This chapter is like entirely Mercy because I'm still working on Katica's part and it's still almost 8 thousand words without it. Sorry about all the snogging I did warn you the genre is romance

Mercy

The next morning, Lily, Felix, and Remus comes in while I'm eating breakfast. Lily hugs me so hard I think I'm about to suffocate, and Felix looks so relieved he bursts into tears and sits down with his head between his knees.

Remus helps himself to the half empty box of chocolates he'd given me, and hands me the homework from the past days, simultaneously consoling Felix, patting his back. Ah, Remus the mother of us all.

"How are you feeling?" Remus asks, as Felix regains his composure and accepts chocolate from him.

"Better. Regulus, Carter, Sirius and Severus visited yesterday."

"Sev did mention, although he's pretty much stopped talking to me altogether. I can't believe he can still hang out with those goons after what Dolohov did to you!" she fumes. "Well. As long as you're better, things are alright for now."

"You shouldn't've pushed me out of the way," Felix says.

"Oh, shut up. I would've done it whether I should have or not. You think I'd let you get hit by an Unforgivable?"

"You should have."

I shake my head. "Look at me. I'm fine. It's alright."

"It isn't. You're not fine. I can't believe Dolohov would come out with the Cruciatus, though! It's unbelievable!"

"You could say... It was unforgivable," I say, a wide grin spreading across my face, and Remus makes the badum-tss sound. Lily rolls her eyes and Felix laughs.

"Your puns are the worst," Felix says, rolling his eyes.

"The worst are the best."

"When are you coming back to school?"

"Tomorrow," I answer, returning to my breakfast. "Remus, are you going to eat that whole thing?"

"It's my chocolate, I just let you borrow it," he protests. "You ate a good half, anyway. It's not like you didn't get enough."

"So are you guys missing class?" I ask.

"No, it's just breakfast. I've got to leave for Arithmancy in six minutes," Remus says.

"Me as well," Felix adds.

We chat for a little longer, and when they have to leave, Felix engulfs me in a huge hug and kisses me chastely before leaving with Remus. Lily takes up the place beside me.

"I'm glad you're feeling okay," she says earnestly, anxiously searching my face.

"Me too."

"I was reading that book you gave me for Christmas, and I really think you deserve a break. Not this whole torturing thing. Where in America did you live?"

"Bed-Stuy. Good old Bed-Stuy do or die," I sigh. "Bedford-Stuyvesant. It's in Brooklyn, New York."

"You had a bad break. I'm sorry about your family, I mean, didn't they all die? That must've been terrible."

"Yeah. Except for me and Aunt Callie, there aren't anymore people related to the Gaffey's."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. We make do. Being alone isn't that bad. It's not the same as being lonely."

Lily smiles, and we fall into momentary silence. Then she looks back at me. "Is Sev mad at me?"

"No."

"Really?"

"He doesn't want his friends to attack you. I mean, we knew they were mean, we just never imagined that they'd go as far as they did. He wants them to be as far away from you as they can."

"I figured it was something like that," she admits. "But I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, well I can take care of myself as well, and look where I am. Besides. You've got Potter."

"Oh, shut up. Potter's insufferable. You can't possibly believe that I'd be remotely friendly with him."

"He's trying to be nice."

"Well maybe he shouldn't hex Severus."

"You can tell him that, and he's stop, you know. He's do anything for you."

"He's arrogant."

"Of course he is. He's spoiled."

"He's dumb."

"Oh, come on, Lily. He's smart and you know it."

"I just don't like him!"

"Well, actually, me neither. But he tries so hard to get you to like him, sometimes I feel bad for him."

"Well I don't. I wish he'd stop."

"That's what you say now."

"Mercy!"

"Sorry, sorry."

She rolls her eyes and laughs. "I've got to go, I have Potions."

"Have fun."

She makes a face at me before leaving. I sit there for a few minutes, the slouch back onto my back and stare at the ceiling for a moment before starting in on my homework. It's true, there isn't as much as is usually assigned, and Remus' notes are impeccable. It takes me about most of the morning to finish, and before lunch comes the nurse let's me get up and walk around.

I have the hospital clothes on, but I'm given a pair of leggings and a sweater a size too large. I change and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I'm startled by how normal I look- only the rings faintly colored beneath my eyes giving away the fact that I'm not feeling up to par.

I step into the hallway and take a few more unsteady steps before breaking out into a full sprint and running up and down the hall, the fluorescent lights flashing overhead, reflected in the waxed floors. The pain in my knees and thighs, from being stationary in bed, swell and then work themselves out, and I slow to a walk, closing my eyes, tilting my face to the ceiling, and taking deep breaths. I stop walking altogether and open my eyes, pulling the hair from around my face and seeing the last person I ever expected to see, standing before me, wide eyes gawking at me.

"What?" I snap at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Stretching my legs."

"I mean, why are you here?"

"Why are you here?"

"The Flint's kid hit me with an untested spell and I stopped breathing properly."

I look at the oxygen tank hovering beside a thin, pale Lucius Malfoy and laugh. "Alright. I've got to go. Lunch is waiting."

"Wait! Why are you here?"

"Dolohov tortured me."

Malfoy's eyes narrow. "Antonin Dolohov managed to do the Cruciatus curse?"

"Yes."

He looks surprised. "Good for him."

I smack him and he reels backwards, a red mark forming on his pale skin. "Get out of my way," I snarl, shoving him out of the way and marching down the hallway.

"Wait, Gaffery."

I stop, and turn.

"He's just doing it because he sees you as the enemy. If you join us, you could be safe."

"No thanks. I don't fancy pasty pale boys up to their elbows in the Dark Arts."

"Please. You've got a clean record so far, join us before you're too defiled to be accepted."

"I don't like you people."

"And yet I hear you and Regulus Black are quite close?"

"We're friends because he has the right intentions. He just needs help."

"And Snape and you are quite cozy, I've also heard."

"Severus is different."

"Or so you say. Not many people can hold out in situations like these, you know. He won't be different for long."

"You can't know that."

"Of course I can. We've all been in his position before, and look at us now."

"He's different," I say stubbornly.

"Just because you say he is doesn't mean it's true."

"I know Severus."

"As do I. The question is which version of Severus Snape is the one that will win over the other."

"Lucius!" Another voice barks from behind me.

"Speak of the devil and he will appear," Malfoy says, face transforming into a sly smirk. "Hello, Severus. I was just... discussing things with lovely Mercy Gaffery here. Wonderful girl, a nice catch all around. Well, nice talking to you, dear, lunch is waiting."

And he breezes off. I stand there, absolutely fuming, hands clenched into fists. Stupid, arrogant Malfoy.

"Mercy?" Severus asks, and I turn. He stands there in his school uniform, his books still in his arms. "I don't have classes the second part of today, and I thought I'd visit again."

I hug him, and he drops all of his books and hugs me back.

"You alright?" he asks.

"I love you," I say, and he stops breathing for a moment, then pushes me away.

"Why, what did Malfoy say?"

"It's not important. Let's go. I want lunch."

"What did he say?" Severus persists, following me to my room. "Mercy!"

"Nothing, Severus."

"Tell me!"

"No! It's fine!"

"Nothing is fine, stop saying that!"

I sit down on my bed, where lunch is waiting for me. "Everything is fine," I insist. "Here, you can have my roll," I say, and shove it into his mouth as he opens it to protest.

"Mercy!" he splutters, spitting it out of his mouth. "I don't want your stupid roll!"

"Some of my salad? I don't like rabbit food."

"No!"

"A kiss? I can give you that."

"No," he says, a little less forcefully. "What did Malfoy say to you?"

"Nothing."

"It was about me, wasn't it?"

"No."

"You're a bad liar."

"It wasn't about you!"

"Fine. You'd think spending all that time with Carter would improve your lying."

"What do you mean?"

"He can lie and convince you that it's just a bonfire while the world burns around you. It's how he escapes most of the pressure from the Slytherins."

"Most?"

"Well, he's not a perfect liar."

"What do they do?"

"I don't know, okay? I stay out of the common rooms and I don't play Quidditch so I'm never in the locker rooms."

"You share a room, though."

"Yeah, well..."

"Severus, tell me."

"Why do I have to tell you anything if you won't tell me anything?"

"Severus," I say, scooching to the side of the bed and putting my face close to his. He reaches out and slides a hand to the back of my neck, but when he moves closer, I move my lips away from his. "Tell me."

"This isn't fair," he complains, as I smugly rest my elbows on his shoulders.

"Severus..."

"They usually just do little things. They elbow him, or step on his toes, or sometimes they slam doors on his fingers and pinch him or nick him with their quills. And they call him names and stuff. He can usually ignore them, but he's got scabs and bruises all over."

I pull away from him. "Bastards."

"Calm down, Mercy."

"How can they bully him?! Carter is the sweetest person in the world."

"The sweet don't survive."

"That's despicable."

"It's how the world works."

"Well, it's not how it should."

"You can't do anything to them or you'll be hurt as well."

"Who cares? If its for any of you, who's to say I wouldn't do it?"

"You can't."

"I can do whatever I want."

"We won't let you. Not me, not Felix, not either of the Blacks, or Lupin, or Lily. We won't let you."

"That's not stopping me. You can't stop me from helping someone who needs help."

"You'd be endangering yourself."

"I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much."

He rolls his eyes. "Eat your rabbit food."

I eat my rabbit food, and Severus does his homework, then looks over mine, bored.

"Let me see your hands," he says, so I hold out my hands. "You're shaking," he proclaims. "It makes your handwriting incorrigible."

"It doesn't matter," I roll my eyes. "I did it fast."

"Aren't you bored?"

"Not really. I have a lot to think about."

"I'm bored."

"Oh, well, sit up here, and you can catch me up on Potions. Remus didn't take any notes on it, and I'm sure we have homework."

He obeys, kicking off his shoes and an hour and a half later he finishes telling me about whatever Slughorn was teaching. Severus stretches, and looks at me a bit shyly before asking me, "What did it feel like, the Cruciatus curse?"

"Like being sucked into yourself and all of the things you hold onto you forget about, and the world vanishes and becomes just you, and the pain. Rips through you and becomes your friend, it pulses through you and hurts so much you could almost say it felt quite nice. It drives you crazy, because it doesn't seem to stop for a lifetime."

"Dolohov did manage to point his wand at you for over half a minute because Rowle was trying to stun us. You were screaming for about, I don't know, ten."

"It's a bit stupid, I suppose. It's just pain. I've broken my spine in the accident and been shot at and everything, so I don't know why this time it hurt so much. Maybe because it's been years since America."

Severus nods, and straightens his legs in front of him, so that his feet extend past mine, leaning his arm into my shoulder. "It's alright."

"Of course. You're here, there's no one else bothering me except for you, I don't really need to worry about things until I step out into the hallway again, and I suspect you're just trying to snog me."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but just for right now, everything is alright." Just for now, in a still, sunlit hospital room with two broken people sitting side by side, wondering what the hell they're going to do once they get back to school and the world continues to fall around their ears.

"I guess you're right," Severus says.

"About which parts?"

"All of them."

"I knew it."

He shakes his head and laughs, swinging his arm around my shoulders and sighing like he couldn't be happier. "Just for now, things are fine," he says to himself. "Just for now." Then he turns to me and I kiss him before he can say anything else.

The door opens, a minute later, and Severus makes a point of kissing me for a second longer even though I'm pushing him away. He just sort of looks at Felix, who stands there, with mild surprise, still with his hand around my waist.

"Hello," he says calmly.

"It's okay," Felix says, looking at my alarmed expression. "I figured."

"I'm sorry," I say. "I'm so, so sorry."

"It's okay! Really. I came to you because I knew, and I wanted to tell you, anyway. At least now it's not as awkward."

"What are you talking about? This is very awkward. How did you know?"

"I'm in the smart house, remember?"

"Felix-"

"I don't mind, really. You're a good friend."

"I-"

"It's okay, Mercy, I'm not upset. I- Severus is okay."

"But-"

He turns and leaves.

"Sorry," Severus says. "But you heard him."

"What-"

He kisses me again, and when we break apart, I protest. "Sev, I really don't think-"

"It's fine, he told me it was okay."

"He told you?"

"Yeah, yesterday or something."

"Listen, I've just lost my boyfriend-"

"And you don't mind. I can see it."

I frown, and he laughs. "Well," I sigh loudly, "you're not wrong."

"If you don't want to, it's okay."

"Yeah, alright. Gah- Come here, damn you." I brush his hair from his face as I lean towards him and he takes my lower lip between his lips, and in a few more moments we're back to fighting for whose tongue is in whose mouth.

"When do you ever intend on telling your friends you don't want to follow Voldemort?"

Severus flinches. "Don't say his name."

"I'll do whatever I want."

"He's powerful, Mercy, they're growing to be devoted to him. I can't say anything without forever after being eternal held in suspicion and hatred."

"I don't know how you stand it. I'd've probably jinxed them long ago and walked out on them."

"I'm not cut out to be the defier, not like Carter, not like you."

"It doesn't matter, as long as you do it."

"I can't risk it, alright? If you haven't heard, Bellatrix Black has been going around attacking the friends of those who have openly defied the Dark Lord and you know what she's like. She doesn't know when to stop. She doesn't want to stop. She's missing screws, and I want to make sure she's as far from you and Lily as possible."

"I don't need you to protect me," I snap. "Look, Sev, if it's bothering you that much, I'll just-"

"No. I know what you're going to say, and no."

"If that's what it takes, I'd like to make sure my friends are safe as well."

"No."

"If you think you can protect us all on your own, you're wrong."

"You don't need to join the dark to keep it away! I'm already in a position where I can't get out, you shouldn't get caught in it as well."

"You can't be alone."

"I've been- I am!"

"No you're not! If you're alone, what am I? Are you telling me that even if you snog me until I die you still think you're alone? Are you saying that what I thought was two lonely people making friends isn't real? Tell me, Severus, do you think that I don't feel alone, sitting in an empty hospital room, even though I've got heaps of friends? You say that I'm not alone and yet I feel like the loneliest person in the world. You are not alone, just like me, Severus, and the sooner you realize it, the smarter you'll be."

"But I can't let you join the... the dark side."

"It's not your decision. I'll join you if I want. I notice things as well, you know. I notice Sirius avoiding them, and Regulus drowning in the pressure they hold over him, and Remus trying to watch out for all of the stupid Marauders, and Lily trying to get you away from them, and Felix trying to shelter me even though I don't want to be sheltered. I don't even know what to call them, only that they're bad people who'd do well to stay away from my friends."

"And you want to join them!"

"Not join them! You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"Well, if you really want to know, they tell you to do things you don't want to do. They destroy your moral boundaries and tell you to kill the muggle born, they tell you things that aren't true, they make you join in their pursuit of the Dark Arts even if you don't want to, they invite you to their tall, silent houses for dinners with their parents who have as much love of the Dark Lord as their children do. They force you to accept their bullying and you can't tell them not to hurt other people and you must have undying devotion the their master. They watch every move you make and tell others about it if it's of interest, they learn spells that people should never use, they're inebriated with dark things that you would never ever condone in your life. Mercy, you're opinionated, and they're looking for blind following. Unless you can lie and act better than they can read you- and some of them have practiced Occlumency- it's impossible to follow their crowd and not truly be with them."

"I don't care. I have standards that can't be knocked down, but if I have to act to keep people safe, I will. This isn't just a phase, it's growing. You know that, you're part of it. You're the only one that seems to be remotely able to resist- Regulus is too scared. I can help!"

"No, Mercy."

"You say that now, but if any one of my friends get hurt, including you, I'm joining and you can't stop me."

"You think you can manipulate them from the inside, but you can't."

"Then how do you expect to keep them from Lily?"

"That's different. That's association. You're associated with good things, and in order to be safe, I need to be associated to the things only they approve of."

"I'd join the war front with you," I say stubbornly.

"I know, I know."

I stand up, and he looks at me with mild alarm, as if afraid I'd march straight to Malfoy. He stands as well, but all I do is turn and open a window. "I'm going back to school tomorrow," I mention.

"Can you?"

"Of course."

"Well, you are back to arguing again."

"Ha ha."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"You look sick."

"No I don't."

"Your eyes are red and you look like the world has ended."

"To be fair, I've just experienced severe emotional trauma."

"So are you okay?"

"Yes."

"No, you're not. You're upset."

"I'm always upset."

"What are you upset about?"

"Nothing."

"I thought you said you were always upset?"

"I don't know. The pain sort of haunts me. It's not actually there, but I'll think about it and my entire body tenses and it feels almost like it's back again."

"That should fade," he says. "If it's in your head- if it's psychosomatic."

"I hope. I dream about it. When I'm not talking to someone, I think about it. It's dumb, but it scared me."

"It has a worse effect when you're younger," he tells me. "Because we don't forget as easily as adults."

"It's stupid though. It was just physical pain. I should be able to put it aside."

"It knocked you out for four days."

"I was just unconscious."

"For four days! It's not something to take lightly."

"Does it look like I'm taking it lightly?"

"No, but you're acting like you are, which means you're trying to convince yourself that it's no big deal."

"I am. Because it isn't."

"It is."

"I can get over this easily."

"Alright."

I turn to face him. "I can, can't I?"

"You can. We'll help you. It's alright, Mercy. We've got you. Relax. You're acting absolutely paranoid, like there's something following you or something."

"It left me feeling absolutely zilch. I haven't been happy since that day, and all I've been doing is getting angry. Well, all except when..." I trail off, ripping my gaze away from the floor to look at Severus, who smiles a little.

"Well, I'm flattered, I'm sure."

"Shut up. Don't you have dinner to get to?"

"I'll stay here."

"Oh, come on."

"You can't get rid of me, I'm afraid."

I laugh. "Couldn't if I tried," I agree, and he grins back.

Dinner comes forty five minutes later, which is pasta and chicken. Severus eats all the chicken before I can, so I'm stuck with the pasta and the dessert, giving him the roll again.

"No fair," he complains. "I want ice cream."

"Here." I stick a spoon full in his mouth and then let him have the other half of the cup of ice cream.

He finishes it in record time and then drinks all of my milk. "Hey! Stop stealing my food."

"I'm hungry, too."

"You've eaten a shoe? How dreadfully funny."

"I found a penny as well, on the floor."

"The ocean shore really is my favorite place."

"I do indeed wonder why of all the people in the world you chose me to give chase."

"That's because I love you."

"You lose."

"I do."

"It didn't rhyme."

"Stop being shy all of a sudden."

"Well, actually, you just really like everyone, don't you. You flirt with everyone you know. I'm just wishy washy enough to fall for it."

"Nah, don't lie to yourself."

"You do."

"Yeah, maybe, but if I'd wanted to get someone else I would've."

"Lies."

"I'm pretty good at getting what I want, you know. When I moved here the Sorting Hat nearly made me Slytherin."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But I'd already met Lily, so I sort of wanted to be in Gryffindor. So that's where I went."

"Too bad. We'd have loved to have you."

"You would've, you mean."

"Exactly."

"Whatever."

"You just like arguing, don't you. If you're right about something, you lose interest in it."

"Oh, so, Severus Snape has finally figured out what I look for in men."

"Shut up."

"That's how you knew I was okay to snog, because Felix is predictable and you knew is lost interest."

"That's not it."

"Right."

"I was just relieved you were conscious."

"Riiight."

"Really."

"Mm hmm."

"I'm serious!"

"No, you're Severus."

He rolls his eyes. "Bad joke."

"The best one! That's a classic."

"Let's forget you ever made that joke."

"It was pretty good."

"No it wasn't."

"Are you going to argue with me about the most classic joke of all time?"

"You like people who argue, don't you?"

"Point."

He grins and kisses me. "I'm usually right, in case you didn't already realize."

"Lies. You're wrong all the time."

"Like when?"

"Like 'Oh, I'm all alone' and 'It's going to be alright.'"

"Well the last one isn't me being wrong, it's me lying."

"Same thing. Lying is wrong."

He rolls his eyes so hard I'm afraid that his eyeballs will fall out of his face, and by the time it's dark outside, I've fallen asleep, nestled into Severus, who's idly flicking through Remus' notes and using his wand as a light.

"Hey! Wake up!"

"What? What?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes?"

"You were crying."

"No, I wasn't."

"Look." In the dark I see Severus wipe his hand across my cheeks and his fingers come away wet. "You were."

"Well, I'm not now."

"As long as you're okay," he says doubtfully, and then lies back down and immediately falls straight back to asleep again.

Severus wakes me up again in the morning, and I bury my face under the pillow and push him away. "Mercy, wake up," he says again, shaking me.

"No," I say, voice muffled, squinting my eyes shut..

"Come on, you have school."

"No."

"Get up!"

"No!"

"Stop being difficult."

"Nooo."

"There's breakfast."

"Where?" I ask, sitting up and looking blearily around.

"In the castle. Come on."

I groan. "Leave me alone. Just let me sleep."

"Well, if you're up now, it's not as much of a problem."

"No," I say, but he catches me before I can lay back down, and hoists me bridal style down the hall, dragging his bag down the hall after him. "No!" I protest, laughing, and push him away. "I don't have my shoes on!"

"Too late now," he says, grinning widely and letting me down, grabbing my hand and grabbing whatever portkey there was. We spin out of St. Mungo's and Severus grips me so tight that I'm afraid I'll lose circulation in my arms, but I'm also glad I'm not going to go flying out into the great unknown. We touch down in front of the castle, where Severus promptly drops me onto the grass, then looks around his bag and hands me my homework.

"There you go, Cinderella," he says. "Got to go."

I grab his tie, yank him towards me and kiss him. He looks alarmed for a moment, kisses back for as long as he dares, then dashes off into the castle. After putting my homework back into order, I look at my bare feet, take the time to wiggle my toes a bit, and find my wand between the parchment of my Potions essay, on which Severus had basically rewritten the second paragraph and asked me "Do you even know what the word 'Potions' means? Honestly, you're as bad as a first year at this sort of thing.".

I walk into the Great Hall and everyone falls silent, turning to look at me with curious stares. Severus lifts his eyebrows imperceptibly from where he sits at the end of the Slytherin table, Regulus looks at me, and looks like he wants to wave, but doesn't, and Carter is nowhere to be found. I frown, slinking over to where Sirius waves frantically at me, and sit down.

"They're all staring at you," he says cheerfully. "You must be hungry. Here." He hands me a pasty and I cram it into my mouth, chewing hard and looking up at the professor's table, where I swear to God McGonagall and Slughorn are dying. McGonagall keeps shaking her head and Slughorn is asking her for something, jabbing his finger empathetically at me, and then Severus.

"So, how was it, Gaffery?" Potter asks, leaning over from where he sits on the other side of Sirius. "How much did it hurt?"

Remus smacks him hard, and he yelps. "Sorry!"

"I swear, Prongs, you have no tact whatso-"

"He called me Prongs!" James says excitedly, turning to Sirius. "Did you hear that, Padfoot?"

"What does that even mean?" I mutter, reaching to fill my plate.

"I'll tell you later," Sirius says.

"Don't tell her!" James protests, knocking Sirius on the head. "It's our secret."

"Fine, fine," Sirius says, rolling his eyes, then turning to me and winking. "Anyway, you've actually managed to do your homework, I see."

"Yeah, Remus brought the notes, remember?"

"No. But that's probably why he wouldn't let me use his notes last night. I haven't done the Potions essay, can I see yours?"

"Not if you haven't done yours."

"It's not like I'll copy."

"Lies. I know you."

"No!"

He snatches up my homework and rifles through it. "Well, Mercy, it looks as if you did pretty bad, if- who's writing is this, is it Carter's?- had to correct it so much."

"Well, I wasn't there for the lesson, how am I supposed to know?"

"Well, with friends like this, you won't even have to be at the class. Believe me, I sponge off of Moony's notes enough to know."

"Well, it's a wonder you haven't failed classes yet."

"I am rather good at Transfiguration," Sirius says, and Potter elbows him so hard Sirius falls off of the bench. Sirius grabs James and they start to wrestle.

"Alright, you two dunces," Remus says. "Stop it."

"No shoes?" Sirius asks me, holding Potter back as he flails out at him.

"No."

Remus drags the two away from each other, with that long suffering parent face McGonagall often wears when dealing with misbehaving students. McGonagall, at this instant, is letting Remus do her job for her, continuing to argue with Slughorn, even Sprout and Flitwick joining in, until Dumbledore tells them to shut up.

"We've got Charms," Remus says, "with the Slytherins."

"It's Friday?"

"It is."

"Then the Hogsmeade trip is tomorrow."

"Oh, so you're still planning on going?"

"Of course I am."

"Well, just making sure you're still feeling up to it. Who're you going with?"

"Fe-" I stop, realizing that I'm probably not going to Hogsmeade with Felix. "I mean, I don't know."

Remus looks at me, curious. "Something happen with Felix?"

"Yeah, well, we aren't dating anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"Weirdly enough, I'm not really. Not that I didn't like him, but he was just sort of one of those unserious things."

"Did someone say Sirius?" Sirius asks.

"No, get out."

"So you're over Felix already? That was fast. And Sunday we've still got that gig at the Three Broomsticks. D'you want to cancel?"

"What are we even singing?" I ask.

"Something. Only a few songs. Don't worry, Sprout got it all planned for us. I don't even know what we're singing. We have Herbology after lunch today, we can ask her then."

I roll my eyes.

"Well," Remus interrupts, "If you don't have plans for Hogsmeade, I'd go with you."

"Sure," I agree. "That sounds nice."

"Moony!" Sirius says, aghast. "You're quick to move in! You're abandoning us for a girl?"

"A girl that you like as well, Sirius. It's not that bad. Besides. I need a break from you three sometimes," Remus says, reaching over and messing Peter's hair beyond all salvageable recognition.

"Hey!" Peter protests. "I don't want it to look like James'!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Potter asks, indignant.

"Where's Lily?" I ask.

"Back there," Potter complains, pointing behind him to where Lily is talking to a few other girls I've never talked to in my life. "With her friends. She still won't sit with me for classes."

"And she won't if you keep being a jerk to Severus."

"Snivellus isn't worth being her friend."

"Don't call him that," I snap.

"Why not?"

"It's not nice."

"I don't care about being nice to him."

I stop walking and get up into his face, jabbing my wand into his chest. "Well. You should, don't you think?"

"I-I- Merlin, get out of my face, Gaffery! Please don't kill me."

"Maybe I will," I say, drawing away, glaring, and he looks very faintly afraid.

"Alright, Mercy, come on," Remus says, grabbing my arm and dragging me away. "We'll be late for class."

I sit down next to Remus, at the back of the class, and Carter sees me and heads for the back of the class. Someone already sitting sticks out a foot and Carter stumbles, wincing as someone else stomps on his foot. I stand violently, but Remus grabs the back of my shirt and yanks me back down.

"Relax, Mercy!" he hisses, as Carter sits down beside me.

"Hey, Mercy," he says easily, as if nothing is wrong, but slouching in his chair like he doesn't want to be seen.

"H-hi, Carter."

"Do you want to head to the bookstore with Mercy and I tomorrow?" Remus asks, and I shoot him a grateful smile.

"Sure," Carter shrugs, smiling his usual, breathtaking smile. "Glad to see you back, Mere."

I grin, and impulsively reach out and grab his hand. He looks a bit surprised, before his expression melts into another smile.

"Emotional little Mercy is back," he teases, "and I couldn't be happier, to be honest." He's left handed and I'm right handed, so we progress into the lesson without letting go. When we begin to practice Summoning spells, he lets go with somewhat of a wistful smile. I manage to Summon a book straight into the head of the Slytherin that had tripped Carter, and Remus accidentally smacks the Slytherin that had stomped Carter's foot with a vase, which shatters once it hits him.

From the other side of the room, Severus glances over at me and shakes his head, telling me to stop, before one of the Carrows yells at him to regain his attention. He turns back to them, rolling his eyes slightly. Class finishes shortly after and everyone leaves the room in the usual rush. I lag back, taking an extra long time to re-pack my bag, until there are only a few people left in the room, including Carter.

"Carter," I say, turning to him. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am. Why?"

"I don't know. There seem to be a lot of people... who don't like you."

"Ah, well, you can't please everybody, so you've gotta please yourself. It's fine. I can look after myself. I'm hungry, are you? Yeah, I'm headed off to lunch. See you, Mere."

"But-"

He breezes right past me, and walks out of the room. I stand there, watching him go, then sigh. There's now no one else in the room except Severus and Flitwick. Flitwick, on his part, seems to be taking especially long to leave the room, and Severus isn't really moving any faster- I think he's reading something or writing something down, so I walk over to him.

"Hey, Sev."

He looks up, casting his hair into his face and shutting his book. "Hi."

"Hungry?"

"Not really."

"Me neither. Let's get out of here."

"Let me pack my things," he complains, glancing at Flitwick, who is very unsuccessfully attempting to spy on our conversation. Severus flicks his wand, quickly, muttering out a spell, and Flitwick straightens and looks vaguely disappointed.

"What was that?"

"Muffliato. It makes it so people can't eavesdrop. You know, Mercy, I wouldn't do things like... trying to get revenge or whatever you think it is."

"I know. But it's so... I don't know. It makes me mad when they beat up on Carter like that." I hand him his wand. "Here."

"Thanks." He takes the wand from me, and stands, leaning forward very briefly, lips nearly touching my forehead. Flitwick drops something, and all of us jump, turning to look at him. He looks flustered, but excited anyway, as he hurries out of the classroom.

...

Filius Flitwick hurries out of the room and catches Minerva right before she steps out of her office. "Minerva!"

"What is it, Filius?"

"You lost the bet."

"I did not," the professor says, drawing herself up indignantly.

"Well, if you hurry, you can catch it before it ends."

"Before what ends, exactly?" she asks, following the short man as he dashes through the hall.

"Snape and Gaffery!" he pants. "I had the Slytherins and the Gryffindors just now, and they were talking, and... just hurry, and you can see yourself."

They arrive at the door of the classroom, where they lean cautiously towards the crack in the door, Flitwick, looking through right by the door knob, and McGonagall looking through the the space between the door farther above.

"Look at Snape!" Flitwick says, and McGonagall shushes him. But Snape really did surprise her, sitting on his desk with all the confidence and casualness one usually only sees in a Black, leaning back on one hand, with his hair out of his face and his shoulders squared, back lit by the light streaming through the window. He's looking at Gaffery, who's back is towards the door, but from Snape's irritated expression McGonagall is pretty sure she's smirking.

Snape sighs, and runs a hand through his hair in a very self- conscious, Potter-esque gesture, which also surprises both professors. "I wish you weren't so- I don't know, what's the word, passionate?- about everything. It'd keep you out of trouble."

"Trouble is one of the things I live for," Gaffery says, and Snape laughs, which is something neither professor has heard before.

He reaches out and she takes his hand. He twirls her around once, her skirt and hair flaring out, the two of them silhouetted by gold leaking in from outside, her smile the most striking thing about the scene. And just the sheer affection in his expression when he looks at her makes McGonagall choke up. "And what else do you live for, hm, Ms. Gaffery?"

"Chocolate. Oh, and cars. And maybe dark and handsome English boys with some dangerous undertones."

"Are you flirting with me?" he asks, a genuinely happy smile lifting a corner of his mouth.

"Only if you consider yourself a dark and dangerous boy."

"I believe that I would," he admits.

"Then yes, I am flirting with you."

"As usual," he teases.

"As usual," she agree.

"I'm flattered."

"Don't be," she says. "It's more for my own benefit."

He laughs and shakes his head. "You're just always asking for it, aren't you."

"No, I'm not. People just find me naturally attractive. I can't help it. Or maybe it's just you. You're the only one who's told me that."

Snape tilts his head, so he's looking at the ceiling. "You're the only one who told me that."

"I did, didn't I. It's perfect, then, you and I."

"If you say so."

"Oh, come on, Severus."

"Fine, fine, you're right." He rolls his eyes but smiles anyway, looking back at her. Flitwick and McGonagall straighten and walk away when Snape leans towards Gaffery, eyelids fluttering shut.

"Just admit you've lost the four galleons," Flitwick says, as they head down the hallway. "Minerva? Are you alright?"

"But it's so... it's so..."

"You-"

"I can't believe I actually like them together!" she explodes, startling a couple of first years as the two professors walk down the stairs. "I think they're adorable! How is that possible?! I never expected Snape to be able to be so... so charming! That look on his face when he spun her around- Merlin, I wish someone would look at me that way! And did you see the hair combing thing? The Potter hair combing thing? Good Lord!"

Flitwick rolls his eyes. "Pomona will be crushed, I'm sure. She still thinks Gaffery should be with Sirius Black."

"Gah, Black is a loose canon. Both the Blacks. Regulus Black is drowning in all that business with this 'You-Know-Who', and Sirius Black is absolutely insane!"

"You're only saying that because he always seems to go for you when he's out pranking with Potter. Besides. He's close to Gaffery, as well. They like each other well enough."

"You don't think it will ever actually work out between Snape and Gaffery? One of Snape's friends crucioed her!"

"I think Sirius Black has the same amount of energy and can match Gaffery any time they decide. Just look at them singing, for example," Flitwick says diplomatically. "Firecrackers."

"Am I the only one who hasn't gone to their little fake concerts?"

"People are travelling to see them!"

"Well, I was not aware that they were singing at all until last week when Pomona mentioned it!" McGonagall says, as the enter the Great Hall and take their places down at the professor's table. "Horace! Here." She reaches over and slaps four galleons on the table beside Slughorn.

"Minerva!" Sprout cries. "Surely you haven't admitted defeat."

"I have wholeheartedly and enthusiastically admitted defeat!" McGonagall says adamantly.

"Did Minerva McGonagall just say what I think she did?" Slughorn asks, gleefully counting the money and pocketing it. "Has she really admitted defeat for the first time in her life? I wish I had recorded that!"

"You need to see them to believe it!" she insists.

"Well, I still don't think-" Sprout begins, and then stops.

"Hello, staff," Dumbledore says, descending to the table. "What are we so heatedly discussing today?"

"Nothing," Flitwick says quickly.

"It's about Mercy Gaffery, isn't it?"

"No, why ever would you think that, Albus?" the Charms professor asks, nonchalantly.

Dumbledore smiles and rolls his eyes. "Because I know my staff very well. Personally, if you've ever had considered asking me, you'd know I think the best one for her is Mr. Natsworthy."

"Albus! I didn't know you were in this as well," McGonagall says, surprised. "Why?"

"Because he's stable enough and Mercy Gaffery is decidedly not stable."

"What do you mean?"

"You know her. Her past. Pairing her with all these equally unstable people is not going to do well for her."

"Snape's pretty stable," Flitwick points out.

"Maybe, but his friends aren't."

"Well, at least she has people to be paired with," Sprout shrugs. "I was never friends with that many boys when I was at school."

"You were never friends with that many boys, period," McGonagall says, and Sprout makes a face at her. "You scared them all away, if I'm honest."

"She doesn't like girls," Flitwick says, unexpectedly. "Gaffery. She's sort of afraid of them."

"Smart of her," Slughorn says, before shoving his face with a piece of steak. "Girls scare me as well."

"Well, she's weirdly afraid of them," Flitwick tries to explain. "Like, sure, she's friends with Lily Evans, but how can you not be friends with Lily Evans? But she actively avoids other girls. Its not as if she were unattractive, but she hangs out with boys a lot as a conscious decision to keep her away from girls."

Dumbledore speaks up. "She doesn't like them because in America there was am entirely female coven and they kept following her and her family around. I'm sure after a while, to the younger Mercy Gaffery, it seemed like all females were out to kill her."

"What about her mother? Surely that's a problem that any parent would be able to solve," Sprout says. "Scared of females indeed. She is a female!"

"Her mother was part of it, at the end, as well."

"Her own mother wanted to kill her?! Why?!"

"Not because she didn't like her, only because she had to."

"How do you know that?"

"Her aunt sent me a letter outlining her... rather extensively strange history. You know, I told all of you about it."

"I don't remember."

"Too busy shipping students together."

"How do you even know that phrase, Albus?!" Sprout asks, surprised.

"I pay attention to my staff, you know."

"It's weird discussing this with you, Albus."

"Yes, so maybe you will now stop discussing it at all?"

"Is that a question? Or a command?"

"Maybe it's both?"

"You can tell us things, you know," Flitwick says. "You hired us in the first place, after all."

The headmaster inclines his head. "Well, I admit that Ms. Gaffery can be quite charming, and that the four of you are rather bored, but need I remind you that there are more pressing matters arising?"

"What pressing matters?" Slughorn asks, and McGonagall resists the urge to smack her forehead in exasperation.

"Voldemort," Dumbledore says bluntly, and everyone flinches. "Dealing with Voldemort is more important that any student romances that the four of you usually fool around with. Don't think I didn't notice you putting Frank and Alice Longbottom together all the time."

"Albus, you made them Head girl and Head boy!"

"Whatever. What matters is that we need to protect our students."

"Some of the students are in with 'You-Know-Who' himself!"

"We still need to protect our students. It's our ultimate job as professors here, is it not?"

Hi yes I've never written romance before but please review I'll love you forever