Chapter 2.
Severus Snape stretched luxuriantly in his vast, four post bed, he was happy for the first time in years. It had taken him a while to realise why but now he knew it was because of her! For years he had dreamed about Amber returning to Hogwarts and here she was; she was under the same roof as him for the first time in ten years. Snape had been so miserable when they had attended Hogwarts as students; there was no way that either of them could have been together then. He was a Slytherin and she was a Griffindor that was enough to have kept them apart to begin with but when you added her over protective twin brother, Sirius and his equally over bearing best friend, James Potter (who was as good as her brother) to the mix things became more than unlikely, they became impossible. Of course there was also the complication that for the whole of their school career Amber had been practically joined at the hip with Remus Lupin; the third member of the insanely close quartet.
Snape smiled to himself as he remembered how he and Amber had routinely snuck out of their respective dorms at night to meet in secret. Back then they hadn't really realised what drew them to each other time after time. They had been paired up in potions class and had clicked immediately, a Slytherin and Griffindor friends? The notion was absurd and so they conducted their friendship in secret.
Nothing ever happened between them; they were just friends. They were both too young to recognise they're feelings were those of love. Snape half laughed to himself at their complete and utter naivety. He'd only realised that he loved Amber late into their school career; they were all at the age where hormones raced and he would frequently see Remus and Amber in a passionate embrace in a private part of the school where the teachers never ventured. He remembered the first pang of jealousy he had felt when he had initially stumbled upon them seeking a quiet place to read. It had felt like a cold steel needle had pierced his heart; the image of Amber in the arms of one of his most hated peers was almost more than his fifteen-year- old heart could bear. It still hurt now. His sudden intrusion had startled them and Remus instantly rounded upon him hailing down curses. Snape remembered the look on Amber's face as clear as if it has been yesterday; sheer self-loathing. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears; her beautiful eyes sparkled with unspent tears. Snape had fled back to his dormitory his emotions in agony; he lay awake for weeks confused and wondering vainly what it would be like to touch his hand to that alabaster skin, to brush his lips against Amber's, to hold her close and inhale her perfume.what it would be like to possess her as his own and to be completely hers.
Their next secret meeting had been strained; Amber was embarrassed at being caught with Remus and Snape was still writhing with jealousy. They hadn't been in the trophy room long when in burst Sirius Black in a fit of anger stronger than Snape had ever seen. He had attacked Snape in a fit of fury; Amber was screaming at him and trying to pull him off. She was sobbing in desperation Snape remembered that; then Remus and James were there holding him back. Snape remembered his indignation at Sirius and his loathing stirred again inside him. Then like a knife twisting in his gut he remembered the moment that had separated him from Amber forever. Remus turned to her and with the a look of sheer disbelief in his eyes asked:
"Amber what are you doing here with him alone at night? I know that you've come here more than once?" His voice rang with emotion.
Amber turned to Lupin and her brother, who was looking alternatively at Amber in utter disbelief and at Snape in pure loathing and answered;
"Answer him!" growled Black in a terrible voice.
"Hold on Padfoot!" Potter urged, "I am sure Growler can explain everything."
Amber shot him a grateful look and turned back to Lupin and Sirius; if there was one good thing she was good at it was controlling her brother. This is the moment Snape thought when she tells them that we are.'friends' and nothing can change that!
"I was helping him with his charms homework Professor Flitwick asked me especially. Snivillus here was too embarrassed to tell anyone that he needed tutoring and he didn't want to be seen with me so we did it in secret."
She smiled innocently and laid a strategically placed hand on Remus' arm. He smiled and hugged her close. They were appeased; well Lupin and James were Sirius had seen the look of utter betrayal on Snape's face; his eyes had brimmed with tears and he choked them back and fled. He never met with Amber again after that. He'd see her in class and in the distance around the castle and (of course, he thought bitterly, for when Potter and Black were feeling bored and sought him out for a bit of 'fun') but he couldn't face seeing her and to be truthful she didn't try to see him.
Snape sat up in bed; the memories still stung. He rubbed his eyes and found to his surprise that tears were falling freely. He sighed; how he wished he could show Amber the side of him that no one had seen. The side that she'd wounded so easily in an effort to preserve their forbidden friendship.love.
He got out of bed and dressed slowly; he pulled back the curtains and the sun blazed through the windows. His spirit soared! It was different know there was no Sirius, James or Remus: only Amber and Himself and he knew deep down that their forgotten friendship could so easily be renewed! Snape knew that he was to proud to admit the hurt she had caused him and admit that he loved her but he'd rather have her in his life as a friend than not in his life at all. He smiled; a thing he rarely did, and left for breakfast.
Severus Snape stretched luxuriantly in his vast, four post bed, he was happy for the first time in years. It had taken him a while to realise why but now he knew it was because of her! For years he had dreamed about Amber returning to Hogwarts and here she was; she was under the same roof as him for the first time in ten years. Snape had been so miserable when they had attended Hogwarts as students; there was no way that either of them could have been together then. He was a Slytherin and she was a Griffindor that was enough to have kept them apart to begin with but when you added her over protective twin brother, Sirius and his equally over bearing best friend, James Potter (who was as good as her brother) to the mix things became more than unlikely, they became impossible. Of course there was also the complication that for the whole of their school career Amber had been practically joined at the hip with Remus Lupin; the third member of the insanely close quartet.
Snape smiled to himself as he remembered how he and Amber had routinely snuck out of their respective dorms at night to meet in secret. Back then they hadn't really realised what drew them to each other time after time. They had been paired up in potions class and had clicked immediately, a Slytherin and Griffindor friends? The notion was absurd and so they conducted their friendship in secret.
Nothing ever happened between them; they were just friends. They were both too young to recognise they're feelings were those of love. Snape half laughed to himself at their complete and utter naivety. He'd only realised that he loved Amber late into their school career; they were all at the age where hormones raced and he would frequently see Remus and Amber in a passionate embrace in a private part of the school where the teachers never ventured. He remembered the first pang of jealousy he had felt when he had initially stumbled upon them seeking a quiet place to read. It had felt like a cold steel needle had pierced his heart; the image of Amber in the arms of one of his most hated peers was almost more than his fifteen-year- old heart could bear. It still hurt now. His sudden intrusion had startled them and Remus instantly rounded upon him hailing down curses. Snape remembered the look on Amber's face as clear as if it has been yesterday; sheer self-loathing. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears; her beautiful eyes sparkled with unspent tears. Snape had fled back to his dormitory his emotions in agony; he lay awake for weeks confused and wondering vainly what it would be like to touch his hand to that alabaster skin, to brush his lips against Amber's, to hold her close and inhale her perfume.what it would be like to possess her as his own and to be completely hers.
Their next secret meeting had been strained; Amber was embarrassed at being caught with Remus and Snape was still writhing with jealousy. They hadn't been in the trophy room long when in burst Sirius Black in a fit of anger stronger than Snape had ever seen. He had attacked Snape in a fit of fury; Amber was screaming at him and trying to pull him off. She was sobbing in desperation Snape remembered that; then Remus and James were there holding him back. Snape remembered his indignation at Sirius and his loathing stirred again inside him. Then like a knife twisting in his gut he remembered the moment that had separated him from Amber forever. Remus turned to her and with the a look of sheer disbelief in his eyes asked:
"Amber what are you doing here with him alone at night? I know that you've come here more than once?" His voice rang with emotion.
Amber turned to Lupin and her brother, who was looking alternatively at Amber in utter disbelief and at Snape in pure loathing and answered;
"Answer him!" growled Black in a terrible voice.
"Hold on Padfoot!" Potter urged, "I am sure Growler can explain everything."
Amber shot him a grateful look and turned back to Lupin and Sirius; if there was one good thing she was good at it was controlling her brother. This is the moment Snape thought when she tells them that we are.'friends' and nothing can change that!
"I was helping him with his charms homework Professor Flitwick asked me especially. Snivillus here was too embarrassed to tell anyone that he needed tutoring and he didn't want to be seen with me so we did it in secret."
She smiled innocently and laid a strategically placed hand on Remus' arm. He smiled and hugged her close. They were appeased; well Lupin and James were Sirius had seen the look of utter betrayal on Snape's face; his eyes had brimmed with tears and he choked them back and fled. He never met with Amber again after that. He'd see her in class and in the distance around the castle and (of course, he thought bitterly, for when Potter and Black were feeling bored and sought him out for a bit of 'fun') but he couldn't face seeing her and to be truthful she didn't try to see him.
Snape sat up in bed; the memories still stung. He rubbed his eyes and found to his surprise that tears were falling freely. He sighed; how he wished he could show Amber the side of him that no one had seen. The side that she'd wounded so easily in an effort to preserve their forbidden friendship.love.
He got out of bed and dressed slowly; he pulled back the curtains and the sun blazed through the windows. His spirit soared! It was different know there was no Sirius, James or Remus: only Amber and Himself and he knew deep down that their forgotten friendship could so easily be renewed! Snape knew that he was to proud to admit the hurt she had caused him and admit that he loved her but he'd rather have her in his life as a friend than not in his life at all. He smiled; a thing he rarely did, and left for breakfast.