Trust Me, Sev...

Chapter 4

It had been a week since Clair had seen what was written in Severus' potions book. Since then, he'd been seemingly avoiding her, he wouldn't even talk when they were partnered in potions, but since there was an upcoming exam in that very class it seemed the perfect opportunity for them to speak again. She had her mind set, she was going to break the awkward air and finally gain back what little of a relationship they had. She was about halfway across the courtyard when she'd noticed his friends, Mulciber and Avery, there with him but it was too late to turn back now. She quickly approached and tapped the tall raven haired boy on his shoulder. He spun around with a scowl on his face to see who dared touch him, relieved that it was only her to say the least but that same little scowl stayed present. His friends trailed their eyes over to her as well. Their eyes made her nervous but she was still going to do what she intended.
"I was wondering if we could study tonight because there's a test in a few days....?", she said, her eyes shifting from his to the ground back to his. She hoped the answer would be a quick one so she could walk away but it was to be anything but that. Just as Snape was opening his mouth to give her an answer, Mulciber piped up from behind him
"This is the one you skipped dinner to study with?", he'd basically spat the words out at her.
"Snape hadn't skipped dinner to study with me. He just happened to be in the dorms, right...?", her thoughts were interrupted abruptly.
"No wonder she needs your help Snape, her fat arse looks like she should be in Hufflepuff. Bringing shame to our house!", Avery added
"Honestly Snape, we thought you would've learned after that little mud blood", Mulciber chimed in one last time.
Clair didn't know what to say. The smile dropped from her face long ago, yet still not allowing them to see the hurt she was dealing with. She looked up at Severus, expecting something, anything to come out of his mouth but all she saw was a neutral expression. She quickly realized they were his friends, she wasn't. He wouldn't do anything to retaliate against them for her, she was no one to him. The words were sinking in by now so she quickly turned on her heel and dashed back to the hallway, tears threatening to spill all the while. Snape didn't know why but he wanted to stop her, she was so nice, so sweet to him it was almost sickening. He lost people all the time, he shouldn't care but inside he felt a similar pang in his chest though he shook it off and continued to delve into the previous conversation the three were having before she'd arrived.
~timeskip~
It was just about time for dinner, Severus was making his way towards the Great Hall when all of the sudden
"OY SNAPE!"
He recognized the voice but before he could decide between turning around or making a run for it, he was slammed into the wall by none other than Sirius Black, the other Marauders behind him except for one little rabbit that had been on his mind all afternoon.
"You'd better put a bloody LEASH on your deatheater friends!" Sirius barked at Snape as he held him up against the wall by his collar.
"How DARE you lot make comments about her like that?! Especially when you look how you do Snivellus! If I EVER hear another nasty word was spoken about her from you or any of your little dark arts freak friends, you'd be lucky if I didn't rip your bloody head right OFF!" At this point Sirius was just about nose to nose with Snape, so he'd really get the point of his words.
"Get off me! I didn't even say anything about her you bloody PSYCHO!", Snape writhed around in Sirius's hands trying to get out of his grasp.
"That's the problem, you didn't SAY anything. You didn't stand up for her when you know she fancies you and goes out of her way to help you. You basically showed her that you hold the same opinion as your friends do about her", Remus chimed in, peeking over the top of his book to look Snape in the eye before going back to reading.
"But I DON'T have those opinions! You just don't get what my friends are like, I can't say an- wait, you said she fancies me?" Snape looked surprised over to the sandy haired boy.
"Now look what you bloody did, Moony!", Potter gave Remus a disapproving look as Snape was dropped back to the floor. Before he could even ask anymore questions the four boys had dashed down the hallway and were turning the corner. Oh they were going to be in so much trouble with Clair if and when she found out they'd opened their big mouths. Snape stood pressed against the wall for a minute, full of shock. He wasn't sure how to process this. Sure, he'd liked girls before but no one ever liked him. He composed himself before shuffling into the Great Hall and there she was. All that surprised nervous energy he had just pushed down came right back up and made his heart pound against his chest. "No no, I don't like her! I can't like her! I just feel bad for her, yeah. Merlin, keep yourself together." Snape thought as he shook his head and shuffled to the end of the Slytherin table. Since the Marauders weren't here, that's also where she sat. By the time he'd gotten there dinner was just about over and she'd already finished her food. Getting up from the table and making her way to the dungeons with her roommate. Sadness still present in her eyes as she passed him, not even giving him a friendly glance like she normally would.

Once back at the dorms, Clair plopped down on her bed turning over to glance at her friend.
"I'm so sorry Mulciber acted like that towards you today, I'll have to give him a stern talking to"
In case you're wondering how and why her friend would have any power over the boys opinion, it was because she was his girlfriend. Maxine Swanhart. Tall, thin, blonde, the bluest eyes you'd ever seen. Basically the two girls were complete opposites in appearance but made up for differences as both being the nicest in Slytherin. Max was treated better by the house though, sure they were both purebloods but just because Clair had a friendship with the Marauders, she was put on a permanent shit list by the little wannabe deatheaters that made up much of her house.
How Mulciber had even gotten a chance with Maxine was beyond Clair, she had no clue. "The heart wants what the heart wants I suppose" she thought to herself but her friends voice cut through her inner monologue.
"So what's the deal with you and Snape", Maxine asked and cocked an eyebrow. Clair didn't know how to answer this. Should she just blab it all out or play it cool?
"What do you mean?", she could mentally slap herself, she hadn't played it cool, she played stupid.
"Oh come on, I see you blushing! Just tell me what's up! I always see you looking at him!" The blonde crossed her arms, obviously wanting answers
"What? Am I not allowed to look at people?"
"That's NOT what I meant, Clair! You're in love with him so just spill it!"
"If I say that will you shut your bloody mouth"
"Yes"
"Fine, I'm sooooo in love with Severus Snape I can hardly contain myself. He's so handsome and smart and I must make him mine!" Clair got up and spun around with a dreamy look in her eye all while giggling before plopping back onto her bed, blowing out the candle between their beds.
It wasn't really a lie after all, she DID think he was devastatingly handsome. She DID think he was the smartest wizard in the whole school. She just didn't want to admit it to anyone, it was just a silly little crush. She sat in the dark for a bit while her thoughts lingered on Snape, not knowing that right across the corridor in the boys dorms he was doing the exact same with her.