Precarious (Severus Snape x Reader)

Chapter 19: I Love You

"I can't physically be apart from you anymore."

-

To say that the sound of your alarm was dreadful would be an understatement. The last thing you wanted to do was spend your Saturday relabeling ingredients for Severus that you were certain didn't need new labels. You had a feeling he was only making you do this as a punishment for being so distant-minded in class. If only he knew that all of your turmoil was because of him. Or maybe he did know, and he was punishing you for your thoughts. Either way, this day was sure to be painful. You rose to a halfway upright position in bed, silencing your alarm for good after three snoozes. It was six-thirty, and you simply had to get up. You rubbed your eyes, wincing at the scrape of your desiccated contacts against your corneas that had been in for twenty-four hours too long. Whilst feeding Brew her breakfast, you silently prayed that everything would turn out fine, and that Severus would be cordial at the least. At best, you prayed that he would go back to the way he acted after you saw his dark mark, and that he would once again scoop you into his arms and cuddle you to his chest until the students quite literally beat down his door. Hoping was futile, though, and you thought it best to prepare for the worst and most likely scenario.

You crept slowly into the potions classroom at the prompt of a bellowing, "enter". He was sitting at his desk, as per usual, scrawling languidly on a fresh parchment. You swallowed thickly and let your pride settle into your stomach to be eaten away by the acid that churned violently within you.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked dryly.

"Um...what ingredients do you need relabeled?" you answered.

"All of them. Every vial and jar in this room needs a new label. I advise you to get to work, else you may be spending the night here."

Your eyes widened at the suggestion. Oh, what you would give to spend a night with him again. Without another word, you moved to set your belongings on the nearest table, and found a small box filled with blank labels, some tiny, and others large enough to adorn a full-sized cauldron. Next to the box was a jar of glue. You shook your head slightly at his expectation of doing this all by hand, without magic. You briefly wished for death as you grabbed the box and glue and headed toward the shelf furthest from him. Once you had cleared the shelf and placed the vials in a row on a table, you began to pick the old, perfectly readable labels from the glass with a fingernail. You thanked your lucky stars that they came off clean.

You had finished an entire shelf, and were developing a sordid ache in your hands and wrists. Shooting Severus a scowl, which he thankfully did not see, you began to work on the second shelf. This one was filled with larger jars, and would take longer to relabel than the vials. You stole several small glances at him while you worked, and cursed yourself for still finding him beautiful. Attractive. Sexy. Unnerving.

You were interrupted from your daydream by the rasp of Severus clearing his throat.

"Am I doing alright, sir?" you asked, just a hint of scorn playing around the edges.

He gave a long pause. "Your work is...satisfactory."

He moved closer to you, and you could feel his heat radiating against your back. You tensed.

"W-what are you doing?" you whispered, and you felt a slight tingle pass through you and start to ignite in your groin.

"Just looking."

At what? you thought.

"At your handwriting," he said, his voice low, although you sensed his gaze had settled on you.