Innocence | Severus Snape x Reader

4 - Then let's talk.

I sat in Snape's class yet again. Yesterday was so... odd. Snape actually seemed to genuinely care in some ways, I couldn't tell with him though. He always had the same face and the same voice. It never showed anything, so I don't know.

Everyone had their desks faced towards the Dungeon Bat while he made the potion everyone failed to make yesterday. He made us all take notes and, I tried to. I tried to focus too but it was just so hard when I constantly had a million thoughts fizzing in my mind. Even harder when they're all bad thoughts.

I ended up drawing on the corner of my paper, it was nothing in particular. Just a bunch if lines and scribbles that looked nice. I kept going for a bit until the entire corner of my paper was filled, it was actually really pretty.

"Keep in mind class you will be turning in your notes at the end of class." Snape said as he proceeded with the potion. I went back to my note-taking. This was the most focus I'd had on anything in days.

The end of class came rather quickly, and Snape collected our papers from off of our desks. He dismissed class and yet again it was him and I left in the room.

"I have good news for you, Y/N." He said walking over to me and pulling a chair up. He sat across from me at my desk.

"What?" I asked, a little more life in me. Though it was a little bit forced.

"If you can successfully brew the same potion I did today, I'll give you the credit you lost for the paper and some." He offered.

I nodded, taking the deal and then got up. I took out the cauldron and started scurrying around the classroom for the ingredients. Snape sat back down at his desk and started looking over what I could imagine was more papers.

I started up the potion and worked for a bit before he pulled my attention again.

"Ms L/N?" He said, and I looked at him. "Since when is my class an art class?" He held up my paper and displayed the large drawing in the corner.

"Sorry." I went back to making the potion.

"I will say it doesn't look bad though." He complimented, which took me by surprise but I took it to heart. It was nice to hear something, well, nice. Especially from someone so cruel.

"Thank you, sir."

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The rest of the week went fine, and by the end of it, I was actually a bit upset. Detention with Snape was nice in the sense that, I was bombarded with things from my friends and trivial things I no longer cared about, but I still had some company that made me feel the least alone than any other point in the day.

Months went by of the same boring routines, I didn't feel like I was living a life but more just existing in one. Like a character in a story that you know is there but is never explicitly mentioned or even given a name.

My grades improved slightly, and before I knew it, December came quickly. By now, my friends and I... separated. I was fully alone now, which wasn't a big deal to me. I didn't feel like I was a weight they were dragging at their ankles all the time.

The only interesting thing that happened was the Troll that got into the school on Halloween, which I think I can safely say I was the only one who truly handled that situation calmly, well, besides from the teachers. 

I walk through the snowy pathways between the buildings in Hogsmeade. I was heading to the Three Broomsticks. I walked in, feeling warm as I did. I took off my long coat and sat down at one of the booths inside. Nothing was really out of the ordinary here. 

"What can I get ya?" A woman asked coming up to me. 

"A butterbeer please? And if I could get a coffee for the road as well, black?" I said in a soft and higher-pitched voice. I've noticed that's something almost everyone does when they're talking to strangers or ordering food. 

"Sure thing." She smiled at me, which I returned before she walked off. 

I looked around at the rest of the people inside again, a lot of them were people just with their friends. That's when a certain black humanoid creature walked in, catching my attention. He looked around for a bit and seemed to catch my gaze. He hesitated for a moment, then made his way over and sat down across from me. 

"Hello Professor Snape." I greeted. It had been since my last detention that we talked as individuals, and having him sit across from me made me realise that I enjoyed his company quite a bit. 

"Hello Ms. L/N. How have you been?" He asked politely. 

"I've... I'm still alive." The woman came back over with a mug of butterbeer and a mug of coffee. I took a sip of the butterbeer and nodded. "That's gotta count for something right?" I raised an eyebrow at him with a small smile. 

"I suppose it does." He eyed my coffee, which I took notice to. 

"If you want it you can have it," I said to him. 

"That's alright, I've just had some." 

"Suit yourself." I sipped on the butterbeer for a bit as we sat in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, and it was one well welcomed by each of us. It was like the silence that was around whenever we weren't holding what could barely be considered a conversation during my detentions. 

"Will you be going home for the holidays Y/N?" He asked, sparking up a new topic. It was always odd whenever he'd call me by my first name. He'd only done three or four times up until now.

"I will, my mother needs some company at home." I looked off to the side and so desperately tried not to get depressed again. "What about you?" I asked as I looked to my Professor. 

"I'll be staying at the school. I have no reason to return home." He said reasonably. He didn't seem upset by that fact either. 

"Sounds like you live a lonely life, Sir," I said casually, taking the last sip of my butterbeer. 

"I suppose I do." He said, concluding that conversation too. 

I nodded and fidgeted with my fingers. I usually did this if I was anxious about something, but there was nothing could think that would make me anxious. 

"Remember when you said that, I may find comfort in talking about my issues?" I blurted out, but it made me realise why I felt anxious. 

"Yes." 

"I think I'm ready to talk now." I looked up into Snape's eyes, it seemed he was looking into mine too.

And with a comforting complexion in his voice, he said, "Then let's talk."