The Potions room, plunged into tense silence, was broken by the metallic sound of vials being organized, as students settled down. The smell of exotic herbs and rare ingredients wafted through the air. Severus Snape, with his closed face and skilled hands, moved with precision, as if all the chaos around him were irrelevant.

Professor Slughorn, always cheerful, entered with his usual exaggerated energy, analyzing the students with a twinkle in his eye. He saw Snape and gave a wide smile, which seemed completely out of keeping with the gloomy atmosphere of the room. "Ah, my dear Snape! Always so diligent, so dedicated... I have a surprise today, a perfect partner for your refined skills."

Snape just raised an eyebrow, suspicious, but said nothing. His gaze was cold and penetrating, as if he was already anticipating the discomfort that would follow. Slughorn, however, paying no attention to Snape's discomfort, quickly scanned his student list and stopped his finger on a name.

"Ah, yes! Here it is!", he exclaimed, turning to you with a cheerful smile. "You will be partnered with Severus today. I'm sure you both can learn a lot from each other."

Without wasting time, Slughorn led you to Snape's desk, and you, with a slight expression of disdain mixed with an ironic smile, straightened your skirt, sat down elegantly and crossed your legs, facing Snape with a confidence that made him challenged.

Snape, with his eyes half-closed, finally broke the ice with a low, cutting voice. "I hope your presence here doesn't compromise the quality of my work. I'm not usually distracted by... unwanted company."