Herbology

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If I thought we were in the honeymoon stage before, I don't know if a word existed for this.

Severus could hardly handle me leaving his side, even in our sleep. His arms were wrapped around me when I woke this morning, and still now, on our way to St. Mungo's for his first day of work.

"But Sev, this can't be allowed." I argued, "you're not going to make a good impression on your first day."

He shook his head, "if they have a problem, they can find a new potions master."

I dramatically rolled my eyes, giving in. In all honesty, I wanted to go and see Severus at work, I just didn't want to feel awkward or in their way.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready," I affirmed.

I was pulled through a wormhole, gripping Sev's arm, and not a moment later we stood before a run down department store, Purge and Dowes, Ltd. I looked up at Sev, confused, but he mustn't have got the location wrong as he started forward, leading us inside.

"Severus Snape, here for my first day of work," he said, and I followed his eyes to see who he was speaking to just as a mannequin in the window turned to face me. "She has a job interview."

The mannequin nodded and let us inside, where the run down building turned into a fully functional hospital waiting room. I kept my eyes on the security guards as Sev led us down a series of hallways, but they paid us no attention.

"Did you have to lie?" I questioned.

"I didn't," he said, stopping abruptly. "You do have an interview. It's through there."

He pointed at a door, which had a plaque with the word 'Herbology' engraved in it.

"But.."

"You can thank me later," he said, leaning all the way in for a kiss as I stood as still as a statue, shocked. Instead, he whispered in my ear, "don't be mad. I checked with your friends first and they said you'd love it."

Love what, I wondered. I wrapped my arms around him for a hug, keeping my eyes on the door that until now I didn't realize held my future. Love a job working with plants, I realized. That's what I'd love. And he was right, my friends were right, but I had no time to prepare-

"You already have the job, this is just a formality," he said as he backed away, already late for work because of my protest. "Meet me in the potions department when you're done and tell me how it went." He said, winking.

I'm was about to curse at him, or maybe just curse him, when the Herbology department door swung open.

"y/n?"

I nodded, "yes, that's me."

"I'm Madam Rosaline, it's a pleasure to meet you!" She said, raising her hand for me to shake. She had curly red hair, falling past her shoulders, and her cloak complimented it, a deep green velvet with embroidered gold vines that appeared to be growing before my eyes. I loved her already.

I shook her hand and stepped inside the room, where the atmosphere changed so completely that one could forget they were in a hospital all together. I instead found myself in a greenhouse, the entirety of the room being lined with plants I could hardly name, and a glass panel ceiling to allow the sunlight in. It might have been humid and a few degrees warmer than the hallway, but I felt much more at place in here.

Madam Rosaline gestured towards one of the desks that sat in the middle of the room but hadn't escaped the greenery. Plants spilled over the side, creeping towards the chair I was to sit in. I sat down slowly as to not hurt the plants, a task I assume I failed, for something was now nipping at my ankles.

"Where to start," she said, fondling a little potted plant between us, which seemed to respond to her touch in the same way a puppy would. "Snape tells me you excel in Herbology and have a garden of your own."

"Er, well-" I started, needing to take a deep breath and sort out my thoughts before answering, "I have always loved plants and discovering their many uses, but I haven't only begun growing a garden of my own."

She nodded understandingly, "and what do you think of our office here?"

I scanned the room, not sure how to describe how it made me feel at home even though I had never seen anything like it.

She nodded, "I thought so." I looked at her, confused, but she pulled some papers out from under a proud looking plant and handed them to me, "fill these out by Friday when you come for your first shift."

Before I had a second to look them over, she had coaxed me out the door and sent me on my way. In the hallway I could take a deep breath. I survived, I told myself. And I have a job now.

Overjoyed, I set off to find the Potion Department like Sev had told me to. The hallways were packed with people crying, pacing, and forcing me against the wall as they rushed past. I asked someone for directions, but he turned out to be a patient who knew even less than I did.

When I finally found it, I slowly opened the door and peaked inside. Sure enough, there was Severus standing over some phials, examining the contents. I shuffled in the room, glad to see he was alone, and told him the good news.

"I knew you'd be happy," his smile was magnified by the glass of a warped red bottle, "as am I. We can work together now."

I hugged him from behind, trying my best not to disturb his work. "But how will I work here when I have another year of school?"

Now he put everything down and turned around, "I worked it out with McGonagall."

I eyed him suspiciously, "how?"

He kissed one of my cheeks, "she said she would have no problem with you spending weekends with me," then kissed the other, "as long as your school work doesn't suffer for it."

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