Hello all my lovies! First of all, Happy 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family! Also, I hope everyone here in America had a safe and happy holiday with lots of turkey and family time. For those that either didn't celebrate or didn't have a good one I am very sorry and hope this cheers you up. After all, don't we all love Leigh and Severus?! DISCLAIMER: I can only take credit for my OC's and give all other credit to JK Rowling!
I felt the wind whip my hair around behind me and I'm sure to anyone in front of me I looked like a freak. After all who stands out in such cold when they could be rushing to the warmth of Hogsmead? I almost envied everyone who was walking and the dots that were almost to their destination. The snow was making tiny tornadoes that distracted me from the thought that Lucius might get here before Severus and as my green scarf whipped around me I was happy by how covered up I was. Though I knew it wouldn't be enough to keep Lucius from seeing me. Just as that thought went through my mind a hand gently touched my shoulder and it gave me a start. I held my breath as I turned to meet pitch black eyes and then let it go with a relief. I smiled and Severus smiled back with real happiness that almost looked awkward on his face.
"Ready to go? We should get out of this cold." Severus asked and wordlessly we walked together. His hand twitched like he was about to reach out and hold mine but he had thought better of it. It shocked me how sad that made me that he didn't reach out for me. Did he know about Lucius? Or did he just not want to touch my hand because he didn't know my secret? Would he like me any less if he did?
"I heard they still can't change Lily's hair back." Severus said with a slight smirk.
"Then maybe she will learn her lesson about talking about people." I reply back with a slight shout over the wind that was making my face raw and chapped.
"She didn't know it was you as the cat you know." He replied back with that soft voice he sometimes got when he didn't want to say something but felt it needed to be said. I heard it many times in class but as we stood outside of Hogsmead he didn't meet my eyes when he said it.
"It doesn't excuse her saying things about me. Or are you just mad because your little Prefect actually got something that was coming to her?" I could hear the snarkiness in my voice and no matter how hard I fought it I just couldn't keep it out of my voice. He had thought it amusing when it happened but now that she was upset he found it not as amusing? Why did I care that he didn't like it? "She isn't perfect you know and it was coming for a long time."
"You aren't perfect either but you don't see people changing your hair." His reply was cool and cut as it was supposed to. Sure my hair had never been changed like that but hadn't worse happened? The stigma of being a Slytherin meant more pranks. I had had my clothes stolen, hexes thrown at me, curses that lasted for weeks and yet I was wrong? I couldn't fight back my anger towards him.
"I'm sorry that her perfect hair was ruined." I replied just as coldly as him and held his eyes. "God forbid someone do something to your Lily, right Severus? Face it, she doesn't like you. She is in love with James and you pushed her. You called her a 'mudblood' and expected it to be okay. Severus, you are well on the path of trying to eradicate her kind but you expect her to be okay with it? Stop fooling yourself and get over it. She isn't coming back, not now. Not ever Severus Snape. You really are a Slytherin, pure blood believer that hates mudbloods." I couldn't help it. It all came rushing out and even when his mouth dropped only to be replaced with one of hurt I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop it once I started and I found I didn't want to. I didn't want to stop saying all those things about muggle borns. If I didn't then who would? Who would stop him and others from taking us all out? I didn't care about Lily Evans, I could care less. But muggleborns in general? Those I cared about.
"Leigh..." He started but I held up my hand.
"Just forget it Severus. You have made your feelings clear. I will never be Lily Evans and if you're looking for a replacement of her, I don't want to be it." I shocked myself at how sad I was. I didn't want to be his new Lily Evans, I wanted to be his Leigh Quinn. Something he clearly didn't want but it still hurt. It stung me more than I would ever let him know. Shaking my head I walked past him; I needed to get away from him. Not just him, just the situation and the hurt that I would never admit it had caused.
I was happy when I reached The Three Broomsticks and entered the warm inside. It was overfilling with students and other patrons sipping all sorts of drinks. I immediately went to the bar and met Rosemeta's eye.
"One of those days, Leigh?" She asked as she poured me a drink of fire whiskey. I looked at her gratefully as I nodded. She and I had grown close over my schooling at Hogwarts. I offered her a small smile and returned it.
5 glasses later I was feeling warm and tingly. My face was a little numb and I'm sure my cheeks were rosy red. That is how Lucius found me and I could tell he found it quite amusing.
"You okay there Quinn?" He asked with amusement shining in his eyes and voice.
"I'm very okay. Thanks for asking." I concentrated very hard on my words. I tried to keep them from slurring and was ecstatic when I succeeded.
"Really? How about you walk back with me anyways?" Lucius smirked a bit as I shook my head.
"I'm quite fine here Lucius. Besides, don't you want to find Narcissa to swoon over you?"
"No, I like a challenge like you." I was almost disgusted by his words but oddly flattered by it. I was almost sure it was the fire whiskey making my brain fuzzy but either way I smiled at him.
"Ah, and she even graced me with a smile." He teased me so effortlessly and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading.
"I have been known to do that you know." I teased back as I stood. I wobbled a little but he caught my elbow to steady me. I was almost grateful that he was there to steady me. I paid my tab and was proud that I walked myself out of the door.
"Well, you learn something new every day, I suppose." His cheeky attitude was beginning to grate on my nerves but better him than being on my own. I knew it was cold out but it couldn't penetrate the warmth I had created. I was warm despite being cold since my fight with Severus.
"Why are you here?" I asked as I walked back carefully to the school. Each step was deliberate and carefully placed. I looked to Lucius and saw that he too was watching my footing.
"I'm here for an education."
"You know what I meant." I glared at him as much as I could through my fuzzy brain.
"You owed me a date." He said simply and I chuckled.
"Pulled me out of a bar just for this?" I gestured to myself with my finger. I almost got dizzy following my finger and that caused a giggle from me.
"No, I came to be an arse but seems someone beat me to it." He looked at me curiously.
"That he did. Beat you right to it." I found I didn't want to talk after that and he seemed to catch on to that. Nothing happened until we got back to the school.
"You want to talk about it?" The question seemed odd coming from him. It almost made me do a double take but instead I shook my head.
"Whatever happened you are better than whatever it is. Remember our house is a proud one. Don't let someone make something so pure and muddle it like our blood seems to be lately." I had to keep myself from cringing. It was then, in a moment of drunken clarity I wished I wasn't placed in this noble house. A noble house with such small ideas. It almost made me feel trapped in a box, a box that I was desperate to escape. But I knew I never would with such a war coming on. The box would only get smaller as we all chose sides, and I was placed right at the center.
