Jean's Tale
By Rurple101


Chapter Three


Hermione was quick to be introduced to the Wizarding-World and Hogwarts. She got daily messages (mainly because Mistress Mabel was ordering another owl for herself, so until then Matilda was the family owl) delivered to Mabel and this irritated Jean.

"Calm down, will you Jean?" Mabel muttered as she undid the note from Matilda. The familiar handwriting of Minerva McGonagall was quite easy to recognize.

"How come you know my teacher already?" Jean huffed; crossing her arms and glared at her guardian.

"Now, now" Mabel continued. "Minerva was there for me when I wasn't able to look after myself sweetie. And I happen to be doing the same to you! You still don't know who your parents are-"

WELL OF COURSE I DON'T!" Jean bellowed. "I WAS TWO YEARS OLD WHEN YOU ADOPTED ME AND I KNOW MY PARENTS ARE DEAD, OTHERWISE I WOULD BE WITH THEM INSTEAD OF YOU!"

Jean huffed and stomped out the door, slamming the door as she did so. Mabel shouted at her to come back but Jean ignored her.

She started marching up the street, hitting random objects that she went past. She was in such a rage that she didn't notice that after a few minutes of stomping along, someone was calling her name.

And it wasn't Mabel.

She turned and came face to face with Severus. His cheeks were flushed and she guessed he'd had to run after her to keep up.

"Sorry!" Jean spat, still fuming. "I'm annoyed at Mistress Mabel and I kinda saw red."

Severus nodded slowly in understanding. It was then that she noticed something that drained the colour out of her face and raised a trembling hand to his cheek.

It was bleeding slightly, and his hair was blocking most of his cheek from view.

"What are you doing?" he yelped, once he saw her face fall.

Then he blinked and her hand was on his right cheek, her warm soft hand…

He blinked again and felt himself blush.

"You're bleeding" she whispered softly as she quickly wiped the dribble of blood from the cut.

She gazed more at his face as it got redder.

"-and you have a slap mark appearing as well!" she hissed, wiping the blood on her tissue she had in her pocket and wiped his cut. She was careful not to hurt him.

"Jeanie, it's nothing" Severus muttered quietly. Jean felt herself redden as Severus used his nickname for her.

"No" she whispered, looking straight into his eyes. "What happens when you go home Serpie."

'Serpie' looked down and muttered incoherently.

She leaned her ear closer to him; she could smell the scent of alcohol on his clothes as well as smoke.

"Pardon?"

"My father drinks and he and my mum argue a lot." Severus confessed, fiddling with his fingers. "She's the witch and Dad doesn't like magic that much" he paused. "He doesn't seem to like me either. So I seemed to cause him cheek earlier and he hit me."

He was cut off when he felt Jean wrap her arms around his body, encasing him securely with her own warmer and slender figure. His eyes automatically closed as he leant his head on her shoulder. Jean smiled to herself as he leant into her and relished in the comfort.

They just stood there, on the pavement, holding onto each other.

Jean smiled then withdrew from her friend, a shy blush appearing like two small pink dots on her normally rosy cheeks. She then patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything bothering you Severus, don't forget that." She said, smiling.

"Shall we make a pact?" he asked, almost jokingly.

She shrugged, scoping her long hair out of her face and chucked it over her right shoulder. Severus watched the movement as if in a daze before he shook his head. He held out his little finger and she interlocked it with hers.

"I, Severus Tobias Snape, will henceforth remember that my best friend, you, Jean Hermione Brown are there for me all the time to talk about anything bothering me!"

She smirked and tugged her finger free and they shook hands, somewhat awkwardly.

After that, they decided to go to the play park, Severus only forgetting to call in on Lily, because he was having fun with Jean. Jean purposely decided that she wanted some free time with her friend (not that she was bitter) and didn't remind Severus about Lily.


Author's Note: I am sorry about a lot of my stories being neglected the past few months, because I am at college and also started working (volenteering, lol) and so there will be a lack, but a new chapter of 'Jean's Tale' will be published this afternoon when I come back from work. I haven't wirtten it yet, but I tend to make things up as I go along! Happy New Year! :D