Each time Harmony remembered the "bath talk" of that day, she would blush a deep shade of red. When had she started being so bold and daring? She had always been sure of herself but talking and acting like she had done? Oh, Merlin's beard…
And yet, if she was to be totally honest with herself, much of the fault had been Severus responsability. The way he had told her that bath was a obligation… She had felt his insecurities treathning to get over. It had felt like if he felt that he wasn't good enough to spark any real interest on her. What a big fat lie. She hadn't been able to let him continue to think like that.
As expected, after the bath was over, everything had got back to the norm, with more or less awkwardness.
Severus was on the couch, taking a small nap if the soft snores were a clue.
And Harmony had taken refuge at the stove, preparing the last dinner of yet another year. Lost in her thoughts.
"I'm a full grown woman, for God's sake. And he didn't seemed to mind my boldness. He was more concerned with not being able to be the man than with me being forward. Perhaps I need to take the reins, that's all. Someone has to do it. If he feels too insecure about himself, I need to prove him he is fine. With or without the ability to "perform"."
"Easy for you to say so, sweetheart."- Severus voice interrupted her thoughts.
He had catched her so distracted that she hadn't even realized he wasn't asleep anymore.
"Severus! Will you make a new habit of catching me by surprise?"- She exclaimed, turning around so fast she almost got dizzy.
"I apologize, but your thoughts were just so loud that I couldn't ignore them."- He observed, raising to sit on the couch.
"Okay, so… What do you mean with "easy for me to say so"? I already told you that there will be another ways for you to pleasure me and vice versa whenever the times comes."- Harmony crossed her arms on her chest.
"Yes, you did. But one day you may want… Something more. All women want. What if I can't give it to you?"-He asked, clearly concerned.
"You will be able to give me everything. Just relax , Honey. We still don't know exactly why you never… "Performed" again. May have been the poison, may have been something they did to you while in the hospital… And if you really ask me about it, I will tell you that we have time to worry about that later. I do feel desire for you, surely. But I don't want just sex with you Severus. There is so much more in a relationship."
"I can't say a lot about the matter. I've never had one. Just one night things with… Available women."
"Oohhhhh…. Now I understand why you're so worried."- Harmony left the stove side altogether to join Severus on the couch. She pulled his hands onto her lap, between hers.-"Severus… One night things with an available woman it's not the same thing of having a relationship. I had a one or two myself, so please believe me. When you have a real thing, it's not about how you perform, how many positions you can make or how long you can endure. It's about how two people feel when they are together. It is special. That was what my mother always told me. When you are with a special one, it's about love and caring."
Severus gazed at her.
"What did I ever did right in my life to have an chance with a real woman like you, Harmony?"
"Let me see… You were brave, you sacrificed your whole life for a cause, you spent more than a year getting mad, bedriden in a hospital bed…. It's that enough or you need more?"- Her eyes were the warmest thing he had ever seen, exception made for her smile. And he knew she believed in each and every word of what she had uttered.
So he opted for the only thing that seemed right in that moment, in front of the fireplace. He took her him his embrace and kissed her with all his soul.