The Potion Master's Apprentice (A Severus Snape love story)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Florence stumbled up the cobbled path, struggling to remain on her feet as she ran from Severus who was staggering laboriously behind her, laughing. She giggled as she dove out of sight behind a stone statue that cast an eerie shadow across the moonlit grounds. Severus reached the door and tried to stay upright despite feeling that the grass would slip beneath his feet at any moment and he would be sent spiralling into the star speckled night sky, world having spun round beyond comprehension.

Florence jumped out practically on top of him, sending him sprawling to the floor in a very undignified position. He groaned and lifted his face from the floor, clutching a hand to his aching head.

"I shouldn't have drunk so much." He mumbled as Florence pulled him upright and laughed.

"I thought you said you could handle your drink." She grinned, her words only just understandable as she was slurring them so much.

"I never normally drink that much." He grunted, rubbing his eyes wearily as he dragged himself unsteadily into the entrance hall, grabbing onto the door handle for support as his legs wobbled. He was oblivious to the man standing metres away from him, a fierce scowl on his ghostly blue face.

"Just how much did I drink?" Severus hissed as Florence came to stand beside him, a matching grimace on her face.

"Probably as much as I had. And judging by my speech, quite a lot." She sneered, watching as her past self tripped up the steps and collapsed on the stone slabs, giggling uncontrollably.

"Here," Severus extended his hand which Florence took gladly, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Once standing she barely breathed, just stared confusedly at him. His hand hadn't released hers but instead held her against him, so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He didn't blink, just kept staring into her glimmering green eyes, no doubt using Leglimens to peer into her thoughts.

She frowned as his lips curled into a satisfied smirk, and he blinked. Leaning closer to her, close enough for his hair to sweep her face, he whispered.

"You have a filthy mind." He tilted his head away from her ear and instead hovered indecisively over her mouth, eyes flickering from her lips and back up to her glittering eyes. She closed them, allowing his mouth to brush hers for a brief moment before he pulled away, leaving a tingling sensation behind.

"I should have stayed behind." Florence groaned, looking away as Severus' hand snaked around her waist and held her against him. Of course, it was her past self that was currently kissing him, running her hands through his tangled hair, wrapping a leg around his and pushing him backwards against the heavy oak door. "I think I'm going to be sick again."

"You think this is any better for me?" Severus growled, turning so that he saw her clearly and could only just see his past self sliding down the wall, still kissing Florence as she straddled his legs. "Maybe we should leave, I don't want to see any more."

Just as Florence was going to answer, Severus held a hand up to stop her. He stepped cautiously over to his past self who was now laying with his back against the wall, a rather breathless Florence on top of him. He wanted to hear their whispered conversation.

"You know you love it." Florence purred, pulling herself reluctantly away from him and getting gracefully to her feet, well, as gracefully as a drunk person could. He tried to pull her back but she remained defiant and walked slowly backwards, eyes never leaving his. "Are you coming?"

"Where?" He whispered and she turned and waltzed over to the opening of the steps down to the dungeons.

"You'll see." She grinned, beckoning him with her hand as she slipped silently down the steps and towards their room. Severus stumbled after her, laughing as whenever she turned a corner she would stop and run back, kiss him, then run ahead.