Second Best: Part II
The weeks seemed to pass by like days. She soon found that it was already the begining of June. Although she had been put through alot with Hermione and Harry she still found that she was quite close to both of them. Seemingly she was closer to Harry now more than ever. He seemed to enjoy her company more now. She even dared to think that he flirted with her. Than she thought it was merely perpostrous for him to be flirting with her while he was dating Hermione.
She rolled her eyes and pushed that thought away. That would never happen. He had chosen Hermione over herself and that was clearly because he thought that she was the best for him. He was merely being overly friendly because he knew that he had wounded her deeply. There was nothing more to it than that. She sighed as she began to realize that there would never be aything between Harry and herself.
Now what she needed to do was move on. But she found that it was very hard to move on. It would be easier to move on by starting to like someone else. But she knew that liking someone else was not option. Liking someone else would only land her in the same spot that she was already in. It would be going back to square one. What was the point in that? In any case, it wasn't like starting to like somone else was the easiest thing in the world. Unlike her Griffindor, red head friend, she did not move on so quickly. She found that it was very hard to start liking someone else.
"Hey Luna," Ginny said was she came over to her and sat next to her. Luna turned to her red head friend and smiled at her. Ginny always knew where to find her. If she was ever missing from the Great Hall in time for a meal she was either at the library or here, in a thicket near the lake. It was a small place right next to the lake sourounded on all sides by trees. The sun shined down directly in the middle and that's where she liked to sit.
"Hello Ginny," she responded. "Why aren't you in the Great Hall eating?"
"Well I just wanted to see if you where all right and I was wondering what you where doing in the summer," Ginny responded as she looked at her friend.
"I'm perfectly fine Ginny. As for the summer, I believe that I will simply be going home. Why do you ask?" Luna responded as she looked at the red head sitting next to her. It was quite peculiar for her friend to be asking her. She had asked once on twice before, but that was to make polite conversation. She had, however, never really cared for the answer. She always seemed to roll her eyes when Luna responded. But it was different this time, Ginny seemed genuinely interested.
"Well the thing is that I'm going to Romania for two weeks with Ron in the begining of the summer holidays. We are going to be visiting Charlie and I don't want to be the only girl there. Besides Ron and Charlie will be so busy together they will forget that I'm even going to be around," Ginny responded. "So I was wondering if you would like to come along."
"Well don't you get along with Charlie?" Luna asked.
"Well yes I do, but Charlie and I are ten years apart and the gap between him and Ron is slightly smaller. Besides they are both boys and that gives them something more in common," she responded.
"Well I'm sure my father wouldn't mind me going, but do you think that Charlie will like having another guest?" she asked.
"I have already asked and he said that he wouldn't mind at all. In fact he said the more the merrier," Ginny responded. "So please ask your dad to let you go and PLEASE come with me. I don't think I'll be able to bear two weeks with two brothers. They both will drive me bonkers." With that Ginny smiled and bounced off. Luna watched her friend walk away and shook her head.
Luna sighed and got off the floor. She made her way to the castle and to Ravenclaw common room. Once she made it back she made her way up the stairs to her dormitory. She took out a piece of parchment from her trunk and sat on her bed. She grabbed an ink bottle and her favourite quill from her bedside and started to write the letter to her father. Once she was done she walked off to the owelry.
One bright, sunny and very humid sunday morning Luna walked into the Great Hall and sat down for some breakfast. The owls soon began to fly in and drop posts. Luna soon got hers. She imediately tore it open and read through the letter from her father. She than walked over to the Griffindor table. As she neared she could tell that Hermione, Harry, and Ron had all turned to look at her.
"Hello Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry," she said with a smile.
"Hello Luna," everyone chorused.
"Ginny my dad let me go," she said turning her attention to Ginny. Ginny smiled broadly, got up and hugged her friend for dear life.
"Thank Merlin. I won't be going bonkers this break after all," she said aloud. Luna giggle lightly and squirmed out of her friends bone crushing hug.
"She can go where?" asked Ron suddenly. Ginny turned to her brother.
"Luna will be joining us to Romania," she responded cheerily. Ron than exchange looks with Harry.
"Does Charlie know about this?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Ginny said nodding her head vigorously. "I sent him an owl two weeks ago asking him if I could invite a friend. He said that I could." Ginny suddenly turned to Luna. "Luna you have never met Charlie have you?"
"Charlie is the only one of your brothers I have not met. I met Bill when I went to Gringotts last year. He was very nice to me," she responded. "Well I think that I should be going now. I have detention with Snape."
"Why do you have detention? You've never had detention," Harry said. Luna turned to look at him. She had no idea how he knew that, but she pushed the thought away.
"I accidentally hit him on the head with my wand," she responded.
"How did that happen?" asked Hermione.
"Well I had been tapping my wand on the desk," she responded. Everyone, except Ginny, gave her a look. She knew that they where all wondering why she had been tapping her wand. "I tend to tap my wand when I'm nervous or bored. Anyway I was tapping my wand on the desk rather fast and hard. The next thing I know my wand is flying out of my hand and off to the right. When I turned to the right, I was just in time to see Snape get him on the forehead with it. It was amusing to watch for half a second. Than he turned all red and looked like he was about to explode."
"How long do you have detention for?" Ron asked.
"Today, Friday night and Saturday morning," she responded.
"But we leave Saturday," Ginny said. "He can't possibly want you to spend the last couple hours at Hogwarts this year with him."
"He apparently does. I have detention on saturday from eight in the morning to eleven thirty. Today it's from now until ten," Luna responded.
"What about on Friday?" Ginny asked.
"Six in the evening to eight."
"But the end of term feast is at six. Can he even do that?" Ginny said.
"I guess he can," Luna said with a shrug. "Well I have to go. I'm already five minutes late for detention. Professor Snape is going to have a fit." She than spun around and walked out of the hall. She walked quickly so that she would make it down to the dungeons quickly. She herself had no idea why he chose those times for detention.
As she walked into the Dungeon she realised that she was indeed late. She was now eight minutes late. She looked about the classroom and found Snape standing at the board. "You are eight minutes late," he said as he faced the board. He was writing something on it, something that she could not yet see. It was strange because he was doing so manually, usually he just flicked his wand at the board. "One would think that someone would at least bother to be on time, especially when you are wasting someone else's valuable time."
She stared at his back. "Yes, just like one could only ask for the person that is scolding them to at least look at them," she suddenly said, which caused Snape to whirl around. "And I'm sorry professor I wasn't aware that your sundays where so valuable," she continued. She than stopped herself as she realised what she was saying and who she was saying it too.
"Miss Lovegood are you mouthing off to me?" he asked dangerously as he walked over to her. Luna merely stared at him.
"Professon Snape as long as you have known me, when have you ever been succesful at intimidating me? Never, if my memory doesn't desieve me, so what makes you think that you can now?" Luna suddenly said. She had no idea where all of this was coming from, but she wasn't going to stop it. It came so naturally to her, that made her know that this was happening for a reason. After all, as she believe, 'There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events happen for a reason'.
"And in all the time that you have been here, you have never answered back," he said as he neared her.
"Well times change, people change," she said with a shrug. She than sat on a desk. She found that this was a very uncharacteristic thing for her to do, but found that she did it anyway. It was like she had no control or like she didn't even want control over the situation. Besides, she was curious to know where this would lead to.
"Do you wish me to believe that you have changed in one day?" he asked.
"You would have initially had to know me to think that it had only taken me one day to turn into what I am now. Of course for that you would have to try and get to know people, instead of being the antisocial bat that you are," she snapped. She than stopped herself and thought of what she had just done. She looked at her professor and she could see that he was merely staring at her in what she would call astonishment. She than saw an angry gleam leap into his eyes.
"GET OUT," he said through grited teeth.
"Gladly," she said as she whirled around and waltzed out of the classroom. She decided that once she was outside that she at least didn't get into trouble and didn't have to spend the rest of the morning with Snape. So generally she believe that it was a good thing. Not many could tell off Snape and remain unscathed. Yes this was something that she should be proud of. Yet she could not help, but wonder why he didn't do or say anything. He didn't even take house points away for crying out loud! There was certainly something off about that.
She decided that she would not mull over it for the time being. There was no point, because she would not find the answers. She decided that the best thing to do at the moment was just to head back to her dormitory and complete her homework. After all she still had two essays to write for she had been procrastinating and they where both due the very next day. She sighed and made her way to her dorm. It would be a very long day.
The days passed by very quickly. She had one class with Snape all week and Snape did not so much as look at her during the whole class period. She didn't much care, she rather perferred this than the usual name calling. Since the first year she had arrived at Hogwarts Snape loved to embarrass her. She found out in her fifth year the reason that he had picked on her so much in her first year was because she reminded him of Hermione. After her first year he picked on her because she was so eccentric. However, he knew that he could not embarass her by making her seem stupid in front of the class, for she was one of the very best in potions. Her skills in Potions, according to Snape, surpassed the skill of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger put together.
This had always gave her some comfert. To know that she was better than Hermione at at least one thing. She always wanted to be thought of as very different from Hermione Granger in both academics and personality. No one likes to be the exact copy of someone else. Everyone wants to be their own person and accepted as their own person. However some people can't have both.
Luna sighed once more as she made her way to the Dungeons. The last night she would be at Hogwarts this year and she had to spend it with Snape. She found it to be such a shame. She had been looking forward to the last night in the year to spend it doing the same that she did every year, but this year she could not. Alhough, her things had not been stolen this year and she would have atctually been able to attend the end of term feast this year. Oh well, she thought, there is always next year.
With that she opened the door to the Dungeon. She stepped inside and looked about the classroom. Snape was no where to be seen. She looked down at her wristwatch and found that she was two minutes early. She sighed and took a seat on one of the stools. She felt very tired. It had been a very long day. After detention she still had to return to her dorm to pack her things. After all she would be unable to in the morning for she had another detention with him in the morning.
At that moment she heard someone sweep into the classroom and walk up to the desk. It was abviously Snape. He was the only person that wold come down to the dungeons during the end of term feast and he was the only person whosr robes made the swish noise while walking. He walked over to his desk and started to look through a pile of papers on his desk. "Bloody Potter," he muttered under his breath. Luna surpressed the urge to giggle.
What has Harry done now, she wondered to herself as she watched Snape continue looking through the pile of papers on his desk. She than saw him sit down and grab a quill from his desk. He began to write in a furious pace. After a couple of seconds he set the quill down and sat back. He read through what he wrote and when he was done he stood up. Luna wondered what the Professor was up to. She wondered if he'd finally gone batty. She than saw Snape look at his watch. "Where is Lovegood? Late again?" he muttered aloud to himself.
"You know professor," Luna said causing him to look at her. "Most people don't thinks it's sane to talk to yourself."
"Than I assume you talk to yourself quite often, especially if you earned yourself the nickname Loony Lovegood," he snapped.
"And how did you earn the nickname Snivellus? I think I'd be very interested in that story," she said as she looked at him. He visibly paled and his eyes became ominous.
"Where did you get that from?" Snape asked though grited teeth.
"Tonks and professor Lupin. Tonks had asked him the same question I asked you. Professor Lupin hadn't responded," she responded. Snape noded ever so slightly.
"Well that is none of your business. Go run this up to Potter," he said holding out the parchment to her. She got off the stool and walked over to him. As she stood before him she finally reaslized how tall Snape was. He was still almost a full foot taller than her and he was rather large compared to her smal feminine frame. She felt tiny standing before him. She grabbed the piece of parchment from his hand. "When you are done I want you back down here. I'm going to have you clean the entire classroom manually."
She sighed and turned on her heel. She made her way down the hall and up the stairs. She made her way to the Great Hall and walked in. She found Harry seated at his usual spot at the Griffindor table, with Hermione at his side and Ron sitting across from him. Luna walked over to them and stopped behind Harry. "Is your Detention over?" asked Hermione.
"No, Snape just wanted me to give you this," she said to Harry handing him the piece of parchment.
"What is that?" asked Ron.
"Me and Snape made a bet. He lost, and this is my reward," Harry responded. "It's a recomendation that I need in order to start my auror training."
"What was the bet?" Ginny asked.
"I can't say. I gave my word as a Griffindor that I would not tell a soul," he responded. He than turned to Luna. "What is he making you do?"
"I have to clean the entire classroom the muggle way," she responded.
"That sucks," Ron and Harry said together.
"Yeah, but I can't do nothing about it. Well I have to go before Snape gets mad at me for taking so long bringing you that," she said. She waved and turned on her heel. All the while thinking of the bet that Snape and Harry made. She wondered what in the world they had bet on. Even more so she wondered when and where had they made the bet.
As she entered the classroom she found Filch inside the classroom talking to Snape. When she walked in both Snape and Filch turned to look at her. "Filch has brough what you need to clean the classroom. You have a bucket of water, soap, a clothe, a broom and a mop. I suggest you get to work if you want to get through before eight," Snape said coldly. He than made his way to his desk. Filch than turned around and walked out of the clasroom.
Luna sighed and got to work. At eigh forty she was done with her chore and she made her way up to his desk. "I'm done Professor Snape," she said tiredly as she stood before him. He had looked up and was now looking about the classroom. "Can I go now?" Snape noded and she turned on her heel. She made her way through the hallways and to the Ravenclaw common room. When she got to her dorm she began to pack her things and when she was through she dropped on her bed and fell asleep.
The next morning she awoke and put the remaining things in her trunk. She than made her way down to the dungeons. As she walked in she noted the rag on a table near Professor Snapes private store. She walked up to his desk, where he sat as usual and stood before him. "You are to clean my private stores. Mind you that should you break anything you will pay," he said coldly without looking up at her.
"Yes Professor Snape," she said as she walked over to the desk and picked up the rag. She than opened and started to clean. After half an hour of cleaning in a grave silence Professor Snape finally said something.
"What are you doing this summer Miss Lovegood?" he suddenly asked. She turned to look at him, puzzled by his question. "I'm curious," he said sharply as he met her gaze.
"Well I'll be in Romania with Ginny and Ron for the first two weeks than I'll be going home," she responded.
"Romania?" Snape asked with a raised brow.
"We'll be visiting Charlie Weasley," she responded. Snape grimaced.
"Charlie Weasley?"
"Did you know him?"
"Unfortunately, yes," he responded. "I knew Bill as well. Bill was a second year when I started teaching here. When Bill went into his third year, Charlie became a first year. An unpleasent pair once put together. The first Weasleys I had the ...... Pleasure, teaching."
"Oh," she said. "What of you Professor? Do the teacherse stay here all year long or do you go home too?"
"We go home," he responded curtly. She noded and turned back to what she had been doing. She found it very strange that the professor had asked her about her plans for this summer. It was quite strange indeed. A full hour and a half later she was through with cleaning his private stores. She walked up to his desk.
"I'm done," she said as she stood before his desk. He looked up and noded. He looked at his watch and he could see that it was eleven.
"You can go," he said. She smiled and whirled about making her way out the classroom. "Miss Lovegood," she heard him call out as she reached the door. She stopped walking and turned around. "Have a good summer," he said to her. There was nothing cold or even cool in his voice. No tint of sarcasm or snideness.
"I hope you have a good summer as well professor Snape," she said with a smile. "I'll see you next year." She than turned around and walked out.
TBC........
A/N: I'm sorry if I have not updated in a long time. I have to do it when I have time in school. Anyway please Review.
The weeks seemed to pass by like days. She soon found that it was already the begining of June. Although she had been put through alot with Hermione and Harry she still found that she was quite close to both of them. Seemingly she was closer to Harry now more than ever. He seemed to enjoy her company more now. She even dared to think that he flirted with her. Than she thought it was merely perpostrous for him to be flirting with her while he was dating Hermione.
She rolled her eyes and pushed that thought away. That would never happen. He had chosen Hermione over herself and that was clearly because he thought that she was the best for him. He was merely being overly friendly because he knew that he had wounded her deeply. There was nothing more to it than that. She sighed as she began to realize that there would never be aything between Harry and herself.
Now what she needed to do was move on. But she found that it was very hard to move on. It would be easier to move on by starting to like someone else. But she knew that liking someone else was not option. Liking someone else would only land her in the same spot that she was already in. It would be going back to square one. What was the point in that? In any case, it wasn't like starting to like somone else was the easiest thing in the world. Unlike her Griffindor, red head friend, she did not move on so quickly. She found that it was very hard to start liking someone else.
"Hey Luna," Ginny said was she came over to her and sat next to her. Luna turned to her red head friend and smiled at her. Ginny always knew where to find her. If she was ever missing from the Great Hall in time for a meal she was either at the library or here, in a thicket near the lake. It was a small place right next to the lake sourounded on all sides by trees. The sun shined down directly in the middle and that's where she liked to sit.
"Hello Ginny," she responded. "Why aren't you in the Great Hall eating?"
"Well I just wanted to see if you where all right and I was wondering what you where doing in the summer," Ginny responded as she looked at her friend.
"I'm perfectly fine Ginny. As for the summer, I believe that I will simply be going home. Why do you ask?" Luna responded as she looked at the red head sitting next to her. It was quite peculiar for her friend to be asking her. She had asked once on twice before, but that was to make polite conversation. She had, however, never really cared for the answer. She always seemed to roll her eyes when Luna responded. But it was different this time, Ginny seemed genuinely interested.
"Well the thing is that I'm going to Romania for two weeks with Ron in the begining of the summer holidays. We are going to be visiting Charlie and I don't want to be the only girl there. Besides Ron and Charlie will be so busy together they will forget that I'm even going to be around," Ginny responded. "So I was wondering if you would like to come along."
"Well don't you get along with Charlie?" Luna asked.
"Well yes I do, but Charlie and I are ten years apart and the gap between him and Ron is slightly smaller. Besides they are both boys and that gives them something more in common," she responded.
"Well I'm sure my father wouldn't mind me going, but do you think that Charlie will like having another guest?" she asked.
"I have already asked and he said that he wouldn't mind at all. In fact he said the more the merrier," Ginny responded. "So please ask your dad to let you go and PLEASE come with me. I don't think I'll be able to bear two weeks with two brothers. They both will drive me bonkers." With that Ginny smiled and bounced off. Luna watched her friend walk away and shook her head.
Luna sighed and got off the floor. She made her way to the castle and to Ravenclaw common room. Once she made it back she made her way up the stairs to her dormitory. She took out a piece of parchment from her trunk and sat on her bed. She grabbed an ink bottle and her favourite quill from her bedside and started to write the letter to her father. Once she was done she walked off to the owelry.
One bright, sunny and very humid sunday morning Luna walked into the Great Hall and sat down for some breakfast. The owls soon began to fly in and drop posts. Luna soon got hers. She imediately tore it open and read through the letter from her father. She than walked over to the Griffindor table. As she neared she could tell that Hermione, Harry, and Ron had all turned to look at her.
"Hello Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry," she said with a smile.
"Hello Luna," everyone chorused.
"Ginny my dad let me go," she said turning her attention to Ginny. Ginny smiled broadly, got up and hugged her friend for dear life.
"Thank Merlin. I won't be going bonkers this break after all," she said aloud. Luna giggle lightly and squirmed out of her friends bone crushing hug.
"She can go where?" asked Ron suddenly. Ginny turned to her brother.
"Luna will be joining us to Romania," she responded cheerily. Ron than exchange looks with Harry.
"Does Charlie know about this?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Ginny said nodding her head vigorously. "I sent him an owl two weeks ago asking him if I could invite a friend. He said that I could." Ginny suddenly turned to Luna. "Luna you have never met Charlie have you?"
"Charlie is the only one of your brothers I have not met. I met Bill when I went to Gringotts last year. He was very nice to me," she responded. "Well I think that I should be going now. I have detention with Snape."
"Why do you have detention? You've never had detention," Harry said. Luna turned to look at him. She had no idea how he knew that, but she pushed the thought away.
"I accidentally hit him on the head with my wand," she responded.
"How did that happen?" asked Hermione.
"Well I had been tapping my wand on the desk," she responded. Everyone, except Ginny, gave her a look. She knew that they where all wondering why she had been tapping her wand. "I tend to tap my wand when I'm nervous or bored. Anyway I was tapping my wand on the desk rather fast and hard. The next thing I know my wand is flying out of my hand and off to the right. When I turned to the right, I was just in time to see Snape get him on the forehead with it. It was amusing to watch for half a second. Than he turned all red and looked like he was about to explode."
"How long do you have detention for?" Ron asked.
"Today, Friday night and Saturday morning," she responded.
"But we leave Saturday," Ginny said. "He can't possibly want you to spend the last couple hours at Hogwarts this year with him."
"He apparently does. I have detention on saturday from eight in the morning to eleven thirty. Today it's from now until ten," Luna responded.
"What about on Friday?" Ginny asked.
"Six in the evening to eight."
"But the end of term feast is at six. Can he even do that?" Ginny said.
"I guess he can," Luna said with a shrug. "Well I have to go. I'm already five minutes late for detention. Professor Snape is going to have a fit." She than spun around and walked out of the hall. She walked quickly so that she would make it down to the dungeons quickly. She herself had no idea why he chose those times for detention.
As she walked into the Dungeon she realised that she was indeed late. She was now eight minutes late. She looked about the classroom and found Snape standing at the board. "You are eight minutes late," he said as he faced the board. He was writing something on it, something that she could not yet see. It was strange because he was doing so manually, usually he just flicked his wand at the board. "One would think that someone would at least bother to be on time, especially when you are wasting someone else's valuable time."
She stared at his back. "Yes, just like one could only ask for the person that is scolding them to at least look at them," she suddenly said, which caused Snape to whirl around. "And I'm sorry professor I wasn't aware that your sundays where so valuable," she continued. She than stopped herself as she realised what she was saying and who she was saying it too.
"Miss Lovegood are you mouthing off to me?" he asked dangerously as he walked over to her. Luna merely stared at him.
"Professon Snape as long as you have known me, when have you ever been succesful at intimidating me? Never, if my memory doesn't desieve me, so what makes you think that you can now?" Luna suddenly said. She had no idea where all of this was coming from, but she wasn't going to stop it. It came so naturally to her, that made her know that this was happening for a reason. After all, as she believe, 'There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events happen for a reason'.
"And in all the time that you have been here, you have never answered back," he said as he neared her.
"Well times change, people change," she said with a shrug. She than sat on a desk. She found that this was a very uncharacteristic thing for her to do, but found that she did it anyway. It was like she had no control or like she didn't even want control over the situation. Besides, she was curious to know where this would lead to.
"Do you wish me to believe that you have changed in one day?" he asked.
"You would have initially had to know me to think that it had only taken me one day to turn into what I am now. Of course for that you would have to try and get to know people, instead of being the antisocial bat that you are," she snapped. She than stopped herself and thought of what she had just done. She looked at her professor and she could see that he was merely staring at her in what she would call astonishment. She than saw an angry gleam leap into his eyes.
"GET OUT," he said through grited teeth.
"Gladly," she said as she whirled around and waltzed out of the classroom. She decided that once she was outside that she at least didn't get into trouble and didn't have to spend the rest of the morning with Snape. So generally she believe that it was a good thing. Not many could tell off Snape and remain unscathed. Yes this was something that she should be proud of. Yet she could not help, but wonder why he didn't do or say anything. He didn't even take house points away for crying out loud! There was certainly something off about that.
She decided that she would not mull over it for the time being. There was no point, because she would not find the answers. She decided that the best thing to do at the moment was just to head back to her dormitory and complete her homework. After all she still had two essays to write for she had been procrastinating and they where both due the very next day. She sighed and made her way to her dorm. It would be a very long day.
The days passed by very quickly. She had one class with Snape all week and Snape did not so much as look at her during the whole class period. She didn't much care, she rather perferred this than the usual name calling. Since the first year she had arrived at Hogwarts Snape loved to embarrass her. She found out in her fifth year the reason that he had picked on her so much in her first year was because she reminded him of Hermione. After her first year he picked on her because she was so eccentric. However, he knew that he could not embarass her by making her seem stupid in front of the class, for she was one of the very best in potions. Her skills in Potions, according to Snape, surpassed the skill of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger put together.
This had always gave her some comfert. To know that she was better than Hermione at at least one thing. She always wanted to be thought of as very different from Hermione Granger in both academics and personality. No one likes to be the exact copy of someone else. Everyone wants to be their own person and accepted as their own person. However some people can't have both.
Luna sighed once more as she made her way to the Dungeons. The last night she would be at Hogwarts this year and she had to spend it with Snape. She found it to be such a shame. She had been looking forward to the last night in the year to spend it doing the same that she did every year, but this year she could not. Alhough, her things had not been stolen this year and she would have atctually been able to attend the end of term feast this year. Oh well, she thought, there is always next year.
With that she opened the door to the Dungeon. She stepped inside and looked about the classroom. Snape was no where to be seen. She looked down at her wristwatch and found that she was two minutes early. She sighed and took a seat on one of the stools. She felt very tired. It had been a very long day. After detention she still had to return to her dorm to pack her things. After all she would be unable to in the morning for she had another detention with him in the morning.
At that moment she heard someone sweep into the classroom and walk up to the desk. It was abviously Snape. He was the only person that wold come down to the dungeons during the end of term feast and he was the only person whosr robes made the swish noise while walking. He walked over to his desk and started to look through a pile of papers on his desk. "Bloody Potter," he muttered under his breath. Luna surpressed the urge to giggle.
What has Harry done now, she wondered to herself as she watched Snape continue looking through the pile of papers on his desk. She than saw him sit down and grab a quill from his desk. He began to write in a furious pace. After a couple of seconds he set the quill down and sat back. He read through what he wrote and when he was done he stood up. Luna wondered what the Professor was up to. She wondered if he'd finally gone batty. She than saw Snape look at his watch. "Where is Lovegood? Late again?" he muttered aloud to himself.
"You know professor," Luna said causing him to look at her. "Most people don't thinks it's sane to talk to yourself."
"Than I assume you talk to yourself quite often, especially if you earned yourself the nickname Loony Lovegood," he snapped.
"And how did you earn the nickname Snivellus? I think I'd be very interested in that story," she said as she looked at him. He visibly paled and his eyes became ominous.
"Where did you get that from?" Snape asked though grited teeth.
"Tonks and professor Lupin. Tonks had asked him the same question I asked you. Professor Lupin hadn't responded," she responded. Snape noded ever so slightly.
"Well that is none of your business. Go run this up to Potter," he said holding out the parchment to her. She got off the stool and walked over to him. As she stood before him she finally reaslized how tall Snape was. He was still almost a full foot taller than her and he was rather large compared to her smal feminine frame. She felt tiny standing before him. She grabbed the piece of parchment from his hand. "When you are done I want you back down here. I'm going to have you clean the entire classroom manually."
She sighed and turned on her heel. She made her way down the hall and up the stairs. She made her way to the Great Hall and walked in. She found Harry seated at his usual spot at the Griffindor table, with Hermione at his side and Ron sitting across from him. Luna walked over to them and stopped behind Harry. "Is your Detention over?" asked Hermione.
"No, Snape just wanted me to give you this," she said to Harry handing him the piece of parchment.
"What is that?" asked Ron.
"Me and Snape made a bet. He lost, and this is my reward," Harry responded. "It's a recomendation that I need in order to start my auror training."
"What was the bet?" Ginny asked.
"I can't say. I gave my word as a Griffindor that I would not tell a soul," he responded. He than turned to Luna. "What is he making you do?"
"I have to clean the entire classroom the muggle way," she responded.
"That sucks," Ron and Harry said together.
"Yeah, but I can't do nothing about it. Well I have to go before Snape gets mad at me for taking so long bringing you that," she said. She waved and turned on her heel. All the while thinking of the bet that Snape and Harry made. She wondered what in the world they had bet on. Even more so she wondered when and where had they made the bet.
As she entered the classroom she found Filch inside the classroom talking to Snape. When she walked in both Snape and Filch turned to look at her. "Filch has brough what you need to clean the classroom. You have a bucket of water, soap, a clothe, a broom and a mop. I suggest you get to work if you want to get through before eight," Snape said coldly. He than made his way to his desk. Filch than turned around and walked out of the clasroom.
Luna sighed and got to work. At eigh forty she was done with her chore and she made her way up to his desk. "I'm done Professor Snape," she said tiredly as she stood before him. He had looked up and was now looking about the classroom. "Can I go now?" Snape noded and she turned on her heel. She made her way through the hallways and to the Ravenclaw common room. When she got to her dorm she began to pack her things and when she was through she dropped on her bed and fell asleep.
The next morning she awoke and put the remaining things in her trunk. She than made her way down to the dungeons. As she walked in she noted the rag on a table near Professor Snapes private store. She walked up to his desk, where he sat as usual and stood before him. "You are to clean my private stores. Mind you that should you break anything you will pay," he said coldly without looking up at her.
"Yes Professor Snape," she said as she walked over to the desk and picked up the rag. She than opened and started to clean. After half an hour of cleaning in a grave silence Professor Snape finally said something.
"What are you doing this summer Miss Lovegood?" he suddenly asked. She turned to look at him, puzzled by his question. "I'm curious," he said sharply as he met her gaze.
"Well I'll be in Romania with Ginny and Ron for the first two weeks than I'll be going home," she responded.
"Romania?" Snape asked with a raised brow.
"We'll be visiting Charlie Weasley," she responded. Snape grimaced.
"Charlie Weasley?"
"Did you know him?"
"Unfortunately, yes," he responded. "I knew Bill as well. Bill was a second year when I started teaching here. When Bill went into his third year, Charlie became a first year. An unpleasent pair once put together. The first Weasleys I had the ...... Pleasure, teaching."
"Oh," she said. "What of you Professor? Do the teacherse stay here all year long or do you go home too?"
"We go home," he responded curtly. She noded and turned back to what she had been doing. She found it very strange that the professor had asked her about her plans for this summer. It was quite strange indeed. A full hour and a half later she was through with cleaning his private stores. She walked up to his desk.
"I'm done," she said as she stood before his desk. He looked up and noded. He looked at his watch and he could see that it was eleven.
"You can go," he said. She smiled and whirled about making her way out the classroom. "Miss Lovegood," she heard him call out as she reached the door. She stopped walking and turned around. "Have a good summer," he said to her. There was nothing cold or even cool in his voice. No tint of sarcasm or snideness.
"I hope you have a good summer as well professor Snape," she said with a smile. "I'll see you next year." She than turned around and walked out.
TBC........
A/N: I'm sorry if I have not updated in a long time. I have to do it when I have time in school. Anyway please Review.