"The most precious possession that ever comes
To a man in this world
Is a woman's heart. "
-by Josiah G. Holland

Chapter 8: A Kiss

Severus backed up and leaned against the tree. His eyes were fixed on the scene. A sharp pain welled up in his chest and his breath came in shallow and short.

"See! What did I tell you Severus? I knew she'd cause you heartbreak." Lucius's voice hissed inside Severus's ear. Lucius wasn't really there of course, but it felt like he was. Severus turned his eyes away from the scene before him. It felt like his eyes were burning in their place.

"Ungh! GET OFF OF ME!"

"I knew she'd do this to you. She could never love anyone like you. How could you be so thick! She isn't your friend. Pureblood and mudbloods should never mix. Its unnatural." Lucius's scolded into Severus's ear.

"SHUT UP!" Severus said sharply, and the voice was gone. He put his head in his hand and felt his heart tearing itself into two.

"Sirius Black! You basta-"

That's when Severus looked up. Sirius held Faith firmly by the shoulders and she was turning her head to get away from him. Rage filled up in Severus. How dare Sirius! Faith didn't want to be with him and yet he persisted. Faith wasn't kissing Sirius, he was kissing her!

"Sirius! Get off!" Faith raged trying to push Sirius off of her, but his grip was deathly tight on her shoulders. Suddenly Sirius was thrown off of Faith. A firm hit across his jaw caused him to go spiraling to the ground. Sirius looked shocked as he lay there on the ground. He propped himself up on one arm and looked up at the person who had hit him.

"Snivillus! Go play with your chemistry set! Leave the grown ups alone." Sirius sneered spitting a mouth full of blood. He stumbled to his feet.

"Hit me again Snivillus. Go on. I dare you. See what happens." Sirius growled giving Severus a burning glare. Severus raised up his arm but another arm quickly shot out and grabbed his.

"Don't Severus." Faith pleaded clutching his arm. Severus looked at her. Her eyes met his and she silently pleaded with him to stop. Severus lowered his hand but never broke Faith's gaze.

"Lets go." She said softly. Still clutching his arm she turned him around and proceeded to walk away with him when a large whack noise sounded as Sirius hit Severus on the head. He stumbled slightly and touched the back of his head. His hands came back with a bright red stain on them. Severus spun around and Sirius lunged forward taking him down to the ground.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" Sirius went flying backwards. Suddenly a glimmer showed up in the grass. A wand. He noticed it lying in the grass and made a grab for it. As soon as it touched his fingertips Faith yelled

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Sirius's wand went flying and Faith grabbed it. She smirked at Sirius who looked up at her shocked.

"Where the hell did you that wand from?" Sirius spat. He was referring to the wand that she had used to send him flying backwards and then grab his wand.

"Its yours. This one-" Faith said waving the one that Sirius had just made a grab for

"Is his." She finished as she handed the wand to Severus.

"What is going on here?" James asked as he ran up. He looked at Sirius on the ground with his hair rumpled and his nose bleeding, he then looked to Severus who had his shirt torn and a cut on his lip. Faith stood looking slightly frazzled. Bits of her hair had fallen down from its messy bun.

"Faith what happened?" Lily wondered rushing over to her friend. Severus took this opportunity to get up and leave. He walked back to the castle and wove in and out of people towards the Slytherin Common room. As he neared his portrait he heard a shout

"Severus!" he turned and saw Faith across the hall. She picked up the sides of her dress and ran over to him.

"I just wanted to say…thank you…" She breathed as she stared down at the floor.

"Whatever," he replied flatly in a tone that was not pleasant as he spun around to enter back through his portrait. Faith's tone became equally as unpleasant, "Whats the supposed to mean?" she wanted to know, grabbing his arm, turning him around to face her.

"It's supposed to mean," Severus raged, "that I don't believe Sirius kissed you for no reason,"

"Are you suggesting that I led him on?"

"Why don't you go run along back to Sirius," Severus sneered waving his hand to shoo her along.

"Don't treat me like I'm some child that you can command!"

"Well, you certainly are acting childish!"

"Why are you being so bitter!" Faith screamed.

"Why are you being such a demanding bitch!" Severus spat back. The two were now directly in front of one another, screaming at the top of their lungs. It must have looked quite odd seeing the two if you happened to walk by. Faith, the beauty, standing there in her snow-white gown with her hair up in curls, pieces had tumbled down around her shoulders when she had tried to push Sirius away. Severus, the brute like beast, towering over her with his coal black hair falling into his face, a cut on his lip, his shirt slightly torn and an awful sneer on his face.

"Stop being such a damn prick!" Faith blared as she reached up a hand and slapped Severus across the cheek. Severus went white with rage, he looked to be about to scream again, but instead spun around on his heel walking through the portrait of the tall man in the green suit, and Faith stormed off in the opposite direction. "Nice going," the man hissed.

As the dance began to dwindle down Faith and Severus left, leaving McGonagall with a very tipsy Trelawney. The two wandered through the halls as prefects chased students back to their Common Rooms. Severus could feel himself practically floating as he and Faith discussed nearly everything that they could think of.

"Do you remember trying to avoid detention?" Faith chuckled.

"Of course I do, and now were the ones giving it,"

"Well maybe you. I haven't given detention to anyone," Faith put in with a small smirk.

"yet," Severus added with a slight smile. She laughed.

Faith stormed out of the school and down to where the lake was. She sat under a tree in a huff and stared out at the lake.

"Bitter git," she grumbled as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Hi," a voice murmured. Faith looked and watched as Lily sat next to her.

"So…Sirius…"Lily trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Sirius," Faith echoed softly.

"I'm told," she started turning towards Faith, "That he is a real wreck. Broke his nose and he feels awful about what he did,"

"I'm sure he does,"

"Do you believe him?" Lily questioned.

"Do you?" Faith replied. Lily shook her head and looked down at her hands, "No," silence followed. Faith nudged Lily and asked, "So you and Potter? What's the story there?"

Lily sighed and muttered with a small smile, "Friends, just friends,"

"For now,"

"Faith, Don't be mad at him. I know you want to be, but I think you'd be happy with him. I know you would be, go after what feels right," Lily mumbled as she got to her feet.

"Who are you talking about?" Faith inquired to her friend. Lily smiled, "I think you know who," as she walked away.

"Oh wait lets go in here," Faith said suddenly grabbing Severus by the hand and jerking him into a nearby classroom. He looked around the classroom as she held out her wand as light.

"Remember this place?" she wondered. He did. It was the Charms room that she and he had always studied late in the night. When they were at Hogwarts the classroom was constantly being used, now it was never even occupied. Desks were piled against one wall and a thick layer of dust coated everything.

"It's gotten dusty," she said twirling around in the middle of the classroom. Dust flying up around her feet. Severus went up to her and offered his hand for a dance. She took it and the two danced quickly around the room. Dust flying up as they did.

Severus stared into the burning fireplace in the Slytherin Common Room. Several students were coming back from the dance and laughing about this or that. He could feel anger building up inside of him. 'Angry at…what?' He couldn't figure it out. Every time he replayed his and Faith's fight in the hall he grew angrier. 'Mad at her? Mad at Sirius? Mad at…myself?' Severus sighed.

He clambered out of the Slytherin portrait hole and heard the tall man in the green suit say, "Go win her heart!"

Severus wandered around the castle hopelessly. He didn't have a clue where she was. Hell, he wasn't even sure where he was. Sighing he turned the corner sharply and bumped headlong into Faith.

"Watch whe—" he started but cut himself short when he noticed it was her.

"Ohhh…" he murmured softly.

"I…I just wanted to say…" she began slowly.

"I'm sorry," he finished for her.

"me too…I'll see you for tutoring tomorrow?" she offered. He nodded and replied, "of course,"

Faith laughed as her and Severus spun round faster and faster. She looked at him and he held her gaze. They began to slow down still staring at each other. They came to a complete stop. Severus's hand left Faith's and went to her cheek, brushing back the hair from her face. She trailed a hand around to his back and brought herself closer to him. He felt her lips skim across his but suddenly a loud crash startled them. The two broke apart and turned to see Peeves knocking over the many desks that were piled against the wall.