Wildflowers

Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You

Kat made her way to the castle, the usual spring in her step slightly muted. As she entered the Great Hall, her eyes scanned the room for Severus, and she quickly spotted him—tall and composed, as always. To her surprise, he had saved her a seat. A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips as she walked over.

"Morning," she greeted, sliding into the seat beside him. "Thanks for saving me a spot."

Severus glanced at her, his dark eyes assessing, and gave a small nod. "Of course."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, the clatter of breakfast filling the room around them. But Severus kept watching her, his keen gaze not missing the subtle shift in her demeanor. After a beat, he spoke. "Are you feeling alright?"

Kat's hand paused mid-reach for a piece of fruit, her expression neutral as she turned to face him. "Why do you ask that?"

Severus's brow furrowed slightly, his tone calm but pointed. "You seem different today."

Kat's smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she forced a light laugh. "Just a bit of anxious nerves, that's all. What about you?" she asked, quickly deflecting the attention away from herself.

He shook his head, his voice steady. "No, I'm not nervous."

She nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Of course not. You're always so... collected." There was a slight edge to her voice, as if she was trying to convince herself to stay just as composed. "Just... first-day jitters, I guess."

Severus tilted his head slightly, watching her closely. He knew her well enough by now to sense when she was hiding something, but he didn't press. Instead, he leaned in slightly, his voice low so only she could hear. "If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

Kat's smile softened, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—something vulnerable that she quickly masked with her usual charm. "Thanks, Severus. But I'm fine. Promise."

She turned her attention to the food, but inside, the anxiety churned. She was pulling away, just like she had decided the night before. But why does it feel so damn hard to do it?

At lunch, Kat seemed more like her usual self—chipper, lively, and full of energy. She slid into her seat beside Severus with a bright smile, her fingers brushing his arm briefly as she settled in. It was clear she was fighting whatever dark cloud had hung over her that morning, trying her best to keep things light.

"So," she said, turning to him with a glint of curiosity in her eyes, "how are your classes going, Professor Snape? Any students faint yet from fear?"

Severus gave a dry smirk, his dark eyes flickering with amusement. "No fainting, not yet. Though, a few looked close when I discussed the ingredients for Veritaserum. They're all too eager to get their hands on things they don't understand."

Kat laughed, her mood lifting as she leaned in slightly, her elbow resting on the table. "You've already got them on their toes, huh? Typical Severus. And here I was thinking you'd go easy on them for the first day."

He raised an eyebrow, his voice cool but teasing. "When have you known me to go easy on anyone?"

She grinned, her heart doing a little flip at the familiar dry humor. "Fair point."

They continued talking, Kat asking about his teaching methods, how the students were adjusting to his style, and what potions he was planning to introduce next. Severus answered thoughtfully, giving her just enough detail without spoiling his lesson plans. It was clear that, despite his reserved nature, he was passionate about his work—and that only drew Kat in more.