A note, before we begin. This story takes place during Harry's third school year. Elaine has replaced Lupin as DADA Professor. He will still come along, but not yet. Thank you for your understanding and acceptance of the creative liberty I have taken with this fanfiction. The only one I own is Elaine. If you have been a victim, please be aware that this may be upsetting. I have been as well and I find this scene to be therapeutic. If you like the story, please leave a review. It's my very first fanfiction and I do not have much writing experience apart from school work. I will do my best to update daily until it's finished.*

After her episode, Elaine attended her classes. She wasn't sure if she could remember all of the students by name yet, but one stuck out.

Harry Potter. The boy who lived. She tried not to make him self-conscious, and so she only nodded when he introduced himself. The boy must have had enough of everyone recognizing and fawning over him. He didn't seem the type to revel in his infamy. Truthfully, she felt sorry for him. This fame had come from a horrendous place. No one should have to stomach it, after all, his parents were murdered.

True to her word, on her free period Elaine headed down to the infirmary to speak with Madame Pomfrey. She was a thin witch with grey hair and a patient face. After answering as little as she could get away with, Madame Pomfrey asked her to stay and rest for awhile, telling her to await the potion that Snape had promised.

Elaine did as she was told and took a short nap, waking to the smell of warm beef stew and fresh bread. It had been left by her bedside with a small vial from Madame Pomfrey. She eyed it curiously before uncorking it, lifting it to inhale the smell. Fortunately, she was able to recognize the smell. A simple potion for nausea, and to suppress vomiting. She drank the bitter liquid and picked up her bread, pleased to see that someone had been considerate enough to leave a good slice of butter and a knife. She ate heartily, now that her nausea was suppressed. Her hunger had become almost painful as she ate, even as her shrunken stomach protested to the amount she was eating.

Few minutes after she had finished eating, Madame Pomfrey came back to check on her.

"How did my nausea potion work?" She asked, although she didn't need to as she glanced down at her cleaned plate.

"It worked wonderfully, thank you. I feel much better already." Elaine said, and it was true. Although she couldn't see it, her pale cheeks now had some color to them. Madame Pomfrey smiled in satisfaction.

"Come here before meals, and take a dose of it so you can keep your food down while Professor Snape works on your potion. It will be a few days before it's ready."

"He's already starting it?" She asked, unable to hide her surprise.

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "He informed me that you would be coming by today, told me you had taken ill and needed help eating and then he went off to brew you a potion. He's been working on it all day in between classes and through lunch."

Elaine's heart softened at the thought. She thanked Madame Pomfrey again and went back to her classroom, making it just in time for the students to arrive for her next class. With some food in her belly and a strange lightness in her heart, she taught with more enthusiasm than she had all day. The students probably thought she had gone mad.

By dinner time, the potion had worn off and the familiar pit in her stomach returned. She hoped it would last, but it didn't. She hurried back to the infirmary, catching Madame Pomfrey there by luck. The kind medi-witch already had the vial in hand and was intending on bringing it with her to dinner. After Elaine drank it, they made their way together to the Great Hall. She was relieved that it had already begun working to untie the knots in her stomach.

She dropped down next to Snape, who stared at her impassively as always. After a few words from the HeadMaster and a short but pleasant conversation with Minerva, dinner began. Elaine was grateful for the suppression and ate slowly, savoring her food.

"Excellent to see that your appetite has returned, Professor Chapel. I'm brewing another batch of nausea potion for Madame Pomfrey as well. However, there should be more than enough to last you until your potion is finished." He nodded approvingly, although with Snape it still felt more like a scolding. At least he tried to make his voice gentle. She smiled, feeling the tiny buds of fondness.

"Thank you, Professor. I appreciate you and your knowledge and skill, and that you've taken your time to begin my potion already."

Truthfully, Snape wasn't a bad man. He just had a rough- and often nasty- exterior. Elaine smiled at him again, winsomely. Snape frowned, deep lines forming on his forehead before her turned back to his meal. They did not speak again for the rest of dinner. Snape left as quickly as he could, telling Dumbledor that there was a potion he was currently brewing that was tricky and needed his constant attention.

Some time later, Elaine made her way to the dungeon. She stopped in front of Snape's classroom door where she could smell the distinct scent of lavender and camomile above the acrid stench of whatever else was in it. She knocked softly on the door, half hoping he hadn't heard her. She was just about to slink away and go to her room when she heard his smooth voice.

"Enter." Was all he said, but it was enough to make her nervous.

She opened the door quietly and slipped into the room. Snape never turned to see who had come, probably already guessing. Elaine stood awkwardly by the door, her hands clasped tightly in front of her to keep them from worrying themselves as she watched him work. After about an hour of observation, he finally addressed her.

"Professor Chapel, do you intend to lurk in my doorway all night?"

She jumped at the sound, not expecting him to speak to her. She blushed, an excuse dying on the tip of her tongue. "Forgive me, Professor. I came to offer my assistance, but it is evident that you do not need it or wish for it... I'll go to bed now."

Snape added a couple of ingredients to the cauldron, reducing the heat and placing a lid on top of it. He turned to look at her, his black eyes glittering in the dim light. "I did not say you had to leave, although you may do so if you wish."

Elaine nodded, coming closer. Snape leaned against the table. He looked so tired. So worn out. She felt suddenly sorry for interrupting the time he had to peel off his armour and to relax. The man wore his hate like a barrier, unwilling to let anyone in. He was attempting to put it back up, but it was evident how exhausting it was to keep up his façade.

"What is the source of your anxiety, Professor Chapel?" He asked quietly. Elaine dropped her gaze, focusing on the bleeding flesh around her nail beds. She picked at it, grateful for the pain.

"It's nothing really." She said, her voice shaking slightly. She wanted it to be nonchalant, but her trembling internals wouldn't let her. Snape took a tentative step forward, but remained silent. His dark gaze insistent.

Elaine took a deep breath, unsure of where to begin or if she should at all. "When I was a little girl, I could do things no one else could do. I was from a no- a muggle family. I could make my toys stand up and march. It frightened my mother so badly. When I was hurt or scared, glass would shatter. Lights flickered. Bulbs burst. My parents hated me for it. They were afraid. Then one day, I got a letter from Ilvermorny. A whole school year, away from them. It was the most amazing thing. I loved school. I was talented. But my heart was poisoned against magic. My parents hated me for my magic and were only loving to me when I did not speak of it. So I stopped talking about it. After school, my mother became ill. My father was a drunk. I stopped practicing. I went to school and became a teacher for the local elementary school and swore I'd never use magic again." Her breathing had become rapid, fear bleeding out of her like a tangible thing. Snape shifted imperceptibly.

"So why did you go back on your word?" He asked quietly, taking another step forward. Elaine closed her eyes, a silent tear catching the light and tracing her cheek. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I was walking home from work, it was just getting dark. I stayed too late after tutoring to grade papers... the children had done essays on their favorite animals..." She wandered, lost in the memory. "There was a man." Her voice broke and she let out a quiet sob.

Snape stiffened. His heart was pounding with anger, he reached out as if to comfort her and then pulled his hand back.

"Did he...?" He asked, the idea too horrible to speak out loud. Her face was puffy and miserable. She had begun shaking. One look into her grey eyes was all the answer he needed to say that yes, the man had, but Elaine answered anyway. In her small trembling voice, likely the first time she had ever said the words out loud.

"He raped me. I couldn't even protect myself. I tried. I fought. I screamed and kicked and everything. I had stopped carrying my wand. If I would have had my wand..." She covered her face in shame.

Snape pulled her slowly into an awkward embrace, stroking the silken strands of her hair. She squeezed him tightly, thankful that the surly potion's master was being so patient and kind. He lowered his mouth to her ear, whispering fiercely into it.

"It would not have made a difference. If you had had it and were unable to reach it, you would have blamed yourself the same. Perhaps even more. This is not your fault, or anyone's fault who has had to suffer at the hands of cruelty."

She cried and sobbed into his chest for what seemed like forever. After she had been silent for a few minutes Snape extricated himself from her grip and offered her a black handkerchief, embroidered with a small S.S. in one corner. She took it tentatively and wiped her face with it.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I don't know what came over me. It was just a lot to take. I've not told anyone. Not even authorities. I didn't see his face, he kept his hood up."

"From now on, you may call me Severus. I would say we are now familiar enough to be on first name basis." He said gently, placing his hand lightly on her shoulder. At this her lip trembled and she came forward again, wrapping her thin arms around him.

He sighed. "However, I would ask that you would not make embracing me a habit, Elaine..." but he folded his arms around her again, holding her carefully, offering more comfort than she had thought possible. She smiled past her tears into his robes.