HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Aris followed his gaze, shook his head, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He closed the notebook and gently tapped Kevin's forehead with a quill. "Don't look, Kevin."

"Okay, okay..."

……

On the second day of Potions class, Severus took care of almost all the steps.

Occasionally, when collaborative work is needed, he would gesture with his eyes for Ian to hand him something.

When Ian pushed things over, his fingers would always "inadvertently" brush against the back of Severus's hand.

Severus pursed his lips, his ears turning slightly red, but his hands remained perfectly still.

While waiting for the potion to boil, he silently turned to the correct formula page in the textbook that Ian had spread out in front of him, and used a quill pen to fill in two points of attention that Slughorn had vaguely mentioned during his explanation in the blank space next to it.

"Mr. Burke, it seems your partner is taking good care of you."

Slughorn strolled over to their table, looked at the potion that was now in perfect condition, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Of course, Mr. Snape's skill is as superb as ever. Oh, the color... perfect. Slytherin, five points for your teamwork and efficiency."

After he walked away, Ian winked at Severus, "Our chemistry."

Severus was controlling the heat with his wand when he heard this, he simply hummed in response, but the lines at the corners of his mouth seemed to soften slightly.

He carefully bottled the prepared medicine, labeled it, and then put Ian's share into his bag, acting as if it were his duty.

The bell rang, and the students poured out of the classroom. Only after most of Severus and the others had left did they stand up and pick up their backpacks.

"I can carry it myself." Ian reached for it, but Severus stepped aside, his dark eyes sweeping over Ian's sling.

"You can hold it with your right hand and then let your injured left side sway along with it?" He said calmly, but his meaning was clear.

Ian smiled, stopped insisting, and walked out of the classroom alongside him. The corridor was noisy, and Severus walked on his left, intentionally or unintentionally using his body to keep out anyone who might bump into him.

When they went to the hall for a meal, Severus would use a levitation spell to put several of his usual dishes on his plate, with just the right amount of food, including the baked apple pie that Ian liked but usually didn't bother to get because it was too much trouble.

"You're practically my house-elf now, Severus." Ian cut the steak on his plate, his right hand a little awkward as he wasn't used to it.

Severus ignored him, but quietly moved his own cut of meat, which was already cut into bite-sized pieces, to Ian, then took Ian's whole piece and continued cutting.

He cut things quickly and neatly, like another form of potion processing.

Kevin, watching from the other side, blinked repeatedly and mouthed "Merlin" to Aris.

Aris gently stepped on his foot under the table and calmly spread butter on his own bread.

Lily brought over a plate and sat down. Seeing Ian's arm, her eyes were full of concern: "Mrs. Pomfrey said it will be a few more days before the bandages are removed? Does it still hurt?"

"It's much better, but it's still a little inconvenient," Ian smiled at her.

"Severus must have taken very good care of you." Lily looked at the meticulously divided food in front of Severus, then at the perfectly warm pumpkin juice beside Ian, and laughed. "Honestly, I never realized he was such a good person."

Severus was drinking water when he heard this and choked, turning his face away to cough, his ear tips turning bright red.

Ian took his hand, which was resting on his knee, under the table and scratched his palm with his fingertips. "You've figured it out now."

As soon as Ian finished speaking, Severus almost buried his face in the plate, leaving only his bright red ear tips visible.

Lily chuckled and stopped joking, instead starting to talk about her paper on transfiguration.

Kevin was winking at Ian across the way when Aris hit him squarely on the forehead with a pea.

……

Ian's wound healed well; the bandages were removed, leaving only a light red new scar.

One evening, Severus silently mixed a scar-removing cream and applied it to him without explanation, his movements still somewhat stiff and careful.

With the Christmas holidays approaching, snow covered the castle, and most students went home, leaving very few on campus.

Regulus had to return to Place Grimaud, where his "weak" condition required regular check-ups by a family therapist, and Volbuga's letters grew increasingly anxious.

Ian and the other three chose to stay at school. John and Leah sent a large box of gifts and food, with the note, "The cellar is cold, so light a fire."

On Christmas Day, the hall was decorated with a blanket of white, and the group gathered together to exchange simple but thoughtful gifts.

Just as they returned to the cellar common room door, clutching their gifts and feeling relieved, after the Christmas dinner, an unexpected person was waiting there.

Lucius Malfoy.

He wore a dark green travel cloak, his blond hair was perfectly styled, and he had a just-right smile on his face. He leaned against the cold stone wall as if he were just passing by.

But its appearance here at this time could not possibly be a coincidence.

"Merry Christmas, gentlemen." His gaze swept across their faces, finally settling on Severus.

"Severus, would you mind if I spoke to you privately? I have some academic questions about... potions that I'd like to ask you privately. It won't take up too much of your time."

The air suddenly turned cold.

Kevin tightened his grip on the gift, and Aris's gaze sharpened as he looked at Lucius.

Ian took a half step forward, almost blocking Severus's way, but Severus gently pressed his wrist under his sleeve.

"Of course, Senior Malfoy." Severus's voice was calm and even. He released Ian's hand, shook his head slightly at Ian to signal him not to move, and then followed Lucius to a secluded corner of a corridor in the distance.

Those short ten minutes felt like an eternity to Ian.

He stood there, his fingertips cold, with Kevin and Aris silently keeping him company.

Finally, Severus reappeared in sight, but Lucius was nowhere to be seen.

He walked slowly, his steps heavy, his face pale, his lips tightly pressed together, and in his usually calm and deep black eyes, a storm Ian had never seen before raged—anger, humiliation, and… fear.

"Severus?" Ian immediately went to meet him, took his hand, and felt its icy coldness.

Severus abruptly pulled his hand back, the force of which stunned Ian.

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, all that remained was an empty weariness. "Let's talk about it when we get back."