Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, places, objects, spells, etc. associated with it, nor do I profit from the use of them. But Marya Nadine is my character, and if you take her from me, DOOM ON YOU!

"Another Side to Snape"

Chapter 2

Snape paced in his office as Marya sat there, shocked.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Ms. Djak?" he asked angrily.

Marya looked up at him, as if just noticing his presence. Snape saw those green eyes - the ones that he had so often observed gazing piercingly and intently at anyone in their vicinity, as if preying on their souls - brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, barely audible. Her eyes turned to the floor. For the first time in his life, Severus Snape found his heart breaking. It was all very clear to him now...the missing homework, the poor test scores, and the unending claims that he was still her favorite teacher. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before; she loved him.

"Ms. Djak-" he began, but found the title cold and all too proper. "Marya," he amended, "do not cry. It isn't like you."

Marya looked up at him again, and this time the eyes were bright.

"Aren't you angry?" she asked, the hurt still in her voice.

"No...why are you so upset?" he asked.

"What do you mean, 'why are you so upset?' After what I've seen, why wouldn't I be upset?" she replied.

"So then, why don't you tell me the reason behind your grades diminishing?" asked Snape with a glitter in his malicious eyes. Marya could tell he already knew.

"It's clearly...you obviously...do I really have to say it?" she stammered. Snape walked around the back of the chair Marya was sitting in and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in put his mouth to her ear.

"I would like to hear it," whispered Snape. His breath was hot in Marya's ear; hot enough to make her melt. Marya's mouth fell open and she inhaled sharply. Simultaneously she felt goose bumps rising all over her body. She turned to look into his eyes, and was surprised further when she found not his eyes but his mouth.

He kissed her forehead, putting a hand on either side of her head and guiding her to stand and face him. She found she could not speak as she stared up into his eyes, as his lips met hers and they stood there together, each of them cradling the other in his or her arms.

Suddenly, Snape pulled away. He straightened his robes and brushed them off.

"I apologize. I have no idea what came over me," he said, uncharacteristically hurriedly. "You may go on to dinner," he offered, returning to his monotonous demeanor. He began to walk towards the dining hall. Marya caught a few strains of what Snape muttered to himself as he walked, like, "Honestly, kissing a student!" and "...don't know how I could be so irresponsible."

As for Marya, she trudged up to the Great Hall, experiencing a mixture of confusion and excitement. What had just happened? Would it ever happen again? All she could do was to hope.

Later on, Marya Nadine found herself sitting next to Draco Malfoy at dinner. He jabbered on and on about how rich his father was and how popular he himself was. But Marya could only take so much before she got up and walked over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron and his brothers, Fred and George, were having an argument as Hermione, Harry and Neville watched.

"Excuse me," said Marya, briefly halting the spat.

"Oh, hello, Marya!" greeted Hermione. Marya was the only Slytherin any Gryffindor would associate themselves with.

"Hello, Hermione. Could I borrow Fred and George for a moment?" asked Marya.

"Sure," answered Fred and George in unison, and they rose to follow her to the end of the table where there were less students and more privacy. Fred and George were Marya's best friends, with whom she shared all her secrets and to whom she went for advice.

Here she told Fred and George what had happened; well, almost. She told them that a certain someone whom she had been dreaming of had kissed her, and that he had deemed it inappropriate, and that it wasn't like him. They both looked at her, listened to how earnest she sounded, watched how her eyes glazed over when she mentioned this guy. Knowing her and knowing who made her heart beat, they both said in unison:

"Snape."

Marya just looked at them, mouth agape.

"How did you -"

"Well, it wasn't very hard..." began Fred.

"...especially since you're always talking about him..." continued George.

"...and when you said that this guy was someone you really liked..." continued Fred.

"...who else could it be but Snape?" they concluded together.

"You two never cease to amaze me. So, you're not angry?" asked Marya.

"Well, no. This is a first, y'know," said George.

"And kissing a teacher? Even someone like Snape couldn't help but give his lover good grades," said Fred.

"It's cheating at its best," said George.

"It's genius," they said in unison.

"Even we couldn't have come up with it..." said Fred.

"...let alone have pulled it off." they both finished.

Marya just shook her head and said goodnight to the twins as the students all exited the Great Hall and headed towards their dormitories.