"What," he sneered with unveiled disgust "do you want?"
Regina's left eyebrow went up in confusion. Had she done something wrong? No, it wasn't possible. Things between them this past week had gone just fine. So why was he acting this way towards her?
"I wanted to speak with you, but I can you're quite busy." She eyed the other two Slytherin with distaste. "I'll find you later."
"No, you can tell me now. I don't think we will see each other again after this." Each word falling from his mouth served to confuse her further.
"I'm not sure I understand you, Severus." She eyed him up and down. Taking in his the air around him and the paleness of his skin. "In fact I don't understand you at all. When my friend returns, please let me know."
Regina turned to leave, but his words stopped her cold. "Stupid girl. There is nothing to understand." She turned to face him, eyes hard, hiding the building fear. "Did you honestly think we were friends?" he moved away from his knew found friends and circled her like predator. "Poor Severus Snape, hated by all. Weak and insignificant, in need of a protector… a savior. I spoon fed you, Regina. To gain your trust. It took little to gain your friendship."
Regina stared straight ahead as he closed the small distance between them to hiss in her ear. "You fell all too easily. Poor little Regina, desperate for the love of her mother. Desperate for the acceptance of others. Longing to be free of her mother reign. A copy of the woman you hate and desire with all your being."
Regina swallowed the knot in her throat. He moved away back towards his friends. "Not all of it was a lie. The pain in your eyes was too real." She whispered, hoping that this was just a cruel joke.
Severus sneered, his friends laughed at her obvious betrayal. "The only pain in my eyes was the pain of having to spend time with you. The pain in my eyes was of having to listen to your pathetic problems and your inability to find anyone to love you other than a poor stable boy who possibly loves what you can offer him rather than quick roll in the hay that you give him so freely."
Regina felt her magic snap with barely contained restraint. With movements too quick to see she closed the distance between them. His head hit his shoulder with the force of her slap.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She grabbed him from the lapels, her hands smoldering, her voice a tight whisper. "Tell me what you say isn't true. Tell me this is a cruel joke on your part." He glared at her, his lips a thin line. She shook him. "Say something!"
When he failed to speak, she pushed him away from her with all her strength. Severus staggered back. Regina sucked in a deep breath and threw back her shoulders. "Goodbye, Severus Snape."
She turned to leave, fully prepared to return to her dormitory until it was time to leave. The sniveling and taunting voice of Bellatrix Lestrange shouted out. "He told us everything you know. He told us how your mother can barely stand the sight of you. How you're nothing but a…"
The wall keeping her emotions in check broke at her words. A blood thirsty vengeance coursed and pumped through her broken heart. Fire erupted from Regina's hands. The trio had enough time to duck before bright balls of fire soared above them. The shrubbery near them caught fire and a wall of roaring fire grew around them, the flames reaching out to them with thirst. Wands raised at Regina they attempted to block her attack to no avail. Each spell they uttered veered off mark when they ducked and jumped out of the fire way.
"Stop!"
The shout from Dumbledore was what saved them. With a wave of his hand the fire extinguished. "Regina Mills come with me."
Poised far more regal than any Queen, Regina followed the headmaster without looking back. This, she swore silently to herself, would be the last time she let anyone hurt her this way and live. If she ever saw him again… merlin help him.
Had she turned back she would've seen the sadness and regret in her friends eyes. Had she not been lost in the darkness of her thoughts she would've heard Severus's pained Goodbye.