The next morning at breakfast, Ginny couldn't stop herself from watching Snape from her seat at the Gryffindor table. She felt genuinely afraid of what would happen to her. She had *yelled* at him. She was sure to be suspended. Her parents would be furious. But all the while, part of Ginny's brain was still angry. He had been rude to her after she had shown actual concern for him! Concern he did not deserve after being such a...a...she didn't even KNOW what to call him.
She felt sick to her stomach knowing that Potions was her first class of the day on Fridays. He breakfast was untouched, the knowledge of her impending doom too much to allow her an appetite. And when Dumbledore dismissed them all from breakfast, Ginny considered running as fast and as far as her legs could take her.
~*~
However, in class, Snape went about business as usual. Ginny felt apprehension gnawing at her insides. It just wasn't natural for him to react this way. He should be glaring and threatening, not continuing with the day before's lesson as if she hadn't shown disrespect by hollering at him the night before.
"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead." Ginny found herself repeating silently to herself through the entire class, until an idea popped into her head.
As soon as class ended, Ginny went to Snape's desk, where he was grading essays from the homework.
"Uh...Professor?" She began nervously, "Could I speak with you for a moment?"
"What is it, Weasley?"
He hadn't even looked up. Ginny took in a breath and spoke, "About last night, Professor, I should not have raised my voice that way, and I just want you to know that I know that."
"Good. Goodbye, Weasley."
Ginny stood perfectly still, then, "That's it?"
Snape looked up, irritated, "Yes, that's it. I accept your apology and will see you in class on Monday."
The red-haired seventh year put her hands obstinately on her hips, "It was NOT an apology! It was an admission of WRONGNESS! I have no reason to apologize, sir, you were in the wrong."
"And how is that?" He demanded, tossing down his quill.
"I was showing concern and being a kind student and you reacted like...like a rude child!" She answered, her voice raising slightly with each word.
"You have no respect ofr authority whatsoever, do you, Weasley?" He stood, towering over her. Ginny met his gaze, squaring her shoulders so that she seemed as tall as he.
"I have plenty of respect. Do you?" She shook her head, "What was so hard about saying, 'Thank you, Virginia, but I am fine.'? But, no. Instead YOU had to react with a biting comment AS usual. You use intimidation to make people feel smaller and when they try to treat you like a person and not someone to be feared, you react horribly."
"You have no idea what you're talking about. I would suggest you leave my classroom before I see Dumbledore about your insolence."
Ginny stood firm for another moment then hissed, "Fine."
She grabbed her things and marched off. But that sense of compassion that had plagued her the night before caught up with her and she paused, "Professor, I know I'm a student. I know you are my teacher. But everyone has bad days. You're allowed to let someone care, you know."
And she was gone, once again.
She felt sick to her stomach knowing that Potions was her first class of the day on Fridays. He breakfast was untouched, the knowledge of her impending doom too much to allow her an appetite. And when Dumbledore dismissed them all from breakfast, Ginny considered running as fast and as far as her legs could take her.
~*~
However, in class, Snape went about business as usual. Ginny felt apprehension gnawing at her insides. It just wasn't natural for him to react this way. He should be glaring and threatening, not continuing with the day before's lesson as if she hadn't shown disrespect by hollering at him the night before.
"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead." Ginny found herself repeating silently to herself through the entire class, until an idea popped into her head.
As soon as class ended, Ginny went to Snape's desk, where he was grading essays from the homework.
"Uh...Professor?" She began nervously, "Could I speak with you for a moment?"
"What is it, Weasley?"
He hadn't even looked up. Ginny took in a breath and spoke, "About last night, Professor, I should not have raised my voice that way, and I just want you to know that I know that."
"Good. Goodbye, Weasley."
Ginny stood perfectly still, then, "That's it?"
Snape looked up, irritated, "Yes, that's it. I accept your apology and will see you in class on Monday."
The red-haired seventh year put her hands obstinately on her hips, "It was NOT an apology! It was an admission of WRONGNESS! I have no reason to apologize, sir, you were in the wrong."
"And how is that?" He demanded, tossing down his quill.
"I was showing concern and being a kind student and you reacted like...like a rude child!" She answered, her voice raising slightly with each word.
"You have no respect ofr authority whatsoever, do you, Weasley?" He stood, towering over her. Ginny met his gaze, squaring her shoulders so that she seemed as tall as he.
"I have plenty of respect. Do you?" She shook her head, "What was so hard about saying, 'Thank you, Virginia, but I am fine.'? But, no. Instead YOU had to react with a biting comment AS usual. You use intimidation to make people feel smaller and when they try to treat you like a person and not someone to be feared, you react horribly."
"You have no idea what you're talking about. I would suggest you leave my classroom before I see Dumbledore about your insolence."
Ginny stood firm for another moment then hissed, "Fine."
She grabbed her things and marched off. But that sense of compassion that had plagued her the night before caught up with her and she paused, "Professor, I know I'm a student. I know you are my teacher. But everyone has bad days. You're allowed to let someone care, you know."
And she was gone, once again.