6 – Affairs of the Heart

When Draco came around he was still lying on the floor of Snape's office. It took him a minute or so to remember why he was there, and then it hit him.

'No… no… you're wrong!' Draco stuttered, looking at Snape, who had been standing by him. 'You're not my father! My father's at home… so is my mother… you've got it wrong!' Draco cried before running from the office.

Snape sat at his desk and put his head in his hands. Almost immediately, there was a knock on the door. Before Snape could do or say anything, Dumbledore entered the room.

'That didn't go well then?'

Snape didn't say anything, but just sobbed into his hands.

'He needs time, Severus.' Dumbledore said.

'He hates me! Lucius was right, I should never have told him!'

'Lucius was wrong, he needed to know. I didn't say, however, that Mr. Mal… Draco would immediately disown Lucius and love you.'

Snape was beyond talking. He was slumped over his desk, crying into his arms. Dumbledore hadn't realised how much Draco meant to Severus. To see him like this… well, Severus was always the cold, emotionless one. He must really love Draco in order for this to happen to him.

'Um… have you spoken to Heidi yet?' Dumbledore asked.

'No. She probably hates me as well…'

'No one said that Draco hates you.' Dumbledore reasoned. 'I suggest you go to your quarters, calm down, get something to eat and then have a good rest. It's Saturday tomorrow – no lessons. Find Heidi, talk to her.'

***

Heidi and Ginny were sitting in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, playing Wizard Chess when Harry, Ron and Hermione came in through the portrait hole.

'Heidi.' Harry said, going over.

'Wait a second Harry, I'm concentrating.'

'Snape wants to see you in his office, now.' Harry continued, not waiting.

'What? What have I done now?' Heidi said disbelievingly. 'I've been in here all morning!'

'He looked really ill.' Ron added, as if this would explain everything.

'Thanks for that observation, Ron.' Heidi said. 'But it doesn't help much.'

'He just may be in a particularly foul mood if he's coming down with something.' Ron said, explaining his other comment.

'I can't imagine illness being a problem to Snape… I mean, if anyone can create antidotes to illnesses, it would be him.' Hermione pointed out. Ron shrugged.

'You'd better go.' Harry said. Heidi nodded and left Ginny playing the remainder of their game with Ron.

***

Heidi felt very nervous as she knocked on Snape's office door.

'Enter.' She heard Snape say.

'Ron's right.' Heidi thought as she entered the room. 'He does look ill…'

'Sit down.' Snape said, beckoning to the other seat on the other side of his desk.

Heidi looked at the chair as if it would attack her, before tentatively sitting down. Snape got up and moved around his desk, leaning against it.

'I have not asked you down here for school reasons.' He said. 'I owe you an apology. Ever since you came here I have been absolutely awful to you. A lot of things have happened recently that have made me realise how important family is. You mean the world to me, Heidi. You're my daughter, and I love you.'

Heidi was amazed; she had never expected this to happen.

'Can you forgive me?' Snape begged.

Heidi didn't say anything, she just through her arms around her father. She felt his arms close around her, and felt him kiss the top of her head.

'You realise I can't give you preferential treatment in class?'

Heidi nodded.

'I promise I won't pick on you anymore though…'

A thought suddenly struck Heidi – she was probably the only pupil in the whole school who had seen Snape smile…

***

Heidi had told Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny what had happened, and they were all absolutely amazed as well. They were on their way to dinner later that day, when they bumped into Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

'He looks ill as well.' Ron whispered to Harry. 'It must be a Slytherin disease…'

'What were you saying about Slytherins being diseased, Weasley?' Draco asked, still acting his normal self.

'I didn't say you were diseased.' Ron said quickly.

'I clearly heard the words 'Slytherin' and 'disease'. I think you'll find it's you lot that are diseased. Why, you're family have obviously got some allergic reaction to money, Weasley. None of you can ever get near it.'

'Now you take that back!' Harry said, enraged.

'Why should I Potter? You must have something wrong with you as well, you're parents obviously couldn't be bothered to keep you…' Draco trailed off after saying that. Harry's parents weren't the only ones who couldn't be bothered to keep their son…

'How dare you!' Heidi joined in the argument. 'It wasn't Harry's fault.'

Unfortunately, none of them noticed Professor Snape appear down another corridor. He stopped to hear what was going on.

'It's only you because you come from a strong family…' Heidi continued. 'You've got a mother and father who are rich and happy! If you had problems in your family you wouldn't be saying those things.'

'You don't know anything about my family… there are things about my parents that none of you have any idea about!'

Snape had heard enough. He cleared his throat and appeared out of the other corridor.

'I hope we're not arguing?' Snape asked, his eyes penetrating Heidi and Draco in turn.

'Professor!' Heidi began. 'Malfoy was being horrid about Ron and Harry's families.'

Surprisingly, Malfoy didn't say anything. His eyes were on the ground, as if he'd rather not look at Snape.

'I will not deduct any points…' Snape began. Ron looked as if he was about to faint. 'But if I hear of you lot arguing again, there will be detentions for the lot of you. Do you understand?'

'Yes Professor.' They all said apart from Draco, who kept silent.

'Mr. Malfoy! Are you listening to me?'

'Yes.'

'Yes what?'

'Yes Professor.'

'That's better. Now, behave! The lot of you!' Snape said, before walking off again.

Draco silently left the Gryffindors with Crabbe and Goyle. 'How odd was that?' Ron said, still looking shocked. 'He doesn't take any points from Gryffindor, he blames Malfoy as well, and then Malfoy deliberately disobeyed Snape. I thought Malfoy lived to idolise Snape.'

'I wonder what he meant about the things we don't know about his parents?' Harry said.

'Yeah… everyone in the wizarding world knows about Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy!'

***

Snape closed and locked the door to his quarters. He leant against the wall, breathing heavily. His life was falling apart – his two children hated each other, his son absolutely hated him, despite what Dumbledore said, and was deliberately disobeying him.

He was losing it, he knew it. He couldn't cope anymore. He looked around the room desperately, and spotted something on one of the shelves. He stumbled over and grabbed the jar. He'd ordered this and it had arrived this morning, he'd kept it in here, waiting to move it to his ingredient store in his office.

He clumsily opened the jar and pulled out one of the Basilisk fangs. They were still fresh, still poison-tipped. He put it on the desk and pulled up his robe sleeve. He picked up the fang again and stabbed himself with it, right into his arm.

The world was beginning to spin; everything was going out of focus. His body was on fire. 'This is it…' he thought. 'This is the end of all my troubles.'

And with that, he fell into unconsciousness.