Snape said nothing that night, acting casual, without a care in the world. Harry preferred it that way. Did he like that the other didn't seem to care? No, but at least this way the other wasn't being snarky about it.
It was on November 24th that things changed. The first task was to take place. He wished Ginny luck and once started Krum came forward to where he was.
"Nervous Harry?" He asked placing a hand on the other's shoulder. Harry felt a pang of anger and turned to look around but Snape wasn't anywhere to be seen. Harry pretended he had turned to look at the task, where Ginny was waiting for her turn.
"No, Ginny's a great competitor." He said confidently.
"Vell then, regardless of ze outcome, vy don't you let me take you to ze town? It's like Hogsmadedy but it gives you a break from being around ze professor." Harry chuckled at the destruction of the town's name. Now Harry wasn't an idiot, he knew the other wanted to get in his favour before he fell too hard for the professor. Maybe he could give it a chance, It wasn't a date after all, it was just a friend offering to show him the nearest town.
"I'd like that, thanks Krum." He said.
"You can call me Viktor, Harry." He said.
"Viktor it is then." He smiled.
-o-O-o-
Harry entered the room as quietly as possible but the fires were still on so that meant Snape was still up. Just as expected Snape was sitting by a transfigured table by the fire, marking their essays.
"Night professor." He mumbled trying to get straight to his bed.
"You are aware…" Harry groaned internally as he had to turn back. "That you are not here on vacation." He said stopping his marking and getting up.
"I know…" Harry said scoffing.
"You are not here to support the school either."
"I know, I was just…"
"You are not here to go off with Viktor Krum either. You are here to hide, Potter. It that is too hard for you…"
"Wait, don't pretend this is all about my safety! You're jealous that Krum is spending time with me." Harry said. Snape released a short dry laugh.
"Jealous? A bit full of ourselves, aren't we Potter." He scoffed. Harry felt his hands clenching into fists.
"If you don't want to be a part of my life then stay out of it!" Harry snapped. Snape glared.
"Why you ungrateful, little…" He stood storming towards him. Harry flinched as the other came but didn't leave. "Do you think this is a game? Believe it or not, if your memories are anything to go by, Greyback's plans for you will make the Dark Lord look like a saint!" Flinching at the memory and hard words, Harry didn't feel when he raised his hand and brought it across the other's face. He did feel the tingle on his hand, and his face heating up. Snape said nothing at first but then scoffed. "Do whatever you want, Potter." He said finally and turned back to correct his essays, not looking at him. Harry had the sinking feeling, that the other would now ignore him just as he had done in his fifth year.
A bit shaken, and horrified by having hit the other, Harry opened his mouth to try and apologise, try to do anything to take that slap back but he knew that if he said anything now, the other would either yell or hex him. So he chose to quietly turn around and go to his room, curling under the covers, wishing he could just go to sleep and wake up when the deatheaters were captured. But Harry's wishes don't normally come true and he seemed to have wasted all his remaining good luck just to destroy Voldemort.
Snape didn't talk to him after that. In fact he was actively avoiding him. Harry didn't like the way that made him feel and would try to stay by him in order to try and get back on his good side… if he even had one. But the other ignored him basically, though Harry knew the other was always alert.
Then, a couple of weeks after, during lunch, Krum came to sit by him again, starting up pleasant conversation. Harry liked Krum, the other was kind and funny, and actively sought to make Harry happy. So when the other asked him out to the Yule ball he was shocked to find out he wanted to say no.
"I-I… I can't… you saw how awful I was dancing last time." Harry said. Krum laughed and Harry could feel Snape's eyes on them from the teacher's round table.
"Come on Harry, I'll be vith you, it vill be fun." He said. Harry smiled.
"I'll think about it, I'll give you a reply tomorrow." He said. Krum seemed content with that and nodded.
"I vill be vaiting vith excitement." Harry nodded smiling at him. Boy did he feel Snape's unpleasant emotions. He had to put an end to this.
Later on in their room Harry went up to him. "Professor, I…"
"I believe you and I are not on speaking terms, Mr. Potter." Snape said casually as he marked more essays.
"Sir, please… I wanted to ask you something." Snape said nothing but at least didn't shut him up. "Viktor has asked me to the Yule ball… I was wondering what you thought about it." He said gently.
"Thought about it? I assure you mr. Potter that I don't believe Viktor Krum to be anything resembling a deatheater so you are quite safe in doing whatever you want with him." He said.
"That's not what I meant professor…" Harry mumbled. "You know what? Forget it. I don't need your permission to do anything." He said storming into his room, going to his side and staying there.
Snape watched him go and inwardly cursed himself. Why couldn't he say the simple words?
"I don't want you with Krum." It was only six simple words. Why couldn't he just bloody say them? He knew why, because saying them would mean he was moving on from Lily, and he would not let her memory die. Not after it was he who made her existence into nothing more than a memory. That thought made it easier to accept allowing Potter to go out with somebody else. Though it made him feel the same way it did every time Potter had flirted with Lilly, strangely though, he didn't remember the feeling being so strong.
Merlin help him, he was jealous. It was like his sixth year all over again, what a nightmare. He blamed that stupid mirror. He would make sure to appeal so that the blasted mirror is returned to the deepest pits of the ministry where it belongs.