On Monday in Potions right after lunch, Ginny was once again astonished at Snape's complete an total selective memory. It was if their argument on Friday had never occurred. She was shocked that she hadn't gotten a hundred points taken from Gryffindor as a result of her 'insolence'.
Outwardly, she did the same and pretended to have forgotten Friday. but inside, Ginny was so conflicted she could hardly concentrate. She was worried that Snape's silence was deadly and that she would be punished heavily in the long run. At the same time, she still felt bad for the man, not the professor, who was so tortured by what the Murmurer had said. She sleep-walked her way through the lab that day, and was surprised that the class ended so quickly.
Ginny was gathering her things when she heard a cool voice say, "Miss Weasley, may I have a moment?"
"Yes?" She asked as he rounded his desk, standing a few feet from where she stood, bag slung over her shoulder.
With a long-suffering sigh, Snape spoke, "I must apologize for being so cold about your apology last night."
Ginny was shocked at first. he was *apologizing*? But then, she realized what he had said, "It wasn't an apology." She insisted.
"Do you let ANYTHING go, child?" He demanded, his voice full of frustration. He had never dealt with a student so intent on having her way, "FINE! I accept your admission of wrongness."
"Oh." Ginny faked a swoon, "Well now that you have accepted, I can go on living my life. Thank you, Professor." The last word dripped acid, and she went to leave.
"Just who do you think you are?" He demanded, causing her to turn again.
"I'm just someone who's a little tired of the way you treat people. If saying so means I get in trouble, then so be it."
"Insolent girl. You have no idea--"
"Just save it, Professor." Ginny interrupted, "The other day, I saw you. The person, not the professor. I'm sorry if I can't help feeling sorry for that sad, broken person."
Severus fell silent. He was shocked at her words, once again. He had never had a student say anything so sincere to him, let alone that they cared. He was used to dealing with his sadness alone, unaccustomed to others actually volunteering a heart to heart, "You are a fool to care about me."
Ginny snorted indelicately, "So what? You're a fool for cutting yourself off from real emotion."
"I'm not cut off from anything, Miss Weasley."
"But you are." She said, softening slightly, "And I truly feel sorry for you, Professor."
~*~
After she had gone, Severus sat alone at his desk. She was so foolish, but so wise for her years. She somehow knew how he was hurting and she knew how he operated. Ginny Weasley had taken less than ten minutes to call him on his intimidation techniques, so refined after do many years, and had managed to cut him down with a single phrase. She reminded him of himself when he was young, before things went horribly wrong with his family and his life.
But she was wrong to want to care whether he lived or died or fell apart. She was supposed to hate him just like the rest of her house and the other two houses. Hell, even Slytherins disliked an feared him. He was dark and miserable and he intended to stay that way.
~*~
Ginny kicked her trunk, hard. She let out a cry of frustration as she paced the empty dormitory.
"He says I don't know what I'm talking about. Well, he's the one who doesn't KNOW. I know what it's like to feel alone and desperate and...And he should be thanking me for giving a damn after the way he's been acting to me. It's all about him, isn't it. He's all tortured and miserable. He's alone in his stupid dungeon. What about ME in the dorm in the middle of the day pacing like a fool, because HE can't act like a normal PERSON."
She stopped, falling backwards onto her bed. "I hate him so much right now."
Outwardly, she did the same and pretended to have forgotten Friday. but inside, Ginny was so conflicted she could hardly concentrate. She was worried that Snape's silence was deadly and that she would be punished heavily in the long run. At the same time, she still felt bad for the man, not the professor, who was so tortured by what the Murmurer had said. She sleep-walked her way through the lab that day, and was surprised that the class ended so quickly.
Ginny was gathering her things when she heard a cool voice say, "Miss Weasley, may I have a moment?"
"Yes?" She asked as he rounded his desk, standing a few feet from where she stood, bag slung over her shoulder.
With a long-suffering sigh, Snape spoke, "I must apologize for being so cold about your apology last night."
Ginny was shocked at first. he was *apologizing*? But then, she realized what he had said, "It wasn't an apology." She insisted.
"Do you let ANYTHING go, child?" He demanded, his voice full of frustration. He had never dealt with a student so intent on having her way, "FINE! I accept your admission of wrongness."
"Oh." Ginny faked a swoon, "Well now that you have accepted, I can go on living my life. Thank you, Professor." The last word dripped acid, and she went to leave.
"Just who do you think you are?" He demanded, causing her to turn again.
"I'm just someone who's a little tired of the way you treat people. If saying so means I get in trouble, then so be it."
"Insolent girl. You have no idea--"
"Just save it, Professor." Ginny interrupted, "The other day, I saw you. The person, not the professor. I'm sorry if I can't help feeling sorry for that sad, broken person."
Severus fell silent. He was shocked at her words, once again. He had never had a student say anything so sincere to him, let alone that they cared. He was used to dealing with his sadness alone, unaccustomed to others actually volunteering a heart to heart, "You are a fool to care about me."
Ginny snorted indelicately, "So what? You're a fool for cutting yourself off from real emotion."
"I'm not cut off from anything, Miss Weasley."
"But you are." She said, softening slightly, "And I truly feel sorry for you, Professor."
~*~
After she had gone, Severus sat alone at his desk. She was so foolish, but so wise for her years. She somehow knew how he was hurting and she knew how he operated. Ginny Weasley had taken less than ten minutes to call him on his intimidation techniques, so refined after do many years, and had managed to cut him down with a single phrase. She reminded him of himself when he was young, before things went horribly wrong with his family and his life.
But she was wrong to want to care whether he lived or died or fell apart. She was supposed to hate him just like the rest of her house and the other two houses. Hell, even Slytherins disliked an feared him. He was dark and miserable and he intended to stay that way.
~*~
Ginny kicked her trunk, hard. She let out a cry of frustration as she paced the empty dormitory.
"He says I don't know what I'm talking about. Well, he's the one who doesn't KNOW. I know what it's like to feel alone and desperate and...And he should be thanking me for giving a damn after the way he's been acting to me. It's all about him, isn't it. He's all tortured and miserable. He's alone in his stupid dungeon. What about ME in the dorm in the middle of the day pacing like a fool, because HE can't act like a normal PERSON."
She stopped, falling backwards onto her bed. "I hate him so much right now."