The seer

It took a moment for me to recognize my surroundings. But once I did, I found myself awake, losing the remnants of slumber. The bed was cold, I was alone in it. The covers pooled down to my waist as I sat up with disappointment weighing on my chest. He was nowhere to be seen.

I stood up and shivered when the chilly dungeon air hit my naked skin. I’d have to find my own way out of here.

My clothes from yesterday -those that we had scattered all over the room- sat now folded neatly on a dresser opposite to the bed. Even the lacy panties I’d worn last night had been repaired.

It didn’t take me long to get dressed and gather the rest of my things for a swift exit.

However, upon entering Severus’ office, I was surprised to see him standing there, bent over a simmering cauldron. I had been expecting an empty room, waking up alone had given me the impression that he would rather be elsewhere. But there he was, fully dressed in his teaching robes, brewing potions.

The camouflaged door slid shut as I stepped in to the office. I knew Severus was aware of my presence even though his focus remained on the potion before him. The energy between us flared like it always did when we were in the same room.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“Yes, although I didn’t manage to get a lot of it."

Severus laid an amused look at me. “I wonder why.” he smirked and turned his attention back on the potion.

His answer eased the building anxiety in the pit of my stomach. It seemed that my earlier conclusion was turning out to be overthinking. But in a way, with him I was still on a thin ice. Not entirely sure of the direction we were heading.

I stepped closer to the desk and peeked into the cauldron, smelling the floral air it emitted. But before I could inspect it further, a hand on my shoulder pushed me gently away.

“After seeing the melted monstrosity of a cauldron at your house, I'd rather you stay away from mine”, he remarked.

I blushed and crossed my arms. I couldn’t argue with him about that. I was horrendous at potions. And to be honest, after graduating I never put enough effort in it to try to better my skills.

“What are you brewing?” I asked as the professor started doing the finishing steps to the potion.

He laid a final look on the open notebook in front of him before shutting it. He then pulled out a couple of vials and started siphoning the potion into them. I was impressed by his skill with potions, it was interesting to see someone make a hard subject look so easy. How his movements looked relaxed and yet so meticulous. I wondered if he was even capable of making a mistake.

Severus held a vial up against a window and inspected it in the greenish light filtered through the waters. After a couple of seconds his lips twitched upwards as he deemed the potion flawless. He shifted and I found his black eyes on mine.

“I trust you know how to use a contraceptive potion?” he asked as he outstretched his hand and offered me the vial.

I took it from him, feeling the cool glass against my skin. “Yes, I know how”, I answered and pocketed the vial.

I would need to take a spoonful within 24 hours and I was covered. I thought briefly about why he chose to make a potion instead of using the charm but discarded the thought fast. Charms were not always reliable; if the caster was under the influence of alcohol or otherwise distracted, the spell could be weaker. But in potions you could always trust.

“Thank you for the potion”, I said and looked back at him.

He took a step closer to me and surprised me by caressing my jaw with his fingers.

“It’s the least I could do.”

His touch awakened memories from last night: how I had cried out his name while he fucked me with his tongue, how possessive he’d been and how, after getting distracted in the shower, we had ended up doing it again under the steamy cascading water. My heart beat faster.

“You did a lot of things last night”, I answered feeling a little flushed.

His fingers halted on my skin and he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Do you regret it?”

“No, I do not regret it. How could I after everything we did together?”

His long fingers continued caressing my face, moving softly. They moved to my jaw and continued to my cheekbone. He pushed a fallen lock of hair behind my ear.

My answer seemed to relax him.

“When I woke up and didn’t see you – “, I halted but then continued. “I was afraid that you had those feelings. That you regretted last night”, I admitted.

Severus’ lips twitched. “Sadly, I don’t share the same talent for sleeping like you do.”

I felt relieved. Neither of us regretted last night and it seemed that he still wanted me; if I understood him correctly. Why else would he touch me like this?

“Maria”, I heard his deep voice inside of my head. “I can almost hear the thoughts running through your mind. So, stop overthinking. I still want you if that is what you desire.”

His words created a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest. I couldn’t help but smile at him. How could he make me so damn happy with just a couple of words?

His piercing gaze bore into mine, somewhat amused. I didn’t want to know what made him look at me that way. Surely, he had seen something in my mind that he found funny.

I became aware of the way his hand was situated at the side of my neck, resting against the skin. I lowered my eyes to his mouth, to his soft lips. They still looked a little swollen, a faint blush covering them. I wanted to kiss him, to feel his mouth against mine again.

I looked back at his eyes and felt him pull me closer. I rested my body against his and felt the inviting energy between us.

I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him down to a soft kiss. His lips met mine and I felt his hands on my sides, holding me closer. I melted against him, his strong body against me made me feel secure. This kiss was slow, all the urgency from yesterday had disappeared. We simply enjoyed each other, kissing only for the sake of doing so.

Severus pulled back first and looked down at me through his dark eyelashes. The kiss had made my head spin and I gasped softly, cheeks flushed. His rich voice filled the air as he chuckled at me, the low sound making me feel even more lightheaded.

“Do I need to instruct you on how to breathe properly as well?” he murmured.

“Oh, shut up”, I huffed. “It’s your fault for making me this way.”

He touched my lower lip. “And which way would that be?”

The answer died in my throat as a sharp knock echoed in the room and interrupted us.

Severus removed his hands from my body and stepped back from me. I looked at the door in alarm and brushed over my lilac robe, making sure it was presentable.

I walked closer to the bookshelf before looking at the tall professor, who situated himself behind the wooden desk. His gaze flickered to mine as he waved his hand, opening the lock on the office door.

“Enter”, he announced.

The door opened and Minerva McGonagall walked into the room, followed by two students, both dressed in school robes with a green crest on the chest. I remembered the book I had seen yesterday in the bookshelf. Slytherin house.

“I found two of your students in the restricted section of the library, without a permission note, reading a severely prohibited book of the dark arts!” she said with a murderous expression.

I gulped and fidgeted nervously. This wasn’t meant for my ears. I looked around the room looking for an escape route.

The older professor noticed me as she stopped before Severus’ desk.

“Miss Koski”, she nodded at me. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

I opened my mouth but was interrupted by Severus.

“We were just finishing here.” he glanced in my direction.

That cue was enough for me to decide that I should take my leave now. I coughed a little.

“Yes, I was just leaving”, I agreed.

My winter robe was still draped on the chair in front of Severus’ desk. I'd forgotten it there last night. I made my way over there with swift steps and picked the warm robe up in my arms. 

“Have a nice day, sir.” I said to Severus.

His eyes met mine and a voiceless sentence rang in my mind.

“Call me ‘sir’ again and I’ll have to throw you back to my bed.”

My eyes widened. The nerve on him to think about something like that in a situation like this. The comment made me want to put the threat in it to a test. But I knew better than to tease him now. Unlike me, he could keep a perfect mask on his face. In addition, McGonagall was a smart woman. Having taught multiple students, she could most likely read facial expressions easily. 

I quashed the surprised smile building up on my face and turned away from the dark -haired man.

“Professor”, I nodded at McGonagall.

I didn't linger waiting for a reply so I walked past the two sullen -looking students and exit the office.

As the door closed behind me, I could hear a very disapproving Severus speaking.

“Goyle, Parkinson, what do you have to say for yourself?”