Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-10-

I met up with Minerva after the conversation with Snape. She had my broom and wanted to give it back. By the way she acted, it seems she has no clue what actually happened to me that night. And I didn't want to worry her, so I just apologized when she started to lecture me about leaving alone drunk back to the castle. 'It's not safe to walk alone, such a young and beautiful woman as yourself. What if something would have happened to you?' Minerva huffed. I just awkwardly laughed and told her everything's fine, and how I got back in my chamber without any problem. I do feel bad for lying to her, but then again, we agreed not to tell anyone about this with Hagrid. At least not yet, until we have actual proof who drugged me. If Snape could see my memory and pick something up from it, that'll be great.

Later that week, I'm walking around the Hogwarts's courtyard with Remus while having Sniffy on the leash. I'm wearing my old brown scarf around my neck which has Hufflepuff's logo on it. It's getting colder and colder each day. Steam coming out both of our mouths and nostrils by every breath we take. Without going in the details, I told him my interaction with the Potions Master and me. "I just don't get it! No matter how friendly I am, he always gives me the dungeon bat attitude and leaves." I tell slightly frustrated. Haven't seen Snape these past few days. Still waiting to receive the letter from him. To think we aren't actually that far away from each other... And the fact that he still calls me as 'Miss' instead of 'Professor'. Feels like he enjoys putting me down like this. It's ridiculous.

Remus sighs:"Well, he's a busy man. And sounds to me you are trying too hard.". Lifting my head up to see him and stopped walking:"Huh?". Remus sees the confusion on my face and stops beside me:"You do know what mostly happens if you force a hug on a cat?". "What's that got to do with anything?" I frown. He shrugs:"Just a thought.". I roll my eyes and continue walking:"Well, you aren't helping...". Remus chuckles and comes after me:"All I'm saying, don't waste time thinking how to please other people.". "Easier said than done..." I whisper to myself. "Take me for as an example, Severus and I have a history together and we still manage to work in the same place without any complications." he reveals. That raises my curiosity. "What'd you mean?" I ask. "We uh, used to go Hogwarts at the same time and... Well, we didn't quite get along back then. Lets put it that way." his voice goes small towards the end.

How come it never even across my mind they have gone the school at the same time. "Oh, is this one of those 'Gryffindors don't get along with the Slytherins' kind of thing?" I tease. "Something like that..." he keeps looking forward, like a memory just hit him. Wonder what is he thinking? Before I could start asking more information, he smirks:"But you know what they say; every Slytherin needs their own Hufflepuff. Maybe you are the Hufflepuff into his Slytherin, (Y/N).". A blush raises on my cheeks for some reason and I frown:"Wha..-?! No way! Whe-where did you get that idea?". Remus smiles, holding back a laugh. As if almost he wanted to change the subject away from the time he and Snape went the school together. "Ever since you came to this school, Severus hasn't been as stuck up towards me, compared to last year. And I have a feeling it has something to do us being friends." he says. Really? That's hard to believe.

Friday came around, and I'm reviewing some test results in the classroom after the students left to celebrate their weekend. Neville Longbottom is here with me, reading a book of somekind. In peace, we both are doing our own things, until an owl flies to the classroom. Huh? It flies right on the tiny platform we all professors have on our desks to let owls land on. Some of the parchments flies off of the desk from the force of the puff the owl does when it landed. "No, no, no!" I panic and try to grab them from the air. I didn't have them in any specific order and some of them hasn't dry from the ink yet. Neville lift his gaze from the book and rushes to help with the parchments. Quick moment we gather them and put back on the desk. "Thank you, Neville." I sigh. "No problem, Professor." he nods.

Just when I'm about to damn the bird, I see that it's holding a letter in its mouth. Could it be? Opened the letter to see my guess was right. It's from Snape. In the letter he's telling me he has some time to spare, and he can finally look into my memory, if I'm still interested. At the end of the letter he wrote:'Be in the Potions class at seven, sharp. Not before or after. - Professor Snape' Putting the letter down and sigh. Such a dungeon bat thing to say... "What is it?" Neville asks. Got surprised by his voice and jump a little. Actually forgot for a second he is standing right there! "It's uh, from the Headmaster. He would like to see me." I lie and hide the letter among the files on the desk. What else am I supposed to tell him? The truth? 'Oh, I'm going to meet your Potions Master this evening, so he can see my memory and we can figure out who poisoned me a week ago!' "Hope it isn't anything serious." Neville sounds worried.

Apparently he's afraid I'm going to leave Hogwarts. Even he does like Professor Sprouts a lot, we have got to know each other better over these weeks I've been in here. "No, nothing to worry about, Neville." I reassure. A shy smile raises on his face and he goes to continue reading the book. Quickly changing the subject, I smirk:"Have you asked her out yet?". Neville's whole face goes burning red:"...N-no. I haven't.". It has come to my knowledge, that our little Neville Longbottom has a huge crush on one of the Ravenclaw's - Luna Lovegood. Not too shabby couple, if you ask me. If only Neville got the courage to ask her out. It just breaks my heart to see him looking at her such a loving way in my class whenever she's not looking. Almost envy about that. Wish someone would look me the same way...

When I first saw this happening, I thought I won't get involved, but for my big surprise, Neville was the one who brought it up to me after asking me about a plant Miss Lovegood likes so much. We have ever since discreetly talked about how is he going to ask her out someday. "How-how would you like to be asked on a date, Professor?" he ask. Me? Leaning against the desk with my elbows:"I'm afraid Miss Lovegood and I are completely different people. So my answer won't have any value in your case.". "Right..." Neville looks pensive. I let out a sigh. I'm not really expert of any kind when it comes to dating. "Perhaps, you should start with something small." I advice. That catches his interest:"Like what?". I shrug:"Try to spend some alone time with her without any distractions.".

I've seen them together before, but there are always their friends around. So they never really have the time to talk with each other. "But where? There are other students everywhere we'd go." he points out. Immediately the Potions classroom pops on my mind, and how me and Snape are about to meet there. A blush raises on my cheeks. Our situation is completely different!! Neville sees I've gone back to my own thoughts:"...Professor?". The blush fades a way and I clear my throat a bit:"I'm afraid I can't give you the answer to that either. There is the garden in the back. Not many students gets lost in there.". His face brightens:"Thank you, Professor.". Then he collects all of his belongings and leaves. Can't help but pull out the letter out of the file pile and re-read it. Snape has quite a spiky, but pretty handwriting. I catch myself from smiling while looking at the piece of parchment. What the..-?

Later that evening, I'm in my chamber getting ready for our meeting. It's 6.23 pm, so I got time. I lay out two different outfits on the bed and wonder which one to wear. Merlin, I really need to go shopping, I got nothing to wear! Quickly I stop myself. Wait a minute... Why on earth am I stressing about what clothes I'm going to wear?! It's not like this is a date or anything! What's wrong with me?! Sniffy keeps looking at me confused as I'm blushing. Calm down, (Y/N). He's just going to help me to figure out things. After that, we can go back to discreetly nodding to each other whenever we meet in the corridors. Stupid Remus for putting ideas in my head. 'Every Slytherin needs their own Hufflepuff. Maybe you are the Hufflepuff into his Slytherin, (Y/N).' If he wouldn't have said that, I wouldn't be this nervous. I smack hands against my cheeks to wake up from these odd thoughts. Get it together!!!