It was a quiet evening in the Hogwarts library, the soft flicker of candlelight casting shadows on the tall shelves. Severus sat at a secluded table near the back, his eyes flickering nervously toward his lover, a fellow seventh-year student. Your presence always seemed to settle him, even as his mind raced with uncertainty.

You were laughing softly at something he had said, but his thoughts were elsewhere. They had spent hours together, the weight of their schoolwork forgotten as they talked about their future, about everything that came after Hogwarts. But now, as the evening drew on, there was an undeniable shift in the air. It wasn’t the comfort of casual conversation anymore. There was something deeper, something unspoken, pulling them closer.

Severus’ heart thudded as you leaned in, your eyes searching his face. He hesitated for a moment, unsure, but then you were there, your lips brushing against his. It was soft and tentative, but the warmth of your touch made his heart skip. His hands, which had never quite known how to move with such intimacy, remained stiff by his sides at first. But as the kiss deepened, a strange warmth spread through him, making him forget all his reservations.

It was clumsy at first. Severus’ mind scrambled for the right way to respond, but in his nervousness, he only found himself pulling away, his face flushed. You smiled at him, an understanding in your gaze, and gently took his hand, guiding it around your waist.

He swallowed, meeting your gaze with a mix of vulnerability and intensity. "I'm not good at this," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.