Rekindling of an old flame (Snape x Reader)

Chapter 22

Your class of third years came in giggling and talking about what happened in their DADA class that morning, curious to what Remus taught you listened on to the conversations being exchanged.
"Just wait till he hears about it" "he's really done it now" "he already doesn't like him"
"Who!?" You thought waiting for others to enter
While Neville was walking through the door Draco came up behind him shoving him into the doorpost, Neville hissed gripping his shoulder.
"Draco!" You shouted not tolerating his bullying
He looked at you and scoffed before sitting down
"Serves him right" you heard him mutter
"10 points from Slytherin" you shrugged at him
"That isn't fair!" He cried "life isn't fair"

Later that day you found out from other students why Draco was shoving Neville around.
"It's humiliating!" Severus shouted while you sat and tried to listen to his rant about the boggart.
"He's a sensitive boy Severus" you said
Severus looked at you like you grew an extra head offended that you'd defend Neville or lupin.
"If you weren't so hard on him he wouldn't be afraid of you, you wouldn't be his boggart."
"He's intimidated by you, his grandmother, me, literally any authority figure" you said
"He's in his third years it's time for him to grow up and face reality, coddling him won't make him the great wizard he wants to be" he said
"Neither is instilling fear into him, you're his professor you should be guiding him to greatness not scaring him into it" you spoke watching his eyebrows furrow "he's had a hard life so far and your not making it easier on him, he's just a boy and he has a lot to learn" you said as Severus raised a brow like he had a snarky remark
"he can do so without your constant criticism, belittling and cruel remarks, your teaching methods are barbarous they're just kids"
"You needn't worry about my teaching methods may i remind you I've being doing this for years, I'm not about to stop at the expense of a incompetent child" he said "potters been through the same amount of trauma he has and he isn't as hopelessly dimwitted as longbottom, it has nothing to do with upbringing he's just a lost cause" he finished crossing his arms "instead of worrying about everyone else's child why don't you worry about your own, if I recall correctly you haven't spoken to her since the start of term"
He said turning on his heel with a smirk.
You felt a twinge of shame but mostly hurt from his words, you hadn't realized it until now.

You sat on the bleachers watching the Slytherin team practicing for their quidditch game, aurora would fly by often just to wave or talk to you.
Practice came to an end and you were walking hand in hand with her back to the castle.
A howl came from behind you and the two of you turned around to see where it came from, the sky started to darken as clouds appeared all around.
Several dementors were floating over to the sound of the howl and you knew it was Sirius.
"Go back to the castle, hurry" you whispered and she nodded running away to the castle.
You looked around for other students before rushing off in the direction of the dementors.

You pushed past branches that seemed to be reaching down to grab you and stepping over logs and small bushes. Looking up in the air once you found a clearing you could see the dementors were now floating back towards the castle. Huffing you looked around being quiet in case a branch or a twig or a rustle would come from the tree line, but none came within the time you stood there. As you walked back to the castle you remained aware of your surroundings checking behind you and within your peripheral vision; silently praying Sirius wasn't dumb enough to come within proximity of the castle.

Back in the warm castle you rushed off to your classroom to finish grading a few papers before dinner. A soft knock echoed off your classroom walls drawing you from your work, looking up you saw a red head peek through the crack.
"Come in Ron" you smiled setting your quill down giving him your full focus "Ms. Y/ln I have my homework from last week, is it too late to turn in?" He asked worrying his bottom lip
"Not at all, I was just grading your classmates homework give it here" you held your hand out
He placed it in your palm and stepped back.
"I'll just slide it under the rest and we'll pretend that's where it's always been" you winked at him making his small frown turn upside down.
"Thank you! I-I wish my other professors were as nice as you" he said scratching his head while looking down at his school shoes. "So do I" you said seeing Minerva appear in your doorway "but don't make it a habit yeah" you began standing to usher him out "yeah, I'll try not to" he said greeting Minerva on his way out.
"Dumbledore would like to see you" she said turning on her heel leaving you to follow her.