Chapter 5:

Honor got up and started to leave, but when she was almost through the door Severus stood up and ran towards her. He stopped in front of her, Honor looked confused; he hardly knew what he was doing, the tears were blinding him.

"Please, don't leave yet." He whispered.

"This is not the same man I met a few days ago, is it? This can't be Severus Snape, can it? Severus Snape would never cry, would he?"

"This is the same man you met. I am Severus Snape. Everyone cries, even the ones you least expect. Can't we just talk?"

"Yes Severus we can talk." She led him to the desks and they sat down "What do want to talk about?"

"I don't know, how did your class with Slytherin go?"

"That was a brilliant lesson!" Severus looked shocked "OK at first I told them that you had said they would be well behaved, yes I know that you didn't say that but it worked. They were ever so polite and surprisingly calm. Slytherin has changed so much since I came here." Severus smiled.

"Yes, it has greatly improved since I took over the house."

"You can be incredibly full of yourself at times, but I have to admit, you seem to have quite an effect on them. When I was here it was so much worse, almost funny at times."

"What house were you in? Gryffindor I suppose."

"No, I was a Slytherin actually." Honor smiled and Severus looked taken aback.

"Well, that was unexpected. You don't look the type."

"That, Severus, is exactly what my mother said in her first letter. She always thought I would be a Gryffindor, or at least a Ravenclaw. She thought I was too gentle and kind. She never did get those letters from the school saying about my behaviour." She mischievously grinned at him.

"My goodness you always seemed such a perfect Gryffindor!"

"Well Severus I was actually a perfect Slytherin, I was quite cunning back then. I used it to cover up my pain and acted it out with childish pranks and boyish fights with girls from the other houses." She shook her head and laughed quietly "Albus' office became quite a home."

"You still don't look the sort. What other things did you do to cover the pain?"

"Do you really want to know?" her face turned serious.

"Yes." She slowly pulled up the sleeves of her robe. It revealed long old scars across her wrists, and up her arms, but two of them fairly recent shocked Severus. "So you have started again?"

"It all came back to me. I only stopped before because I was found almost dead, that landed me in the hospital wing for two weeks."

"Why did you do it?"

"It gave me something different to focus on, the pain came out as did the blood, a crimson stream of grief." She continued in a trance like state "A collection of fear and angst pouring down ice white skin, leaving its red wine trail. Dripping onto an oaken floor it will drift away. The blood stained knife smiles in the candle light, taunting its user and laughing at their actions. A deep red route, mapped out on an arm, coursing its own way, the path of escape. The sigh of ecstasy passes hurt lips into the cold night air." Honor stopped and stared unblinkingly at the dungeon wall, with her eyes wide.

"Are you feeling alright? Honor?" Severus waved his hand in front of her face but the stare did not break, he shook her shoulders but to no avail. "Honor, I'm going to get Madame Pomfrey." He got up and walked to the fireplace, a knock at the door made him pause. The door opened and Albus walked in.

"Good evening Severus, nice to see that you two are getting along."

"Thank Merlin it's you Albus! I need help, she needs help." Severus was frustrated and scared.

"That's what I'm here for."

"I don't know what has happened! We were talking and suddenly she went all blank!" Albus walked over and looked at her.

"Oh dear, she's started again. Get me something strong smelling. Quickly Severus otherwise she'll stay like this for weeks!" he dashed into the storeroom and produced a small bottle of blue liquid; handing it to Dumbledore he unscrewed it and held the bottle directly under her nose. She jerked back and then relaxed when she saw the familiar faces.

"Sorry about that." She looked slightly dazed and perplexed.

"What in Merlin's name was that?!" Severus said trying to be calm but altogether just looking plain confused.

"A trance, it's one of the many things that happen when I think about it." She still appeared somewhat unfocused.

"I can remember a lot of that, every time you were going to have to come into my office I kept something strong smelling on hand! Well I'll let you two finish your discussion and I will talk to you later Severus."





Disclaimer: only Honor Blissett belongs to me! There are many many things I would do to Severus if I had the chance!!!!!

A/N: I am so tired! I like surprises, don't you????