Tirza stirred in the bed and rubbed her arms. "Ow!" She quickly opened her
eyes, looking at the three sets of stitches on her right arm and the two
sets on her left. "Oh," she said quietly, lying back down. "Tirza, how are
you feeling?" Snape asked. "Great, why?" He looked at her sternly. "Do not
pretend you have no idea how you accumulated the multitude of scratches and
cuts." She blinked. "Whoa, wanna try that again in English?" Snape could
hear Poppy chuckle in her office. "I want to know why you have cuts and
scratches." He watched her face become pale. "Um- um," Tirza was trying to
quickly come up with an answer but couldn't. "Um, I don't know; you tell
me." His face darkened. "I know damn well that you know how it happened,
now tell me." Her face continued to grow pale, making her almost ghost
like. "I, well, I just don't wanna talk about it," she crossed her arms
over her chest, being careful to not touch the stitches. "Young lady, I
want the truth right now!" Snape's voice was dangerously low. "It's
nothing, I swear!" Tirza pleaded. "I'm waiting." She started to cry. "You
don't want to know, you won't understand. You'll just be all mad at me!" He
sat next to her on the bed and started rubbing her back; Tirza pulled away.
"Please don't touch me," she whispered. "Please." She shrank away from him,
scooting as far back on the bed as she could. Snape stared at her in shock;
she acted like she was terrified of him! "Tirza, I will not be angry with
you, I give you my word. Tell me child." He reached out to place his hand
on her shoulder, but she cowered and started shaking; if she became any
paler she'd be lost in the bed sheets.
He took her by the shoulders and made her look him in the eye. "Look at me; I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you understand that?" The terror in her eyes pierced his heart. "I can't tell you; I never even told Mommy," Tirza whispered. She stopped fighting against his touch and allowed him to cradle her like an infant in his arms, rocking her back and forth. "When I think about the bad thing, it makes me feel so icky, like being covered in mud," she told him slowly. "So then I go take a shower to feel clean again. I have to scrub hard until I feel better. Sometimes I scrub so hard I get all scraped up and bleed." She closed her eyes for a moment. "When we looked at the pictures, they made me remember and I had to get clean. But I couldn't get clean, I had to keep scrubbing so hard, but it wasn't working Daddy!" Tirza sobbed, clutching him as if her life depended on it. "Shh," he tried to soothe her. "It's all right. You're a good girl to tell me." "I just can't get clean and then I hurt myself and I can't make it stop. This is the worst time ever," she moaned. Snape fought to keep his emotions under control as he comforted her.
When things seemed to have calmed down, Madame Pompfrey came out of her office. Tirza, her face still pale, gave the nurse a small smile. "Am I gonna have lots of scars?" Poppy patted her soothingly. "No dear. The stitches will disappear in a few days and they will leave no scars." Tirza nodded. "That's good. I don't want anybody to call me like 'scar girl' or something." Poppy laughed and even Snape cracked a smile. "You are free to go child. Severus, do watch her and see that she doesn't pick at the stitches." Snape nodded as they left. Tirza wrapped Snape's robe around her as they walked down the hallway. As they rounded a corner, Mrs. Norris darted past them. Tirza's eyes went wide. "Kitty kitty kitty!" she called, following the cat. "She's gonna scare me cat," Filch said. Snape rolled his eyes. Mrs. Norris seemed to slow down, as though wanting Tirza to catch up, which is exactly what Tirza did. She approached the cat cautiously. "Nice kitty, pretty kitty," she cooed. To the amazement of Filch and Snape, Mrs. Norris allowed the girl to pick her up and cuddle her. "Oh, sweet kitty," Tirza continued to coo. The cat allowed Tirza to hold her for a few minutes before she jumped out of the girl's arms and continued down the hall, with Filch close behind. Tirza watched Mrs. Norris run away and sighed, then turned to Snape with puppy dog eyes. "Daddy, can I get a kitty? Please? Pretty pretty please?" Snape groaned. "No; the last thing I need is a car running around and getting into potions." Tirza looked crestfallen, but nodded.
Tirza put on her pajamas, the purple satin feeling cool against her abused skin, and brought her coloring books into the sitting room. "Come here," Snape asked softly. She curled up in the armchair across from Snape, watching his face nervously. "Why do you not tell me these things when they bother you? I want to help you, but I won't be able to if you don't tell me." She shook her head and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "You wouldn't understand." "How do you know if you will not give me a chance?" Tirza was blushing slightly from Snape's intent gaze. "It's-it's like being inside a dark room all alone. No one knows where you are or how to get to you. Nobody really understands, so I keep things secret," she explained, her eyes never meeting his. "It's like walking forever in the forest- there's no end and everyone else is in a different forest." Snape shook his head; he got up and crouched in front of her chair and tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes that held so much pain and worry for one so young. "What can I do to help you child? You don't-I don't want you to hold so much inside that you feel like hurting yourself. It isn't safe. I would never forgive myself if you seriously hurt yourself because I did not try to help. I-I care too much for you to let that happen," he stumbled over the words, not used to talking about such intimate feelings. She looked into his dark eyes that betrayed the mask he always tried to wear. "You mean you love me?" Snape, finding his tongue had suddenly disappeared, nodded. Tirza's tear stained face lit up, her eyes glowing with happiness. "Really? Honest?" He nodded again. Her face broke into a heart melting smile. "Come on, you can say it. Don't be scared," she prodded. Snape began to turn red from embarrassment. "Come on." "Yes," he said slowly, softly. "I love you." She practically jumped on him, squeezing him tight and planting several kisses all over his face. "Tell me again!" she begged. Snape blushed a deeper shade of red, but found the words came easier this time. "I love you."
"Please can I go to Hogsmead with Hermione and the boys this weekend? Please?" Tirza was down on her knees before him, her hands clasped, looking as though she was going to the chopping block. "This is not what I need right now Tirza. I am preparing for my first class, which is due here in less than ten minutes." Lines began appearing across his forehead as they always did when he was frustrated. Tirza began bowing to him like he was a god to be worshiped. "Oh please kind sir! Let me go! Set me free!" He chuckled, despite himself, at her antics. "Alright, alright; I will think about it child." "Yippy!" she shouted. Student began to file into the classroom seconds later; Tirza giggled behind her hand at the huge bruise on Malfoy's jaw. She waved goodbye to Snape leaving him to his potions and students. Closing the door between the classroom and the office, she picked up her headphones and turned on the CD player, giggling. "This is gonna be such a good surprise!"
Snape watched with relief as his class left, wondering why he risked possible death each day by teaching these children. He rubbed his forehead with his hand; he could feel a horrible migraine starting. He opened the door to his office and saw Tirza dancing and singing, her CD player hooked onto her jeans. She caught sight of him and hurriedly stopped, looking very sheepish. Snape held back a chuckle, enjoying watching her squirm slightly. "And what devilment that will cause me several great headaches are you planning?" he asked, trying to look stern. "Nothing," Tirza said slowly. "Really? Ask my why it is I do not believe that?" "Who me?" she asked, clasping her hands as if in prayer. "I'm a little angel! Don't you see my shiny halo?" She pointed at the nothingness above her head. A small smile broke free on Severus' face, causing Tirza to giggle. "Truly, child, what exactly were you doing?" She raised an eyebrow and her eyes narrowed. "For me to know; and you to find out!" She burst into a fit of laughter, clearly enjoying an inside joke that Severus didn't understand. He shook his head. "Alright, mysterious one, it's time for lunch."
'Alright, who can I ask? Who can I trust?' Snape said to himself. 'Might as well ask Dumbledore.' Lost in his thoughts as he walked down the hallway, Snape ran right into Oliver Wood. "Sorry sir," Wood said quickly. Snape nodded. "Do you have any plans this afternoon?" "No sir," Oliver answered hesitantly. "Might I ask you to do something important for me?" Snape was shocked that he was actually saying these words to a Gryffindor. Wood nodded, wondering what he was getting himself into. "I have someplace to be this afternoon and I need someone to watch Tirza." Wood looked confused. "Baby-sit sir? May I ask why you have chosen me?" Snape sighed. "Normally, of course, I would choose someone from Slytherin, but there is no one in that entire house I could trust to keep her safe, out of trouble, and away from Malfoy. Also because you saved her life when she decided to have Potter teach her to fly and she feels comfortable. Are you willing, Wood?" Oliver thought for a moment. "Sure, why not?" Snape nodded and escorted Oliver to his quarters. Tirza was watching I Dream of Jeannie in her room, still pondering why she couldn't do magic by blinking. "Yep, come in!" she hollered at the knock on her door. She blushed as she saw Oliver stand in the doorway of her room. 'Great time to be messy,' she thought. "Tirza, I have some important business to attend to and will not be back until supper or right after. Mr. Wood has agreed to keep you out of trouble while I am away." "Um, okay," Tirza found herself suddenly flustered. "Tirza knows the password if you decide to leave the dungeon. Keep her away from Malfoy," Snape told Oliver. "And you," he turned to Tirza. "If you give Mr. Wood cause to report your bad behavior to me upon my return, you will be sorry, understood young lady?" She nodded. "And for Merlin's sake child, clean your room!"
A/N: Sounds like Tirza has another secret up her sleeve! This time it's a good one though. Will she drive the gorgeous Oliver Wood insane? And where is Snape going and why? Lots of love to all my faithful readers! Stay tuned!
He took her by the shoulders and made her look him in the eye. "Look at me; I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you understand that?" The terror in her eyes pierced his heart. "I can't tell you; I never even told Mommy," Tirza whispered. She stopped fighting against his touch and allowed him to cradle her like an infant in his arms, rocking her back and forth. "When I think about the bad thing, it makes me feel so icky, like being covered in mud," she told him slowly. "So then I go take a shower to feel clean again. I have to scrub hard until I feel better. Sometimes I scrub so hard I get all scraped up and bleed." She closed her eyes for a moment. "When we looked at the pictures, they made me remember and I had to get clean. But I couldn't get clean, I had to keep scrubbing so hard, but it wasn't working Daddy!" Tirza sobbed, clutching him as if her life depended on it. "Shh," he tried to soothe her. "It's all right. You're a good girl to tell me." "I just can't get clean and then I hurt myself and I can't make it stop. This is the worst time ever," she moaned. Snape fought to keep his emotions under control as he comforted her.
When things seemed to have calmed down, Madame Pompfrey came out of her office. Tirza, her face still pale, gave the nurse a small smile. "Am I gonna have lots of scars?" Poppy patted her soothingly. "No dear. The stitches will disappear in a few days and they will leave no scars." Tirza nodded. "That's good. I don't want anybody to call me like 'scar girl' or something." Poppy laughed and even Snape cracked a smile. "You are free to go child. Severus, do watch her and see that she doesn't pick at the stitches." Snape nodded as they left. Tirza wrapped Snape's robe around her as they walked down the hallway. As they rounded a corner, Mrs. Norris darted past them. Tirza's eyes went wide. "Kitty kitty kitty!" she called, following the cat. "She's gonna scare me cat," Filch said. Snape rolled his eyes. Mrs. Norris seemed to slow down, as though wanting Tirza to catch up, which is exactly what Tirza did. She approached the cat cautiously. "Nice kitty, pretty kitty," she cooed. To the amazement of Filch and Snape, Mrs. Norris allowed the girl to pick her up and cuddle her. "Oh, sweet kitty," Tirza continued to coo. The cat allowed Tirza to hold her for a few minutes before she jumped out of the girl's arms and continued down the hall, with Filch close behind. Tirza watched Mrs. Norris run away and sighed, then turned to Snape with puppy dog eyes. "Daddy, can I get a kitty? Please? Pretty pretty please?" Snape groaned. "No; the last thing I need is a car running around and getting into potions." Tirza looked crestfallen, but nodded.
Tirza put on her pajamas, the purple satin feeling cool against her abused skin, and brought her coloring books into the sitting room. "Come here," Snape asked softly. She curled up in the armchair across from Snape, watching his face nervously. "Why do you not tell me these things when they bother you? I want to help you, but I won't be able to if you don't tell me." She shook her head and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "You wouldn't understand." "How do you know if you will not give me a chance?" Tirza was blushing slightly from Snape's intent gaze. "It's-it's like being inside a dark room all alone. No one knows where you are or how to get to you. Nobody really understands, so I keep things secret," she explained, her eyes never meeting his. "It's like walking forever in the forest- there's no end and everyone else is in a different forest." Snape shook his head; he got up and crouched in front of her chair and tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes that held so much pain and worry for one so young. "What can I do to help you child? You don't-I don't want you to hold so much inside that you feel like hurting yourself. It isn't safe. I would never forgive myself if you seriously hurt yourself because I did not try to help. I-I care too much for you to let that happen," he stumbled over the words, not used to talking about such intimate feelings. She looked into his dark eyes that betrayed the mask he always tried to wear. "You mean you love me?" Snape, finding his tongue had suddenly disappeared, nodded. Tirza's tear stained face lit up, her eyes glowing with happiness. "Really? Honest?" He nodded again. Her face broke into a heart melting smile. "Come on, you can say it. Don't be scared," she prodded. Snape began to turn red from embarrassment. "Come on." "Yes," he said slowly, softly. "I love you." She practically jumped on him, squeezing him tight and planting several kisses all over his face. "Tell me again!" she begged. Snape blushed a deeper shade of red, but found the words came easier this time. "I love you."
"Please can I go to Hogsmead with Hermione and the boys this weekend? Please?" Tirza was down on her knees before him, her hands clasped, looking as though she was going to the chopping block. "This is not what I need right now Tirza. I am preparing for my first class, which is due here in less than ten minutes." Lines began appearing across his forehead as they always did when he was frustrated. Tirza began bowing to him like he was a god to be worshiped. "Oh please kind sir! Let me go! Set me free!" He chuckled, despite himself, at her antics. "Alright, alright; I will think about it child." "Yippy!" she shouted. Student began to file into the classroom seconds later; Tirza giggled behind her hand at the huge bruise on Malfoy's jaw. She waved goodbye to Snape leaving him to his potions and students. Closing the door between the classroom and the office, she picked up her headphones and turned on the CD player, giggling. "This is gonna be such a good surprise!"
Snape watched with relief as his class left, wondering why he risked possible death each day by teaching these children. He rubbed his forehead with his hand; he could feel a horrible migraine starting. He opened the door to his office and saw Tirza dancing and singing, her CD player hooked onto her jeans. She caught sight of him and hurriedly stopped, looking very sheepish. Snape held back a chuckle, enjoying watching her squirm slightly. "And what devilment that will cause me several great headaches are you planning?" he asked, trying to look stern. "Nothing," Tirza said slowly. "Really? Ask my why it is I do not believe that?" "Who me?" she asked, clasping her hands as if in prayer. "I'm a little angel! Don't you see my shiny halo?" She pointed at the nothingness above her head. A small smile broke free on Severus' face, causing Tirza to giggle. "Truly, child, what exactly were you doing?" She raised an eyebrow and her eyes narrowed. "For me to know; and you to find out!" She burst into a fit of laughter, clearly enjoying an inside joke that Severus didn't understand. He shook his head. "Alright, mysterious one, it's time for lunch."
'Alright, who can I ask? Who can I trust?' Snape said to himself. 'Might as well ask Dumbledore.' Lost in his thoughts as he walked down the hallway, Snape ran right into Oliver Wood. "Sorry sir," Wood said quickly. Snape nodded. "Do you have any plans this afternoon?" "No sir," Oliver answered hesitantly. "Might I ask you to do something important for me?" Snape was shocked that he was actually saying these words to a Gryffindor. Wood nodded, wondering what he was getting himself into. "I have someplace to be this afternoon and I need someone to watch Tirza." Wood looked confused. "Baby-sit sir? May I ask why you have chosen me?" Snape sighed. "Normally, of course, I would choose someone from Slytherin, but there is no one in that entire house I could trust to keep her safe, out of trouble, and away from Malfoy. Also because you saved her life when she decided to have Potter teach her to fly and she feels comfortable. Are you willing, Wood?" Oliver thought for a moment. "Sure, why not?" Snape nodded and escorted Oliver to his quarters. Tirza was watching I Dream of Jeannie in her room, still pondering why she couldn't do magic by blinking. "Yep, come in!" she hollered at the knock on her door. She blushed as she saw Oliver stand in the doorway of her room. 'Great time to be messy,' she thought. "Tirza, I have some important business to attend to and will not be back until supper or right after. Mr. Wood has agreed to keep you out of trouble while I am away." "Um, okay," Tirza found herself suddenly flustered. "Tirza knows the password if you decide to leave the dungeon. Keep her away from Malfoy," Snape told Oliver. "And you," he turned to Tirza. "If you give Mr. Wood cause to report your bad behavior to me upon my return, you will be sorry, understood young lady?" She nodded. "And for Merlin's sake child, clean your room!"
A/N: Sounds like Tirza has another secret up her sleeve! This time it's a good one though. Will she drive the gorgeous Oliver Wood insane? And where is Snape going and why? Lots of love to all my faithful readers! Stay tuned!
