The Silver Snake
By Belldandy

A/N: I really like this story so far. I don't usually write Snape romances (unless it's between him and McGonagall); I leave that to my friend Jess. I wasn't exactly going to do that at first, but it seemed to fall into place that way. Oh.. and by the way, I'm kind of running out of ideas here. I know how it's gonna end, but I might need some help in between.. This is something I'm going to force myself to finish -- and I'd like it to come out all right. I know, I know -- "She's gonna FINISH it?!" n_n;; I really want to, though! I can never seem to finish stuff, ya know? Well, if you've got any suggestions for the story, you could always REVIEW... ::looks at everyone hopefully::

Part Four

Hogwarts; the Yule Ball

Star sat at a table, looking out at the happily dancing champions. With a wide grin, she wondered how it was that Colin Creevey ever got to be Hogwarts champion. Indeed, he seeemed to wonder, too; he still had a slightly unbelieving expression on his face as he and Ginny Weasley danced across the floor. Star looked over at Snape who was on the other end of the table, a sour look on his face. He glared around at the happily dancing students, and got up to go seperate two students who were dancing inappropriately close. She got up, and walked after him.

As Snape turned around, he found her standing there, her hair in an elegant ponytail that was pulled back by a white carnation and sporting pretty, white dress robes. "Severus, dance with me." She said.

"Why don't you ask nicely?" He asked, his mouth twitching.

She sighed. "Because you'd just say no." She gave him a knowing smile, which he did not return. "Oh, come on -- lighten up! Why can't you just have some fun?"

"I don't dance," He said.

She sighed again. "You're going to dance with me!" She took his arm and pulled him onto the middle of the floor. She had a fleeting suspicion that the only reason he wasn't struggling very much was because Dumbledore was watching. She grabbed his hand, placed it on her waist (a muscle in his forehead started to twitch), and seized the other hand. She reached up to place her remaining hand on his shoulder, and started dancing. After noticing that he looked even unhappier and that he wouldn't look her in the eye, she spoke. "You do dance." He looked at her, but didn't reply. "You dance very well."

Kids were gawking at them, pointing and whispering excitedly. Star was sure that they had never seen Snape dance, nor had they seen anyone make Snape dance with them. She had to admit... she had never seen either of those things happen, either.

"Why are you doing this, Star?" He asked coldly.

She gave him a pained look. "Severus, I don't want us to be so... angry. We've held this grudge forever. I know what I did was stupid and I'm sorry."

"How can I be sure?" He asked. "How do I know you're not lying?" He stared hard at her, as if trying to figure her out like some complicated math problem.

"You can't," She said. "You just have to trust me."

"Trust you? And why should I trust you?" His eyes grew colder, and he released her, stepping away. "You... you were the last thing I had, Morgan. The very last reason to keep living, and you just turned on me. You walked away like my... feelings ... for you didn't matter at all. Why should I trust you again? So you can take my heart in your hands, and crush it all over again? I think not, Morgan." He glared at her, as if keeping something from her.

But he was telling her a lot more than he seemed. It was like a miracle; he had admitted that he once loved her and that he didn't want to be hurt again. She looked down. "I'm sorry, Severus. I guess asking you to just trust me and forgive me is a little too much to ask, even when I was only a child when that happened. It's been sixteen years since then, but you can't even forgive what my childish heart did. I've changed, Severus. I've grown up," She said, looking back up at him.

He didn't look like he believed her. "You haven't. You are still as childish, foolish, and selfish as you were then. You haven't!" He glared at her again, but stood his ground, as she knew she couldn't much longer do.

"Fine." Star felt wet tears behind her eyes, threatening to let go and cascade down her cheeks. She blinked them back, and said, "Then I guess I should just... go." She turned and left, leaving people (including Snape) staring and muttering after her.

She walked into a corridor, and leaned back against the wall, letting herself cry silently. Snape's words rang in her ears -- "You haven't!" -- as she wiped away the water sliding down her face. "It's all my fault," She choked quietly. A fresh huddle of tears began to pour.

"Tears ruin your lovely face, dear!" Said a voice. She looked up. A plump woman with gray hair and a big green dress smiled warmly from a picture frame from across the corridor. "Now come tell Tessie why you're crying, won't you?"

Star shook her head. "N-no. I'd rather not," She murmured, wiping her eyes quickly. She got up quickly and walked down the hall to her office, hearing the painting mutter, "I try to be nice, and this is what I get..." Star fumbled with her necklace for a moment, and then held it up after stopping around the corner, gazing into the swirling depths of the orb.