Word Count: 469
Warnings: None
Challenge/Competition: The Dinner Table Challenge (Round 3)
Prompt/s: Severus Snape & ace of diamonds
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Harry Potter, it's all JKR's.
He walks down the corridor, agitation crawling inside of him. Merlin. He hates her, he hates him, he hates them both. James and Lily - the thought of their names together makes his stomach swell with nausea.
And then a pang of guilt crashes over him. He doesn't hate her - not one bit. He loves her, perhaps with every fiber he has. That is what he hates. Himself. His lack of control over his feelings, falling for somebody completely unattainable yet fooling himself into thinking otherwise.
He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her - she was with James, laughing - a choir falling from her mouth, her hair shining a million brilliant shades in the sun and her smile so vibrant, ready to infect anybody she came into contact with. He was so fixated on her that he almost forgot James. And then James was in his face, hurling insults at him with his gang of idiots surrounding him, cackling. He looked to Lily - his best friend Lily - waiting for her support.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Then an apologetic smile towards him, with a murmur of 'you're such a dick' to James as they walk off. And that was it.
Just reimagining the situation reignites the fury in his veins, and pathetic sadness seeps all the way through to his bones. This comes with the crushing realisation that she cannot be friends with him and be in love with James. It's completely and utterly incompatible.
He almost slips on the floor on a piece of white card. He curses, before squinting and picking it up. Queen of hearts. A playing card? Confusedly, he tucks it into his pocket and continues, but ends up dodging another card. Four of clubs. Then another. Ace of diamonds. They just keep coming and his curiosity starts to overcome his anger, so he follows the trail.
Severus realises where he's headed after a moment - the library. And he follows two remaining cards to where he hoped would be his final destination. There she is, at their desk. Merlin, he thinks, staring at the beautiful smile fixed onto her face. How can he stay angry at that?
'Cards?' she asks, crumpling her face awkwardly. 'I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let James talk to you like that. I told him I'll break up with him if he carries on, and I mean it. You're my best friend.'
He wants to react sharply, tell her to leave him alone, even maybe walk away. But he doesn't. He can't. 'Okay. I don't know how to play cards, though.' He smiles lopsidedly, pulling up a chair opposite her.
'That's okay, I'll teach you!' she replies, laughing as she shuffles the pack mock-expertly.
And suddenly, nothing else matters.
AN: Oh my, I was so worried about writing this fic with those prompts! I've never written Severus, I was sure this would end awfully. But it came out okay, right? I hope so. Review and let me know what you thought! x