Because You Love Me

24. Halloween Blues

Severus found himself seething more and more as he walked down to the Dungeons.  He didn't stop or look back until he was in his office.  Alaina's attitude toward Quirrell was appalling to him.  Even after he had told her what Dumbledore said about Harry's scar hurting, for the second time, she had still tried to defend him.  Sure, he didn't know if he was guilty of anything or not, but it still didn't make sense for her to take up for him.  That was what was bothering him, wasn't it?  She acted like it was no big deal for her to be out with him in the middle of the night.  Quirrell could have murdered her or handed her over to Death Eaters.  She would have never been seen or heard of again.  He still didn't know what the two of them had been doing.  Alaina hadn't bothered to answer his question when he asked it, which made him even more upset.

He thought about it all night long and he couldn't sleep.  He was so tired he didn't even bother going to breakfast the next morning.  He stayed in and worked on his lesson plans for the classes the day.  After classes were over, he headed straight back to his office.  He kept this routine up for weeks, never eating except in his room after hours, and not talking to anyone other than the students taking his classes.  His moods were a lot fouler than usual.  He was miserable.  

Alaina was, too.  No matter how many times they would pass in the corridor, whether it was during the day or the night, Severus wouldn't speak to her.  The silence between them was deafening and it was getting to her.  She missed not being able to talk to him, to look into his eyes.  Harry told her stories of how he acted in class and that he seemed to be harder on him than usual.  He had two detentions a week for at least three weeks and swore he did nothing to deserve them.

It was on Halloween Eve when he came to her with the latest detention.  She eyed the paper and sighed wearily.  It had Severus's beautiful slanted handwriting all over it.

"Harry?" Alaina addressed him. 

"Yes, Mum?"

"What did you do this time?"

"Nothing.  I only helped Ron with his potion."  Harry frowned.  "I think Professor Snape misses you."

Alaina looked up at him, surprised he would say such a thing.  "What makes you think so?"

"Well, the two of you haven't been speaking for weeks now.  Almost a month and I've had detention every week for that long.  Maybe he thinks if he gives me enough detentions you'll come and talk to him."

She smiled.  "That's not how it works, Harry."

He shrugged.  "I just don't get it.  I guess he really does hate me."

"No," she told him shaking her head, "he doesn't hate you.  He couldn't."

Harry sighed.  "Will you take me to detention this time anyway?"

She bit her lower lip.  The thought of being near him thrilled her, but she was extremely anxious just thinking about it.  "I don't know."

"Please."  He gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, alright," she told him, defeated.  She couldn't resist those pleading wide eyes.  

Later on that night, when it was time for his detention, Alaina stood and waited outside of Gryffindor tower for Harry to come out.  The portrait opened at ten till eight and he came out with a look of pure dread on his face.  The two of them started walking toward the Dungeons immediately.

"Just curious, Harry," Alaina said, "but what does Professor Snape make you do during detention?"

Harry swallowed nervously.  "He makes me clean the cauldrons mostly.  But only after he's taught me how to make the required potion for that detention.  Once he made me write lines from my Potions book.  Just different things really.  I wonder what he's going to have me do tonight."