Chapter 11. Obedience.
When morning came, I was still awake. I turned fascinated, and watched Snape briefly. He slept so morbidly still, his chest barely rising. In a weird compulsion, I slid from his bed and silently put on my cape and shoes. I wanted to kiss him, but I didn't want to wake him so I withdrew back into the corridors and into the last hours of darkness.
I walked carefully amongst the shadows, back to the dorm. Slipping inside, I made my way into my dorm room undisturbed. I peered carefully at Valerie, who was still snoring. I pulled the emerald curtains around my bed for privacy, and keeping myself still, absolutely silent, I let myself cry for fear and for love.
* * *
"Nadine. Nadineya!" A voice hissed, drawing me from my sleep I must have dozed off in, "You're going to be late for class."
I opened my eyes groggily and was met with a cross-looking Valerie. Upon seeing my consciousness, she straightened herself up and folded her arms.
"Why do you care?" I murmured, "You don't even have charms with me."
I expected her to snort angrily, instead I was surprised, she suddenly looked very sheepish.
"I have to ask you something" she blurted as if she had just confessed her love for me. I paused carefully. I knew it was absurd, but my paranoia began to panic – what if she had found out about Snape and I?
"Do you know if Fred is still seeing Angelina?" She blurted finally, and I relaxed finally. I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Im not sure," I said honestly. "Why?" I couldn't help but probe.
"My friend wants to know" she said, he tone suddenly sharp again. She stormed off immediately, slamming the door hard behind her.
* * *
My next few classes were straight forward. I paid close attention and it was good to concentrate on something other than the madness that was my life. After break, I had Defense against the Dark Arts. I was nervous to see Umbridge after I had skipped her class. During most of the lesson however, she barely even acknowledged me.
As I packed up my book and quill to head to Potions she stopped me however.
"Nadine, may I speak to you for a moment?" She asked in her sing song voice. I winced.
"Of course."
"You skipped my class," she said with a disconcerting giggle, "And such behaviour will not be tolerated."
"I apologize professor –"I began, thinking of an excuse on the spot "I have been feeling a little bit under-the-weather of late, so yesterday I.."
"No excuses necessary," She interrupted. She took a step closer and I could smell the sickly sweet, powdery scent of her. "You have a detention Ms Lync, this afternoon before supper and I suggest you do not skip this one."
I groaned inwardly. She did not miss it. She folded her arms over her pink tweed and pressed her lips together in a firm line, "Now Nadine, I have already warned you. Disobedience will not be tolerated. Especially from the likes of you, who should know better."
There was something awfully sickly about this witch. Tired however, and desperately wanting to escape her presence, I simply nodded, faking a solemnness.
"You are dismissed." She piped and I happily fled.
Naturally, I was then late for potions. Before entering I smoothed down my ebony locks nervously. I peered in hoping for a lull where upon I could slip in unnoticed. Snape was in the middle of warning students of the consequences they would face should any of us attempt to brew amortentia, our current potion, outside of his class.
