Hearts are Blind (Severus Snape X OC)

Shadows & Moonlight

Small patches of light glittered down through the small classroom windows and illuminated the dust particles swirling around in the air. This sunlight made Lucinda's skin glow and look warm and fresh, her hair in dark puffs around her face, but the Professor kept his eyes on his desk. The girl standing at his side waited patiently in expectant silence, but he said nothing. Lucinda stared at him as she tried to comprehend what she'd just heard. He was suspending her detentions...? Suspending?

"W-what?" she sputtered. "But, why would you do that? What purpose is that going to serve?"

His silence only angered her further.

"Can you really not stand me that much?" she asked, agitated. "First you tell me I have two weeks worth of detention! Now you're telling me I'm just off the hook...? Why?"

"Shut up!" he snapped, now looking her in the eyes. "I can't think with your relentless chatter!"

Lucinda snapped her lips shut. If she was hurt by this, she didn't show it.

He couldn't tell her what he was thinking. He couldn't tell anyone what he was thinking. They were such fleeting thoughts that they hardly mattered at all. In fact, they didn't matter. Not in the least. Snape realized he was still staring at her and returned his gaze to the glass of water on his desk. This was insane...

Lucinda looked down at her feet. "You do hate me..." she said quietly.

Snape put his head in his hands and sighed deeply. "We've already been through this..." he shook his head slightly. "Don't be so self-absorbed, Miss Morgan. I never said I hated you."

Lucinda took out her wand and summoned a chair out of thin air. Then she sat down at the side of his desk. If Snape was surprised by this, he didn't show it. He merely continued to rest his head on his palms, rubbing a little at his eyes.

"So, what's the deal with you then?" she asked defensively, crossing her arms and legs. "What exactly have I done to make you hate—sorry—dislike me so much?"

The Potions master's fingers seemed to tighten over his face as she said this. "I never SAID I disliked you, either," he replied, trying to suppress the urge to throw something.

"Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it, Professor Snape..." Lucinda's voice was quiet. Snape said nothing. When his silence started to bother her again, she continued. "So..." she said, fidgeting with a piece of lint on her robes. "What exactly caused you to be like thi—"

"I think it's time for you to leave now, Miss Morgan," he said simply, and took his hands away from his face. "I have no intention of telling you about my personal life... Now, go."

Lucinda's nostrils flared a little as she let out an aggravated sigh. "Is it so terrible that I want to know more about you?" Her eyes flashed angrily, but Professor Snape acted as if he hadn't even heard her. He folded his arms over his chest and looked down, clearly wishing she wasn't there. A few strands of his hair were now threatening to catch in his eye. Lucinda forgot about suppressing her urges. She just reached over and carelessly swept them off of his face.

Snape caught her around the wrist.

"Sorry-" she said quickly, her fingertips barely touching his temple. He had her in a death grip, still as a statue.

"Don't do that," he snapped. His eyes were piercing through her with venom.

"I'm—I'm sorry—" she said a little panicked. "Now, will you let go of me, please?" As much as Lucinda wanted to stand her ground, she was still afraid of him. The pain in her wrist reflected the seriousness of what she'd just done. She really hadn't meant to do it in the first place. Her hand just kind of moved on its own, if that's even possible. Lucinda suddenly met his gaze. She held her breath. His dark eyes didn't seem quite so empty up close, but she had a hard time concentrating on them, anyway. He was staring so intently at her at that precise moment, so she cast her eyes further down his face... She studied the definitive curve of his nose and the shape of his lips. Lucinda's throat went dry and her cheeks flushed.