Work Text:
His black hair fell back over his collar as he let out a laugh nobody knew he was capable of. However, after befriending him from the moment they met during school, Y/N had known the brooding man as Severus Snape was a man of emotions. A smile etched its way onto his face as he continued the conversation he was holding with the woman across from him.
Sitting above the students, Professor L/N spotted some of her favorites celebrating the last day of school before Christmas vacation, exchanging gifts and laughter. However, she heard Snape’s laugh again and Y/N scowled. She looked to Hagrid who was beside her, “who’s that woman with Severus, Hagrid?”
The man let out a low chuckle, “I sense ‘yer a bit jealous, aye, Y/N? I ‘eard Snape invited ‘er here for the celebration.”
YN crossed her arms, “Hagrid, I don’t know if you noticed but ever since I graduated from Hogwarts, I am an adult and adults don’t get jealous.”
Hagrid almost spit out his wine at dinner, “don’t catch me while I’m down, ya hear?”
With a roll of her eyes, Y/N let out a laugh, “alright, alright. Maybe I’m a little jealous but I just want to know who she is!”
He nodded his head towards the two, “why not ask?”
She laughed, “’why not ask?’ Hagrid, do you know who I am?” Y/N sighed and went back to playing with her food as Snape leaned over and whispered in the woman’s ear. “That’s it, I’m going to Rosmerta’s.”
Hagrid shrugged, pouring some more wine, “’cause that’s the ‘ore adult thing ta do, aye?”
Y/N shot finger guns at Hagrid, “exactly! Tell Albus I needed to go rest my killer headache and by killer headache, I mean killed heart.” With that, she headed out the door, wishing students merry Christmas and going straight to Hogsmeade. Wrapping her coat tightly around herself, Y/N let her face fall when thinking about Snape and that woman.
Hogsmeade wasn’t far but the snow that landed made her feet feel heavier than normal. Seeing a couple shops closing for the holidays, Y/N rushed to Rosmerta’s for warmth(and comfort).
Noticing the bright lights from the bar, Y/N easily made her way in and took off her coat. Rosmerta raised her head up from under the bar, “Y/N! What a surprise!”
Some other lonely souls nodded their heads towards the young teacher as she walked to the bar, “hey Rosmerta. Can I get a couple shots of Fireball?”
Rosmerta stood tall as Y/N allowed herself to slouch on the bar stool, “muggle alcohol? Now I know something’s up.”
As Rose poured Y/N’s drink, she poured her heart, “I don’t understand how he doesn’t get the hints! None of them! You know what he did tonight, Rose? He, Severus Snape, invited a woman to the Hogwarts Christmas celebration.”
Two shots in front of her, Rose watched as Y/N scuffed them down as nothing, “and they flirted - right in front of me!”
Rose quickly reached under the bar and grabbed the entire bottle of whiskey, slamming it on the table. Tears stained the wood of the bar as Y/N let them fall, “was it a game? I told him I liked him and he said he liked me too. Severus never liked anyone, not after Lily.”
The bartender leaned forward as Y/N downed two more shots, “but why would he bring another woman to Hogwarts if it wasn’t Lily?”
The young teacher poured another shot, “probably because we both have sad lives and he wanted to outdo me by breaking my heart.”
Rose took the Fireball whiskey, “did you ever think that maybe the woman was his friend? His relative?”
Y/N leaned her face on her hand while her other grabbed the whiskey, pouring another shot, “Rose…they were as close as Umbridge was to being the Minister of Magic. They sat that close!”
Rosmerta then poured herself a shot, “so what if he has a new woman? Let it out, honey. Severus was no good, not one bit.”
The borderline drunk woman nodded, “yeah! Yeah, fuck him…I hate Severus Snape!”
Rose snorted, “okay, okay, let’s not yell that…but yes, fuck him.”
With those words and about five shots into Fireball Whiskey, Y/N let herself cry. Her heart hurt thinking about him, thinking of all the small smiles Severus had given her, all the light touches, the nights where he walked her back to her house.
Her stomach hurt at the thought of Severus being with someone else, her heart feelings heavy with sadness. Y/N wanted something with him, some kind of relationship - serious or not. Cuddles or not, feelings or not, she needed to feel him. Yet here Severus was, allowing those emotions to be felt with someone else.
Hours and many “Y/N, no! Don’t bother that man!”’s later, Y/N settled on Rosmerta’s window sill that held a pillow that you could sit on. Rose headed over to her still-drunk friend, holding a couple pieces of bread and water. Y/N wiped her face as she shifted her legs for Rose to sit down, “I don’t get it, Rose.”
The bartender gave a small smile and a pat on the knee, “at least your kids won’t have greasy hair.”
Y/N laughed but then stopped, “it was gross but I loved it…”
Rosmerta let out a low breath, “Y/N, honey, maybe you should just take it easy – did you drink the whole damn bottle?”
She cried again, “No…Hank seemed like he needed some whiskey, too.”
Rose brushed her friend’s hair, “please tell me you don’t mean that old skeeze in the corner, Y/N.”
Y/N nodded and cried out again, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. The door to the bar dinged and Rose yelled out, “just a minute!”
Severus looked around and saw his fellow teacher being comforted by the bartender, “Y/N?” His hair was covered in snow and his hands shook slightly, veins protruding from his snow white skin. His lips were a touch blue but cherry red from the cold.
Y/N leaned forward as Rose moved her hands. She wiped her face of the tears and snot that ran down her face, “Severus?”
The DADA professor took off his coat, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you since dinner! Why would you run off like that? Thank the ministry that Rosmerta’s place is nearby and you didn’t -”
Y/N stood up and stumbled over to Snape, staying somewhat steady on her feet, “who was that woman, Severus Snape?”
Snape held her waist as she rested her hands on his chest, “are you drunk?”
The drunk teacher stood back, eyes wide and keeping a straight face as her voice lowered, “obviously.”
Severus let out a chuckle held her waist again, looking her in the eyes, “why did you run off, little dove?”
The question had sparked more tears to flow, Y/N becoming a blubbering mess of booze and tears. Snape looked at Rose for help who was trying not to laugh. Rose chuckled, “she believes you’ve left her for another woman tonight.”
Snape sighed, pulling Y/N into his chest, “do you not remember me telling you about my cousin Eileen who I haven’t seen since the Wizarding War? I wanted to see her for Christmas?”
Y/N sniffled again while Snape wiped her tears after looking up, “cousin?”
The DADA professor kissed her flushed cheeks, “my cousin, Eileen. How about we get you sobered up and you can make a good first impression?”
Rose let out a laugh, “I think you’re good on the impressions, Severus.”
Y/N laughed but then started crying, apologizing for drinking her sorrows away and saying she hated him, knowing they were great friends. Snape brushed her hair, “but if I heard right, you were worried I had left you? Only a dunderhead would think that…”
She cried again, “we’re not even dating and I thought you were going to leave me for someone else, especially Eileen because she’s so pretty and I thought you didn’t get my hints and I yelled ‘fuck Severus Snape!’ and I’m -”
Severus Snape couldn’t have ended that rant more perfectly than with a ‘will you be my girlfriend?’ kiss.