Almost Perfect
by EMPG22HoPe

"You are not the man I loved." The winter in Rowena's voice sets his teeth on edge.

His heart should be breaking, or at the very least, tearing itself off his chest from the pain in her words. But his hatred for muggles and muggle-borns were more potent than any love he has ever had for Rowena. At times, he wished it wasn't so. Once upon a time, he had been a doe-eyed boy in love with the most intelligent woman he had ever laid eyes on. Everything seemed almost perfect, even.

But Salazar Slytherin's life refused to revel in the perfection of it.

"I suppose not, Rowena," Salazar replied in a low voice as he turned his gaze back to his paperwork. They were architectural structures, maps of different parts of Hogwarts, his plan for a Chamber of Secrets, his basilisk... one he could not share, even to the woman he loves. "But not even you could not change my mind. After all, if Godric cannot, what makes you any different?"

He lifted his head in time to see Rowena take a step back, looking as though he had struck her with something sharper than a knife. Her thin lips quivered before they set into a hard line. Rowena always was a bit emotional, perhaps even more than Helga, but she was resilient as well. She always did refuse to let him see her weakness.

"This obsession against muggles needs to stop, Salazar." Rowena's told him firmly.

Salazar's lips curled into a wicked smile as he met her gaze. "I wouldn't call it an obsession..."

Rowena inhaled sharply, causing Salazar to rise from his desk. He glided towards her in easy strides. Once he was before her, his hand reached out to touch Rowena's cheek. It was warm under his cold hand, indicating the contrast of their relationship.

"If you no longer love me, then leave," Rowena whispered hoarsely. "And whatever you do... don't come back."

He set his lips into a hard line before he leaned in to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. Though they ached for Rowena's soft lips.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Rowena." He released his hold on her, and he almost smiled shamefully at the way they both seemed to falter at the lack of contact between them.

Salazar turned his back on her, back towards his plans, his future for the good of all wizards, and he never looked back.

Fanfiction Writing Month - July: 409 words

Writing Club - July: Amber's Attic: Het - 5. SalazarRowena

365 Prompts Challenge: 117. Era - Founders

Fanfiction Resolutions Challenge: 12. Write a fic set in Founders era