The Half-Blood Princess (A Snape and Astoria Fanfic)

Chapter 9

Thank you all for reading and voting on my first ever fanfic!  I'm so glad that you all are enjoiyng  it!! I work very hard on each chapter, before I post them. I have 2 friends that proof read each one, too. My grammar's not good and I misspell more times than I can count. lol  :) So thank you to my 2 friends Ann and Erin for helping me with my fanfic.  ^_^  Now without further ado, Enjoy chapter 9!  Oh, one last thing, I thought this picture would go perfectly with this chapter.  ^_^ 

A week into Snape's recovery, Snape was able to sit up without too much pain. Snape watches as Astoria discharges a student. He thinks to himself. 'She doesn't seem like a bad witch. She seems to be caring from what I observed, and kind too. She certainly has been kind to me.' Snape starts to feel a certain feeling stir up inside him. One that he has not felt in a very long time, but he quickly pushes that feeling away and resumes his thinking. 'She now knows quite a bit about me, but I know nothing about her. I will have to remedy that.' He sees Astoria walking towards him, which brings him out of his musings. Astoria walks over to him, "How are you feeling today, Severus?" Severus replies, his voice much less hoarse, "I am doing much better than last week. Thanks to your ministrations." Astoria waves her wand over him, sees that he is correct and smiles, "That you are. Your organs are healing nicely and your blood has been replenished." She says with a smile. She picks up his chart and writes in the results, including what she sees on the monitors. Once she finished with that, Snape sighs and says, "I am sorry for how I treated you as well. I was none too kind towards you. Then again, I'm none too kind towards most of my colleagues." Astoria smiles slightly, "I noticed that. I've gotten used to it." Snape shakes his head and replies, "That still gave me no right to treat you so coldly. I should have, at least, have been a bit more civil towards you, rather than cold... I was civil towards Minerva..." Astoria looks sternly at him, "Enough Severus, I will not have you blaming yourself for this. For your treatment towards me." She then smiles, "There's no need. I accept your apology, Severus." Snape looks at her with surprise, "Really?" Astoria nods, " Yes, Severus. Now relax will you?" Severus sighs and relaxes. Snape asks, "You know much about me, but I know next to notihng about you." Astoria takes a seat in the chair by his bed, and says, "So you wish to know more about me?" Snape replies. "Yes I do. If you don't mind..." Astoria smiles slightly. " I don't mind at all. Let's see..." Snape looks at her with the upmost attention.

Astoria begins to tell Snape some things about herself. "My mother is a mediwitch, like myself. She told me she was a half-blood. That my father was a muggleborn wizard. That she was sorted to Gryffindor, while father was sorted to Hufflepuff. Father sells houses, to both muggles and wizards alike. He has a thriving business going too, So I can see why he was sorted to Hufflepuff. My parents are quite wealthy. Perhaps not as wealthy as the Malfoys, but wealthy enough to live comfortably, financially at least." She says with a smile. "I am an only child. My parents adored me and were so happy I got my Hogwarts letter." She chuckles. "They literally threw me a party. A Party I tell you. They spoiled me." She shakes her head chuckling then becomes pensive. "I know nothing of my grandfather though, but mother would gush on and on about her mother, my grandmother. She tells me my grandmother was a pure-blood witch. She would tell me only of the happy times she had with her.... I remember asking her what blood status I was." She hesitated before answering, "... Telling me that I was muggleborn... I felt she was hiding something. I have nothing against muggleborns, but I didn't think I was one... To this day, I long to know what it is, she is hiding from me." She sighs, "I chose to be a mediwtch, because I love to help people and care for them, just like my mother. " She smiles slightly, "She taught me well. I remember being sorted to Gryffindor House. Like mother, like daughter." She chuckles again." I felt so at home in Gryffindor House and so proud to be a lion. I didn't let it go to my head, no, but I will admit it. I am proud of being a Gryffindor. I remember mother telling me that her mother was also sorted to Gryffindor House, when she was at school here. Looks like I come from a long line of Gryffindors. James and his goons gave us Gryffindors a bad name. Not all Gryffindors are arrogant, Severus. I am a good example of what a Gryffindor should be. "She smile. Snape looks at her with something like respect and perhaps admiration? He took in everything she said. Astoria looks at him and says with a chuckle, "What?" Snape, now had a look of recognition in his eyes. His eyes then began to have a far away look to them. He replies, "I just remembered something or rather someone... 2nd year by the looks of her. I was in my final year at Hogwarts.... I had decided to watch the Gryffindors' tryouts. I had nothing better to do and thought I could watch them to pass the time. I saw a 2nd year girl walk out on the field with a broomstick in her hand Trying out for Chaser I believe. I may not play Quidditch, but I do enjoy watching the game. I watch my house play through out the year. For a 2nd year, she was good. Really good. If you could have seen my jaw as they dropped open... I though to myself as I watched her, 'We are in trouble. If this girl makes the team, We have no chance for the cup.' You see, Gryffindor already had a really good Seeker, James, so I had every right to worry for my house. After trying out, the girl landed on the ground, quite gracefully I might add. Their Quidditch Captain thanked them for trying out and left the field with them. I got up and left myself. I went straight to our Slytherin Quiddditch Captain and told him. He just told me not to worry. My worse fear came to light, when the girl came running into the Great Hall, screaming at the top of her lungs, that she made the team. That she was Chaser. James thumped her on her back, congratulating her..." Snape seems to snap back to the present as he looks at Astoria, as if seeing her in a whole new light. "Am I correct in thinking that, that 2nd year girl, that I saw trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, was you?" Astoria looks surprised, "Yes that was me. I acted like a fool, shouting it out for the whole school to hear." She says chuckling, "But I was so excited!! I always wanted to play Quidditch for my house. So I thought I'd give it a try. Was I really that good? I mean, I was very nervous when I tried out for Chaser..." Snape smirks, this time his smirk wasn't a cold one, but an amused one, "From what I saw, you did amazingly well." Astoria blushed a little, "Well, thank you." Snape notices her blushing and looks worried, "I hope I didn't embarrass you." Astoria shakes her head. "No you didn't. I tend to blush when I get compliments, my apologies." Snape relieved, replies, "No need to apologize, Astoria." Astoria looks at Snape surprised, "Did I hear that correctly? Did you just say my name?" Snape smirks again, "I suppose I did." Astoria raises her eyebrows then chuckles, "Well then, feel free to use my name as often as you like, Severus." Snape replies, still smirking, "Oh I shall."

Astoria chuckles as she gets up. "Well it's nearly dinner time. I think you can handle solids now. What would you like for dinner, Severus?" Severus thought for a moment, then answers, "I would like a slice or two of roast beef, mash potatoes with gravy, perhaps a salad as well with pumpkin juice." Astoria smiled, "and for dessert? If you want dessert that is." Snape thought again, then replies, "I suppose a chocolate mousse would be fine." Astoria smiles again, "Very well. I'll see to it that you get it." Astoria leaves the ward to have dinner. House Elves appear with Snape's dinner a few moments later. Exactly what he asked for. As Snape dug into his dinner. His mind wanders to Astoria. He wonders whether there can be anything between them, and if it was at all possible. He has never loved anyone other than Lily. He didn't want to replace Lily or ruin his memory of her, but at the same time, he now has a second chance to truly live his life, that meant a hope of not having to live alone for the rest of his life. A chance to be happy for once in his miserable life. If Lily was able to move on and be happy, then so can he. He was sure that Lily would have wanted him to be happy. To move on, but to not forget the friendship they had. He only hopes that Astoria will feel the same for him. He also wanted to help her find out what her mother is hiding from her, as he too was curious about what blood status Astoria truly was. She really seems to want to know. He will help her uncover the truth and hope that it will bring her closure. As soon as he is recovered enough to leave the ward.

Astoria returns after dinner to see that Snape has finished his dinner as well. She calls for a house elf to come and collect his tray. Then goes to Snape as the house elf disappears with the tray. Astoria says, "Was the food to your liking?" Severus nods and replies, "As usual." Then continues, "I would like to help you uncover the truth of you blood status. If you will let me." Astoria looks at Snape surprised once again, "You want to help me?" Severus replies, "Yes I do. You have every right to know. Your mother should not have kept the truth from you." Astoria replies, "Yes you are right about that. Yes I would like the help. Thank you, Severus." Severus looks at Astoria then asks, "What is your mother's name? I would like to owl her asking her to come here to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Then we can confront her and see if she is willing tell us the truth as to why she kept it from you for so long." Astoria smiles at Snape, "Her name is Eleanor Alderlade. You can even use my owl, Sasha." Snape replies, "Very well. Once I am fully recovered, I will write to her. We can only hope that she replies and agrees to come to Hogwarts." Astoria sighs and nods. "Yes. I hope she comes to Hogwarts. She has some explaining to do."