Serena laughed at their teachers sudden burst of anger, and suggested the two get out of the dungeons before he came out to lecture them on their disregard for classroom rules.
"I think we should go for a walk"
"Fine by me" Serena said smiling.
As they left the entrance hall Decembers chill descended, and both teenagers had to draw their cloaks around them in an effort to keep warm. They walked through the snow-covered grounds in a reflective silence, each caught up in their own thoughts.
"Serena-," Snape stopped abruptly, facing her.
"Yes?"
"Why do you like me?" his tone was flat and cold as the snow beneath their feet.
"Well what's not to like?"
He rolled his dark eyes.
"Everything"
"You put yourself down too much Severus, do you know that? You're an intelligent, kind and caring person."
"You deserve so much better than me Serena."
"I of all people should no what I deserve. It isn't healthy for you to mask your feelings Severus, and build up walls to keep the ones who care about you out. You can't keep doing this," She said, frustrated. "You're not the only one who feels alone!"
He wrapped his arms around her, whilst she tried her hardest to keep her tears from surfacing.
"I act that way so I wont get hurt anymore than I already am Serena, you have to understand," he said softly.
"And do you think I'm truly happy Severus? My mothers gone and my father is as good as. I haven't seen him in 9 years…and the only support I get is from my friends. When we came to Hogwarts you became so distant and cold, I was forced to accept the fact that my best friend in the world had abandoned me, too."
"You know I would never abandon you, but what I did was for your own good Serena. I'm bad business and you needn't be involved. You'd be better off and happier without me in your life. I'm making you cry right now." He brushed a few tears from her face.
"I'm crying because you won't let anyone in, after all the time we'd spent together, do you honestly think I'd stopped caring about you? I told myself I had to move on, but in the back of my mind I always knew I hadn't given up hope. Do you have any idea how I felt when I found you on that bathroom floor? "
"Do you have any idea what I felt? I didn't have anything to live for, and what happened just…pushed me over the edge. I had no one to talk to, no one to comfort me, no one who cared" Serena raised an eyebrow and he grinned feebly.
"Well…I was wrong about that last part. But I've never been one to wear my heart on my sleeve and I'm not going to start now. I'm broken inside Serena. You have to understand that there is no future for us "
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"Tell me what I honestly mean to you Severus… I need to know"
His heart was racing, and he felt as if her green eyes were compressing his lungs. The right words just weren't surfacing. If he told her would she laugh in his face? Would she go and tell all her friends and have the Marauders taunt him even further? How could he possibly begin to tell her how he felt?
"…I love you Serena," he flinched slightly and scolded himself in his mind for showing emotion.
"I always have" he lowered his face and gently tilted her chin upwards. He kissed her delicately, yet with a force that told her everything she needed to know. Her mind was swimming as she deepened the kiss. All she knew was that she wanted to be as close to him as possible. Neither of them knew how long they had stood there for, but when their lips finally broke apart, Serena's knees were shaking and Snape had to tighten his hold around her waist. He gave a rare smile, one which she hadn't seen since they were both 9 years old.
"Please don't ever let me go," she whispered.
"I won't"
Oh my god I've never written a kiss scene before, that probably sucked! Sorry it was a short and kind of boring chapter again, my GCSE's are almost over so Ill have time to concentrate on this I promise! Im in an evil sort of mood so I dont think I'll keep them both happy like this for very long muhaha :p Pleeeeease review if anyone is still bothering to read this trash !