Broken Vow

Broken Vow

He didn't even know who she was, and yet she reminded him so much of her. As he sat at his table in a dark corner of the Three Broomsticks, nursing his second pint he couldn't help but notice her. She was sitting on a stool at the bar, a frothing mug of Butterbeer in front of her, and was chatting animatedly with Rosmerta. Her black-brown hair hung just past her shoulders and her almond-shaped, blue eyes were dancing. The resemblance was incredible. Black hair and blue eyes were a rare combination, and he always used to tease her about being "unique". Whenever she did anything out of the ordinary he'd say "It's just because you're different," and she'd toss her beautiful hair over her shoulders and say in a mocking voice, "I'm not different, I'm special." The girl at the bar laughed, a deep, hearty laugh and his stomach gave a sickening lurch.

Oh God, Leila...

A hand gripped his shoulder, startling him. He looked up into the friendly face of Albus Dumbledore.

"Albus! I was just -" Dumbledore simply held up a hand to stop him, and sat down.

"If I'm not mistaken, Severus, I believe you have a class to teach," he said softly, neither scolding nor approving.

"Right, of course, you're right." Professor Snape stood up, threw some sickles onto the table and left the pub. The walk back to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade was one he usually enjoyed, but this time he was so caught up in his thoughts...worries is more accurate. Why did he have to be reminded of her now? After so many years, he was sure he'd forced himself to forget her. But that stranger in the pub had brought it all back. Maybe it was the drink...he'd been seeing things. That was it.

I need to understand

How you and I came to an end

Tell me again, I want to hear

Who broke my faith in all these years

Who lays with you at night while I'm here all alone

Remembering when I was your own

Leila Grant hadn't been very popular when she was at Hogwarts. Then again, neither had Severus. They weren't friends, had never talked, and weren't even in the same house. She'd been in Ravenclaw. That's why he was so surprised that she'd recognized him when they'd bumped into each other a few years after graduation in Diagon Alley. He'd already delved deep into the Dark Arts, and was actually just coming out of Knockturn Alley when he heard a voice say, "Severus Snape? Is that you?" He'd turned around and found himself looking at a beautiful young woman. She had black hair and deep blue eyes. That's a unique combination, he thought to himself.

"Who are you?" he snapped. It wasn't good for strangers to know your name, especially when the Dark Lord was just starting to come to power.

"Leila Grant, we were at Hogwarts together. Don't you remember?" she asked, looking a little taken aback by his abruptness.

"Oh, yeah I remember now," he lied. Surprisingly, there was still enough human left in him that he didn't want to upset the pretty girl. "Well, it was nice to see you, I have should go. It's been pretty busy lately."

"Yeah, see you," she called after his retreating back as he hurried away.

Amazingly enough, after that incident he began to see her everywhere. Walking past his house with a large dog on a leash, sitting where an old man had been a second before, escorting little children across a busy street, then turning into a middle-aged mother when he looked away...she was even in his dreams. I'm going crazy, he'd think frantically. But it was something deeper than insanity. Something he couldn't quite grasp.

One evening, he walked into the Leaky Cauldron to find her sitting alone, at a table in the back of the pub. He tried looking away and then back at her, and she stayed as Leila Grant! Is it really her this time? Not another mirage?

"Leila?" he called. She looked up, saw him, and quickly looked back down at the table. He had an urge to turn and run out the door, but he fought it. If talking to her would make the hallucinations go away, he wasn't going to pass up that opportunity.

He crossed the pub and sat down across from her.

He'd realized later that that had been the best...and worst decision he'd ever made.

"Severus, I never thought you'd talk to me again, especially of your own free will," she said coolly.

"That's what I thought, too," he barked. "I thought you'd be pleased to see me. You seemed very delighted the other day." Severus swore under his breath at himself. This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped. "Can I get you a drink?" he asked, trying to break though the tension that was stifling him.

"Sure," she muttered, "I have a feeling I'm going to need one."

A few hours and several rounds later, they were conversing like old friends. Both of them found it extremely funny when a man who'd obviously had one too many, missed the door of the pub, and tried to walk through the solid brick wall instead. In fact, they were still giggling about it half an hour later.

"Oh my, it's getting late!" Leila exclaimed, glaring at the large clock above the bar. "I've got to be going, I'm sure Roger is missing me."

Who the hell is Roger? Severus balled his hands into fists and bit his lip to stop himself from screaming at her.

"Roger's my cat," she said with a smile, seeing his expression, "he hasn't had his supper yet." She turned to go but was stopped by him grabbing her arm.

"Wait," he said, "how would you like to run into me again tomorrow? Same place, same time...maybe for dinner?"

"Alright, then." She turned quickly and left so he wouldn't see her blushing.

As Severus Snape watched her go, he carefully withdrew his left arm from under the folds of his cloak, where he'd kept it hidden from her. Upon it the Dark Mark burned black.