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A soft laugh slipped from Spencer's lips as she leaned back against her lover. A moonlit midnight picnic was something they hadn't done since they were at Hogwarts the first time around. It was something she had missed.
They had been planning this meeting for almost three months trying to make sure no one would catch them. Which meant winter break was the best time. It might be freezing and snow blanketed the ground, but there were less students than normal.
Letting her eyes shut a content sigh slipped from the Hufflepuff's lips. She never felt more peaceful or safe than when she was wrapped in Severus's arms. It was her favorite place that she wasn't in nearly enough.
When she came to Hogwarts she had thought that she would be able to spend more time with her love. As it turned out she had to keep her distance all the same. There were too many students whose family was loyal to Voldemort.
Every time she saw him in the hallway she wanted nothing more than to talk to him about everything. In truth she could barely say more than a greeting to the older man to make sure no one questioned their friendship.
As far as anyone knew their friendship had ended when they were in school. There was no need for anyone to know anything had changed. Spencer hadn't thought that it would be nearly as difficult to get to spent time with Severus as it was.
Curling tighter into the Slytherin's chest Spencer tried to ignore the thoughts in her head. She just kept thinking that if it was this hard to spend time with him now that it was just going to get harder as time went on.
"Spencer?" Severus questioned feeling the woman shake her head.
"It's nothing," she smiled pulling away, "I'm just getting cold. We should go inside."
Severus stared in confusion at the Hufflepuff as she stood up. There was an enchantment on the blanket they were using that provided them with a warmth that almost had him sweating. There was no way she was cold.
Standing up he rushed after her before she got too far away. As his hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her back towards him Severus saw the sadness in her eyes before her face went completely blank.
"What are you thinking, my love?" Severus questioned brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"Nothing," Spencer lied staring at the ground.
"I don't believe that. You know you can tell me anything."
"I know, Severus."
"Then tell me what you're thinking."
Finally looking up Spencer placed a hand on the side of the mans face. Her thumb ran over his cheek tears gathering in her eyes. Something was obviously bothering the woman though she wasn't speaking.
Pulling him down the Hufflepuff pressed a kiss to his lips before breaking away. Severus opened his mouth to question the woman once more but she was already halfway back to the castle.
Severus stood there silently long after Spencer had disappeared inside. None of this made any sense, but the knot forming in his stomach told him that whatever had just happened was going to change things. Maybe not for the better.
Shaking his head the Slytherin spun back towards their picnic only to freeze seeing green eyes glaring angrily at him. Potter stood a few steps away his arms crossed over his chest as he waited.
"You shouldn't be out here," Severus spoke carefully.
"I don't think you get to tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing, Professor," Potter almost growled out.
"Tread lightly, Potter."
"You were kissing my aunt!"
Stepping forward threateningly Severus caused the boy to fall down. A sigh fell from the older mans lips as he moved to help the boy up. Having the Gryffindor upset with him was the last thing he needed right now.
"You need to keep your voice down," Severus said once he was standing, "We have worked too hard to keep this a secret for you to throw that away now."
"Keep what a secret?" Potter questioned confused.
"There are many things you don't know yet. Things I can't explain."
"Can't or won't?"
"It's not my place."
"Who is it then? My aunts? She's barely told me anything and she's been here for months! I'm sick of people thinking they know what's best for me or that I need protecting."
"They care for you."
"Don't you think that it's possible that I'd have a better shot out there if I actually knew what was going on?"
Grinding his teeth together Severus turned away from the younger man. He had tried his hardest to keep from having this very conversation with him. It seemed all the hard work that had been put into this was falling apart.
"You..." the Gryffindor started softly, "I don't understand what's going on."
"It might be better that way," Severus shook his head, "One question, okay? I will answer one question of yours. Choose carefully."
Green eyes stared at the older man trying to figure out what to ask. What was the most important thing he needed answered. Actually, that wasn't right. He needed to ask the question that only the older Slytherin could answer.
"I can't," Potter shook his head, "I need to know too much."
"What you need to know is that people are working very hard to keep everyone, not just you, safe," Severus glared, "We have worked hard to keep the balance. Do you understand that?"
"From what?"
"Don't be stupid, Potter. You know exactly what is coming. You know what is at risk."
Taking a deep breath Severus stared at the boy waiting for him to catch up. He might have more answers than the Gryffindor did but that didn't meant that he could give them away. He needed to figure it out on his own.
"None of this is right," Potter said running a hand through his hair, "I'm just a kid."
"Yes, you are," Severus responded calmly, "You don't have a choice in this anymore. Your future is already set on course. There's no way out of it for you."
"That's not fair!"
"It's not supposed to be. That doesn't change anything. There are people attempting to keep you safe and let you have as normal a life as possible. Now go. You have class in the morning."
Walking past the young boy Severus gathered the picnic things with a wave of his wand. He could practically feel the confusion and anger coming off the Gryffindor and he coudln't say he blamed him.
Ever since he had been brought into this world he had been thrown around like a toy by everyone he had met. The people that should have been protecting him were the ones that were using him as a prop.
The people that had any kind of answers ended up keeping everything to themselves and then throwing challenging at him to make him earn everything. It wasn't the best way for him to learn to trust them.
In truth Severus was surprised that the boy listened to anyone at all. Outside of his friends everyone was doing their hardest to push him towards a destiny that he didn't want or away from a life he couldn't run from.
Severus was in the odd position of having to do both and wanting to do neither. All the Slytherin wanted to do was tell him the truth. Tell him everything that he needed to know before it was too late.
That was the last thing that he could do though. He could never fully believe a word out of the Professor's lips. That was something that he had made sure the first few weeks he was at Hogwarts.
"Wait," the younger boy called before Severus could leave, "I still have a question left."
"Quickly, Potter," Severus sighed.
"Will they be okay?"
"Whom?"
"Spencer and Malfoy? Malfoy is acting strangely and Spencer looked like she was about to cry."
Black eyes stared into green trying to figure out if the boy was truly asking that question. It seemed that despite being almost a carbon copy of his Father and having his Mother's eyes there was some of his aunt in him.
"Why do you care about Draco?" Severus cocked an eyebrow.
"Because..." Potter started before sighing, "I don't know. Something...There's something that's bothering me about it."
"That what you think is right isn't? That you listened to the wrong rumor?"
"I didn't have much of a choice. No one else was telling me anything!"
"You're right. You were left in the dark and no you are learning the risk of the dark. As for Draco. The only think I can tell you is that the choice is his and his alone. No one can make it for him. No more than it can be made for you. No matter what many people wish."
"Like you?"
Instead of saying anything Severus turned for the last time and made his leave. There was nothing more that he was willing to tell the younger man at the time. Right now he had to figure many things out.
The Slytherin knew that it wasn't fair to tell Potter everything he had and still truly not be saying anything. It was the way things had to be though. No one could pull him towards one side or the other.