Act IX


41. Excuses


"The bed is bigger than the sleeping bag, anyway."

He was perched on the edge of the mattress eyeing me warily, as though he expected me to attempt to pin him down and take his honor by force.

"Severus, I'm tired. Lay the fuck down."

He scowled.

"I wanna take the early bus to Whitby tomorrow. I promise I won't suddenly start biting, now that we have a mattress." I yawned. "By the way, can you do that charm? The one that makes things feel squishy? There's a spring digging into my back."

He lay down and the bed softened.


42. Travel


We were rumbling over the A171 in an ancient bus that had seen better days. I had Severus pressed up against the window and was plying him with a big bag of his new favorite crisps.

"So why did you agree to come up to Yorkshire with me?"

"I don't have anything better to do. My house was burned down after the war and I've never had many friends." He ate each chip one by one, chewing and swallowing fully before putting the next one in his mouth.

It was fascinating. He was entirely enthralling in a decidedly dangerous way.


43. Love


He fucking loved books. That much was obvious by the way he was stroking the bindings and sniffing the pages when he thought I wasn't looking.

"Can you imagine the kind of knowledge these books contain?" His voice was heavy with awe.

"However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? The Buddha." I clapped my palm over my lips, mortified. "Fuck. Sorry."

He laughed, a real laugh. His whole face changed, and he looked decades younger, his eyes crinkling and lighting up like megawatt bulbs.


44. Judgment


"So can wizards go into churches?" We stood at the edge of Saint Mary's parish yard looking up at the impressive tower.

"I won't burst into flames, if that's what you mean." He shot me the idiot look and clutched his books to his chest. While I'm sure he wanted every book in the shop, he managed to only buy three.

"I was just asking." I rolled my eyes. "I want to go in, then we can have lunch."

"Your concepts of Wizarding kind are positively medieval," he hissed.

I looped our arms together with a smile. "So? Teach me."


45. Seeing


Severus slouched in the café booth, ignoring me in favor of his book. I enjoyed a chance to study him. He wasn't looking as pale and emaciated as he had two weeks ago. I fancied he might even be enjoying himself a very tiny bit. The permanent glower had eased and I didn't seem to be annoying him quite as much.

"Yes?" His deep voice startled me, but he didn't look up.

I twirled my soda straw. "You look good."

His eyes jerked up, mouth slackening in shock. "What?"

"You aren't as sickly looking as you were when we met."


A dance to my wild beta renaid, who allows me my dignity in the midst of crazy projects.