#

Freddie watched the match, eagerly cheering on her team. It didn't last long. Without their captain, Ravenclaw was less coordinated that usual. They'd suffered during the spring Quidditch season, having to train a new Keeper to take Daniel's place, and now that Geck had been barred from playing they had to get a new Seeker at the last minute. They never stood a chance.

As Freddie realized this, she stopped cheering. If Daniel hadn't...none of this would have happened. How can I cheer for Slytherin when Ravenclaw is losing because of me?

The stands erupted around her as Slytherin's Seeker, Brian O'Neil caught the snitch and ended the match. He was a fourth year, one of her Potions 'fan club' and she wanted to cheer for him but she felt a little sick to her stomach.

Snape stood, clapping loudly among the sea of green and silver, until he looked down and noticed Freddie wasn't moving.

"What's wrong, Gray?" he asked, having to shout over the cheering.

She just shook her head. Snape grabbed her arm and pulled her up from her seat. He pushed her ahead of him out of the stands.

"Quit shoving," she snapped at him as she nearly fell down the wooden stairs in front of him. He looked briefly surprised and released her arm.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs he grabbed her again and pulled her under the stands.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she muttered, pulling her arm away from him.

"Winifred," he said, exasperated. "Tell me."

She shook her head. He let out a frustrated growl, turned, and walked away from her. Freddie hesitated a moment, then followed him. He stayed a few steps ahead of her and she didn't catch up with him until they reached his office in the dungeons.

"Sit," he said, pointing to the chair in front of his desk. "Talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," she said, sinking down in the chair.

"Winifred," he said sharply, the anger in his tone startling her. "I am tired of this game with you. You know that I cannot help you if you don't talk to me, so talk!"

She stared at him, shocked, but couldn't bring herself to speak. He was angry with her.

"Go then," he said, pointing to the door. "If you do not want my help then I do not want yours. Go!"

"W-wait," she said, hating the way her voice cracked. She hated herself even more when she felt tears welling in her eyes. She tried to blink them back as he glared down at her. Slowly his face began to soften. She started to get up, knowing she wouldn't be able to stop the tears, but he pushed her back down in the chair.

"Talk, Winifred," he said. She could tell he was trying to soften his tone.

"It's stupid," she said, shaking her head and looking away from him. "You won't understand, you'll think it's stupid."

He cupped her face with one hand, gently turning her face so she was forced to meet his gaze.

"Try me," he said quietly.

"It's, uh..."

"Daniel?" he asked and she nodded.

"It's...How can I be happy that Ravenclaw lost when the only reason they lost is because they are down two players – Daniel and Geck – and it's my fault."

"Oh," he said, dropping his hand and walking around his desk. "Is that all?"

"That's enough, isn't it?" she demanded, ripping off her Slytherin tie and throwing it on the floor. "I told you you would think it was stupid."

"I never think you are stupid, Winifred," he said as he sat down. "Well, rarely."

She glared at him across the desk, wiping her face on the back of her hand.

"It is not your fault, Winifred," he said quietly. "Mr Gecker attacked you, got himself suspended from the team. And Daniel's...disappearance is not your fault."

Freddie didn't say anything but sniffled and wiped her eyes again. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Besides," he said, leaning across the desk to hand it to her. "Slytherin has won the Quidditch cup for the last six years. Ravenclaw did not stand a chance regardless of the absence of two players."

Freddie wiped her eyes and let out a hollow chuckle.

"I'm sorry," she said finally.

"For what?"

"For being difficult," she replied. "And for...crying."

"You do not need to apologize for that," he said dismissively. "Not the latter anyway."

"I'm sorry," she said again. "It's just...whenever I start having these thoughts or – or feelings about things...I worry you'll think less of me, think I'm stupid or...I know I'm crazy. I'm ridiculous, I'm stupid."

"You are not stupid, Winifred," he said with a sigh. "And I could never think less of you."

"I just – I have all these feelings all the time and you..." she gestured at him. "You're Mr Perfect emotionless warrior."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"It may surprise you to know that I too have feelings, Winifred."

"Yeah. Angry ones."

He winced, briefly, then quickly cleared his expression. He cleared his throat slightly.

"You have my apologies for that," he said humbly. "No one is infallible."

She looked up at him, surprised at him apologizing to her. He looked away, not meeting her gaze.

"You were frustrated," she said with a shrug. "I know I can be frustrating. I'm sorry."

"You would not be so frustrating if you would just...just trust me, Winifred," he said softly.

"I do..."

"Good," he said, standing up from his desk and clearing his throat. "Now, can we get to work on our antidote?"

"Yes sir," she said, smiling faintly. She got up from her chair and followed him to the lab.

They were on their fifth attempt at the antidote later that evening when there was a knock at Snape's office door. They exchanged brief glances.

"Stay here," he said to her. "Don't touch anything."

She made a face but sat on the stool at the workstation. He put a stasis spell on their work, then went to answer the door. Freddie listened intently, trying to see who was at the door without getting up.

"Thank you, Maxwell," she heard him say. "And congratulations on your victory."

"Thank you, sir. We're celebrating in the Common Room if you'd like to join us."

"Not tonight, Maxwell. I am working on something. Go, enjoy your night."

"Thank you sir."

Freddie heard the door close and she hopped up from the stool. She peeked out the door to see him putting a large silver trophy on his desk.

"The Quidditch Cup," Freddie observed.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put?" he said. "Back to work."

"Yes sir," she said, smirking slightly as he came back into the lab.

#

It was well after midnight when Freddie returned to the Common Room. She was a little disappointed they hadn't managed to produce an antidote yet. 'These things take time' Snape had said after their 7th antidote had failed to produce results. They'd had tea before he'd sent her to bed, which had helped eased the sting of failure even more.

There was confetti all over the floor as Freddie stepped into the Common Room. The whole place reeked of alcohol and there were a few students passed out around the room. Maxwell was passed out in front of the fireplace with a silver crown on his head, an empty bottle of Firewhiskey in his hand.

Freddie shook her head as she tip-toed through the carnage to her dormitory. Her roommates were all snoring, no doubt having taken part in the night's festivities before retiring. Freddie yawned as she pulled back the curtains around her bed – then yelped when she found someone lying in her bed. She whipped out her wand as the figure sat up.

"Whoa! It's just me, Freddie," said a sleepy voice.

"Amelia!" she said, lowering her wand. "Bloody hell. What are you doing, trying to get yourself killed?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't. Have you been drinking, Avery? Fall asleep in the wrong bed?"

"Uh, no. No ma'am, I don't drink. I mean, O'Neil tried to get me to but I didn't-"

"Amelia," she sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm tired. What do you want?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"I'm all ears."

Amelia looked towards the other beds.

"They're asleep," Freddie assured her. "What's up?"

"Well, I-I, uh, I thought you'd want to know that, uh, they've been talking about you."

"That's nothing new, Amelia, they've been doing that for the last six months now," she said with a sigh, pulling Hemlock from her pocket.

"No, this is different, Freddie. They...they're talking about you and Professor Snape," she whispered.

Freddie quirked an eyebrow at her and waited for her to continue.

"Well he sat with you at the match then you left together and Maxwell said that someone else said that they saw Snape kiss you under the bleachers."

Freddie looked at her, surprised, then started laughing.

"That's – ridiculous," she said, trying to fight back the laughter so she wouldn't wake her classmates. "Who said that?"

"An 'unnamed source' is what Maxwell said," Amelia said with a quick, nervous smile. "There's, uh, something else."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, uh, Maxwell said that when he took the trophy to Professor Snape's office there was a secret door open and your, uh, necktie was on the floor. And he said Snape looked flushed."

"Amelia," she said, shaking her head, still smiling. "You don't believe that do you?"

"N-no?" she said, but it was more like a question. "I mean, if you tell me it isn't true I'll believe you but if it is true, I mean, that doesn't bother me. I still stand by you. We're friends. It's kinda cool actually-"

"It's just gossip, Amelia," she said, shaking her head. "Don't believe everything you hear. Professor Snape and I were working on our potion. There was no kissing, no-"

"Hankypanky?"

"No. Definitely not," she said.

I wish, she thought, shaking her head.

"Go to bed, kid, and don't believe everything you hear."

"Yes ma'am, of course not," Amelia said, climbing out of her bed. "I just thought you'd wanna hear it from me, rather than...one of them."

"I appreciate that, Amelia. Let them talk," she said with a shrug. "It doesn't bother me."

"Okay. Goodnight, Freddie."

"Night, kid."

As Amelia left, Freddie rolled her wand between her thumb and forefinger thoughtfully. She aimed her wand discreetly. Legilimens, she thought, entering Amelia's mind discreetly.

It wasn't the first time she'd done it. She'd practiced on Amelia when she was learning the skill, sometimes with the girl's consent, sometimes without. She refiled through her mind, finding some of what she expected – Amelia's respect and growing fondness for her, bordering on what she might call a crush. Then there it was – the doubt about Freddie's relationship with Snape. Amelia wanted to believe her but she had doubts.

Freddie withdrew from her mind, shaking her head again. She didn't care about the gossip or even about her friend's doubts. Like Snape had said earlier – let them talk.