Unbidden Memories

by lalaluu

Author Note: Standard Disclaimer Applies. Many thanks to reviewers – cecelle (thanks for listening to me go on about my dismay over this story and for your encouragement – it means so much to me), Little Tigger (thanks for letting me know your favorite line from the last chapter – I love when reviewers do that), and Shahrezad1 (funny how you picked up on the parallels and the author did not until you mentioned it!). This chapter has been finished for a while but I haven't posted it as Chapter 10 and I have been wrestling unmercifully since its inception. Since I've finally applied myself to it properly, Chapter 10 is well on its way to behaving. Therefore, you now get…

P.S. cecelle – there may be some "darlings" in this chapter that need killing. Please let me know if that's the case and what exactly to do in.

Chapter 9

Hogsmeade

Severus Snape stalked through the town of Hogsmeade, his sharp eyes causing students to scuttle ahead of him and off into adjacent shops. He didn't mind patrolling the corridors of the castle. Students were expected to behave themselves or risk having points taken whilst within the castle walls. However, Hogsmeade was a place for the students to relax and enjoy themselves. When were the teachers supposed to get time for rest and relaxation? Ah, the holidays. Except some students didn't go home and leave them alone…

"Ah, excuse me, Professor."

Severus looked haughtily down at the person who had bumped into him, but his expression changed to interest when he saw Andrew Logan standing before him.

"Mr. Logan," Severus acknowledged him with a slight nod.

The boy seemed a bit distracted, so Severus asked what he deemed to be a relevant question. "Are you purchasing supplies for your potion today?"

Andrew looked up at his professor quizzically. "No, professor. You suggested that I procure the freshest ingredients. I have been meaning to come by and ask you when would be a good time to gather them."

"Perhaps tomorrow morning…?"

"I think that would work." Andrew frowned, "I'll have to see if I can get Draco up that early in the morning."

Severus looked at him questioningly.

"He wanted to come, too, Professor. You know, he's thinking of apprenticing to a Potions Master when he graduates. Couldn't hurt for him to come with us, could it?"

Severus nodded. "Of course." Lightly, he added, "May I suggest ice water if Mr. Malfoy refuses to get up on time?"

Andrew smirked. "Yes, Professor."

Andrew ran down the last street before the fields began. He squinted between the trees looking for anything red – Gryffindor red, red hair, red lips…

Ginny stepped out from behind a tree as Andrew came into view.

"Oh, it's you," she said, sounding relieved.

Andrew shrugged. "Who did you think it was?" Smiling he stopped before her, a little unsure what was to happen next.

"So," she said brightly.

Andrew just smiled back dumbly.

"Oh, you've never been to Hogsmeade before!"

Andrew shook his head. "Nope."

"I'll have to show you around."

"You really should. You were great in Diagon Alley."

Ginny laughed. "Except this time it's too cold for ice cream."

"So, hot chocolate then?"

"No, silly," Ginny pulled at his arm, "butterbeer."

"Butterbeer?" Andrew asked bewildered as Ginny led him back into the village.

"You're going with the new girl, Snape?"

Severus nodded serenely and adjusted his robe.

"Shoulda figured. Seems the nerdy type to me."

"I'm just going to show her around…"

"Sure ya are." Nott grinned lasciviously before leaving the seventh-year Slytherin boys' dorm room.

Severus sighed, not really sure himself what he expected from the day. When he reached the common room, he didn't see her and the place was quite deserted. Deciding to try the entrance hall, he walked through the dungeons. He eventually found her outside talking to one of the Marauders. Severus stalked towards them, his face grim.

"I think you'll like Hogsmeade. It's a wonderfully quaint little village. Completely a wizarding community, too."

"It sounds interesting, especially the history of the place."

"Yes, it's like Hogwarts, very old."

Severus sneered as Remus Lupin smiled down at the newest Slytherin.

"Lupin," the addressed Gryffindor looked up, surprise written on his face, "lost the rest of your motley crew?"

Emmaline stood and greeted him with a pleasant smile. "Hello, Severus."

The rage he felt for Lupin was temporarily forgotten as he stared at her.

Remus looked between them amusedly before clearing his throat. "Well, I'd better find the rest of the gang."

Severus' attention returned to the despicable creature when Emmaline turned back to Lupin.

"Goodbye then."

When the other boy was out of earshot, he turned back to her. "You shouldn't talk to him."

She looked at him skeptically. "I know that Slytherins and Gryffindors don't traditionally get along…"

"That's not the reason," said Severus, his voice hard.

"Will you tell me the reason?"

Severus shook his head. "I can't. You must trust me." He took her hands in his. "Promise me you won't talk to him."

She shook her head. "I know you mean well, but I usually make up my own mind about people. I'm not going to defer to you just because you think you know someone whom you probably never talked to that much anyway."

Severus was speechless. He was not only a prefect, but also a seventh-year and a forbidding sight at 6 feet 2 inches tall usually clad in all black. He was used to the younger Slytherins deferring to his judgement.

"Come on, let's go," she said as she walked toward the waiting carriages.

Draco scowled as he saw with whom Andrew was sitting. He walked over, determined to break this up – right here, right now – but Andrew looked up at him and smiled.

"Hiya, Draco!"

That was something he didn't expect. Where was the defiance? Where was the anger? For Merlin's sake, he was sitting with a Weasley and not just any Weasley – the girl Weasley!

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco's eyes narrowed when they came to rest upon that other distasteful shade of red – Weasley hair.

"We're having a butterbeer. Do you want one?"

Draco looked at his newest friend. He was definitely off his rocker. Mental. Crazy, even. "No, I do not want a butterbeer! I do not want to join your company." Draco sneered at Ginny.

Andrew looked straight at him, as sane looking as he was this morning, and asked, "This is about Ginny, isn't it?"

Draco looked back incredulously. "No, it's about the hamster you've got running around in your brain. Of course it's about the Weaslette!" he hissed.

"Sit down, Draco."

"No."

"Oh, come on…"

"Not happening, Logan."

Sigh.

"Alright, come here," said Andrew, dragging a protesting Draco outside.

"Look, she was just showing me around Hogsmeade."

"I was going to do that. You went off before I could…"

"And I like her."

"So?"

"So?"

"It's not like it's going to work out."

"Name one reason why it won't."

"One, she's a Gryffindor and you're a Slytherin."

Andrew shook his head, dismayed by his friend's narrow-mindedness.

"Two, she's got numerous older brothers – one of which is still at Hogwarts – that will have your head for dating her."

"But she…"

"Three, you really can do better."

"Really? And just who are you dating these days?"

Draco looked dismayed. "Ugh, don't bring that up! Look, that's not the point…"

"Actually it was point number three."

"Just don't blame me when things go up in flames." Draco looked at him, menace playing over his features. "You'll see." He turned and went off down the street and Andrew lost him from sight in a group of students that emerged from Zonko's.

Severus Snape watched from behind a signpost as Andrew Logan and Draco Malfoy fought verbally. He remembered a similar spat he had had with Draco's father before Draco was born.

"You must admit, you can do better than her, Severus."

"It might seem so from your perspective, Lucius, but I do not think I could find someone better suited for me even if I searched the earth until the end of my days."

"You always did have a flair for the dramatic."

Severus frowned over his glass of brandy. "I'm not being dramatic, I'm being realistic."

Lucius smirked at his obviously bewitched friend. "She has you right where she wants you."

"That may be, but it also happens to be where I want to be."

"What? Between her thighs?" Severus glared as Lucius smirk deepened. After he took a sip from his glass, Lucius continued. "I know that your parents would like for you to carry on the Snape family line, but I think there are grander things out there for you than marriage and children."

"But you've just married, Lucius."

"Ah, well, how could I resist? Narcissa is a lovely thing. She will be a comfort to me in my old age, I'm sure."

Severus raised his brow. "And now?"

Lucius made a face of annoyance. "She wants to redecorate."

Severus chuckled. "Not all of Malfoy Manor?"

Lucius sighed. "Eventually." He sounded a bit put out. "You don't know how good you've got it – not being tied down. You can work all night and not get nagged at for not visiting your wife's bed. You can stay out with the men and not be berated upon your return for not flooing!"

Severus smirked as Lucius downed the rest of his glass of brandy.

"I should not mind as long as the making up part still applies?"

"Not as often as it should, my friend. Not as often as it should."

Severus frowned as he returned to the present. That was the same month that she vanished from his life and he threw himself into his work. It was really something he'd rather not remember. However, he had to train Potter in Occlumency. It was a necessary sacrifice – putting up with the stray memory from his past – to win a much bigger war. And, by Merlin, he was going to get through this!

Severus entered The Three Broomsticks and found a seat near the door. It was getting late and he meant to encourage the students within to start heading out and back to the castle. Madame Rosmerta brought him a warm butterbeer and he sipped it absent-mindedly. The taste took him back in time as he stared at a warmly chatting Andrew Logan and Ginny Weasley.

"Oh, God, that's horrible!" Emmaline grimaced as she wiped her mouth.

"But, everyone loves butterbeer…"

"It's much too sweet and rich like most British foods." She grinned, "And I thought pumpkin juice was bad."

"Pumpkin juice?"

"Have you ever seen them making it?"

"What?"

"You know, squeezing the pumpkin?" Her eyes glinted mischievously.

"Squeezing the…Emmaline, it's from a powder." He mused over the laughing girl's appearance. Her honeyed-brown hair was windblown and her cheeks and nose were a blotchy red. Despite her plain appearance, Severus had never had so much fun in Hogsmeade before and he'd been coming to Hogsmeade for five years now. Somehow, seeing the old wizarding village from a stranger's eyes made everything much more interesting and exciting.

"It is nice to hold at the very least. It's warm." Severus looked down at her hands around the stone mug and remembered trying to hold them several times that day. Emmaline had been far too active to leisurely hold hands as they walked through the streets. She had to point at, touch, and explore every point of interest. He looked up to see her staring at him.

She sighed. "I'm sorry for dragging you all over the place, but I really did enjoy seeing the old village school and the theatre from the 1500s. Remus was right; this place really is a treasure trove of history."

Severus frowned at the reference to the Marauder and the use of his first name. "Yes, well, perhaps we should start back?"

"Oh, yes, of course."

The couple rose from their seats and adjusted cloaks and scarves.

"Thank you for coming with me today. It's always nice to have somebody to share experiences with."

Severus blinked as Andrew and Ginny rose from their table and made their way toward the door. He had been watching a young, disheveled Slytherin girl with laughing eyes and smiling lips approach him. He sighed and fished out a few coins from his pocket. Tossing them on the table, he walked from the warm room into the cold outside.