IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ THIS!
Hi everyone. I need to say a few things, so please read this.
I have got some questions why Tess sees Severus as a father when the pairing is supposed to be SSTP, and I have a simple answer to that.
She doesn't exactly see him as a father, but the hug and comfort he gave to her felt like it was coming from one. There was no other feelings involved.
Some have told me that this story would be better as a DMTP, because of Draco's behaviour, and in a way I agree with you. So I am thinking of doing a threesome, SSTPDM, only Severus and Draco will have no romantic feelings towards each other, just share the same woman. I am asking you now, would this be a good thing? Or how shall I do this? I feel like I need help now, so please tell me what you think.
Rons littel tale and Slytherins reactions
Severus was aware that the girl was looking at him. He was grading some third years essays, and muttered at their incompetence.
"Do you need anything?" He asked, not looking at her.
"No, I don't." Her voice was soft and filled with sadness.
He looked up at her. She just sat there, the book he had given her lay beside her, untouched.
"Here." He stood, gathered some of the ungraded essays and waked over to her, giving her the papers. "Grade these."
She looked up at him. "Professor, you know that I'm not exactly good at potions." Severus fought the urge to snort. No, she wasn't at all talented in the subject, but she needed to do something, just sitting around wasn't good for her.
"Well, this is the first years assignment, I think even you will manage that."
He looked as the girl started to read and he was pleased to see that she did actually do something. He settled down at his desk and started with the seventh years essays. He actually liked correcting these essays, as the students was good at what they did, seeing as they were in the NEWT class.
After two hours, Severus put the grading away and saw Tess sit in the sofa with the book he had previously given to her, reading it. He rose and walked over to the sofa and sat down beside her. She looked up at him and placed the book marker at the page she was currently on and closed the book with a soft snap.
"Can I help you professor?" She ashed, and Severus looked at her.
"Would you tell me what happened yesterday? Something must have trigged this." He said with a shooting voice. She looked away and sighed.
"It was silly...I just felt.." she went silent and Severus placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump a little bit, but the hand remained in position.
"Draco Malfoy asked me to the ball. I questioned his motives, and when he thought I was going to refuse, he almost seemed relieved. I decided to show him that I do have some fashion sense and manners, so I accepted. I told Ron, and while he was surprised, and on his way to kill Malfoy, he accepted my decision and told me that it was okay. I didn't say anything to Hermione, because I wasn't certain of her reaction to the while thing, and as it turned out, she cared a great deal."
Severus saw that tears threatened to come down the girls cheeks and he drew her into a comforting hug, surprised about his own actions. Get a grip Severus, this is your student, and she is confused.ยด
"What happened?"
She shook her head. "I can't talk about it." She drew out of the hug and looked at the pile of newly corrected essays. "I'm done with those."
Severus didn't comment on the change of subject, and picked up the pile. He read it through briefly and raised an eyebrow at the lines written in red ink.
On one of the hufflepuff's essays, he found this:
I clearly see that you grasp the concept of this potion, and I have marked this as an A. I feel that the presentation should have been longer for ah higher grade, and also, you could have mentioned anything about what would happen if the potion was made wrong. But never less, it was really enjoyable to read. / Theresa Potter
He looked at the girl beside him, and saw that she was smiling shyly. "I always thought that instead of writing Dunderhead, note that I said five inches, not four and a half, you can tell them what they did wrong, and what was good with it. That way, the student doesn't feel totally useless, and will be more encouraged to try the next time."
Severus looked at the others, and noted that there was a short message on nearly every paper, and in mots cases, the note was giving both praise and a explanation as to why the student received the grade.
"Interesting Ms Potter, but I am sorry to say that I wouldn't be able to give this kind of attention to all my students, I would never get the grading done."
The girl looked thoughtful for a moment and then she spoke again. "Why not give the attention to the first, sixth and seventh years? The first year must be critical, and if helped, the student will learn what is required of them their first year. Then, when you start the advanced classes, they may need to be guided to reach their full potential. Also, if you do this, the first years may have more interest in learning the subject, because they see that you ate willing to help them in their work, which would lead to better concentration among other things."
Severus looked at the girl before him, and was wondered about the way the girl spoke and voiced her opinion.
"Well, I will certainly think about it."
The two of them were drinking tea when the door opened and Ron Weasley together with Draco Malfoy walked into Severus rooms. Ron was in an instant beside Tess and asked how she was feeling. Draco stayed in the shadows, not really knowing what to say or do.
"I'm fine Ron, seriously." Severus fought the urge to snort. She was far from fine, but he didn't bother to bring it up right now.
"Tess, lease promise me you will never do that again." He heard Ronald plead with the girl, and the room went silent, waiting for her answer.
Theresa Potter looked away from all of them, and sighed.
"I can't." Severus looked at her sharply, and so did Draco.
"Tess..." Ronald Weasley tried but she silenced him.
"Ron, I cannot promise you anything. I did once, and look what happened. I did it again, didn't I? I let you down, broke your trust, and you have every reason to be mad at me for it."
Weasley had a most shocking expression on his face. He made her look at him and spoke with a steady voice.
"Don't you dare blame yourself for this, you know it wasn't your fault. It was all Granger's, and I swear she will never do it again. As for me being mad at you, you are wrong. I would never be mad at you for something like this, there are other people to blame for this."
He gave her a hug, and the three of them were shocked when the girl in the redheads arms began to cry.
"I am so weak Ron, I don't know why you bother! If it wasn't for Draco, I would be dead now, and you know it. I hate being like this, I just want it to be over and done with, I don't want to be some bloody hero, I don't want it!"
Severus was a bit embarrassed over the whole thing. He and Draco had no real right to listen to this conversation, but he couldn't make himself go away, and at the looks f it, neither could Draco.
Weasley held her tight against his chest while she continued to sob against him. Draco gave him a questioning look, and Severus returned it with a equally questioning expression. Severus wasn't used to this kind of situations. Sure he had comforted a great deal of students in the Slytherin house, but this was a bit different. This wasn't just about a homesick first year, but a emotionally unstable 17 years old girl, who had, just a few hours ago, been on her way to take her own life. And the thing was, that he had yet to discover what had trigged the incident.
"I know that you don't want this Tess, and if I could do something, I would. But we will figure something out." Ronald said.
She nodded and drew away from his arms, and tried to dry he tears that ran down her cheeks. She looked up at him and Draco, quite embarrassed.
"Draco, I'm sorry about this, I am sure you think I'm really silly. I must thank you though, for rescuing me, even if I would deserve o be dead.
Draco wasn't sure that he was hearing what he was hearing. Did she say that she deserved to be dead? He stepped up to the couch and sat down beside her, and fought the urge to shake the girl.
"You don't deserve to die. I know we havn't been the best of friends before, here, Ron snorted, but I would like to be your friend now, and I wonder if you would agree to that."
She smiled a sad smile and nodded. "I never wanted to fight you, but you insulted Ron and.." He hushed her, and smiled.
"Bad move, I know. But I was young then, and under my fathers watchful eye. I know better now, thank god." Draco wasn't sure what made him say all this things, but he didn't regret them. He was marvelled over Theresa Potters smile, how small it may have been, and he find himself smile back...ugh..he was going soft. But he wasn't the only one, he mused. His godfather looked at the three of them with quite mild eyes. But only one who knew the potion master well would be able to see the change.
The evening went by peacefully. Ron told Tess about the classes, and gave her his class notes so she could catch up with the rest of the class. During the tea, Tess fell asleep on the sofa.
"Mr Weasley, I need to ask you some questions." Ron looked up from the sleeping girl and met his professor's eyes.
"What happened to trigger this? Why did she feel that taking her life was the only way out?"
Ron swallowed. How much could he tell? He had to leave out her relatives, or she would never speak to him again, but maybe he could tell about the ball? He knew that he needed help to make her better, so he had to take the chance.
"I will tell you some of it, but not all okay? You must understand that I cannot break her trust and tell it all okay?" The other two in the room nodded and Ron sighed.
"What trigged this last thing has to do with Malfoy and Granger." Before he was able to explain, the slytherin spoke up, quite livid.
"Hey, watch it Weasley, I had nothing to do with this!" Snape gave Malfoy a glare and told him to be quiet.
"I didn't mean it like that, but it had to do with the two of you, mostly.
When you asked Theresa to the ball, she told me about it. I wasn't exactly happy, for good reasons, but I wasn't mad at her for accepting. You must understand that Tess is very reliable on her friends trust and reacts very badly if someone close to her is angry with her for some reason. I don't know why, but she didn't tell anyone else about her date to the ball, not even Hermione. When she came to the ball with Malfoy, Hermione went furious. She told Tess that she was betraying her by going to the ball with the person Hermione hated the most, and when you, Malfoy, took her away from us, Hermione ran away and I ran after. I told her that Tess could date anyone she wanted, but she didn't want to listen to me.
When Tess came back to the tower, Hermione attacked her, screamed at her what a lousy friend she was for taking all attention and so on. Tess fled and I ran after, later I found her in the astronomy tower, and the rest you both know."
Both slytherins looked scary, and Ron thanked his lucky star that he wasn't the one they were angry at, at least he hoped so.
"Thank you for telling us Mr Weasley. Now we have to figure out how to heal her. I am not sure that we will accomplish anything with sending her back to the tower, I doubt it. The best would be if she could spend some time away from here, maybe with her relatives?
Ron almost knocked the chair he was sitting in to the ground when he stood.
"No fucking way", he breathed, and the shocked slytherins stared at him. "Anywhere but there."
Snape rose and started to pace in front of the boys. "Well then, what do you suggest Mr Weasley?"
Ron shook his head. "I have no idea sir."
They stayed quiet for a few minutes before Malfoy spoke up. "I know this sounds crazy, and I am not sure why I even mention it, but maybe she could stay at Malfoy Manor? Or your manor Sev?"
So everyone, what did you think? Please send me some lines, and I will be forever grateful. And read the top message, and give me your opinion!