Healing His Heart

Chapter 8

Severus Snape entered his chambers a week later after a day spent reading in the library. He noticed Helena standing at his mantle holding a photograph in her hands, she looked up and smiled at him.

Severus walked over to her and looked at the photograph she was holding, it was a picture of him and Lily during their fourth year at Hogwarts.

"Is she the friend you were telling me about?" Helena asked him absentmindedly as she looked at the other photo of Lily that sat on the mantle.

Severus didn't know why, but it angered him to see Helena looking at his photos, even though they were on clear display.

"These are private," he said to her, bitterness seeping into his tone.

Helena placed the photo she was holding back on top of the mantle, "I didn't mean to pry," she said softly.

Severus glared at her, "Why don't you go and stick you nose in someone else's business?"

"I'm sorry Sev," she murmured as she stepped forward and tried to place her hand on his shoulder.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT! GET OUT, NOW!" Severus yelled at her as he shoved her hand away.

Helena gave him a piercing glare, "Gladly."

Helena turned on her heeled and stormed out of Severus's chambers, slamming the door shut behind her. She then stalked into her chambers and slammed her door also.

She went straight to her bed and collapsed on it crying. The young witch hadn't shown it in front of Severus, but he had really hurt her.

~

Severus let out a mortified sob, he couldn't believe he had just gone off at his only friend. He had promised not to hurt her, yet he had and he now felt absolutely awful.

What hurt him the most was when Helena had acted like it didn't hurt her. She had seemed so angry and that made the wizard wonder if he could ever repair what he'd ruined.

Covering his face in his hands, Severus collapsed into his armchair and sighed.

A knock sounded at the door and Severus quickly jumped up hoping it would be Helena.

Severus opened the door and then frowned when he found that it was only Minerva.

"Good evening Severus, I thought I would just call around and see how you're going," she said warmly as she stepped into the wizard's chambers.

Minerva looked around and then turned to him, "Is Helena not here?"

Severus shook his head and sighed, "I've ruined everything Minerva, I don't know how to fix this."

Minerva lead him to the sofa and clasped his hands in her own, "What have you ruined Severus?"

Severus sighed and dropped his head out of shame, "I got irritated when she was looking at my photographs and told her to stick her nose in elsewhere. Then when she called me Sev, I just... I screamed at her to get out and to not call me that."

Minerva tutted disappointingly, "Why Severus? Why did you lash out at her that way, after everything she has done for you?"

Severus groaned, "Seeing her looking at those photos of Lily... I don't know, it just felt so wrong."

"Why did it feel wrong?" Minerva asked him.

"I think it has something to do with the fact that I may have feelings for her," Severus responded.

Minerva raised her eyebrow in suspicion, "For Lily, or for Helena?"

Severus sighed, "Helena."

Severus looked to his chamber doors, as if hoping that Helena would come back.

"I have to go Minerva, I have to go and fix this," Severus said as he got up and strode to the door.

Minerva followed after him and then disappeared back down the corridor, heading back to her office.

Severus shut his chamber door and slowly walked across to Helena's chamber door and opened it, he knew she wouldn't open it if he knocked.

Severus stepped into the witch's chambers and softly shut the door before heading to her bedroom where he could hear her sobbing.

He pushed the door open and his heart broke when he found her laying curled up with her head buried into a pillow.

"Helena?" Severus announced softly as he came to sit on the edge of her bed.

He watched as her body froze before she slowly turned to look at him, "Have you come to yell some more?"

Severus shook his head.

"Why are you here Severus?" She asked him flatly.

Severus sighed, "I've never been very good with this whole apology thing, but I want to tell you that I am so very sorry for speaking to you that way that I did."

Helena looked at him skeptically and remained laying in fetal position, "Why?" She asked.

"Why am I apologising?" Severus asked her in confusion. He had to resist the urge to hug her, but he knew it wasn't fair of him to do that after treating her so wrongly.

Helena shook her head and sobbed, "Why did you yell at me? I thought we were friends?"

Severus sighed, "We are friends Helena. I don't really know why I yelled at you... Those photos you saw were of Lily, my childhood best friend," Severus saw the look Helena gave at this response as she pieced things together, "Yes, the one I was telling you about."

"That doesn't answer my question," Helena said unemotionally.

"My childhood bullies had me hanging upside down in my fifth year and when Lily stood up for me, I um, I called her a Mudblood by accident. I apologised relentlessly, but she never forgave me. Seeing you looking at photos of her, brought it all back and it just felt so wrong, because you're my friend now and I don't want to think about Lily anymore," Severus replied softly.

Helena stared at the mattress as she processed this information, she then turned to look at Severus who looked ready to cry.

"I forgive you Severus, Lily should have too," she finally said, taking his hand in her own.

Severus was shocked, "What?"

~