lost angel on my doorstep
By Nanaho-Hime
for the Cruel Because I love you Challenge and for the Hogwarts Online prompt of the day
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Pairing: DominiqueSeverus
Prompt: Taste
She tells herself over and over and over again that he loves her, that he'd do anything for her, and even if he hits her occasionally it doesn't stop the fact that he loves her. It's hard for her to grasp the fact that people might love her, that she's got cousins that love her and a family that loves her because, well, no one notices her; not her cousins, not her maman not her papa or Victoire or Louis or her friends at school.
Dominique is the most beautiful Weasley, but she's not like her cousins. She is a spitfire and one point in her life, but that all fades away after she meets Jeremy. He whisks her away in his whirlwind of charm and cocky smiles and he breaks her in every single way, and she hates him deep down inside but she can't just leave him because, because he's the only one who sees past her crap; because he's the only one who doesn't see the thin paper façade that is magic and a Weasley name.
She knows she can kill him with just a flick of her wand, she hates him enough, she wants him dead enough. He's a muggle and she could make it look as though the alcohol had killed him, no one would be surprised; but she can't do it, because the smallest part of her still loves him.
She may be a masochist because it hurts every single day and she just doesn't leave.
She is so horribly lonely, desperately lonely. She doesn't see her family any more, she doesn't see her friends anymore and she lives in the rundown flat with a man who hits her when he's angry.
(she's so broken now and when she looks in the mirror, pretty innocent blonde girl has broken shards for a face)
:-:
Severus Snape rarely makes mistakes with spells or potions. He's done with the dark arts and now he's making a living teaching a gaggle of brats basic potions skills. And, yet something does go wrong, and she drops into the middle of his office, and oh my God, what on earth is he supposed to do with this little blonde thing?
She says nothing but she's looking up and around with big, doe eyes and, well, he's got to do something.
"Um…Miss," he takes a hold of her elbow, and raises her up off the ground. She struggles to her feet and she winces, and it's then that he notices the profusion of bruises. She's in a set of pajamas, a faded blue tank top, and bottoms, no makeup. Two black eyes, ugly purple bruises creeping onto her forehead from her temple, bruises on her arms, her neck and she looks so much like his mother that it nauseates him.
(the features are indistinguishable under the purple)
"What is your name?"
She blinks and turns to face him, "Dom…Dominique Weasley."
The name doesn't ring a bell, and he doesn't know of any Weasley named Dominique. When the man continues to offer her that dubious look, she reiterates and clarifies.
"Dominique Weasley? Daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley?"
He looks as though he's running through a list of every Weasley he knows, he's muttering under his breath and his eyes widen in recognition, shock.
"Little Bill Weasley? Arthur and Molly Weasley's eldest son?"
"Is that a problem?"
"It well should be," his voice is dry, "considering Bill is seven."
Dom's jaw drops and she looks faint. Severus seems to notice because his eyebrows rise in alarm. He keeps a firm grip on her elbow.
"No fainting, take a seat Miss Weasley."
And then he's cursing under his breath because he remembers, damn, just one little misspoken accent and it's this dark magic that brings a tortured soul closely linked to the tortured soul of the spell caster back to aforementioned spell caster, no matter the era or barriers between them.
It's a powerful bit of magic and he can't, for the life of him, remember how to get her back to her own time period.
He knows why the spell brought her here, because she is so achingly like his mother in most ways, more ways than anyone in history other than the actual Eileen Prince. It's called dark magic because it's meant to bring suffering to both of them, and they are bound by this ancient magic to suffer this together.
"Well, Miss Weasley," his voice is cold, because he will not allow fate to laugh at him a third time (first with his mother than with Lily, and, oh God, this has got to stop), "You'll have to forgive me as I've gotten you thrown back into the past with a faulty spell. Do not fear, as I will find the counter spell but you'll have to make due until I find it."
"I'll set you up with a job in Hogsmeade, and an apartment," his manner is brusque, and she's still in a daze, obviously too stunned. Severus sighs.
"Forgive me, Miss Weasley, you're obviously still tired, you may sleep in my quarters for the night."
She nods and stumbles toward the door to his bedroom. He feels a slight pang, because she's a little too vulnerable and helpless and maybe it's the angelic look about her, or the empty despair in her eyes, but he wants to be a little soft with her.
"Sleep well, Miss Weasley."
It's the nicest comment his nature will allow.
She stops, rests her hand against the wall of his office, and turns to give him a faint smile that holds no happiness, "About sending me back, I'm in no hurry."
She enters the room before he can retort. Maybe he's resentful of his mother and his father and the life they gave him but he wants to spite her. He wants to tell her that women like her disgust him. Women who aren't strong enough to stand up for themselves and what they believe in; women who allow themselves to break are pitiful and deserve no happiness.
(But she looks like a lost little angel and even he doesn't have the heart)
:-:
He takes her to Hogsmeade the next day and finds her a job with Madame Rosmerta. There's a vacant apartment available above the Three Broomstick's and Rosmerta takes the girl in like a mother hen. Rosmerta's suspicious of him, as though he's the one who beat her within an inch of her life, and he hates how this image has been forced upon him. He may not be the kindest of men, but he is a man, and he would never hit a woman, ever (he never wants to be his father).
He visits her everyday to make sure she doesn't get into mischief, because she could alter the past and mess up the future in the process and, oh, what a hassle. But she always greets him with her weak smile and she always offers him tea and attempts to make conversation. Sometimes he indulges her; sometimes her dismisses her with a vague excuse and a nod of the head. The thing is, though, her bruises are starting to fade and he feels a sense of accomplishment.
(it almost tastes like redemption)
:-:
She thinks she loves him because he doesn't give her any crap. He can be cold and snide and sarcastic but he's never ever fake with her (and he's like Jeremy minus the drinking problem and the anger management issues). He doesn't pretend to sympathize with her and he only empathizes with her by necessity.
She has this feeling that he would never ever beat her, and, sometimes it makes her want to cry, because this is what her life has become and now her only to friends in the world, real friends, friends who want her to be happy, are Rosmerta and Severus Snape.
(God, she's so lonely)
She likes her quiet life in Hogsmeade. She doesn't want to go back because no one will miss her and, oh God, she doesn't want to go back to Jeremy and the bruises are almost gone now and she doesn't want new ones.
(she finally understands that she's worth more than black and blue and broken promises)
:-:
He's sitting at her kitchen table, and she's bustling around, preparing a meal because he's much too thin (maybe's she's got her Nana Molly's heart).
He seems preoccupied, she knows he's preoccupied because usually he impatiently waves her off, after a short conversation, but today he sits at her table, subdued.
"Why don't you leave him Miss Weasley?"
She drops the pot she's holding because her hands are shaking, but he's unapologetic as he finally turns to look her in the eye. He's not accusing her, but he looks a little desperate, a little vulnerable and she's never seen him like this before.
"Because," her mind goes blank, but she knows she was staying with him for a reason, "because…"
(and all of a sudden there is no reason to say with a man who doesn't treasure her the way he should)
"Leave him, Miss Weasley," he hesitates as though arguing with himself, "because I won't feel secure sending you back to a life like that."
She looks at him, and bursts into tears. The shock on his face makes her laugh, but he looks away from her in something akin to respect. She cries into her hand, and her body shakes with the sobs. She feels her heart full to burst and all of a sudden she sees what real love for a person is, a quiet, unassuming love that says nothing but everything. And, if Jeremy really loved her, he wouldn't beat her, he wouldn't have the heart.
(and she's kind of in love with this crotchety man, but she's pretty sure he doesn't feel the same way)
:-:
He's had the counter spell prepared for three days, but he can't bring himself to tell her (and maybe a part of him doesn't want her to go back). It's a little selfish, he knows it is, and, Merlin, he can't be in love with this wisp of a broken women (and lilylilylily broke your heart, your already paying for your sins, she won't care if you find someone else)
He knows he has to send her back, and he knows that she does not care for him, but he'll be damned if that bastard lays a hand on her again. He goes over to her flat, and he doesn't know how she knows but she does. She's hugging Rosmerta and all of a sudden she's hugging him and he tentatively hugs her back.
"How did you know," he can't keep the coldness in his voice.
She smiles and her smile is stronger, "When you asked why I didn't leave him, I knew it was time."
And she stands on tiptoe and kisses him on the forehead, and tragedies like this are universal.
"Be happy, Severus."
Wordlessly, he pulls out his wand, because she must go back or surely he'll go mad.
Rosmerta is crying and Dominique is smiling serenely as he mutters the incantation. She slowly fades away, and, God, he hopes he's sent her back to a life worth living.
:-:
A few days later, Rosmerta pushes a note into his hand. It is from Dominique, and he feels a little at peace after he reads it.
Dear Severus,
Thank you for your kindness to me during my stay in your era. It was a gruff, callous sort of kindness but a kindness nonetheless and, in all honesty, I haven't experienced kindness in a very long time.
You made me understand that I'm worth something, and for that I'm eternally grateful.
But, in actuality, I wrote this letter to tell you that I love you. Strange, right? I think you've been hurt deeply too or you wouldn't act so coldly. Honestly, you're a better person than you think you are. All I'm trying to say is you should forgive yourself for whatever happened and you should let go of any demons you might still hold.
I know you're a proud man, and that you're not going to follow any advice I give. I'm the screw up who messed up her own life. But I really do love you and I really do want you to be happy.
I promise to leave him, because I'm worth more.
I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Much love,
Dominique
He's kind of elated, he's kind of miserable. He really really misses her.
:-:
She lands back in her flat in the middle of the night. He's gone to the bar and she packs a small duffle bag. She doesn't leave him a note because he doesn't deserve one, but she doesn't know where to go. She closes her eyes and apparates to a small cottage in the woods, she knocks on the door and Victoire opens the door.
Dom doesn't know what to expect, Victoire opens the door bleary eyed and tousle haired, her baby girl in one arm.
"Hi Vic."
She doesn't know what to expect, but she doesn't expect Vic to give Terry their daughter, and she doesn't expect her to hug her.
Vic is crying into her shoulder, and Dom is doing the comforting and she can hear the whisper all throughout the small house.
Welcome home.
A/N: Eh…tis alright, I don't know it really didn't come out as it did in my head. It's kind of weak and not as powerful as I would have wanted it to be. So concrit would be much appreciated.
Reviews are lovely but don't bother to favorite if you're not going to review.
Much Love,
Remy