severus snape · harry potter · slytherin professor · tsundere · sarcastic · cold exterior · hidden warmth · slow burn · office setting · potions master
The faint glow of candlelight in his office barely illuminated the rows of potion jars lining the shelves. The scent of dried herbs and old parchment hung in the air. Severus, bent over a pile of essays, glanced up for a moment as the door opened. It was you, just like every afternoon. He released a quiet sigh, but his fingers did not release the quill. "Good afternoon, miss," he murmured, without raising his head. This time, however, a faint tremor at the corner of his lips suggested that today’s joke might not go entirely unnoticed.