#whyamilikethis

one random night after a fight with my family : "god please fucking kill me I beg you "

ignored

| Pairing: young!Severus Snape x hufflepuff!Reader

| Summary: At the Yule Ball, Severus chooses familiarity over possibility—until a single glance makes him question everything.

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The Yule Ball sparkled like a dream.

Chandeliers shimmered overhead, enchanted snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, and soft music curled around the edges of the golden hall. It looked perfect—like something out of a fairy tale.

But you didn’t feel like the heroine. You felt like the girl in the background.

You tugged gently at your golden Hufflepuff robes, standing near the refreshment table, smiling like it didn’t bother you. Like you didn’t notice that your date—Severus Snape—had completely forgotten you were there.

He had asked you, hadn’t he? Mumbled something gruff and awkward about not wanting to go alone. You’d said yes because… because you liked him. Because maybe, just maybe, you thought he might like you too.

But now?

Now he was dancing with Lily Evans.

You watched the way he looked at her—like she was sunlight he could never quite reach. The way he leaned in to say something, and she laughed, touching his sleeve.

You looked away.

“You alright?”

You blinked up, surprised. Remus Lupin stood beside you with a kind expression, hands tucked into his robes. He glanced once at the dance floor, then back to you. “You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here.”

You laughed softly, trying to hide the crack in your voice. “That obvious?”

He smiled. “I’m told I’m rather observant.”

You looked down into your half-finished drink. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“You absolutely should’ve,” he said gently. Then, after a beat, “Would you like to dance?”

Your eyes widened. “What?”

“I’m an excellent dancer,” Remus said with mock pride. “And you look like you could use a little saving.”

Despite the ache in your chest, you smiled. “Okay.”

He led you onto the floor, gentle and thoughtful, giving you space. And for a little while, you laughed. Really laughed. Remus was warm, funny, and the music swelled just enough to let you forget the sting in your heart.

Then—

Everything slowed.

Across the room, Severus looked up.

And his eyes found yours.

Just for a moment, the world seemed to fall away. The music faded. The dancers blurred. It was just the two of you—caught in something that didn’t need words.

You weren’t supposed to be dancing with someone else. And he wasn’t supposed to be looking at you like that.

You blinked. He didn’t.

It was like being in the middle of a sentence that neither of you knew how to finish.

Then reality snapped back in.

You tore your eyes away first, and looked back at Remus. Severus looked down, returning his focus to Lily—though his grip on her waist had slackened.

Your smile faltered.

You took a breath and said quietly, “Remus… I think I want to go now.”

He looked at you gently, like he already knew.

“Of course,” he said. “Want me to walk you?”

You shook your head. “Thank you. But I think I need to be alone.”

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

You slipped out of the ballroom with your heart thudding and your chest hollow.

The moment the door shut behind you, the tears came fast and hot—falling in silence as you walked through the corridors alone.

What’s wrong with me?

You wanted to believe that maybe Severus had asked you to the Ball because he liked you. Not out of convenience. Not because Lily had turned him down.

But maybe you were wrong.

You hugged your arms tighter around yourself, steps echoing as you descended toward the Hufflepuff dorms.

Behind you—far too late—Severus was searching.

He’d turned to tell Lily something, a half-formed thought on his tongue, but you were gone. Just gone. The spot where you stood with Remus now empty.

He muttered something about needing air and left the hall in long strides.

But he didn’t find you.

He stood alone in the corridor, watching the rain start to splatter against the tall windows, his fists clenched at his sides.

You’d always been there. Always known how to reach him, even when he didn’t want to be reached.

Me: OMG THAT'S TERRIBLE(·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ )

Also me in public:

me:

and that i may have reached season 6 of gilmore girls....time flies when you've got nothing to do.

Science is WILD, folks 🧐🔬.