David's POV:

"Settle down," Snape's voice drawled booming in the dungeon as silence immediately descended on the classroom.

He began to walk around the class, addressing us in his teaching voice. 

His lecture was about the Wolfsbane potion that we needed to submit by the end of the week. 

This potion's class was special as it hosted both the seventh year and fifth year students from all houses. 

While he kept going with his lecture on the many uses of the potion, I couldn't help but tune him out. I couldn't focus on whatever he was saying. Whenever I made an effort to concentrate, I fail as my eyes kept darting to the couple that were sitting two rows ahead of me.

They were extremely focused on the potions master as he was giving his lecture. But underneath the table, I saw them playing thumb war, something only someone sitting far away from them would notice. 

Snape was completely oblivious to what they were doing and kept going on with his lecture. I felt the anger rise within me. I made a vow to myself I would stop caring, only that vow was always broken when I see them together and I feel my blood boil.

Whenever I see them doing even the tiniest of romantic gestures, playing thumb war underneath the table for instance, I cannot help but wonder, 'Why is she with him? She is a Slytherin and he is a Gryffindor. That is not even possible. What does she see in him?'

"Mister Dickenson," Snape suddenly shot making both me and my brother look up at once.

Snape pointed at me to clarify, "David Dickenson."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, stood up and said as calmly as I could, "Yes sir."

He kept his hawk like gaze on me, "What are the effects of a Wolfsbane potion?"

I cursed my lack of attentiveness. I knew the answer to that question very well, I have been practicing that potion for weeks. But at that moment, I completely blanked. I tried to recall anything that will help me answer him but I couldn't and kept staring at him clueless.

"Well," he said impatiently.

"It...It," I squeezed my brain as hard as I could but it was completely blank. My nervousness increased when I saw her ocean blue eyes looking at me so as everyone else in the class. 

When our eyes met, she gave me a wide smile prompting me to go on. Her smile electrified my body and petrified me in place. Her mesmerizing eyes weren't the only ones that were staring at me waiting for answers, my brother's emerald eyes were too. 

I avoided his gaze as hard as I could and kept staring at her.

Severus noticed my extreme silence and sighed in annoyance. He turned to the blue eyed witch, "Miss Woods."

She immediately turned from me to Snape, "Yes Professor."

"Seeing as Dickenson's tongue has been eaten by a cat," he said sarcastically "would you be kind as to tell us what are the effects of a Wolfsbane potion?"

She nodded and got up. "The Wolfsbane potion is an innovative and complex potion that relives the symptoms of lycanthropy. It only eases the symptoms followed by transforming into a werewolf but doesn't cure lycanthropy. It allows the transformer to hold onto their mental capacities even after transformation."

Snape nodded, "Excellent, ten points to Slytherin."

All the Slytherins clapped and cheered while the Gryffindor's looked around themselves angry. 

One seventh year Gryffindor whispered to his friend, "They were going to get those points regardless. It's Snape teaching not McGonagall."

Snape however caught that and turned to the ginger boy, "Ten points from Gryffindor, for your classmate's cheek. At least she had an answer Mister Dalmas, better than any of you dunderheads ever did."

Snape turned to me and I could see his eyes twinkling with anticipation not wanting to miss the golden opportunity to taunt me. 

He came up to my desk, "Now the question here presents itself, why would a fifth year Slytherin know an answer to a simple question such as the effects of a Wolfsbane potion better than a seventh year Ravenclaw?"

He went on, "If my knowledge is correct, Ravenclaws are supposedly the ones with the brains. So that being said, a very simple question such as that should have been on the tip of your tongue, wouldn't you agree Mister Dickenson?" 

I couldn't stop myself from glaring at him while he smirked, "if you want my truthful opinion on the matter Dickenson, I think your ignorance and lack of attentiveness brings shame to your entire house."

'I hate him!' I growled inwardly 'How dare he humiliate me not only in front of the messily fifth years, but in front of her as well.'

I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look at my brother either. In fact, I couldn't face anyone and lowered my gaze feeling my face burn with embarrassment. 'Why does he have to pick today out of all the other days to insult me? In front of her too. That bastard!'

He sighed finally returning to his desk, "Your head of house Professor Flitwick will hear about this," he looked me directly in the eye once he was seated, "Your continued failure in my class won't be tolerated anymore, fifty points from Ravenclaw."

"Fifty!" all the Ravenclaws shouted. They all turned to me in unison and glared at me.

"Yes!" Snape shot at once "And if I heard any of you utter another word, it will be detention for a week."

"Dickenson," someone whispered hotly.

I lifted my head slightly not wanting to be woken up by anyone. I pretended to be sleeping but the person kept shaking me and calling my name repeatedly. 

"Dickenson, you have to get up now," they said in urgency.

Annoyed by the whomever they were, I shot my head at once ready to give them a piece of my mind. However I was frozen by the onyx eyes that were staring at me. It was Snape and I have never seen that amount of fear and worry itched on his face before. 

I immediately got up and searched for Florina's body on the bed. I spotted her on the bed, same as always, laying stiff as a board in deep sleep.

I looked back again at the onyx eyes. The person they belonged to was trying his best to speak but couldn't. He kept opening and closing his mouth. He finally gave up in explaining with words and pointed at something beside Florina. It was her heart rate monitor and it was...

"No way!" I flew out of my chair and kneeled down before her bed. I kneaded my hands together and as quickly as I could, tried to do hard chest compressions.

"When did it happen?" I asked Snape urgently as I kept compressing on her chest.

He swallowed hard, "A few minutes ago," he whispered to stop his voice from cracking.

"What?" I shouted not turning to him "Why didn't you wake me up sooner? Don't you know every minute counts," I closed her nostrils with one hand and opened her mouth with the other. 

Swiftly, I brought my mouth to hers and blew as hard as my frail lungs would allow me. I kept staring at the monitor hoping for a change after every blow but nothing happened. It still showed a straight line with no heartbeat.

Snape was standing beside me petrified not knowing what to do. It was true he was extremely skilled at potion making and crafting healing potions. But when it came to CPR, he was clueless. In fact, most wizards were clueless when it comes to muggle ways of saving lives.

"Oh for Godric's sake Florina! Please don't do this to me," I felt my tears roll down my cheeks as I gave her another blow. I started to feel light headed so I reverted back to compressions allowing my lungs to take a break.

"I gave her the reviving potions this morning," Snape whispered beside me staring at the body, "I don't understand how did they not work. They are bound to work on everybody no matter how severe their state was. It should have at the very least kept her vitals stable until we found a cure for her."

I had a lot of things to say to him but I couldn't, not while the one I cherished the most is lying dead on a hospital bed. Suddenly I had an idea.

I turned to Snape, "I need you to bring me twenty CCs of Epinephrine in a syringe...quickly."

He turned to me shocked, "Are you mental? Twenty CCs is a huge amount. The human body can handle at most ten. What are you planning to do with that ridiculous amount?"

I inhaled sharply between gritted teeth as I did the compressions, "I will inject it directly to her heart. The immense shock from the substance might revive her."

"Are you mad Dickenson!" he exclaimed "That is going to –"

"Going to what Snape!" I growled "Kill her? She is already dead. Now, if you want her to live you, help me. AND FAST!"

He didn't take but a moment to consider my mental idea and then nodded to himself. 

Quickly, he stumbled around in the dark looking for the medicine cabinet. When he wasn't able to see anything within a few inches, he growled, "Lumos Maxima!" 

The entire place was suddenly lit and he could clearly see his surroundings.

I kept alternating between the compressions and blowing refusing to give up on her. Refusing the thought that she had been lying dead for a few minutes. She cannot be dead.

"I won't allow you to die on me Woods do you hear me," I whispered to her tears clouding my vision while Snape quickly rummaged for the Epinephrine "Not when I finally found you. I let you slip from me once, I won't let it happen again you hear me!"

"Found it!" Severus exclaimed and ran back to me with the vial in one hand and the syringe in the other. He handed them to me waiting impatiently for me to take them.

I turned to him shocked that the syringe wasn't ready yet. 

"Are you kidding me Snape?" I growled "you don't know how to transfer the liquid from the vial to the syringe."

He glared at me his face red, "That wasn't something that was required from me when I applied for potion making unfortunately. It's the healers job to master such a skill not a Professor."

I grunted snatching both the items from him. "It doesn't require a skill Snape. It is so simple a damn baby can do it," I shot at him as I slowly and steadily sucked the liquid from the vial with the needle. 

Once I was satisfied with the amount, I threw the vial on the ground and took few deep breaths. I aimed for her heart but I couldn't see well with the new tears rolling down my cheeks. I angrily wiped them away but my hands kept shaking violently hindering me from making a clear shot.

I took a few more deep breaths trying to calm myself but it wasn't working. I was a nervous wreck. A few moments later, when I realized I couldn't do it without seriously hurting her, I shoved the syringe to Snape.

"Here," I took his hand and shakily placed the syringe in it "Do it. I cannot make a clear shot."

He looked from the syringe to me bewildered, "But I have never given a syringe before, let alone stab it in someone's heart."

"You have the steady hands. I don't," I shot quickly as I placed a hand on his back pushing him forward, "Aim for her left breastbone, under her chest. Do you see it?"

When he stared at me in confusion, I took his hand and guided it to the place I was referring to. 

His hands were steady and hovering directly over her heart. Once he mentally prepared himself, he gave me a sideways glance and nodded. 

He accioed some scissors and swiftly cut her night gown down the middle stopping at her waist. I quickly averted my eyes not wanting to see her in such a revealing state.

Taking a sharp breath, he stabbed her heart sharply in the exact location where I told him. His hands were very steady and he didn't flinch once.

"Now," I placed my shaking hand on top of his guiding him "slowly push the liquid in without moving the needle around or you could seriously injure the organ."

He did as I told him without flinching or cringing once, as if he naturally knew what he was supposed to do. Once he was done, he retrieved the needle firmly and moved to the side allowing me to continue. 

I stayed in my place, my gaze still aimed at the ground. When he noticed my discomfort, he spat, "What is it now Dickenson?"

"I...I...Can you sew her dress back...," I stuttered feeling the colour in my cheeks rise "I...I... cannot look at her while she is...like..."

He looked from me to her confused until it quickly dawned on him. Grunting in annoyance, he stitched the tear he made in her night gown with a spell as quickly as possible. 

Once he was done, he moved to the side once more, "Here. Happy?"

I took a glimpse of her to make sure she wasn't in that revealing state anymore. When I was certain, I immediately ran to her and balled my hand into a fist. As sturdily as my frail hand allowed me, I punched her chest with one single heavy blow.

"What was that for?" Snape growled startled.

"To revive the heart," I said as I resumed the compressions my gaze darting to the monitor every few seconds, "the sudden shock should in most cases get the heart to beat or at the very least shiver."

It has been ten minutes since I began with the compressions and there was still no signs of life in the lifeless body. I was trying my best to remain calm and collected like Snape but I felt extremely dizzy and my whole body wouldn't stop shaking from the fear. 

The fear of losing her. 

I was being very stubborn and refusing to give up even if I had to repeat the compressions for hours, I wasn't going to let her go. I was extremely focused at reviving her that I didn't hear a few beeps that were very faint. Snape was too focused on my hand motions that he missed them as well.

"For the record," Snape spoke calmly "Administering that heavy amount of Epinephrine directly to the heart can cause cardiac arrest if not stop her heart completely."

I sighed. "What other choice did we have? She is dead either way."

After a few seconds, the beeps started to get louder and more frequent rather than before when it was just a single beep. We both looked up at the heart monitor to see very faint heart beats. 

Slowly, her heart started beating again. The heart beats weren't as strong but they were gradually increasing.

"Merlin's beard!" Snape exclaimed "Your mental idea actually worked. You saved her life, twice now."

I wanted to scream out loud in joy and it took an enormous power to stop myself. I threw myself at her hugging her as closely as I can to my chest kissing her forehead. I had complete faith in her.

"I knew you could do it," I sobbed as I held her tightly to me tears of joy rolling down my cheeks "I knew you weren't going to leave me. Not yet. I promised him I will take care of you and I did. Don't make me break my promise, I won't let you break that promise."

Snape's head at once jerked up but I didn't care for my surroundings. I didn't care that Snape was watching me his eyes wide as big saucers. I didn't care that I revealed my secret in front of someone who would taunt me with it for eternity. 

All I cared for was her. Just her and nobody else.

I pressed my fingers in the soft part of her neck fishing for a heartbeat and I easily found it. Slowly, her breathing began to become more prominent. It was still ragged and uneven but it was still better than none. 

Giving her a final hug, I softly laid her back down on the bed and held her hand in mine.

Both me and Snape were watching her intently as I rubbed her hand in mine. I wasn't ready to let her go just yet. Our eyes were darting from the heart monitor to her chest making sure she was still breathing. 

I was pumped with adrenaline in fear of losing her. When I was sure she became fine, I felt the adrenaline suddenly withdraw from my body and the exhaustion returned.

"For how long are we going to stay like this Snape?" I asked him sitting down from the sudden dizziness "For how long are we going to just keep watching her die? Her heart stopped twice in one week, why is no one taking any action?"

"If you want the entire truth Dickenson, I am just as clueless as you are. Even the headmaster turned a cold shoulder on her which is sudden. After I gave him the book Portrait of Markov, he is suddenly treating her like she doesn't exist."

I turned to him in confusion, "When did you give him the book?"

He shrugged crossing his legs, "The night we returned from the nightmare of a quest. He seemed sardonic when I told him about Wood's state, he even vowed to have some of the school's house elves to check on her every day."

"That is the understatement of the year," I scoffed annoyed "seeing we are drowning in house elves right now. He has the book, why would he care for the poor girl who brought it to him?"

Snape turned away from me but judging by his expression, I could sense he knew what I meant. He just doesn't want to admit it out loud. 

Slowly, he brought his chair closer to the bed checking for Florina's heart beat which was starting to be strong and steady. We both spent the night in silence, just staring at the body who was breathing evenly.

I half expected him to return to his quarters once he was certain she was fine but he didn't. Extreme drowsiness took hold of me and I drew my knees to my chest. He noticed that I wanted to sleep and he nodded in acceptance.

"Tell her Dickenson," Snape suddenly spoke breaking the silence and waking me up.

I turned to him dizzily. "Tell her what Snape?"

He turned to me, "Have you ever wondered why I took the fifty points away from you in your seventh year? The time I asked you the simplest of questions and you like a buffoon remained silent?"

I grunted rolling my eyes, "You are referring to the time you basically humiliated me in front of the entire class. You put me in a lot of trouble Snape. My entire house kept glaring at me everywhere I went. Some would even pull nasty pranks on me."

He smirked at that. "You deserved it and you know it. But you still haven't answered my question."

I shrugged smirking back, "Well, if I could take a wild guess...I would say you did it because you are you. Just heartless and merciless to those who are more vulnerable than you."

He shook his head, "I will ignore your childish pestering owing to the fact that you are not completely sane right now. However there was an actual reason behind what I did."

Our eyes locked and he remained silent wanting me to ask for the reason myself. I nodded prompting him to continue.

"It is because you are pathetic," I arched a brow while he went on calmly "I knew very well you had the answer to the question and basically every other question regarding the subject. But you were petrified."

"You froze the moment she looked at you. Imagine if you had told her by then how you felt about her, you would have answered the question easily. It's completely bizarre how the world works."

I sighed running my fingers through my hair. "How is that any of your business Snape? You made my life hell on earth, that's the moral of that story. Besides, you aren't a hot shot either...you couldn't even..." I lowered my voice to a whisper "you couldn't even confess to the love of your life either. We are just two sides to one coin Snape. Honestly, I don't really see why would you be the excellent candidate for giving relationship advice."

He rolled his eyes and groaned, "Instead of lashing out like a little bratty baby, consider doing what I couldn't do dunderhead. Learn from other people's mistakes for once instead of poisoning the air with your meaningless comebacks."

"I...I...that's none of your business," I felt the colour rising in my cheeks, "Besides, even if I did take your advice, it would be useless. She doesn't remember me Snape. It's like she completely forgot I existed. The moment I revealed myself to her before we went on that damned quest –"

He smirked interrupting, "You mean the moment she kissed you like some harlot out of control teenager."

"You are truly disgusting Snape..." I shook my head and grunted "...but yes that moment. The reason she even did it was because she thought I was my brother. That was why she ki..." I couldn't finish and turned away from him.

"Kissed you," he finished nonchalantly as if it was nothing.

"Yes!" I shot angrily glaring at him "she is still infatuated with him even in his death. It's like a damned unbreakable curse. I don't know what happened to her after my brother's death but whatever happened, it completely changed her. She doesn't even remember the house elf Bubbles. She forgot everyone she met before that incident."

"She didn't forget me," he pointed out "she didn't forget Hogwarts or the Professors either. I wouldn't say she forgot everyone before your brother's incident. More accurately, she forgot the ones who were the reason for your brother's incident," he turned to me "wouldn't you agree?"

My eyes immediately stared at my feet unable to meet the onyx eyes. I felt fresh tears stinging my eyes but I didn't allow them to fall. Not now. Not in front of the wizard who didn't give me my privacy and stared at me without blinking.

After a few moments, I whispered, "You know very well Snape I had nothing to do with it. Why do you insist on bringing it up every bloody time? You of all people know, we were there with the dark lord. You heard me. You heard what I told him. I did everything in my power to rectify my..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Snape was opening fresh wounds, wounds that I tried very hard to heal over the cross of two years.

He once again finished my sentence, "...your mistake."

I nodded as it took me all the power in the world to stop my tears from falling down.

He finally turned away from me and looked ahead at the body that kept breathing evenly and more powerfully than ever before. I finally let my tears fall freely, letting them cloud my vision. I wished I could take Snape's advice and confess to her. 

I almost lost her today, again. I couldn't stop my anxiety from rising whenever I think of her leaving me before I told her how I truly felt about her.

But at the same time, I was afraid of her reaction. Before I confessed, I need to confess about something even more terrible. I have to confess about my ugly past, something that I am absolutely positive she will never forgive me for.

I wiped my tears with the back of my sleeve clearing my vision as I casually turned to Snape.

Only his eyes were fixated on something in front of him with an extremely intense expression on his face. It was a mix between shock, joy and terror. 

I followed his line of gaze until my eyes landed on Florina, the girl who laid unconscious for eight days lifeless. 

The girl whom I miraculously saved from death twice. 

The girl who suddenly woke up and was sitting casually staring at both of us a wide grin plastered on her face.