Time trudged on and the end of the school year continued to grow closer. It was easy to tell that summer was coming as the sun moved higher in the sky, seeming so much hotter and bright as its rays penetrated the ground, warming the soil. Despite the sunshine, Severus could feel a certain chill in the air. Despite the sunshine, the days seemed darker, like a deep bluish gray film was covering Severus's eyes. Severus knew the film covering his eyes was merely the realization that Voldemort was growing stronger with each passing day; growing closer to getting what he currently desired: the prophecy.
Severus laid awake one morning, staring at the ceiling. He slowly turned his head, seeing Laura, who had been staying with him off and on for the past few weeks, curled up next to him. Severus was happy she was there with him, but he also couldn't help but feel a twinge in his heart.
A twinge of guilt. A twinge of pain. A twinge of worry.
It had been a few weeks since the bomb of Laura becoming a death eater had been dropped on him; a bomb he wished he could have diffused, a bomb he wished he could have dropped in the ocean, letting the explosion become trapped beneath the ocean waves, surrounded by lonely darkness, never to be felt or known.
But this was real life. And wishes were merely that: wishes.
Severus reached his hand out to Laura, wanting to pull her close, but he was afraid to, and slowly pulled his hand back. After the night he found out Laura had become a death eater, she would barely let him touch her.
Severus was consumed by worry; worry that he had taken his urges too far; worry he had hurt her in ways he didn't understand; worry that showing her the monster he was had been a mistake. Severus tried to ignore his worries and slowly got out of bed, trying not wake Laura as he got ready for his day.
He took one last look at Laura, who was sleeping deeply, before he left his bedroom, heading to his classes for the day. Severus couldn't wait for the day to end, especially since Umbridge was still in charge of Hogwarts.
When Severus returned that night, he found Laura still in bed, asleep. He sighed and sat down next to her. "Laura," he whispered. "Are you awake?"
"No," she mumbled.
"Laura, this isn't good for you," Severus said quietly. "Staying in bed all day and night isn't going to fix anything."
"Please, Severus," she whispered, "I'm so tired." Laura's voice sounded muddled and sleepy, caught between the land of the living, and a dreamland, far away from reality. A land Severus could only assume Laura wanted to flee to, hiding forever. He couldn't blame her for that.
Severus sighed and laid down, drifting off for the night.
The next morning, Laura wasn't in bed, and Severus nearly flew out of bed, wondering where Laura had gone. He ran to the kitchen, finding Laura at the table, drinking coffee, and reading a book. Severus stared at her as she read before Laura's eyes shifted to his. "What?" she asked.
"You weren't in bed," he said quietly.
Laura nodded. "You were telling me it wasn't good for me to stay in bed all the time and now you seem weirded out that I'm awake."
"You've been distant with me, and I worry you're going off the deep end but now you're out of bed and seem fine," Severus blurted out. "I don't understand."
"What are you talking about?" Laura put her book down on the table and kept her eyes on Severus.
"You've barely let me touch you since... since that night," Severus said quietly, "and even when you're here, it feels like you aren't. It seems like you blame me for everything."
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A Light in the Dark (Severus Snape x OC)
FanfictionA new professor arrives at Hogwarts and Severus Snape could not be more annoyed that Defense Against the Dark Arts was given to someone new, but what irritated him more than anything, was that she was young. After being forced to bond with the new...
