Melanie's POV

Just after classes were over I headed to my own room.

While I made my way to my room I started to listen to the sound of my heels hitting the stone floor as I walked at a steady and calm pace.

The sound was almost memorizing to me as it echoed throughout the silent halls and corridors.

Alone I walked. Alone I was.

But before I could even make it to my room, I had a sharp pain that shot down my stomach as if I was going to throw up almost immediately.

I tried to find somewhere just in case I did vomit but it never came.

The pain only dug and sunk deeper down the side of my stomach as it was barely tolerable to withstand.

I sat on a cold stone bench that was put in the middle of a very dark and quiet courtyard.

It was a place unknown to me...a new discovery in seems.

I couldn't help but feel like this place was going to be my place of solace from the outside chaos.

As I sat with tears forming and feeling as exhausted as ever with pain digging into my stomach I heard faint footsteps near me suddenly.

As if who ever it was had been here the whole time while I was having a meltdown.

Whoever it was...they were very much advanced at concealing their presence.

"You're a fool to be out so late."

That cold and single-toned voice seemed all too familiar.

But somehow It felt nice to have company even at the current miserable state I was in.

Familiarity always gave me a sense of comfort and warmth...but it wouldn't be something I'd admit to so easily since it also brought a sense of vulnerability as well.

Just his presence alone...appearing as a familiar face, even if just a stranger to me was enough.

Before I could even speak a word I coughed up blood that splattered over the ground beneath me and into my hand as I tried my best not to vomit blood everywhere.

I looked up with slightly heavy eyes to see a dark figure come into light.

Severus. Or rather, Professor Snape.

He only stood there for a moment or two.

Before I completely blacked out unconscious, all I could feel were cold hands that picked me from off the ground, taking me to another place that I could only guess was the infirmary.

—————

When I had awaken it seemed Professor Snape had already left.

The only reason I knew he had stayed was from the sunken seat that had been beside me.

I couldn't help but feel a bit of warmth in the way he had concern for me.

Even if it would only ever be once.

And even if I was overthinking it...I couldn't help but want to.

I was like a moth to the flame in his presence.

Just when I was going to take a step from off the bed as I sat forward I was stopped by a small thin tube that was bandaged on my wrist with a needle.

I took a good yank to the needle that was buried in my arm since I wasn't a big fan of them even near me.

I hate needles.

———

Once I got myself more situated I wondered the early morning halls.

In fact, it was so early the sun had barely just peaked over the horizon.

I was thankful that it was a holiday today, because it would give me the time I needed to heal and recover.

As I walked on I really didn't pay any mind to where my feet were taking me, not even a thought crossed my mind to where my destination was to be as I walked against the bustling current of students.

Each student that passed was another student that was added to the train, stuffing themselves into the train that would lead them home...the place in which they'd spend the rest of their holiday break at.

A home to go back to...out of Hogwarts I didn't have a home to go back to like everyone else here.

Just in that thought...my heart sank.

I gripped the side of my skirt as I took a few steps that led back to the small courtyard I had discovered yesterday.

Tears, again...ran down my face as I stood there with no one around.

I didn't know what to do or where to go.

I started to feel weak again as I muttered underneath my breath trying to hold myself together.

"Wondering around like this will make for no better improvement in your health Professor Lockhart. You shouldn't have left the infirmary in your state." He was harsh in tone as always as I just looked at him.

A sense of dejavú filled me. A sense of familiarity.

"...I needed to tell you how sorry I was to have made you worry."

He batted his eyes once...and even though it was just once, it was enough to tell me that he was feeling hesitant toward what to say.

He spoke no words as I coughed up more blood on my sleeve.

When I looked up I was shocked to see his face, having his usually almost frowned lips turned into a curve of worry with dark eyes fixated on me.

He immediately walked up to me with a few brisk steps to the stone flooring as he casted a healing spell right after getting close enough to me for the spell to work.

A glow appeared from his wand as I felt a bit better than I previously was a few moments ago.

I looked at him with curiosity.

I wanted to ask him something that would forever be buried in the back of my mind if I didn't ask him now.

"Why help me Professor?" I asked.

"You're -obviously- in need of much rest. You might just be as idiotic as the other Professor Lockhart. Foolish and stupid. Brainless."

"Do you mean my second cousin? I never really knew him."

"Genes of idiotic behavior seems to be strong and undeniable."

I looked at him with a bit of a frown. I couldn't deny that my second cousin was indeed too much over his head.

So what could I do but agree.

"That may be true."

"You've overworked yourself." He said coldly as he sat beside me.

"That too is correct..." As the morning air became colder I tightened the cloak I wore around me to keep from shivering.

"But despite my many warnings that you so blatantly ignore...As a professor and teacher, you haven't done half bad for your first few weeks of being here."

"What do you mean by that Professor Snape?"

"Exactly what I've said." Severus was just about to leave as I was sitting on the edge of the same bench as last night.

"If it's not any trouble Professor?-" I spoke a bit nervously just before he was leaving as he turned around.

Trying my best not to sound desperate...I had to choose my next words carefully.

I knew that if I were to be left alone any more than I have with my thoughts...I might not make it through the night.

"Could I make you a cup of coffee or tea? My way of saying thank you for going out of your way."

He looked at me in an odd way as if to say 'why even ask a question like that'.

As if there was no need to ask such a question.

After all we were no more than two professors working at the same school.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

"I just thought since I'm here and you're here that maybe we could just converse."

"I have no plans for the evening." His voice was restful but his eyes still held the usual overlay of indifference.

"Will meeting here again be alright? Early evening perhaps?"

He looked at me once before leaving.

I assumed that was a yes.

—————

Once I got the go ahead that I was okay to walk around I escaped straight to my room to dress myself a bit better to fit the weather.

I left my slightly wavy brunette hair down with a blue ribbon tied in.

After half an hour of much debate I finally chose to wear a dress I had only wore once.

It was a simple solid admiral blue that had a nice flow to it with black heels.

I added a black cape with an inline of the same color as the dress to finish my outfit off.

I then gathered any tea and coffee I had into a basket along with a tea set.

Once I left my room I felt an odd presence lurking nearby.

Every step I took that led me closer to where the Professor and I were going to meet...anxiety built in my stomach like knots.

Once I reached my destination I was greeted by a silent figure.

At first I doubted who the man was but then I noticed black shoulder length hair and immediately knew it was indeed Professor Snape and not whoever else was following me.

It seemed to me that he was still yet to notice my presence.

Before I made myself known to him that I had arrived I couldn't help but notice the small details about him.

The way he stood, I could tell he was in deep thought.

Silent and stoic.

I cleared my throat as he snapped his head back to see who it was.

"You're early." I spoke while he kept in silence, only sparing a glance toward me.

I sat beside him as I readied two tea cups.

"Coffee or tea?"

"Tea is fine."

"What kind? I have about any and all you can think of. Early grey might suit your taste." I spoke lightly as I poured hot water into his cup.

"Earl grey." He spoke ever so softly that it surprised me.

I had accidentally poured a bit of scolding water on my forearm from being shocked by the sudden change in tone he had toward me.

I winced while biting my lip.

Severus caught my arm as he yanked me slightly toward me to see my new injury.

"Oww-! Hey that hurts!"

"Stay still and -stop- whining." He spoke firmly as I listened and allowed him to soothe my wound.

I only looked at him as his full concentration was on healing my wound, finishing his work off with a white bandage around my arm and hand that he seemed to have on hand.

I think I had looked for too long because before I knew it his eyes were met with mine.

He seemed to realize his gaze was too fixated on me causing him to avert his gaze.

He out of all people wouldn't and couldn't be embarrassed.

But if anyone was embarrassed...I sure was.

I could immediately feel the heat running to my face as I blushed at how close he was to me.

How his fingers gently pressed against my skin when wrapping the bandage around my tea-scorched skin.

"Did you inherit clumsiness as well." He retorted as I looked away sheepishly.

"...I just have a bit going on...it'll sort itself out though. Eventually."

He stayed quiet as I handed him his cup of tea that I refilled.

I then poured my own tea as well.

We sat in silence for a while as I didn't know what to say...just feeling speechless on what to talk about next.

"So...um...how long have you been a Professor here?"

"A long time."

"When did you start? Was it planned or...?"

"No."

I looked at him a bit frustrated that our conversation was getting absolutely nowhere.

"Ever thought about leaving?"

"..." He said nothing as he only looked at me with a dulled expression this time.

"Do you like giving people the silent treatment often?" I looked at him with longing to know what he was thinking, what words he wished to say that he never spoke.

"I wouldn't... put it like that."

"Is it that you have a lot on your mind?"

"Everyone does."

I looked away from him as I looked up.

I noticed the night's sky and was taken back by how clear the night sky was, showing its entirety of stars...the moon being so bright that you really didn't need a lantern to see the pathways you took.

I then looked back at Severus.

I guess in some way...Severus was kind.

In his own way.

Helping me, someone who felt deadly unwell...willing to go out of his way in helping me.

It was surly something I thought he'd never do after getting to know him over the past few weeks.

"What a gorgeous view."

But one thing was for sure, I wanted this heavy weight of awkwardness to disappear and by any means necessary.

"It's a meaningless sight."

"The stars are far from meaningless Professor." I spoke soft as almost meaning not to even reach his ears with such words.

Even so it was hard to tell if he heard me from the way he kept a concealed face.

To me, I was very much impressed on just how much Severus had control of not letting any emotions escape him.

He was definitely the complete opposite from me.

——————

After sometime of silence shared between us he finally spoke to break the silence.

"It's truly vexing in the way you see the light in anything. Why go through the trouble at all?" He sounded a bit annoyed as he questioned me with a sneer.

"Why?" I spoke trailing off.

"-Exactly-. Why." He spoke with a demanding demeanor but it was a tone he always used with everyone and anyone.

A tone that lacked emotion and any feeling but that of annoyance and seriousness.

Clearly he wasn't understanding me.

But yet he asked 'why' even still.

My eyes wondered to his as I smiled. He only looked at me strange as if I had something on my face.

No one was ever really curious about me enough to ask such a question and such a question coming from him...felt significant.

Even if his question was only a word long.

"Even when things seem impossible there's always light at the end of the tunnel. But I'd lie if I said I felt that way about everything. Even I...have my difficulties and darkness Professor. So I'm not all sunshine."

As for Professor Snape, he only kept quiet as I continued.

I really wish he hadn't been so quiet because I knew I wasn't going to keep this conversation simple.

I seemed happy and alright...but truly I was far from the bright woman everyone thought I was.

Everyone has their secrets...even someone like me.

For an opportunity to open up to this man who couldn't care less felt odd and partially regretful....that maybe I was just acting on emotion talking to him like this.

But if I were to die tomorrow...at least someone knew how I truly felt about my life and how I've lived until now...my hopes and desires no longer buried with me alone.

I truly didn't wish to be one of those people who kept their secrets and deepest feelings with them to their grave.

That would be such a lonely and painful life to have.

So I couldn't help but believe that there was still a chance with this man that only looked at the world with disdain with an empty glass outlook.

Maybe...just maybe he could understand.

"I'm not at all who you take me to be Professor."

I looked into his dark almost soulless eyes.

Even if it was just for a moment I had sworn I had noticed a flicker of anticipation in his eyes, as if he was waiting to hear what I had to say.

"I hated everyone and everything around me... At one point in my life I had my heart filled with the uttermost hatred toward the ones who constantly saw to it that I was in a repeated cycle torment by their hand. I was engulfed in such a terrible life...so much so that I felt to escape from such a awful lifestyle as soon as I could... I knew that if I would have stayed I would have..." I couldn't even finish my sentence as I started to struggle in finding the right words to use.

"And?"

I would have lost myself.

Completely.

I looked away from him, a bit self conscious from how personal and sentimental I was being.

"So..I got away from all that to make a better life for myself. It was like grasping for straws at first..to finally be able to be happy...but it's definitely worth it."

"You are truly too optimistic and naive." He spoke with annoyance as I couldn't help but laugh.

I truly didn't expect anything more from him.

And I really couldn't help but realize just how different we were.

Like night and day. But still he gave an listening ear and a watchful eye as I told him all about myself.

I honestly couldn't believe how the universe or even fate could have brought such an oddly pair as us together.

Sharing the night sky and yet having nothing in common.

Still being able to converse with one another was something that would have been impossible for the both of us.

But it was happening.

I couldn't help but feel a little joy as sorrow laced in, tying itself in just as evenly.

"It's alright if you don't understand Professor. After all we are like night and day. Besides, it's not like I can force my beliefs on you. There would be no point in that."

"My apologies if I've made you uncomfortable."

"Don't apologize."

"For me, there is a need to apologize for putting you in such an awkward situation."

"I chose to listen and it truly takes courage to speak what you have spoken."

His tone of voice was... tender.

Being surprised as I was I couldn't speak a word more with him gazing at me.

At first I thought I was imagining the tenderness from his voice but...he really was being unusually kind.

And then a sadness appeared that was only visible to me for mere moments in those dark eyes of his.

"I've been there myself Miss.Lockhart."

All he did was set the cup down and thanked me for the tea as he left.

I somehow...felt empty when his presence was no longer near.

What was I to do with myself at this point.

Falling for this man...I must've gone mad.