Precarious (Severus Snape x Reader)

Chapter 11: How Did You Know I Like Cinnamon?

"It's my pleasure."

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When you awoke at seven in the morning, you were fighting the urge to stay in bed for at least another hour. You rolled to your right side, toward your nightstand, looking for last night's letter to confirm that you wouldn't be tardy. You ran your fingers across the aged wood, once again cursing your need for corrective lenses, until you encountered a parchment. Bringing the letter closer to your eyes, you read over the script.

Possibly caffeinated.

Fuck! That's this morning!

You briefly recalled the effects of sleeping draughts on short-term memory as you rubbed your eyes and jumped out of bed. There was no chance that you would be able to fall back to sleep after the realization, so you went straight to the bathroom in search of your contacts. Once you were able to see clearly, you spent a ridiculous amount of time in your wardrobe looking for a reasonable outfit. Eventually, you settled on a basic professional top and skirt, reminding yourself that it would be hardly visible. When you changed your undergarments, a fleeting thought crossed your mind about wearing something sexy, just in case. You decided against it due to its unlikelihood.

You were entirely too ahead of schedule due to your eager awakening. You twiddled your wand between your fingers as you sat on the sofa, restless, with adrenaline pumping. You pondered going to the corridor in which you were supposed to meet Severus, but didn't want to appear too eager.

Maybe if you brought a book, you thought.

Brew interrupted your consideration with a loud meow, much more insistent than usual. It was only at this signal that you realized you had forgotten to feed her. Severus would be the death of both you and your kneazle. You stood from the couch, apologizing for your negligence. You walked toward your miniature refrigerator, uncommon as it may be for a witch, and withdrew a small bag of Brew's food. Truthfully, the only reason you had bought the fridge in the first place was for her food, as you made it fresh with salmon, turkey, and a variety of magical herbs that would maintain her health. You opened the bag and spooned a few scoops into her bowl, and she responded with a mewl of appreciation.

You were now searching for something else to occupy your time. It was only seven-thirty, and you still had one long, despicable hour to burn. As a default, you resumed the book you had been absentmindedly reading for the past few days and attempted to lose yourself in the current chapter.

Forty-five minutes later, you hastily put your book back onto the table. You couldn't wait any longer. You donned your robes and scratched Brew's head goodbye.

"I'll see you this evening, sweetheart," you said softly, hearing her purr.

You tucked your wand into your robes and slid two galleons into your pocket, enough to pay for both of your coffees. Then, with a rush of excitement, your exited your quarters into the corridor. As you passed by the door to the Potions classroom, you found it closed as usual, but could see beneath the crack that there was no light.

Was he already there?

Noting Severus' supposed absence, you rushed to the corridor, enough to move quickly but not be gasping for air by the time you arrived. You waved at Minerva in the hall, not giving her enough time to converse, and bid Peeves a good morning sternly. After a lengthy walk, you turned a corner to find Severus staring peacefully out the window. You felt the familiar flood of surprise when you laid eyes on him, despite your expectation. He turned his gaze in your direction at the sound of your footsteps. His features hardened somewhat, possibly attempting to dehumanize himself in your presence. You didn't know him too deeply, but were aware of his constant attempts to mask his emotions.