Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by Warner Bros and JK Rowling. I make no money from this nor do I intend to
This is a short one following the long chapter. Sorry it is short, but it felt like a good place to stop for now. Please review even if you don't like it. Let me know what you don't like (or what you do) even a quick – "liked it" or "boring" is appreciated and it keeps me motivated. Thank you again to everyone has reviewed! I can't say again how much I appreciate the reviews! (Chapter Title – Enter Sandman - Metallica)
10 Enter Sandman
Mae and Jessa were fascinated by the process, and they had several small molds to put away. Frank took one for himself as well. Jessa slipped the small wheel in her pocket and looked at Severus before leaving the room. The girls were still playing in the kitchen, and Mae looked to Severus, smiled, and nodded, "I will watch them." She whispered as she walked by him and patted his shoulder.
Severus rose swiftly and followed Jessa quietly. She made her way up two sets of stairs and into the attic where she rummaged through boxes and old furniture, kicking up dust and covering her dress in cobwebs.
Severus hung back and watched her nose around in the boxes before setting a few aside and gasping. She ran her hands over the old spinning wheel. There looked to be a crack in the main wheel, but she was obviously enthralled with the idea of learning how to use the object.
He moved forward carefully, disturbing the layer of dust that had resettled on the boxes in her path. Jessa turned, startled, when she heard Severus making his way into the room. She stood and brushed her gown off awkwardly. With a flick of his wand, he removed the dust from the area and sat down on one of the sturdy chests. Jessa fiddled with the wobbly wheel mutely, and Severus reached over and grabbed her hand gently.
"Do you think you can fix it?" She asked.
He looked at her steadily and smiled. "Of course," He cast a simple reparo.
Jessa grinned at him and squeezed his hand. "Thank you!" She exclaimed.
"You're welcome," His voice was soft and compelling.
Jessa pushed the hair back from her face as Severus pulled her hand toward him. She giggled as she lost her balance and Severus slipped his hand around her waist. He pulled her forward, and she landed awkwardly in his lap.
He chuckled; and she took a moment to enjoy his sedate laughter. She Sat up carefully, "I'm not too heavy am . . ."
Severus cut her off by placing his fingers over her mouth. Jessa's brown eyes looked up into his heatedly, and she did not miss the passionate gaze that lit on her. His hand tightened about her waist as he drew her forward. Jessa leaned in; her full breasts pressed against his chest. Slowly, her hand traveled up his arm to his shoulder where her fingers slid through his silky hair. Severus bent down and captured her lips roughly in a searing kiss. Jessa opened her mouth at his tongues insistence and felt his hand slide lower to grope the lush curve of her bottom. Jessa gasped and Severus groaned as he deepened the kiss. He nearly came undone as her fingers threaded through his hair, raking against his scalp.
Cold water couldn't have pulled them apart faster than the little giggle coming from around the door. Severus stood and grabbed Jessa as he unseated her, causing him to stumble forward and land on top of her straddling her waist most awkwardly. Hope peered around and this site only caused her to laugh harder.
They heard May run up the steps quickly. "Hope!" She chided. She peaked around the corner and her eyes grew round with shock.
"Severus," Jessa gasped, trying to breathe, "Could you help me up?
He drew back quickly and offered her his hand. They stood before Mae awkwardly and she smirked at the two knowingly with raised eyebrows.
"Well, dinner is ready if you're hungry." The older woman said.
Dinner passed quietly, and Severus and Jessa exchanged curious glances. Everyone seemed quite aware that the tension between the two had only grown. Bert seemed particularly troubled by this.
"I thought that we could all sleep in the house for the night. The beds will be a welcomed change." He said jovially, "I thought Jessa and the girls could take the front bedroom." He pointed to the room near the kitchen, and Douglas and Mae could take the one across from it. There is a large bedroom on the second floor if Frank and Ernie would like it, and there is a room with two small beds that Severus and I could share. Danielle , there is a day bed in one of the rooms off the hallway if you wouldn't mind sleeping there?" He offered.
He couldn't have been more obvious if he had tried, and Severus blatantly ignored him.
Jessa bridled at his seemingly dictatorial tone, "No, I don't think so Bert. Severus will be staying with us wherever we go." She said defiantly.
"Well, I just thought that you being an unmarried woman and a lady wouldn't want to sleep alone with a man. That sends the wrong message to your girls, doesn't it?" He asked tersely.
"And who are you to judge the sort of woman I am?" She hissed.
Bert narrowed his eyes and smirked.
Jessa rose abruptly and Severus stood beside her. They gathered the girls and returned to the cart without further remark. However, they had just settled down when Hope sat up abruptly.
"I forgot it!" She exclaimed.
"What, dear?" Jessa asked confused.
"My doll!" She said as if her mother should know.
Hope wrest herself free of the covers and went to climb out of the cart, and Jessa got up quickly and followed the little girl.
"Hope!" She hissed quietly as the girl ran back to the house.
The moon was full, and she watched Hope's curls bounce merrily as she ran ahead.
Jessa paused as she heard something, and she watched Hope pause ahead of her. She walked quickly to catch up to her daughter, who darted off.
"Hope!" She hissed and followed quickly.
Jessa heard someone saying her name, repeatedly. She had a terrible feeling in her stomach as she stepped around the corner to follow Hope.
What she saw startled her. She drew hope to her and covered her eyes. Bert, his pants down, had Danielle by the hips. Danielle was naked with her dress at her feet. The woman was moaning.
"What's he doing, Mommy?" Hope asked as she tried to pull Jessa's hand away.
"Don't look!" She hissed even as she fought to look away.
It all happened so quickly. Bert looked up and exclaimed, "Fuck!" and tried to pull his pants up quickly.
Danielle turned around and . . . Jessa was confused for a moment. She . . . she looked like a nubile nymph with small firm breasts and delicately formed areolas. Yet, her body was straight and lean. She had a little hair growing on her stomach and below . . . she was completely male. Regardless of their differences, Jessa was saddened and angered that Bert would use Danielle this way. It was obvious that Danielle wanted someone, the way her eyes had lingered after Severus and dwelled on Douglas and Mae as they interacted tenderly. The woman's need for some sort of tenderness had been obvious, but it was clear that Danielle would not get this from Bert.
She quickly ushered Hope away and back to the cart.
"But my doll!" The girl exclaimed.
"We'll get her in the morning." Jessa said abruptly.
Hope could read her mother well, and did not gainsay her. Rather, she tucked herself in the covers between Fran and Jessa and went to sleep.
Jessa took her shoes off and joined them, sliding in between Severus and Hope.
"What happened?" Severus asked curiously.
Jessa didn't know what to say. She sat up slowly and Severus sat up next to her.
"Is something wrong?" He asked in a low whisper; his lips were near her ear.
"Hope . . . We heard something, and Hope ran between the buildings and saw . . . " She paused awkwardly. "Bert was there with Danielle. They were . . . naked." She turned away. "I heard him call my name." Her voice was barely audible." She shivered and turned to Severus.
He pulled her to him and soothed her back as he spoke softly into her ear.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. You know that Danielle is . . . ?" He finished awkwardly.
"I-I saw." She nodded into his solid shoulder.
He leaned back slowly and she turned to him, quite disturbed by what she had seen. It was not that the two had been intimate that bothered her; it was more disturbing that Bert had pursued her and had clearly used Danielle. She wanted to punch him, in his slimy face. She gripped Severus' shirt roughly, and he slid his hand over hers and ran his finger over the back of her hand.
Jessa took a deep breath and tried to relax; it was well into the night before she was able to fall into a fitful sleep.
The next morning was awkward and tense. They ate breakfast hurriedly and quickly began to make their way north. The smell of smoke grew more pungent in the air with each passing minute. Severus examined his map and determined that they were close to a fairly large settlement. The smoke seemed to be coming from the east. Severus suggested that they veer west, but Bert was adamant that they continue into town to see what they could find.
"There is nothing there that we cannot live without." The dark wizard protested. "You are taking unnecessary risks." He countered. "And, it is more than likely that if you enter that area you will find more of the unstable there!" He shouted.
Bert stubbornly refused to listen, and Frank and Ernie agreed with Bert. They wanted to see if they could find any more ammunition.
Douglas and Mae did not want to risk traveling through the possibly dangerous area either. However, they all continued on for a few miles, when they came to a grouping of municipal buildings. As there were no working bathrooms, May took Susan, Hope and Fran to the bushes to relieve themselves. Jessa waited at the cart while Severus went with Frank to search for anything they could use.
Jessa waited impatiently, nervously and heard Hope screech. She stood worriedly, trying to identify the direction that Hope had gone. She climbed down from the cart, and ran through the close, packed buildings. The wind was knocked from her as a large pair of hands grabbed her. She was pushed up against cool metal and screamed as loud as she could and slammed her hand loudly on the building. She felt a burly arm slid around her face and a hairy forearm was shoved against her mouth.
Unable to scream, she began kicking, but the heavy body only leaned into her further. Her face looked out between the buildings. It was daylight. How could this be happening? She watched as Danielle walked by and looked at her curiously. She smirked at struggling woman and then at the man behind her . . . Burt, who had her pinned helplessly. She reached toward Danielle, but the woman ran away giggling. Had she misunderstood what was going on? Did she think that Jessa was eager to sample the charms that she had so recently enjoyed?
Jessa began to cry fruitlessly.
XxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxx
Danielle ran tittering into the main building where she had recently seen Severus. He was alone in the room and searching through a cabinet of first aid supplies. She sauntered up to the man cattily and hissed, "Well, it looks like your little girlfriend has decided to give in to her desires. Are you ready to give in to yours?" She teased and ran her hand up Severus' chest.
Severus had heard her enter, had smelled her memorable fragrance. He turned quickly to the thin brunette and grabbed her hand, "Where is she?" He bellowed.
Danielle drew back at his harsh reply, "What do I care?" She pouted and pulled her wrist from his grip.
Severus grabbed her dress in an all too familiar move and Danielle gripped his hand and grimaced, "Stop, stop! Fine! She's just around the building to the left." She pointed behind her to the door she had entered.
Severus flew out of the building quickly and soon heard muffled voices and shuffling. Whipping around the corner like some violent storm, his dark brows were lowered and his steely eyes glinted as he caught sight of Bert, who was struggling to raise Jessa's gown. She had her eyes closed and she was fighting back with all of her might against the strong man.
Bert did not see him coming, but Severus flung out his hand and hit the man with a wandless stunner. Bert's body flew limply through the air and hit a nearby building with a harsh thud. Severus dashed forward and caught Jessa before her limp body fell to the ground.