a soft place to fall // Severus Snape x OC

001 ❁ Burning Up

A/N: Opening is very casual! Forgive any lil mistakes, my eyes are tired and enjoy. Wren and Sev are sarcastic babies. ^_^ Title of the story is from Aurora's song "Runaway." Thanks for reading! Things will be picking up very soon. Please leave words as well! xoxo

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November 1991

Sunlight fluttered through glowing autumn leaves. Brown and tangerine beauties fell from tree branches when the wind gave an echo. Dusting the rippling pond water to caress it. Sloshing as a pair of legs stepped through the shallow end. Hands cradled fresh blooming Moondew to gently snip each stem. Silver petals in the sunrise shimmering. Every one collected carefully into a woven bag slung over a shoulder.

"Wren!" A voice bellowed across the grass. Louder than the chirping crickets and singing frogs. Water slashed about while her bare feet hurried up. Out of the pond to full attention. Mud squished. Pomona Sprout came down the slight hill, head cocked up to smile in greeting. "Figures you're up this early, already to work."

A wand flicked, cleaning Wren's legs of water and mud so she could snatch her boots and socks from a boulder. Wren didn't speak. Only twitched her lips in recognition to beam. Sun on her expression glittering freckles. Sprout replied as if she had.

"File those Moondews away, we have some preparations to attend to before breakfast and our first period. Get started on the greenhouses first," Sprout was turning on her heel. Earth tones robes shifting behind her. Wren fixed her clothing, a pleasantly hideous argyle sweater tucked into a red corduroy skirt. Pushed the sleeves back down as something shifted in her front pocket.

"Hemlock," she whispered, hand lifting so a creature could crawl out onto her knuckles. A bright green bowtruckle with four springy legs and three leaves sprouted from its thin head. "What do you think, shall we start with harmless lavender or the dangerous Venomous Tentaculas today?"

The creature waved its little arms and hopped up onto her shoulder, grasping pieces of her sweater and hair that tumbled from the messy ponytail as she went. One hand snatched her deep grey robes to put them on. A smile crossed.

"My thoughts exactly. Dangerous it is." Boots hurried up the hill against the flow of wind. Over emerald grass toward the glinting glass structures. Rows of stunning greenhouses in wait. Hogwarts stood tall in all its splendor. Beautiful as the first time she walked the halls.

Pieces of dark hair flowing, Wren tucked fallen locks aside and hurried inside to feed the plants, humming softly to them because she was alone. As preferred. She sorted the new flora that was collected. Careful to store some to be delivered to needed classrooms and the hospital wing. One plant rustled needily at her.

"Ah, ah, behave," Wren smacked a tendril that crept over her shoulder, gripping a watering can in her other hand. No fear of the greenery she loved so much. Affectionate as it whipped back and curled up. She added the needed nutrients and watered idle pots. "Apologize, you silly grump."

The tendril snaked out, snatching the offered Chizpurfle from her hand to feed. Little crab-like creatures it adored to chew up and spit out.

"That's what I thought," she continued on. Each and every lush plant in wait. A few loved her dearly back. Liked when she hummed and sang to them in little, melodic tones. Hemlock climbed her hair to sit comfortably around her ponytail. Sound ceased when the door opened after a beat.

"Going down to breakfast, won't you join me?" Pomona was removing her gloves. "You'll need a full stomach for the day ahead, love."

Wren followed wordless and hurried along. Hemlock slipped down, back into her pocket. Students busied around them, all headed to the Great Hall. Brief smiles flashing. Floating candles swayed delicately above with the morning sun streaming thick into stained glass. Stunning at this early hour.