Loved By You. (A Severus Snape Love Story)

Chapter Eight: The Great Feast

I decided to take one last stroll around the bare halls of the castle before they were suddenly filled with people screaming and stomping through the magnificent halls without even a second glance.
As usual I was in a daydream, not entirely sure what this year was going to be like. I wouldn't have any friends (not that I did in my previous school either) I couldn't act out or cover my loneliness with my big mouth because my grandfather was the headmaster. And I was sure that as soon as I realized the amount of people here that could make my life hell my anxiety was going to kick in and strong, confident, independent Aria would be gone. Snape would sure as hell take this chance and throw everything I gave him back in my face. I had made a big mistake.

Speaking of the devil, I was in so much of a daydream that I hadn't even noticed another presence enter the hall heading straight for me. And just as it happens he hadn't saw me either. Snape stormed through the hall looking down at his papers and assignments mumbling to himself as he reviewed them.
I hummed an old lullaby my mum used to sing to me as a girl, holding out my arm to stroke the cold bricks on the walls.
I came to a sudden halt as I rammed into something hard and firm. I stumbled a little but caught my balance, grabbing onto what I soon realised to be the cloak of Severus Snape. My eyes slowly met his but he was to flustered to care about what I was doing right now.

"Oh fu-" He paused looking down at me. "Christ. It had to be you didn't it." He growled bending down to pick up the papers he had dropped. My tight grip loosened from around his cloak as I let him go.
I felt as if I should bend down and help him but I cringed as I realized this was the classic chick-flick get-together scenario. I simply stood and watched him, not wanting to risk anything this time.
He continued to mumble to himself as he shuffled the papers and re-organised them hurriedly.
He finally returned to his feet, he towered over me like a tree, looking down on me, eventually meeting my eyes.
We stared at each other for a long time, both of us looking like we were about to say something but neither of us did.
Soon we regained our composure and took our separate ways, still without saying a word.
I think that must be a record. For the little time we had known each other it was still clear that neither of us liked to keep our mouth shut but there we had, and it was the most awkward moment of my life.

I continued to wander around the school aimlessly for almost an hour before I was forced to come to a stop. I had wandered so far not having a clue where I was going that I somehow ended up standing amongst a crowd of owls on top of a large roofless tower at the far end of the school.
I had yet to see the school grounds from this angle, this high up and as I have said so many times before it was beautiful. I knew I would never cease to be amazed by this glorious building.
I remained in the tower watching the grounds for a while longer. The place was dead just like the rest of the castle, until the calm presence of my grandfather entered into my view.
I watched him for a while to see what he would do, it was strange, he didn't really do anything just walk about slowly around the lake for a while before returning back in. I was confused by his strange wanderings but I dismissed them  and left the tower as they castle grounds became empty once again.
I continued walking around and finding new places in the castle for a while more until it was announced that the train was arriving in Hogsmeade.

I waited in the Entrance hall until the students entered year by year, when I caught the fifth years passing I joined onto the end with the Slytherins. We took a seat waiting for the Sixth and Seventh years and then the hall went silent as the new first years nervously waddled in behind the intimidating Professor McGonagall.
Everything seemed so dramatic as the children stumbled about over each other waiting to be told what to do. They stood awkwardly watching in awe as the teachers entered one at a time ending with my grandfather.

I sat twiddling my thumbs boredly not paying attention to anyone around me or even my grandfather for the matter who was now currently standing up giving a long tedious speech on the new year. I vaguely noticed McGonagall taking the old raggedy sorting hat off of the stool and starting calling on student to come up and be sorted.
Many people were interested in what students would be joining their house but most of the Slytherins that seemed to be in my year had already gotten bored and started many different conversations.
I wasn't bothered about joining in with them but it was hard to ignore them when one specific platinum haired boy caught my attention.