Title: Performance Anxiety
Author: sdk
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing/Characters: Severus/Harry
Rating: PG
Length/Word Count: Ficlet, 400 words
Warnings/Content: light innuendo
Summary: It was going to be a very long day.
Notes: Written for the prompt, "Severus/Harry, renewal" from alisanne. Unbeta'd so please forgive and point out any typos/erorrs! Thanks. <3
Disclaimer: The following is based on fictional characters I don't own doing fictional things in a fictional world I did not create. No copyright infringement intended.


Performance Anxiety

The room was sparse, containing only a large work table with a single black Cauldron resting atop a burner in the center. There was a rickety shelving unit on one side holding various glass vials filled with herbs and other less savory ingredients. And lastly a tall imposing figure stood at the front, dressed in floor length black robes, his lips drawn in what Harry assumed to most people looked like a scowl, but Harry knew better.

“I’m here for the renewal of my Potions Certification, sir.”

“You understand I will not show you any favoritism during this process.”

Severus’ voice, with its ability to be both smooth and cutting all at once, used to grate on Harry’s nerves, but those days were long past. Now it was like honey soothing his tongue, drizzling along his skin. Severus’ dulcet tones rolled down Harry’s spine like barely cooled candle wax, warm to the touch and teasingly arousing. Harry knew this was not a good time to indulge in these thoughts; he’d worked too hard to bollocks up his promotion over his inability to keep his libido in check.

“Is my presence going to be a hinderance to your performance, Mr. Potter?”

Harry swallowed thickly. “No, sir.”

“Very well. I would hate to think I made a mistake in sharing...certain rewards I’d planned for a favourable outcome.”

The corners of Severus’ lips turned up for a flash of a moment, his smirk barely detectable before he schooled his features once more. Harry steeled himself and vowed to only concentrate on brewing, drawing on the endless hours of study he put in, preparing for this very day. His career was on the line, his very future. And the fact that Severus was likely to mete out a very harsh punishment for failure was not a good enough reason to sabotage his own exam. Besides, like he’d promised, Severus’ reward for passing would be far more pleasurable.

But Harry couldn’t think about that. He wouldn’t. He cleared his mind and focused on the task ahead.

“Ready to begin?”

Harry nodded once.

“Good. Let’s start with the oral portion of the exam.”

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the sight of Severus and that damned sneaky smile of his, and ignored the spark of arousal in his belly.

It was going to be a very long day.


-Fin-







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