Hearts are Blind (Severus Snape X OC)

What?

Cold air brushed her ankles, as the door stood ajar. She was a little wary to answer a knock so late into the night—though, it wasn't an ungodly hour or anything; she had been awake—but she checked through the window and saw him standing there. His shoulder's weren't hunched; his back was straight. He blended quite well into the darkness around him, but she could see the silhouette of his hair being lifted by a subtle breeze. She was going to leave in the morning. It was just like him to show up at the last moment. But it didn't matter, anyway. She was still leaving in the morning.

She didn't say anything after opening the door. Severus stared back at her with an almost prepared expression. His eyes were a calm obsidian and they held no animosity in them this time.

Lucinda dropped her arm from the handle and asked stiffly, "Have you been drinking?"

The man's gaze lowered momentarily and then he regained her regard. "No," he said softly with a shake of his head. He was freshly showered and shaved. She could smell the soap on him.

The darkness changes things somehow; she'd always felt that way. The night shimmered with magic much more than the day. Things could be said in the dark and it didn't matter what words were spoken until the sun rose again.

Perhaps that's why his guard was down and his confidence was simultaneously climbing.

Lucinda stepped to the side at his answer, allowing him entry.

Severus hesitated and looked down at her. "Perhaps we could take a walk..."

"No," she replied instantly and the man's face fell a fraction. "I... I'm sorry, I can't. I can't be seen with you."

The muscle in his cheek flexed, as he clenched his teeth and looked away from her, down the street. "What does that matter?" He asked, barely audible.

"It matters to you, apparently," Lucinda challenged with an icy edge, though she wasn't sure why. It did matter if someone saw them together. "I'm sure it's no accident that you came here after curfew?"

Severus still stared down the road. He narrowed his eyes, as if looking at something interesting or thinking very hard about something. Then he blew a quick sigh from his lips and squeezed his eyes shut. He shook his head, as if to dismiss some thought and muttered, "I shouldn't have come."

"Then why did you?"

"How could I not?" He quipped instantly and locked eyes on her. Lucinda's stomach flipped. "I needed to... atone for my behavior."

"You don't need someone to atone to," Lucinda stated slowly. "It's something you do on your own... Now, if you wanted to apologize—"

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. He really sounded like he meant it, too, though it almost seemed a reflex.

Lucinda instantly felt sick to her stomach. She sighed and then brought her hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose in distress. "No," she groused. "No, don't. Don't do that. I-I don't know why I'm fishing for apologies. Honestly, I'm such a hypocrite. Why am I such an idiot?" She mumbled the last part to herself.

"May we speak?" Severus glanced behind her at the dark room. "Is that acceptable? Or am I... interrupting you?"

He seemed to swallow uncomfortably. His brows were drawn together and Lucinda knew what he meant.

"Jasper and I are not together," she stated clearly and the man just looked back at her with apprehension. "Would you like to come in?" She held an arm out, beckoning.

He didn't make any move to accept. He still stood, hesitant and staring cautiously at her. "So..." he wetted his lips with a flick of his tongue and asked carefully, "Why did you... seem to..."