Maybe
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and my plot. J.K. Rowling owns everything else.
Chapter 3~~~~~~~~~
Severus let Jade lay her head on his shoulder as the train moved on, shortly joining them were Bellatrix, Rabastan, and Rodolphus. The rest of the crowd were somewhere else and she didn't ask because she had the feeling that they wouldn't take nicely to the question. Rabastan smirked at Severus and her and she felt herself subconsciously shudder at it. Apparently he felt her shudder and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. This comforted Jade for moments before she felt the fear of these people again mostly of Bellatrix.
That is how the rest of the train ride passed; the friends talked among themselves Jade not letting her tongue speak any. It was best that way too for these people were not going to easily accept her into their world; especially since Severus wanted to keep her in the state of grey she was now. Once they reached Hogwarts, Jade went into a carriage with them then to the Great Hall for dinner. Her and Severus walked hand-in-hand and everyone stared as the two let go and headed to their different house tables.
The Slytherins would allow such a thing because they looked up at Severus and over the years Jade had been kind to them. The Gryffindors on the other hand would not be so kind, so Jade sat at the end of her table trying to avoid the Marauders and the rest of her house that would raise a hissy fit. 'Maybe the Gryffindors won't try to kill me', Jade thought ill, 'or maybe that is just wishful thinking.' Thankfully for Jade the rest of her house had decided to avoid her at least for the moment.
During dinner, no one dared come near her or speak to her even her own cousin. One could only guess the fact that house prejudices were to blame and she had treaded over the code too far. First, turning down the school's god, second, for a Slytherin, third, that Slytherin being named Severus Snape his enemy. She however was pleased with her decision because she honestly cared for Severus and it was beyond what was expected of her. Maybe her French blood hadn't died when she left France. She would take pride in her love, he was dark and mysterious, everything she had never had and now it blew her mind.
Once she had finished her dinner she went to go to the library as curfew wasn't until ten. Madame Prince smiled at her and talked to her a few minutes about her helping out in the library the next weekend, which she avidly agreed to. She then went found a book of poems by various muggle authors and intended to sit there till Madame Prince kicked her out. After being there for an hour she heard some one sit right across from her at her table, it was Bellatrix Black. "Hello Bellatrix" she whispered fearing to look at Bellatrix in the eyes.
"Hello deary, may I ask why you are reading something made by muggles?" She said muggles as if it tainted her mouth.
"Um… you see I want to be a writer and it is good for a person to be exposed to different types of styles to bring it all in one's writing."
"Hmmm… I see. DeVeau look at me, now!" Jade raised her head to look at Bellatrix in her eyes and fear was honestly upon her face. "You see deary I want you to know something, you can't save any of us, so don't bloody try!"
"I'm not" she whispered once again staring at the floor.
"Then why are you around Severus?"
"Because I fell for him during my tutoring sessions with him. I fell for his mystique, his grace, and everything else about him that is so different."
"You lie horribly I hope you know."
"I am not lying to you Bellatrix; I know you are capable of doing things to me unimaginable and would enjoy it. I don't wish to have you after my blood as many already are."
Bellatrix reached her hand across the table and brought Jade's face up and stared into her eyes. Then she loosened her grip on her chin when she saw the evident truth in the girl's eyes. She then smirked at the girl, who was honestly afraid of Bella. "I see you don't lie, Jade. That is a wise choice and that your choice will not damage you at all."
"I hope-" Jade was cut off by a strong yell of 'Bella!' by a deep male voice.
Madame Prince hissed at him, and Evan Rosier rushed over to the two females. "Bella, why are you integrating Jade? Has she done anything at all?"
"No I was just checking that she knew her place and that her kindness was not manipulative."
"I am sure if she was not pure kindness but manipulation that Severus would have already seen that. Besides she is one of the Gryffindors who have never tortured us. Now go back to your Rodolphus."
"Fine Rosier" she huffed and left.
"Hey, you ok? Severus would have our heads if she did something worse to you."
"I'm fine, thank-you though."
"You fear all of us don't you but Severus?"
"Yes" she answered truthfully and Evan nodded to her.
"That may be wise but from what Severus has told us he wants you to keep yourself away from the dark consumption. I don't now if will succeed though."
"Why do you pose such a thought at me?"
"Because you are French and I have know many French people. Goodnight Jade."
Jade sat open mouthed and staring at the retreating form that was Evan Rosier. 'So people want to assume that just because I am French I will become evil' she thought in an indignant voice inside of your head. Since she couldn't get any more reading done she put the book back on the shelf and stormed back to her house's tower obviously angry at what had been said to her by two of her boyfriend's friends. The Fat Lady tut-tutted at her as she went through the portrait hole and the minute she went through she had regretted it.
It was loud, obnoxious, and totally annoying. Jade just wanted to grip the ends of her hair and rip it all out. The world wouldn't leave her alone today and she wasn't used to it. She just wanted normality to regain control in her life, but apparently the normality fairy was not visiting her anytime soon. The looks some people gave her was that of pure disgust as she walked up to her dormitory. Maybe the gods wanted to torture her because as she entered her dorm she heard her roommate gossiping about her, how she could turn down Sirius Black for such a horrible creature. She pushed open the door and one was caught in midsentence and tried to play nice to her.
"I heard it, I don't really care about what if you think my choices are stupid or not but I will give you my reason that I care about Severus."
"What does he have on Sirius, then?"
"Manners, grace, intelligence, mystique, a beauty that you people aren't blessed with seeing."
"Oh really, how did you find it then?"
"An unregrettable kindness to him and the ability to see past house rivalries."
"Hmmph" her roommate by the name Serena Clint and the rest of the girls were silent to her.
Jade decided just to go to bed and leave the insanity that was her life that night, to have a return to it tomorrow but that would come later. The next morning she woke feeling much better then she did when she went to sleep that night. She showered and dressed quickly before pulling her long hair up in a loose pony. She grabbed her bag as her roommates were starting to run around as they did in the morning getting ready, to leave. Walking through the common room she felt eyes still staring at her, ones of people waiting for their friends but she brushed them off trying to keep her good mood up. She had a session with Severus that night and medical charms, that morning which was her favorite class. It couldn't be that bad of a day for her right? Maybe the normality fairy had come while she had slept.
Once she stepped into the Great Hall, Severus waved her over to sit with him at breakfast and now of the Slytherins had any problems with her sitting there, they respected Severus for reasons unknown to Jade and the fact was she had always been good-natured towards them. She sat down next to Severus and lightly put food on her plate. Nobody even sent a glare to her as she ate by Severus and when she went to leave, only his comrades noticed the kiss she placed on Severus' forehead as a sign of leaving. Exiting the Great Hall most of the Gryffindor House glared at her with the look that said go and die. However she paid it no mind.
The day passed before her eyes, Gryffindors mad at her, the fan clubs of Sirius' happy that she had turned him down but upset that she found Severus more attractive then him, and the rest of the school rather indifferent to her which she liked quite nicely. That night she rushed into her session, late. She had lost track of time doing her other homework and ran quite fast to the dungeons. Severus was not pleased with her when she burst into the room, exhausted from her run from the library to the dungeons. He set her with a glare but said nothing else as she set up her potions equipment. Her breath caught in her throat when Severus stood behind her and guided her shaking hands in cutting the belladonna root, his long fingers over her own.
"See it isn't that hard? Just concentrate on what you are doing and don't let your hands shake."
"Thanks" she whispered as he removed himself from near her and began to breathe normally again.
This continued while the potion brewed her taking notes from the words coming out of Severus' mouth, him also watching the potion to make sure it was ok. Before he let Jade go, she was starting to do a little jig on her feet to signify the fact that she hadn't blown up anything that night. As she cleaned up her equipment, she felt Severus turn her around, she smiled. She placed her hands on his shoulders and let her and his mouth connect with each others. She felt his hands slip into her hair, it felt so nice as the deepened the kiss.
The two broke apart and breathing heavily, their heads touching. They looked so love as they stared into each other's eyes. She had a deep feeling that Severus was an Occlumens because his eyes were so guarded. She wasn't sure if he was a Legilimens or not. He hadn't seen the truth in her last time they had met for a session but then again he could be just learning. Her eyes looked at him with so many emotions in them, the most outstanding love. He took one of his hands and placed it on her cheek. It was freezing cold as he always was.
"Your eyes are magnificent. They tell so many things to a person" he whispered before he kissed her again.
This time they were broken apart by a throat clearing. It was Professor Zaroff's and he looked amused as they broke apart quickly. He entered the room a knowing smirk playing upon his lips. "Well seeing as there is a good improvement in Miss DeVeau's work, this is what you both save till the end of sessions, I assume."
"Yes" Jade whispered a dark red appearing on her cheeks.
"You both will receive no punishment. You at least keep it a private manner unless people intrude as I did upon you. Now go Miss DeVeau I must speak to Mr. Snape."
Jade grabbed her bag and took like the wind out the door, quicker then Severus had ever seen her move. She rushed all the way back to the tower, she had been doing a extreme amount of running that day but it was running that she had caused by being herself or her embarrassment. She stopped and breathed before entering the common room and up to her dorm. She had made it through the entire common room without being caught by anyone or being glared at! She started to do a little jig which she was quite fond of doing.
That Saturday, she found herself working in the library. Without a Hogsmeade weekend to amuse herself this is what she had done before becoming more busy. She would help out there tomorrow too, and in her mind it was worth it. The smell of the books wafted into her nose and caused ecstasy to become evident in the way she worked in the place. Her step was a bit more happy and as she took books to put back for Madame Prince. As she climbed the steps on ladder, a first year came up and spooked her, by asking where the librarian was. She threw her arms back and the books fell down as she fell off the ladder. She landed on her bum and she went to rub it before the first year asked if she was ok and she just pointed to where Madame Prince was without saying a word and the kid scurried off as she rose.
Picking up the books and getting ready to attempt to put them back up she heard a male giggling. She turned around to find Remus there trying not to burst out laughing. Jade just turned her back to him and climbed back up the ladder to put the books away. He laughed the entire time she placed them away. Once she was safely back on the ground, she walked past him while he enjoyed the fact that she, after working in the library since her first year, had fallen off the ladder because of a first year. He was going to lap this up as she went to get more books to put away.
"Hey Jade, you okay? 'Cause it looks like that hurt a bit coming down."
"Go to hell Remus, of course it bloody hurt my arse! But you don't see me complaining about it"
"Yes, my dear cousin but I must lap this up. It was a first year, come on I didn't know you were that easily spooked."
"Whatever" she sighed climbing up another ladder to put more books away and at this point Remus decided to leave her alone and go find the books he needed. She didn't look like anyone else would survive talking to her anymore. An hour or two later she finally finished putting all the books away and went to go sit at the check-out desk. She drummed the end of the desk waiting for people to come and check out books but most people could not be found in the library on such a nice winter day.
Rabastan walked into the library with Wilkes and Avery and approached the desk with the pink slip she knew that you needed to get books out of the Restricted Section. It was for a Dark Arts book with Professor Zaroff's signature on it. She looked at it, signed it and let them continue on. She knew they probably had faked the signature but she really didn't want to mess with them and it had looked a lot like his signature. The exited the Restricted Section quickly with the book and she checked it out silently, not looking at the boys. Before they went there way they addressed her, well correction, Wilkes did.
"Hey Jade, didn't know you worked around here."
"I have since my first year Wilkes. Umm... that's it boys you can go on your way."
"Well see you then" he said and the three boys took there leave.
Shortly after the boys exited the library, Madame Prince told her she could leave and that she would see her tomorrow. She hopped out of the library into the halls. With most of her Saturday gone, Jade decided just to go back to her tower and complete her homework for when she was done tomorrow she didn't want to be plagued by thoughts of it. Once in the tower she found a desk and began to work, work, and work. She had worked her bum off to be finished all of it by nine, without going to meals at all.
However after she was finished she was a totally content with what she had done and at the level it was done at. Maybe she wasn't the top of her year but she didn't need that, she liked her standing especially since her Potions grade was improved and liked her tutoring sessions that kept it that way. She gathered her homework and placed them all away before he left the common room to go to the kitchens for food.
She had found the kitchens in her third year when she had been looking for them. She walked to the picture of the fruit and tickled the pear. Once the door appeared she went through and a tiny house-elf approached her. She leaned down to the elf and in a quiet voice asked for some food. "Hey dear can you get me a salad with Italian dressing."
"Yes Ma'am" it squeaked in reply and scurried away.
Another house-elf led jade to a small table and sat her down. Once her food came she thanked the house-elf and patted it on its head which it promptly burst into tears and then took off. Jade dug into her salad and when done she quickly left to go back to her tour before curfew. She just made it before ten o-clock sharp. The fat lady rolled her eyes at Jade as she scurried into the common room. Once in the common room, she went straight up to her dorm.
That night Jade fell asleep on her bed with a contented smile on her face, the type of smile that only a person in a world that was for them contented could where. And she was content as she slept, dreams of her love passing through her brain. The next day as she worked in the library, she watched Severus work in the library upon some sort of work. Only a few were in the library and that left her bored for the next few hours at the check-out desk. Though she did have Severus to stare at, she couldn't do that forever she knew. He probably already noticed she had nothing to do and was staring at him.
Once her time was up working the check-out she went and sat at Severus' table, who just looked up at her once and nodded before adding the last few words to his essay. He packed his bag before saying a word to her. "Hello Jade, was your time at the check-out enjoyable?"
"Ha-ha very funny Severus. Yes I was bored but it is always worth the experience."
"Ah, want to join me down in the dungeons with my friends."
"Sure" she said taking his hand.
The room was hidden behind a large portrait of a family that all looked as if the world was going to end within a few days. Severus said the password (Crimson tears) and they entered. Wilkes, Evan, Avery, and Rabastan were already there. Jade was thanking the stars that Bellatrix wasn't there but another two girls were, she had seen them around but never learned there names. She sat on a dark green couch with Severus. She laid her head in his lap and her stroked her hair absent-mindly. The tow girls introduced themselves to Jade as Julia Moon and Nina Schmidt. They looked nice enough but she didn't trust them.
They talked about nothing unparticular, classes, teachers, and different bits of things. By this time Jade had managed to grab Severus' hand and play with it, twisting it and stroking it. He looked down at her and the ends of his lips tugged upwards a bit. She sat in shock and stared at him before grinning in return. After a while most of the people moved on except Evan who when he left, looked at them and winked. Once left alone, Jade moved her head from Severus' lap and moved her head off his lap and threw her feet to the floor and turning around to face Severus.
She nodded at him who understood the look in her eyes and laid his head on her stomach. She brushed her fingers through it while Severus closed his eyes in a trance. One of his hands was intertwined with her free hand and she also closed her eyes. Hers opened when she felt Severus' head move. "Hey baby you okay?"
"Yeah" he whispered to her and she knew something was bothering him even though she knew he would never tell her what.
Jade moved out from under him and sat in front of him. His eyes for once had their guard down and looked quite upset. She clutched both of his hands in hers and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Tell me Severus, please" she begged of him.
"I can't"
"Why not?"
"You will be scared of me then and will forget me and leave."
"Severus I wouldn't be afraid of you and I wouldn't leave. I love you too much to do that to you." Jade then realized what had come out of her mouth and waited for Severus to rip his hands from hers and tell her to leave, but that reaction never came.