Come Together

15. every feeling - ezra furman

{Recap: Rose and her roommates did a Samhain ritual, and it ended up with Rose accidentally summoning the ghost of Lily Potter (only Rosaline would make THIS mistake, I know). Lily tells Rose some -cryptic- information about Snape and his past with Voldemort. This causes Rose to make Snape agree to a meeting to discuss some things, and that's where we're at!}

November 1, 1988

By the time seven o'clock came, you were resolved to either receive the complete truth from Snape, or to stop seeing him. It was obvious that you both cared for one another; frankly, anyone at Hogwarts could see how the cool demeanor of the Potions Professor could easily be cracked under the quick smile or a poor pun from you, Rosaline Knight. Or, how the Hufflepuff-Slytherin 7th year Potions NEWT class had significantly less complaints than the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw class. The affection, the sight of two kindred souls complimenting each other, did not go unnoticed by the Hogwarts population.

You knew all of that. Really, you did, and you appreciated it. Honestly, it was enough to have Snape as your friend, and the fact that he was quite conspicuous about it (for him, anyway) flattered you. It would be a shame to lose it, but it would be worse if he had been hiding such a large part of himself, and his past, from you.

You did know him suitably well, as much as one would know a close friend. He adored the Clash and the Doors, but under your guide, had begun to follow music by Talking Heads and the Sex Pistols. He didn't care for sports, but would listen with one ear as you talked about football while he did the crossword or read his Potions Periodicals. He despised peas. You could pretend to have to convince him to allow you to come with him to collect ingredients, but you knew he really did enjoy company. He would also have to convince himself that he could exist without you, but you didn't know that, and he pretended not to.

Again, it would be awful to lose that. But it would be significantly worse to associate, to befriend, to be hopelessly in love with someone who agreed with the politics of Lord Voldemort.

Because love was what it was. You couldn't think the word without wanting to strangle him and his nonsense, but that's what it was.

Madam Pomfrey discharged you from the infirmary at seven o' clock with your multiple promises to restrict your magic use to lessons- which you should be doing anyhow, young lady! - and to eat a filling dinner.

"And you will not do any more foolish rituals, Rosaline! I mean it! If I see you in here again for anything but refilling my stores and treating injuries, you will not be happy!" Pomfrey called after your retreating back, with you raising a hand in acknowledgement in response. Waiting outside the Hospital Wing were your roommates. Your lips upturned in an easy smile, ready for the admonishment.

"Rose! How dare you pass out and make us feel completely awful for... Diana, what's the hour count?" Ophelia asked.

Diana checked her watch quite ostentatiously. "Approximately twenty seven hours and fourteen minutes."

The other girls nodded in assent, while you rolled your eyes, a smile remaining. How wonderful it felt to be doted on.

You threw arms around Diana and Helena, while Violet led the pack to the Great Hall. You were filled with both dread and anticipation for your meeting with Snape. The worst that could happen is that he was a Death Eater, he supported Voldemort, and he secretly wanted to kill you. But! The best that could happen is that the ghost of a fallen hero lied to you from beyond the grave, and Severus Snape was the esteemed Potions Master and Professor that he presented himself to be.

Okay, so it might've been somewhat of a lose-lose scenario.

Dinner passed with furtive looks to an empty chair at the Head Table, questions from other students about your wellbeing, and trying to force down at least half of the food on your plate, with some helpful prompting of your friends.