Begin Again (Severus Snape/OC Love Story)

Chapter Five: Chinks in the Armor

        The next morning, I was woken early by brilliant dusty sunbeams shining in my bedside window. I was excited as I got dressed and ready, eager for the day ahead. Ginny, I noticed, was already absent from her bed, which was tidily made.

I headed downstairs through the common room and out the portrait hole. To my relief, I was able to trail behind a pack of Gryffindors who were headed to the Great Hall, not having to worry about getting myself lost.

The early morning hum of voices amongst the clanking of silverware against plates greeted me when I entered through the huge archway. Today, the ceiling of the hall had been enchanted to match the bright azure sky outside, scattered with tufts of ivory clouds. Ginny, who was already stuffing forkful after forkful of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast into her mouth, had saved me a seat.

"Good morning! Sleep well?" She greeted me between bites, smiling pleasantly.

"Very well, thanks! Those beds are unbelievable!" I said blissfully, plucking myself some grapes and dishing a reasonable heap of breakfast potatoes and French toast onto my plate. It had been the best night's sleep I'd had since finding out we were moving here. "So, what's your schedule like today? Busy?"

She nodded. "I have double Transfiguration first thing this morning, and between now and dinner I only have an hour break to eat lunch," she said, buttering a piece of toast. "What exactly are you doing to your food? Ew!"

I had been drizzling heavy, sticky syrup over all of the contents of my breakfast. "It's delicious, you should try it," I said, offering a forkful of syrupy potatoes to her.

"That's revolting," she said flatly, shoving the dripping morsel back towards me. I shrugged indifferently. "Did you get your schedule from McGonagall yet?" she asked.

"Yeah, I got mine in advance with my acceptance letter, probably because it was more complicated to figure out my classes. I'm free until 9 – then I have Snape for Defense Against the Dark Arts. My schedule seems fairly relaxed."

Ginny grunted sympathetically. "First period Snape? I'm so sorry. At least you'll be getting him over with straight away in the morning." There is was again – the hatred for Snape. It only made me more eager to attend his class, so I could see for myself if he really was as awful as everyone seemed to believe.

Ginny stood up, her meal only half-touched. She held the piece of buttered toast between her teeth as she gathered her schoolbooks. "Well, I'd better be off. Professor McGonagall is a real stickler for being on time," she said from the corner of her mouth. "Good luck today! Will you be all right finding your classes?"

"I'm sure I'll manage. See you later," I said, waving as she set off down the hall. I finished my meal lost in thought, taking my time since I had nearly an hour until Defense Against the Dark Arts. My stomach bubbled with anticipation. I wasn't by any means worried about having Snape as a professor – despite how much he may hate me because of my house – but, as Ginny said, I was relieved to be "getting him over with" first thing, so I didn't have to live with the impatient titillation of suspense all day.

"Rowan!" someone called, breaking my train of thought. I looked towards the sound of the voice to see Ernie making a beeline for me.

"Good morning!" I said, grinning at him.

'He looks cute today,' I thought, eyeing his sleep-tousled hair and quirky dimples.

"Morning! How was your first night? Such a shame about being placed in Gryffindor - " he said. I frowned.