Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 10 - Bold Words

T/W: Brief mention of sexual assault

Rowan awoke to her body feeling unusually warm. Normally, she would wake up feeling the cool air of the dungeons on her face. This morning, however, she awoke to the feeling of the potion professor's shallow breaths against her neck. She didn't know how they ended up this entangled in each other, but she knew that she didn't mind. Though they hadn't labeled what they were, Rowan wanted to savor this moment. After last night, she feared that this may never happen again. She knew if one of her coworkers had taken her coat, causing her to almost freeze, she would hold a grudge. 

Rowan decided that she would try and avoid the awkwardness that was sure to come of this moment. She knew the potions professor wanted to keep up his reputation, and finding himself cuddling his assistant surely wouldn't help. 

"Your thoughts are loud, Miss Knight," Severus said in a gruff voice as he tightened his arms around Rowan's waist. "I'm sorry if I woke you up, Severus. I just didn't want you-" She began but he shook his head, kissing her shoulder softly. "You radiant such confidence, but your mind speaks otherwise," He said vaguely, still keeping his eyes closed. Rowan furrowed her brow at his uncharacteristic behavior. "Who are you and what did you do with Severus Snape?" Rowan joked and Severus did the unthinkable. He started to tickle Rowan. 

"Stop it! Severus!" Rowan exclaimed in loud laughter. Severus climbed on top of her to hold her down and continued to tickle her. This was the hardest Rowan had laughed in quite some time, and she had to admit that she liked the view she was getting. Rowan's mind lit up mischievously as she hooked her leg around one of Severus' and pulled him down so that she was now on top of him. "There's your Slytherin side," Severus chuckled and looked into Rowan's eyes deeply. Their laughter halted as they began to get lost in each other.

"Ahem-" Rowan cleared her throat as she slipped off of Severus' torso and onto the cold dungeon floor. "I have to go and change. I'll bring you back your shirt," Rowan said but Severus shook his head. "Keep it. I have hundreds like it," He said as he admired how she looked after she had just woken up. Rowan blushed and hurried out of his bedroom and into her own. Severus sighed and fell onto his back. What a woman, he thought to himself as he changed into his usual, bat-like clothes. 

As for Rowan, she slipped into something more casual. While she still wore her old school robes, she decided that she would just put on some jeans and that would be it. She had no clean shirts, and Rowan couldn't be bothered to look up the cleaning spell that was applicable with clothes. She figured that this fashion choice would be fine for the weekend, as it was Saturday and she would most likely spend most of the day in her own office. When Rowan emerged from her office, she found Severus waiting for her. 

"You didn't have to wait for me. I can walk by myself," She said matter-of-factly. "Who says I was waiting? It could be a simple coincidence that we happened to be outside at the same time," Severus tried to cover up the fact that he had been waiting for her, but Rowan chuckled at him. "We both know that's not what happened," She said as she picked up her pace. "Race you to the Great Hall?" Rowan said and took off in a fast sprint. Severus decided it would be best for him not to run after her. It wasn't that he was not competitive, because he usually would not turn down such a challenge. He just wanted to see her face whenever she had found that she won.

When Severus got close to the Great Hall, he picked up his pace into a light jog so that Rowan would not suspect that he had let her win. When he arrived at the doors, he found Rowan with a sly smirk on her face. "You won," Severus said in his usual monotonous voice. Rowan smiled brightly at her success and waltzed into the Great Hall. Before Rowan could reach the staff table, a petite girl in yellow robes stopped her. "Good morning, Professor!" Susan exclaimed and Rowan nodded for Severus to go on without her. "Good morning, Miss Bones! Enjoying your free time?" Rowan asked.