Unforgivable (A Severus Snape Love Story)

Chapter 14

I walked into my detention that evening with a tear stained face. I hadn't missed my mum like this in years. The last time I had cried over her was when I was locked in the muggle asylum. Since then, I'd been burying everything that would make me seem weak.

Umbridge didn't seem to notice my red, puffy eyes or quivering lip when she handed me a sheet of parchment and a quill.

"You and your friend will be writing lines for me. Yours will read, 'I must not tell lies.' I recall having another student write those very words at the start of last term, actually. Oh, you naughty, lying children!" She walked off to Fred and gave him instructions. He asked for ink, and she told him we wouldn't need any.

Being a muggle-born, I didn't think much of this. I had seen shops selling decorative pens that looked like quills before, after all. I started to scrawl my lines across the paper.

I felt a stinging in my hand each time I touched the paper with the pen, so I switched hands. Maybe it was a hand cramp, right? But it didn't stop.

After about seven lines, both of my hands had scars on them, the words I had written carved into my flesh painfully. I couldn't help it. The tears started to fall uncontrollably and I let out a small sob as I continued to write. Umbridge wasn't even looking at me.

After fifteen lines, she told me I could go with Fred. I stood and ran from her office before Fred could see me cry.

I raced down the hall, tears pouring down my face and small sobs escaping my throat. I rounded a familiar corner and ran down into the dungeons. I made it to a door on a deserted hallway and banged on it as loudly as I could.

It was opened quickly, and Snape looked like he was about to tell me off... Until he saw my face. He grabbed my arm, yanked me inside and slammed the door, wrapping me tightly in his arms as he did so.

"What happened?" He asked.

I couldn't speak. I could hardly breathe! I let my tears speak for me. I showed him my hands and what that, for lack of a better word, witch had done to me! I sobbed into his chest and he kept his arms tightly around me, keeping his breaths steady and his heartbeat calm. I listened to his heart and tried to slow my breathing to match his.

As soon as I could speak, I told him about what had happened. About how I was wrongly accused of being involved in a secret club that I didn't know anything about, I told him about my walk today and how I was reduced to tears by a tree, and I told him about my detention.

"We have to report this to Dumbledore," I begged him. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the ground. I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I froze. It wasn't that throat-clearing sound of a wicked woman.

"I believe you just did report it to me, Miss Richter," said a raspy voice behind me. I turned to see Professor Dumbledore's eyes shining and his face with a calm expression.

"I'm sorry to say, however, that there is nothing I can do to get rid of her. She has, after all, now called Ministry officials to come to Hogwarts and arrest me."

"She can't do that! You've never done anything that requires imprisonment!" I screamed. He placed his hands gently on my shoulders and sighed.

"Thank you for believing that. But I have no intention of being arrested. Until I return with my name cleared, however, I'm afraid you'll have to just trust Severus and try to stay out of Umbridge's way." He took my hands and squeezed them gently. Tears streamed down my face and my breathing was becoming uneven again.

"Don't leave me," I begged. "I can't do it on my own yet." He smiled kindly.

"I'll still be with you, Posey. You just won't see me." I hugged him as tight as I dared. He was my father figure when I needed one the most, and now even that was coming to an end.

He made me let go and took my hand. Then he took one of Snape's hands and placed my hand in his.

"Take care of her for me, Severus," he said with a wink. "And by the way, I recommend a silencing charm next time. You are a screamer, my boy." I stifled a laugh and Snape's face turned a deep crimson. Was he angry, or embarrassed?

"Sir, how did..."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything. You're both consenting adults, after all. Goodbye, Posey, Severus." He let go of our wrists and exited the room. Severus immediately let go of me and backed away.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, stepping closer.

"With Dumbledore gone, that woman is going to allow the use of Veritaserum to interrogate students. She'll want to see my supply of it, and I can't let you be here when she does."

I was subconsciously scratching the scars on my hands as he spoke. His eyes flicked down to them and he saw them bleeding before I felt the blood. He pulled two handkerchiefs from his robe and made me sit down.

He conjured a bowl of warm water and concentrated on cleaning my cuts. His brow was furrowed as if he were deep in thought and his black eyes were unmoving, staring intently at my hands.

It stung when the water touched the scars, even when the bleeding had stopped. Actually, the outward pain felt pretty good. Maybe I should steal one of those quills...

Severus slammed his hand on the table and stared into my eyes. When he spoke, he was shouting and his voice shook with anger.

"If you dare to use that quill to hurt yourself on purpose, you will have me to deal with!! Is that clear?!?" He roared. I shrunk back stared into his dark eyes. I was terrified of this man at the moment. His hard eyes softened when he saw my fear.

"I don't want you hurting yourself, Atropose."