Chapter Three

Joy is a relative term. Some people may relate it to someone they love; others may relate it to being in solace. I relate it to being with the people I love.

Our circle of friends was rather small, but we were close, we always had been. Even Professor Snape was privy to a small smile now and then. We talked and joked all night long, and in the morning, we had classes. We made the best of our last night of freedom, celebrating my return and telling the tales of late. They all went to bed, tired and happy.

In the morning, I was told that I had to be resorted, apparently because I had come back after a long absence. Before breakfast, I made the long walk from the double doors at the front of the dining hall to the platform at the other end where the headmaster and professors sat. Everyone was seated – Slytherins, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. I was confident that I would get the same placement as I did last time, as a Gryffindor. I took a seat on the chair that was set there for that purpose, and Dumbledore put the Sorting Hat on my head.

Hmm…..You've changed since the last time I saw you.

Yes.

You may just have to be placed somewhere else, somewhere li

"Slytherin!" exclaimed the Sorting Hat.

My thoughts raged into a whirlwind. How had I become Slytherin material? This was the last thing I wanted. I'm sure the shock registered on my face as I turned my back on my former house to confront my new one.

Snape PoV

Bella seemed like a nice enough girl. She was compassionate, like a Hufflepuff, smart like a Ravenclaw, brave like a Gryffindor, and cunning like a Slytherin. I honestly wasn't sure of where she was going to be placed. I was fairly sure that she wouldn't be a Hufflepuff, and it wasn't likely that she would be a Ravenclaw. That narrowed it down to only the other two. The problem was, though, that she was enough of a martyr to be a Gryffindor, yet enough of a trickster to be a Slytherin. If he had to bet money, he would put it on the fact that the girl would most likely be a Gryffindor once again.

I was, however, proven wrong. I was shocked as the Hat called, "Slytherin!" and the girl walked to her new table, utter shock on her face. I felt a stirring deep inside my gut, and something told me that this would be an interesting year.

Bella PoV

At my new table, I sat at a relatively empty spot on a corner. I felt someone's thigh press against mine. "Hello," the person said. "My name is Draco Malfoy. You're Isabella Swan?"

"Just Bella," I corrected him.

"Okay…Bella." He ran his hand from my knee to back of my leg.

"Keep touching me and I'll hex you into oblivion." His hand stayed where it was.

"Nice try, first year. As if you knew how," he murmured.

"Apparently you don't remember. I've been here before. I came back recently from a brief jaunt in America."

The hand moved up again and squeezed a bit. "Even so, I'd like to see you best me." I leaned over and whispered to him. "What do you prefer, Crucio or Sectumsempra? You won't even have to hear me say them. I won't pull my wand out. You'll just suddenly be on the floor writhing in pain, and no one will ever know what happened."

He swallowed. I could hear it because of the proximity. "And who would believe you if you told?" I continued. "None of your housemates, not the professors, and Dumbledore can't afford not to keep me here. How would anyone find out?"

The hand was removed from my thigh. I guess it didn't occur to him that I could've been bluffing, because he didn't question me. I made a split second decision. "Legilimens," I breathed, almost inaudibly. Draco shot me a look. But I was already deep inside his mind and didn't notice all that much. He did doubt my skills; he just didn't have the guts to follow through. He was a coward.

I noticed that someone was waving their hand in front of my nose, frantically. Oops. I forgot that the mind-reading spell caused you to zone out. Your eyes glazed over, and to anyone else in the room, it looked like you fell asleep with your eyes open.

I came back to my senses. Slowly, at first, and then with increasing speed.

Of course. Draco must've been trying to make "conversation" and got annoyed when I didn't respond. "What do you want?" I asked him harshly.

"What were you doing?" he hissed. Did he know? There were only supposed to be two students with this knowledge – Harry and myself.

"Nothing. I just zoned out for a bit, is all," I replied. But, him being the Slytherin that he is, he was suspicious. He shook his head slowly.

"If you won't tell me then I'll just find out myself." He stormed off.

He didn't come back. Oh, well. He didn't look like he ever ate anyways. One less meal couldn't hurt him. I left after twenty minutes, full and ready for class. The only problem was that I didn't know the way to the Slytherin common roo

It wasn't the coincidence it seemed to be, however. I realized this when he said, "I have been told to take you to your room. You are to have private quarters because of the situation."

"Thank you, Professor Snape."

He walked me through the mighty castle to my room, and then gave me the grand tour of it.

At this point, my clumsy feet decided to make their appearance. I tripped on…something, and fell against Professor Snape. I got up hurriedly and offered him my hand to help him up. He took it with words of gratitude, and pulled himself up. Light as he was, his weight was too much for me. The sudden slack on our joined hands sent me tumbling into his chest. He caught me there, and my arms went on his shoulders reflexively to steady myself.

And then, somehow, he was kissing me.

A/N: I know, I know. I wrote another cliffhanger. I prefer life. Plus, if I die, I can't write anymore!

Love, SacrificialSacrifice