GAH! sorry it took so long! I was supposed to put this up last week, but it wasn't finished, and I didn't have enough spare time and school and UGH! I really need to start managing my time better... Anyway, I hope you guys like this, I was going to add a little more to it but its late (for me) and I didn't want to wait and put it up tomorrow. Enjoy! ~ A/N

-Snape's POV-

Lidea didn't seem like the kind of person with bad experiences. She was always so nice and caring. It seemed like no matter what was going on in her head, she always tried to make others happy and ignore her own problems. I couldn't even imagine anyone mistreating her. Yet there were so many… She would visit me when we both didn't have a class to keep me company, giving me her kindness that I didn't deserve.

Slowly, I learned of her past. She told me about her childhood, her family, her friends, and the petty muggle high school drama she had to go through. But one topic she seemed to linger on the most, was her mother. Her eyes would always glaze over in a lost sort of way; her voice would sound just ever so slightly shaky. She admired her so. From what she told me, she sounded just like herself, only a bit "wiser" as she put it.

"She was always so understanding… never raised her voice or got aggravated with my little brother and I… she even acted the same with muggles, she embraced them even." When she told me this, she was nearly on the verge of tears. I had asked her why the topic saddened her so much, and then she told me of their deaths. "I felt so useless…" She started, her hand raised up to the moon necklace around her neck.

"I was eighteen when it happened… We were all at home, just enjoying the weekend with one another… at the time, my father worked for the Ministry of Magic in the Invisibility Task Force… All I really remember is that he reported something about a powerful wizard…" She paused and took in a breath. "… The whole thing is a little foggy, but I remember the wizard knocking down our front door… He started shouting at my father, my mother told me to go with my brother into one of the bedrooms until he left… I stood at the door, trying to hear what was going on… my mother screamed... and soon I could hear him walking up the stairs…" She stopped again, closing her eyes and rubbing at them. "Sorry…" She said, with a shaky chuckle. I took her hand in mine. "It's alright… You don't need to apologize." I replied, trying my best to comfort her. She gave a weak smile as thanks and calmed herself.

"My brother shoved me aside when the door opened… the wizard authorities didn't come until my brother hit the floor…" She stared absentmindedly at the floor. "… I've never forgiven myself for letting them die…"

-Lidea's POV-

Since the day I met Severus, I had always wondered just what it was that had turned him into such an introverted person. I never seemed to come to a conclusion, and I didn't like making assumptions about him, especially after what had happened. So, I decided to ask him in a manner that wouldn't be too blunt.

"Severus…" I had said timidly. He glanced sideways up at me from behind his desk, pausing his correcting. "Yes, Lidea?" He asked fingering his quill. It took me a moment to find the courage to ask him while I sat there, my hands fidgeting around my tea cup. "What was your school life like? In Hogwarts I mean." I asked slowly. It felt weird not being the one laying my neck on the chopping block, spewing out my life before Hogwarts. He hesitated a moment, and I could tell the topic I had chosen wasn't exactly something he was very thrilled about. I opened my mouth to tell him that he didn't have to tell me, but he spoke before I could get a word out.

"Well…" He started, setting down his quill and scowling slightly at his desk. "There certainly weren't kind people like you when I attended Hogwarts." I couldn't help but go pink at his statement. I could see a faint whisper of a smile on his face before he continued. His face had gone very serious as he began to scowl at his desk yet again. "No… Instead, there was James Potter and his little gang of tormentors…" He continued, taking in a tiring breath as he leaned back in his chair. "The only person that was nice to me ended up falling in love with him… The only time I was every truly at home was when I was in Potions or Defense Against The Dark Arts."

A part of me wanted to jump up and smother him with hugs and reassurance that I would never treat him unkindly, but I reminded myself to try and contain my silly urges. Instead, I took a more practical approach. "I'm sorry to hear you were treated so poorly Severs…" I started, looking over to him. He shook his head. "Don't be…" He said softly. "I needed to endure it to be where I am today." He continued, picking up his quill and looking back to the paper he was grading. He didn't want to continue, I knew how he was. I couldn't really blame him though. I didn't like talking about my past either. I accepted his wishes and kept quiet so he could finish his work.

Some people most likely would have left to allow him to work, but I liked to stay. I wasn't sure why, but I just seemed to be a little calmer when I was around him. Professor Trelawney had told me we shared a special "Spiritual bond, in which no force physical, emotional, etc. could ever break!" After telling me this, of course, she gave me a very loving look and said "You are a very lucky woman… Cherish this bond or it will be the death of you." Then breezed away, leaving a wake of lavender and jasmine incense aroma in the hall. At the time, I had just figured that she had been lighting the wrong set of incense but, it seemed as though Severus was calmer and comfortable when I was around him.