CHAPTER 7
********************************************** 'What happened to you at lunchtime?' Hermione's voice came from behind a huge pile of books. It was early evening, and Harry and Ron were playing wizard chess in the common room. Hermione dumped the books she was carrying onto the table, knocking over several of Ron's pieces, which picked themselves up and shook their fists angrily at her. Not that Ron noticed. He was too busy staring at Hermione. Harry grinned inwardly. Ron would never admit to feeling anything other than friendship towards Hermione, but it was obvious that he liked her...
'Hermione, we've been back in lessons for a day! Why do you need all those books?' Harry never ceased to be shocked by Hermione's enthusiasm for learning.
'Never mind that' she replied, picking up a copy of 'Muggle Fairy Tales And Their Origins' which she had dropped. 'What happened whan Snape dragged you off to Professor Moss's room?'
Hermione had dissaproved of Anastasia. She was sure that teachers should have an air of dignity and professionalism sbout them, and having pink hair did not fit into that image.
Ron let Harry explain that they had been let off with a warning-not mentioning that the warning had been 'Snape's a grumpy old git, don't get in his way'. Ron was sure that Hermione wouldn't approve of this, and, anyway, lately he'd discovered that he couldn't talk to Hermione without going bright red and stumbling over his words. He didn't understand it, after all, he'd known Hermione since the first year. Good old bossy boots Granger. He couldn't...fancy her, could he?
Snape was in his office, writing a short test for his second year Ravenclaw class. He wanted to know how much they had forgotten over the summer. He was interrupted by a knocking at the door.
'Severus? Severus, it's me, Ana. Please open the door. I think it's about time we talked about what happened. Please, Severus, let me in...'
He ignored the voice. He didn't want to listen to her explanation. He didn't want to relive the day when Severus Snape, aged seventeen, and already deeply unpopular, was made a laughing stock in front of the whole school by the the most beautiful girl in the school...
That night, Snape couldn't sleep. Anastasia had finally given up trying to talk to him and had gone away, leaving him to his thoughts...
It had happened in their last year. On their last day, to be exact. Severus the pupil was much the same as Severus the professor-quiet, lonely, unpopular, and bitter as a result. But Ana, it seemed to him, hadn't noticed that. She was nice to him. Unlike the rest of her friends-Potter and his gang. God, how he'd hated them. He hated them for being all the things he wasn't-funny, popular, attractive. Anastasia had been the most attractive of them all. And, for a while at least, she seemed to notice him. She would speak to him in the classes they had together, smile as if she was genuinely pleased to see him if they bumped into each other in the corridoors, and reprimand her friends if they ever made a hateful comment about him, even after he'd managed to change her hair colour from deep brown to dark pink. It had been in a sixth year potions class, and they had been working in pairs. Snape had long since resigned himself to the fact that nobody ever wanted to work with him and was preparing to work alone when Anastasia had approached him, and asked if she could work with him. He couldn't remember the rest of the lesson clearly-not even the effect the potion was supposed to have. All he could remember was that he had been so nervous that he had accidentally put in far too much powdered butterfly wing. When Anastasia had drunk the potion all her hair had fallen out, and immediately grown back a vivid pink colour. Severus had been mortified- surely she would hate him now? But no, she had just smiled, laughed it off and said she would keep it that colour.
Slowly, Snape had fallen in love.
He rolled over in his bed and put a thin pillow over his head, in a futile attempt to block out his thoughts. It didn't work, so he got out of bedand walked over to the mirror.
'Look at you' He whispered to his reflection. 'How could you have been so stupid? What would she have seen in someone as hidious as you?'
His reflection stared back impassively. True, the years had taken their toll. He looked tired and old beyond his years, his lank hair hanging about his face. Even so, he couldn't have looked much better back then.
The memories came drifting back...
He wasn't surprised when they'd noticed. After all, he did spend most of the classes they took together gazing in her direction, taking in every movement, every laugh, willing her to notice him...
Two days before the end of term he had been confronted by James and Sirius. They said, politely but firmly, that they had noticed him staring at Lily during class and would he please stop, as it was making Lily uncomfortable. He had looked at them, disbelievingly, then laughed. Why would he look at Lily Evans when Anastasia was right beside her? Stupidly (and he still hated himself for this) he had said this to James, knowing that he would take it as an insult to Lily and therefore to himself.
Two days later, on the last day of term, his last day at Hogwarts, Severus had received a note by owl. It said:
James told me that you liked me. Want to meet up and talk? I'll be at the lake at lunchtime.
A.M
Even now, looking back, Severus thought of the moment he read that note as one of the happiest of his life.
They'd met and talked. Well, Severus had talked. Anastasia had listened. He had told her how he felt, how he looked forward to their lessons together, and how he was dreading leaving because it meant he would never see her again. He told her that the thought he was falling in love with her.
During their talk Anastasia had smiled and blushed, but when he finished she just looked at her watch, said
'Oh no, have I been here for that long? I've got to go.' and gone.
For the rest of the day, Severus had walked around in a daze. He didn't for one moment think that his feelings would be reciprocated, but he had expected some reaction. He felt so stupid! But at least it was their final day. It didn't matter that he had poured his heart out, because they would all be gone tomorrow. There would be no time for the gossip of that greasy git Severus Snape having the nerve to say he was in love with Anastasia Moss to get around the school. Or so he thought...
********************************************** 'What happened to you at lunchtime?' Hermione's voice came from behind a huge pile of books. It was early evening, and Harry and Ron were playing wizard chess in the common room. Hermione dumped the books she was carrying onto the table, knocking over several of Ron's pieces, which picked themselves up and shook their fists angrily at her. Not that Ron noticed. He was too busy staring at Hermione. Harry grinned inwardly. Ron would never admit to feeling anything other than friendship towards Hermione, but it was obvious that he liked her...
'Hermione, we've been back in lessons for a day! Why do you need all those books?' Harry never ceased to be shocked by Hermione's enthusiasm for learning.
'Never mind that' she replied, picking up a copy of 'Muggle Fairy Tales And Their Origins' which she had dropped. 'What happened whan Snape dragged you off to Professor Moss's room?'
Hermione had dissaproved of Anastasia. She was sure that teachers should have an air of dignity and professionalism sbout them, and having pink hair did not fit into that image.
Ron let Harry explain that they had been let off with a warning-not mentioning that the warning had been 'Snape's a grumpy old git, don't get in his way'. Ron was sure that Hermione wouldn't approve of this, and, anyway, lately he'd discovered that he couldn't talk to Hermione without going bright red and stumbling over his words. He didn't understand it, after all, he'd known Hermione since the first year. Good old bossy boots Granger. He couldn't...fancy her, could he?
Snape was in his office, writing a short test for his second year Ravenclaw class. He wanted to know how much they had forgotten over the summer. He was interrupted by a knocking at the door.
'Severus? Severus, it's me, Ana. Please open the door. I think it's about time we talked about what happened. Please, Severus, let me in...'
He ignored the voice. He didn't want to listen to her explanation. He didn't want to relive the day when Severus Snape, aged seventeen, and already deeply unpopular, was made a laughing stock in front of the whole school by the the most beautiful girl in the school...
That night, Snape couldn't sleep. Anastasia had finally given up trying to talk to him and had gone away, leaving him to his thoughts...
It had happened in their last year. On their last day, to be exact. Severus the pupil was much the same as Severus the professor-quiet, lonely, unpopular, and bitter as a result. But Ana, it seemed to him, hadn't noticed that. She was nice to him. Unlike the rest of her friends-Potter and his gang. God, how he'd hated them. He hated them for being all the things he wasn't-funny, popular, attractive. Anastasia had been the most attractive of them all. And, for a while at least, she seemed to notice him. She would speak to him in the classes they had together, smile as if she was genuinely pleased to see him if they bumped into each other in the corridoors, and reprimand her friends if they ever made a hateful comment about him, even after he'd managed to change her hair colour from deep brown to dark pink. It had been in a sixth year potions class, and they had been working in pairs. Snape had long since resigned himself to the fact that nobody ever wanted to work with him and was preparing to work alone when Anastasia had approached him, and asked if she could work with him. He couldn't remember the rest of the lesson clearly-not even the effect the potion was supposed to have. All he could remember was that he had been so nervous that he had accidentally put in far too much powdered butterfly wing. When Anastasia had drunk the potion all her hair had fallen out, and immediately grown back a vivid pink colour. Severus had been mortified- surely she would hate him now? But no, she had just smiled, laughed it off and said she would keep it that colour.
Slowly, Snape had fallen in love.
He rolled over in his bed and put a thin pillow over his head, in a futile attempt to block out his thoughts. It didn't work, so he got out of bedand walked over to the mirror.
'Look at you' He whispered to his reflection. 'How could you have been so stupid? What would she have seen in someone as hidious as you?'
His reflection stared back impassively. True, the years had taken their toll. He looked tired and old beyond his years, his lank hair hanging about his face. Even so, he couldn't have looked much better back then.
The memories came drifting back...
He wasn't surprised when they'd noticed. After all, he did spend most of the classes they took together gazing in her direction, taking in every movement, every laugh, willing her to notice him...
Two days before the end of term he had been confronted by James and Sirius. They said, politely but firmly, that they had noticed him staring at Lily during class and would he please stop, as it was making Lily uncomfortable. He had looked at them, disbelievingly, then laughed. Why would he look at Lily Evans when Anastasia was right beside her? Stupidly (and he still hated himself for this) he had said this to James, knowing that he would take it as an insult to Lily and therefore to himself.
Two days later, on the last day of term, his last day at Hogwarts, Severus had received a note by owl. It said:
James told me that you liked me. Want to meet up and talk? I'll be at the lake at lunchtime.
A.M
Even now, looking back, Severus thought of the moment he read that note as one of the happiest of his life.
They'd met and talked. Well, Severus had talked. Anastasia had listened. He had told her how he felt, how he looked forward to their lessons together, and how he was dreading leaving because it meant he would never see her again. He told her that the thought he was falling in love with her.
During their talk Anastasia had smiled and blushed, but when he finished she just looked at her watch, said
'Oh no, have I been here for that long? I've got to go.' and gone.
For the rest of the day, Severus had walked around in a daze. He didn't for one moment think that his feelings would be reciprocated, but he had expected some reaction. He felt so stupid! But at least it was their final day. It didn't matter that he had poured his heart out, because they would all be gone tomorrow. There would be no time for the gossip of that greasy git Severus Snape having the nerve to say he was in love with Anastasia Moss to get around the school. Or so he thought...
