Spiteful Beginnings // Severus Snape x OC

43 - Interrupted

"Now, are you sure I can't tempt you in staying home for Christmas with me and my father?" Kalina was packing up the last remaining bits of her clothing before she were to leave Hogwarts and head home.

Neville was sat on the chair by the fireplace, watching her pack and he smiled but shook his head. "Sorry Kalina, I'm looking forward to the Ball!"

Kalina could only smiled and close her trunk before sitting on the chair opposite him, crossing her legs over one another. "Of course you are. I'm lowkey jealous but me and my Dad are going to have such a good time. Although Christmas Eve will consist of him coming over and watching movies all day." She smiled fondly at the thought of her and her dad on the couch, eating mince pies and a chocolate yule log whilst watching Die Hard. She still argues that it is a Christmas movie.

Neville stood and hugged her as she announced she will be now heading off since it was now the evening time but not before she handed him over his Christmas gifts, threating to put a jinx on him if he opens them before Christmas morning.

As he left, she looked to the bag of presents in the corner of her room, lifted it up and hauled herself over to Severus' chambers and knocked on the door before entering.

Severus was at his potions stand, swirling the bubbling cauldron with a ladle and looked up to her. "Good evening." He said smoothly before looking back down at his concoction.

"Evening. Just thought I'd say bye before I leave is all." Kalina told him. Putting the bag on the floor by the door and made her way over to him, standing on the opposite side and looking into his creation. "What you making?"

"You tell me, you were once my assistant afterall." He smirked at her, standing aside so she could take a better look. She looked inside, inspecting the colour, the smell and the scattered use of ingredients on his desk.

"Polyjuice Potion? But why?" She concluded yet was confused as to why he was making it.

"Well," he started, letting the potion simmer on a low heat and cleaned up his workspace with a flick of his wand, "I can not catch the culprit who is stealing my ingredients so maybe if I use all the ingredients to make several other potions as well as Polyjuice, I could catch them out. My suspicion is strong with Potter however."

Once Harry's name was mentioned she rolled her eyes and let out a noise of indifference whilst shaking her head. She moved over towards his desk and cheekily sat down on his chair rather than the one opposite that others use but he didn't seem to mind. Until she put her boots on the table in a relaxed state and swatted them off.

"What?" He asked defensively, referring to the noise she had just made.

"You still holding a grudge against Harry. We're meant to be protecting him, not insinuating that he is up to no good." Kalina said flatly as she stared up at him.

Severus paced his chamber slightly, bitter that she sees the good in all her students whereas he pictures James' face whenever he looked towards Harry.

"Besides," Kalina interrupted his thoughts, "Alastor took that Map from him. I doubt, if it even was Harry, he would try and 'steal' again."

Severus seemed uncertain by his answer which was obvious by the look on his face but decided to change the conversation swiftly over towards the bag she had left by the door. "What's that."

"Gifts for the staff. I was hoping you'd be kind enough to hand them out on Christmas morning to them." She grinned mischievously since the look on his face seemed adamant in doing so.

He scowled but gave her a reluctant 'fine' and stood by his fireplace.

Kalina looked towards his bed, seeing it neatly made without a crease in sight. She was surprised to see that it wasn't layered in a quilt of dust as she still expected he never slept but her focus turned towards his wardrobe where an item of clothing was hung up outside rather than in.