Loved By You. (A Severus Snape Love Story)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Occlumency

Again the spacing is really weird and I'm still trying to figure that out but otherwise enjoy.

- AS394

My body jerked and twisted in my bed, writhing as I slept.

I kept seeing a face, over and over again. It was horrible, pale, and snake-like. His eyes were red and bloodshot, blue veins popped out on his forehead and neck. It couldn't see him clearly but I was pretty sure that where there should have been a nose, there was instead, two nostrils, like slits in his face. I had never seen such a horror before and yet he was familiar to me. As he spoke my name it became clear who he was. He-who-must-not-be-named.

"Aria." He whispered, his silky voice sounding more like a hiss than anything else. "Aria Dumbledore." He said again.

I shook my head and shouted at him. "No." I screamed. "Leave me alone, please." I begged.

My whole body jolted awake when I saw his bony fingers reach out to me.

I gasped, and bolted upright. I was still shouting, screaming, shaking my head over and over. When I opened my eyes I saw a number of Slytherin girls standing around me, looking slightly worried but over all tired.

I stood up from my bed, my legs shaking from my weight.

"I have to go see Dumbledore." I gasped again. "I need to speak to my grandfather." I ordered, making my way through the crowd of girls and down the stairs to the common room.

My whole body boiled with heat, I couldn't breath and felt as if I would pass out any second.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs my knees grew weak and wobbled, before giving way beneath me. I collapsed onto the floor, my eyes shutting immediately.

He appeared again. His face as terrifying as ever, his voice as sinister as he continued to say my name.

I could hear people around me trying to help, trying to wake me. I was both unconscious and awake. Some one shook me and attempted to get me to my feet. My eyes were open but I could still see the face of the dark wizard. It was like he was in my head. Everyone around me was so quiet, even though the were standing right in front of me, but the voice in my head was booming. He spoke in a whisper but somehow, it was as if he was shouting at me. I felt like screaming.

I started to walk again, stumbling across the room.

"I need to see my grandfather." I mumbled, repeating myself again and again, as I made my way out the common room.

"Get Professor Snape." I faintly heard someone shout, and a few people hurried past me, running in the opposite direction.

I felt like I was in a trance as I roamed through the halls of Hogwarts, somehow navigating my way through the castle with the face blocking my view and screaming at me.
"Aria." He hissed again. "I need your help." I focused again on the face and voice inside my head instead of the castle around me. He was really speaking to me, he had only just spoken my name up until now. "You're a smart girl, Aria. I could help you, you could be so great. But first I need you." He said. "Won't you help me?"
"No. I screamed. "No, I won't. I can't." I sobbed into myself. I took a few more steps, before collapsing once more. I was so near my grandfather quarters, I could almost make it, if I just stood up...

I tried to force myself up, but my arms felt too weak and I dropped again onto the cold stone floor. I focused on my breathing trying to drown out the voice. I breath deeply, in and out, in and out. I couldn't see the face any more but his voice remained, talking to me, whispering to me.