Viridian

So it wasn’t enough that Harry had to look exactly like Lily, not enough that he was sorted into Severus’s house, but now he had a crush on his godson?

He noticed it when Potter- No, Harry now, was staring at Draco with such fondness that he couldn’t mistake it. It looked exactly the same when he was in love with Lily. 

So, when Draco stays after class to ask him something, Severus expected a question about his crush, his anger at him for telling Lucius, perhaps. What he didn’t expect was for Draco to ask about Narcissa’s love life.

“My father said my mom liked a girl in Hogwarts, but when I wrote to her, she replied telling me to mind my own business, so…” Draco trailed off and looked at him expectantly.  

“So, you thought to ask me instead. Well Draco, your mother liked a girl named Alice Fortescue. The mother of the Longbottom boy. She was tortured into insanity by your Aunt Bellatrix, and your mother was livid. She still loves her to this day, and with Lucius being asexual, neither of them love each other,” Severus felt bad telling this to Draco. This would be a breach in the trust Narcissa had for him if it got out that he had told Draco. 

“Oh alright then. Thank you,” Draco replies, quite troubled, but he skips off like he always does. Severus knows how much Draco likes Harry, sooner or later though, it will end up like the situation with him and Lily. Both out of contact but still with unrequited love for each other. 

Well, only he did. Lily probably never liked Severus at all. As he watches Draco leaves, Severus sighs inwardly. Last time, he was at the center. This time, he was the watcher. Some outside help could really move their relationship along. First step, loosening Lucius’s hold over their relationship.

Hello Lucius, 

I was mistaken when I sent that letter. You know how quickly I make assumptions and jump to conclusions. Draco, from what I’ve seen, is extremely close friends with Potter. However, it doesn’t stretch further. The Potter boy definitely has an infatuation with Draco, but Draco doesn’t return to even acknowledge those feelings, from what I have seen.

Severus 

Lying, especially to a friend, was something Severus had to do all too many times. However, outside intervention may be the only way Potter- no, Harry now, and Draco’s relationship could have any sort of chance. They were already in the same dorm, sat together in potions and were partners, however Severus had another ace up his sleeve. Amortentia. It was a curious little potion, but perfect for this kind of situation.

So, when he had his second year Slytherins for potions, he had a plan, and he was ready to enact it. 

“Alright everyone, today is a theory lesson about Amortentia. Yes, Mr. Nott, we will not be brewing today. Now everyone, line up. I have prepared some Amortentia for you all and would like you to take whiff. Now, who can tell me what Amortentia is?” Severus asked, as his students lined up. Surprisingly, Parkinson put her hand up and wasn’t giggling with her friends.

“It’s a love potion, it makes the drinker infatuated with the giver,” Pansy answers smoothly. 

“Good. Five points to Slytherin,” Severus was always looking for an opportunity to give his house more points. He let people smell the potion and say what they smelt. Most of them smelt nothing, which meant they didn’t have any sort of crush. When it was Harry’s turn, Severus was quite excited. He hadn’t been this excited since Minerva was telling a story about this Ravenclaw boy in her year at the time.

“Well, I smell peppermint, and uh green apples…” Harry trails off and his cheeks turn pink as he sits down. Severus throws a glance at Draco, who looks absolutely mortified. Severus smirked. His plan was working. 

Draco was next in line and Severus didn’t know what Harry smelled like, but if there was that telltale blush on Harry’s face, he knew what he was feeling. He took a whiff of the potion and if possible, turned redder.

“Uh, I smell aloe vera, and strawberries.” Like Harry, Draco trailed off and rushed back to his seat, embarrassed. Severus looked at Harry and smiled as a blush crept onto his cheeks.

He ended the lesson there, and shepherded all his students back into the common room. Now that the attacks were riling up in danger and the blasted minister had taken Albus out of the school, all students were required to get back to their common rooms by 6 pm. Ridiculous, but with good reason too. He only hoped the parents wouldn’t make any sort of fuss.