autumn | severus snape

twenty one

Ophelia returned home to a dark and quiet house. The patio was back to normal, no sign of a birthday party ever taking place. The sound of her own footsteps echoed in the emptiness, a stark contrast to the music and chatter that had filled the air earlier that day.

The guilt weighed heavy on Ophelia's shoulders as she made her way through the quiet living room, the absence of her siblings like a gaping hole in her heart. She had missed almost the entirety of Ana's birthday party, and the book they were supposed to read that night. The one day where she had promised to make it up to her, the one moment she had vowed to herself not to miss.

But instead of celebrating with her sister, Ophelia had allowed herself to be consumed by her feelings for a man who seemed incapable of returning them. How had she allowed herself to become so entangled with Severus Snape?

Ophelia softly closed the door to her bedroom, sinking to the floor. With a heavy sigh, she buried her face in her hands, the weight of disappointment threatening to overwhelm her. In that moment of profound loneliness, Ophelia realized just how far she had drifted. She questioned if what she felt for Snape was real, not many months ago she was ready to marry another man. Maybe she was desperate to leave her past life behind, maybe he was a way to remove it all.

But if the price of caring for Severus Snape left her feeling so very alone, then she didn't want to pay it, not even a little bit.

𖠇

The next morning Ophelia was standing outside Ana's bedroom door, her hand poised to knock. She hesitated, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"Ana?" She asked softly, "can I come in?"

There's a brief silence, and then a muffled voice from the other side.

"Yes."

Ophelia opened the door and stepped inside. Ana was sitting on her bed, surrounded by birthday cards and half-opened presents, her expression a mix of disappointment and exhaustion. The remnants of a half-eaten birthday cake sat on her nightstand, a stark reminder of the celebration Ophelia missed.

"Hey, birthday girl," she said carefully.

Ana looked up, her eyes red, and Ophelia's heart ached at the sight.

"Hey," Ana answered flatly.

Ophelia walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, careful to keep some distance.

"I'm so sorry I disappeared last night, and I'm so sorry for not reading with you yesterday."

Ana shrugged, her voice quiet and resigned, "it's fine."

Ophelia reached out, hesitating before gently placing a hand on Ana's.

"No, it's not fine. I should have been there. You deserve so much better than that."

Ana looked up, her eyes searching Ophelia's face for sincerity.

"Why weren't you here, Ophelia?" She asked, her voice cracking.

Tears welled up in Ophelia's eyes as she squeezed Ana's hand.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I was with someone... someone who's not important anymore, and things didn't go as planned. That's no excuse, I should have been there for you."

Ana pulled her hand away, crossing her arms defensively.

"You always say that. You always have an excuse."

Ophelia reached out again, trying to bridge the gap between them.

"I know I've let you down, Ana. And I hate that I've hurt you. But please, believe me when I say I love you more than anything in the world," she pleaded.