A Dangerous Love By: QuillHolder

Disclaimer: No, unfortunately I DO NOT own JK Rowling's characters. Sophie and her family are my characters, created by ME based on the world of Harry Potter, created by JKR.

Let me say that I am VERY, VERY SORRY for the big gap in my updates. I had other problems and distractions, but I'm back!!!

Yes, I do agree that Firenze was quite out of the character Rowling portrayed him as in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. This is six years later and Firenze will play quite a part in this story, if only a small one. So that there is no more confusion, let me explain how Firenze has changed. In Rowling's first installment of the HP books she made him a little bit of a rouge by having him warn Harry, even if it was in a mystical round about way. No other centaur would dare do such. Over the years Firenze changed into quite a rouge, even to the point of being exiled. He no longer holds to traditional centaur beliefs and speaks freely to humans in special situations, such as to Tom Riddle's daughter. I'm giving a bit away about him coming in later, a juicy tidbit if I might say.

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Chapter Eleven: Italian Insults

"You two have not been properly introduced. Severus, this is my niece Sophia. Sophia this is the potions master Professor Snape." Sophie managed a brave little smile and shook his hand. "You two have met."

"We have?" Sophie asked looking a bit puzzled

"Snape helped your mother escape to the States. He is your godfather." Sophie looked up at this man curiously. He seemed mean and foreboding but she saw the flicker behind those dark eyes.

"I was there when you were born." He said softly. "I chose your middle name, Dianne, after my own mother. I had only left a day before The Dark Lord found your mother."

She surprised them both. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He awkwardly patted her back. "It wasn't your fault." She whispered. "He would have only killed you too."

"I could have done something!" he softly insisted.

"Perhaps, but I am thankful for all you did. Dianne is a lovely name. My mother meant a lot to you didn't she?" she asked pulling back and looking at him. He nodded slightly. "Please don't blame yourself. There was nothing anyone could have done." She let him go and stepped back. "Please excuse me, gentlemen, but I have to get back up the tower for my books."

She met Harry when she stepped into the hallway. He was trying to figure out the password to the goblin.

"Harry! What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." He said. He handed her books over. "You left these, and in a hurry. Why did you run off like that?"

"Um.." she faltered for a response. "Just never mind it." Snape stepped out after her. She smiled at him but he kept his formidable appearance.

"Mr. Potter, shouldn't you be somewhere?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, maybe." Harry answered.

"Off you go then." He said. He gave a brief nod to Sophie and walked on. Harry looked at Sophie like she was crazy and led the way to the Hall. Ron and Hermione were already there and deep in conversation. Ron looked up and asked "Did you tell Dum.." But Harry cut him off with a sharp shake of his head.

Lunch was uninterrupted and with much groaning from Ron and Harry, they made their was to the dungeons. All the Slytherin's were in the dungeon already and most of the Gryffindors. Malfoy was in his usual desk in front of Snape's desk. Sophie planned to follow Harry to the back and sit with him but Snape stopped her.

"Miss Dumbledore, please sit here in front of me." She looked pleadingly up at her godfather but he was looking back down at the parchment on his desk. She gave a sorrowful look at Harry and sat beside Draco, who leered at Harry.

"Hello Sophie." He said.

"Draco." She acknowledged with a small nod of her head. Snape began class and she ignored Draco for the most part. While they were copying down notes, Malfoy slipped his hand under the table and placed it on her knee. She shrieked, jumped up from her seat and dropped a book on his head. He yelped in pain. And she yelled at him.

"Miss Dumbledore! What is the meaning of this?" Snape asked, but Sophie wasn't through with Malfoy yet.

"Why you, you.horrible asino di un ragazzo!" she railed at him.

"Sophia!!" Snape yelled, obviously understanding her Italian insult. "What is the meaning of this?"

"He.that vile thing put his hand on my leg! He had no right to do so." Sophie said evenly, without raising her voice, though she shook with repressed rage.

"She's lying!" Malfoy insisted, yelling. "She's just..."

"ENOUGH!" Snape bellowed. "Sophia, I want to talk to you after class. Mr. Malfoy, detention for you and if I catch you violating anyone else, I shall have you thrown out of this school!"

The bell rang as if to underline Snape's declaration and the rest of the class filed out. Sophie walked up stand in front of his desk.

"I take it you speak Italian?" she asked softly.

"Yes and it was very wrong of you hit Malfoy. Not to mention calling him a horrible ass of a boy, even if he cant understand. Now I understand the stress you've been through today. I wont punish you this time, as it was not entirely your fault. Go on now. Everyone has gone."

"Thank you." She said and walked back to her desk for her books. She stopped by his desk again on the way out. "Professor?"

"Yes?" he asked looking up. "May I sit somewhere else next class?"

"Yes you may. Oh and, Sophie?" he added as she started for the door.

"Yes?" "I am the only teacher who speaks Italian." He said with a hint of a smile

She smiled and hurried out of the classroom. Harry was waiting on her.

"What did he give you, double detention?"

"Nothing."

"He didn't punish you at all?"

"No."

"I've never seen him punish one of his own and let a Gryffindor off!"

"One of his own?"

"He is the head of the Slytherin house."

"Oh."

"Why didn't he punish you?" he asked.

"It was Malfoy's fault."

"No really."

"I mean really, Snape said so himself."

"What did you call Malfoy?"

Sophie giggled. "A horrible ass of a boy in Italian! But Snape understood what I said. He speaks Italian."

Harry let her walk the rest of the way in silence. They reached the table and Ron and Hermione wanted details. Harry told them what Sophie had told him.

"I'm surprised that ugly old git didn't try to get you expelled." Ron said. Sophie dropped her fork with a little clatter. She turned to Ron and froze him with eyes of blue ice.

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TBC, of course

A/N: Read and Review please!