silentC: I'm glad you like surprises. There are more to come…
Sorry this chapter is really short but it was the best place to end before the Big One.
The Great Hall is crowded tonight, but finding brown, red, and black isn't that hard. I sit across from the three who immediately ask what happened.
"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," I replay, it's my favorite response.
Snape comes in a little later. I notice Hermione gives him a little wave. Then he looks at me, and I wink with a smile. He's actually blushing, actually looks alive. It frightens me.
The weeks came and went without problems. I spent less time being the best and more time being a good friend. I helped Ron with his homework if Hermione was in a foul mood or was off with one boyfriend or another. When Hermione needed advice, I was there. And if Harry got into trouble, I always bailed him out. It was getting ridiculous! So, the night before Halloween, I took some me time.
I went down to the empty History of Magic room with my CD player and my ballet and jazz shoes. I missed dancing, like I missed home. I had begun on my bar exercises when Snape came in for no reason. I continued to dance while he closed the door and walked in further. When the song ended, I turned off the player and sat in a desk facing Snape.
"So Serverus, what's up?" I ask him as he sits down across from me. He reaches out a hand and rubs my shoulder.
"That's what I came to ask you," he replies. I brush his hand away and lean back in my chair.
"Hermione'll have my head if she knew you were here, with me, alone. And I'm fine, no need to worry here," I talk fast to cover my trembling voice. It's been a while since I've been alone with a man.
"Do they know how old you are yet?" he says as moves closer to me and holds my hand. I'm almost three years older than they are.
"Of course they don't, Serverus. That's classified information. If I told them, I'd have to kill them." I grab his hand back. I'm suddenly very tired. I want to go home and be with my parents. He reminds me of them. "I'm tired of this. I want to go to bed and never wake up."
Serverus cringed a bit and sighed, "Don't say that. If you say it, it'll happen and then what would Mr. Potter do? Die?" He seemed truly concerned. Something told me it wasn't for Harry.
"I'll have to die eventually. If it's not from this, than Voldemort will do it himself. If I meet him alone, I'll die, simple as that. Typical, the first time I've ever had friends and now I have to die," I tut and turn my head away from him. We've been through a lot; he was the only one that could help me when it happened. "What's up with Draco Malfoy? Is he really the Malfoy's boy?"
He let go of my hand and forcefully said, "Yeah, hard to tell, but he is. Too bad too. He's going to be great, no matter what happens to him."
"Maybe he can be the best when I'm gone."
"There will be no best after you, Jen. You're one of a kind." And then, he left, a black shadow that brushed my life for only a moment. The real shadow was upon me, and it came for me the next day.