Never Say I Love You
A/N: I've got nothing to say but enjoy!
Chapter 4: The Encounter
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(Alana's POV)
I heard the doors across the hallway close. I sighed. I still don't know what to think of my situation. My family was murdered, I was almost violated, a man came to save me and now, I was to be his personal slave. I bit my lips as I recalled his words:
"Do not thank me. Not until you have an idea of what you shall be asked to do…"
Did I just escape a wretched fate and just hop onto another?
I move towards the drawer by the door and opened it. I found a thin nightshirt that had seen the laundry one too many times. I wonder who it belonged to. My master seemed to be to young to own such an old piece of clothing. I held the garment up against my body –it reached down the middle of my thighs and barely covered me but, it would have to do/ I opened my bedroom door and tiptoed down the hall towards the bathroom –I did not want to wake up my master just in case he was already sleeping. I entered the bathroom door, closed it and headed to the modest bath tub right in the middle of the tiled space. I took off what was left of my torn shirt and slipped the waistband of my jeans down, trying hard not to remember my ordeal earlier that night. I removed the rest of my undergarments and stepped under the shower.
I turned the water on hot –the hottest that I could take and began to scrub furiously, trying to wash whatever invisible dirt that has clung to me. I scrubbed until my skin was red and sore, and the hot water felt like acid against it. It was in that state that I had decided to let it all out.
I cried.
I cried for myself, my mother, my adoptive parents, for the life I have lived and the unknown future that I am now facing.
I cried until my tears ran dry.
It must've taken me hours; my skin was already soaked and my fingers, puckered. I sighed heavily as I turned the water off. I dried my aching body off a soft terry cloth I found hanging behind the bathroom door. I wrapped the towel around my body and gently opened the door. I was hoping to make it to my room to change into the shirt I had left there.
But I didn't.
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(Severus' POV)
I looked on after she had closed the door.
Alana. Her name rolled off my tongue like butter. I sighed as I stepped inside my room and closed the door; the events of that night still hasn't sunk in: from a regular, one-of-those-nights Death Eater raids, I had now landed myself a reluctant housemate.
Servant. I corrected myself. I do not know why I was doing it anyway… maybe I just felt sorry for her; her childhood memories definitely mirrored mine. Although I wasn't a complete orphan then, I too, had been taunted for being different. My father too had abandoned me; I too, lost a love.
Or maybe it is because I feel sorry for myself. Every time I see her eyes, I don't know… yes, it bothers me, but in a twisted way, I get comforted as well.
I removed my robes and pants. I laid down on my bed with nothing but my boxers on and stared at the ceiling.
Alana. How could she just trust me so readily, so easily? I remember her pleading look, her submissive tone, her words of gratitude… does she not know what kind of a man I am?
I was about to close my eyes when I heard the water running in the bathroom next door. Afterwards, I heard crying. I was just going to ignore it and go to sleep, but something –some force –pulled me out of bed, made me slip my robe on rather hastily and storm out of my bedroom, barefoot. My feet carried me just right outside the closed bathroom door. Now, I wasn't one to listen in on people –but my mind justified the act; I had to make sure that she was okay; she was my –servant… I had to make sure she is cared for. If not, what kind of master would that make me?
I had half a mind to knock on the door to check on her but I had decided against it. My mind told me that she just probably needed to let it all out.
So I just stood there, barefoot, listening to the drops of water hitting the tiled floor, intermittent with her heavy sobs and frustrated grunts. I almost broke my heart –whatever heart I had left.
Almost.
Then it stopped.
In my mind I thought that she must be done with her use of the shower; but some insane part of me said otherwise. I remembered her ordeal earlier; she had just lost so much in one day; could it have been to much for her that she already craved release from her mortal shell? Something… could she have done something to herself?
I tried to brush away the thought but my hand was acting on its own. I grabbed the door handle and was about to give it a gentle push when, all of a sudden, the same, inverse movements happened from the other side of the door. It suddenly burst open, hitting me squarely in the chest.
There she was, her eyes registered shock upon seeing me and quickly, she bowed her head. I couldn't move. I was caught… I had a noble purpose of being there but I was still caught nonetheless. I felt like a wayward child caught after curfew. I cleared my throat, thinking of a way to salvage the situation, thinking of what to say. But she beat me to it.
"I –I apologize, Master Severus, if –if I was too long," Alana said meekly, her hands tightly grasping the towel around her body, It was only then that I had realized.
She was standing in front of me wearing nothing but my large towel wrapped around her body.
Just the towel.
Nothing else.
Good Merlin.
I fought hard with my emotions as I tried to seem uninterested, but my eyes would not cooperate with me. I stepped back and took a glance at her. Her raven hair was dripping wet, droplets of water formed around her hairline. Her eyes were slightly puffed, her delicate nose reddened, her plump red lips, moist due to the warm water I assumed she had used. I felt a nervous tingle down my groin as my eyes traveled past her slightly opened mouth. I followed the seemingly unending expanse of her creamy, rosy skin; from her delicate swan-like neck, down her rounded shoulders and her frail-looking arms. Where she was covered with white towel, I just let my imagination work. The rough cloth hugged her curves ever so tightly that I didn't have much of a problem. I swallowed hard. Good thing I threw a robe on before heading on out here or my boxers alone would have betrayed my growing arousal.
She must've noticed that I was ravishing her with my eyes though; she continuously held the towel tighter and tighter around her as every second passed. But it was of no use. I had already seen enough.
"I –I guess, I –I'll go change then,: she excused herself and inched her body away and around me. The logical part of my head told me to just let her go, let her put clothes on and rest for the night. But then again, my body had it's own way of defying me.
Before she could even slip past me, I blocked her way with an extended arm.
"Where do you think your going?" I heard myself whisper. Alana looked at me, surprise evident in her emerald eyes.
"M-master?" she trembled as she spoke. The surprise in her eyes quickly turned into fear.
That should have been my cue to let her pass through.
But I didn't.
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A/N: Things are starting to get… hmm… you insert your own adjective here. I hope you continue to support this story. Until next time! -Eastwoodgirl