Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

Decisions

December 1976

The sixth-year students quickly realised that the subjects they had to learn at the Nastly Exhausting Wizarding Test level really stood up to their name, for by the time the Christmas break had finally arrived, they were all completely exhausted.
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Before boarding the train to go home to enjoy the holidays, the students were going to enjoy a Christmas-themed lunch in a Great Hall that had been beautifully decorated for the occasion.

Lily and Florence stood by the big oaken doors, waiting for their friends.

"Where the hell are those idiots?" Florence growled.

Lily stared at her, confused by her tone. "What's wrong with you today, Flor?"

"There's nothing wrong."

"Bullshit. You've been like that since breakfast."

"Like what?"

"Unhappy, easily irritated," Lily let out a sigh, "What did Severus do this time?"

"He's missing!" Florence finally said, "He disappeared right after breakfast. And so did Eric Travers."

Lily grimaced, "That's really bad," nodding in sympathy.

"Hello, girls. What's really bad?" asked Remus, stopping in front of them.

"Severus is missing. Again," Lily answered.

"Do you guys think he is already a...?" asked Remus, looking at Florence, worried.

"No, not yet," she said, "But I fear he has already made his decision."

James, Sirius and Pettigrew arrived then.

"Where's Snivellus?" asked Sirius, being Severus' absence the first thing he noticed.

"Not here," replied Florence dryly.

"Great!"

And she had to laugh at Black's happiness. Their friendship had slowly developed since the lake duel; she enjoyed Sirius's company now, he was clever, funny and charming.

However, Sirius and Severus still hated each other; Severus was terribly jealous and Sirius never wasted an opportunity to make it clear he had the hots for Florence.

"So, let's go into the Great Hall?" asked James, offering Lily his arm, which she readily accepted.

"Yes. Let's," said Florence, "Severus can go to hell for all I care."

"We can finally agree where he's concerned!" Added Sirius, making her laugh.

They all walked into the Great Hall and Florence decided to sit at the Gryffindor table with her friends.

Dumbledore's Holiday speech was about life-changing decisions - the Headmaster knew that many students would probably be coming back from that Holiday Break with the Dark Mark already on their left forearms.

He looked at Florence and frowned as he noticed Severus was absent.

His speech ended and Severus had yet to show up.

The food came, the food went; still no sign of him.

Florence enjoyed the delicious feast, nodding at whatever her friends were saying, but her attention was not invested in their conversations. She could feel Severus was close, he hadn't left the castle, so it could only mean one thing: he was either brewing or delivering a new batch of potions for Travers to take to her father.

Dumbledore called the end of the feast and wished everyone a safe trip home that afternoon.

As they all got ready to leave the Great Hall, Severus still hadn't appeared.