Title: A bit of Chance…
Background: Set in Severus Snape's 3rd year at Hogwarts
Disclaimer: I don't own this…
Notes: A little more background info here, not too much into the action yet though. I didn't get any reviews so I'm pondering as to whether I will continue...I just don't want to do anything that no one really cares about. We'll see...I've already written a bit more so I'll post it and see how it goes.
Reviews are appreciated, thanks!
Chapter 2: More Bad Luck
Snape picked up his stuff as quickly as possible and headed out of the classroom. Throughout the lesson Lily Evans had been trying to start up a conversation with him. She talked about menial things…Quidditch, school, even what they were having for lunch today. He found it difficult to block her out. Stupid Gryffindor!
She stood so close to him, placing ingredients carefully in her cauldron, humming to herself. Reaching across him to borrow his knife, "Hope you don't mind, I usually use Potter's." Bumping him with her elbow when she stirred. It was distracting. She had no sense of personal space.
Even more infuriating was that when class was almost over, Lily had finished her potion, nearly to perfection, and Snape was only halfway through. He wasn't even sure if it was right…it didn't look right.
Snape had never been so thrown before. This was the exact reason that he sat by himself. He couldn't endure her giggling, her chatter…her smell of Lilacs. He just wasn't a social person by nature.
He tried to turn his mind to other things. It was only today, only today. Tomorrow everything would go back to normal. She would go back to her doltish friends, and he could have his solitude back, as well as his good grades.
The fact that he felt mildly disappointed by this prospect didn't bother him much. He was aware that he was foolish to have any hope of friendship anyway. Really, it was just as well. She was a very irritating person.
It wasn't as if it was her he wanted her as a friend anyway. Hardly! It would have been different perhaps, if she was a Slytherin, or if she wasn't so chipper. He would definitely never get anything done in class, if she was around. The only thing he'd accomplished today was to antagonize James Potter – which wasn't all bad, at least.
Yes, thinking it over, tomorrow would definitely be a better day. He rounded the corner into the Great Hall for lunch. Most of the students were already there, and a loud din met him at the door.
Snape sat down at the end of the Slytherin table next to a few other boys from his grade, who didn't seem to notice him. It was better that way. Maybe I can eat in peace.
No luck. Narcissa Black slinked over and sat next to him as soon as she caught a glimpse of him. "Hey," she said flipping her long blonde hair behind her shoulder, and touching Severus flirtatiously on the arm. It was all Snape could do to keep his eyes from rolling.
Snape sighed. He much preferred her elder sister, Bella, who had unfortunately graduated at the end of last year. He noticed that the boys in his class were watching. They looked a bit jealous. It almost made Snape smile. It's ironic that I don't care.
"What Narcissa?" Snape said without bridling his annoyance.
Attention from Narcissa only meant one thing. She wanted him to do her homework. This was a tactic she'd learned from her older sister. Snape hadn't realized it was a tactic coming from Bella until Narcissa had started emulating it.
Snape had only been too eager, at the time, to help Bella. She was popular, older and beautiful. He'd been a first year, imprudent and foolish, and she was an admired sixth year. The attention was flattering, but those were different times. Times when he'd had friends of a sort. What a difference a summer makes.
He still thought more fondly of Bella than Narcissa, even though he knew the memory was tainted now that he realized she manipulated him. At least Bella had acted like he was her friend. Narcissa blatantly used him.
Narcissa turned her head and made a face," Oh! It's just that Arithmancy is so hard…"
"Of course it is. Why are you taking it then?" Snape spat back. He hoped it would scare her off, or at least cow her into not asking for his assistance.
Luck didn't favor him.
"Mummy and Daddy want me to take it," Narcissa whined, "I must get a good grade. I just need some help."
Right, Snape thought, help. He had done one too many homework assignments for her to know just what kind of help she expected.
Unfortunately for her, Snape had been having a bad day, and was in no mood for her, "Not today, Narcissa."
She pouted a moment, and seemed to strengthen her method, "It would mean a lot to me. I could be very grateful…" She trailed off with insinuation. The other boys were practically drooling. They would probably be happy to do her homework.
Severus didn't exactly know what she meant when she suggested she would be 'grateful', but he was not fooled. Narcissa had a seventh year boyfriend who was one of the beaters for the Ravenclaw Team. He would bet ten Galleons – if he had that much – that if he so much as looked at Narcissa funny he would have to fit 'avoid getting maimed by a bludger' into his schedule.
"I said, 'no,' already," Snape replied sourly.
Narcissa's eyes flared. She was used to getting what she wanted, even from Snape. She had a way of coiling people around her finger. Her beauty, generally her dominant feature, was surpassed by only one thing – her temper.
Snape realized that he had probably just made a mistake that would cost him. She had the ability to make his life a living hell, and she had powerful friends. Without another word she stalked off toward the other end of the table and glared at him. She didn't look attractive with her face contorted in anger. Maybe it would just blow over. He could only hope.
The guys around him started talking about Narcissa as soon as she left. Everyone had a crush on her, except him. He didn't get the point of it. How anyone could stomach her long enough to – knowing the hormones running rampant in his house – grope her, or however far they dreamed they could get, was beyond him.
As if on cue the Narcissa conversation turned more vulgar. Snape wrinkled his nose. He decided to skip the rest of lunch, and go back to the dorms. This day had gone from bad to worse. Tomorrow would be better.