Chapter 8
After a few days, Severina has finally been discharged. Madam Pomfrey was too persistent and wouldn’t let her leave without fully recovering.
Potter visited her every day; he talks to her and give her notes about class and Snape would just ignore him. She tries to drive him away at first, she was mad at him for what he did after all, but wouldn’t listen till she had no strength to say anything to him, or be mad at him, Madam Pomfrey will come and shoo him away anyways.
Severina would just let him talk away, going on and on about how his day was, how tiring detention was, who he wanted to prank that day, but would not do it anymore, and so on.
This must be what Potter had felt when he visited her when he was in his stag form. Severina ought to tell the authorities that he was an unregistered animagi but her life debt to him compels her to do so.
She once asked Potter if he was doing this because he knows about her feelings towards him and that he wanted to tease her, James replied by saying that he would never do that to someone with authentic feelings.
Every time Potter visits, her anger started to simmer down, he even forced Black to apologize to her when he knows that she won’t accept it.
James's actions looked so earnest that she was starting to find it hard to be mad, but she won’t be fooled by it.
Lily liked to visit her during lunch and eat with Severina. Just like with James, she tries to drive Lily away, but she was also determined to fix their friendship.
Severina would never admit it but the warm feeling like the day she met Lily or when she got her Hogwarts letter was starting to come back. She doesn’t know if Potter is the cause of it or if Lily is with her again but she will contain this feeling of her as the two of them aren’t to be trusted at all.
She doesn’t know what they are planning to do yet, but she will find out and put an end to these feelings.
As she thinks of what those two are plotting, she heard someone call for her, it was Potter—speak of the devil and he shall come they say—” What are you doing? It’s after curfew you know.” He huffs breathlessly.
Severina rolls her eyes, “Way to state what’s obvious Sherlock.”
“Sherlock?” James asked confused
Severina sighed, “It’s a muggle phrase and besides what I do is none of your business.”
“Actually, it is since I’m a prefect, The headmaster didn’t take the title away from me since he said I still saved you after all, Remus was also glad he didn’t lose that title as well.”
“How good for you, still the favorite as ever I see.” Severina sneered and turned to leave.
“Wait! where are you going, don’t worry I’ll let you off the hook for now, but you still have to tell me.”
Severina stopped walking and abruptly turned to look at Potter which made him almost bump into Snape but stop in his steps just in time.
“Thank you for the generosity, Potter, But I am not some damsel in distress that constantly needs saving or helping, do it with someone else who will actually swoon for you.”
“Well, you could’ve fooled me with you nearly getting yourself killed all the time you’re out on curfew.” James reasoned.
Severina just raised her hand in frustration and continued walking to where she was going, and James just tagged along quietly.
“The Prefects bathroom?”
“What? Surprised that I take a bath?”
James wanted to say yes to tease her, but he knows that it will not end well, “No, just the fact that you’re taking it at midnight.”
Severina sighed, “the fumes from the potions that I have been working on every day get accumulated in my hair and body, so it’s easy for me to take a bath at night when everyone’s asleep so that I can take my time to wash up, besides every time I take a bath with the other girls, they tend to look at me weirdly and stare at my back.” Severina said with a straight face, she didn’t mind telling Potter since he and his friends knew already, no point in hiding it.
But James remembers those scars and he boils in anger whenever he thinks of it, he just wants to shove or smash her father again even if it is a boggart.
“Do you plan on following me inside as well, Potter? Try and protect me from a perverted ghost?” the Slytherin mocks
James turns deep red, “N-No, I-I’ll just wait for you and stand guard, shout when you need help.” James stutters
James slumped after Severina enters the bathroom with a smirk, James covered his reddened face with his hands and rubbed them, that woman will be the death of him, who knew that woman could look so cool and beautiful, it was unfair.
After 20 minutes that felt like forever, Severina exits the bathroom, James stood up and stopped, she smelled so great and fresh like…
“Lavender?”
Severina paused in her steps and looked back at him “Keen nose, I use them for my hair, it gets dry and thin, so I use oil, plus I like the smell of Lavender.” She said continuing her walk.
“Ah, so that’s why your hair looked so greasy,” James replied, Following suit after her.
“Yes, Potter, that’s why it looked greasy, because unlike you I know how to fix my hair, so for all your teasing, it was just to take care of my hair and I don’t need validation from you of all people for it.
James laughed “who would’ve thought that you actually of all people would have such nicer hair than me.”
“It was supposed to insult you, Potter, not make you laugh.”
“I’m not going to let that occur, because it will be just tense around us again, and make things awkward. I wouldn’t know what to talk to about. Here I was, so glad that you started talking to me again.”
“We, having nothing to talk about was what I was aiming for, plus we never really had a proper conversation, to begin with Potter, it was either invectives or one-sided conversation.”
James sighed; she was really challenging.
“Let’s just change topics, I’ve been meaning to ask why not use a glamour when you take baths with the other girls, that way you won’t have to take them every midnight.”
“Running are we now.”
“If that’s what you call trying to prevent arguing or fighting with you, then so be it.”
Severina in return clicked her tongue.
This time it was James’s win, so he smiled triumphantly.
“Can I escort you to your dorm?”
“Why ask permission when you’re already doing it. It’s where I am heading too anyway.”
“Because a gentleman always asks permission.”
“Really? You? A gentleman. Don’t make me laugh Potter.”
James put a hand to his chest and made an exaggerated face trying to act hurt. “You wound me, Miss Snape.”
“Good then.”
“So?”
“So what?”
“The answer to my question?”
“Which one? The glamour or whether you can go with me.”
“Both.”
“Too troublesome to put one, plus it has more quirks in taking a bath in the prefects and no, you cannot escort me.”
“Then I shall just take points from you since you’re out on curfew.”
Severina stopped in her steps to look at him incredulously, “I thought you said you were going to let me off the hook.”
“Well, you wouldn’t let me accompany you, my charity is wasted on you it seems,” James smirked.
“Do you realize that you’re threatening me?” She crossed her arms and glared at him.
“How am I supposed to keep you safe then? You wouldn’t let me go with you, who knows if go somewhere else when not in my line of vision and get into trouble again? And besides, it’s not threatening, I was just being cunning” He smiles innocently.
“Fine! This stupid freaking hippogriff, how did you ever get sorted into Gryffindor anyway?” Severina grumbled.
“Cause I’m charming and heroic?”
“Try annoying and childish.”
“How can you say such things to me? I thought you liked me?”
“Used to, not after what happened” Severina lied, and somewhere in James’s heart he was disappointed, but he won’t let it get him down, he still must redeem himself to Snape, and once again he decided to change the subject.
“How’d you know about the prefect’s bathroom’s password.” He asked as they reached the dungeons.
“Lily” Severina replied nonchalantly.
“Ah, that explains it, well then Snape…” James turned towards Severina and took her hand and held it to his lips as he looks up at her, “Goodnight.” And winks. Severina shuddered and quickly snatched her hand. James grinned, two scores for him and one for Snape.
“What the actual fuck Potter, now I have to disinfect my hands, be glad I can’t hex you right now for leaving my wand behind, just leave already,” Severina complained while hastily entering her dorm.
As she inaudibly slams the door to him, James lingered for a moment before departing with a smile and whistling his way to the Gryffindor tower for a good night's rest, leaving a blushing Snape behind closed doors.