The Year of the Revolution II. The Discovery of Friendship

7. Lucky day

On Wednesday they had the last Potions class of the term, Sev's acid test. This time Parkinson didn't harass him back and forth to the closet, she stayed very formal. 'I hope she has given up.' But as Lily had predicted, that was almost impossible, and he could see it as soon as he started preparing the ingredients. 'She doesn't take her eyes off me. I follow my own, I don't look at her.'

Finally, when he began with the potion, she moved a little closer to him, still not getting too close, and whispered, "Well, Snape, what about our deal? Are you going to help me with the potion?"

He pretended to be paying attention to what he was doing to take time to answer, in a low tone but not that much. "I already told you that you can look at me if you want, but don't bother me, I need concentration."

She also took some time to get closer to him, and said in an inviting and low tone, so that only he could hear her, "To your dear Mudblood, you helped her well, I don't see what she has that I don't have, look, I can tell..." With the last words her tone became even more suggestive, as he felt her fingernails brush his neck, catching and twisting one of his long strands around her finger.

Sev lost control for a moment. 'The girl is a true vampiress.' Her touch sent a shiver of pleasure through him, and it took him a while to regain his composure.

He finally answered her as indifferently and coldly as he could, just for her and without looking at her. "If you're telling lies or touch me again, I'll tell the truth, that you're trying to flirt with me and I'm ignoring you. Let's see who gossip hurts the most."

She immediately broke contact. He refrained from looking at her, felt her get angry and burst out, "But what did you believe, you stinky greasy?"

Sev had to force himself to contain his laughter. 'I've been since Friday, when I was with Lily, without washing my hair, counting on the little scene. For once, the vexatious epithet that the Gryffindors have given me so many times is coming in handy.'

"How dare you say something like that to me, you filthy half-blood?"

The whole class was already looking at them, guffaws from the Gryffindor side, and the snake bank chuckling. Only Remus, Cecile, Stevens and of course Sev stood firm, waiting for Slughorn to obviously intervene.

"Silence!"

The laughter decreased in volume.

"What's the matter, Miss Parkinson? Was Mr. Snape bothering you?"

The class was silent, expectant. Lily watched as Parkinson struggled, looking alternately between Sev, apparently intent on his work, and Slughorn, who was regarding her questioningly.

She finally answered, very dignified, "Indeed, Professor Slughorn... I was asking him for help and... and he has overstepped the mark."

New chuckles were heard, but the teacher, who didn't stumble as much as they thought and knew which foot each student in his House limped on, since he saw Snape with Parkinson's instead of Evans, disappointed because he always hoped that the influence of the Gryffindor would make him turn away from the dark side, and now he was sitting with a pure-blood daughter of sympathizers of You-Know-Who, who would induce him to go deeper into it, he had spent the whole term watching Parkinson claim his attention while he completely ignored her.

Of course, Lily and Sev never knew all this firsthand, they only guessed, from the professor's attitude that day and in later times, but they were absolutely right.

So he asked Sev, "Mr. Snape, do you have anything to say to that?"

Absolute silence again. Sev already had the answer ready, he looked up at the teacher, and very politely, replied, "I was just trying to concentrate on my work, sir." And turning to Parkinson, in a kinder tone, but without meeting her eyes, "If I said something that has offended you, Parkinson, excuse me, please." And he returned to his potion.