The Potions Master and the Ravenclaw

"You want to be careful, Miss Clovewater"

Severus Snape was trying his best to keep his mind off Madeline Clovewater,  but he was failing miserably.

She looked especially beautiful today and it was enraging him.

Her hair was tied back in a ponytail with a black satin ribbon, a few curls framing that angelic face.

That face.

She was so pretty, her features so flawless, that she almost didn't look real - more like a doll or a painting. Those huge, black eyes framed with impossibly long, thick lashes. That adorable button nose. Her lips were blood red and when her little pink tongue flicked out to wet them he almost came undone. It was simultaneously innocent and erotic and he could tell she had no idea how attractive she was. Her Ravenclaw tie was tied perfectly as always and tucked neatly inside her uniform sweater. Her robes were clean and perfectly pressed. Not a wrinkle in sight.

Did she have to be so damned perfect? It almost physically hurt him to look at her. It was maddening.

He scowled, frustrated with himself. How was he supposed to forget about her when she looked so lovely?

He watched her expertly grinding up mandrake root into a very fine powder, the size of the grains ideal for the pepper-up potion she was brewing. She carefully added the powder to her cauldron and wandlessly stirred it in. Such a talented girl.

He realized he'd been staring entirely too long. He turned away and closed his eyes. He breathed slowly and deeply in and out through his nose, attempting to compose himself. Then he began to move about the classroom to monitor the students' progress.

At last, he reached Madeline.

He moved behind her to examine the contents of her caldron just as she stepped back and she bumped right into him. She gasped and spun around to look up into his face. The physical contact felt like a lightening bolt and the intensity of it shocked him.

"Please excuse me, Professor! I didn't know you were there." She had instinctively grabbed his arm to steady herself. His black eyes flicked down to her hand on his dark robes and she instantly snatched it away, embarrassed.

"You want to be careful, Miss Clovewater," he said, frowning. He forced himself to look away and circulate among the other students, but the interaction had shaken him.

He really needed to get control of himself. This was becoming problematic.

...

Madeline Clovewater was distracting Severus Snape and he was livid.

Ravenclaw and Slytherin were neck and neck in the quidditch match, and the crowd was frenzied. Snape was trying his best to pay attention, but he couldn't keep his eyes off Madeline.

She was looking particularly perfect as she stood laughing and cheering with her friends in the stands, watching the action on the quidditch pitch. Her hair was down and the wind was blowing her loose curls wildly around her sweet face. She was wearing a black winter coat, and a navy and gray striped Ravenclaw house scarf was tied neatly around her neck.  The wind had flushed her cheeks pink and the cold air made her breath visible in graceful puffs from her blood red lips. She looked radiant. Happy.

Absolutely beautiful.

He envisioned himself taking a fistful of those soft, dark curls and drawing her close, covering her mouth with his own, tasting those pretty little lips, finding her tongue with his, and kissing her until she was weak and breathless and clinging to him.

And it infuriated him.

Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? He was trying to push her out of his mind, but how could he when she looked like that? With those huge dark eyes and that mouth. That mouth!