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

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Florence was sure that when she had walked into the great hall that Dumbledore winked at her.

"Do you think he knows anything?" Having purposely dropped both her and Severus' cutlery onto the floor she proceeded to barrage him with questions.

"Probably, I don't know what goes on in his mind but I'm sure it was easy enough to find out."

"Right, right." She lifted her head out from under the starch tablecloth, gave Dumbledore an overly enthusiastic smile which he returned with gusto, before shoving her head back under the table. "Do we want anyone to know? I mean, it's our choice right, whether we tell people or not."

"It's a bit late now." Severus scoffed, returning to his usual straight stature, hitting his head in the process. Florence reached out to help him and realised just as she placed her hand on his scalp that it was the wrong thing to do. Blushing furiously, she pulled her arm away and held it in her lap, not daring to look him in the eye through fear of bursting out laughing. He smirked slightly before returning his attention back to the barren plate and poking a bit of food around with his fork. "I reckon most people know." He muttered.

Florence frowned and swallowed her goblet of pumpkin juice in one swift gulp. Seemingly conflicted she sighed wearily and slammed the cup onto the table, causing most of the students to glance up at the staff table in alarm.

"Do we want people to know?" She asked quietly and Severus raised an eyebrow.

"No." He said simply, not looking up from his plate. Florence's frown deepened, causing creases to violently crack across her brow.

"No?" She repeated scornfully. "Why not?"

"It's hardly professional, is it?" He snapped, now cutting a piece of plate so vigorously it was surprising that the plate didn't split in two. They sat through the rest of the meal in icy silence, broken when Dumbledore stood up to make his speech and Florence groaned at his words.

"Now, welcome all of you! And to the old, welcome back! Now, I'd like to introduce some staff changes. Professor Felicis will be resuming her role as Potion Master's apprentice, and Professor Lester will instead be continuing her work as a trainee teacher and not her Potions cover work."

Florence didn't hear much else after that, the blood pounding in her ears was loud enough to shut it out completely. So that's why Destiny had looked so annoyed when she realised Florence was back, she wanted to keep her job working along side Severus. But why?

Maybe she likes him A nagging voice in the back of her head told her. She tried to block it out, ignore it, but it just rang louder through her head. Maybe he likes her back, maybe something happened when you were away.

"Maybe! Not definitely!" She muttered angrily under her breath, causing Severus to stare at her.

"Maybe what?" He whispered. Florence blanched, having not realised she was talking out loud.

"I-I...uh... It doesn't matter, I was just talking to myself and..uh-" Her nose screwed up in concentration and the corners of Severus' lips curled into a smile.

"You've got something on your nose." He murmured and her hands instantly flew up to her face.

"Where?"

"There." He lifted a finger and wiped a minute piece of dirt from her face, causing her to blush under the contact. Someone coughed in front of them and that was when they realised that the hall was empty. The first dinner of the year had ended and they didn't even notice.