Perhaps Another Time, Severus [A Severus Snape Fanfiction]

1994

1994
The Yule Ball was only a few days away and Shaylah still wasn't sure she would attend. Nate had been pestering her but she had finally told him that perhaps it was best he asked someone else. A sixth year Gryffindor boy had stopped her on her way to Charms class and mustered all the courage he had to ask her to the dance. He kept running his fingers through his black hair nervously and he quickly ran off when Severus approached them. She didn't even get the chance to thank the boy for inviting her.

A fourth year Gryffindor by the name of Seamus had also extended an invitation to Shaylah as they sat in the Great Hall for dinner, she hated to turn him down but the fire that was burning into her from the Head table and from Nate made it a little easier.

"Shay, please let me take you." Nate begged after Seamus returned to the Gryffindor table. He apparently had not taken her advice and asked someone else.

Shaylah smashed the potatoes on her plate into a bowl shape with her spoon before looking across the table at him. "Ok, I'll go with you." The expression on his face was as if he had just won the Triwizard Tournament himself.

"Thank you! We'll have a great time!" Nate exclaimed.

Shaylah returned her attention to her potatoes as Carrie cut in. "I'm going with Michael Franks from Ravenclaw." She pointed over to the Ravenclaw table at a boy with chin length golden curls and a light dusting of freckles across his nose. He gave her a big smile as he put his arms into a circle and pretended to dance.

"He's cute." Shaylah said, earning herself an unimpressed look from Nate. "You're cute too Nate." she complimented and his green eyes brightened. "I have to go to the library to finish my homework for Professor Snape and Flitwick, would anyone care to join?"

"Don't you have a potions lesson tonight? It's Thursday." said Carrie.

"Oh no! I completely forgot! I have to go." Shaylah shoved a few more bites of food into her mouth and scrambled from the table.

She glanced at the Head table and noticed Severus was already gone. She slapped her hand to her forehead as she made her way out of the Great Hall, she was really in no mood for the attitude she was sure she was about to receive.

A scrawny Ravenclaw boy with metallic gray eyes stopped Shaylah on her way to Severus' classroom. He was by far the most confident one who had invited her to the dance but she gracefully declined.

When she arrived at the classroom she found the door open and heard a heavily accented voice arguing with Severus, Karkaroff. The Dark Mark, his Dark Mark was coming back. Shaylah listened for a moment before running through the door in a false panic. "I'm so sorry I'm late Professor."

Karkaroff huffed and left the room without a word. Severus stood leaned against his desk, his fingers gripping the wood so tightly that his knuckles were white. He straightened and made his way to the table they always brewed at. "Tonight I thought you could watch me brew, examine my movements and methods. Learn by example."

She silently watched him add ingredients, his hands moving gracefully as if conducting a symphony. She stood across from him, her palms flat on the table on either side of the cauldron. The slowly changing colors danced over Severus' features as he added and stirred. The soft bubbling was the only sound in the room until his smooth voice shattered it. "I didn't know you were married Miss Epans."

She was shocked not only by the question but its suddenness. "Sir?"

"The ring, the one that has been glowing an irritating shade of gold."

She looked down at her left hand, her wedding ring was glowing with the contentment she felt. She hadn't even noticed the ring, it had just become a part of her in the last seven years. Had it been on her finger this entire time and she hadn't noticed? "Oh, it was my mother's." Shaylah lied.