The knock sounded and her heart thudded painfully. "Come in." She called, knowing full well who it was. She stood as he entered the room, striding toward her quickly, dark hair wet with rain and jaw line shadowed. "You came." She stated when he reached her.
"Of course I came, Eleanor. What is it?" He asked, unable to stop his worrisome tone. He took her small hands in his large ones, stooping slightly to look into her dark brown eyes. They were his favourite shade of brown.
"Oh, Salazar..." She whispered, looking away from his intense gaze.
"What's wrong, my love?" He asked, one of his hands coming up to cup the cheek of his lover. Her eyes flickered back to his and then away again. He felt frustration rise. "You sent for me urgently, what is it?" He repeated.
"I-I... We can't do this anymore, Salazar." She finally said, her eyes still far from his. It was easier this way. "We cannot continue to... see each other."
He blinked and stepped back, pulling away as if she were made of hot coals. "What? What do you mean?"
She sighed and blinked back tears, going over the line in her head. "I've f-fallen in l-love with someone... with someone else." She stuttered out, her own heart breaking as she saw his eyes darken.
He blinked at her, for the first time feeling a deep burning of hatred from within. He set his jaw. "You've fallen in love with someone else." He stated quietly. "Who?" Salazar's own green eyes were aflame. She looked away and he grabbed her by the wrists. "Who?!" He demanded angrily.
"Stop it, Salazar!" She whimpered, looking up at him through dark lashes. He let her go again, confused with not only her heartbreaking words, but his own reaction. "Just go, Salazar, go." He looked at her. "GO!" She shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.
He was startled at her broken tone. Turning toward the door, he heard her sob quietly. He stopped, his hand poised at the door knob. "Tell me why." He whispered, loud enough for her to hear.
"Things like this just happen." She lied.
There it was; the hitch in her voice. He turned to face her, taking in her shaking hands and hesitant eyes. "You're lying." Salazar tentatively stepped toward her, his eyes boring into hers as they finally snapped to his. "You're lying, Eleanor."
"Please, Salazar. Don't do this." She begged, taking his hands in hers. "Please, just leave, like you're supposed to."
He flinched at her pleading tone and the shine of tears in her eyes. "Why? Why can't you be with me? I-I... Well, damn it, I love you, Eleanor."
"Love has nothing to do –"
"Love has EVERYTHING to do with it!" He shouted. He raised his wand and pointed it at the door. "Silencio." He hissed, realising the muggles would probably hear. He pulled her closer, clutching at her shoulders. "You can't tell me I mean nothing to you."
A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by two more. "You mean the world to me, Salazar." She admitted, looking up at him truthfully and feeling like she was seventeen again, standing in front of an intense nineteen year old Salazar with a bad temper.
"Then why, why did you -?"
"I'm engaged, Salazar! I'm engaged to another man..."
His eyes filled with fury. "You're engaged. Engaged to someone. Who?" He demanded.
"I can't tell you –"
"Some muggle man?" He spat. She looked away. "Some muggle man your muggle parents have chosen for you? Hah!" He shouted, looking mutinous. "What do they think he's going to do when he finds out what you are? You're a witch, Eleanor. He's going to put you to the flame for all to see!" He said angrily.
"No! No, he won't! I'm going to keep it from him. He will never know." She finished quietly. "He'll never know." She let out a quiet sob and collapsed on the comfortable chair behind her.
He stopped, staring at her. Curly blonde hair unruly as ever, brown eyes shining with moisture. Her dress was creased at the top of her skirt, suggesting hours of nervous wringing. "You won't take that chance." She looked up abruptly, shaking her head, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Come, we can go far away. You can stay at Hogwarts with me, and finish your apprenticeship. Then you can teach alongside me and the others."
She was shaking her head. "No, Salazar –"
"Why not? You wouldn't have to worry about your stupid mother and father, that fiancé. We can wed in a magic ceremony." His eyes were alight with ideas, looking at her with eagerness.
"Wed? Salazar, we can't – I can't not marry this man. I have to marry him." She protested, and it was as if she had physically reached up and stolen the hope from his eyes.
He scowled darkly. "Why? Why must you marry him? He's – you don't love him!" He was outraged.
"I know! Salazar! I know I don't love him. I never will."
"Then why –"
"I'm doing it for my parents, alright? If I don't marry him, bad things will happen... My mother, she's sick. If I don't marry him, they can't pay for her medicine. I've got to do this." She said, guilt welling within her as his eyes and shoulders simultaneously fell.
"Fine. Fine, Eleanor. That's fine with me." He said quietly. "I won't fight for your anymore, because it's obvious you don't want it." He turned away from her.
"Salazar..."
"It's Slytherin to you." He spat back coldly.
"I'm sorry, my love." She whispered, allowing the tears free fall on her face.
He looked back once more as he opened the door. "So am I. Have a good life, Mudblood." And with that, he left, slamming the door behind him.
Her sobs echoed throughout the lonely room, her heart, shattered. But Eleanor couldn't bear to think about what she had done. Nor did she know the consequences of her heart-wrenching actions.
His love for her was gone, replaced by only hatred. Hatred of the thing that broke his heart. Muggles. The unworthy beings. It was all their fault.
Salazar Slytherin was never to love again.
Okay everyone, I have this set up so I can make it a chaptered story. It'd be a Hermione/Salazar fic, where Hermione, Ginny and Luna come across this information and go back in time to fix it, but it won't go ahead unless someone wants it to be a chaptered fic. So, review if you want it and I shall do it. Thanks. =]