//Running Out of Breath // A Severus Snape Story: Book One:

Chapter Two: Adriana's Sketchbook

 Chapter Two:

Adriana's Sketchbook

*The Next Day- Middle of Potions class.*

Adriana sat in her desk near Severus once more. She had just finished helping him demonstrate the effects of a memory potion to the class if made properly. Also, to her dismay, the effects if said potion was made incorrectly. She was still a bit more dizzy then usual but it didn't bother her much. At least the negative affects of the memory potion wasn't as bad as the effects of the potion he had asked her to try the day before.  Adriana pulled out of her bag a sketch pad and pencil pouch. Unlike other witches and wizards who didn't bother with the traditional or most commonly called "muggle method", Adriana drew things manually instead of using magic to do so. She took a deep breath getting her self ready and began to draw. She looked around the room searching for something or someone of interest.

After about a minute and a few failed sketches later she settled on drawing Snape. The students seemed too uniform, and most of the objects in the room were, well, not something too pleasant to draw. Adriana looked at him carefully, examining his clothes and drawing what she saw. As the time went by the minutes felt like seconds and soon the class was over. Adriana looked up, and there were no students in the room only her and Severus, who stood over her. He looked down at the sketch pad with a look of curiosity. She leaned in covering her drawing with her arms. Adriana gave him a nervous smile leaning back, letting him take the sketch pad. He flipped a few pages, stopping on the fifth page. He raised an eyebrow. 

"Did you draw these?" he asked, handing Adriana her sketch pad. She nodded in reply.

"You draw very well. But might I ask... Why did you draw me?" he asked sounding interested.

"Thank you.. I don't really know why, I just wanted to draw you. Maybe its your clothes. I have no idea," she replied in a timid voice that was very odd for her. He un crossed his arms making his appearance less menacing. He handed her back her sketch pad. 

"I'll see you tomorrow Adriana," he said in his same low monotone voice, walking into his private quarters. She could just see a hint of a smile though.

Adriana let out a sigh as picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. As she walked out the door she began to think... ‘odd he called me by my first name. He never does that, and was that a smile?' She thought to herself. She walked down to her room, bumping into a student on the way.

"Oh excuse me Professor Tramel, I didn't see you," said a boy with red hair and freckles. she looked back into her mind where Adriana remembered him and his friend from Potions class.

"Oh it's alright, Ron is it?" she said smiling.

"Yes, I'm Ron. Well sorry to have bothered you Professor...," he replied walking off in a bit of a rush.

She shrugged her shoulders and walked into her room. She let out a long sigh... Adriana felt an odd sickening feeling suddenly come over her entire body. It wasn't like the other times, this time it felt as if she was losing control of her self. She placed her hand on the oak wood door trying to the best of her ability to stand upright. She fell onto the stone floor though, her legs felt weak and she couldn't get back up. Adriana laid on the floor unable to move for what felt like an hour. She could hear foot steps and they stopped at the door. She saw in the darkness someone walk up to her. Adriana could feel someone pull her up and into their arms.

"Adriana you alright?" she heard someone ask with an agitated yet concerned tone of voice...

Adriana then recognized the voice as Severus. Her hands rested on his shoulders as he held her up by the waist. Adriana probably would have still been laying  on the floor if he hadn't been walking by and saw her lying there.

"I-I'm fine Severus.." She stammered before blacking out.

Snape looked at Adriana letting out a long sigh. He stood up holding her in his arms, walking over to her bed where he laid her down gently. Pulling the sheets over her, he lingered in the room for a moment pinching the bridge of his nose, opening and closing his tired eyes. He took in a deep breath, looking around her room. Everything seemed fine... for now. He took one last glance at Adriana before leaving her room. He was beginning to really worry about her, and he could tell something was wrong. Walking back to his own room he decided that he was, for the most part, just being paranoid.

*Back In Adriana's Room*

She tossed and turned once more...another nightmare.

In the dream

 a blast of energy surged through a locked door almost making it fly off its hinges. A man dressed all in black opened the mangled door slowly. His face was hidden within the shadow of his hood, and the only bit of skin that was visible was the man's mouth. The man opened and closed his hands into tight fists, stretching the leather of his gloves... preparing himself. He walked over to a woman who held her wand outward towards him, a determined look on her face.

“Get out of my house!” she yelled as she attempted to cast a spell.

The man's lips curled into an evil grin, blocking the spell with ease. He swatted her wand from her hand, knocking her to the ground in the process. He let out a sigh of pure bliss, he was enjoying this... He keeled down, looking the woman beneath him dead in the eyes. He grasped the woman’s cloak tightly, practically choking her by doing so.

“Where is she?” he asked with an oddly calm voice.

“Go to hell!” she said spitting in his face.

He said nothing, and wiped the spit from his face with his gloved hand, grasping hold of the woman’s throat with the other.

“You filthy Mudblood!” he growled tightening his grip on her throat. Desperately she gasped for air, but the man's grip around her neck was way too tight. He straddled the woman strangling her with both hands nearly breaking her neck. His grin reappeared on his face, his eyes filled with blood lust. He stood up, straightening his cloak and pulled out his wand.

“AVADA KADAVRA!” he yelled, a bright green arch of energy jumped from the tip of his wand striking the woman dead.

He had a sickening smile on his face of pure, evil delight... he walked out of the house pointing his wand in the air once more. He muttered a spell under his breath and the Dark Mark appeared above the house. Letting out a gusty laugh, and walking apparating out of sight.

Adriana ran to the woman's side, “MOM PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME!” She sobbed.

Adriana woke up screaming bloody murder. This nightmare was by far the worst... she could feel darkness circle around her, soaking into her very soul. She had to get out of her room, she had to go where the darkness would leave her. But she thought that impossible, for she was marked at birth... cursed. She ran out her bed room door, tears falling down her cheeks. She ran into Snape's room banging on the door rapidly. Snape's eyes shot open and he immediately ran to the door and opened it. Adriana ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neak sobbing. 

"S-Severus, p-please...L-let me s-stay w-with you!" she sobbed in his shoulder.

He wrapped his arm around her, running his hand through her hair. “It's going to be alright...," he whispered. 

"Promise?" she asked, grabbing hold of his clothes tightly. 

"Yes," he replied, unsure what to say. He guided her to his bed setting her down, but as he began to walk into the other room like before Adriana pulled him back.

"Severus, p-please stay with me..." she stammered.

He let out a sigh, he had no idea what to do. His emotions were to mixed up and confused. He ignored all his other thoughts and simply replied, "I'll stay with you."