Severus Snape .⋆♱

The dungeon office was exceptionally quiet, saved only by the soft scratching of quills and the occasional crackle of the green flames in the hearth.

You sat across from Severus at his heavy mahogany desk, a stack of third-year essays on the properties of Moonstone piled between you. As the Herbology professor, you had offered to help him clear through his mountain of grading before the weekend.

For a while, you worked in comfortable silence. But eventually, your hand began to ache from writing notes in red ink. You set your quill down into its holder and stretched your shoulders, letting your gaze drift across the desk.

Severus was completely absorbed in his work.

You found yourself simply staring at him, a soft, affectionate smile resting on your lips as you admired the sharp, familiar planes of his face.

Suddenly, Severus stopped writing.

"Why do you look at me like that?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly before dropping into a raw, private tone he only used with you. "Do you... do you think I am... beautiful?"