The Era of Aria Snape

54

Chapter Fifty-Four

ARIA'S TALK WITH her father had been unexpected.

He hadn't been rude, surprisingly, or short with her. No, he spoke to her as if she were any other person. Aria had yet to decide whether that bothered her or not. She supposed it was a step in the right direction-better than where they had been, better than nothing.

Aria had been the first to apologize. She had said sorry for being so horrible to him these past months, he had accepted, but uttered no apology of his own. She had known better than to expect any remorse on his part and if her absence had affected him at all, he didn't show it.

While reminiscing their chat, Aria realized what she wanted more than anything. That father-daughter bond back. She had missed him, despite his attitude towards her, even now.

Once the awkward moments had passed and they had begun to speak like normal people to one another, he spent a second expressing his disinterest in her ongoing relationship with a Weasley, but he did not dwell on the topic for long. She found his audacity unnerving, but she kept her face expressionless.

He had asked if she went to Hogsmeade recently. It was a question that had taken her off-guard.

Aria said she had.

Then he had asked whether Professor Lupin had been bothering her again, completely dismissing her response to his previous question.

She had confirmed his suspicions but said that he didn't need to worry, it wasn't anything that she couldn't take care of by herself. Even if Lupin's constant attention discombobulated her.

He had only nodded in response and in that tone of finality that Aria had missed despite everything, told her not to go back to Hogsmeade.

She had said that she wouldn't but meant nothing of it. She would go again.

There was something there that he didn't want her associated with, something dangerous. Aria assumed it was the same danger that Arthur had warned Harry about all those weeks ago.

Aria guessed it was the same reason that she and the entirety of the school had been told to come down to the Great Hall and had been presented with a room full of sleeping bags, much to her shock. No one seemed entirely enthusiastic about the idea, either.

They were separated according to houses. Gryffindor was on the far right and Slytherin on the far left-she was so far away from George and yet she didn't miss the fact that the same girl from earlier had a chosen a sleeping bag much too close to his. She didn't like that girl. With one last glare and a mental note to add her to the to-hex list, Aria turned her attention to her sleeping bag.

Anna was settling down next to her. "I never thought it would have been big enough for the whole school to be able to sleep in." She mumbled, braiding her hair.

Aria agreed, "I want to know why. Father wouldn't say anything."

"I'm so glad you spoke to him today." Anna smiled.

"Spoke to who?" Malfoy's voice sounded from behind Aria.

She groaned and turned to face the blond, ignoring his question. "Shouldn't you be checking on your girlfriend?" Strangely enough, Draco hadn't seemed at all concerned or bothered by what Aria had done to his precious Pansy.

"No." He said and turned to the sleeping bag to Aria's right. "Move." He told the second-year girl who had already been settled there.

"What?" She squeaked.

"I said I'm sleeping there. Move."

The girl appeared as if she wanted to argue, to say something rude to Malfoy, but her glare faltered as he stared down at her. She grabbed her bag and wandered off silently.

Malfoy went to sit down, but Aria stopped him. "Oh, no." She crossed her arms. "You're not sleeping there."

"I can sleep where I want, Snape." The blond smirked down at her. Aria was once again reminded of how much she hated that he had grown taller than her. She now had to look up at him. It did nothing for her threatening glares she felt like a mouse trying to scare away a cat and she hated it more than anything.

"Not here."

"What are you gonna do about it?" He stepped closer to her, testing her. "Hex me? Tell your pathetic boyfriend to come and fight me? Go ahead, but I'm not moving."

"Then I will." She scanned the surrounding area to find a suitable spot to sleep, but everywhere else had already been occupied, unless she counted the spot closest to the wall, but then she would be sleeping amongst a whole bunch of first years. The thought was revolting. She would have to stay where she was. Aria looked at Malfoy. He had sat down on his sleeping bag and was now staring up at her with a smug grin on his face. She had the urge to hit him.

"It's fine. I just won't speak to you."

"We both know you can't help yourself. Face it, Snape, you love me."

Aria ignored him and settled into her sleeping bag, turning on her side and facing her back towards Malfoy.

Her eyes had just started to close when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Snape!"

"Malfoy, what?" She whispered back, annoyed.

"Look at the ceiling."

She looked up and saw the same ceiling that she had for the past five years. "So?" She snapped.

"I've never seen it at night."

"Well, I have. Goodnight."

"Aria."

She groaned and turned to face him.

"Why don't you want to be my friend?"

"We've been over this. You're rude and arrogant. And you kissed me."

"I'm not going to apologize for kissing you."

"Then why are you talking to me?"

Aria lifted her head slightly to see if anyone was listening in. She found no one, doubting that anyone would dare cross her after what they had witnessed her do to Pansy. And even if they hadn't been present to see it, word spread quickly.

"Because you ended our friendship for no reason. Why, Aria?"

"George doesn't want me to associate with you." She mumbled. Aria had been hoping that she wouldn't have to admit that to Draco, she didn't want him to know that she hadn't made the decision herself, not exactly anyway. She loved George and would do anything to make him happy, even if it meant lying to Draco.

"Do you want to associate with me?"

"Not if it makes George unhappy."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Yes, it does. Now please, just leave me alone."

"I can't do that and I don't want to. You don't understand how in love-"

"Just... shut up." She didn't want him to finish that sentence, it would overcomplicate so many things that she didn't have the energy nor the patience to deal with.

"Fine, but you can't stop the love. I know you feel it too."

"All I feel is the urge to slap you. Now please let me sleep!"

She heard him chuckle and then whisper, "Goodnight grumpy."

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't fight the smile that appeared on her face before she fell asleep.