It was raining again.

For the seventh or eighth time this week there was a downpour. I wasn't aware of Britain's monsoon season.

I hate days like these when the rain falls continuously without reprieve. It keeps me inside this dreadful house and unable to escape Lucius' son.

Many believe that the two of us could be peas in a pod, that we would understand each other. The truth is that we couldn't be more different. Oh, I suppose at one time we could have alike in a sense. Bad tempered and ill mannered, yes, I suppose we were once alike.

Now though, now I've grown up. I'm no longer the dark little child.

I'm a dark man.

A dark man created by a dark world. Between my abusive father and fellow classmates I really didn't stand a chance. Because of them I fled to the only place I knew a measure of kindness with.

I became a Death Eater at nineteen, two years after graduating from Hogwarts. For you see, the Dark Lord was one of the few people to show me kindness.

He took me in when no one else wanted me, taught me about life and offered me shelter from harsh realities.

I swore loyalty to the Dark Lord and he held well to his word. For some reason, he took a liking to me and treated me as a pet. The others recognized that I was his favorite and never let a chance go by to harass me about it; especially Bellatrix Lestrange.

She tormented me worst of all and was often reprimanded by the Dark Lord.

Her bitterness has yet to subside.

My only friend, other than the Dark Lord of course, was Igor Karkaroff. Well, he was not exactly a friend but he was the closest thing I had to one.

Life was not always that way though. Not after I met her. The daughter of my so-called enemy.

I had been sent to gather information from his home when I stumbled upon her. She was asleep on the couch in the den, an open book on her stomach and one arm hanging over the side of the cushions.

She looked like an angel as she slumbered, unknowing of her intruder.

I knew I should have done my job and left, but something made me linger. Rolling up the documents I had found I stuffed them into my sleeve and silently entered the den.

There she lay breathing softly and no doubt dreaming something beautiful.

Though in my mind nothing could have compared to her.

Her skin was ivory like a moon beam, a sharp contrast to my pallid complexion, and her dark, auburn hair fell around her in gentle waves that shone healthily. Her lips were full and red as a rose petal and her cheekbones were high and perfectly curved.

I couldn't stop myself from my next actions. Hesitantly I reached out and brushed back a lock of her hair from her face, my fingers lightly touching her cheek.

Still sleeping, her brow furrowed and she shifted on the small chaise lounge. Her movement caused the book to fall to the polished hardwood floor with a loud bang.

I flinched and moved back into the shadows, knowing what was to come.

The woman shot up from her nap and looked around the darkened room uneasily.

"Who's there?" she asked, her voice soft and melodic.

I continued to move back, unaware of the table directly behind me. Tumbling over it I fell to the floor with a loud thud, a vase going with me and causing a reverberating crash.

Her fear had turned to concern. Rising to her feet, she made her way towards me, pulling her night robe tighter around her lithe body.

I shuffled back, trying to stay as far away from her as possible. My way was blocked by an armchair though.

"Are you okay?" her tone reflected the genuine concern she felt. It astounded me.

"Why do you care about a stranger who has broken into your house?"

She laughed lightly, "If you had meant me harm, you would have done it while I slept. Now hold still, that vase cut you."

I only watched in amazement as she ripped off the hem of her robe and wrapped it around the gash on my forearm.

"There you go," she said with a smile. "Right as rain."

There was a few moments of awkward silence before she spoke again. "I'm Viviana, what's your name?"

"S-Severus," I replied before clearing my throat. "Severus Snape."

"Severus, that's a nice name." Viviana rose to her feet and offered me her hand.

I was not sure what to do but took her hand in the end and let her help me to my feet.

"I should be leaving now," I whispered, casting my eyes to the floor. I didn't feel I should look upon a face so beautiful again.

"Will you come back? I would really like to see you again, Severus."

My eyes shifted up and met hers through the stringy curtain of my black hair.

"I-I-I…"

"I'm free tomorrow at lunch, I'll see you here?" Her face was open and innocent, so pristine. I was almost afraid to sully her somehow.

"We'll see," I replied. With that I left to return to the Dark Lord. I gave him the stolen documents and went straight to bed. Not that I slept any, I spent the rest of the night thinking of Viviana.