Work Text:
September 2nd, 1981
Thank Merlin that divination was just an elective. If it was a required course, you wouldn’t have enjoyed your job at all. The last class of the day was as short as the others for the first day of school. After the mass exodus of your class, you stayed behind a few minutes answering several questions from stray students that were wondering if taking your class was the right fit for them. No one was truly interested in divination, but a lot of them knew you had never failed a student and wanted easy marks. But every now and then there would be a fresh face, curious about things that cannot be rationalized by any kind of subtle science.
Your day went off without a hitch. For the new professor; however, the same could not be said. You left the classroom after the last stragglers disappeared and then walked down to the dungeons with a tin box tucked away under your arm, hiding beneath your heavy shawl. Arriving just as a crowd of first-years were leaving the potions classroom, you quickly moved to the wall in an attempt not to get swept away in the waves of people. After the door stopped regurgitating students, you tentatively walked into the open doorway. Rapping the wooden support arch with your knuckles, you peered into the classroom. You hoped his day wasn’t as excruciating as his classroom currently looked right now.
Shards of glass and broken jars littered the floor. Animal eyes and tongues were stuck in the grout, surrounded in the emerald liquid they were once preserved in. They were being eaten by the long pink tongue of a chunky stray toad, while several other toads hopped and flopped about. It seems none of the students wanted to stay to ask him any questions, as the class was nearly completely deserted. Severus was sat face down at his desk. You trod carefully over the ingredients and glass parts. A toad jumped onto your skirts and you flicked it off, not wanting to bring home a friend today.
You reached his desk and stood to his side, holding your hands as well as the box behind your back. “So, uh…” You bounced on your heels, looking around the room. “What a first day, huh?”
He turned his head slowly and glared at your poor attempt of conversation.
You sighed, dropping your shoulders. “It doesn’t look like you want to talk about it…” You perked up, remembering something that might make his day less miserable. You summoned the box and held it appeasingly in front of him. You grinned at him, “I got you something for surviving your first day!”
He humphed, the breath from his nose flicking a stray hair out of his face. His features softened when he looked at your smile. He sat up slowly and held out his open hand, silently asking for the box. Complying, you gave it to him and stepped closer. Your grin grew as he pried open the tin with his long, dextrous fingers. It popped open. A satisfying clang resonated as it rattled onto the wood. Severus leaned forward to see what was in the box. He reached in and held up the new glassware to his face, peering inside the clear surface.
“Call it my sight or my intuition, but I had a feeling that you would need those today.” You chuckled.
“New jars.” He hummed thoughtfully. The corners of his lips quirked at seeing all of the new jars displayed in the box. Some of them were your standard mason jar, but there were a few with interesting and ornamental shapes.
“Not only that.” You pointed out.
He raised a brow at you.
“Look underneath.” You held an index finger to the cloth safeguarding the jars and hiding another goodie.
He removed the rest of the jars from the tin and unveiled the navy blue cloth.
“Biscuits?” He quirked an eyebrow.
Underneath the dark cloth were snickerdoodles with almonds baked in the soft centers.
“For you!” You grinned, trying to hide your anxiety. You hoped he’d like them.
He stared down at your craftsmanship and then glanced back up at you. His eyes were soft and he gave you a toothy grin, before standing up and pulling you into a hug. “Thank you,” He murmured into your hair before pressing a kiss into it. You nearly purred and held him closer, rubbing circles into his back before he broke away. He pulled away from you, holding your arms and giving you a soft smile. He leaned in and kissed your forehead, squeezing your arms gently for a moment and then retreating. You giggled, adoring how sweet he could be. His smile grew wider when he heard your laugh.
For a few moments, you stood staring and just taking each other in until a frog hopped onto the table. Severus quickly covered the biscuits before the amphibian could land on them. His face hardened, having been broken out of his stupor and faced with the current state of his classroom. He groaned, leaning against the desk, facing you. He pulled you into his arms once again. “You would not believe the day I have had.” He growled.
“I think I can take a guess.” You teased. He rolled his eyes in faux annoyance but a quirk of his lips gave him away. “Tell me all about it, lovely.” You told him, patting his chest softly and leaning up to kiss his jaw. He grinned a moment, a flicker of light flashing in his eyes as he looked at you. He pulled you closer and rested his chin on top of your head.
He ranted, “It all started with a dunderhead in the first year who somehow messed up the cure for boils-”