Everything about Andromeda overwhelmed Severus as he lay convalescing in the bed that she had shared with her deceased husband. Ted's cologne lingered on the pillowcase, making Severus cringe. I shouldn't be here.
He never thought he'd survive, and he hadn't planned for it. He had no idea what compelled Andromeda to save him from bleeding out on the floor of the Shrieking Shack. She should have tried to rescue her daughter.
He hated the way she fussed about him, working tirelessly with the Healers to ensure his recovery. He hated how she pampered him as if he was a baby, unable to care for himself. He hated how she sat at the foot of the bed, forcing him into a conversation about trivial things that didn't matter – his favourite foods for starters. Those dishes appeared the next day, much to his chagrin.
Most of all, he hated how she rescued him from his nightmares, which had been a daily occurrence after the war.
"Shh, calm down, Severus," she whispered against the shell of his ear. Her soft fingers brushed away the sweaty locks pressed against his forehead. "You're safe."
He opened his eyes and found Andromeda pressed against him. He closed his eyes, surrendering to the warmth of her embrace. She pulled his head down, laying it to rest on her chest. Her steady heartbeat and her fingers gently massaging his scalp calmed him, luring him back to sleep.
She shifted to leave after a few minutes.
"Don't go," he begged, tightening his arms around her waist. "Please."
He'd regret this in the morning, waking to her limbs tangled in his, her head nestled in the crook of his arm and the sweet scent of her light brown locks.
For if he was honest with himself, she'd bewitched his mind with her tenderness and ensnared his senses, awakening feelings he'd worked so hard to suppress. He only hoped that one day; he'd be able to tell her exactly how he felt.
A/N: Word Count: 332. Written for Pairing the Character Drabble Competition - Week 10 Severus Snape.