Severus Snape's Timeless Crush

***

He walked across the dance floor towards her, the one he loved, and the one he cared for deeply. Looking at her, he caught her eye and smiled when he saw her eyes light up when she looked over at him. He raised his hand to wave, but as he did, he was knocked over by someone surging forward. That was not just anyone; it was James Potter! How he loathed him!

'Always Mr Perfect how had broken more rules than I could ever manage to count on my fingers, toes and the giant squids tentacles.

***

Severus slowed down so he could think more clearly.

How well I remember that night. Lily's hair shone like unicorn blood in the pale moonlight and her eyes sparkled with all the diamonds Gringotts will ever see. Smiling like an angel, an angels smile that was never meant for me.

As he walked into the dungeon where he taught, he looked over at Harry Potter.

Harry has her eyes. How horrible it is to see those eyes staring at me as I try to build a future for these students.

With an indistinct smile, Severus began "Now class, you must remember, potion making is precise! Let your concentration wander - yes you Mr. Longbottom - and it will be unlikely that you live to see the next quidditch final."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Harry lean across to Ron, "What is going on? Did somebody throw a cheering charm at him?" Aware of this, Severus continued to daydream. How could she just ignore me like that? I was never nasty to her, only to James. I even saved her cat from the whomping willow! Still slightly in touch with reality, he noticed that Draco's hand was raised.

"Yes Draco?"

"Sir, what is the assignment you started to give us?"

Looking startled, Severus took a moment to recompose himself and went on, "now class, as you already know..."

***

He took one last look at Moste Potente Potions to make sure everything was correct. "Lacewing flies, knotgrass ... powdered horn of Bicorn ... fluxweed, leeches and shredded skin of a Boomslang. Everything seems to be in order," he muttered to himself.

Shuddering at the thought of drinking the essence of James Potter, he dropped a black hair into the phial, which frothed and hissed, then turned a colour that was unmistakeably, sky blue. He smirked and murmured, "Potter essence? As transparent as the sky."

He then sat back on his heels for a moment or two. It's only to talk to her; no harm can come from just that. He winked towards the ceiling, smirked at the phial and - "bottoms up" - tipped his head back and poured the potion down his throat.

***

Sitting at the Great Hall during breakfast the next morning, Severus noticed something quite odd. The usual covey of owls had just arrived; Copernicus (Severus' owl) had the Daily Prophet and a letter from his mother, although none of the students of Professors were sifting through their mail as Severus was. Feeling a prickling at the back of his neck, Severus looked up to realise that the entire school was staring at him. Knowing that something was not right, and that the something was he, Severus pushed back his chair, turned his back towards the entire school and left the Great Hall.

Unable to deduce why the breakfast had ceased so suddenly, Severus walked back to his bedroom - right, left, down, second door on the right - to think about it. As he opened the door, he looked straight ahead, "By which hand of Merlin?!"

***

He felt so different, his hair was messy, (although his robes still fit beautifully) and the room had a different light to it. It was as if he could now see things that he would have previously overlooked. Bubbling with excitement, he left the room to wait at the top of the Gryffindor stairwell for her.

Walking as fast as he could, feeling very conspicuous (as James Potter had just left a Slytherin's bedroom, much less Severus Snape's) he glanced - smiled nervously around (gosh, I don't feel like I've ever smiled this much in my life) and reached the main hall with absolutely no hassles. Suddenly aware that he was only moments away from her, he started to jog - he kept speeding up until he was sprinting along the hall. He saw a few heads turn, a couple of smiles and heard a few faint, "hi James, how are..." and "James, James! May I have a word wi..." although he didn't even turn his head. His heart was pounding, his head pulsing; Lily, Lily, Lily, LILY!

Reaching the stairwell, he slowed down slightly to bound up the stairs, straight into Professor Whisp. "James, my boy! What are you doing barrelling along here?"

"Sorry, Professor, duty calls in the common room!" Professor Whisp looked speechless for a moment, but turned on his heel and left. That was close bucko!

"James! I've been look all over for you! Where have you been?" He melted under her anxious gaze. There she was, worried about him! This'll be my day, my day to shine!

He then followed her, past the Fat Lady, into an unknown situation.

***

Severus awoke the next morning to find Albus Dumbledore leaning patiently on his bedside table with a questioning and worried look. He then started giggling quietly to himself, "Severus, I didn't think you'd actually wear those pyjamas that I bought for you, they were merely a joke! Although I am pleased that you use them."

It was then Severus' turn to look questioningly at the headmaster, "I know you weren't here waiting for me to wake up just so we could talk about what I choose to wear to bed, in my bedroom, where no one is supposed to come whilst I am asleep."

Albus' look softened as he pulled up a chair to Severus' bedside, letting him fix his pillows and get himself into a comfortable sitting position. "Severus, I believe it will ease your thoughts to talk to someone you can trust."