He's not an idiot. He's a bloody genius, and he's a spy, and he puts it together as he watches her. That thing stuck in his chest twists and he feels something in his heart break. Severus has to look away, exhaling in a pained-sounding laugh as he does. Devoid of humor. Hurt.

It takes him a few tries to get anything out. He forces himself to pick up his mug and take a drink, not hesitating over the near-scalding water. He sets it back down carefully.

"I'm used to it." Severus enunciates his words with brittle precision to keep himself from cracking with unhelpful emotion. He's still very quiet. "My teachers... were always so impressed that I'd gotten so good at dueling multiple opponents. But none of them wanted to acknowledge why."

Slytherin student. Who cares.