Snape's Emerald Secret

Hogsmeade

There were no classes going on today and since The Yule Ball was approaching, I decided that I would try to be at least a little bit social and go to Hogsmeade to look for a dress. Now, I'm not used to putting in an effort so I couldn't go alone, I needed a second or a third opinion.

My closest thing to a friend (with legs) was the famous Harry Potter so I thought that I would try to tag along with The Golden Trio. I say 'try to' because Hermione isn't a big fan of mine. I don't know why because on our first day of Hogwarts I sat with them on the Hogwarts Express and they were all chatting to me like we had knew each other for years then suddenly Hermione would refuse to even make eye contact with me when passing each other in the corridors. At first, I brushed it off because I thought that it could of been due to the stress of coming to a new school, but this carried on for years so I just ignored her like she ignored me.

Now for the hard part, getting Harry's attention. In the Great Hall, the Slytherin table and the Gryffindor table are on opposite sides. I finally managed to get Harry's attention and mouthed over to him "Hogsmeade?" A couple of times before he finally got the memo. Harry smiled from across the hall and gave me a thumbs up to agree with my plans. Seeing Harry's stupid face made me chuckle "why are you associating with Gryffindors" I heard the same irritating voice behind me. "Doesn't concern you Draco" I sighed as I pushed my food around with my fork. "What was that?" He hissed as I finally snapped "I said... It. Doesn't. Concern. You" I stood up tempted to slap his stuck up face when I felt a large presence behind me. Snape.

Snapes POV
I watched as that Malfoy boy approached Emerald and said something that I couldn't quite hear properly. I wanted to give Malfoy a piece of my mind as I saw Emeralds face turn from happiness to sheer anger, I could tell that he had gotten to her this time.

I stood up and slowly made my way over to break up whatever this was.

Emeralds POV
"Stop this at once before I am forced to take points from Slytherin and I am sure that none of us want that. Do I make myself clear?" Snape commanded mostly looking at Draco. "Yes" Draco mumbled as he cowered away. I looked up at Snape who was glaring at Draco. "What did I tell you about that Malfoy boy?" He growled as his gaze shifted from Draco to me. "He approa-" I paused as I came to the realisation that I was about to argue with Snape. "Continue" Snape mumbled giving me an odd stare. I couldn't tell if he was angry or confused, god this man is so hard to read. "Never mind, sorry" I muttered giving in. Snape didn't reply, he just glided away at a fast pace as per usual.

I met with Harry outside who was quick to ask me about Draco, I explained the situation as Ron and Hermione approached us. Ron always acted shy around me which I had grown used to, I wasn't particularly close with Ron and only really spoke to him when I was talking to Harry. Hermione on the other hand just ignored my presence all together, whenever I spoke she would act like she didn't hear me and just spoke to Harry and Ron like I didn't exist.

After a while of walking around Hogsmeade, I finally got Harry alone and asked him about Hermione. "She doesn't hate you" He forcefully said with a fake smile "yeah sure" I scoffed as I rolled my eyes. "Just tell me what I've done to offend her" I pleaded, desperate for some answers. "It's not you..." he paused trying to find the right words. "Yes...?" I grew more and more frustrated as the seconds passed. "When we arrived at our common room in our first year... Hermione decided to do some research on your family because you got sorted into Slytherin..." Harry looked annoyed, upset and worn down all at the same time. I instantly realised what she had found and fighting tears, I went looking for Hermione to clear the air.

I saw Ron and Hermione talking outside Honeydukes and I eagerly approached them. "Harry told me... Is that really why you stopped talking to me? Because you researched my family?" Hermione looked shocked as I said this. "I'm sorry but I don't want to associate myself with someone who aspires to be... one of them" Hermione bickered. Memories upon memories of my fathers torture flooded into my head. My vision started going blurry as my eyes began to tear up. "I want nothing to do with my father and the death eaters! And if you had done your research properly, you would know why!" I snapped at Hermione as her face reflected anger and guilt. I stormed off reliving all of the torture my father had put me through over the years while also ignoring Harry yelling for me to come back.

It was starting to get dark when I arrived back at Hogwarts. Not ready to go back inside, I sat by the black lake and sketched in my diary to clear my head. The lake was so calming, I could just sit by it and forget almost everything about who or what's troubling me.

As I stood up, I saw Snape in the distance looking over at me. I ignored him and kept walking. I just wasn't in the mood to embarrass myself in front of him again.

Snapes POV
I saw Emerald sitting by the lake again. She looked so broken which surprisingly reminded me of my younger self. She looked worn out which makes me want to know more about her. Why does she seem so broken? What happened to her?

She started to walk away from me, was she avoiding me? I picked up the pace to catch up with her.

"Miss Wood, what are you doing out so late?"
"Walking..." she replied coldly. "Detention tomorrow night for the attitude" I wouldn't usually give detention for that reason, but I need to get to the bottom of the reason for her pain.

Emerald's POV
How could this happen??? I wanted to avoid him now I have to be around him to embarrass myself again? I sighed in acknowledgement and turned to the professor saying "I'm sorry" so quiet I don't even know if he heard, and I slowly turned around and walked away, hanging my head in shame. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Snape's POV

I watched her as she walked away, she looked so dead inside, now I really have to know the reason for her pain, and if there is any way that I can somehow lift a little weight off her shoulders. If only tomorrow could come a little sooner.

-K and a bit of R