Drops of Juniper (Discontinued, Rewrite On My Profile)

Chapter 2: The Potions Master

I awoke with a jolt, half laying on the bed still in my white button-up, tie, and skirt from the night before. My cloak was bunched up on the ground next to the bed. I looked at the time on the old-fashioned alarm clock on the bedside table; the time read 9:20 am, which meant I was already twenty minutes late for my first class! I quickly checked my timetable that had been handed to me last night by Professor Sprout, who was not only my head of the house but also the Herbology teacher. My first class was potions. Anxiety started creeping into me as I remembered what that Hufflepuff boy had told me the night before. Without thinking twice, I grabbed my books and ran full speed to the dungeons where the classroom was.

I barged through the door, causing the class to turn and look at me; I heard a few snickers, "Sorry! Sorry!" I managed while breathing heavily, taking whatever free seat I found first. I was more than aware of the look Snape was giving me; he kept staring at me until I had sat down.

"Coming into my class twenty minutes late, on the first day," he said, looking at me with disgust written all over his face, "Although I expect nothing less from a Hufflepuff," his voice sounded calm, but his face and eyes were angry. "Twenty points from Hufflepuff and detention after dinner, Miss Bane, maybe you'll think twice before stepping into my classroom late" his voice was monotone and cold. Snape stood up and with a flick of his wand instructions appeared on the blackboard behind him.

"Today, you will be making the Draught of Peace, a complicated potion with grave consequences if brewed incorrectly", his monotone voice echoed off the dungeon walls. Once Snape sat back down Kara scurried over to me.

"I'll help you, I know you were never that good at potions" she gave me a little a wink and we set to work.

I found myself distracted most of the class by Snape, glancing at him often. Kara had to keep regaining my focus.

"Juniper! Be careful!" She cried as I almost dumped the powdered unicorn horn in her lap.

"Why are you so distracted?" She asked, following my gaze to Snape sitting at his desk scribbling aggressively with his quill.

"Please don't tell me you're getting the hots for that idiot" Kara looked at me discouraged, I only shrugged in response and began stirring the potion clockwise.

After potions, the day seemed to drone on; I was not looking forward to my detention. I managed to slip out before heading to the dungeon for a smoke. Leaving the Great Hall early and ignoring Kara's protests, I went to sit on the side of the lake and summoned my pack of muggle brand cigarettes from my trunk. I pulled out a smoke and used my wand to light it; I watched as the cigarette burned and made pretty smoke ribbons that slowly rose to the sky and disappeared. I thought about the feeling I got when Snape was around and when I arrived in the Great Hall I looked for him without even realizing it.

When I finished my smoke, I began walking back to the castle to serve my detention; the walk to the dungeons wasn't as long as I had assumed; once there I regretted not bringing my robe as the temperature seemed to drop a fair amount.

Reaching Snape's classroom, instead of knocking, I went right in; Snape was sitting at his desk with a quill furiously writing. He looked up as I walked in, a look of displeasure came over his face.

"Coming in without knocking, I knew you were arrogant and insufferable the moment I laid eyes on you," he said calmly looking me up and down. I took a seat at a desk right in front of his own. Snape returned his gaze to the papers strewn about his desk.

"So, what do you want me to do? I could organize some things or clean?" I asked softly.

"Nothing, just sit there you're too eager." He sneered, not looking up from his papers; I shrugged and sat there staring at him taking in his appearance.

He was much easier to look at when he wasn't staring you down; his cloak was now off and hung on a hook at the far end of the classroom; he now wore a button-up black robe; a white-collar was barely noticeable underneath, only slightly touching his jawline, as well as covering a small portion of his hands. His nose did hook but wasn't as big as I had heard from other students slandering him in the halls after having one of his classes. His hair, however, DID look greasy, although, besides that, he was quite something to look at.

"Staring is rude, Miss Bane," He said suddenly, not looking up.

"You said to sit here, so I'm sitting here; I have to do something", I answered back

"Watch your tone with me," he said, finally looking up, "or you'll be in detention for the rest of the year."

What made him such a cranky bastard? I thought to myself; he continued to stare, raising an eyebrow at me. I continued to sit there and tried hard to look at anything but Snape; shelves were along the walls, all packed to the brim with different bottles, and they were curving under their weight. However, no matter what, my gaze would always come back to him, sitting at his desk, writing, now and then taking a lock of hair out of his face, the way his hand held the quill, and other little things.

Detention with him for the rest of the year wouldn't be so bad; I thought he looked up at me immediately afterwards, which I thought was a bit odd but brushed it off.

I sat there and looked around more, staring at the many bottles lining the shelves and Snape. I rested my hand on my chin and stared at him, slowly falling asleep.

"You may go now, Miss Bane, and don't be late again, or I'll have no problem giving you another detention," He said, immediately stirring me from my light sleep. I got up and made my way to the door. The sky outside was now a deep blue, I had been in detention for no less than two hours. I looked back at Snape bent over his desk heading furiously again.

"Good night Professor" I said sweetly and shut the door quietly behind me.