Snape's song
Part 8
The oddly talented Miss Rose
Disclaimer: Not all mine

A.N : This is written in google Docs. A friend pointed this out to me after I received some complaints about using notepad for Fanfics.

A storm was brewing. But the weather was simply cold as Christmas ended and Snape tried to arrange extra defence lessons for Rose. She wasn't happy about it at all. Rose saw it as Snape gaining more and more control over her life. She didn't like it. Rose wouldn't be any body's puppet, least of all his. She believed in equality in relationships and she believed that he was doing all of the ordering. So with that in mind although asked one January Morning to join him when they both had free lessons, Rose went with Jasmine back to Hufflepuff tower to her confusion.

Jasmine frowned at her friend as she spoke,

"Shouldn't you be somewhere? I recall Snape asking you to see him...like now. It's not like you to ignore a direct order from any teacher other than Um-bitch," she said.

Rose smiled slightly at the insulting name before she responded and told her friend about what happened over the holidays,

"So now he is taking me for defence as well and...I just can't be bothered with it. He sees me enough as it is anyway with potions," she said.

Jasmine shrugged a little and turned her head to the left in thought,

"Nice of him to bother...even if it is for personal gain because he's always wanted to teach that subject," she added.

"Exactly! It has nothing to do with being decent. He's just being selfish! Plus it will make Dumbledore think he's up for the job if and hopefully something happens to Umbridge," said Rose.

Jasmine looked even more confused than she had done at the start of the conversation. She stopped looking through her books and raised an eyebrow,

"Why do you care? Snape's never been decent, he's a Slytherin so he's always out for himself and so what? Next year we'll be gone so if Snape does get the job, we won't be here to see it," she said.

On that note, Rose decided to go and find Snape. She knocked on his office door to find that it wasn't the best time for an argument. The door opened slowly and he looked most annoyed. Rose assumed it was her lateness that had upset him so and she shut the door behind her,

"Sorry I'm late but..." she began.

"I'm not annoyed with you...I'm annoyed with Black and Potter," he muttered.

"What happened?" asked Rose calmly.

"The headmaster has decided I am to teach Potter Occlumency. Over the holidays I had to tell them this. He's never going to crack it due to his attitude to me. His mind will be invaded at will and there is nothing anyone can do about it with all the best will in the world," replied Snape.

Rose knew that Snape hated them both. However Harry needed some sort of encouragement about the idea. So she came up with a plan that she hoped would suit them both,

"I'll talk to him. Make him see sense. Tell him you're his only way to stop what is happening and for the moment he has to toe the line," she said.

Snape rolled his eyes,

"And why will he do as you say?" he asked.

"Let me think...I'm good in his class, I know his godfather is innocent and I'm an order member. Three perfectly good reasons. Plus he thinks I'm a good quiddich player also and his friends fancy me. I can do this Severus. You need to trust me more and let me do my own thing," she replied.

Snape glared at her,

"Don't you think he will find it a bit strange that you will be defending me?" he asked.

"No because I won't be. I'll just encourage him to give you a chance. Pretend like you have never met before. Just try and be a little more supportive...messing with some one's mind can be emotional," replied Rose.

"I won't treat him any different. I won't lie to you. If he doesn't want my help he knows where the door is," said Snape.

Rose rolled her eyes and Snape looked amazed,

"You really are impossible," she said.

"I'm impossible? That boy thinks he's Merlin's gift! Well I have news for him Rose, he isn't. I will not treat him any different, scar or not," he said.

"Harry is not the enemy! There is only one enemy! Remember? The one who gave you that mark on your arm? The one who has murdered many good families, good people...good men. If we stand a chance of getting rid of him we all have to pull together. Even you and Harry, because one can't succeed without the other," snapped Rose.

Snape was close to loosing his temper. Rose could see him getting more and more angry as she tried to reason with him,

"Do you think I would....? You don't understand what is being asked of me. Not fully," he growled.

"Maybe not. But I do know that you have been given an order, an order to protect someone from Voldemort and you should follow it for the sake of the wizarding world!" shouted Rose.

Snape took furious steps towards her and Rose's back hit the door with a bang. She had gone too far and she knew it. However she didn't think before she spoke, it all just came out before she even had chance to process it or dress it up in a manner, that could have angered him less,

"Let me tell you Rose...I suffered at the hands of Potter's parents and his friends. Forgive me if I do not jump at the chance to do my very best for him," snarled Snape.

"What do you mean?" asked Rose.

Snape moved away from her and left her as she was. He turned his back to her and didn't look back,

"I'd rather not say. Just go," he ordered.

"Severus...I'm sorry," began Rose.

"Please! Get out!" he repeated.

Rose covered her mouth and left the room. She reached outside as tears began to appear and tilted her head against the door, before she left. When she got to the great hall, she had dried her eyes on her robes and found Harry at the Gryffindor table getting a drink.

Rose took a deep breath as she walked towards him and tapped him on the back slightly, knowing he wasn't Snape's biggest fan,

"I need to talk to you in private some how. I don't know how to word things without getting found out you see," she said.

Harry followed Rose outside and they both looked around for anyone. Rose even checked behind corners and trees. She refused to be found out by anyone what she was up to. Least of all Umbridge,

"Harry, this might seem strange to you but you've been teaching an order member. Me. I know what's going on. I know that your godfather is innocent, I know about Christmas and I know about the Occlumency lessons that are due," she reported.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. At last someone other than Sirius was being honest with her and not treating him like a child. Harry didn't understand why. Rose had no obligation to him what so ever, unless she was simply grateful for the help,

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Well you're not the only one due extra classes with Snape. You might have heard that I fell down the stairs over Christmas. That is not quite so. Umbridge attacked me and has removed me from her class. I'm not undermining your abilities Harry, I'm sure I could pass my NEWT on just your help alone. However the more help the better these days, no matter who it is from. Harry you need to get the hang of this Occlumency. This time you were lucky that the event was real," replied Rose.

"Snape is impossible..." began Harry.

"Harry, Voldemort is back, he killed Cedric and next to nobody believes it. That is impossible. Remember although he doesn't act like it, Snape is on your side. Like me, like Sirius, like Dumbledore and the DA. Try looking at the similarities between you and Snape rather than the differences," added Rose.

Harry looked surprised. For a seventh year, Rose spoke a lot like Dumbledore. She only had one hatred and that was Voldemort and Harry had a feeling he knew why,

"Is it true about you and Cedric? Was he going to marry you in favour of Cho?" he asked.

Rose smiled slightly. She knew that Harry fancied Cho, even when she had been with Cedric. She couldn't do her usual insults and impersonations of her at that moment so, she went for a different approach,

"Cho loved him, I don't doubt that and I have nothing against her. When she's focused she's a good seeker and clever too...but me and Cedric were just natural. I tried to get him to stay with her. The one and only time he was unfaithful I told him no. Cho doesn't know this. She assumes there was a big affair going on behind her back, but there wasn't. Just at the last minute Cedric decided on me...he just didn't get chance to go through with it," she said.

Harry nodded in understanding. Cedric would never have set out to hurt anyone, even if he did barely know him.

Rose could only hope her little chat had forced him to see sense. It hadn't sounded like her to say anything that she said. However it had sounded good and she hoped it was enough. Rose knew she'd be able to find out one way or another.

Things started to take a very bad turn for Rose. To begin with, like many others she had been enjoying a DA class, taking on both Weasley twins at the same time and doing pretty well, laughing and joking with them, when they all were caught trying to run from Umbridge and her Inquestor team. Rose didn't put up much of a fight out of loyalty to her friends and to just see the look on her least favourite teacher's face, when she looked at them all and found her there. Umbridge shook her head at Rose as she looked at her with no remorse what so ever. As far as she was concerned she had practically forced her into what she had done,

"In trouble again Miss Hunter?" she asked.

"Beats falling down stairs," replied Rose.

"Why you little...!" began Umbridge.

By this time heads of houses had joined her. Umbridge had been about to strike Rose when Professor Sprout, made her feelings rather aware by swearing loudly and standing protectively by Rose,

"How dare you?" she asked.

"This girl continuously refuses my authority! I have now caught her in an illegal group which I believe to be plotting against the ministry..." began Umbridge.

"We'd have done that by now if that were the case!" shouted one person.

Snape rolled his eyes. He looked at Rose with little to no expression but it didn't stop her seeing that perhaps it was the end. Perhaps the relationship was too much too soon. Luckily Dumbledore took Harry and the Ravenclaw who had betrayed them to his office. Rose and the others for the time being escaped punishment. All Rose really wanted was to see Jasmine and tell her she was due a bleeding hand before the week was done. However, on her way to Hufflepuff tower, Snape stopped her and silently ordered her to follow him. Rose didn't even bother being hopeful, she stood although gestured to a seat and waited for him to start the conversation,

"Well. I believe you really will be needing my help with these defence against the dark arts lessons. On the plus side, you'll be slightly easier than Potter. Although he did seem to make an effort at our first class, even if it was brief. You look worried," said Snape.

"I know. Sorry I thought you were going to...never mind," began Rose.

"I was rolling my eyes at you in trouble again, Rose you can have your fights with Umbridge. As long as I know you're here for me, I care not," assured Snape.