Boys Can Be Stupid Sometimes

XI - Anthea

It seemed that both of them felt extremelly uncomfortable in each other's presence. Anthea because she liked him, and was hurt that he thought of her as Lily Evans and didn't seem to notice her apart from her being similar in appereance with the Gryffindor, and he - apparently because he humiliated himself in front of her, her not being the girl he liked. It really was a difficult situation, Anthea mused as she tried to think of something to say. She was interrupted however with him looking like a bolt of lightning just struck him and uttering,

"Well.. I guess people do know then. Lucius can't yet, he hasn't bashed me. Perhaps he does and he's just waiting for the proper time."

She couldn't help but feel worried for him. If Lucius Malfoy ever found that titbit out, Severus was in for a load of trouble. Luckily, he didn't and she quickly went to disabuse him of the notion. At least, she tried to do it quickly, she had to open her mouth first and start speaking. When she was finally sure that she had her voice again, she said,

"Well, he doesn't know. I meant the girls in our house being more perceptive about what's happening. They are girls after all."

When she asked him the question about the reason he's looking at her, she expeted that the reason was that she looked so much like Lily that it was hard for him to grasp that she wasn't Lily, but Anthea. Although she knew that she would never hear a blunt answer such as that. It came to a total surprise to her, when he actually answered the question she had given him.

"I.. can't help it."

He proceeded to look down at his feet with a dark expression on his face and she realized that he probably knew that she liked him. She couldn't hide it after all. She also couldn't stop looking at him in Potions, he was just so adept with mixing the ingredient, he cut the ingredients with such ease that she couldn't help but admire his skills. As if he was reading her mind, he said,

"If you really must know, I was trying to figure out why you continuously look at me all the time. Like in Potions, which is really unnerving at times when I'm trying to concentrate, just so you know. And the entire time I healed your hand for you, but your secret's safe with me."

She felt her face heat up at that and she quickly looked down at her fingers which she clamped in front of her. She stared at them with a fierce expression on her face as she tried to think of something to say. She was sure now, that he knew she liked him. It was all but hinted in the last part of the sentence, about him keeping her secret. Finally, she put her wit together and said quietly, but loud and clear enough that he could hear her,

"I think you know why I watch you all the time. I do try not to do it, but I can't help it." She was very honest when she uttered those words and she wondered what he would think of her next. "It's just that you're very fascinating to watch while you're brewing potions. I really like watching you at work, it's very relaxing and inspiring. And not just because you're a master at potions. You're just a very interesting person, in my opinion at least."

She turned to watch him intently as she proceeded to think about what to say next. She was known as a very honest person, and she knew that he won't be able to detect any lies coming from her if she told him exactly what she thought of him.

"I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable," she started, "I'll try not to stare at you as much."

Turning her head away from him again, she continued, "I know you know now that I like you. I can't help it. You're just someone I'd really like to know better. I know that you like Evans and that I probably don't stand a chance, but even so... if you're ever in need of someone to just be there for you, you can count on me being there."

She smiled sadly at that. She had told him straight out that she liked him and that she was okay with him not liking her, even though it hurt very much to hear herself saying that. She didn't know what else to do.