This is a really short update, and I apologize! I'll try to get more up tomorrow. I've got some fun plans for this story.

The next morning Sasha was dismayed to notice that Severus didn't come to the great hall for breakfast. Adrianne didn't even dare comment; she just patted her friend on the back and tried to look sympathetic.

He didn't show up for lunch either, and Sasha didn't see him at all until after her potions class when she literally ran upstairs to get to the Transfiguration classroom in time to meet up with him. She made it, but when she saw him she was so out of breath that she couldn't speak at first. Thankfully he was concerned enough about why she was running to stop and wait for her to regain her composure.

Still panting slightly she finally managed to say "Hi!" Feeling like a fool, she cringed at her lack of originality.

Severus still looked quite depressed, but he smiled at her anyway. "Did you run all the way here to say that?" he asked, amused.

Blushing, she nodded. "Yes, I suppose I did. How are you?"

Suddenly feeling a bit better than he had all day he said "All right now."

Sasha grinned. "Good. I need help with my potions assignment."

He rolled his eyes but kept smiling. "In that case you'd better meet me in the common room before dinner."

Absolutely beside herself with relief, Sasha nodded. "Right. See you then."

On her way to the Slytherin common room that evening with Adrianne Sasha found herself getting nervous.

"He seemed in a bit better mood but I don't know how it'll be now. What if he caught a glimpse of Evans and Potter snogging in a corridor or something? He might pitch himself off of the astronomy tower and never even turn up to meet me at all."

Adri giggled. "That's an awful thought! Probably shouldn't say it out loud in case he does it." Seeing the horrified look on her friend's face she quickly added "But he won't, don't worry. He's got you to make him feel better doesn't he?"

"I don't know how well I'm doing with that. What's so special about Lily Evans anyway? She's not that pretty and it seems to me that she's only nice to the ones it's easy to be nice to. Give her someone who really needs a friend and she can't be bothered. Do you remember how he looked that year? How he walked around in a daze? She broke his heart. He just wanted her to forgive him but she wouldn't. Bloody Gryffindors."

They stopped outside the common room. "I feel sick" Sasha whined.

"Oh come on, that's enough of that." Adrianne thought for a moment to find something encouraging to say. "He needs someone doesn't he?"

It was as if a switch had flipped within Sasha's mind. Suddenly her determination had returned. "You're absolutely right Adri. I'll see you at dinner."

He was, of course, already there waiting for her. He looked up from his book when she walked in. "Still can't quite manage to be on time for anything I see" he commented, rolling his eyes.

She snickered. "I like to be consistent."

Losing his grumpy expression, he smirked. "So what does Professor Slughorn have you attempting today?"

Sasha opened her potions book. "Draught of the Living Death" she said.

Severus stared at her skeptically for a few moments.

"What?" she asked.

He quickly snatched up her notebook and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He tossed the book onto the table. "I gave you my recipe for that last year. You know how to do it."

Sasha opened her mouth to defend herself but had no idea what to say. She sighed. "All right, all right. I didn't need any help. I just wanted to see you."

He looked stunned. His dark eyes studied her face suspiciously. "Why?"

"Didn't you ever make up a reason to be with her?" she asked him, knowing he would understand exactly who she was talking about.

Severus stared at her, the strange girl who somehow always managed to make him feel a little bit better about life when she was near him. The only girl who didn't treat him like he had some sort of horrible contagious disease. The only girl who had ever actually held his hand… other than Lily, of course, but even that had stopped after they'd been old enough to come to Hogwarts. His heart was pounding in his chest and he didn't know what to say to her.

She shrugged. "Well?"

He shook his head. "I… I don't know why you would… nobody else… I'm not… Do you mean that you… do you…You really, actually mean that you…"

Sasha felt sorry for him so she gathered up her courage once again. "Like you? Yes. Of course I do. I've fancied you since I first came to school. I can't believe I'm saying it but I suppose I'd better be honest at this point because there's just this year left isn't there? Adri said I should play hard to get, but that seems a bit stupid after all we wrote about this summer."

"Why do you? Why would you?" he was still not quite able to wrap his head around it.

She laughed, and he was suddenly tempted to bolt from the room. His first thought was that it must be some sort of joke to humiliate him.

"Because you're brilliant" she said, smiling shyly. "You're one of the cleverest and most talented students in the entire school but hardly anybody knows it. You're obviously loyal, given how you don't hold it against Evans that she totally abandoned you…"

"That was my fault, not hers" he spoke up.

Sasha shrugged. "Well, that's a matter of opinion I suppose. I won't argue with you. Either way, I think you're lovely and I hope you don't think I'm mental for saying it like this but I'm glad I told you. You need to hear it."

He frowned, trying to think of a good response. "I don't think you're mental I think you're very kind" he said finally.

"Not particularly" she admitted. "I don't give a happy damn about most people actually. You're special. So now you've got a choice. You can either tell me to piss off and carry on by yourself… or you can kiss me right now."

She thought that he was going to get up and leave. She really did. She certainly didn't expect him to actually kiss her. It came as a complete shock when he leaned over and tentatively pressed his lips against hers.

I've died and this is Heaven she thought, inhaling that pleasant tea tree oil smell he had about him and reveling in the feel of his soft lips. When he pulled back to look at her she let out a little whimper. He smiled.

"Now what?" he asked.

Sasha giggled. "I have absolutely no idea" she admitted. "That was nice though, and we should do it often."

Severus snickered. "Fine with me. We should get down to dinner now though. Honestly I skipped two meals today and I feel like I could eat a hippogriff."

She laughed at his joke. "Right. Come on."

Adrianne gave Sasha a questioning look when she saw them sit down together at the Slytherin table. He had his hand on Sasha's back. Sasha grinned at her slyly. and Adrianne's jaw dropped.

"Keep your face like that for too long and it'll stick that way" Severus taunted her snidely.

Sasha spit pumpkin juice on the boy who was sitting across from her and Adri was so shocked that she actually laughed.

"You're all right Snape, you know that?" she commented. "Tough enough to look after our Sash I think."

He smirked, but didn't bother to look at her. "I think she's tough enough to look after herself."