"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time."- Anonymous

Chapter 3: Jealousy

"Go away Sirius," Faith murmured flatly as Severus's head pitched forward.

"Ow," Severus muttered putting a hand to the back of his head.

"What's this I hear about you going to Hogsmede with Chris Tyler?" Sirius wondered as he took the seat next to her.

"He asked me," she responded looking up from her book at him. "And I said yes,"

"But why? I've been asking you for six years,"

"Then maybe you should stop," she snapped.

"But why won't you go out with me?"

"You wanna know why?" Faith questioned, slamming her book and her voice raising, "Maybe it's because you're incredibly arrogant. Maybe it is because you haven't stopped asking me since our first year. But I think I know what it is. Its for the pure, simple fact that you Sirius Black are a cheater. You've snogged every girl on the Huffelpuff and Ravenclaw quidditch team. You've been caught in more closets with more girls than Potter has gotten in trouble!"

"I can change!" he retorted sharply.

"Show me," she seethed.

"Maybe if you'd stop being a stubborn bitch you'd see that I can,"

"Why don't you just leave," Severus snapped, finding his voice. Sirius looked at him shocked.

"Stop being the stuck up rich boy for 10 seconds of your life and just leave. That'd be great, much obliged." Severus spat at him. Sirius was taken aback. He seemed to go white with rage and had nothing better to say than, "Shut up Snivillus," before leaving.

"Freak," Faith sighed, turning back to her book.

"What's the choice of the morning?" a charming voice asked taking the seat next to Severus. He looked up from his breakfast and gazed at Faith's charming smile. He didn't know quite what to say so he just muttered something about the usual.

"So what is it that teachers do when the students are at Hogsmede?"

"Make sure the other classes don't start a riot," he answered sarcastically.

"Well what do you do then?" 'Why does she want to know?' his mind buzzed about. His mouth went dreadfully dry and his mind went blank of a good answer.

"Good time to grade," he put lamely.

Severus watched from the Slytherin table as Faith left the Great Hall with Lily and Chris Tyler. He couldn't help but despise the man. He was nice, funny, smart, and supposedly knew how to treat a lady. He was quidditch captain of the Ravenclaw team. He had bright blue eyes that made all the girls swoon. Severus was sick of hearing how 'fantastic' he was or how 'wonderful'. He was the schools largest crush after Sirius Black.

But the real reason he hated Chris Tyler was because he was going out with Faith, and had been for a whole 4 months. Severus would be lying if he didn't say that he was jealous.

Severus sat in his office grading potions. He looked at Neville Longbottoms. The potion was supposed to be a light blue color, Neville's was a dark black color and seemed to be steaming. He moved to give the boy a failing grade but was interuppted by someone coming into his office.

"I can't even believe you're sitting here grading," Faith whispered as she came to stand behind him.

"And what should I be doing?" he wondered. Faith's face was breathtakingly close to his. He could smell her hair and feel her breath on his neck. It gave him shivers up and down his spine.

"Certainly not this," she replied, "this castle is huge. You can't tell me that you've seen everything in here? Or read every book in the library?"

"Well no…" he muttered turning his head to look at her. They were so close. If only he was daring enough to just kiss her…

"Then lets go see what we can discover," she smiled at him, "For old times sake,"

"Just let me grade this last paper," he breathed softly as he absentmindedly put a large red 'O' on Neville's paper.

Severus walked through the halls after a night of studying. He couldn't help but be giddy, only hours ago he heard that Chris Tyler and Faith Sloom were no more. It was of course the buzz of the school. The girls were talking excitedly about Chris being single and the guys were excited about Faith being once again single.

Severus walked to his portrait of the tall man in the green suit.

"Expelliarmus," he murmured the password, but before he could walk through the portrait a voice called out.

"So that's where the Slytherin House is,"

Severus turned and saw Faith seated across the hall facing the portrait.

"Uhhh yeah," Severus answered for lack of better words.

"And now I know the password," she smiled slightly.

"Uhhh Yeah, I guess," he stammered, "what are you doing sitting in the hall?"

"Thinking," she replied quickly. "Come sit," she patted the spot next to her. Severus nodded and went and sat down next to her.

"I heard about you and Chris," he commented. He didn't know what else to say. Faith nodded and sighed, "yeah," there was a moment of silence.

"I wouldn't worry about him though," he put in.

"Why is that?"

"Probably a bloody lunatic,"

Faith laughed full-heartily and put her head on his shoulder.

"You crack me up Severus, friends to the end, promise?" she smiled.

'Just friends?' he thought as he muttered, "Promise,"