Don't Save Me

Chapter 28: Anger

The next few months, it seemed as if I saw less and less of Severus. James and Sirius grew to hate him more and more and there wasn't much I could do to stop them. Whenever I would try to correct them, they would just get angry.

"Snivellus is-," Sirius would begin before I cut him off.

"Severus."

"Snivellus."

"Severus!" I would yell, growing angrier by the minute.

"Why do you defend him! He is hanging out with people who would kill people like Lily in an instant! He is evil, Y/n!" Sirius would yell before storming out of the common room. As the months passed, I stopped trying to correct them... I just wouldn't listen. I would ignore their taunting of him but it got harder and harder to ignore as the months passed. I stopped sitting at the Slytherin table and Severus didn't seem to mind. It wasn't until Spring break, when most everyone had gone home, that Severus walked over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat next to me. I shifted away from him, turning my face away.

"Y/n?"

"What do you want?"

"You're my best friend. I just wanted to see how your break was going," he said, gently turning my face toward his.

"Really?" I laughed, sarcastically. I was pissed. "You ignore me for months and then you show up here when everyone is gone, talking about how you're my 'best friend.'" I put air quotes around the words 'best friend,' as if the very words amused me.

"Y/n... I-."

"No! You hang out with people who hate people like Lily and maybe even me... I don't know my blood status, Severus. I could be a muggleborn. Would you let your little friends kill me? Huh?" I hissed, watching as his face fell, guilt crossing his features. His hand rubbed small circles into my cheek and it took everything I had not to give in, to forgive him, to tell him he was my best friend and I had missed him.

"Y/n... that's not true. They just-... Look, yes they have certain... beliefs, but that doesn't mean I would ever let them harm you or Lily," he said gently, his thumb moving up to wipe away the small tear that was falling from my eye. I hadn't even noticed it, but he did. He noticed everything. His calculating eyes never missed a thing and it was one of the many things I loved about my best friend.

"Please, Y/n... I need you to know that I would never let anyone hurt you." My breath hitched as the words left his lips and his hand moved from my cheek to push a strand of hair behind my ear. He returned his hand to my cheek and I felt my resolve weaken the longer his hand stayed there. He moved his body closer to mine so he was just inches from my face before moving his lips to my ear.

"Please don't shut me out. I need you in my life, Y/n... without you, I-... I don't know what I'd do," he whispered and I felt my resolve completely disappear. I sank into him, placing my head on his chest as I wrapped my arms around him. We were the only two students in the Great Hall as most everyone else had gone home for the break, while the others were in their rooms. Severus and I were the only two left apart from the staff.

From the staff table I heard a clapping noise and I quickly pulled away from Severus as I turned toward the noise. Professor Dumbledore was standing and clapping, followed by the other teachers, including Professor Mcgonagall.

"Well, it's about bloody time, you two!" Dumbledore shouted across the hall, his eyes twinkling, and his smile brighter than ever. "We were wondering when you were going to make up!" Severus and I turned bright red before returning to our meal, laughing in embarrassment.

...

Spring Break ended and our friends returned to school. I sat with Rodolphus, Regulus, and Severus as Avery, Mulciber, and Evan sat across from us. I was a bit nervous about being introduced to them, given all the horrors I had heard about them, but they were surprisingly nice... at least to me. From across the hall, I could see James and Sirius glaring daggers at Severus. By the end of the meal, Severus, Regulus, Rodolphus, Avery, Mulciber, and Evan walked me to the Gryffindor common room.

"It was nice meeting you, Y/n," Evan said, shaking my hand. Avery and Mulciber shook my hand as well before Severus pulled me into a hug.

"If those idiots give you any trouble, you'll let me know, won't you?" Severus asked, as he rubbed my back, his chin resting on top of my head. I laughed before assuring him everything would be fine. As soon as he pulled away, Regulus and Rodolphus pulled me into a hug. When they released me, I crawled through the portrait hole, giving Severus one last wave goodbye before entering the Gryffindor common room. As I crossed the threshold, I was met with five pairs of eyes, staring back at me. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Lily were sitting on the couches, waiting for me to arrive. James and Sirius looked pissed. I tried to walk past them but Sirius quickly stood up, grabbing my arm, and turned me around to face him.

Anger flashed in Sirius's eyes as he gripped my arm, forcing me to face him. I felt anger bubbling within me as I was reminded of days with my uncle.

"Let. Go. Of. Me," I spat at Sirius, pulling my arm from his grip. Sirius looked a bit taken aback by my tone but didn't back down.

"How could you, Y/n?" Sirius hissed.

"What the hell are you talking about, Sirius?"

"Why are you hanging out with them?"

"With who?"

"The Slytherins! Snape, Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, Lestrange! They are evil!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" I shouted, beginning to walk away from him. I heard the couches shift and I assumed the others had stood up. I felt a hand wrap around my wrist and I turned around, anger in my eyes as Sirius held my wrist once again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"They are evil, Y/n!"

"You don't even know them!" I screamed, desperately trying to free my wrist from his grip. "Why do you care anyway!? Why does it matter to you who I hang out with?!"

"Because I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt!" I felt tears form in my eyes as he spoke. It was a sweet sentiment but the way he handled the situation made me angry.

"He wouldn't hurt me!"

"You don't know that! He is a Slytherin! They are evil, Y/n! Every one of them are no good!" At this, I brought my hand up, striking his face. He stood there, stunned. I heard gasps from the corner of the room where James, Peter, Remus, and Lily stood. Sirius looked up at me, releasing my arm before I quickly ran up to my dorm and fell asleep.