𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙

The Yule Ball

Days passed and neither me or Snape seemed to have discovered more. We read books over books, together and apart, one in the library, one in his office, or in the restricted section.
Snape was getting easier and easier to piss off, he was horrible to everyone, not that he wasn't, normally, but these days he was putting in some extra effort. Although he tried his best with me sometimes he snapped anyway so he was letting me read him more frequently because he didn't even have the strength to explain things.
"I think that we're not making any progress Professor" I said letting my body fall on a chair in front of his desk.
"You think?!" He said frustratedly sustaining his head with both his hands.
"Hey I'm doing everything I can, it's exhausting for me too" I said.
"I know I just can't... take this anymore... not knowing how to stop this is driving me crazy" he said "I'm not completely alone even when I'm asleep"
"You're telling me..." I said "sir you have to try to relax a bit, you're moods influence me and I'm always angry, I almost snapped at Professor Moody the other day, he could've killed me!" I said
"How do you manage! How do you manage to stay sane I-"
"I don't... I'm losing my mind, literally, but I try not to feel so desperate I try to mitigate my feelings so that you don't have to have to feel it too"
"What are we doing wrong?" He sighed.
"I don't know... that's exasperating, I can literally hear you before you even speak" I said "we should quit researching" I said, I had been wanting to tell him for a while but there was never a good time because he was always in a terrible mood.
"What..." he asked.
"We're not going anywhere with this reading and reading, we tried it your way, it didn't work. Can we try my way now?" I asked "I mean we're just trying to shut it down but we haven't experimented. We tried with occlumency and it works but it takes a lot of energy, we experience it everyday, and it doesn't even work efficiently because at the first distraction the shield is gone..."
"We're not doing any of what you were about to suggest, I can't have you wandering in my mind" he said and he wasn't opened to anything else.
"Why won't you even try... just that one time? Since the memory of you crying you've never let me in again, every attempt has to be on me..." I said "you have no idea what it's doing to me, how many happy memories have you visited?"
He stayed completely silent just looking at me and realizing "not many huh? Guess why?" I asked "those are all memories I had concealed, I didn't want to remember, I didn't want to go there ever again and now you're bringing them back. Every day a new one and it's torture" I said as he didn't want to listen to me I had to make him "I can't keep going on like this, it's destroying everything I had accomplished in years, please don't be mad at me..." I said and I felt he was starting to realize what I was trying to say "I quit"
"You can't quit... it's not like it disappears if you quit..." he said and I felt in his voice as well as in his thoughts that he was desperately trying to find a reason to keep me from quitting.
"Maybe... maybe it will be good, it will loosen the connection, maybe being apart is a way of doing it, we might as well try this as it seems to me you don't have any better option" I said
"No but..." he tried to object.
"There's no but, you can't force me to stay, I don't want to do this anymore, I'm not letting you treat me like some experiment animal that you'll let die if the experiment goes wrong" I said and I let myself feel the rage and the frustration that I was trying to conceal away for days as I wanted to give him a glimpse of what I had been shielding him from at the cost of my own sanity while he seemed to have no respect for it.
"Why do you have to make it all more complicated.." he said and I knew he was really tired, I could feel his exhaustion and I had been trying to resist as long as I could but I was quickly heading towards a breaking point and I couldn't afford it.
"I'm sorry that you don't understand, considering that you can feel my mood and feelings you should know, by now, that much of the pain and hurt you feel is mine, sir" I said and it must have sounded like a revelation to him or at least the look on his face was telling me so.
"I- huh... we can try some other way..." he wasn't sure, he was saying that for some reason but he didn't mean it.
"No" I said briefly "we cannot"
He was looking at me with a blank stare but I couldn't look him in the eyes or I wouldn't have had the nerve to go through with it.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't want this, I'm sorry for the pain and the inconvenience of having to deal with all of it and I'm sorry that not even this connection could give you a clearer understanding of human emotions" I said being a little too harsh but what was done was done and I hurried out of his office closing the door behind me not even stopping to think that probably wasn't going to be the last time I'd walk out of there but certainly the last one as Snape's assistant.
I went out of the castle before anyone could see me crying and found myself walking to the spot where we had talked once, when he'd opened up to me and I had told him about how I felt. That was a moment I would've cherished in my heart forever. I remembered feeling very happy of being able to talk with him like that... even though, of course, that had been the only time.
I sat on the cold rock, it had a subtle layer of ice on top but I didn't mind it, I was already cold enough.
As soon as I sat it was like I had given myself permission to feel everything that happened. I couldn't care about him more than myself anymore, I had to let myself feel everything I had been concealing, modifying, deceiving just to make him suffer the less I could.
Legilimency was a "gift" I hadn't asked for but I had always been told it was, in fact, a gift, while I didn't feel like that at all. It had always taken away from me the people I loved, my mother being the first and most painful loss. Strangely the end of this relationship, whatever it was, with Snape just seemed to be very destructive for me. I was sobbing, my chest hurt and my hands were wet from trying to grip on the ice covering the rocks.
"Hey, Sue!" Harry's voice echoed in my ears and it brought me back from the depths of my thoughts.
"Hi" I said as he finally reached me.
"What's going on?" He asked in a worried tone as it was obvious I had been crying.
"Nothing worth talking about it" I said drying my tears and forcing a smile.
"I have hardly seen you since the first task" he said making me aware of the fact he didn't know about my last conversation with Hermione.
"I have been very busy" I said and let out a nervous chuckle.
"Will you tell me what's wrong?" He said sitting down next to me.
"I'm no longer working with Snape" I said and I was aware that wasn't even scratching the surface of what was going on but for him it was enough.
"What... why?" He asked and seemed really interested in hearing the answer.
"He finally had enough of me, I guess" I said and I felt tears burn in my eyes.
"He doesn't know what he is missing and honestly, I've always known you were too good to work for him" he said in an attempt to comfort me.
"Yeah... I don't know about that" I chuckled.
"I know, you just have to believe me" he smiled.
"Right..." I smiled back.
"So... what do you think about the Yule ball?" He asked.
Damn... oh no please, no.
"I didn't even have the time to think about it, I'm not really one for fancy events" I said trying to discourage him from inviting me.
"Do I look like someone who enjoys formal dresses and dancing? It's terrifying" he said.
"No dancing is fine, it's just all the rest that's scary" I said.
"You can dance?" He asked as if he couldn't believe it.
"Why is it so unbelievable?"
"No I was just jealous, I wish I could dance at least I could spare myself the embarrassment" he said and laughed softly.
"I'm sure you'll be fine Harry, if you can survive a dragon you surely can survive a dance" I mocked him.
"I was wondering..."
Oh no, no no no, please don't wonder that
"... if you wanted to come to the Ball with me"
There... Damn
"I don't think it's a good idea" I said trying to be careful, I didn't want to hurt him.
"Why not.." he looked at me confused.
"Because... you're just transitioning from the cheater who put his name in the Goblet of Fire to the best champion of the Tournament with Viktor Krum... going to the Ball with me it's not a good choice" I said.
"I couldn't care less what people think, I don't believe them, I don't care what they think of you. I care what I think, we're friends" he said and he almost had me at 'we're friends'.
"We're friends, aren't we?" I murmured.
"Yes, we are!" He said pretty convincingly.
"Well how can I say no to a friend.." I said giving up to the fact I really couldn't say no without being rude or telling him about Hermione and, for the moment, I didn't like either of the choices.
"So it's a yes?" He said sounding so happy it made me laugh.
"Yes, Harry" I confirmed.
"Brilliant! So huh, thank you, you'll probably save the dance because I really can't dance" he said.
"No problem I know how to lead without others noticing" I said and winked at him.
"Somehow I'm not surprised" he chuckled.
"Well Harry, I have to go now, but I'll see you around" I said getting up to go back in as I was freezing.
"Of course and at the Ball" he smiled widely.
"Yes, of course, at the Ball" I said.
Well now... where do I find a dress for the ball? I thought while walking back to the castle. I had never owned ball dresses... I just had one dress I had never worn and it wasn't even mine, it was my mother's. It was her favorite dress and the only of her things I kept. I went up to the Gryffindor Tower, straight to my dorm, checked none was in the room and fortunately it was empty so I took out the dress. I kept it in religiously good conditions, I took it out of the envelope and hang it on the canopy of the bed.
Green... right mum? Of course... I can't wear this, can I?
What can I do... should I change the color? Make it red, maybe more fit... but it wouldn't be the same dress, it wouldn't be my mom's dress... Why does it have to be so difficult?!
I sat on the floor admiring the dress and I couldn't find the heart to change the color, it just didn't feel right and I wished I had someone who could advise me whether I should do that or not and that would do it for me.
I can't even believe I'm worrying about the color, it doesn't matter at all, they're all going to think what they think already. It's just a green dress.
I thought putting the dress back to its place.
I spent terrible days obsessing about that dress and counting my money every second to see if I could afford a new one but to buy something better than that dress wasn't cheap certainly.
I slapped my fork on the plate out of frustration, I didn't even want to go to the stupid Ball at all.
"Not a good time, is it?" a concerned looking Harry asked.
"No, but these day it hardly ever is a good time" I sighed.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm... huh, annoyed, I can't buy a new dress because, you know, not having parents leaves you a little tight on money but I have one, the only thing I don't know it's if that one is appropriate" I said hoping he could help me decide what to do.
"Why wouldn't the one you have be appropriate?" he asked.
"For starters, it's slytherin green" I rolled my eyes.
He almost choked on his bite "Wow, I mean I don't see a problem with it, actually do you imagine how much fun we could have watching their faces when you walk in?" He said looking pretty amused.
"Wow this is thrilling for you, isn't it?" I said "I'm older than you, there's all this aura of mistery with the spy thing... what is it? Do you feel so badass for taking me to the Ball? Is this some kind of payback at Cho for going with Cedric?" I said and realized I shouldn't have said that because I shouldn't have known.
"How..." he said not realizing how I knew so I thought best to say something before he had the time to realize.
"I've heard her talking to her friends about that after DADA" I said as it was the only plausible thing to say.
"Look I didn't want to hurt you, none of what you said was ever my goal, I only want us to go as friends" he said.
I took a moment to analyze the situation and I understood all that rage wasn't mine but Snape's, of course, it was already strange enough to be that angry for a dress but snapping at people wasn't much like me at all. I didn't know what he was so mad about but I had lost focus on shielding myself again.
"It's okay, sorry about that" I said referring to moments before.
"Sure, it's fine, I see you're pretty stressed out, I'm sorry too, I know it makes you uncomfortable, I shouldn't have said that"
"Thank you" I said wondering how could he be so annoying but yet so caring and sweet.
"Anytime... so I'll see you tonight, okay?" He said going to join Ron at the Great Hall entrance to go get ready for the event.
"Yes" I smiled "you'll surely see me" I murmured while he walked away.
I glanced at the staff table once and noticed Snape wasn't there... he was never there when I was looking for him.
I decided to go for a walk to try and cool down the effect his anger had on me. It was anger so of course it made me angry but it made me act more like he would've rather than how I would've. This whole thing was pure madness and I couldn't believe that after days of having zero contacts aside from one potion class this connection hadn't loosened yet, I was starting to doubt it ever would. I couldn't imagine my life being connected forever to someone else, not to mention if that someone turned out to be the most irritating and pedantic man in the Wizarding world, Severus Snape. He had the potential to be someone whose company I'd never get tired of with his sagacity and irony, even sarcasm... and yet he chose to be that cold-hearted nerve-racking bully.
Why do I always try to see the good in people? When will I learn people are not good, not even my family had been able to teach me that lesson.
"Hey, Sue! Can we talk?" Hermione was following me a few steps back speeding up up to reach me.
"I don't know, it depends on what you have to say" I said stopping to wait for her.
"Well first of all I'm sorry" she said.
"What for... you shouldn't make excuses for what you think, everyone's entitled to their own opinion" I said not really willing to let go.
"No I was horrible, you helped us and I just let myself be misled by gossip" she continued "I realized I had done something terribly wrong the second after I told you but it was too late because you had already walked away"
"What took you so long then?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest for protection.
"I couldn't find the right time, if the boys weren't with me then very often Harry was with you and... I didn't want them to know, I feel very ashamed" she confessed "To make matters worse Harry really likes you and the thought that what I had done might've drawn you away from him scared me, I didn't want to ruin this for him and for you too. I'm sorry" she said and looked at me with those hope filled brown eyes. I felt I couldn't take it any further, after all a little wandering into her mind while she was talking had confirmed she was telling the truth.
"Right, okay, apology accepted" I said giving her a little smile to make it more convincing even though it hadn't stopped hurting yet.
"Thank you..." she lowered her eyes shyly "listen I was thinking, do you want to get ready for the ball together? I mean I could do you hair or make up, you could do mine... it could be fun" she continued.
"Oh... well that's what having two male best friends leads too" I said "asking spies to do your make up"
"You so wanted to say that, didn't you?"
"Couldn't resist, sorry" I giggled "let's go get ready now" I said leading the way back to the castle and she followed.
We spent what felt like five minutes, but it was actually 2 hours, getting ready in the dormitory. It was pretty crowded, one thing I wasn't used to during Christmas holidays. I always had almost the whole girls dormitory to myself, but not this year.
"Can you..." I nervously asked signaling for her to close the zip of my dress behind my back. She slid the zip up and we both glanced at the mirror.
"You look great and this dress is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen" Hermione said.
"Well look at yourself too" I said stepping aside "you're glowing" I smiled.
She chuckled and her cheeks turned red.
"Will you tell me who you're going with?" I asked for the millionth time already.
"No you'll see when we get there" she laughed. I could've found out myself but I thought it best to wait and not spoil the surprise. It must've been something completely unexpected if she was so determined to keep it secret and I surely wanted the moment of truth to be as shocking for me as it would've been for the rest of the school.
"Hurry up then, I'm curious" I said.
"Hair up or down... again, I just can't make up my mind" I asked.
"To tie those beautiful ginger curls should be illegal, get those hands off" she gently slapped my wrist and laughed. I just braided the few strands in the front that slightly covered some details of the dress and secured them in the back of my head. We then added some finishing touches, put on our shoes and left the Gryffindor Tower.
As soon as we arrived outside of the Hall I lost track of Hermione, she seemed to have completely vanished, so I was there alone. I peaked from the top of the last set of stairs and I immediately spotted Harry. Thank goodness.
I made my way to him being extremely careful not to trip on the dress on the stairs and he quickly approached to help me.
"Thank you very much, you're a real gentleman" I said taking the arm he was offering me.
"You look absolutely flawless Sue" he said in admiration.
I chuckled "that's too much but thank you" I said trying to take a compliment.
"No it's not" he said "everyone is looking at you" I looked around us, Ron was smiling and waving at me, I waved back. Of course we were surrounded by people staring and whispering and I quickly started to feel very anxious. "Look, even Snape's looking" he whispered in my ear trying to not be noticed by others.
My eyes wandered and found him supervising from a corner near the entrance even though his eyes were stuck on me and he didn't look like he was supervising that much. He didn't give any sign of having noticed I was watching him too because he continued to stare and eventually I broke eye contact even though I was feeling something weird, I couldn't understand it very well. Unfortunately, I couldn't investigate it further because Professor McGonagall had come over "Potter, Avery, please get in line with the other champions and dates so that you can open the dance" she said enthusiastically taking a good up and down look at the both of us to check that we were alright probably.
"The dance..." Harry said stepping in the line with the other champions.
"It's no big deal Harry, it'll be over before you realize" I said stroking his hand to comfort him but then I saw someone else getting in line in front of us.
Hermione with Krum.
I screamed in my head. She turned slightly and winked at me. Now everyone one around was whispering again. That was already one hell of a night and it hadn't even started yet.
While entering the Great Hall I saw Ron for a split second and I could've sworn he wasn't happy but I couldn't figure what was bothering him as I had more important business to attend to. The dance.
"Now just follow what I do okay?" I whispered and Harry nodded fast, he looked even more tensed than before the first task.
When the music started I started dancing and he followed me very well.
"Uh, you're not that bad you know" I said.
"Wait, we just got started" he whispered still pretty tensed.
"Harry just relax and you'll dance even better" I said and got a little distracted by people joining us to dance. As I soon realized I was looking for Snape, the reason was still unknown to me but there he was, standing at the side of the dance floor still as a statue, he made me lose focus and I lost the lead. Of course Harry stepped on my foot "ouch" I whispered.
"Damn, sorry, I didn't mean to" he said.
"It's fine, it's fine, I got distracted" I said "fortunately it's almost over" soon after I said that the music finally stopped. Everyone around exploded in cheering and clapping for the champions and I joined in the applause followed by the other dates. Harry looked so embarrassed I had to elbow him to make him pull himself together.
Once the apex of attention on us was wearing out I felt Harry pulling me aside but I hadn't noticed he had pulled Hermione too.
"So Viktor Krum?" He asked with a dorky grin on his face.
"So what someone like me can't dance with someone like him?" she asked.
"What? Don't be ridiculous-" Harry began but got interrupted by Ron. I didn't know why but I didn't like where it was going.
"Yeah ridiculous! That's what you are" he said.
Damn. Hermione already looked really hurt by the tone of his voice.
"What... what are you talking about?" She said.
"Why don't we stop this and go take something to drink, shall we?" I proposed hoping to distract them.
"No she has to go back to Viktor" said Ron.
Oh Merlin.
"What is wrong with you? Weren't you the one who wanted his autograph?" She blurted out.
"Yes, before he was competing against Harry, you're fraternizing with the enemy!" he continued.
No, no, no.
I saw Hermione's eyes fill up with tears, she was about to reply when, fortunately, we were interrupted.
"What is going on here?" An unmistakable velvety voice asked stressing every word.
"Miss Granger, I believe your date is looking for you" Snape said looking at Krum at the center of the room with two glasses in his hands looking around rather confused and she soon left us.
"Now, Weasley did you leave your lady alone too? That's not very chivalrous" He said glaring at Ron and he looked like he didn't want to piss him off so he went looking for Padma.
"Potter, a very good performance tonight" he mocked him "I hope you don't mind I have to steal your lady for a moment"
Me? Why would he want to talk to me?
Harry glanced at me for a second, I just had the time to nod lightly and he went to join Ron.
"Professor Snape" I said taking one step back.
"Miss Avery, I want to apologize, I got carried away by the situation of this new unknown connection between us" he whispered so low that I struggled to hear him over the music and the chattering all around "but I intend to get help, you were right, we're not progressing, we haven't discovered anything new, we need help" he said.
"Wow, why do you have to be like that? I've been telling you exactly the same things for weeks! You just enjoyed torturing me, didn't you?!" I was being quite loud so he grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me outside.
"Stop shouting" he said in a monotonous way "I told you I am sorry" he hissed.
"I just want to know why now" I said and I noticed he was still holding my wrist.
"Because... I realized you were right" he said even though it didn't sound like the truth "besides our connection hasn't gotten any weaker regardless of the time we spent apart" he added.
"It's just been a few days you could've been a little more patient, honestly" I sighed.
I've missed you, miss Avery. Hearing him inside my head was already something I wasn't used to anymore.
"You're going to have to say that out loud, sir" I said.
"I miss you, miss Avery" he surrendered.
His voice pronouncing those words sent chills down my spine in series, I felt the tip of my fingers tingle and judging from the way he looked at me he must've felt that too.
"Did you?" I joked.
"Now don't push it" he said and it echoed in the empty hallway, the only noise being the muffled sound of the music inside.
"Dance with me, would you?" I asked probably turning a little pink on my cheeks.
He tried to resist.
"What is it with everybody tonight, none wants to dance with me" I giggled offering him my hand "come on, professor" I encouraged him to take it.
He rolled his eyes and reluctantly took my hand with his and placed the other on my waist. The music called for a slow dance and so we obliged swaying slowly to the rhythm.
"So... who's going to help us?" I asked.
"Dumbledore, of course, who'd you think?" He said as if it was obvious but it left me quite star struck, he was all about the secrecy and not telling anyone but now... he wanted to go and tell the headmaster?
"Oh, no I... You never wanted to tell anyone and now you want to tell him?" I asked.
"Well he is the only one who actually stands a chance at fixing this thing..." he said in a weird sort of manner that implied admiration and also a hint of frustration in having to say that.
"Professor Sn-"
"No please, use the other way..." he said but I couldn't understand what he meant until he added "the one you use in your mind..." he looked at me very intensely until I said what he wanted.
"Severus?" I said in a whisper as I didn't want to take any chances of being heard.
"Yes" he said softly.
"Do you think there's a way to undo this thing?" I asked looking at him in the eyes hoping I'd notice if he lied.
"I honestly have no idea miss A-"
"No" I said "I'd like it better if you could call me Sue... I just don't like my last name" I chuckled.
"Sue..." he said softly and every letter of my name falling down his lips sent chills down my spine again, making me wish I had one of those long pompous names so that sound would've lasted a little more. I hoped he didn't feel any of that because that would've been so awkward.
"But first name terms are only allowed when it's just us two, Sue" he said with particular emphasis on my name.
"Of course, Severus" I chuckled "we don't want anyone to think there's a human being you don't actually disdain"
"Now I trust you know this new agreement between us doesn't mean you can be that cheeky without suffering the consequences" he dared.
"You're really saying that while we're slow dancing in an empty hallway, Severus?" I said, the newly found joy of teasing him was the best feeling ever.
"Well..." he murmured with a little grin on his face.
"Yeah..." I said and as the music stopped I removed my hand from his shoulder and he removed his from my waist even though I noticed he indulged some more in holding my other hand.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow right?" He asked finally letting go of my hand.
"Yes... we have to talk to Dumbledore, don't we?" I said.
"Yes, we do"
"Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow"
"You realize I want you to be my assistant again, don't you?" He asked to make sure I understood what he was asking of me. I was reluctant to accept because we had already tried that, I had already tried my best with him...
"Yes, can we talk about that tomorrow?" I asked as I wanted to sleep on it for the night.
"Of course..." he said lowering his eyes.
"So... have a good night Professor Snape" I said walking away from him.
"You too... and miss Avery..." he said and turned to face him again "you look exceptionally beautiful tonight" he said leaving me speechless. I tried my best to regain control over myself.
"Thank you, sir" I smiled lightly. Was he flattering me to get me to do what he wanted?
I entered the Great Hall and spotted Ron and Harry again, I carefully sat next to Ron and when they noticed me Harry said "I was about to come look for you". Thank god you didn't.
"Is everything okay with Snape?"
"Yes, yes, don't worry, we have our moments but we're fine now, I think" I explained thinking back to some weird moments we had shared just then.
"I can't be in here anymore, want to go for a walk?" Ron said looking at me and Harry. I nodded.
"But Hermione..." he was looking for her in the crowd of people dancing to the loud rock music that the Weird Sisters were now playing.
"Harry she looks like she's having fun..." I said pointing at her for him.
"Sure, why wouldn't she" Ron remarked.
"Let's go" Harry said patting on Ron's shoulder. We went out in the patio and sat on the first bench we could find.
We didn't talk much, Ron was upset because of Hermione and I still didn't understand what he was so mad about. Maybe neither did Harry because he was patting with his hand on his leg nervously. I tried to ignore it until it was the only thing I could focus on so I put my hand over his to make him stop.
"You were making me nervous" I said.
"Sorry" he whispered.
"Why are you-" he put his other hand on my mouth and I gave him the worst glare I could perform until he finally explained himself by pointing at two figures to my right, even though they were quite far away I recognized them as Snape and Karkaroff.
What's he up to now?
"Karkaroff just can't get off of him, can he?" I whispered.
"I wonder what this is all about" Harry said with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Karkaroff was a death eater" Ron said out of nowhere leaving me and Harry to look at him at loss of words.
"Was?" I asked.
"I don't know anything else" he shrugged.
"You don't simply stop being a death eater, it's not like you can resign, he would be dead by now" I said. Harry gave me a quick side look but then he seemed to have reconsidered looking at me at all while Ron was looking at me with a face that clearly asked how I knew that.
"My father wasn't the best occlumens in the world" I looked away as I didn't want to see the moment they stopped trusting me.
"Was?" Harry asked.
"He most certainly is dead" I said looking at him again "but I'm not sure"
"I'm sorry Sue" he said holding my hand.
"Don't be" I sniffled "he wasn't a good man, much less a good father" I said preventing tears to form by blinking rapidly but he must've noticed anyway because he gave a light squeeze to my hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb.
"I'm sorry anyway" he said, but he meant for me this time and I wasn't sure this made me feel any better but I appreciated the effort.
We went back to watching Karkaroff and Snape but soon enough Snape walked away leaving the other alone in the snow and we thought it best to leave before we got caught so we managed to sneak away back to the common room.

A/N yeah the moment everyone awaits in every Snape ff as far as I can tell, the Yule ball 😂. I want you to know that I did my best but sweet Snape is SO DAMN HARD to write. I hope it wasn't too out of character even though he's bound to soften a little more in the future 😅❤️
As always I hope you liked it and thank you for reading 😌