Armilla

Chapter 53

Snape did keep his word after the flipper incident with Pansy Parkinson. He assigned her a detention on Saturday morning to clean all the desks in the Potions classroom, scrub about twenty-three cauldrons and then gut forty-five toads. I was more than pleased, though I couldn't show it to Pansy herself because I wasn't supposed to know that she'd even been hexed. I was satisfied though when I saw her come into the Great Hall towards the end of lunch on Saturday, looking like she was in a foul mood because Snape had kept her all morning and through most of lunch. Madam Pomfrey had been able to put her arm back easily, and so Pansy had no excuse of not feeling well. I knew Snape wouldn't have let her off anyway.

Snape arrived not long after, coming through the main doors instead of the door behind the staff table. He passed along the Ravenclaw table, and our eyes met briefly as he passed. Snape knew better than to openly acknowledge me in front of so many eyes, but as our eyes met he gave the slightest nod that could have easily been missed by others, and I understood it to mean that Pansy had paid the price for attempting to hex me. From experience, I knew that Snape's detentions weren't the best, but I had the feeling that any detention assigned by my brother as a result of an attempt to harm his sister would mean a new level of suffering.

Lisa didn't notice as Snape passed. She kept peeking glances at Pansy over at the Slytherin table, and smiled triumphantly at Terry and me every time she looked back at us.

"Serves her right," she said quietly. "Nasty minx."

Pansy, meanwhile, seemed to be seeking the sympathy of the Slytherins around her. Millicent Bulstrode nodded every now and then, obviously concentrating harder on preventing the lettuce from dropping out of her sandwich. Malfoy was sitting about three seats away and had turned slightly in his seat to talk to Theodore Nott. He had a determined sort of look on his face and I wondered if that was due to the topic of conversation or his apparent desire to not give Pansy any attention.

"Can you teach us that bubble shield charm, Mill?" Terry asked, leaning back to stretch. "It would probably be a nifty thing to know."

"Yeah," Lisa agreed. "You seem to be pretty skilled at doing non-verbal magic. Just how far ahead of us are you now?"

"Pretty far," I murmured, as I picked up my glass of pumpkin juice. I knew it was actually more than pretty far. All the lessons I had done with Snape had been pretty intense and I had learnt a great deal in a small space of time. I wasn't supposed to have learnt non-verbal magic until sixth year. Snape hadn't kept strictly to the syllabus for Defence against the Dark Arts (or really, the syllabus that was used before Umbridge came in with her boring "read and summarise the next chapter" lessons). Instead he had taught me things according to necessity. That was why I had learnt Occlumency, healing charms, and shield and defence charms first. Snape generally never mentioned at what point I would have learnt some of the charms and spells in class, or if I would have learnt them at all. I knew that he was keen for me to be adept in a lot more than what was on the syllabus.

"Well?" said Terry, as his put his own glass down. "Can you teach us that shield charm?"

I hesitated. Something told me that it wasn't a good idea.

"Oh come on, Mill," he begged. "You know very well that you're an expert at that charm. I mean," he paused to give me what I supposed he thought was a charming smile, "you did learn from an expert. Wouldn't you like to share such knowledge and skill?"

I laughed. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

Terry sighed. "Well, worth a shot."

"Don't you want to teach us?" asked Lisa, looking a bit put off.

I looked around me. People were chatting and laughing with their own friends, but I didn't want to take the chance of being overheard.

"Not here," I whispered.

They nodded and we stood up to make our way of the hall. We met the Weasley twins in the Entrance Hall. Fred and George both winked at me, just like they had the day before.

"How's it going?" said Fred.

"Fine," I answered, though really, I was utterly bewildered. Why did they keep winking at me?

"It's a shame we don't see you as much as we see Lisa and Terry here," George commented, nodding at my friends.

"It is," I agreed. "In different circumstances, you might have seen more of me, but..." I trailed off, giving them a knowing look.

Fred held up a hand. "Understood. Besides, George and I think that you probably don't need it." Now it was his turn to give the significant look.

I nodded. "You would be right."

"Well," said Fred, clapping his hands together. "Better be off. We have much experimenting to do and...er...a bit of repairing to do-"

"I'd prefer to call it renovating," George interrupted. He gave us a mischievous grin. "We kind of blew up our beds this morning."

"How-" Terry began, looking warily between the two.

Again, Fred held up a hand. "Don't ask. It's not the most attractive story...for us anyway. See you."

They moved away towards the stairs.

"Hang on," I said to my friends, "Just a sec." They gave me an inquiring look but I turned away and quickly caught up with Fred and George. "Wait."

They turned around, looking a little surprised.

"I just want to say thanks," I said quietly. "Lisa and Terry told me what you said to the others about...well, anyway...I'm really grateful."

Fred grinned. "No problem."

"Anytime," said George airily.

I wanted to ask more. I wanted to know why they were so certain that I wasn't dark. But it wasn't the right time or place. Plus, I knew it wasn't wise for me to be seen alone too long with two male Gryffindors a couple of years older than me. If Malfoy saw and reported it to Father, Snape would have a harder time convincing Father that I was not old enough to be dating. So I said goodbye to them and rejoined my friends, going with them to Ravenclaw Tower.

Once inside the common room, we went to the table in our usual corner and sat down. There were a few other fifth years and seventh years studying madly, as well as a few keen students from others years. Most people were either still at lunch in the Great Hall, or were giving themselves an afternoon off to play games in the snow outside.

"Okay, why don't you want to teach us?" Lisa fixed me with a hard expression.

I was silent for a moment. "It's complicated," I admitted. "If I was to teach stuff to you two, wouldn't you want to share it with the others?"

Terry considered me for a moment. "Well, it would be nice to...though most of them can't do non-verbal magic yet, so we'd have to say the charm out loud."

"It's not that which bothers me," I whispered, shaking my head. "Wouldn't they want to know where you learnt the charm? If you two suddenly came in knowing all sorts of new advanced stuff, wouldn't they be curious?"

"Yeah, of course they would," Terry muttered, nodding. He was frowning, and I guessed that he was just realising the point I was making.

"You can't just say you suddenly learnt all this stuff from a textbook," I continued, looking from Terry to Lisa. "The others would see through that anyway. They would guess who you were getting it from and then they would know who I was getting it from of course." I leaned in closer to my friends. "He can't be connected to this in any way," I whispered. "Just like I can't. We can't risk it. Imagine if you were caught...and someone told that they had learnt stuff from another student and it was traced back to Snape...they might suspect that he had been helping all along..."

Lisa nodded. "God, you're right," she breathed. "It could all be seen as a sort of plot that Snape could have been involved in with Dumbledore."

I nodded. "Exactly. And some of the stuff I've been taught doesn't come in your average textbook. Questions would certainly be asked then."

"I'm sorry," Terry said suddenly. "I should have put more thought into it. I shouldn't have asked. It was insensitive."

I shrugged. "Forget about it. I'm not worried."

"Even so," Lisa whispered. "I'm sorry for being a bit...miffed before."

I grinned. "Ah well, maybe you'll have to keep flattering me for a few days before I forgive you." I looked at Terry. "Maybe I'll make you carry your books, and you Lisa, you can make my bed for a week-"

"You're barking," Terry drawled, rolling his eyes.

I smirked. "Worth a shot." I leaned forward again. "Actually," I whispered. "I should warn you both that you might not be the only secret group operating in the school."

Their eyes widened and their mouths opened simultaneously.

Terry leaned forward too. "Inside information, eh?"

I nodded. "Just be aware that some people might be on the lookout for such groups. Some want to catch them and expel them...and some want to catch them and give them detention for not being careful."

Lisa looked very white. I knew she was still unsure if she had made the right decision in joining the DA.

"Thanks for letting us know," Terry murmured.

"No need for thanks," I muttered. "I'm your friend. I may not be in the group, but I want you to be safe. Just make sure you don't get lax in your security."

"So Snape would only give detention?" Terry asked.

"Well, that's the impression he gave me. He's not too pleased about what is being taught, or rather, what is not being taught in Umbridge's classes." I frowned. "He gets agitated just going through my Defence workbook."

Lisa gave me a funny look. "You look like Snape when you frown like that. It's creepy."

I smiled. "Mother thinks we look alike when we're both frowning or looking really serious."

"So your mum's only going to be around as long as she's unsatisfied with your living situation?" Terry asked, leaning back and folding his arms. "Wouldn't that mean that as soon as you're really happy and she's really happy, she'll go?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"That's so sad," Lisa said softly. "You'll only have her around as long as your father is causing you and Snape worry?"

Again, I nodded. "But I've never had her around properly anyway," I admitted. "I mean, she isn't really alive...it just feels like she is sometimes because I can have proper conversations with her and everything."

"Kind if like talking to a portrait?" Terry offered.

"Yeah, kind of like that. But somehow the ring makes her seem more real. She doesn't look like a painting at all. Her face looks so real you feel you could actually touch it."

"What happens when you touch it?" Lisa asked.

"It's kind of like mist," I said. "But not entirely. It's not really liquid or gas...maybe a combination of both."

Terry grinned. "Does Snape get on with her? It's weird thinking you two have the same mum."

I looked at him thoughtfully. "They get on okay. They certainly have their moments, but I think that's because they're so alike. They both want to be the one in control and it doesn't take much for one to agitate the other sometimes."

Lisa laughed. "Well, that's not really unexpected."

I shrugged. "But Mother really loves him. I can tell by the way she looks at him. Sometimes it's kind of sad..." I trailed off, thinking about my mother and my brother. I sometimes wondered if Mother felt guilty for sort of life Snape now led. Mother would be the first to say that her son was aloof, bitter and troubled in many ways. Snape did a brilliant job at concealing his insecurities, but I knew, as Mother did, that they were there underneath. Snape had let his guard down slightly the night before when he had briefly mentioned getting in too deep with the Dark Side.

"Do you think Snape ever goes to see your mother without you?" Lisa asked.

"I'm sure of it," I replied.

"To talk about you?"

I shrugged. "I wouldn't say all the time. I think he might have confided in her a bit when he was younger. He might have become distant as a teenager or something, but I think he talks to her again now."

"I think that's nice," Lisa murmured. "I couldn't imagine that he'd have a lot of people to confide in now."

I nodded. "I think he's kept to himself for such a long time that the idea of confiding in people would seem unnatural."

Terry looked at me curiously. "Does he confide in you?"

I considered him for a moment. "We talk and stuff, but it depends on the topic of conversation. Some things he'll talk about freely, but there are other things where he either gives very limited detail or won't talk about at all." That was true enough. Snape talked to me a little about growing up with Father, but he avoided talking about his own school life and generally didn't mention his life as a double agent. "I think there are some things he doesn't want to burden me with," I said thoughtfully.

I generally avoided thinking about Snape's other life. It was certainly a dangerous and potentially lethal one. It seemed only natural to me that it would constantly be on Snape's mind when he wasn't occluding. It was true for all of us that each day could be our last, but for Snape, it was quick thinking and a great deal of magical talent that kept him alive. I steered clear of thinking about that life because then I would worry for him, and that wouldn't do either of us any good. I knew Snape didn't talk to me about it because of this, and also due to the danger of me knowing too much. My skills at Occlumency were improving daily, but Snape refrained from telling me what I didn't need to know.

o o o o o o o o o o o

Being the good Ravenclaws that we were, Lisa, Terry and I had finished all our homework by mid afternoon and so we decided to take our History of Magic books outside and test each other while we sat under a tree by the lake.

It was freezing outside, but we all wanted the fresh air just for an half an hour or so. Lisa and I took out our wands and cleared a patch in the snow, while Terry conjured up a blanket for us to sit on. We gave him the praise he deserved when he succeeded in producing a thick tartan blanket that was already warm, and also repelled any surrounding snow.

"Right," I said, opening my book. "Which long-serving leader of five Goblin rebellions was finally slaughtered in 1524?"

Terry scratched his head, looking tired. "Who cares," he muttered. "I hate history. My life doesn't depend on knowing that information." He looked up suddenly. "I know! It was Mikhail of Arnhem!"

Lisa laughed. "Ah, so you do know."

"That's correct," I added, scanning my book for another question. Terry looked immensely proud of himself.

"I have one," Lisa announced, also looking through her book. "In which year was a truce called between the Oaksbury goblins and the Batoran goblins?"

"1564," I replied. I had revised that the other night with Snape. He had found it just as boring as I had.

"Correct," Lisa replied. She rubbed her eyes. "Exciting stuff."

"Riveting," Terry said, yawning.

"Such a keen little study group," drawled a familiar, but very unwelcome voice. Draco Malfoy, apparently alone, came to stand in front of us, sneering slightly. "Nice to know that you're such hard workers, even on a Saturday afternoon." He let out a low laugh. "But I suppose the three of you are above joining in the snowball fight with the Gryffindors."

We turned as he nodded towards a group of second and third years Gryffindors who were laughing enthusiastically as they hurled balls of snow at each other.

"Idiots," Malfoy grunted, his face contorting with a look of displeasure.

I knew Terry wanted to make a snide remark by the way his hands were clutching the blanket we were sitting on. I was grateful that he seemed to be remembering Snape's warning to him to behave properly for my sake.

"They're not hurting anyone," I said airily, closing my book.

Malfoy shook his head as he kept looking at the Gryffindors. "They look like drunken house elves." His face became neutral as he turned back to me. "Anyway, I came over here to ask if I might have a word, Armilla."

Warning bells went off inside my head. The boy certainly moved fast. He'd only hinted to me yesterday about going to Hogsmeade with him.

Terry and Lisa remained quiet, obviously inclined to let me handle the situation myself.

"You may," I answered, standing up.

Malfoy nodded, giving a small smile, before turning to walk away. I nodded at my friends to let them know that things were okay and their worried looks softened.

I followed Malfoy until he stopped about thirty metres away from where I had been sitting. We were much further away from the castle, and away from potential eavesdroppers.

Malfoy took a deep breath and then launched into his speech. He kept his gloved hands in the pockets of his robes and I wondered briefly if he was nervous.

"You might already know what I am going to say," he began, meeting my gaze. "In fact, you've probably been expecting it since we talked yesterday." He paused, as if waiting for me to make some kind of acknowledgement. When I gave no sign of offering anything at all, he took another deep breath and continued. "I wasn't going to say anything so soon after your father's dinner party, but I have since found out that there are others who have the same proposition for you. I like you, Armilla. I think you're amazing. I know you don't know me that well, but I think we should spend more time together." He stopped again to take a breath, having spoken very quickly.

What did he mean that there were others that had the same proposition for me? Was Malfoy in some sort of race to ask me out first? It wasn't flattering at all. I had pure blood and was going to inherit a lot of money. It was only my identity that made me appealing to these people. Draco Malfoy hadn't looked in my direction before he found out that I was Snape's sister.

Malfoy didn't seem to be breathing normally. He seemed so fixed on what he had to say and his face was full of such concentration that had he not been so proud and arrogant, I would have asked if he was alright.

"So," he continued, now positively breathless, "would you consider accompanying me to Hogsmeade next month?" Though I had yet to reply, he seemed terribly relieved that he had finally asked. He smiled slightly, though more to himself than to me in my opinion.

Okay...how to reply. No thanks, you barmy self-satisfied prig? No, I could do better than that...Sod off, you crass, conniving, cantankerous crook! Perhaps not...alliteration would seem too rehearsed...and besides, it was so corny my own mind was embarrassed. What about Thankyou for the invitation, my dear sir. However, I am not at all inclined to demean myself by being seen in your company at the present time. Now kindly remove yourself from my personal space, I'm afraid you're damaging my esteemed aura. Ah, if only I could. Right, better give an answer then.

"Thankyou for the offer, Draco," I began, doing my best to not look happy about refusing him. "And thankyou for thinking of me," I paused, "...and being so determined to ask before anyone else did-," I added as an afterthought.

Malfoy inclined his head, apparently thinking his race against other suitors made him all the more worthy in my eyes.

"-But, as honoured as I am, it is impossible for me to accept your offer," I finished. There, that was polite enough, wasn't it? I even went to the trouble of lying through my teeth about being honoured. At least Father would know that I refused him in a respectable way.

Malfoy looked like he'd just been slapped in the face...I would have liked to give him a good punch or two...but I didn't think Snape, let alone my father, would approve, and certainly not after such a respectable refusal.

"I...don't think I understand," he stammered, bringing a hand up to flatten his already perfectly plastered back hair. "You're...er-" Now the worm looked like he was in shock.

"I can't, Draco," I said gently.

He recovered quickly. "Why on earth not?" he demanded. "I mean, damn it, Armilla, who else are you going to go out with? You know with your family that your choices are going to be limited." He waved his arms around madly. "And you know we're surrounded by filthy mudbloods and muggle lovers. You couldn't possibly consider them over me-"

"Draco, I-" Good Lord, he seemed upset. I wondered if he would be affronted if I offered him a tissue.

"-Well, what then, Armilla?" he said heatedly. "Aren't I good enough for you?"

Yep, got it in one, you smarmy git.

"Listen to me." I astounded myself with my ability to sound so caring and sorry when really I wanted to hit him. Thank God for Occlumency...thank Snape for Occlumency. "It's not you, Draco," I explained. Yes it is! Yes it is! Shut up, I'm concentrating. "I'm not allowed to date. Not you, not anyone."

Malfoy blinked. "You're not allowed to date?" he repeated quietly. "I didn't get that impression from your father."

I shook my head. "It's my brother's decision. He makes the majority of any school-related decisions...that includes dating while at school."

Malfoy folded his arms. "I don't like it." Was he pouting? No, I must have been seeing things. And Rougier had thought that I was spoilt.

I shrugged. "Well, that's the way it is. I can guarantee Severus won't change his mind."

Malfoy nodded, looking down at the ground. "No, I wouldn't think so," he murmured, more to himself. He suddenly looked up at me again, sneering slightly. "Doesn't Professor Snape object to you hanging out with Boot?"

I shook my head. "I've been friends with him since first year, and besides, he's going out with Lisa."

Malfoy sighed, clearly having no argument for this.

I looked back towards my friends. They quickly looked back at their books, as if they hadn't been staring and trying to guess what we'd been saying.

"Would he protest to you and me going to Hogsmeade as friends?" Malfoy looked incredibly hopeful. There was no giving up, was there?

"Yes, he would," I answered, nodding. "How would that look, Draco? He forbids me to date, but is quite happy for me to roam the countryside with single young men as friends?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

Malfoy let out a hollow laugh, clearly realising how ridiculous his newest plan sounded. "No," he muttered, looking at the ground again. "No, that wouldn't look good at all, for either of us. That was a stupid thing to say."

I stared at him. Did he just point out a personal fault?

He looked up again. "Well," he said pleasantly, "thankyou very much for your time. I'm sorry things didn't work out as planned, but I suppose your brother knows what he is doing."

I nodded. He could be so pompous at times. "I'm sorry," I added, for good measure. Father had to know that I said sorry. That would save me an extra curse.

"Well, um, see you around I suppose." With that, he turned and swaggered off towards the castle, and I returned to my friends.

"I gather from the look on that git's face that you said no, right?" Terry was grinning madly.

I nodded, sitting down beside them again.

"What was your excuse then?" asked Lisa, closing her book.

"I told him the truth," I said simply. "I told him that Severus wouldn't allow it."

Lisa and Terry exchanged a bewildered look.

"What?"

"You called Snape Severus," Lisa answered, looking uneasy. "We know you call him by his first name, it just sounded weird to actually hear you say it, that's all."

I shrugged. "I actually don't use it a great deal in front of him."

Terry smiled. "Still makes you feel a bit strange, huh?"

"It sounds like a foreign word when I say it," I replied. "I should probably use it more."

"If you're still uncomfortable, trying calling him Sev," said Terry, standing up. "I'm cold. Let's go inside."

"We're only cold because your charm's wearing off," Lisa pointed out, also standing up.

Terry made a face. "Well, it was your job to keep renewing it."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

They gazed at each other for a moment and I waited for the fight to start. But instead, they both suddenly smiled and Terry took Lisa's hand in his. I politely turned away.

We walked back up to the castle, my friends hand in hand, looking blissfully (almost sickeningly) happy.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

On Sunday afternoon I said goodbye to my friends and ventured down to the dungeons.

I found Snape at work in his lab, stirring a cauldron with a look of deep concentration on his face. He held up a hand to show he had noticed my presence, but was busy counting the amount of counter clockwise stirs the potion required.

I let him be and went across the corridor into my bedroom. Morag screeched and flapped her wings in greeting, flashing every colour of the rainbow. I laughed as I held out my arm for her. She soared over from her open cage and nibbled on my finger.

"You haven't been bothering him, have you?" I asked her. In response, she hooted and turned black. I assumed that was a good thing, since black was obviously Snape's favourite colour. "Does that mean you're getting along then?"

She hooted again, bobbing up and down on my arm. "Just okay then?" I smiled down at her. "Well at least you're not annoying him anymore."

She gave a short screech as if to say Oh I beg to differ and she suddenly turned baby pink. I sighed as I let her fly over to my desk. "You know, that bothers me too," I pointed out. "Pink doesn't suit you."

If it was possible for owls to look disappointed, Morag certainly did. She turned back to her usual snowy white and stared back at me, hooting softly.

"Much better, thankyou," I said. "Quite becoming I think."

Morag cheered up in an instant and she soared around the room. She slowed when she got to her cage, performed an elegant spin and then flew in the other direction.

"There's no such thing as a catwalk for owls, you know," I said dryly. "Fancy yourself a model, do you?"

She landed on my desk again and began preening her wings.

I shook my head at her, trying not to laugh. "Help me," I muttered. How many other people could claim they had an owl who could be a little too sophisticated at times?

"Is she preening herself again?" Snape called from his lab.

"Yes," I called back, as Morag cocked her head, trying to see into the lab across the corridor. She had jumped to attention as soon as she had heard his voice.

"Bloody bird," I heard him mutter.

I walked back into the lab. Snape was now bottling the potion. "Do you think she's tame yet?" I asked.

He raised his head long enough to cast me a dour look. "She's well on the way. It would be an easier job if she was just a regular owl." He sneered as he shook his head.

"Well, she knows she's not a regular owl," I replied.

"That's the problem," he scoffed, still sneering. Wand in his hand, he directed the filled bottles to the open cupboard, before casting a cleaning charm on the cauldron. "Your owl's a snob, Armilla."

I shrugged. "It might wear off. Why do you think she's a snob?" I followed him back out to the sitting room.

"We ran out of her food yesterday," he responded, sitting down on the sofa. "The wizard I bought her from gave me some food he knew she liked. He let me know though, that she could eat other brands of food too because the brand he gave me is one of the best."

"Morgan's?"

"Yes, Morgan's," he said dryly. "I ordered some more a few days ago because I knew the supply was low, but it still hasn't come." He sneered and folded his arms. "So I got some food from the owlery for her."

I sat down next to him on the sofa, having a feeling what he was about to say.

"Hogwarts doesn't spend all it's funding on owl food," he pointed out, his expression hard, "but the food in the owlery is by no means cheap."

"But Morag wouldn't eat it?"

Snape nodded grimly. "She refused to touch it."

"Maybe she's just not used to it?" I offered. "Or she doesn't like trying new things."

Snape smirked. "She's an owl, not a person, Armilla." He glanced back towards my bedroom. "Morag is a pet!" he called. "By no means is she a primary being."

There was silence. Finally, Morag knew better than to respond.

"So has she eaten?" I asked, feeling worried. Even if my owl was stubborn, I didn't want her to get sick.

"No," he said simply, looking completely unconcerned. "But she will."

"How do you know?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "You doubt me? Very well. She will eat what she is given because there will be no other option. When the Morgan's food arrives, she shall not have it."

"That's a bit mean."

"Thankyou," he said dryly. "When Morag demonstrates behaviour appropriate for an owl, she might be offered some of the Morgan's food as a reward. However, on the days she decides that she would rather spend the morning being pink, she'll find that she will go for days on the Hogwarts food." He folded his arms as he gazed at me. "I believe that is fair enough. I'm not being hard at all. She has to learn not to be so spoilt."

I nodded. "You're probably right."

He narrowed his eyes. "Probably?" he muttered. "So much for a vote of confidence."

I smiled, inwardly hoping that Morag would stop being such a snob and start eating soon.

"Now," he said, sounding very business like. "Did you bring any school work with you?"

"No." Snape had told me that Sundays were to be kept free from study unless absolutely necessary.

He nodded. "Good. I see you're keeping to your end of the deal then. We'll go and visit Mother later. Is there anything you need to do this afternoon?"

I considered him for a moment. "Actually, I was wondering if one of us should write to Father."

Snape's expression darkened. "Why?" he demanded.

"Malfoy asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him."

Snape closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He let out a deep sigh as he opened his eyes and looked back at me. "When did he ask you?"

"Yesterday afternoon."

Snape frowned. "He moved a bit fast, didn't he?"

I refrained from smiling. Hearing Snape remark on dating etiquette was a bit strange.

"He only moved fast because he said that there were...others."

Snape smirked. "Got a whole line up of hormonal teenagers, have you?"

I scowled. "It's not me they really want. You know that."

Snape stared at me, his expression now unfathomable. "Don't be so sure," he said dryly.

"I am sure." I looked away. I didn't care what Snape said. The Slytherins had never looked once in my direction before they found out that I was a Snape.

He shook his head. "Well then, how did Mr. Malfoy take your refusal?"

"Not well at first. I don't think he ever considered that I might say no."

"You said no politely, I assume?"

"Of course I did," I answered, feeling annoyed. "I was so polite to him that he couldn't possibly complain that I was rude about it."

"And did he ask you the reason for the rejection?" Snape's voice held a hint of warning to watch my tone with him.

"Yes. He said he thought that Father approved of me dating. I had to tell him that you didn't."

"And he accepted that?"

I shrugged. "He had to. That was all there was to it."

Snape nodded. "Good."

"So, do you think Father should know, in case he gets a letter from one of the Malfoys?"

"I suppose he should," he answered wearily. "I'll write to him about it. Actually, if Malfoy has already reported home, Father may already know by now."

"But he couldn't blame me, could he?" I asked, suddenly feeling anxious.

"I wouldn't worry about it," he responded, shaking his head. "But if you do receive any letters in the next couple of days, be cautious about what you open."

I nodded, hoping Father wouldn't be too angry.

"In regards to Hogsmeade," Snape continued, looking very serious. "I don't want you to go next month. Malfoy might have accepted this for now, but I wouldn't put it past him to try something in Hogsmeade. That said, you're not going."

I was surprised not to feel angry about this, or even slightly disappointed. I didn't really feel anything at all except resignation. The next Hogsmeade trip was on Valentine's Day after all. Though my friends would include me if I went, I would have still felt like the third wheel. I would rather stay at school and let them be together.

"Alright," I said quietly.

Snape frowned, narrowing his eyes. "That's it?"

"What's it?"

"No argument from you?" He looked at me suspiciously. "I was expecting a display of the dismal begging skills I was unfortunate enough to see the last time I didn't want you to go."

I shrugged, ignoring his jibe. "I don't want to go that badly this time."

He looked at me closely, his black eyes glittering. "Why not?"

"Like you said...Malfoy won't give up...and it's Valentine's Day."

Snape nodded in understanding, though he was sneering slightly. "Third wheel?"

I nodded.

He rolled his eyes. "I had forgotten about those two."

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Nothing will have changed since the last time I was there." I really didn't care.

"Well," he said, standing up. "You'll be busy for that entire weekend anyway and you'll be tired enough without going to Hogsmeade."

"I will?"

"Certainly," he replied. "You're going to stay down here that weekend. You're going to attempt to beat me at duelling." He smirked. "That's why you'll be tired."

I groaned. "I can't beat you at duelling."

"That's the spirit," he scoffed, though I could tell he was amused.

I smiled, as a distant memory suddenly came into my mind.

Snape frowned. "What are you thinking about?"

"The first time I saw you duel."

He narrowed his eyes. "When was that?"

"The duelling club in second year. You were Lockhart's assistant."

Now it was Snape's turn to groan. "Don't," he said, his lip curling. "I had blocked that twit out of my mind." He suddenly scowled at me. "You weren't one of his fans were you?"

"No," I said indignantly. "He was an idiot."

"For want of a better word," he muttered.

I smiled. "I know a few of the seventh year girls asked him where he permed his hair."

Snape looked revolted. "His hair is a creation that will never go out of style," he said, sneering. "It will look ridiculous year after year."

I stared at him, trying not to smile. "Did that come from the book I gave you?"

His dark eyes glittered. "Maybe."