He wandered around the empty common room. Slytherin had been the house he wanted to be in but nowadays he couldn't help but wonder if only he hadn't. He wanted to be him instead of himself.
His hair was perfect compared to his long, black, greasy hair. His hands were perfectly wrapped around hers. His voice got to whisper into her delicate little ears. His shirt was the one she wore after she had taken a shower and sneaked to the men's sleeping chambers.
His eyes widened as he heard footsteps gaining up on him. He turned around to see her.
'Severus.' She whispered. His ears buzzed as her voice entered them as though all the darkness disappeared from his mind and in exchange he got a bright light. 'Severus, I'm so sorry.'
'Don't be.' He said but he didn't mean it. She had to feel sorry. So much sorrow. She had to feel it in order to understand it yet he didn't wish any sorrow upon her. He wanted her safe and free. Freely captured by his affection. He could love her more than he could ever do so. He wasn't capable of love in his eyes.
'James hadn't the right to do you harm Severus and I warned him that it better be the last time. I'm so sorry. Does it hurt?' she looked at the bruises on his arm. Dark blue spots of where young James had hit him. Purple marks of where the curses had thrown him back and forth. A nauseating red like color from where flames had touched his pale white skin. All of the bruises aching not only on his arms but on his scattered soul.
She came closer to him and even though he wanted to leap back just to avoid the tension between them, he didn't. He wanted to feel a little humanity and so he let her hand touch the bruises. He allowed himself to drain energy from her caring personality. He allowed the fantasy to return.
'It doesn't hurt when you're here.' He said softly.
'O Severus!' she smiled. 'You always know how to make me laugh.
He swallowed the words he had planned to say next and smiled in return. This moment had passed but continued in his mind. They stood in silence for a bit until her hands let go and she wished him a quick good night. She skipped into the darkness, back to his hair, his hands and his shirt.
'I love you.' He said. 'more than you will ever know.'