Thank you to everyone who has been reading and following the story! Sorry for the late update, went out of town for a few days. But I'm back and was able to write out a couple chapters while I was away. More to come soon!
**Italics are flashbacks!** :)

Chapter 4

Over the next week, I didn't see a trace of Severus. The house-elves brought me both my breakfast and dinner to where I could have it in my private quarters. I would teach my classes and then come directly back to my room, once or twice making a short visit to the lake. There was no way that I could face him. I can't have a repeat of what happened five years ago, I just can't.

"Headmaster, you wished to see me?"

"Ahh, yes, Miss Gale. Please come on in." Dumbledore offered me a chair in front of his desk.

I had only ever been in the Headmaster's Office once during my time as a student at Hogwarts and I remember it very clearly. My 3rd year, a girl named Emma Grey. She was a 5th year in Slytherin…

"Now, Miss Gale, please enlighten us on what happened." Dumbledore asked of me.

"Emma, called her that word! That word you are never to call Muggle-Borns! And Katrina is my friend! I wasn't going to just stand by and let her say that nasty word to her!" I yelled, probably louder than I needed to.

"Miss Grey, is this true?" The Headmaster questioned her.

"Yes, sir." She answered with her head down. "But that little Hufflepuff doesn't deserve the attention of Slytherins! The little mudblood should be-"

"Miss Grey, you should learn to watch your tongue." Stated a statuary Snape from the back of the room. Emma's head reverted back to the floor.

"Miss Grey, twenty points shall be taken from Slytherin for your unacceptable behavior." Emma sent me a deathly glare from under her bent over figure.

"And also detention with me for the next 3 evenings." Came from Snape. Emma quickly brought her head up, with her mouth open agape. "The cauldrons could use a good scrubbing."

Did Professor Snape really just give one of his Slytherins a detention?

"Miss Gale, I have asked you here to further discuss my proposition."

"Sir, I have already told you that I would be more than willing to help out in any way that I possibly can. I personally don't think I could be of much help, but I am willing to try."

"That's wonderful. I know your last encounter with them was Earth shattering, but you may be our only hope to get the information I require." He paused suddenly. "I know you're wanting to avoid him at all costs, but I need you to work alongside Severus to the best of your abilities."

"Sir, I really don't think that-" Dumbledore raises his hand to silence me.

"I have already spoken with Severus about the situation and he is more than willing." Of course, he is. You'd see that he is if you saw what he tried to pull the other night.

"Yes, Sir. I will do whatever needs to be done." That was all I could say.

Suddenly, I hear the door to the Headmaster's Office creak open.

"You wished to see me?" came from a low velvet voice. Great, now all we're missing is Emma Grey and it could one big happy reunion!

"Ahh, Severus, please sit down. I was just discussing with Miss Gale my proposition for you both." Dumbledore sat behind his desk, as Severus took the seat next to mine. "You are both very well aware of the current situation of the war, and the both of you have very close ties with the other side. It would help The Order greatly to have both of you working together to get us the information that we so desperately need. Now," he looks at us over his half-moon spectacles "I realize that there is a history with the two of you, but I know the two of you are more than capable of working together on this." Severus and I glance over at each other before looking back at Dumbledore.

"We are both more than willing, Professor." stated Snape.

After the meeting in Dumbledore's office, I made my way down to the lake and found a tree to sit against. It was a nice and cool November afternoon. Not as many students were outside as I thought there would be, especially not as many Gryffindors as I would have thought. I pull my book out of my bag and get about 4 pages into it, when suddenly a shadow is cast over me. I look up.

"Robert?" I am so confused. "What are you doing here?"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He yells at me, grabbing my upper arm and yanking me up off the ground.

"I believe I was sitting here enjoying a nice day and reading a good book!" I try breaking free of his grip but am unsuccessful. "But it appears that someone has come along to ruin that for me!"

"You know fairly well that I'm not talking about your precious little book!" He grabs both of my arms. "What are you doing agreeing to help out the Order?!" I'm silent for a moment.

"How… how did you know?"

"I'm not stupid, Gina! I can find these things out."

"But… I don't…"

"Don't do it! You'll get yourself killed going into Death Eater territory. I'm not having it! I can't always be there looking out for you!" I push him away.

"Then leave! I know what I'm doing! I didn't ask you to look after me!"

"You aren't doing this because that bat is forcing you to, are you?" I'm stunned that something like this would come out of his mouth. Actually, I'm not. He's never been a fan of him. "Is he blackmailing you? If he hurts you, I swear to Merlin, I will Avad-" I smack him before he has the chance to finish his words.

"How dare you… get the hell out of here." I pick up my book that had fallen from my hands when he grabbed me. Robert then grabs my arms again.

"If he does anything to you, I will personally see to it that that greasy git is put in Azkaban where he belongs."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Why are you doing this?! Don't do this to yourself! They will kill you! They don't care about you, the Order doesn't care what happens to you, get out while you can!" I try pushing him away from me, but he holds firmly onto me and pushes me against the tree. "Severus doesn't care about you. Why can't you get that through your head?! He never did." I can feel the tears starting to sting at the back of my eyes. "You're so stupid, Gina! When will you learn?!" I can't think with him yelling at me. "Get out! For your safety, get out! No one cares about you!"

"You could not be more wrong…" I hear a velvet voice with a twinge of anger to it come from behind Robert. Robert quickly turns his head around, still holding onto my arms.

"Get the hell outta here, Snape! This is none of your concern!"

"Actually, I believe it is. See, you have mentioned my name in the situation. And not only that," his gaze moves from Robert to me, "you seem to be hurting someone that I care about." Robert's face at that moment was the best part of the afternoon, his jaw drops and his head slowly turned back to me, his eyes meeting mine.

"He's playing you, Gina…" Robert whispered to me. "You remember last time, don't you?"

How could I forget, you git?

"Severus… I… I want to know what… what this is." We were in Severus' private chambers the night before I was to leave on the Hogwarts Express, going back home after graduating. Both of us sitting on his couch, curled up with his arm around me. "What happens after I get on that train tomorrow?" I feel him shift in his seat.

"Once you leave my quarters tonight," he pauses for a brief moment, I look up at him. "it is goodbye." I move to get up from my spot, but he grabs onto my wrist.

"What?" I pull my wrist from his grip.

"It's complicated. We both knew this was never going to work and was only temporary."

"Really? That's not what you said to me the other night. You told me that you care about me, you told me that you… that you…and you promised me…" I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes.

"Regina, we both know that our lives are very different. You know what my life consists of and what has to be done to maintain order in it…" He looks down at the floor for a moment. "I don't want you as part of it." He might as well have just stabbed me in the heart right then and there. I'd given him my life and my love over the previous five months. I walk over towards the door and grab my cloak from the coatrack.

"So, you were lying to me then... the other night…"

"You should know better by now that I wouldn't mean something like that." My eyes turn away from him.

"You're unbelievable…" I whisper.

"I don't want you in my life anymore."

The tears begin rolling down my cheeks.

"Goodbye, Severus." I turn around and grab the door handle, halfway out the door when I feel his hand on my shoulder.

"Regina, please…" We're both silent for a moment before I turn back around toward him.

"You've chosen your path and made it clear. It's my turn to choose mine." And with that, I grabbed the door handle and closed it behind me.

"Gina, don't listen to him... Gina!" I snap back to reality.

"Please, just let go of me, Robert." He hesitates and then slowly lifts his grip from my arms. I grab my book and my bag from the ground and make my way back up to the castle, without a word to either men.

"You know exactly what'll happen to her if she doesn't leave the Order's side, Snape. Do you really want that?" Robert questioned Severus.

"No one will harm her. She is under my protection."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

I had just gotten halfway through my book when I looked up at the clock on my mantel.

10:50PM

I put my book back on the shelf and then pick up my bag to hang on the hook, when suddenly a piece of folded parchment falls out of the side pocket. I bend down to pick it up and open it.

Regina,

Meet me at 11PM, where you can see the stars and the moon.

S.S.

Really? He's going to do this right now?

I fold the parchment back up, slip it back into my bag pocket, and look at the clock.

10:52PM

Should I go? I know what's going to end up coming of this, if I do. Maybe I should, just to see what he wants. Maybe it's not even about what I think it is. Maybe it's about something completely different. But with where he's wanting me to meet him, not likely.

I grab my robe from the hook by the door and slip it on.

Damn him.