Chapter Text
Chise had been quiet while Elias filled the bathtub, he sprinkled in some herbs for scent and as the hot water rose she slowly shucked off her clothing and trudged forward. He stood and stepped away from the bath but she stopped him, standing in front of him and unbuttoning his waistcoat. Her hands ran up to push the fabric from his large purple shoulders and then her fingers rested on the buttons of his shirt as the waistcoat hit the cold tile floor. His eye flared red as he looked down at her, her small fingers loosing each closure until she tugged at the shirt to extract it from his trousers.
“Would you like me to join you?” His response was a small nod from Chise as she stared at her task, an anxious look in her eyes. He knew she wasn’t nervous about him, so he watched her closely, waiting for her to want to tell him. He helped her tug the shirt free and pulled it off to join the waistcoat on the floor. She unbuckled his belt and released his trouser closure below it so they would join the growing pile of fabric. She stepped back, one of her arms going behind her body to clutch onto her other elbow as she waited for him to step into the tub. He slipped in and turned to sit before offering her his hand to help her in as well. She stepped into the hot water, the temperature drastically different from the cold floor, making goose flesh spring up along her legs.
She stood for a moment to adjust before lowering herself down in between his legs and leaning back on his stomach. "Elias... I'm scared." She whispered, he leant forward, holding her tight in his arms.
"So am I." They were silent for several minutes, both lost in their own thoughts of what the day would bring and how things might change. "We don't have to go through with it Chise," his voice was so soft. Her hands came up to thread themselves into his, their fingers lacing together effortlessly.
"I know, but I want to stay with you, who’s to say the dragon won't decide to take me next year?" She felt his grip tighten around her, anxiety filling his quiet words.
"I don't want that Chise."
"Me neither... I wonder if we could leave in just a little of the curse," she twisted in his arms so she could look up at his face. "I don't like the thought of being alive forever. I hate watching Joseph's apathy grow as he wastes slowly away."
"I don't want that for you either, I wonder how much would be enough for you to stay with me until I can no longer live…” his fingers brushed her cheek on their way to her hair, his voice was almost pleading when he continued. “Is that selfish Chise? I don't think I can face life without you." Her hands came up and gently cupped the bony sides of his face.
"I know,” she sighed sadly as she mulled it over. “it's a little selfish, but I can't help feeling the same. You make me happy and the thought of you no longer being with me is... unbearable." She gave him a watery smile and let her fingers slowly caress his cheekbones. "I wonder if there's a way to bind my life to yours?"
“You would want that?” The surprise was heavy in his soft voice.
“If it isn’t what you want,” her smile slowly faded and he lifted her face to look into her eyes.
"I'll find a way. I can ask the college or ask Severus if he knows of a way, if you're sure that's what you want." His large hand covered hers and she smiled more brightly.
"Please ask him, if nothing else then it’s another option." He hugged her closely before reaching for the flannel he’d left on the side and plucked the soap from its dish. Slowly he sluiced it through the water before lathering it onto the flannel, he took his time laving the cloth over her shoulders and down her back before bringing it to her front and thoroughly cleansing her as she laid back against his chest.
“What would you like to do today?” He wanted to go back to bed, wrap her in his arms and never leave, but at the same time, he was looking forward to the curse being removed. She shrugged and looked up at him, he was watching her, taking such care with slowly cleaning her. She sat up on her knees, and he held out his arm for a moment, thinking she would get out, but instead she came forward; coaxing his hips forward away from the back of the tub. He allowed her to scooch him forward before she leant into him and wrapped her legs around his back.
She felt the twitch under her and reached down to bring his length between them. She ground herself against it, feeling it slowly grow harder as her hands reached up to bring his bony face down to hers. She licked along his row of front teeth, a dark purr blew across her face and she smiled as she held onto his shoulders to bring herself up. She tipped her hips forward until he was at her entrance and then she slowly lowered herself onto him. She held herself to him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder as she ensconced him completely, in every way she could.
His arms wrapped around her and held her closely to him. They sat together in the warm water, holding each other for so long he began to go soft within her, and then she brushed her hand up from his shoulder to his neck. Tickling her way on the soft flesh under his chin, she lifted her head and kissed his clavicle. Her hips moved in small circles at first, tipping forward and back slowly as she felt him growing again. Using her thighs, she moved her hips forward and back, rocking with him languidly, his arms still wrapped tightly around her.
“I love you Chise,” he whispered, his fingers running up and weaving their way into her red hair. The water sloshed gently around them as she continued, allowing her body to feel every part of him she could. Her kisses rained down on his chest and shoulders and after several minutes of slowly rocking she felt his hand reach down to grip her bum. This only encouraged her, and she rocked forward a little faster, her hands gripping his shoulders tighter as she used her stomach to curl in further and push out further.
Her skin became warmer as little rushes of electricity skidded over her nerves. He held himself still, allowing her to take what she wanted from him. Her slow rocking felt like not enough and too much all at once, his hand gliding from her slick hair to her neck before sliding down the curve of her back to wrap around her hip. He gently nuzzled against her face as she continued to kiss him, her breath becoming more and more ragged, her face more and more flushed. Every part of her was being offered and his head knelt down as his jaw opened and he fit her left shoulder into his mouth before clamping down, not enough to hurt, just enough to feel.
She gasped at the pressure and couldn’t help but speed up further, the water turning to tumultuous waves around them. “I love you Elias,” she breathed as her head fell back to look into his eyes as she softly tumbled down over the cliff, her climax gently building into a tower of breath and need. Her breath caught, her hands impossibly tight on his shoulder to help her keep up pace, her mind fuzzing wonderfully as she became light-headed.
Elias felt himself cresting his own cliff, her sweet scent and taste filling his mouth. Everything was focused on her as she undulated against him, the slowness not taking away from the intensity as it built. He gripped her tightly as he allowed her to drag him down with her.
“Chise,” he groaned into her ear. She snuggled into him when she felt him release.
“Elias,” she sleepily said, allowing herself to rest against him and around him. The cooling water the perfect contrast to the heat they had built and they both relished the temperature. He slid down a bit in the tub, leaning back against the back so she could lean forward further.
They didn’t know how long they were cradled together, enjoying simply being with each other, and knowing they both wanted it to forever be that way.
‘Chise,’ she heard Ruth through their connection and her head came up off Elias’s shoulder for a moment.
‘Yes?’
‘There’s a line for the restroom,’ he laughed, and she giggled as she curled back into Elias.
“We should get out.”
“Why?”
“People are waiting for the room,” she grinned as she held him tighter.
“Alright,” he nuzzled against her once more before he leant forward and rose, her still wrapped round him like his vines normally wrapped around her. He stepped out of the water and with a wave of his hand the tub began to drain, his cloths disappeared from the floor, and his long black cloak wrapped itself around them, covering them both before he opened the door to find Hermione walking up the stairs with a knowing smile. “All yours,” he stepped aside and walked them back into their bedroom as he heard the bathroom door close quickly.
Once they were back in their bedroom he sat down on the bed, her still holding onto him as he cast the drying spell for them and lifted up the duvet to cover her as her legs pulled from behind him and settled on either side of his. He sat back against a pile of pillows, his horns barely scraping the wall as he leant back as far as possible. Her small form breathing against him evenly as she drifted into a dream of comfort, surrounded by safety.
His hands coasted down her back to rest on the curve on her spine as he breathed in time with her. He let her sleep, her body would be dealing with a lot and rest would be the most important thing. So he pushed aside his need for breakfast and relaxed with her as she slept.
XOXO
Severus had splurged... spent far more than he ever thought possible for hair care. Clarifying shampoo and moisturising conditioner that didn't come from pound land. He read the instructions, but it all seemed the same as his normal shampoo. He'd used the same brand since he was a boy, but for the first time, it bothered him that his hair looked so limp and greasy. He wasn't going to over examine why that was the case, he just knew Draco had given him a push in a direction he wasn't against trying.
His excursion with Draco in the muggle shop had been stressful and he had a feeling they took him for a bit of a ride. "Tea tree Clarifying shampoo once a month," the shop lady said, handing him another bottle. "This is a healing shampoo to help with split ends." He didn't know what the hell split ends were, but she'd been adamant that he didn't want them.
Everything smelled vaguely good, like a summer’s day, kind of grassy, must be the vetiver. It was far better than the overly perfumed stuff the shop girl had first suggested. He hoped the scent could blend in with his usual smell of potions ingredients. He took his new bottles and put them by the shower before taking one last look in the mirror.
Is it really that bad? His limp greasy locks were so black, and he was used to the curtains they created. Were these new products going to change him too much?
Fuck it. He pulled off his clothes and hopped into the shower. Twenty minutes later he was casting the drying spell and looking at his hair. It was black, but there were highlights he'd never seen before; they were kind of blue that sheened across his black hair, like raven feathers. He moved it a bit and it fluffed up, loose curls formed, and he realised how thick it was. Frankly he was shocked, his head felt lighter, like he'd taken off a hat.
He stood back and just looked at his hair for a long time, astonished and slightly mortified. He looked so... different.
Would she think it's for her?
Who the hell else would it be for?
He huffed at his reflection and ran his fingers through his now silky hair with a little smirk. Well, what if she likes it?
He went into the bedroom to dress, so as he tied his cravat, he gave it a last look over. He left the room just before his anxiety prompted him to dump a bunch of coconut oil on his head so he’d go back to his normal self.
He walked down the steps and went into the conservatory at the end of the hall, opening his notebook, he sat next to the only table and waited. She came in, bustling about, setting up as she extricated her needed ingredients. Once she was ready, she bent over and lit her heat conduit.
"Good morning Severus" she started as she lifted a plate of teacakes. "I brought you some of Silver’s... teacakes..." She froze, awkwardly hovering the plate in the air when she saw him. He reached out his hand and held back a smile as he watched her flounder.
"Let me know when your senses return," he lowered his head back to his notebook and smirked at the page.
"Severus?" She stepped forward and set the tiny treats on the table next to him. "Your hair," she stepped around him, pulling out the chair next to him and sat, her eyes never leaving his hair.
"Yes," an eyebrow lifted high on his forehead as he looked over at her. "I thought I'd try something new."
"Well," she was blushing brightly as her lips pulled into a smile. "It really suits you," then she whispered, "I want to touch it."
"What?" His eyes met hers as she looked down from his hair.
"May I touch it?" She leant forward, one of her hands lifting to allow her fingertips to stroke through the soft strands.
"Do you like it?" He asked quietly, a little apprehensive.
"I like you," her eyes met his as she smiled warmly at him. "If it's at all possible you look even more handsome," she pushed her nose into his hair and he watched her leaning in. "Amortentia," she muttered, and he flinched. "Now you smell just like it," she whispered, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"So do you," he leant into her as she held him. "We should probably start," he enjoyed the small noise of disappointment that came from her at the thought of pulling away from him.
"You're right," she stood and began the potion base, he continued making notes as she introduced new ingredients. No matter how much time passed, he seemed to not be able to remove the smirk from his face and for the first time, he didn't mind her seeing.
XOXO
Severus and Elias had spent the last hour painstakingly drawing out the intricate runes with Chise’s blood around the circle where she would sit.
"Severus, have you ever heard of a way to connect two lives?" Snape looked up from his work and raised a brow.
"How do you mean?"
"Chise would like her life bound to mine, so that when I die she does as well." His bony face gave nothing away as he dipped his purple fingers into the blood they were using to write the sigils on the wooden floor. Severus thought as he mirrored Elias's actions.
"Well, perhaps a soul bonding?"
"What would that entail?"
"Soul magic will bind you together, although I'm not entirely sure how it works. I can do some research and let you know what I find."
"That sounds acceptable," he nodded as he marked another symbol on the floor.
Elias lit candles, placing them around the circle and looked down at the circle, it was missing something that neither of them could think of.
Elias looked up as a loud knock rang out in the quiet house. Chise was in the living room with Hermione as they walked through how they were going to perform the ritual for the third time that morning. The knock came again and Chise rose from her seat as she saw Silky staying in the kitchen, away from the door. Chise looked over at her for a moment before she realised why Silver would be acting that way. She took a deep breath before she turned the handle to open the door. As she opened it she saw the tired looking boy standing there with a grumpy look on his face.
“You weren’t seriously going to do this without me, were you?” He pulled at the lapel of his nightshirt, waiting for Chise to invite him in. She stepped back and motioned for him to join them, his bare feet were covered in grime and Chise knelt down to put some slippers in front of him before he could track it everywhere. Hermione followed the pair up the stairs, watching closely to the boy she had heard so much about, none of it good.
They opened the door to the upstairs study and Snape looked up first to see the white-haired boy stepping in, looking to all the world like he’d just rolled out of bed.
“Joseph,” he nodded with a raise of his brow towards Elias. Elias looked towards the door and Chise was standing just inside the darkened room with her hands behind her back.
“Elias, is this alright?” Elias turned his dark pink eyes from Chise to Joseph and stepped forward with his arms crossed over his massive chest.
“Cartaphilus,” he began, and Joseph’s hair visibly bristled. “You are not to share this curse with others, this will only be your burden.”
“I already have a burden child,” he sneered. “I asked you not to call me by that name,” his tone was measured but his grey eye had turned icy.
“Joseph,” Elias muttered, and the boy relaxed somewhat. “You must promise.”
“I promise,” he gave the magus a smile that looked entirely too ambiguous.
“Is there a way to prevent him from lying,” Elias whispered towards Severus.
“He could make an unbreakable vow,” he stepped next to Elias, mirroring his pose.
“What’s that?” Joseph looked between the two, his smile faltering just a bit.
“It would mean that if you attempted to share the curse with anyone, that your body… would kill itself,” Snape looked towards Chise, then back at the boy as if to gauge their reactions.
“Ha! Fine, do it,” the boy stepped forward with entirely too much confidence.
“Magic would ensure that it would happen, the vow cannot be backed out of,” Snape looked down his hooked nose at the boy, using the tone he would use in his classroom.
“Really?” He whispered and Chise walked up to him.
“Don’t test it Joseph,” she knew the boy wanted to die so badly he would do pretty much anything to move on.
“Oh course,” he hissed over his shoulder as he stepped in front of the magus, looking up at his bony face. “How do I take the vow.
“Hold each other’s wrists,” Severus drew his wand, and waited patiently. As their hands clasped the others wrist he began the intricate wand movements necessary to bind the vow. Everything they were doing today was dark, what was one more old spell? “Do you vow to keep the curse to only yourself?”
“I do.”
“Do you vow to never try to remove it from within you, on your own or with assistance in any fashion or form?”
“I do.”
“Do you vow to never bind it to another in any way?”
“I do.” Joseph watched as vine-like red tendrils circled the air around their wrists before they gripped tightly until they embedded themselves in their skin, dissolving into them.
“Done,” Snape stowed away his wand and stepped back from them. He motioned first for Hermione and Ruth to move forward. “Everyone form a circle around them. Chise, Joseph, get in the middle.” Once the four of them were in position, Severus handed Chise the vial.
“Take this once you’re ready,” she nodded and he stepped to one side of the small circle and motioned for the others to hold hands. Severus stood across from Elias and Hermione across from Ruth as they watched Chise and Joseph move forward.
As they both stepped into the runic circle Chise felt a tingle down her left arm and as she lifted it, she felt a pulling sensation that caused it to unfurl like a giant ebony wing. Joseph smiled at her as he held out his left arm to her as it grew to a giant club like arm. They stepped closer together and sat in the circle as they had once done when she sang him to sleep. Their hands holding tightly together this time, and their right arms were resting on the other’s shoulder.
“Ready?” Joseph asked, with a wicked smile. Chise looked up at Elias as the remaining four held hands and loomed over them in a circle around them.
“You don’t have to do this Chise,” he whispered to her and Joseph whipped his head round to look up at the magus with a grimace.
“You promised,” he spat and Chise cuffed him on the shoulder to get his attention.
“I’m ready,” she said loudly and picked up the vial sitting by her leg. She pulled out the cork with her teeth and dropped it on the ground as she tipped the blood red, viscus substance back into her mouth. It was so bitter she cringed as she drank it all down, the tinge of metal scorched her taste buds as she swallowed. Once the vial was empty, she set it down and lifted her hand again to place it on his shoulder.
Severus began to chant something she couldn’t quite make out, the world misted a bit as she looked into Joseph’s grey eye. The others began to chant the same phrase with him, over and over and suddenly a pulling sensation was so intense she had to grit her teeth to keep from screaming. Then she felt it, as if her spine was being pulled from her body, magic being syphoned from her at an alarming rate.
She cried out as the foggy tendrils of black magic were wrenched from her earthly shell. Cutting through her resolve like tissue paper, forcing her back to bow in a surreal agony. She looked up as her vision tunnelled and saw Joseph's grey eye staring into her as if she were a bug under a microscope. All of her attention being forcefully jolted to the present, to his expression as it slowly changed from calm to concern as the magic wound itself towards him. Barring down on him like a tsunami preparing to strike before it shifted and engulfed his world in shimmering mist.
Chise cried out again and Elias wanted to stop, but when he looked up at to see Severus’s eyes open but completely black, he knew that it had to be completed. Snape began chanting louder and louder until all anyone could hear was his voice, as if magnified.
When Joseph screamed, she jumped, the pain slowly draining away and with it all of her energy, every bit of fear or anxiousness that she had been carrying, knowingly or unknowingly. He cried out a second time as his grip became iron around her hand, his claw like fingers holding her trapped as the pain that was leaving her overwhelmed him completely.
Then with one last long yelp of pain the blackness in the circle cleared enough for them to see the two that sat within it. Severus stumbled back and Hermione went to catch him as he hit the wall behind him and fell to the floor.
Chise fell forward onto Joseph and he looked up at Elias with a mocking smile before he pushed against her shoulder to throw her off him. Elias went forward and caught her easily.
Joseph looked down at his hands, one pitch black with the curse, as if he'd never seen them before. His eye was welling with tears as he looked up at Elias.
"I can't feel it," his smile was watery but genuinely warm. "The rotting feeling, it's the first time in two thousand years that I feel nothing." His hands made fists as he laughed almost maniacally.
"Will you remain in your well?" Elias asked, looking up from Chise.
"I don't believe I will, who knows, maybe the curse will take me tomorrow," his smile became wider at the thought and he gave the magus one stiff nod before turning to the door. His hands turned the nob but then he turned back to them. "Do you have anything I can wear?"
"Your clothing is in the hall closet."
"You kept them?" Joseph almost whispered the question in shock.
"Of course, I knew at some point you might need them."
"Thank you Thorn," he gave him a sideways smile. "No... Elias."
"You're welcome... Joseph." Elias nodded at him as he rose from the floor with Chise in his arms.
"Please thank her when she wakes," the boy said before he turned his back to them. "I wouldn't want her to come after me because I was ungrateful."
"I'll let her know," Elias carried her to their room and laid her down on the bed to rest.
“Tea?” Hermione whispered to Snape, who nodded lightly at her before she made her way down the stairs. When Elias turned, he saw Severus standing at the door, anxiety and sleepiness clear on his face as he looked at the young woman.
"Do you think she's alright?" Elias looked back down at her and then at Ruth, who had followed him into the room.
"She's tired but she seems to be alright," the grim's voice was heavy with tiredness. "I need to lie down," he muttered before curling up at her feet and almost instantly falling to sleep.
"Cup of tea?" Snape offered quietly as Elias stared at his bride unmoving. “She will need to sleep, come downstairs,” Elias nodded as he turned to follow him. In the hall they passed the half-dressed alchemist.
"Where's my jacket?" He asked, shifting aside a few other bits of clothes in the closet.
"Downstairs, come with us,” Elias motioned with his hand that he should follow them. Silver met them at the bottom of the stairs, anxiety plain on her face. “She’s resting, but it was successful,” Elias said in a soft voice as he patted Silky on the shoulder. Hermione was in the kitchen, placing teacups on the table when they came in. Silver Lady bustled passed her and took the kettle off the hob to pour it into the waiting teacups.
“Have a seat,” Elias said to the boy as he gestured to the table and Joseph looked down at the plain wooden seat with a slightly upturned nose.
“That’s alright, I’ll stand,” he looked around the room, happy to be in his own clothes again. He tugged idly at his grey striped shirt before straitening his dark grey double-breasted waistcoat. He was a bit miffed that he only had his grey shorts to go with them, but normally the cold didn’t really bother him. His long socks stopped just before his knees and his brown shoes were so ready to hit the pavement. He fiddled with his blue loose bow tie as he waited impatiently for the magus to come back with his long burgundy jacket.
He looked around the room and saw his hair out of the corner of his eye before he grabbed at it and brought it forward. It wasn’t the purest white as it had once been, but it had become more blond, like it was so long ago he barely remembered. He couldn't remember a time before Cartaphilus, but he felt distinctly less. Less pain, less sadness, just less. Sometimes less really was so much more.
“It suites you,” Hermione had been watching his attention to his hair and he turned his grey eye towards her as it narrowed.
“It doesn’t,” he flipped it back over his shoulder with a huff and reached up to touch his empty socket. “I’ll need an eye if I’m hoping to not scare people,” he muttered more to himself.
“You could always wear an eyepatch,” Severus offered as he lifted the teacup to his thin lips. “Would be easier than getting an eye.”
“It depends on how you get it,” Snape didn’t like the smile that broke out on Joseph’s face.
“No, Joseph,” Elias was suddenly standing behind him, holding his jacket a bit tighter than necessary. “Chise didn’t save you just so you could continue with your old ways. If you intend to go back to the way you were, then I’ll not let you leave,” his tone left no room for argument, but Joseph turned and looked up at him as his hands went up to his hips.
“And who’s going to stop me? You?” Joseph narrowed his eye at Elias, who in turn held his jacket up out of his reach. The boy growled as his left arm whipped out, extending and catching the jacket before giving it a gentle tug, hoping not to rip it.
“Joseph, you must be better than you were. You must no longer be Cartaphilus,” the boys lips curled at the name.
“You are so rude, I’m your elder, mage, you can’t tell me what to do,” he tugged again at the jacket. “Let it go,” he sneered.
“Joseph, promise me.”
“I’ve already promised I’d keep the curse to myself, isn’t that enough? I’m going to die now, I just want an eye so I can see.” He shrugged and let go of his jacket so he could fold his arms over his chest as if this was a completely normal thing to want. “What if I take it from an older person… or someone about to die?”
“That may work…”
“As long as you’re not the reason they’re about to die,” Severus sneered at the boy, drawing his attention for the first time.
“You…” Joseph stepped over towards the table. “You helped me, so I thank you, but I’ll take what I need.”
“No you won’t,” Chise had staggered down the steps and was suddenly behind him.
“Chise?” His expression went soft. “I just want to see, what’s wrong with that? I gave you my eye, and then you took back your own, how is that fair?”
“Joseph,” she gave a small shuffle as she reached out for Elias, who held out his hand to catch her. “Please, don’t make me find you,” she gave a small teasing smile and Joseph rolled his eye before huffing out.
“Fine,” he laughed. “Thank you Chise,” he held out his arms to her and pulled her close in a hug before he pushed away from her and easily grabbed the jacket from Elias’s grip. “I’ll be leaving now,” his jacket whooshed out around him as he put it on, before he turned to the door and without another word, left the house.
“I wonder if we’ll ever see him again?” Chise looked up at Elias as he helped her over to the table.
“If he continues down the path he used to, then we’ll have little choice.”
“True,” she gave a weak smile as she sat down and reached out for the teacup that Silver had just set in front of her.
“Are you hungry?” Hermione stood and opened the fridge to see what they could make. “Would you like a sandwich?” Silver nudged Hermione out of the way and she started taking out fish cutlets and potatoes.
“Thank you Silver,” Chise sighed as she leant over to Elias’s chair to cuddled into his chest.
“How are you feeling Chise?”
“I feel strange,” she rubbed her eye as she nuzzled into his arms. “I feel like if you’re not beside me, I could break.” He leant down and carefully rested his chin on the top of her head.
“I’ll stay with you,” he whispered, pulling her chair closer. Severus watched the pair with interest, Chise looked like she’d just played three games of Quidditch in a row and was in desperate need of a rest and Elias looked almost… scared.
Silver Lady quickly fried up some fish and chips and set up the table as she nudged the food in front of them all. She leant down and began to cut up Chise’s into small pieces as she watched.
“Thank you Silver,” she yawned, sitting up she took hold of her fork in a shaky hand. Once she had eaten half her food, Elias pulled her close and stroked her hair as she slowly fell to sleep. Hermione sat down and reached over to rest her hand on Severus’s leg, gently petting it in a soothing motion.
“I think I’ll take her to bed,” Elias murmured as he looked over at the time. “Silver, I’ll go to rest with her,” Silky nodded at him and walked over to take the plates. He easily hoisted her up in his arms before turning to their guests. “I’ll see you both in the morning,” his steps were heavy on the stairs as he creaked his way up to their bedroom and closed the door. He spent the next few hours simply watching her, her every intake of breath and every rise and fall of her chest as she slept.
XOXO
Severus and Hermione sat on the sofa for a while, curled up together, drinking their tea. “Do you think she’ll be alright?” Hermione asked as she apprehensively peeked over at him.
“I’m not sure, I’ve never done a ritual quite like that,” he whispered, looking down at his cup, a sad look in his eyes.
“Thank you for helping them,” she whispered back to him, her hand resting lightly on his arm as she moved closer. His arm lifted for her to shuffle even closer, he held her gently and took a deep breath.
“I just hope I helped,” he finally said, resting his cheek against her forehead. She set her cup on the table next to the sofa and wrapped her arms around him.
“Hopefully things will be better in the morning,” she felt him huff softly as his breath fluttered over her hair. “If not, we’re still here and we can figure something out,” she said, and he gave her a squeeze at that, kissing her forehead.
"What do you know about binding one life to another?"
"Like soul binding?" Hermione looked up at him with raised brows.
"Chise wants to bind herself to Elias," he was looking at the fireplace as he spoke, the flames glimmering in his black eyes, "The curse that remains will keep her alive forever. She wants to make sure she won't keep living once Elias dies." Her gasp made him look over at her, she was staring at nothing, her mind clearly whirling around at the implications.
"She wants her life force bound." She spoke softly but confidentially, she'd obviously read something at some point about it. "Isn't that really dark magic?"
"How do you know about binding life force?" She peeked over at him, a bright blush on her face.
"Well... after the war, Draco felt sorry for everything that happened to me. So... he's been loaning me books from the Malfoy library." She watched as his jaw dropped.
"Draco's been loaning you some of the rarest books on magic in existence?" She bit her bottom lip and nodded. Severus was shocked, Lucius hadn't wanted to let him borrow books. He wondered how he would feel if he knew his son was lending them to a muggle-born. A part of him really wanted to be there if he ever found out.
A chuckle rose unbidden and he couldn't seem to tamp it down. Then a thought came to him and his laugh died in his throat as he locked eyes with her.
"Hermione..." did he really want to ask? He didn't really want to know, but it made sense. "Did you ever... do things to thank him?" Her brows pinched in confusion before she shoved his shoulder.
"Severus, you're joking right?”
He silently looked down at their hands. Am I being crazy?
"Severus, look at me," she waited until he finally acquiesced. "I have never done anything with Draco besides talk. We aren't even really friends. Besides, when would I have found the time, since I spent the last year trying to get you to notice me? I feel like putting the moves on your godson would have the opposite effect," she laughed with a small smile. Snape gave her a small smirk as he lifted their hands to kiss hers.
"Sorry, I just—"
"Don't be. I understand. I'd rather you ask than assume something that isn't true." she gave his hand a little squeeze and he leant over to kiss her.
“I think I’ll go to bed, would you like to join me?”
“Elias said I was welcome to his library, I think I’m going to read for a bit, I’ll be up soon,” he nodded before setting down his cup and lifting her chin up to look into her eyes. He leant in, giving her a gentle kiss before standing and walking up the steps.
XOXO
Darkness.
A disjointed woman's voice floated through the air, "don't come out, no matter what you hear." He could hear the pain that dripped from the words as he curled in on himself in the dark. A door slammed from somewhere distant yet too close for comfort and he heard springs shift above him. His eyes lifted as a door opened and he could make out the wooden slats above him that separated him from the mattress. The door closed again and the sound of muffled words drifted through the air.
"I saw—"
"It was me."
"You know better."
A thud rang out in the darkness, someone fell to the ground and then the door slowly opened. The creak was exaggerated by fear as light poured in from the adjacent room. The wood floor groaned as heavy boots staggered towards the bed.
"I know you're in here boy," the voice was measured but slurred as the footsteps got closer. His breathing sounded laboured, like every breath was a struggle.
The shadow stretched across the floor like a dementor, he felt cold and helpless, his tiny hands pulling his knees to his chest as he tried to pretend it wasn't happening. The bedsprings twanged above him as weight was applied to them before Sev saw a knee hit the floor as the man leant forward. A hooked nose came into view just before the man’s eyes, rage swimming in those bloodshot eyes as they met the boy's wide black gaze. He tried to push further away but the man's arm snapped out, taking hold of the boy’s wrist; with no restraint he dragged him out from under his hiding place.
"I'll teach you to use magic in this house."
Severus's eyes flew open as he gulped in frigid air in the dark room. Wrenching his mind from the wretched dream he stumbled into the chair by the bed and stuffed half a gingerbread man in his mouth. Coaxing his brain to re-solidify from the mass of grey goo it had been only a moment before with its favourite thing... sugar. The dream had been just as bad as usual and now that his mind was becoming more alert, he took note of how he was currently covered in sweat. His heart was also slowing down a bit and the room was uncharacteristically bright. He blinked deeply and took a look around, noticing now that it wasn't his.
Dream? I haven't had a dream like that in nearly a week...
He checked the bed and noticed he had woken alone, and for the first time in his life, that was an odd thing. He stuffed the rest of the biscuit in his mouth and tested his legs, they were wobbly but they would carry him, it seemed. Although, the way he reached and wrapped himself in his quilted burgundy dressing gown looked decidedly drunken.
The door creaked horribly as he slowly pushed it open, padding out into the hall, trying not to wake anyone in the time that late night became early morning. The hall was chilly and he was grateful for Chise’s slippers. Her insistence on everyone wearing slippers amused him at first, but he found it quite civilized.
From the top of the steps he could make out a light coming from perhaps the kitchen and made his way down, trying desperately to do so quietly.
Creak. Squeak. Groan. Shhhhh!
He covered his mouth when he realised he was shushing wooden floorboards and continued, happy to finally make it to the landing. He breathed a sigh of relief and then looked around for signs of life. He now saw the small light was coming from Elias's library and gently nudged the door open to find Hermione in one of the giant armchairs with a tome that was so old she wore gloves to handle it. Her head was lent back on the chair and her mouth seemed to be catching flies as she softly snored.
He picked up a pair of white gloves from the mantel and after pulling them on, carefully guided the book out of her hands and onto the end table. Then he plucked her up in one smooth movement and carried her to the bottom of the stairs, where he froze, thinking of all the noise he had made coming down them.
With an annoyed sigh he turned to the living room and figured the sofa was at least long enough and hopefully wide enough for them both to sleep on. Albeit not very comfortably. He sat down with her on his lap and then inelegantly fell over so he was on the inside with her on the outside. He realised he had trapped his arm too late and as he lay there looking at her dead to the world expression, his arm began to tingle.
As smoothly as he could, he rose it up to the crook of her neck and finally felt the much-needed rush of blood. His other arm brought her closer to his chest so she wouldn't fall, and he snuggled into her lovely mass of curls.
“Mmm… Sev…rus,” she curled into him, turning her face into his neck and taking a deep breath. “Love… you.”
His heart swelled as he closed his eyes, suddenly feeling light and relaxed he fell back to sleep almost instantly.
XOXO
Severus heard a thump followed by a loud scraping sound and covertly opened one eye to not startle whoever the noise maker was. The living room was in chaos, the coffee table had been moved to the side of the room, the rug was gone and then he saw Silky. She was bustling around, mopping the wooden floor and paying the pair on the sofa no mind whatsoever. He hoped this day would be better for Chise.