You were growing tired of collecting ingredients, every single one was so far away from the next, some even disgusting to even collect. Bending over you held your knees to catch your breath, hoping Severus wouldn't think you were weak for this. Obviously, the two of you had done this before, but not for six hours straight. Feeling a hand on your shoulder you gasped slightly, standing up instantly coming face to face with your lover. His dark eyes stared intensely into your soul, care seeping through his irises as a worried expression dawned on his face. You, however, went beat red at the closeness, your mind wandering off to different places.

'He held you gently, one arm around your waist while the other reached up so his hand could softly caress your cheek as he stared you down. His hand trailing to carefully place a few strands of hair behind your ear. "Please darling... never leave me" he murmured softly, his caring demeanour felt as if it illuminated the room around you. The room was cosy, there was a fireplace that was almost an exact replica of the one the two of you spent so many nights in front of you. Severus was laid on a black leather couch, his head rested on a pillow with you laid on his chest staring up at him. "I'll never leave you again, my dear" you spoke, placing your hand on his cheek to mimic him, leaning in you kissed his chapped lips feeling your heart explode.'

Feeling yourself being lightly shaken, you snapped out of the wonderful daydream to look into his onyx eyes once more. "I-i uh- sorry" you spluttered out hiding your face out of embarrassment, he let out a small chuckle as he placed a soft kiss on the top of your head. Moving his hand down to take yours once more in his, "It's alright (Y/N)" you preferred him like this when he didn't have to act cold due to the others. When he showed his true, raw self, you found yourself falling even harder for the man who'd already captured your heart one too many a time.

He tilted your chin up with a finger, lightly placing a kiss on your cheek before moving away, "We've gathered everything we needed, shall we head back?" he proposed to you with a small smile that melted your heart. With a small, shy nod the two of you set off back to the castle. Ready to put on a picture-perfect facade of a student-teacher relationship once again, your mind was still swirling from the events that had just taken place. No matter how many times he kissed you, it always felt like the first time you'd dreamed of it.