Tender Hooks
By: Bucket/Replacement for the Stars/filthyfreedom
Chapter Twenty-Six:
Angel
Sparkling angel I believe
You were my savior in my time of need.
'Angel', Within Temptation
(O.o)
Year: 1970
Date: May the Thirtieth
Severus spun his Muggle pen in his fingers as he cast his glance over the highly slanted roof of Spinner's End, holding in his small smile when Nessie darted up the side of it and threw himself into Severus's open arms, resting his delicate chin on Severus's thin chest and grinning up at the elder boy. Severus tugged a piece of paper out of his pocket and wrote down a small word. He held it in front of Nessie's gaze and seriously queried, "What does this say, Nessie?"
He peered around the edge of the paper and nearly blushed at the supremely serious look on his boy's delicate face—furrowed brow, pursed lips, the dulled sparkle of joy. A long arm snaked around Nessie's tiny waist and yanked the other boy fully up against his front, and waited impatiently for Nessie to finish reading the word.
Finally, "F'sh?"
Severus pressed his lips together in an attempt not to smile as he dropped the piece of paper and shoved the pen in one of his pockets; he threaded long fingers through Nessie's brightly black mussed hair and searched the brilliant green eyes. Emotion burned in his gut and his chest and the tips of his fingers and toes and he nigh choked on it; the words burst out of his lips before he could stop them, "I love you, Nessie."
Nessie jumped up and pressed his thin lips to Severus's own, smiling brightly against them. "I l've y'u, t'o, Sevvie," he breathed, and down below, hiding behind a tree, the Evans sisters watched curiously as Severus Snape danced along the ridge of his home, holding an invisible precious person in his arms, as close as his heart.
Lily threw Petunia a look and made sure to keep out of sight of the house; they had come over only to see what Severus was doing, as neither of them had really seen Severus since Tobias had hurt Lily. The boy kept mostly to himself and he liked it that way. "You really think he's insane?" Lily whispered, and watched as Petunia threw her hair back over her shoulder as Severus twirled, his arms around someone they would never see.
Petunia nodded immediately. "I read this book that mum had," she rasped loudly, "on psychological disorders. I think he might be having hallucinations or delusions or something." She threw Lily a knowing look; Lily looked back up at her friend and wondered what it would be like to be the one dancing in Severus's arms.
Don't worry! Lily won't take Severus from Nessie, or vice versa; I thought a reversal of canon would be kind of entertaining. Thank you!
-Replacement