To Love Another

Anthea loved to watch him when he sat underneath that supposedly favorite tree. That particular tree was where he would often lounge with a few textbooks and some parchment, doing homework or studying. She loved to see his dark brows furrow together in thought, his black eyes focused on the every word they read. Anthea would always sit under another tree nearby: close enough to spy on the dark haired Slytherin of her fascination, but positioned where he wouldn't likely catch her. As it were, Anthea was peering at him over her own book, hardly paying attention to Arithimancy as she appreciated the curve of his nose. Subtlely, she pulled a sketchbook from her bag and started to draw him.

"Severus!" called a happy, feminine voice. Severus snapped his eyes up, visibly warming to the interruption. Anthea scowled with frustration; she hated when her subject moved. 

"Hello Lily," Severus greeted her with a smile, closing his book and leaning back against the tree. Lily crouched beside him, leaning in to whisper something to her longtime friend that Anthea was too far away to catch. Severus pulled away, and began looking around, as if searching the area for something. His eyes met Anthea's, and she turned red and looked down. Uh-oh. Having been busted, she quickly picked up her books and shoved them into her bag before fleeing the scene. 

Much to her displeasure, she heard someone call out at her. 

"Hey!" She peeked over her shoulder and saw Severus walking towards her, almost at a jog. Anthea panicked and started walking faster. 

"Wait up!" Severus called, starting to run. He quickly caught her shoulder and whipped her around. Suddenly, her bright brown eyes were locked with his dark blue, almost black eyes. Her freckles stood out against the red of her face.

"Were you... were you watching me?" Severus asked. Anthea was uncomfortable with this direct question. 

"... sort of," she replied, looking anywhere but at the Slytherin addressing her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You just have good shapes and colors and composition and ithinkilikeyou," she mumbled, her voice growing quieter until the grouped together last portion was almost just a breath. Severus just raised a brow. "Pardon?"

"I like to draw... you're a good subject... " Anthea explained, starting to frantically twist her blue tie. While it was true Ravenclaws were quite the intellectual, this particular Ravenclaw was painfully shy. Severus took on a look of both shock and happiness.

"Could... could I see?" he asked, fully prepared to pull the "well you WERE drawing me without my permission" card if needed. He was genuinely curious. Anthea hesitated for a moment, hand on her bag. For a moment, she wondered why Lily had alerted him to her watching. Reluctantly, Anthea handed him her sketchbook. Severus took it lightly in his hands, and slowly flipped through the pages. Anthea peered over the book to see as well, checking to make sure everything looked good. She'd never been so afraid it was terrible. However, when she glanced up at Severus, whose face was closer than ever as she leaned in to see her own work, she could see the amazement in his eyes.

"These are really good!" he exclaimed, looking up and finding her rather close. Startled, Anthea jumped back, but not before Severus took notice of her plump pink lips, the bottom of which she seemed fond of nibbling. He allowed himself a moment of distraction, while she stared at him with scared doe eyes. 

"If you wanted, you could sit with me. By the way, I'm--" "Severus Snape. We have Potions together. And a couple of others..." Anthea finished his introduction for him. She wasn't really stalking him because he sat under a tree, or at least that was the impression she was trying to make.

"I'm Anthea. Anthea Romi." She said, once again trying to avoid looking him in the eye. Severus gave her a half smile. 

"Would you like to come study potions with me?" he offered. Anthea gave a nod, and as she followed him back to the tree he was so fond of sitting under, she couldn't help but feel her heart race.