** Thank you so much for the new followers! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it. I know these first few chapters are pretty short, but they will get longer. I have already written the next 3 chapters and they are about double the length. Any and all feedback is appreciated.**
Chapter 3
It's been almost two months since my time has started at Hogwarts and it has completely flown by. I teach two classes of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws on Mondays and Wednesdays, and two classes of Gryffindors and Slytherins on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My Fridays have been spent grading papers, having brunch teas with Minerva, and spending a little time sitting by the lake. I've been catching up with a few of my old professors since I've been here, as well as avoiding some. The only time I see Professor Snape is at breakfast, dinner, and any random time I pass him in the halls. He can't bring up the door incident if he doesn't see me.
Tonight is the night of the Halloween Feast. I've heard that this celebration has become even bigger since I left. There's now apparently games, as well as music and dancing. When I was here, it was just a grand feast with the castle ghosts trying to scare all the students out of their wits.
I guess I should try to dress up somewhat for the occasion. Searching through my wardrobe, I pull out a black long-sleeved floor-length dress with a jeweled scoop neck. I haven't worn this dress since, well, since my parent's burial. May be a bit fancy for the Halloween Feast, but I always like to be just a tad overdressed.
5:56PM. My clock on the mantel reads.
"Damn it!" I run and grab my favorite black heels from the floor, slip them on, and hurry out the door.
"Professor Gale!" I hear from behind me as I'm leaving my quarters. "Have you got a moment?"
"Yes, yes. Of course, Harry. Walk with me." After locking the door, I turn to walk down the hallway with the famous 5th year. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, I was just talking to Dumbledore and, not to sound completely forward or anything, but he told me that I should just come talk to you. He wants me to get to know you more."
"Oh, did he? That would have nothing to do with you being 'The Chosen One' and I possibly having a connection that could help you, is it?" I turn my head and smile at him.
"That may have something to do with it." We both laugh.
"Well, we'll get to know each other and, when the time comes, we'll end up finding out why we're so useful to each other."
"Sounds like a plan." We take a few steps in silence until he speaks up again. "Professor, may I ask you about-"
As we round the corner to the Great Hall, Minerva and Snape are outside the doors having a discussion, and Minerva doesn't look too pleased. I usher Harry to go on ahead inside the hall before walking over to the pair.
"Severus, if you repea-"
"Good evening, Professors." Minerva gives me a forced smile as I cut her off, while Snape gives me a look that could kill. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." I say as I try to make my way out.
"No, Miss Gale, it's alright. We were just finishing up." Minerva looks back to Snape. "Severus, we shall talk more about this later." He gives her an approving nod and walks into the hall, she follows. What the hell was that about?
Inside the Great Hall, students are dancing, laughing, eating, and just having an overall wonderful evening. As I make my way over to the staff table, I can't help but notice all the changes they've made to these feasts since I attended here.
"Miss Gale, looking lovely as usual." The Headmaster comes from behind me.
"Thank you, Sir. I'd say, 'you as well' but it would be odd to say that you look lovely."
"No, no. I wouldn't mind it. I feel lovely." I begin to laugh at him and he puts his head close to my ear. "I believe someone else has also noticed how lovely you look this evening." He whispers. I stop laughing and turn my head to look at him. Dumbledore, you clever old man. He knows what he's doing and he knows it's wrong. "Care for a dance?" He holds out his elbow for me to take. I hesitate for a moment, but then give in.
As he guides us out to the dance floor, I can feel eyes on me.
"Have you thought more about my proposition?" He begins guiding our dance.
"Of course. You know that I'm more than willing to help out The Order in any way that I can, but I can't help but think of all the bad things that could result from this. You know what happened last time I connected with… them." As I look at him, he seems distracted by something behind me.
"You know, some things have changed since you left," he pauses "but not everything." Oh no, not the whole changing thing again. I look at him confused. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Miss Gale." My eyes shift down to our mostly stable feet.
"Professor, please. What happened should have never occurred." He changes our dance's course to a new direction.
"Or maybe now that you're back, it's proof that it was supposed to happen. That all of this is supposed to happen. I have a good feeling about all of this." He changes our dance's course, again.
"I don't think so." And again.
"Really?" And again.
"Why are you so sure?" And again.
"Why aren't you, Miss Gale?" He spins me and let's go of my hand.
As I turn around, I spin right into the chest of a Professor Severus Snape. He catches me, one hand supporting me around my waist.
"Miss Gale, you should pay more attention to where you're dancing." He very gently lets go of me.
"Well, Dumbledore should pay more attention to where he flings his dance partners." As I pat on my dress to straighten it out, I try not to look up at him. "Why aren't you out there dancing with some pretty young woman?" He raises an eyebrow at me.
"Not really my thing." He pauses. "But, I wouldn't mind if a pretty young woman accompanied me on a stroll in the courtyard." I stop and slowly look up at him.
"Umm, I don't… I mean, I-I'm sure that-" I'm suddenly interrupted by Snape grabbing my hand, walking us through the back of the Great Hall, and out the side door.
Sitting down on the stone bench on the far side of the courtyard, I can feel my stomach tightening in knots again. I set my hands in my lap and begin fidgeting. Why does this always have to happen when he's nearby?
"You look lovely tonight." Snape makes himself comfortable in the spot next to me.
"Thank you." I say, still looking down at my fidgeting hands in my lap. There's a few seconds of silence until, suddenly, he places one of his hands over both of mine.
"Regina, you need to stop." I steady my hands and look over at him.
"Finally let off the whole 'Miss Gale' thing…" I can see him give a hint of a smile.
"Thought maybe it would make you more relaxed."
"Well, it definitely did." His grip on my hands becomes a little tighter.
"I cannot believe it's really been five years since you left." He pauses for a moment. "I feel like it's been so much longer." He's not doing this right now is he? He's not doing what I think he's doing. "Regina, we really need to talk." I feel myself getting nervous again and want so badly to start fidgeting.
"I don't think there's any reason to, Severus. Things happen for a reason." I pause and glance up at the starry night sky, before looking over at his dark eyes. "Everything that happened was supposed to."
"I don't fully believe that." We both look into each other eyes. Not a single word spoken for at least the next minute. Could Dumbledore really have been correct, that things have changed? I would have expected other things to change, but never Snape. And I'm still not sure that I really believe it.
It doesn't faze me that Snape is slowly moving closer to me until his face is right in front of my own. I place my hand on his chest to stop him.
"I can't do this." I pause, feeling tears begin to well up in my eyes. "I'm sorry. Please excuse me."
I've never gotten up so fast in my life.
I dash through the halls and into my quarters as quickly as physically possible. After slamming the door behind me and locking it, everything in sight becomes blurry and I'm sitting on the floor with my back against the door. Tears are streaming down my face.
How could he do this to me? After everything that had before been said and done? He had sought out my heart once and I decided to give it to him, but then he denied me. But before, I'm not completely sure it was really my heart he was seeking. I cannot be denied by this man twice, by this man that I have never fallen out of love with.