Some Awfully Bad Ideas

Chapter Fourteen

Despite how large Lexi was making her steps, Snape managed to stay a few feet ahead of her throughout the entire journey through the now empty hallways.

Her eyes stayed on his billowing cloak as she hastily followed him around corners and through doorways. He hadn't told her to come with him, but his commanding stride and sudden exit was enough to tell Lexi that she should follow his lead.

By the time they had made it to the bottom of the spiral staircase and taken a sharp left, she knew they were headed to his classroom in the dungeons. It was always dark underneath the school, no matter what time of day, but there was a certain eeriness to the evenings that made Lexi very thankful that the candles were self lighting.

Just as the silence was becoming almost unbearable, they reached the door of the classroom. Snape turned on his heels to face her with that stern face and opened the door.

"Have you forgotten how to speak Professor?" She asked staring back at him with a raised eyebrow.

He gritted his teeth at her playful tone. "Have you forgotten how to be patient?"

"No." She said, obeying his gesture and walking into the classroom.

Lexi's gaze danced around the curved walls that held infinite books and ancient trinkets. She weaved her way around the tables, tracing their surface lightly with her fingertips.

She turned around when she heard the door shut and abruptly lock. "So what have you dragged me in here for?" Lexi asked as she sat herself on his desk. She knew he found that rude and that was exactly why she did it.

"There was no dragging," he said making his way over to the desk, dismissing her disobedience. "I have brought you in here to discuss what you're going to do when you return home for the winter."

Lexi shifted her weight and dropped her eyes to her lap. Naively, she had thought that Snape asking to see her was an affectionate gesture and that perhaps he would want to spend time with her before she left for the holidays. But much to her disappointment, the inherited burden of her family crept into the most treasured parts of her life.

She lifted her head to look to him. "Why would we need to discus that?"

"You know why." He answered bluntly.

"No, I don't." Her tone was darkening as she crossed her arms in defiance.

"Because, Miss Malfoy,  you are extremely stubborn and utterly unprepared for the responsibilities you are about to take on."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Might I remind you that you are returning home to a house full of the most dangerous and loyal Death Eaters and are expected to join them in two weeks. If you're clever you will listen to my instructions to keep out of trouble."

"I am perfectly capable of keeping myself out of trouble," she spat. Her muscles tensed and her heart began to beat faster, not out of anger or offence, but because deep down she knew that was a lie. "I'm always careful."

"I think your very public arguments with your brother would prove otherwise." He countered with a raised eyebrow.

She opened her mouth but couldn't think of anything to say.

"I know these people. They are ruthless martyrs who won't hold back if they smell hesitation. I saw your face when you heard Draco speak those words and the way you defended Hermione. If any of them suspect that you're not a devout follower, they..." he stopped himself before he continued the sentence. "You need to play the part if you want to maintain any sort of normality."