Saving Snape

18. Okay? Okay.

The rest of the holidays go by the same as that. We talk, we learn a few stuff, and all have fun.

I spend some time with Dumbledore as well and Hazel hangs around with Severus for a bit, but doesn't like it very much. Snape complains to me about her while I'm with him, and at night Hazel does the same.

Typical.

Around the start of the holidays however, I call Dobby over and talk to him about life in general, then ask him to watch over Harry. I guess he gets a bit overprotective, because he comes to me the day school starts and tells me all about how he blocked the barrier.

I guess things were just meant to happen.

A few hours later, the train arrives and Hermione is basically dying of worry when I see her walking in. You can see it on her face.

I also study Snape's face during the sorting. His eyes widen in realisation at Ginny and he looks over at me. I give a small nod.

I also notice a few times during the feast he looks... Different. Like his world is falling apart again. I'll have to ask him about it on Wednesday.

He can't focus on anything. He's tense and keeps looking at Ginny, then away.

Maybe this is something to do with the diary?

Haha, it's a journal.

Anyway, he would know about the diary. Hopefully. I still haven't told him about it yet, so I assume he either doesn't know, or Lucius told him. Some other death eater is another option.

Throughout the feast I look at him. He doesn't seem to notice. By the end of the feast I know it's definitely Ginny that's getting on his nerves.

I wonder why?

It's not like he hates her, he hasn't even met her. And it can't exactly be based on his experiences with her brothers, he's better than that.

So what's bothering him?

That night I lay awake, willing for something to spontaneously pop into my head. Eventually I give in to sleep.

()-()-()-()-()-()-()

I knock on the door. Nobody is around.

"It's Wednesday, can I come in?"

I open the door and am greeted with the familiar sight of the potions room. Severus sits there, looking bummed out. Just last week he managed to laugh. What happened to him?

"What's up, Severus? You look so depressed."

"You... You never said she would look like her from the corner of my eye. I half see her and some hopeful part of me thinks it's Lily, coming back to Hogwarts. Then I look at her, and realise... It's not."

He hangs his head and I look down. I didn't see that one coming.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"You probably already know how I feel."

"So is this going to be like Harry? Just so I know it's not her, but her looks."

"It's... Worse than Potter."

"How much?"

"I almost can't stand it. I'll have to teach her for seven years!"

"Six. You'll be fine. I know it's tough, but it'll work out. Okay?"

"Okay."

__________

Short, but sweet.

And I'm sorry if that reference ripped your heart out but I couldn't resist. It was just perfect!

Thank you to every single person who voted so far! It means a lot and votes are confidence boosters for somebody who just likes to write but is unsure.

HRKOsgood can tell you I'm a pretty insecure person.

Anyway...

QOTC: anybody got merchandise? If you have, what is it?

~Ericano