Mudblood. The insult was offensive on his tongue, acrid and sour in ways that he never dreamed possible.
Snape hurried through the hallways, lips thin and shoulders hunched, playing the scene over and over again, despite his best efforts. He saw her beautiful face pale, making her freckles stand out stark against the rest of her face. He saw her eyes widen, he saw the shock and hurt that flashed through them. He saw the anger.
But there was no going back anymore.
It would be something he'd regretted, right until he looked into those green eyes and saw forgiveness.