Recklessness

Sixth in the series of memories Fiona allows Snape to see for himself when she's uncovered by him--from 'The Story Within'.

"…Severus with distress written all over his face, let’s himself fall against a large tree trunk, he hides his face in his hands angrily and shouts out, a black cat approaches and its tiny paw reaches out to him, he looks over and fails to smile back, but picks her up, placing her on his lap and starts to confide what had just happened…"

Fiona heard the commotion and made her way to where the noise was. As soon as she saw Potter and his friends he knew something had to be wrong. She crossed a brief glance with Remus who simply nodded back at her with shy blue eyes. Fiona's grip tightened around the books she carried and hurried to where she knew she would find him.

Panting as she had run all the way up the hill to a secluded clearing in the forest, a long way further than Hagrid's hut was, she stopped and listened. She could hear thumping and grumbling, it was him for sure. She stepped behind a large shrub that grew against a tree, poking herself with its dry and sharp branches, dropped her stuff and when she made sure they were well hidden from sight, a black cat jumped from behind where she had stood.

The moment the sight of Severus Snape fell before her eyes she knew something awful had happened, this had not been the usual prank or teasing from the Marauders, something else weighed on his soul. She could see it dripping from his dark eyes. "Why did I say that to her?" she heard him grumble to himself, as his fist hit hard against the bark of a tree and then let himself fall against it.
Fiona didn't know how to approach him, she wasn't even sure if it was a good idea. She had never seen him so upset, so angry at himself. The little black cat found its way unnoticed around the tree where he sat and cautiously, very slowly, it stepped up to him. He kept cursing under his breath and she even thought to see him choke back a sob.

Something got him to look up and suddenly, he had found he wasn't alone. Fiona would've fled if his hands hadn't flown over to pick her up, bringing her over to his lap, but not letting her down he started to speak. "Blackstrap, I don't know why I said it! I don't know what got into me!" he said with dread pouring with every word. His eyes, how they pleaded for understanding and even more for forgiveness, they were piercing her little heart. Fiona listened intently as he told his tale and just wished she could be herself to comfort him in the way he so fervently needed.
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Dunno, this particular bit felt like it deserved a little more back-story.

Clocktower Courtyard [link]
Teasing [link]
Occupational Hazards [link]
Little confident [link]

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Severus, Remus (c) JKR
Fiona/ Blackstrap (c) Me