Disclaimer: I do not own any character from the world of Harry Potter, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.

Prologue:

~1987~

The potions classroom was silent as she quietly slid her way into the room towards another wooden door obscured off to the side in the far left corner. The potions master was known for locking himself away in the room when he did not want to be pestered by students.

Her hands were sweaty and she could not help but rub them against her skirt to dry them. A part of her wanted to abort the crazy mission she had talked herself into with every step she took. It felt as though time was slowing down around her, taunting her every movement.

"This is crazy!" She told herself as her resolve began to fade. The Gryffindor heart in her was losing to the overwhelming logic spewing from her brain. "No, you must do this! You have to do this!" She told herself.

Raising her hand, she gently rapped against the wooden door. Not even a second passed before the door swung open and he stalked out, his cape billowing behind him. The abruptness of his arrival caused her to stumble backwards and regain her footing. Straightening herself out, she looked up to find obsidian eyes impatiently focused on her.

"Well to what pleasure do I owe your very unwelcome intrusion this evening?" He asked blankly.

"I-I wanted to talk, professor." She responded attempting to not lose her nerve and flee.

"It may have escaped your notice, but the year is over. Therefore, you have nothing to discuss with me. Think because you were head girl this past year that it gives you the right to pounce into my classroom whenever! I mistakenly expected better of you. One hundred points from Gryffindor!" He sneered.

She could not help but be riled by the accusations he had so callously thrown at her. She had sought him out with genuine intentions! Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered. Instead of showing him her ire, a small smirk formed on her lips and she laughed. "Professor, no points to my house will be lost because as you've said it is the end of the year."

"Leave." He snarled at her.

Undeterred, she moved closer to him so that she was only within arm's length distance from him. Her hazel eyes glittered with determination as she looked him directly in the eye. Steeling herself, she took one last big breath and then blurted out what she needed to say.

"I'm in love with you."

He was frozen for a moment unable to process the gravity of her statement. He could not fathom that anyone, especially her would confess such a thing to him. She was young, beautiful and intelligent. Her bright hazel eyes and deep auburn hair complimented her golden skin. He had even noticed the light splay of freckles across her nose.

"Do not delude yourself Severus! This is merely a prank!" Severus berated himself.

"Severus?" She called out questioningly.

"I will not ask you again to leave Miss. Peverell." Severus responded in low tone.

"It's Ariana, Severus." She corrected.

"No, to me you will remain Miss. Peverell and nothing more. I don't care for whatever prank you and your dunderheaded friends are attempting to pull. I will not say this again, leave." Severus said sternly as he turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Ariana exclaimed as she reached to grab his arm. "I'm not pranking you! Why is so hard to believe I mean it?"

"Even if you are serious, it will get you nowhere."

"Says who? I know how you look at it me when you think I'm not paying attention. I can see it in your eyes that you feel the same!" Ariana argued.

"You see nothing. For the last time, Miss. Peverell, Leave."

"Who exactly are you attempting to convince?! Why can't we have a chance?"

"For as bright a student as you have been, you can be quite dimwitted. You are Headmasters grand-daughter. To put it in simple terms, you and I are on different levels and therefore the possibility of us is not there."

"I don't care for the labels or what the world wants. I have always admired you…I've always cared. I know you're the one who helped Gabriel and I escaped on the night my brother was killed. So if you do not care for me then explain why you protected me? Why do you go out of your way at times to ensure that I smile even when you thought I'd never accredit you?"

Severus refused to answer her questions, instead he briskly walked around her and out of the potions classroom. She followed behind him but as she opened the door to look out into the dungeons the potions master was nowhere to be found. Instead of making her way back to her chambers, Ariana walked out to lake and sat down by the tree so that she could gaze out at the moons reflection on the pond.

"I've been looking everywhere for you! It's nearly two am, Ana!" Gabriel exclaimed exasperated.

"I told him how I felt…"

Gabriel paused as his next flow of words were cut short by her confession. The tension in his body relaxed as he sunk himself down to the ground next to her. "Oh, Ana…he doesn't deserve your affection."

"That doesn't change the fact that I love him." Ariana whispered.

"Tomorrow begins a new adventure for us. The life…the freedom we have now is something we merely dreamed of when we were younger. I'm sure some bloke beyond these walls will catch your eye eventually and Severus Snape will forever live with bitter regrets."

Ariana chose not to respond understanding that Gabriel was only trying to help. How could he understand the ever forming hole that she felt welling in the pit of her stomach? Yet, he was right; she did have goals and come the morning, she'd have to go on and pretend as if her heart wasn't torn to pieces.

"You know after we get off the train we should go visit my cousin Hermione." Gabriel said offhandedly as stood and began to guide them both back towards the castle.

This story idea has been floating around in my head for awhile, so I decided to go on ahead and give it a shot. Please forgive any minor grammatical errors.

***If you wish for me to continue then please review!

R&R ;) Always!