Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-19-

Five days has gone by, which means I need to return the book Snape borrowed me. As I enter the Potions classroom, I see it's empty. We still don't have official professor to teach the Defence Against the Dark Arts for full time, so Snape must be heading this way from the D.A.D.A.'s classroom at the moment. Knowing there is no chance for me to place the book back up to the shelf where it should be, I walk up to his desk to put it down there. Thinking this way I make sure he knows I have returned it. After I place the book on the surface, I get a flashback to the moment when Snape stood behind me and handed me the book when I couldn't reach it. How he was towering over me. How close he was standing... A blush raises up on my cheeks. "Professor (Y/L)?" familiar deep voice suddenly calls at the door. That makes me jump a little, and I sharply turn around:"Yes?!".

Snape is standing there, slightly surprised to see me here. "Sneaking in my class? Thought we made an agreement." he says with monotonic tone, hinting the promise we made at the Hospital Wing. "I-I wasn't sneaking! I came to return this." I exclaim and show him the book. There is a tiny smirk corner of Snape's mouth. Looks like he is proud he got the reaction out of me. This man... He seems to be doing that a lot lately. These past few days, he has kept twisting my words and actions in his own way to annoy me every time we see each other. Guess that's what he does to other professors too? But because he always ends up smiling a little, I don't mind it. If anything, it makes me feel little bit more closer to him. He then starts slowly coming towards me:"Did it reach for your expectations?". "The-the book? Oh, yes. It was very delightful. Thank you again for borrowing it." I smile.

Then, he stops right in front of me, leaving less space between us than normally whenever we happen to run into each other in the hallways to chat. It somehow makes me feel nervous. Snape lowers his eyes and sees I'm holding another book in my hand. I noticed his stare:"Ah, this is the book I told you about. The Half Blood Prince.". No answer. Eager to show it to him, I open the book and turn my back facing him:"Look at all of these markings. Like this one right here! It never even crossed my mind you could squeeze the Sopophorus bean. It says to cut it in the text book.". No answer. "This one was really clever too..!" I show another page and turn my head to see his reaction. Then I realize how close we are actually standing. My back is basically brushing against his torso, and I can feel the heat radiating from his body on my back and shoulders. After realizing all of this, my heart starts to beat faster.

I quickly turn back to the book and flip few pages:"An-and these spells... These are the reason I took it away from Potter.". That gets his attention:"Potter?". I nodded:"Yes, he had this in my cla..-", the book just whooshes above me as Snape snatches it out of my hands. Huh? "Thank you, (Y/L). I shall... Have a look at it, later." he walks up to his desk. "You-you're welcome." my voice sound like a whisper. Snape puts the Half Blood Prince's book inside one of his drawers and places the book I returned back to the shelf to its right place. Somehow after he left beside me, I felt this cold breeze crawling on my back. Quickly, I shook my head to get my thoughts in order. That was odd.

Soon after, we both head out of the classroom at the same time. Think he might be heading to the Great Hall for dinner, unlike me - I still have couple things to do in the Greenhouse, so I won't be heading there just yet. When we come out of the dungeons, I turn to him with a smile:"I'll give you a week to read the book. After that, I want it on my desk, seven sharp.". A little jab by the way he has ordered me around in the past. No answer, as usual. Then, I turn back on him and start walking away:"I'll see you tomor..-", Snape holds on to the hood part of my Herbology robe and I get yanked:"Where do you think you are wandering off to?". Quickly turn around to look at him confused:"What you mean?". He lets go of the hood and his hands disappears under his cloak. "Have you forgotten? Headmaster will announce the new professor for the Defence Against the Dark Arts at dinner this evening." he explain. "Oh! Totally forgot about that..." I chuckle.