I know, I know, I'm mean.
Chapter 37It was lunchtime the next day, Tuesday. Dawn stood before Faith's portrait door, and smiled at Maya,
"Hey Maya. Miss Mopey in?"
"Hey Dawn. Yes, she's here, but she's not in a good mood."
"What else is new, can ya let me in?"
"Password, or she's gotta let you in, you know the deal."
"Could you asked her then?" Dawn said with a sigh. Maya nodded, and disappeared out of one side of the picture. A few moments later, the portrait swung open. "Heya Faith." Dawn said sheepishly.
"Hey Dawnie, whats up?" Faith replied without looking up from her comic.
"Erm… y'know this weekend I Hogsmeade, right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Well, I was wondering if maybe you could sign my permission slip for me?"
"Sure thing, li'le bit." Faith said, shooting her a smile over the comic. Dawn frowned.
"You ok?"
"Five by five. Why?" Faith replied cheerily. Dawn rolled her eyes, great, the 'five by five' stage. Dawn flopped into a seat next to Faith.
"Drop it. Now. Are you ok?" She said sternly.
"Five by five." Faith repeated slowly, laughing shortly, "What got up your skirt, Dawnie? Or maybe I shouldn't ask…" She grinned teasingly.
"Just stop it, Faith." Dawn sighed. "Stop the 'oh, I'm five by five' macho bullsh*t and just talk to me for a change. Let someone in for gods sake, before you explode… again."
"Don't know what you're talking about." Faith said, but she looked back to the comic, holding it in front of her face.
"Faith…"
"Gimme the slip an' I'll sign it, if Dumbledore will even accept that." Faith snapped. Dawn sighed, and handed over the piece of paper. Faith signed it, shoved it back into the girl's hand, and continued to read.
"Faith… y'know I'm here if ya need me, right? Don't beat yourself up."
"Don't your lessons start in a bit?" Faith said. Dawn clenched her teeth, holding back tears. She spun, and stormed out without another word. As the portrait slammed shut, Faith dropped the comic, and wiped a tear from her eye. "Stupid… stupid!" She scolded herself, and kicked the comic angrily across the floor.
"You get it?" Hermione asked when Dawn reached the potions lesson.
"Yeah." Dawn said shortly, dropping into the seat beside her, and slamming her bag onto the table with more than the necessary force.
"You OK?"
"Five by friggin five." Dawn snapped.
"Ah." Hermione said. "Look… Dawn, don't get all huffed about her… from what you've said, it sounds pretty hopeless to me- she's got problems, and…"
"You just don't get it…" Dawn said wearily. "It's not that simple. I just wish she would let me in!"
"I know." Hermione soothed.
"Bags off the desks, face the front." Snape bellowed as he strode in. Hermione sighed- the entrance just didn't have as much weight as it had in the first year. "Longbottom!" Snape snapped, "Bag!" Neville looked ready to drop dead from fear right there and then. Dawn rolled her eyes- she'd had way too much grumpy bull for one day.
"Leave him alone." She murmured.
"What was that Miss Summers?" Snape asked, obviously expecting her to mumble 'nothing sir'. But Dawn was a Summers.
"I said 'leave him alone' Professor." She snapped back. The whole class could see Snape's jaw clenching, and a vein throb at his temple.
"And when did you decide you had the right to tell a professor what to do?" He growled. Hermione closed her eyes, wincing, oh why did he have to say that?
"About the same time you became a poncey pratt, professor… although… no, that can't be right… you've always been a poncey pratt…"
"Fifty points from Gryffindor!" Snape exclaimed, actually twitching now. If only Dawn had not been bought up with Buffy Summers.
"That the best come back you got?" Dawn replied. The class flinched as a whole, even as the majority of them cracked an awed smile at her bravery.
"Detention. For two weeks." He said, in a low dangerous voice.
"Great." Dawn yelled back, "See ya there then!" She flung her books into her bag, picked it up, and marched out of the classroom before Snape could move. As the door slammed, he seemed to unfreeze, and stalked towards the door. No one in that room, not even one Slytherin, didn't feel sorry for Dawn right then.
"Miss Summers!" They all heard Snape cry as he shut the door behind him. Then he murmured something, and Hermione slammed her fist on the table,
"Dammit!" Everyone looked at her, shocked, "What?" She asked, "He just put of soundproof charm on the door!"
Outside, Dawn had stopped, but not turned round.
"Miss Summers, come back here at once!"
"Why? So you can yell at me some more?" Dawn had reached the line a while ago, now it was miles behind her, and nothing was about to stop whatever she thought flowing out of her mouth, teacher or not.
"You, girl, are out of line." Snape snapped. Dawn spun round,
"GOD! You think you're so high and mighty!" She yelled, "You think you are so bloody powerful. You're like a little kid who knows he's pathetic and has to pick on the younger kids just to boost his own damned ego! You just love seeing Neville squirm, don't you? You're a sick bastard, you know that? You have no idea! You don't have a clue what real power is! Half the things I've seen in my life would freeze you from fear!"
She found the words coming, no matter what she tried to do to stop it. Snape could see the worry in her face, knew she knew she was in deep trouble, and part of him was grinning, thinking he could give her detention for the rest of her life… but the rest of him just saw the anger and pain in those eyes. He realised now that it was not him that had set this off. Summers had been very pissed off before she even set foot in his classroom. She was still yelling… why do girls keep yelling at me recently? He thought. "Power isn't such a great thing, Snapey!" Dawn continued, "It corrupts, it scars, it gets under your skin and controls you… you can tell who is actually strong when you see those that can fight it, not be screwed up, no give in. You are not strong, Snape! You use what tiny influence you have to scare the shit out of kids- how bloody courageous is that!?"
"Tacite." Snape said, pointing his wand at Dawn. Her mouth kept moving, but she was silent. She glowered at the professor, and crossed her arms angrily across her chest. "I could have you suspended for the language you've just thrown at me, Summers. I could make your life a living hell." Dawn didn't flinch. "But that would help no one." Dawn frowned, not understanding him. Snape pushed open the next door along, which lead to his private office. Dawn stepped in. "Have a seat." Snape said coldly. She stayed standing. He shrugged. "What was all that about, Summers?" He asked, removing the spell.
"That was about you being a…" She stopped when he raised his wand again. Dawn clenched her teeth.
"I ask again, what was all that about?"
"I don't think it's fair for you to treat Neville that way."
"Wrong. What…"
"What am I supposed to say!?" She shrieked, "You can't say wrong to something like that!"
"You, as insolent as you are, little girl, are no less a student. I have been dealing with students for many years, and I know when one is lying. Why are you so angry?"
"None of your god damned business." She snapped sullenly.
"Dawn." Snape said, shocking her into looking up at him. "I know pain when I see it. Considering your experiences this year, I think it is prudent to enquire as to why you are quite so stressed." Dawn said nothing. "Although I will guess if you force me." He said. "It is Faith, yes?" Dawn swallowed, but nodded. "Ah."
"She… she wont open up to anyone. She's killing herself from inside out." Dawn said quietly.
"I know. You tried to do something about this?"
"I thought maybe she would listen to me. We've talked before… but she's… I think she's scared."
"Of what?" the malice was gone from the professor's voice. He was genuinely curious- this subject had been bothering him for days. Dawn shrugged forlornly,
"I dunno… being weak, I guess. She's scared to feel, scared to let out emotions in case they come out like…"
"Like before?" Snape finished. Dawn nodded. "She bought you much pain, yes?" he asked. Dawn shook her head,
"No. Not really. But Buffy… and the others… I don't want to lose her again."
"None of us wants that to happen, Dawn, and I don't believe it will… she is strong- in the true definition of the word."
Dawn looked up at the potions professor again. He was obviously troubled by the slayer. He sighed, "We should return to the class."
"Do I still have detention?" Dawn asked, knowing she was pushing it a bit. Snape had turned to the door, and did not look back,
"You will have extra essays- I'll inform you of details at a later point."
"Ok…" Dawn said seriously, "And the points?"
Snape half turned, raising an eyebrow. Dawn could have sworn he was smirking. She chanced the tiniest smile.
"Twenty-five." He conceded.
"Thank you professor." She said, and he knew that the meaning was wider than the obvious.
"And Summers?"
"Professor?"
"If I ever hear such profanities pass your lips again, I shall not be so lenient."
Dawn nodded, and followed the professor back into the class through the office door, startling the few people who had refused to believe Hermione and were trying to listen at the other door.
"Finnigan! Thomas!" Snape bellowed at Seamus and Dean as they ran back to their seats, but ignoring the Slytherins who were doing the same. "Five points from Gryffindor! Each!" Dawn almost laughed, rolling her eyes at him, and took her seat beside Hermione once more.
"You ok?" Hermione mouthed silently. Dawn nodded, smiling. Hermione nearly fell off her seat. Half frowning half smiling, she mouthed, "Tell me everything- later."
Dawn nodded, and the lesson began.
"I will never forget the look on his face!" Ron said yet again, grinning widely. They were sitting together at dinner, and Dawn had got whispered congratulations from students from all houses- apparently rumours spread like wildfire in this school.
"Priceless." Harry agreed. Hermione chuckled, and shook her head,
"I just can't believe you're still alive! I thought he was gonna kill you he looked so angry!" She said.
"Ah, we Summers women are very resilient." Dawn joked. "He was actually ok… I know it's crazy, but he was… nice." She grimaced at the thought.
"You sure he didn't knock you out?" Ginny asked, "Y'know, and all this is a dream?" They laughed.
"The essays are gonna be horrible, aren't they?" Dawn said.
"Oh yeah." Replied Fred as he sat down at the edge of the group. "Snape's punishment essays will haunt me for years… Ah, forgive me, Dawn." He leant over across Hermione and Ginny to shake her hand, "Congratulations. I wish Ron had as much balls as you."
"Yes." George agreed, reaching over from the other side of the table. "You are now an honorary Weasley. You can replace Ron- I think he's defective."
"OI!" Ron cried, while Dawn went a little red, and everyone laughed.
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:D I had to get Snape in properly somehow. Gotta luv our favourite cranky pants.