Tearmann

Supper in the Great Hall was almost always interesting. The children always seemed louder than at other meals, shouting, laughing, and sometimes even having small food fights among their own houses. The major food fights that involved two or more of the houses had finally stopped when Fred and George Weasley had graduated. Something for which the staff, Severus particularly, was exceedingly grateful. Once, after an especially large food fight, which had left potatoes on the enchanted ceiling, the house elves had refused to clean it. This was unprecedented. The red heads were farced to clean the entire Hall without the use of magic; and whiled they never participated in another food fight, Severus was sure they had instigated a few more before leaving the school. There were times when the Great Hall seemed too quiet and Severus actually missed the twins\' antics. They always made things interesting.

Severus was missing them tonight. Supper had just started and already he could tell it was going to be long and dull. The children were subdued as they ate. The chatter one would expect on a pre-Hogsmeade Friday was absent. If not for Dumbledore\'s insistence, Severus would have just skipped the meal entirely. He was tired and just didn\'t feel like eating. The quietness of the room did nothing to lighten his mood, either.

Severus felt the weight of a stare on him and realized Albus was watching him. He turned to look at the older wizard, raising a questioning eyebrow. Dumbledore pointedly looked down at his plate and back up to him. Severus realized that it hadn\'t gone unnoticed that he hadn\'t eaten his lunch or breakfast. Rather than starting an argument at the table with all the other teachers listening, he turned to his plate and tersely started eating.

An ostentatious laugh caught his attention. Turning to the Gryffindor table, he watched as Ginny Weasley sat down on her brother\'s lap and soundly kissed Harry Potter\'s shocked lips. Severus had known the 6th year was in love with Harry since she had first arrived at the school but that the two had never actually dated. He had been quite certain that Harry wasn\'t interested in the fairer sex. Seeing them kissing, he wasn\'t so sure anymore. Harry had leaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around the slim girl.

Harry pulled out of the kiss, blushing, glanced around to see who had witnessed the display. Severus averted his eyes quickly as Harry scanned the head table. He knew Minerva was giving Harry a disapproving look, Dumbledore was smiling with his twinkling eyes, and Black and Lupin were giving him the thumbs up. Suddenly, Severus wasn\'t feeling well at all.

He knew he had no right to be jealous. He had never and would never make a move on a student. Harry wasn\'t even his friend, was he? It was ridiculous to react to Harry kissing anyone and yet, he was feeling hurt and betrayed. All the little smiles Harry had given him recently had given him a small hope that maybe they could be something and now, that hope was crushed. He should have known better. He never hoped for anything.

Severus quietly excused himself from the table, ignoring Dumbledore\'s disapproving looks, and headed back to his dungeon sanctuary. He needed to be alone with his racing emotions.