Innocence -Severus Snape Story-

Chapter 1

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. I have a few things to announce. Hogwarts will be having a new subject introduced for the more creative students studying here. Performing Arts and Literature is a subject I was excited to include for this year and many years from now. We also have a new teacher this year. She will be teaching the new subject so if you have any enquiries you should see her. Professor Adams." Dumbledore gestured to a girl with long blue hair who now stood waving awkwardly to the groups of students in front of her. She was dressed in a knee length black dress paired with black tights and black lace flats. "You will treat her with the same respect you give other professors at this school. Make her feel welcome." Dumbledore smiled at her as the students clapped.

Severus looked closely at the girl, he felt like he recognised her from somewhere. The blue hair deceived him, it clearly wasn't her natural colour. He couldn't pin point where he had seen her before though and it frustrated him. She sat two seats from him. She was now seated smiling at Madame Hooch as she spoke to her. Severus waited for their conversation to finish before jumping in.
"Professor Adams, am I correct?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, you are." she smiled. "You are Professor Severus Snape right?"
Taken aback by how she knew his name he hesitated before nodding.
"Have you previously attended Hogwarts?" he asked. Maybe he'd taught her or maybe he knew her from when he was at school. 
"Yes, I funnily enough attended when you did. You probably didn't know me but I saw you around a lot in the Slytherin common room."  she nodded.
Severus was quiet for a moment, thinking on who she could be. But as he stared at her face it hit him. She was that dancer in the room he saw. The quiet girl in the library. The studious girl in the common room who spent most of her time studying than talking to people. "I think I remember you." he nodded. "Well I wish you luck here." Severus then turned to look at Albus. 
"Thank you." she smiled watching as Severus turned away from her. She stared at him for a moment. He recognised her. She smiled to herself before taking a bite of her food and turning to create a conversation with Minerva who sat on her left. 

After dinner Dumbledore approached her. "Helena, come quickly." he smiled. Following behind Dumbledore lead you over to Severus. "Severus! I'm sure you've met Professor Helena Adams." Dumbledore looked between the two of you. 
"Yes I have." Severus nodded. That was your name he thought. Helena.
"That's great! So you wouldn't mind helping her find her living quarters. They are the new ones I had installed near the dungeons. I have other matters I must attend to." Dumbledore spoke with enthusiasm, which comforted Helena slightly. Severus knew Albus didn't have other matters to attend to, but he didn't know why he was getting him to do it.
"Fine." he sighed, "Come along." he started to walk out of the hall. 
"Goodnight Albus." Helena bowed slightly before following after Severus.   

Severus peered over his shoulder as they walked. Helena was walking whilst staring at the floor.
"Is there something wrong?" he forced himself to ask. She looked up at him before catching up to walk beside him. "It can't be unfamiliarity." 
"It isn't. I'm just...I-" she hesitated before speaking again. "I just haven't been here in such a long time. I debated even coming back." 
"Then why are you here?" Severus asked.
"Albus 'strongly'  recommended it. " she laughed slightly emphasising 'strongly'. "He told me not to worry as he was there, so was Minerva and you." 
Severus stopped outside the chambers and stared at her. "Me?" he frowned.
"Yes. I uh-" she felt her hands shake so she intertwined them together, "I remembered you from school, so when Albus told me you were working here I guess it was...comforting." 
Severus stared for a moment. 'Comforting'. That's not a word he has been described as for a very long time. 
"I uh- I'm sorry." she looked back to the floor. 
"No, it's not a problem. Don't worry." he reassured her causing her to look back up and smile. 
"I picked you up something." she went to open her chamber door. "My stuff was brought here...right?"

Severus nodded. "Why did you pick me up something?" 
"Well I heard you were a Potion's teacher," she began as she entered her room and gestured for Severus to follow, "and I remembered how enthusiastic you were in our Potion lessons so when I was travelling this summer I saw some ingredients that were incredibly hard to access in this country. So I thought 'why not' and I picked them up. I thought I could use a friend, and I thought it'd be a good gift." she smiled pulling out a bag that had a different language on it before handing it to Severus. He peered inside seeing some ingredients he had a shortage of and some ingredients he didn't even have. He also saw a magnet and some chocolate. 
"I added a chocolate bar in there before it came free with the potion ingredients." she laughed to herself, "So do you like it?" 

She now became very anxious. What if he didn't like it? 
"I love it. Really thank you." he felt a half smile appear on his face. "But you needn't bribe me to be your friend." 
"I wasn't bribing you." she responded quickly. "I just-I...I always wanted to be your friend back in school. I just thought you'd like it. That's all." 
"Thank you." Severus nodded. "Seriously. No one ever really does this for me anymore." 
"Don't worry seriously. It's no problem." she smiled. 
"I'll leave you to settle. Lessons start tomorrow."  Severus nodded before turning to walk out. 
"Wait. I uh..." She stopped herself. Severus turned to face her before walking a few steps back inside. "What is it?" he asked. 
"I just..." she looked to the floor. "Could I give you a hug?" 
Severus was taken a back. He'd forgotten what a hug felt like. 
"If you aren't freaked out or anything. I just feel like we could both use a hug." she smiled. 
"Why's that?" Severus asked.
"Because we have to deal with sometimes irritating children until December." she tried to make a joke. 
Severus felt himself smirk slightly before nodding. "Sure." 
Helena smiled brightly before walking over and giving Severus a warm hug. Severus hadn't been hugged like this since Lily. She blushed slightly as she pulled away. 
"Goodnight Severus." she nodded before walking over to her suitcase.
"Goodnight Helena." he nodded before leaving. 
Once he got to his chambers he let his smile escape completely. Severus thought about the word 'friend' for a minute. Friend. Yeah, he liked that.