p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"Long Lost Love/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"Request for em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Angel of Darkness/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""I was wondering if you could do one where the reader was a new teacher in the third year and that the reader is actually assigned as an assistant to Snape"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"Request for em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"CalypsoStorm/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"A/N:/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" There were several messages back and forth so I summarized the request./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""Hey I just wanted to say first that I love and thoroughly enjoy your one shots."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""The reader was Lily's sister and Snape's childhood friend. After Lily died, the reader became mute, too traumatized to speak. Now she's an adult, and she runs into her old friend who's heartbroken to see how Lily's death affected her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour heeled boots clicked against marble floors as you sauntered down the halls of Hogwarts, eyes scanning the name plaques that hung outside each doorway in search of the professor you were to be assisting. You were no stranger to the famous school – many years ago, you'd attended Hogwarts with your older sister, Lily Evans. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBeing back in the familiar setting of castle walls and ghosts haunting the hallways didn't faze you in the least. What shook your core was the name engraved in the plaque of the room in which you were assigned to be a teacher's aide. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanProfessor Severus Snape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBack in your studying years, you were Snape's best friend. After Lily fell in love with James and turned up her nose at the black-haired Slytherin, you grew rather close with Severus. Truth be told, you'd developed a bit of a crush on him, but you knew how infatuated he was with your sister, so you left it alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt warmed your heart how Severus tried to protect Lily from Voldemort's wrath, and you sobbed into his arms when you found her dead body on the floor. Had you been older (you were only twenty when she died), you would have offered to take Harry in. But you feared that you weren't stable enough to support yourself, let alone a toddler, and you thought that your older sister Petunia was better suited to adopt a child./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou hadn't known how neglectful she was, otherwise you would have insisted that you could take care of Harry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLily's death had traumatized you more than you could have ever expected. The two of you were quite close, though you despised how her lover treated Severus, and how you were the only person to stand up for him. But you didn't have nightmares or panic attacks like one might expect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour trauma side effect was that since the day you sobbed in Severus's arms over the loss of your sister, you'd become completely mute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA knock on the door caught Severus's attention, and he turned his attention away from the ingredients rack he was sorting. "Come in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou turned the handle and opened the door, your breath suddenly knocked out of you at the sight of your teenage crush. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus was visibly affected as well. He nearly dropped the bottle he was holding, instead gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "(Y/N)?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou nodded eagerly, producing your wand from a pocket inside your coat. You swished it around in the air, leaving a light stream in its wake. The lights fluttered around to form letters, which joined together to form words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span'Yes, Severus, it's me.'/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe frowned, tilting his head in confusion. "Why can't you speak?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou glanced down sheepishly. Admitting that Lily's death had turned you mute always felt like a weakness, so you tried to avoid the subject and simply replied with, "trauma." But Severus knew you better, and he would know exactly what "trauma" you were alluding to./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus sucked in a breath, exhaling a sigh. You resisted the urge to wince – he was putting the pieces together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm so sorry," he murmured, and you wondered when he began to speak to softly. Was it trauma from Lily's death like your handicap, or was it the aftermath of being bullied for so many years?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span'I've learned to cope,' you scribbled with your wand, and he nodded curtly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"So, you're my assistant?" he guessed. You nodded, the corners of your mouth twitching with the ghost of a smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHis lips stretched into a genuine grin. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDespite how ecstatic he was to spend quality time with you (even his students noticed his better mood and the affect you had on him), Severus was sorrowed by your condition. It broke his heart that you hadn't been able to speak a word since the tragedy, and he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for not being there to support you during your time of mourning. You had both gone into hiding, unable to face the real world just yet. But Severus became a professor, and you became a recluse until McGonagall recently reached out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus was determined to do something kind for you, to apologize for his lack of comfort and to promise that he would be your shoulder to lean on from here on out. He ciphered through what few belongings he kept from his days as a student, and among that small pile of memorabilia he found a scrapbook that you'd made him one year as a birthday present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA smile danced on his lips as he flipped through the parchment pages, watching each photo come to life. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThirteen years old. You and Lily on either side of him, wrapping him up in a three-person hug./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanFifteen years old. Him handing you a (f/flower) while nervously asking you to be his date for the upcoming dance, followed by you flinging your arms around him in excitement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEighteen years old. His graduation. You planting a kiss on his cheek in excitement. You still had a year to go, but you were sure to be there for all of his milestones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe final page of the book held what appeared to be a sketch to the untrained eye, but Severus knew better. The faded lines and vibrant colors of the (f/flower) were too real to have been a sketch. On the final page, you had laid down the flower and cast a spell to mold it into the page, much like how muggles press flowers between the pages of their books, only yours would stay forever and never wilt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAn idea struck Severus and he smiled softly to himself. Clutching the scrapbook, he shuffled out of his room and down to his classroom. No one dared to enter the room outside of lesson hours, and he was suddenly grateful for the fear he struck into the hearts of his students. He needed absolute privacy. He only hoped that you would be busy for the afternoon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Severus, where are we going?" you scribbled into the air for the umpteenth time, once again yielding no response. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAll the black-haired man would reply with was, "You'll see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAn inaudible sigh fell from your lips as you tried to fight a smirk. His mystery was one of the things you loved about him. And you trusted him with the entirety of your being – whatever he was doing, it was safe and you would enjoy it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe led you out to the woods where the two of you would sneak off to in your teenage years. Your smile grew at the realization and the rush of memories. When either of you were upset, you would come out to the woods, and it wouldn't take long for the other to follow. It became your spot, especially since it was forbidden and most of the students were too obedient to ever trek this far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanInstead of the dead trees and poisonous plants that you remembered, you were greeted by a field of your favorite flowers. There was a clearing in the center, where a very familiar black-and-grey plaid blanket (that you had given Severus) was laid on the ground. The professor sat down, offering his hand for you to join him. You did so without hesitation, dropping your weight onto the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I wanted to show you how much I missed you," Severus began. "And how much I… love you…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour eyes widened as you turned your gaze to him. 'You love me?' you wrote with your wand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe nodded, taking your hands in his. "I always have, but I was too shy when we were students to do anything about it. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you after Lily died, but I promise I will be from now on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanTears bubbled behind your eyes as a smile tugged at your lips. You flung yourself into his arms, burying your face in his chest. Severus understood immediately that they were tears of love and happiness, not sorrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Se… Sev…" You cleared your throat, looking up at him with determination in your eyes. "Severus."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was his turn for a surprised expression that melted into a smile. "I love you, (Y/N)."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I… love… you too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou remained in that clearing for most of the day, wrapped up in his arms and his love. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"Request for em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Angel of Darkness/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""I was wondering if you could do one where the reader was a new teacher in the third year and that the reader is actually assigned as an assistant to Snape"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"Request for em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"CalypsoStorm/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"A/N:/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" There were several messages back and forth so I summarized the request./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""Hey I just wanted to say first that I love and thoroughly enjoy your one shots."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;""The reader was Lily's sister and Snape's childhood friend. After Lily died, the reader became mute, too traumatized to speak. Now she's an adult, and she runs into her old friend who's heartbroken to see how Lily's death affected her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour heeled boots clicked against marble floors as you sauntered down the halls of Hogwarts, eyes scanning the name plaques that hung outside each doorway in search of the professor you were to be assisting. You were no stranger to the famous school – many years ago, you'd attended Hogwarts with your older sister, Lily Evans. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBeing back in the familiar setting of castle walls and ghosts haunting the hallways didn't faze you in the least. What shook your core was the name engraved in the plaque of the room in which you were assigned to be a teacher's aide. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanProfessor Severus Snape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBack in your studying years, you were Snape's best friend. After Lily fell in love with James and turned up her nose at the black-haired Slytherin, you grew rather close with Severus. Truth be told, you'd developed a bit of a crush on him, but you knew how infatuated he was with your sister, so you left it alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt warmed your heart how Severus tried to protect Lily from Voldemort's wrath, and you sobbed into his arms when you found her dead body on the floor. Had you been older (you were only twenty when she died), you would have offered to take Harry in. But you feared that you weren't stable enough to support yourself, let alone a toddler, and you thought that your older sister Petunia was better suited to adopt a child./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou hadn't known how neglectful she was, otherwise you would have insisted that you could take care of Harry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLily's death had traumatized you more than you could have ever expected. The two of you were quite close, though you despised how her lover treated Severus, and how you were the only person to stand up for him. But you didn't have nightmares or panic attacks like one might expect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour trauma side effect was that since the day you sobbed in Severus's arms over the loss of your sister, you'd become completely mute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA knock on the door caught Severus's attention, and he turned his attention away from the ingredients rack he was sorting. "Come in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou turned the handle and opened the door, your breath suddenly knocked out of you at the sight of your teenage crush. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus was visibly affected as well. He nearly dropped the bottle he was holding, instead gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "(Y/N)?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou nodded eagerly, producing your wand from a pocket inside your coat. You swished it around in the air, leaving a light stream in its wake. The lights fluttered around to form letters, which joined together to form words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span'Yes, Severus, it's me.'/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe frowned, tilting his head in confusion. "Why can't you speak?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou glanced down sheepishly. Admitting that Lily's death had turned you mute always felt like a weakness, so you tried to avoid the subject and simply replied with, "trauma." But Severus knew you better, and he would know exactly what "trauma" you were alluding to./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus sucked in a breath, exhaling a sigh. You resisted the urge to wince – he was putting the pieces together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm so sorry," he murmured, and you wondered when he began to speak to softly. Was it trauma from Lily's death like your handicap, or was it the aftermath of being bullied for so many years?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span'I've learned to cope,' you scribbled with your wand, and he nodded curtly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"So, you're my assistant?" he guessed. You nodded, the corners of your mouth twitching with the ghost of a smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHis lips stretched into a genuine grin. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDespite how ecstatic he was to spend quality time with you (even his students noticed his better mood and the affect you had on him), Severus was sorrowed by your condition. It broke his heart that you hadn't been able to speak a word since the tragedy, and he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for not being there to support you during your time of mourning. You had both gone into hiding, unable to face the real world just yet. But Severus became a professor, and you became a recluse until McGonagall recently reached out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSeverus was determined to do something kind for you, to apologize for his lack of comfort and to promise that he would be your shoulder to lean on from here on out. He ciphered through what few belongings he kept from his days as a student, and among that small pile of memorabilia he found a scrapbook that you'd made him one year as a birthday present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA smile danced on his lips as he flipped through the parchment pages, watching each photo come to life. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThirteen years old. You and Lily on either side of him, wrapping him up in a three-person hug./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanFifteen years old. Him handing you a (f/flower) while nervously asking you to be his date for the upcoming dance, followed by you flinging your arms around him in excitement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEighteen years old. His graduation. You planting a kiss on his cheek in excitement. You still had a year to go, but you were sure to be there for all of his milestones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe final page of the book held what appeared to be a sketch to the untrained eye, but Severus knew better. The faded lines and vibrant colors of the (f/flower) were too real to have been a sketch. On the final page, you had laid down the flower and cast a spell to mold it into the page, much like how muggles press flowers between the pages of their books, only yours would stay forever and never wilt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAn idea struck Severus and he smiled softly to himself. Clutching the scrapbook, he shuffled out of his room and down to his classroom. No one dared to enter the room outside of lesson hours, and he was suddenly grateful for the fear he struck into the hearts of his students. He needed absolute privacy. He only hoped that you would be busy for the afternoon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Severus, where are we going?" you scribbled into the air for the umpteenth time, once again yielding no response. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAll the black-haired man would reply with was, "You'll see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAn inaudible sigh fell from your lips as you tried to fight a smirk. His mystery was one of the things you loved about him. And you trusted him with the entirety of your being – whatever he was doing, it was safe and you would enjoy it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe led you out to the woods where the two of you would sneak off to in your teenage years. Your smile grew at the realization and the rush of memories. When either of you were upset, you would come out to the woods, and it wouldn't take long for the other to follow. It became your spot, especially since it was forbidden and most of the students were too obedient to ever trek this far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanInstead of the dead trees and poisonous plants that you remembered, you were greeted by a field of your favorite flowers. There was a clearing in the center, where a very familiar black-and-grey plaid blanket (that you had given Severus) was laid on the ground. The professor sat down, offering his hand for you to join him. You did so without hesitation, dropping your weight onto the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I wanted to show you how much I missed you," Severus began. "And how much I… love you…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYour eyes widened as you turned your gaze to him. 'You love me?' you wrote with your wand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe nodded, taking your hands in his. "I always have, but I was too shy when we were students to do anything about it. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you after Lily died, but I promise I will be from now on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanTears bubbled behind your eyes as a smile tugged at your lips. You flung yourself into his arms, burying your face in his chest. Severus understood immediately that they were tears of love and happiness, not sorrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Se… Sev…" You cleared your throat, looking up at him with determination in your eyes. "Severus."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was his turn for a surprised expression that melted into a smile. "I love you, (Y/N)."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I… love… you too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Century',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanYou remained in that clearing for most of the day, wrapped up in his arms and his love. /span/p