Forbidden Lover

DISCLAIMER: None of them are mine. JKR and Warner bros would not want what I own. I am only borrowing them.

Author's note: This is one of my older wip's that I decided to write more on, but in reading what I have, I started reediting and changing things as I was not happy with the flow of the writing.
This story came about as a result of Shem challenging me to write an inexperienced, nervous bundle of Snapey goodness. I just couldn't resist.



Prologue
Background of an old Death Eater

Professor Severus Snape was the most hated teacher in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a title he relished. He delighted in terrorizing the students. Snape was a private man, close-mouthed and almost hermit-like in his ways.

His history as an ex-Death Eater had contributed to his disposition. Death Eaters weren't known for being congenial. For many years of his life, he'd done as he pleased, leaving a wide trail of death and destruction in his wake. Eventually he'd come to regret his past, but it had taken quite a long time.

Now he was the resident potions master, a post he was resigned to keeping since Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, wouldn't give him the job he really wanted: teacher of Defense Against The Dark Arts.

He was not a man of conscience but he'd wanted the job as a way of paying back for all of the destruction that he'd caused. Deep down maybe Dumbledore was right in keeping him away from temptation. At times the evil within fought the principles he now forced himself to adhere to.

He didn't particularly like people. In his lifetime, he'd rarely known kindness and as a result had no idea how to give instead of take. He'd never had a girlfriend, or even a regular lover for that matter. He had no skill in dealing with women. His ex-best friend, Lucius Malfoy, had laughed at his lack of skills. Lucius was the consummate professional at seduction and didn't hesitate to rub it in when watching Severus in action during their raiding days. Severus had begun to resent Lucius, and when he'd left the Death Eater life to teach no love was lost between the two of them. The two former friends were now indifferent enemies.

It didn't bother Severus to lose about the only friend that he'd ever had. There was a deep part of him that had totally resigned himself to being alone for the balance of his life. He'd been hurt so much that the scars inside were worse than the ones that he sported upon his body. The bad thing was, those scars never totally healed. They kept him defensive and bitter most of the time.

And then there was the matter of James Potter, who'd been his schoolmate and had once saved his life. He owed the dead man a debt. Snape didn't like to owe anyone anything. It was a sore spot with him that now he had to tolerate James' son, Harry. Harry Potter was a distinct reminder of his past, a time that Snape would rather forget than be reminded of on a daily basis.

It didn't help that Lord Voldemort had been after the boy and had made repeated attempts on his life. And Potter had been lucky. The first year that he'd been at Hogwarts, Professor Quirrell, one of Voldemort's servants, had attempted to kill him right there on the Quidditch field in front of the other students. Only fast thinking on Snape's part had helped to save the boy. The incantation counter-spell he'd used was working until a mysterious fire appeared in his robes, causing him to break his concentration. The ensuing pandemonium in the stands had allowed Potter to remount his broom and end up unscathed as well as defeating Slytherin House in the game.

Potter was a pain-in-the-ass who was part of what Snape called the golden trio. He had two friends: Ron Weasley, a lanky red headed product of Molly and Arthur Weasley, who didn't know when to quit having children, and Hermione Granger, a muggle-born witch who was annoying as hell to Snape. Granger prided herself on knowing the answer to everything. Snape spent much of his valuable class time glaring or yelling at her.

Those three were always breaking rules. Snape had made it his business to keep an eye on them. If he could just catch them at it, he could possibly be rid at least of Potter. This was the trio's last year at school thank gods. Every time that he thought he had them, Dumbledore would end up commending them on one thing or another, making Snape look like a fool.


He would be especially glad to get rid of the Granger girl. She was really starting to grate on his nerves. The one thing about Snape was that he was democratic, and hated everyone equally, except for her. She was a problem for him. She unnerved him, the way that she would stand up to him most of the time.


Hermione Granger scared Severus Snape. Why? Because he thought he loved her.