Fierce Consequences [a main character x Snape/Malfoy fan-fiction]

Chapter 34: The Pensieve

Songs for this chapter:
Roslyn - Bon Iver, St. Vincent

Tumbling through darkness, she braced herself for the onslaught of memories she was about to witness. Once she stood firmly, she looked around to where she was. She was in her potions professor's office. Severus was pacing back and forth in front of her. There was a notable strain in the air as she saw the expression on her younger self's face. She was angry.

"Miss Townes, it is not simply so easy. You are not a Death Eater. You will never be a Death Eater. Fighting alongside myself and Draco could expose you to things you should never have to experience. I refuse to let you do this" he said firmly.

"I can do this! Let me help!" she yelled. "You trained me as a healer. You are the one who prepared me for this war. All those hours learning spells and potions to save the very people you are insisting I stay away from. All the moments we spent slaving over cauldrons and creating counter curses. I did this for you!"

"You are letting your emotions get in the way of the rest of your life! I will not allow you to throw everything away!" he spat back. He moved closer to her.

Silence filled the air as they stared each other down. "I have to protect Draco. You said I had to. I have to follow through. If not for him, then for you" she finished. Her voice was more level than before. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to keep herself calm.

"I am the one who made the promise to the Dark Lord to protect Draco. If I had known you would be dragged into this, I never would have let you in. Letting you get close to me was a mistake. You are too vulnerable, you feel too deeply, you cannot be trusted!" he replied. His voice rose to a shout by the end of his rant.

She scoffed at his words before inching her face closer to his. Her voice was barely a whisper as she taunted him. "You are foolish not to trust me. I did all of this for you" she said spitefully before turning to leave. His hand caught her wrist as he yanked her back.

"Elora, I cannot protect you out there, not in the way I promised myself I would" his voice was softer. She looked up to him with shimmering eyes. The tension in the room hung thickly around them. There was an obvious and notable history between them, binding them together.

He gripped her wrist tighter, pulling her close, their bodies pressed together. Their lips met, the sparks slicing through the strain of tension. She saw a tear slip from her own eye as they kissed. She pulled back, eyes still shut as she whispered to him.

"I am sorry, Severus. I have to do this" she said. Backing away from his figure slowly, Elora watched as her younger self left the room.

Elora was plunged into darkness once more before finding herself just outside the Great Hall. The castle was in complete disarray as the war between dark and light waged around her. She caught a flash of white blond hair in the corner of her eyes. Draco. Her chest tightened at the sight of him.

She heard herself call out, running after him. She watched as her younger self followed him, dodging spell after spell shooting around them. He walked with purpose. It was obvious that he was on sort of mission. Elora saw herself catch up to him as she grabbed his shoulders.

"Draco, stop!" she shouted, yanking him back. "We have to go to the boathouse. Something's wrong," He turned to face her. He kept his expression hard, the tension in his body was obvious and easy to read.

"There's something I have to do first. Go now, and I'll meet you there" he said, his hands moving to cup either side of her face. Elora saw a tear slip out of her eye, trailing down her cheek before melting into his fingers.