Disclaimer: UU Too tired to come up with witty comment about not owning anything...
A Cry in the Silence
By: MegTao
Snape smiled, something he rarely practiced and never did in front of others. Night was his favorite time of day. All was quiet, all was dark, and best of all there were no snot-nosed students running around. It was only the first day back at Hogwarts and already Snape's temper was on edge.
The quiet crying of a child shattered the silence, Snape groaned but headed of in the direction; it was his job after all. He quickly found the noisemaker, a small boy and first year, wondering around the hallways. Snape recognized him at once as Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff in his first period Potion's class. Always polite, Snape often had trouble finding reasons to take points away from Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory was no different. There seemed to be nothing extraordinary about the boy, no reason to hate or like him, and so Snape decided to be nice to him…
"You are out of bed after hours, Mister Diggory," Snape snapped in a malicious voice.
…or at least as nice as he could be.
Cedric twirled around and gazed up at the taller man, "I'm sorry, Professor, but I can't find my way back--"
Snape brought out a green handkerchief and threw it at the boy, cutting off whatever he was about to say.
"Wipe away your tears and blow your nose," he ordered, "you may be a Hufflepuff, but that is no excuse to act like you are still in diapers. You are a Hogwart's student and shall act like one. Now, follow me."
Snape strode off, watching out of the corner off his eye to make sure he did as he was told. Cedric followed along silently, wiping his eyes and nose as he practically ran to keep up with the Professor's longer strides. He remained mostly silent, sniffling occasionally or letting out a loud horn like blowing as he cleared his nose.
A few moments later they stopped. "I believe this is the entrance to your common room," Snape gestured to the sleeping portrait.
"Yes, thank you, Professor," Cedric attempted to hand back Snape's now used hanky.
"Keep it," Snape wrinkled his nose in disgust, "I have no use for it now."
He strode of without a backward glance. That was the first time Snape took interest in Cedric Diggory, the last time happened a few years later at the end of the Triwizard Tournement. Harry Potter emerged from the final task clutching the trophy and Cedric's dead body and Snape felt his heart tighten and harden. That was the last time he helped any child. That was the last time Severus Snape tried to be good, kind, nice or fair.
What was the point of helping out 'the good guys' if they were just going to go and get themselves killed?
A/N: So yes, hope you enjoyed this short little one-shot. Please review!
MegTao