Thought I would take a break from studying for finals and do a little writing. Writing is good for the noggin anyways(:

As always, Reviews are greatly appreciated, as they are most definitely helping me progress towards becoming a greater writer. Thank you to all who have just taken a few moments of their time to say good chapter, or I can't wait to see what happens next, or update soon. It means so very much to me, every time I see a new review, my day is made.

Shawna's POV

Life here was better, better than it had been in such a long time. What had happened so early in this school year had faded from Shawna's memory. In just a short period of time, something new had sprouted, and begun to flourish in the pits of her chest, nuzzling her heart.

Snow had finally begun to fall in the later days of this December month, its gentle flakes falling upon the heads of students who had eagerly awaited its arrival. The grounds were now hidden in its soft powder, the once lush grass now replaced by the crunching snow. The frigid air welcomed the cheeks of everyone here, in this castle.

The break for Christmas and New years had just begun, and many who so routinely marched these halls were now away, enjoying their various assortments of puddings and presents. Shawna, on the other hand, had stayed. She had felt such an overwhelming happiness after the dance, even though it had been such a short time.

Classes had been going so well, that is, before the break began. The subjects here were perhaps the only thing she felt she exceeded at. Everything had taken time to master with practice, but she had received top marks in all her classes, except for charms, she struggled with the subject. Flying was one of her favorite subjects, and Madame Pooch had said if she practiced diligently over the summer holidays, she could try out for Quidditch in her second year.

But as much excitement as this brought, her heart belonged to potions. Invigoration pulsed through her youthful veins as she learned more in the class. Though most students hated him, Professor Snape was the most qualified, knowledgeable being to teach the class. He had taught her many facts and tips; she had felt she had really mastered the subject.

Yet even with the knowledge, he made her feel very uncomfortable. She saw many emotions floating in the two black spheres that rested upon his aged face, emotions others failed to see. He always seemed to watch her carefully, as if he was, well, restless. As much as she tried, she could never push this thought to the back of her mind. She had known better than to ignore something that bothered her like the way this did.

Yet today, it was the last thing on her mind. It was early Saturday afternoon, and she was enjoying the thick snow that had fallen the night before. New friends she had made from other houses had come along, and of course Ryder had too. Snowballs flailed through the air, cloaks became drenched in water, cheeks had stained scarlet from the cold. Though the air was so frigid, the overall feeling was warm, one could say delightful. Little did these cheerful students know that a watchful Snape was lurking in the shadows…

Snape's POV.

He hid his figure in the darkness resting behind a pillar. He watched her, he watched those around her. He was so fixated on her smile, and laughter. It seemed that when she laughed, his entire world shook with glee, but he would never admit it. He was satisfied her life was full of joy, and the experiences that dotted her school year were jovial. He would interfere in anyway possible to ensure her life was in no way shape or form like his, even if it meant not interfering at all.

Indeed, he wished he could subsist in these occurrences with her, but he would not risk her happiness. He had spent many nights pondering how he could love her so deeply though he had never spent the quality time with her as her adoptive father had. He had come to the conclusion, whoever the man was that assisted in raising his little girl had taught her to be a better person than Snape was, and he appreciated it.

The snow had stopped falling, though the busy students had not realized it, they were too distracted with the tossing of snowballs, and ducking under snow built bases. Snape grasped his wand residing in the loop of her belt, slowly pulling it to his face. He whispered the incantation for the atmospheric charm, demanding it to snow. If the falling flakes brought a smile to that girl, he would ensure it snowed everyday of her life here at Hogwarts.

Time passed slowly as he watched her dance around in the snow with her comrades, that white grin of hers blended in so deeply with the slush. Just then, a boy running backwards had collided her, causing them both to topple over into the snow. Snape flinched, had she been hurt? He watched carefully to find the boy was that Ryder character, and a sneer washed over Snape's aged face. He would give him a blink of an eye to get off of her, his face was much to close to hers.

But he did not move.

Snowballs flew through the air from the hands of other students as if they did not realize the two had fallen. Snape grasped his wind tightly in his balled up fist, and strut over. He was sure his black being had contrasted with the blissful, pure atmosphere.

"Immoblus!" He chanted, causing all snowballs swirling through the air to freeze, and fall to the ground.

He grabbed Ryder by the neck, pulling him off his daughter.

"We do not allow this sort of animal behavior to coincide with Hogwarts good name!" He snarled, dragging the boy off inside the building. His hand remained gripped onto the back seams of the cloak resting on the boy's neck as he paced off into the dungeons.

"Let go! I didn't do anything, I was getting up!" Ryder growled, rustling in Severus' grip, unable to free himself.

"Silencio!" Severus hissed, and the boy's lips were sealed.

Waving his hand to open the door to his classroom, he threw the boy down into a chair, turning himself to the front of the desk.

He waved his hand once more through the air to break the silencing charm, though he would not allow the boy to speak until he did.

"If you so ever decide to get a burst of confidence and lay as much as a hair on that girl, I swear I will have you out of this school before you can breathe! From now you can be assured I will be in every shadow, every nook, every corner, and every cranny where you are! If a thought ever crosses your mind you can play your little boyish games on her you will thoroughly regret it with every fiber of your pathetic being." Severus roared, his face inches from Ryder's, the animosity in his eyes bubbled and fizzed.

Yet Ryder did not move, not even a flicker of fear swirled in his eyes. He glared into the murky eyes of his potions teacher.

"You think you're so threatening, but I'm not scared of you. You are so blatantly wrong, I would never hurt her. She is my best friend, more than she is to you!" His voice was sturdy, unshaken but the sinister glare Severus shot.

Severus gritted his set of crooked teeth, "meaningless words are better left unsaid, boy."

Ryder would not have it with this phrase. He rose to his feet, his hair frayed around his eyes, which beamed outrage. His normally pale face had become flushed with the ire that pulsed through his young veins. His fists balled, his ever so white knuckles contrasted deeply against the brim of his hands.

"Meaningless? I am the one speaking the meaningless words? You, you're the one at fault for all of her displeasures and her discontent here! Stalking her like some predator, always lurking in the halls when she does! You, you are nothing but her potions teacher, yet you insist on pursuing a higher placement in her life! What is your undying interest with my best friend?" the frustration glided off his tongue in elegance, each syllable Severus in ways he could not imagine.

The pain, the anger, the guilt, the desire, all revolving around Shawna Zemphoria. The boy was correct in every manner possible, he was not meant to hold an important position in the girl's life. He played his cards daringly when he impregnated her biological mother, this was his punishment. This entire life was fate's way of punishing me, as he deserved it. He was the worst thing to have ever walked the planet, to have ever taken life's sweet breath. She would find happiness inevitably, with, or without him.

"You're free to go." Severus whispered quietly, his coarse voice was barely intelligible. The despondency he displayed was conspicuous, as he had no energy to hide his damaged heart anymore.

Severus set himself down at a desk, walloping in his own self pity. He stared down onto the sleek table he rested his elbow on. Its orthodox shade of black symphonized with everything he was, and everything he was to be. His mind focused on nothing but the reflection of the firelight dancing ever so gently across the surface of the table. He traced his feeble, scarred index finger against the spots of the table that were illuminated with the light. The roar of the fire roared in unison with the boy's breathing, and that is when Severus realized Ryder had not left the room.

"What are you hesitating with, leave!" Severus jeered, swaying his hand impetuously towards the door.

Yet the boy did not move, as he had not when he was on top of his daughter. Severus flailed his nostrils with the memory still fresh in his mind.

"You look just like her when you're upset." The boy stated bluntly, his youthful, sinless eyes plunged into the long forgotten soul of Severus Snape.

Severus could feel his eyes widen, but as soon as he had realized this, he quickly returned to his angered poise, rising gracefully. He brought his hands together in front of him, intertwining them together like soul bound lovers. The boy could not know that he was her father, for he would surely tell Shawna. He could not bear to witness her life tremble to its core, resulting in the facts that dealt entirely with him.

"I suggest you leave before you find yourself in a predicament, boy." He pronounced each word, directing his eyes, his anger, his frustration, his billowed soul to Ryder.

It was then Severus saw the boy's eyes light with connection.

"You're her father, aren't you? I can see it, the way you look at her. Bloody hell, you look a lot like her." He murmured in a dazed tone, running a hand through his hair in confusion.

"I assure you that you are mistaken." Severus spit in his monotone voice, though his heart raced with anxiousness. He would detest as needed be to prevent what was the inevitable. Severus underestimated the intelligence of the boy, as he had never given a moments thought to the observant characteristics of Ryder.

Ryder smiled slightly, "You can't do much at this point, and did you really expect to keep this a secret? You really are not as inconspicuous as you make yourself out to be."

Severus felt his mind whisper for him to bring forth the cessation of pretending to have no relation to the girl. He had come to the conclusion there was no need to, as no evidence could be provided that the girl was not half of everything he was, at least not enough for the boy.

Severus sighed, "Congratulations, you have brought her life, as well as mine, to a screeching halt, now, off with you so I may breathe in peace." He raised his hand once more, though it did nothing, as Ryder still sat there, his bright eyes full of questions.

"Why haven't you told her? She deserves to know, she wants to know. If you only knew how desperately she desired to just know who her real parents are. You're unknowingly doing the exact opposite of what she wants." The boy pursued with his questions, expecting answers Severus was not prepared to give.

"Because it would ruin her life. I believe firmly I have done enough to ruin her time her at Hogwarts, and I plan to not continue to do so. To tell her would alter her life, as well as mine, resulting in nothing but misfortune." Severus muttered, striding towards his desk, hoping his disinterest with the boy would cause him to leave. He sifted through papers, yet Ryder followed hi to his desk.

"You're so ignorant! Tell her, she deserves to know! By holding this from her you do nothing but preserve the hole in her life. Why did you abandon her in the first place? You coward, tell her!" Ryder shouted, slamming his two hands on the edge of his desk.

Severus look up him, the rage radiated from his eyes. He knew nothing! Severus grabbed the collar of the boy's white shirt, bringing him closer so he could feel the breath if Severus on the cheeks of his rounded face. Severus' breathing shuttered with acerbity, and he began to speak.

"You know nothing! If I had only known I was having the child I would have taken responsibility faster than you could spit your little remarks! I knew nothing; I lacked the knowledge that her mother was even carrying her! She made the decision to send her to some forgotten family where my daughter would be raised without me! I would have adored to raise her, to love her, to teach her right from wrong, to hold her hand and guide her through the paths of life, to grasp her close when she was frightened, to tell her foolish tales that would have brought her joy, to be her father." Severus gasped, letting the boy go, the grief overwhelming the figure he had chiseled himself to be.

He wanted to weep, to let the pain overcome him, but he couldn't, he would not allow himself to. He dropped his head, and began scanning the papers that rested before him. The candlelight created two glowing orbs of light in his eyes.

"Bloody hell, you do love her." Ryder uttered in a gentle voice.

Severus paused for a moment, and slightly raised his head. He blinked his midnight eyes twice, the orbs in his eyes illuminating the pain Ryder could see so clearly. He opened his mouth to speak, "More than you will ever know."

Ryder breathed deeply through his nose, the air around the candle cause the flame to dance in the manner of a ballerina. "Please sir, tell her. If you don't, I will. She needs to know, she really does."

"Now is not the time or place. She is better off without me, as you stated before, I caused her discontent, and I wish to end this pattern." Severus blankly stated, his eyes once more fixated down below on his paperwork.

"She wants what anyone in her position would, a chance at a family. You can give her that." The last words Ryder expressed collided with his mind, causing the pondering thoughts of what would happen if he were to tell her.

Perhaps the boy was correct, perhaps she deserved to know. In fact, she did deserve to at least know he was her father. If she had an immense disliking for him, at least she would have some sort of completion in her life. If it made her happy, he would, just as he would have made snow fall for her at any hour in her time at Hogwarts.

"I will consider it," Severus muttered blandly, in other words, the agreement from a prideful middle aged man rung through the walls of the dungeon.

Severus peered through the corner of his eyes to see the cheeks of the boy rise in glee, revealing a set of teeth contrasting to his own, white, and straight.

"You are really giving her everything she wants sir. By the way, she talks walks in the evenings alone, down by the lakes, she enjoys the peace. You'd be able to talk to her there." Ryder hinted, leaving his classroom quickly.

Severus waited until the echoes of the footsteps belonging to the boy were had long faded from the halls, and the silence was restored. He took a leap of faith, and he began to practice what he would say.

"Shawna…no, no, that will never do. Miss Zemphoria, you are not to be out of the castle at this hour…no, no, must I be so formal? Fancy meeting you here…oh Merlins beard that sounds so…oh bother, curse this!" Severus murmured to himself, grumbling unintelligible words as he sat in the glow of the firelight.