to be hit by a tree?" Dumbledore looked at her over the rim of his glasses.

"And you think he didn't?" She huffed indignantly, "Severus said Black and Potter have been terrorising him since his first day in Hogwarts. And no one has never done anything-"

"Ah, so you've decided to take matters into your own hands," Interrupted the Headmaster, making her fall silent. "I won't pry, my dear. But I might say I'm starting to understand what's be happening between you and Severus."

Florence blushed, but didn't say anything.

Dumbledore sighed and continued: "Make sure it doesn't happen again, ok? No more duelling, and no more wandless magic inside the castle."

"All right. I promise I'll behave, as long as those two Gryffindors don't mess with Severus again- or me," she quickly added, feeling her face heat up redder.

Dumbledore just looked at her for another moment and decided not to comment on her obvious growing feelings for her classmate.

"Prof. McGonagall will deal with James and Sirius," he finally said, "Now, go into the Greenhouse, I've kept you from your class long enough."

_______________________

As she walked into Greenhouse #4, Florence saw Severus was already working side by side with a Ravenclaw girl.

So the teacher, Prof. Sprout, paired her up with a Gryffindor boy.

"I'm a great at Herbology," he said, "Not so good at Potions though," he lifted a large bag of dirt from the floor, putting it on the table, "You're Florence Delacour, right? I'm Frank Longbottom."

"Yes, I am. Pleased to meet you, Frank. I'm sorry for asking this, but isn't this class supposed to be of Slytherins and Ravenclaws?" she looked at his uniform where a lion was embroidered.

"Yes. But Herbology is my passion, so I come here to help Prof. Sprout whenever I have time to spare."

She just nodded, not really relating to his love of Herbology – she knew plants were useful but she didn't love the subject – she could read between the lines, though, and tell he liked being around plants more than around people.