Melanie's POV

I stood unable to listen to his demand of me to leave.

I know I had no right in doing any of what I had done...

But how could I go back now? I couldn't just act like I didn't have feelings for him in which I was just now discovering myself.

"In your eyes I might just be as weak as a child who's always and only ever in the way. But I'm not a child. I am not weak."

"I only said that you needed to leave."

"Then what do you see me as Professor?"

"Someone who is dying."

"I am not dying."

"You've coughed up blood and fainted multiple times. And I can only hold off the symptoms with the spell I had casted...If you don't get rid of that curse you will die sooner than later."

"Then how must I get rid of this 'curse'. Since you're so all-knowing."

"Your sarcasm is infuriating."

"And just as you find me infuriating, I find you just as heartless."

What I said was true but I knew my words weren't fully true...after all...he had shown me kindness even if it was small...he wasn't as heartless as he led on.

"I am heartless. But at the present time I am telling you this for your own good."

"I'm stronger than you think Professor Snape." I snapped at him as he looked at me surprised.

Tears of frustration formed in my eyes as he looked at me with no slack of remorse.

"You aren't strong if your eyes are filled with foolish tears. If anything you are stubborn and a fool. Just like the other Professor who pronounced himself to be the best of the best. When all he really was, was nothing but a pig-headed coward." His sharpness in speech set fumes through my ears as he only continued.

"It makes me wonder how foolish your family really is."

"Stop speaking of my family. You know nothing!"

"I assure you, I've done my homework. And I know everything down to the smallest of details about your family." He leaned in toward me with such a solemn look.

I could smell pine needles and a small scent of cedar wood.

He was in the woods recently. That I know.

To my surprise his glare softened to a more concentrated look.

"And what I found wasn't pretty. For a woman as yourself to have been so miserable...That is why I say your family is foolish...foolish to have not seen the potential you have of being something so much greater than you're letting on."

I was indeed fuming at the ears but he seemed genuinely concerned.

And he wasn't wrong.

"Let me get one thing straight, I am not making light of you Lockhart. If anything you are just as damaged as any. I only say to concern yourself a bit more with your own health."

Just then he was putting out the very fumes he lit.

He wasn't fair.

"You-"

He now loomed over me, very suspicious of what I was about to say.

I tried to get away from him but he caught
my injured arm as I winced.

"Learn to toughen up. This here is proof that you lack the capability of taking proper care of yourself Miss. Lockhart. And we don't need yet another failed hire here if you end up as sick as a dog that'll never recover."

I didn't get him, not one bit.

He sounded concerned but he was so cold at the same time.

So withdrawn.

"If you're so sick and tired of me being so incapable...why do you care?"

I wanted to know what he was really feeling toward me, if it was anything at all...I wished to know.

His grip released from mine as he stood back.

He didn't say anything as he took yet another step away to make more space between us.

I could immediately feel that something was different about him.

"Why did you visit me? It surely wasn't to be taught anything about the dark arts. Let alone potion making."

He was ignoring my question and drawing away so suddenly.

But why?

"I...can't say..."

"Then -clearly- we have nothing more to say. Leave."

"That's not true!"

I braved myself for strength as I stood up straight to face him eye to eye.

A sudden warmth ran to my heart down to my toes.

A sort of adrenaline it was...and I fell right in the hands of these emotions that numbed my every bit of rationality.

His eyes looked down at me...softening for just a moment.

"You may berate me all you want. But one thing is clear, I cannot help but be drawn to you."

I closed me eyes for just a moment and within a blink of an eye he had moved closer to me.

"Drawn to me?"

"Y-yes."

"You find yourself drawn to me." He said it once more as if he couldn't believe what I had said.

He was so close...so dangerously close.

I could feel warm breath fluttering on my face as I could say nothing at the moment.

The scent of cedar and pine filled my nose again, stronger than the last.

He was making my heart race further.

He leaned in just enough to get close to my face, almost nose to nose.

All I wanted was for him to kiss me at this point.

The tension between him and I was so strong that it made me feel like it could be cut with a knife.

Without any words from him, his lips slowly pressed onto mine.

I felt him tense just as much as me from his hesitation to even kiss me in the first place...I'd assume.

It was like I was frozen in time.

My brain was unable to process what was happening.

That was until his hands went to the back of my head to further the kiss as I finally caved in.

As if the ice freezing me had thawed the moment he touched me.

His lips were surprisingly not as cold as I thought they would've been.

His movements seem to feel more natural and less tensed than a few seconds ago as I matched him just the same.

His lips were as warm as a summer's morning. His warm touches to me were like the rays of the sun.

I couldn't help but keep my eyes closed for only a few more moments to savor my first kiss with him.

His lips firmly pressed on mine as if he had been waiting for the opportunity to do so.

But only for a moment did we share such a kiss before it was broken off by me.

My face overheating with my heart pounding from my chest in which he most likely felt from the way his body had been pressed against mine.

I pushed him gently away to catch my breath as well as to stop our kiss from going any further.

My thoughts turned to panic as I kept my eyes peeled to the ground.

I didn't know what to do.

Severus said nothing.

I finally looked up after too much silence had been between us.

He only looked at me, surprised...but nothing more.

His hands now on either side of my shoulders.

His hand went to the side of my face, moving my hair away as to unveil the entirety of my face as his heavy gaze seemed to seep into mine.

I knew I had been looking at him with eyes full of hope.

Full of yearning to know what he thought and had to say.

This kiss of ours couldn't have been nothing right?

This had to mean something for us.

Something more than just the result of our desires building up.

"Professor-" I spoke but was interrupted.

"Don't say another word."

I was frozen...unable to process any of what he was doing.

And I couldn't pull away a second time.

"I don't understand...?"

"You- I can't take advantage of you Miss. Lockhart."

I couldn't process any of his words.

Each word that escaped his mouth after that turned into muffles... my hearing went numb.