AN: I don't own Coreen or Henry, I just borrow them.
Coreen stepped inside her home, and took off her long coat and boots in the foyer. She walked across the living room to the kitchen and made herself a cup of hot chocolate since the chilliness of beginning of winter had crept into her bones, when she had walked home from the office. A warm cup in her hand, she went to the window and looked out into the darkened night where the city lights shone brightly, and left the stars in second place.
Bell clink made her wrinkling her brow, as she didn't remember that she had waited for guests for tonight. When the bell rang a second time, she went to the door and peeked into the peephole, who would be at the door, and when she saw the guest, she felt a warm wave of her chest.
"Henry!" Coreen exclaimed, when she had the door open.
"Evening Coreen", Henry greeted her cheerfully.
"What are you doing here?" she asked happy.
"Do you want me to tell it here in the corridor, or may I come in?" Henry asked and made Coreen ask him inside the house.
When Henry was in the hallway, he handed Coreen a scroll and wished her a happy birthday. And when he saw Coreen's surprised look, so he asked, "Did you think I would forget your birthday?"
"Actually, I didn't even know, that you know when it is", Coreen replied and received the scroll.
"I saw it in your driver's license once", Henry said. "Although, your day is not until tomorrow. I see then my publisher then, so I decided to come here today. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, you aren't", Coreen replied. " And thank you for this", she continued, showing the scroll.
"Open it" Henry told him and Coreen pulled open a red bow tie, which closed the scroll.
The scroll opened by itself and revealing a pencil drawn, a portrait of a woman with black, straight hair.
"This is me!" Coreen said astonish, recognizing herself. "It so beautiful. But how?" She asked, her eyes round.
"Beautiful model, beautiful picture, that's how", Henry said and his words made Coreen blush.
"Don't tease me", she asked.
"I'm not teasing you, just telling the-", Henry paused in mid-sentence and made Coreen look at him.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"What has happened to your heart?" Henry wanted to know.
"What do you mean?" Coreen asked and couldn't help her heart beating fast.
"You have no murmur anymore", Henry stated and laid his hand on her chest.
Henry's hand felt cool against Coreen's warm skin and she gasped.
"Tell me", Henry's voice demanded softly.
Coreen took a deep breath and then said, "The official explanation is that the murmur healed itself. It can happen sometimes. Mostly at a younger age, but sometimes, though rarely, also as an adult."
"But you don't think so", Henry said, moving his finger along Coreen's scar.
"Murmur was lost, when Dr. Mohadevan checked me after Asteroff", Coreen told quietly.
"Coreen, you aren't a demon", Henry said to her seriously, looking straight at her eyes.
"But how then I healed? Why my heart healed after the demon played with it?!" Coreen yelled and felt her throat throttling.
"I don't know", Henry admitted, shaking his head, and Coreen saw that he was just as confused as she was.
Coreen closed her eyes and turned away from Henry, so that he wouldn't see her tears, which pushed through her resistance. But Henry was't simply ignored and Coreen felt him grabbing her by the arm and pulled her into his arms.
And that broke her back. The tears took over and ran to her cheeks and her body jerked her every sob as she the strong arms embarrassed her. But finally the sorrow eased off and she calmed down.
"I'm sorry", she muttered, wiping the tears away from her face. "This was stupid."
"No, it wasn't. Crying is never stupid", Henry said, stroking Coreen's hair.
"I didn't mean the crying, but this situation", Coreen clarified. "I used to be always so eager to experience anything supernatural, but now..." Coreen fell silent and gave to Henry a look, which was telling that she was badly disappointed in herself.
"Coreen", Henry spoke softly her name and caressed Coreen cheek. "You're too hard on yourself. Sure, your interest in the supernatural thing and magic was a little over-enthusiastic, but although it made you... yourself."
"You're meaning a naive gothic girl", Coreen said.
"No, Coreen. Not naive ..", Henry said and ran his fingers over Coreen cheek up into her hair, "... just open", he wished and pushed the Coreen's face gently closer to his own.
Experiencing the emotion disappeared as Coreen felt Henry's cold lips embrace hers, lips that seemed to pour passion into her very being. She lost herself in the touch of his lips, forgetting everything. She felt his tongue enter her mouth often to play with hers, and its every caress felt as if it touched her very soul, sending pulses of erotic pleasure up and down her body and made her knees feel faint.
"Air. I need to breathe", Coreen whispered breathlessly, as she broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against Henry's shoulder.
"See? If you were a demon you wouldn't need air", she heard Henry laugh, his arms supported her.
"So you kissed my breathe away only to show me that I'm still human?" Coreen asked between her breaths and she had time to breath twice before Henry answered, whispering in her ear, his voice hoarse, "I'm afraid my reasons for that kiss are much more selfish."
Coreen's heart took the sprint and she swallowed. She gathered her courage and lifted her head, meeting Henry's darkened, but no blackened, eyes. Under their intensive look Coreen felt the purest and the most primitive lust wiping over her mind and body and without thinking twice she leaned to Henry, captured his lips with her mouth and kissed him passionately. Henry answered the kiss at the same fervor and pressed himself against her so tightly that she could feel, through clothing, him excited.
Another passion wave washed over Coreen and during their mouths explored each other, sending sensations which spread throughout both of them bodies, her hand found themselves under Henry's jacket and pushed it off his shoulders. White blouse and Coreen's top were the following garments that fell on the floor, after which Henry withdrew from the kiss. Coreen felt the floor disappear under her feet, as Henry lifted her up in his arms and carried Coreen to her bedroom.