Unforeseen Affliction (snape x reader)

Shock

The rest of winter break passes by uneventfully. Students had started preparing for exams, and you knew you should probably study for the NEWTs you were taking, but you seemed to be severely lacking motivation. It didn't help that you couldn't focus because your mind was constantly consumed by Snape, who for the past few days had been acting distant.

In fact, he hadn't made any effort to talk to or spend time with you since the night he gifted you the necklace. Any conversation you had had since then was strained. You weren't able to shake the feeling that you did something wrong to cause this awkwardness, but you couldn't figure out what. Then again, being pushed away by him wasn't exactly an uncommon occurrence when it came to your relationship.

A couple of times you tried to pretend to run into him while wandering through the castle out of boredom, but besides an odd frown, he didn't react to you or try to pull you away to his classroom. You also tried to contact him with the necklace, holding it in your hand and squeezing your eyes shut while picturing his face. But you weren't able to connect with him like you did in the Great Hall during the Christmas feast.

It's the last day of break before all of the students return, and you spend it in the common room, enjoying the emptiness of it before it goes back to being filled with people every night. Your fingers mindlessly play with the necklace as you sit on a comfy chair in front of the fireplace, but you don't attempt to connect your mind with his, you've given up on trying to. Nothing makes you angrier than when he pushes you away, so you let him have his space so you can have some peace of mind.

You know tomorrow Laura will return, and although you can't explain it, you have an odd feeling take over your body whenever you think about the situation too much. A weird lump in your stomach forms at the thought of facing her again, facing whatever seems to be going on that everyone except you knows about.

Your eyes glaze over your charms textbook, attempting to get some studying in, but you're not taking in any of the words as you reread the same line over and over again.

"The Gouging Spell allows one to carve through earth and stone with ease. It's used in the work..."

You've spent so long in the same spot that you don't even notice that the fire has calmed to a dim burn and everyone has gone off to bed. You know you should get up, but you can't lift yourself up off the comfort of the soft cushions. Your eyes begin to slowly droop closed, your wakefulness falling away, but just then, you feel it.

The burning. It's a lot stronger than this time than it was during the Christmas feast, and leaves a light buzzing sensation on the skin around where the necklace sits. You sit up fast and your textbook thuds to the floor as an overwhelming rush takes over your body. It's more a feeling than a voice, but you sense it.

"Come out."

You know exactly what it means, exactly where it wants you to go. You let it guide you across and out of the room, leaving the warmth of the common room for the cold, dark, corridor. Once you're standing outside in the corridor, a light breeze sweeps past you, almost like a ghost moving through you, and you shiver, realizing you forgot to grab your robes in your rush out.

You begin to take a few steps forward, and although you're still in control of your movements, it feels almost intuitive. The winter winds outside hum lightly, and the cold that they bring seeps through the glass windows, making you feel awake and alert. Your body aches for warmth but your mind is completely calm.

You wander around for a few minutes and end up in a secluded corridor with only one door at the end of it. Confused, you scrunch your eyebrows; the feeling of your body being guided has ceased.