The Infirmary...Again
Well, well. You must like where this story is going, otherwise you wouldn't have made it this far. I'm trying to drag this story out....make the chapters smaller...you know, because I don't want to give it up yet! Ahhhh! You can't make me end it so soon! Anyway...here you go....next chapter.
I woke up in the infirmary. Damn it. I must have passed out again. I couldn't remember anything except...Harry!
I struggled to sit up, but I was restrained...by Hagrid.
"Now hold on there," he said. "Yer not going anywhere yet."
The nurse came in. "Just lay back, dear. Dumbledore wants to speak with you before he lets you go for the night."
Okay. This is not a problem. I just spoke after weeks of pretending not to be able to. Obviously he's going to be angry. I practiced what I was going to say to him....when I realized I wouldn't be able to say anything to him. My throat felt constricted again, and this time there was no pressure to speak. No one was dying...
I looked at Hagrid, and tugged on his sleeve. He knew what I wanted. "Harry and them are going to be just fine. Hermione just hit her head on the floor a bit, but nothing Madame Pomfrey can't take care of."
I nodded, and looked down at my hands in my lap. Hagrid was going to say something else, but then Dumbledore walked into the room.
"Would you excuse us, Hagrid?" he asked softly. It was the voice that let you know something bad had happened.
I looked at Dumbledore with questioning eyes. He began, "Sarah, I do not expect you to speak again for awhile. I quite understand if you go back to being silent. The pressure of having to talk to quickly and so soon must have been tremendous."
I nodded.
"Well, now I must talk to you about a more serious matter," Dumbledore said, sitting in a chair next to Sarah. He folded his hands in his lap. "I went to get a few of your things, because I thought you might be staying in the Infirmary for awhile. But when I went to the Slytherin house, I was told that you had not been sleeping there for quite some time, and that indeed, you had packed up and moved out."
He must have noticed my look of horror. It was the look of someone that was caught. I knew this was bad. It was bad for Professor Snape, and it was bad for me. I hope he wasn't going to kick me out....
"I believe you know what the serious matter is," Dumbledore continued. "You realize that I cannot allow you to continue...err...to continue to share a room with Severus."
I can't go back to the Slytherin house. They hated me there. I would be dead by morning.
I shook my head anyway. Much to my dismay, my eyes started to fill with tears.
Dumbledore patted my hand. "Good," he said. "You may go back to your dormitory tonight."
Goody.
*******************
Well, a couple of hours later I was sitting in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin common room. I was just sitting. I was afraid to go to sleep.
Alright, I know that sounds ridiculous, but I was! I didn't know what they would do to me, and besides, all of my belongings were still in Snape's classroom.
Suddenly, I got up. I had just realized that...I didn't care. I mean, yes, in a way I did care if I got kicked out or not, but...I couldn't stay here. Not in the Slytherin house. Not with them.
I left.
And I headed for the dungeons.
The door to Snape's classroom was easily unlocked. However, the door to his chambers proved more of a trial. I had seen him and heard him undo the locks many times, but it was harder when I had to do it myself.
Why was I doing this? I was crazy. I must be. Snape would...he would...well, he would hate me. And probably expel me. But I was going to do it anyway.
The door unlocked. I walked in and closed it gently behind me. I heard the shower running. It felt like I was home.
That can be a dangerously powerful feeling.
I sat on the edge of his bed, facing the bathroom door...and I waited. After awhile, I heard the water stop. Then I heard the faucet turn on. Then I heard a drawer open.
His footsteps were approaching the door. The knob turned.
I wanted to run, but I felt frozen.
The door opened, and I saw his face. There was no look of surprise on his face. He simply said, "Thank God. I thought I'd have to come and get you."
In that instant I was up and across the room, and the next thing I knew..his lips were on mine, and I was in heaven.
It was the happiest moment in my life...that I could remember. I loved the feel of his arms around me. The taste of his lips was on mine when we pulled away. I was smiling.
He looked shocked, yet quite pleased. I was glad. I didn't want him to regret it.
Suddenly, there were flashes of light...brilliant colors, and I was somewhere else completely.
I was riding in a car. Two people were in the front seat. A woman and a man. A little boy was sitting next to me.
Flash!
I was screaming. The truck was coming closer.
Flash!
I was on the side of the road. Reaching out to the heap of metal. Like in my dream.
Flash!
I was back in Snape's room. My face was wet with tears. He was looking at me with concern in his eyes. Well, no wonder. He probably hadn't expected that reaction after our first kiss.
I let out a sound that was between a laugh and a gasp. I looked up at him.
"My name is Sarah Parks."