Liz sat at the table that was set up in the Great Hall for the
teachers feeling decidedly grumpy and bitchy. Snape had rubbed her the
wrong way. How dare he bring that up after saying he did not want to talk
about the bloody past! She would have more than a few things to say to him
when he came groveling at her feet begging for mercy. No one ever crossed
Elizabeth Conner, those who had regretted it in the end. He should have
taken the chance to review this when he was looking in the past.
Dumbledore always saw someone different than others did. She was always so transparent with him that she never tried to hide anything. He knew everything about anything concerning Elizabeth. He always knew how to make her feel better or forget something.
Why did Snape always, as the muggle saying goes, "rub her the wrong way"? It wasn't his looks, not that he was an ace in that department but he could be pretty attractive if you look past his limp hair. Of course, this was only her opinion. She usually went for the tall dark and fairly handsome men though. Looks weren't everything to her, guys had to have a good personality too. This wasn't something Snape excelled in either. "What is he doing to me?" she voiced.
Liz jumped as she heard a familiar silky voice near her left ear, "What is who doing to you?"
"Severus?" She turned in her seat to see him sitting to her left.
"Unless my name was changed without my knowing, I do believe that you have gotten one thing right and applaud you," he said attempting a biting humor.
"What are you doing here? I thought you had better things to do in your dungeons?"
"Well, I did, but I finished them. Now I am bored so I decided that it would at least give me some humor to bite into my colleagues."
"Very funny." Suddenly, Elizabeth didn't seem so hungry. Albus was seated on her right and she turned to him, "Albus, I think I'm going to go back down to my rooms. Maybe I'll eat later. I just want to lie down for a bit. I'll see you tomorrow." She placed a small kiss on the old man's cheek and gave him a hug, "Goodnight."
He smiled at her, "Goodnight, my dear. Sleep tight." Elizabeth stood and walked out of the hall.
As soon as she was gone, Albus' smile vanished and he turned on Severus. "What have you done, boy?"
"Really, Albus. I have not idea what you are talking about. What makes you think I have done something? Why am I always blamed?"
"Because you are the only staff member childish and in close enough proximity to harm that girl. Really, Severus, what did you say to her to make her act so cold towards you? She was trying to be friendly and you push her away! She's not like other people, my boy. She's not like other people you have known. She will not hurt you. You cannot just push a person away every time they try and get close, some day you will regret it."
"I can do whatever I wish Albus, it is my life. I will screw it up as much as I dam well please."
"Yes, it is your life. Not only yours though. You can't screw up Elizabeth's life too. You are in her life, now let her in yours." With this Albus decided to call it a night. He stood up, prayed everyone goodnight, then left in a cloud of violet robes.
"That man gets on my nerves."
"Yes, yes, yes, Severus. We have all heard it before. Albus, should really but out of my business, this; Albus, should be depressed more often, that. Just go find the bloody girl!" Implored Minerva McGonagall from the other end of the table.
Severus rolled his eyes and left in a dark swish of robes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Down in her rooms, Elizabeth had collapsed on her couch in a fit of tears. Soon enough though, the tears stopped and were replaced by rage. Standing up, she decided to throw curses at her belongings, causing them to explode.
"Why the hell do I have a muggle TV here?" she asked out loud, right before she blew it up. One by one, her possessions grew smaller in number. Her radio, her paintings, her viola, her piano, everything was gone. This didn't matter though. She could fix them all with one spell, she had done this many times before. The only thing left was a large vase on a pedestal by the door.
She summoned this to her and held it for an instant before she launched it at the door. No more than a few moments before she threw it did she hear a knock at the door.
The door was thrown open and she saw a tall figure cry her name in fear. Not too long after the dark man standing in the doorway see her did any revealing look in his face disappear. "What do you want Severus?" Liz growled, "Why have you opened my door without my consent?"
"I heard a loud smash, Conner. Naturally, I wondered if you were hurt. Now I see that you are not, too bad."
"You sadistic bastard. I suggest you leave this minute or you will be the one who's hurt. You could have just knocked again," she said through gritted teeth.
"I guess that would have been the sensible thing, and the sensible thing for you could have been to NOT smash your belongings in blind rage. May I ask why I have found you like this? I do not believe that that large black box with the moving pictures ever did anything to hurt you?"
"It is none of your bloody business why I do what I do. We might as well cancel our trip to Hogsmeade. I would rather go alone."
"Yes you would wouldn't you? I don't blame you. I warned you, did I not?"
"Yes, you did... You are ever the hypocrite, aren't you? Yesterday you said not to bring up the past. Then you went ahead and dug up the past yourself right before you left. You weren't even sorry. Well, my dear Severus, you can just forget my ever wanting to be your friend. I don't want to be friends with someone who has no problem turning on me at any moment. Those friends are never trustworthy, they will never keep any of their friends."
"That is your choice," he took a step closer to her, "I came down here after Albus chewed me out. He helped me recognize what I was doing. You know I was solitary during our school days-"
"There you go bringing up the past again."
"I was always alone, never with a friend, never with a girl."
"Yea, are you going to blame your lack of self-esteem on women now?"
Severus ignored this to her astonishment. "I was afraid to get close to anyone. They could leave me at any moment," he said looking into her eyes. She was shocked, even this was a revelation for Severus to be open. What was going on? Was the world coming to an end?
Severus took a few more steps up to Elizabeth till he was standing in front of her with her staring up into his face. It felt right for both of them, being so close. "I was afraid that they would leave me, desert me, like my parents did when I was young.
"I don't want to be afraid anymore, Liz. I want a friend, a real friend, not Lucius or any other Deatheater. A true friend, someone I can trust. Will you be my friend Elizabeth Conner?"
Liz stared up into his dark orbs in shock. Was Severus Snape being sentimental? Was he serious? She couldn't detect a hint of humor in his eyes. 'So much for plotting revenge,' she thought.
Reaching up, she placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "No fever. Are you sure you're feeling ok?" She gave a small smirk, trying to reinstate some humor, and pulled him into a tight hug before he could protest. She wasn't sure that she liked his being serious so much. He looked close to tears. There would be time for more revelations later. "Course I'll be your friend, Severus. I already was. I was just angry. I'm not used to letting people hurt me."
"Sorry," he said, as sincerely as he could without losing his 'Snape' persona, and pulled back out of the hug looking uncomfortable.
"No problem Severus. Just don't do it again or I'll have to take revenge. Now that we have this sorted out, we can still go to Hogsmeade tomorrow. That means we both need to go to bed early so we have plenty of energy to shop! I think I'll come wake you tomorrow."
"Wake? As in before eleven?"
"But of course."
"You're kidding right? We have so little time to sleep in though before term starts."
"You're starting to sound like the children, Sev. It's only one day. You'll be joining the rest of the staff and I for breakfast. I will make sure of that."
"You'll never get me up."
"Is that a challenge?"
"No, it's a fact."
"What if I bring coffee?"
"Mmmm... Might help a bit, you still will not get me up."
"We'll see about that. Now go, go to bed. I will see you at seven thirty."
"In the morning?"
"Yes, breakfast is at nine, and we need to plan out our day."
"Great. I'll be a zombie."
"All the more reason to go to sleep now."
"Fine, good day."
"Night Sev. Think of this as payback."
A moment later, Severus was out the door. Liz waved her wand and all of her belongings were back to normal. Nothing was broken or chipped. Everything was better than new. Everything was perfect.
Dumbledore always saw someone different than others did. She was always so transparent with him that she never tried to hide anything. He knew everything about anything concerning Elizabeth. He always knew how to make her feel better or forget something.
Why did Snape always, as the muggle saying goes, "rub her the wrong way"? It wasn't his looks, not that he was an ace in that department but he could be pretty attractive if you look past his limp hair. Of course, this was only her opinion. She usually went for the tall dark and fairly handsome men though. Looks weren't everything to her, guys had to have a good personality too. This wasn't something Snape excelled in either. "What is he doing to me?" she voiced.
Liz jumped as she heard a familiar silky voice near her left ear, "What is who doing to you?"
"Severus?" She turned in her seat to see him sitting to her left.
"Unless my name was changed without my knowing, I do believe that you have gotten one thing right and applaud you," he said attempting a biting humor.
"What are you doing here? I thought you had better things to do in your dungeons?"
"Well, I did, but I finished them. Now I am bored so I decided that it would at least give me some humor to bite into my colleagues."
"Very funny." Suddenly, Elizabeth didn't seem so hungry. Albus was seated on her right and she turned to him, "Albus, I think I'm going to go back down to my rooms. Maybe I'll eat later. I just want to lie down for a bit. I'll see you tomorrow." She placed a small kiss on the old man's cheek and gave him a hug, "Goodnight."
He smiled at her, "Goodnight, my dear. Sleep tight." Elizabeth stood and walked out of the hall.
As soon as she was gone, Albus' smile vanished and he turned on Severus. "What have you done, boy?"
"Really, Albus. I have not idea what you are talking about. What makes you think I have done something? Why am I always blamed?"
"Because you are the only staff member childish and in close enough proximity to harm that girl. Really, Severus, what did you say to her to make her act so cold towards you? She was trying to be friendly and you push her away! She's not like other people, my boy. She's not like other people you have known. She will not hurt you. You cannot just push a person away every time they try and get close, some day you will regret it."
"I can do whatever I wish Albus, it is my life. I will screw it up as much as I dam well please."
"Yes, it is your life. Not only yours though. You can't screw up Elizabeth's life too. You are in her life, now let her in yours." With this Albus decided to call it a night. He stood up, prayed everyone goodnight, then left in a cloud of violet robes.
"That man gets on my nerves."
"Yes, yes, yes, Severus. We have all heard it before. Albus, should really but out of my business, this; Albus, should be depressed more often, that. Just go find the bloody girl!" Implored Minerva McGonagall from the other end of the table.
Severus rolled his eyes and left in a dark swish of robes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Down in her rooms, Elizabeth had collapsed on her couch in a fit of tears. Soon enough though, the tears stopped and were replaced by rage. Standing up, she decided to throw curses at her belongings, causing them to explode.
"Why the hell do I have a muggle TV here?" she asked out loud, right before she blew it up. One by one, her possessions grew smaller in number. Her radio, her paintings, her viola, her piano, everything was gone. This didn't matter though. She could fix them all with one spell, she had done this many times before. The only thing left was a large vase on a pedestal by the door.
She summoned this to her and held it for an instant before she launched it at the door. No more than a few moments before she threw it did she hear a knock at the door.
The door was thrown open and she saw a tall figure cry her name in fear. Not too long after the dark man standing in the doorway see her did any revealing look in his face disappear. "What do you want Severus?" Liz growled, "Why have you opened my door without my consent?"
"I heard a loud smash, Conner. Naturally, I wondered if you were hurt. Now I see that you are not, too bad."
"You sadistic bastard. I suggest you leave this minute or you will be the one who's hurt. You could have just knocked again," she said through gritted teeth.
"I guess that would have been the sensible thing, and the sensible thing for you could have been to NOT smash your belongings in blind rage. May I ask why I have found you like this? I do not believe that that large black box with the moving pictures ever did anything to hurt you?"
"It is none of your bloody business why I do what I do. We might as well cancel our trip to Hogsmeade. I would rather go alone."
"Yes you would wouldn't you? I don't blame you. I warned you, did I not?"
"Yes, you did... You are ever the hypocrite, aren't you? Yesterday you said not to bring up the past. Then you went ahead and dug up the past yourself right before you left. You weren't even sorry. Well, my dear Severus, you can just forget my ever wanting to be your friend. I don't want to be friends with someone who has no problem turning on me at any moment. Those friends are never trustworthy, they will never keep any of their friends."
"That is your choice," he took a step closer to her, "I came down here after Albus chewed me out. He helped me recognize what I was doing. You know I was solitary during our school days-"
"There you go bringing up the past again."
"I was always alone, never with a friend, never with a girl."
"Yea, are you going to blame your lack of self-esteem on women now?"
Severus ignored this to her astonishment. "I was afraid to get close to anyone. They could leave me at any moment," he said looking into her eyes. She was shocked, even this was a revelation for Severus to be open. What was going on? Was the world coming to an end?
Severus took a few more steps up to Elizabeth till he was standing in front of her with her staring up into his face. It felt right for both of them, being so close. "I was afraid that they would leave me, desert me, like my parents did when I was young.
"I don't want to be afraid anymore, Liz. I want a friend, a real friend, not Lucius or any other Deatheater. A true friend, someone I can trust. Will you be my friend Elizabeth Conner?"
Liz stared up into his dark orbs in shock. Was Severus Snape being sentimental? Was he serious? She couldn't detect a hint of humor in his eyes. 'So much for plotting revenge,' she thought.
Reaching up, she placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "No fever. Are you sure you're feeling ok?" She gave a small smirk, trying to reinstate some humor, and pulled him into a tight hug before he could protest. She wasn't sure that she liked his being serious so much. He looked close to tears. There would be time for more revelations later. "Course I'll be your friend, Severus. I already was. I was just angry. I'm not used to letting people hurt me."
"Sorry," he said, as sincerely as he could without losing his 'Snape' persona, and pulled back out of the hug looking uncomfortable.
"No problem Severus. Just don't do it again or I'll have to take revenge. Now that we have this sorted out, we can still go to Hogsmeade tomorrow. That means we both need to go to bed early so we have plenty of energy to shop! I think I'll come wake you tomorrow."
"Wake? As in before eleven?"
"But of course."
"You're kidding right? We have so little time to sleep in though before term starts."
"You're starting to sound like the children, Sev. It's only one day. You'll be joining the rest of the staff and I for breakfast. I will make sure of that."
"You'll never get me up."
"Is that a challenge?"
"No, it's a fact."
"What if I bring coffee?"
"Mmmm... Might help a bit, you still will not get me up."
"We'll see about that. Now go, go to bed. I will see you at seven thirty."
"In the morning?"
"Yes, breakfast is at nine, and we need to plan out our day."
"Great. I'll be a zombie."
"All the more reason to go to sleep now."
"Fine, good day."
"Night Sev. Think of this as payback."
A moment later, Severus was out the door. Liz waved her wand and all of her belongings were back to normal. Nothing was broken or chipped. Everything was better than new. Everything was perfect.