The Last Time

I can show you lies

"So, how long were you really awake for?" Evelyn asked crossing her arms over her chest, closing the door behind her.

"Just a moment or two." Severus' words were covered in snickers. The smirk covering his lips was driving Evelyn mad.

"You're lying."

"Noooh, you just want me to admit that I was awake while you were touching my hair and smiling down at me."  He took a step closer to her, his cologne clouding her senses.

"No, I was-"

"Did I say that I minded it darling?" She bit her lip at his words, her stomach doing somersaults in her body. Every fibre of her being wanted to close the gap between the two of them, her lips wanted to feel the electricity of his melting on to them. She was denied the feeling as she closed her eyes, and heard the dramatic swish of his cloak, he had walked away.

Damn you Severus Snape.

...

Severus walked into his classroom, shutting the door behind him as he looked out on the first years sitting; excited to be learning potions, to be learning magic. A wave of emotions fell over him, he never thought he would be teaching again, or even allowed back into Hogwarts but he had been, welcomed back with open arms and hearts. He would never admit how he was feeling to anyone, that everytime someone apologized to him for what had happened, his heart shattered into a million little pieces. Severus had wanted to die that night, he had done what he had to, he watched over the love of his life's son; kept him safe to his best ability. He had been ready to welcome death, if anything death felt like the only thing that Severus had wanted.

Yet, she saw something in him, something worth saving. She cried over his body, cradled his head in her lap without even knowing that he had not been a terrible person the entire time. That all of the terrible things he had done had been to save him, to save Harry. She didn't care in that moment, she just wanted to save him. And she did.

Severus felt humbled as he took his position in front of a chalk board,

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However for those select few who possess, the predisposition... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."

The class seemed amazed, not bored. He had the same opening line for his class for years, no need to fix what was not broken.

It felt good to be back.

...

Evelyn was down in the hospital wing, gossiping with Madam Pomfrey, who was literally sat on the edge of her seat listening to the events from the night before.

"You mean to tell me Severus Snape, was singing 'Lay all your love on me' with you."

"Apparently, my mum might have a recording of it if we're lucky." Evelyn wiggled her eyebrows as Poppy laughed, her hand reaching out to hold Evelyn's.

"It is so good to see both of them smiling again." Poppy said quietly, more to herself than to Evelyn.

"Me too, believe me."

Thankfully not many incidents to send children to the hospital wing so Poppy and Evelyn got to spend the day studying up a bit, but mostly sipping tea and owling Minerva who came down immediately to come and join the gossip.

She did, in fact, have a recording of the duet.

...

Minerva, Evelyn and Poppy made their way to the great hall for the dinner, the first official feast of the year. Well technically that was last night, but the second one was always more exciting. It was like placing bets on horses; which house was going to have lost the most points in one school day, which students were seeming to already be focusing on their crushes and not their school work. Half of the fun was studying the students and their behaviors, after all they were stuck with them for 7 years. Seemed only fair they had as much fun as the students.