The Stars on the Staircase

Potions Provisions Promises

The next day the potions exam was not until the afternoon. I was determined not to allow myself to spiral into worrying about it. Last night I had been lulled into a blissful sleep by Severus with the use of his bathtub. He claimed this was a good way to bookend our time together as an illicit student teacher relationship. This time however, he had not left the bathroom, rather he had sat by the side of the tub. Offering helping hands so to speak.

Before the test I opted to sit in my bedroom and read my novel rather than study with my peers. I knew there was no amount of studying that would help in a potions exam. There was only follow the given directions to the best of your abilities and keep your head.

I was lounging about, trying to kill off the horribly slow hours this way. Reading while sprawled across my bed. I had changed positions dozens of times to keep the numbness of sitting still for so long at bay. When my hearth expanded and my Potions Master appeared I was a little gobsmacked, laying with my head off the side of my bed and my arms stretched above me.

"Keeping calm I see." He says, his expression bemused at my position.

"I'm trying to distract myself. I don't think there's much good in studying."

"Agreed, and I do think there's good in eating before tests and yet I did not see you at lunch."

"I feel a little sick."

"You should eat something."

"I will later." I argue.

He had apparently come bearing biscuits and a cheese scone. For he now produced them from his pocket. I take them. "Are you delivering treats to all your students today?" I teased.

"I'm not here in the capacity of your teacher I'm here as your-'

He stopped but it was too late, my eyes had lit up with the promise of him labelling us. "My what?"

"The keeper of all your secret desires."

"And secret biscuits." I add, annoyed that he had avoided giving us a serious label. I took a bite of one as I said it, placing the rest on my bedside table.

"You'll come to me tonight." He states. It is not a question.

I flick my eyes back up to him and observe him for a moment. Here he is issuing orders, my large, black robed, imposing presence of a lover who has just sweetly brought me cookies. He is a conundrum. My conundrum. "What time do you wish me to appear, my lord?" I answered tongue in cheek, feigning a kind of sweet submission so he knew I was begging to roll my eyes.

"9:30." He answered softly, his eyes travelling over me where I sat on my knees on my bed.

"As you wish, keeper of my desires." I do a little bow.

"Appear with this cheeky attitude and see what happens." He threatens with a smirk as he turns back to my fireplace and leaves.

~~+~~

When proctor tells me I got an Outstanding in my Potions final and I could have been knocked over with a feather. I had been gunning for an Exceeds Expectations. I'm so excited to talk to Severus, but I have to wait hours. We lock eyes at dinner multiple times. This time in our lives together is slipping away so rapidly and yet I'm wishing away the minutes between now and 9:30.

The moment the clock's minute hand ticks over I throw in the power and go through my fireplace. I freeze. I hear him talking to Minerva in his sitting room. I pray the fireplace trip had been quiet and stand very still.

"It's not to say that I am not impressed with her marks, of course I am impressed. She has turned out exceptionally high graded. I'm just saying to mind what you let her think is happening with the two of you. You can't let her think you're going to be with her forever when you know you'll be back here come September."