When Love Is Timed

Attitudes and Memories

*Severus' POV*

"How did things go last night?" Minerva asked me before the feast.

"She is already infuriating. She is clumsy and clueless, are you sure you can not convince Slughorn to come back? I would gladly retire now." I rubbed my temples with aggravation.

"Now, now, Severus. She just needs time to settle in. If my sources were correct, she hasn't had the best upbringing, much like you." Albus spoke through the painting.

"Yes, but I never acted like that." I retorted.

"There are secrets that she must find out herself. Help her, she may need you." With his final words, I growled and stalked out to get the girl for dinner.

"I don't understand why I am always stuck with the helpless and weak. Whatever secrets she has that Albus is neglecting to inform me of, she can deal with them herself."

I reached my dorm, the one I had to unfortunately share with her, and walked into her going through my books, "must you nose through what isn't yours?"

"I was only curious." She said as she set the book among the others she had dug out.

"Do you plan on leaving them where they don't belong?"

"Can you just chill for a minute? Your damn books will get put away." She snatched the books off the table and shoved them into the bookcase. I had half a mind to scold her for her attitude, but decided to let it slide and instead, gave out a sigh.

"It is time for dinner, let's go." I turned to walk out and neglected to wait for her.

"Hey!" I heard her stumble towards me, which to my surprise, made me grin.

"Being late is not my specialty." I drawled as she joined me at my side, breathless.

"I'm sure you could've spared a minute." She narrowed her eyes and walked silently to the great hall.

"As much as I have loved your company so far, Minerva thought it best that we also sit together." I reluctantly motioned for her to take a seat next to me.

"Can I go eat somewhere else?" She asked but quietly mumbled, "anywhere else..."

"Sit and stop being a child." I ordered and she did so.

After Minerva's speech, the hall ate soundly, and rather annoyingly. Surprisingly, the girl was quiet, looking over the students with amusement. "I wish Beauxbatons was like this," I heard her comment, to which I rolled my eyes.

She must've noticed because she turned to me with disbelief, "do you just take everything for granted? You teach at a wonderful school and here you are, being an arse all the time. If your life is so miserable, why don't you go live it out alone, away from here?"

I was taken aback at first, but regained my stand, "Well, has it ever occurred to you that if I could leave, I would? Regardless of what you might think, I would rather have the dementors suck the remaining life out of me than have to help an ignorant little girl, such as yourself."

"How would the dementors kill you when you don't have anything they can feed off of? Besides, your little excuse for not leaving seems an awful lot like my situation with Cyrus. Maybe before judging me for him, you should consider your own hypocrisy." She jumped up and strode down the aisle, making all the boys' heads turn. Disgusted, I resumed eating and attempted to not think about her arrogance.

*Kiah's POV*

I stormed off outside to cool off. Why did he have to be such an arse? I hadn't even done anything to him and he automatically jumped to conclusions about me and my life? I just met him and he already hates me for unknown reasons!