Severus knew it was bad form to stare at someone while they slept.
But from the way the moonlight washed over Veronica's bare shoulders, to the slight flutter of her lashes as her eyes twitched in their deep sleep, Severus was sure that if he blinked, she would simply vanish.
He couldn't believe he actually said it.
Out loud and in front of her no less. And when call on it, he didn't even have the guts to face up to it.
How utterly humiliating.
But she didn't seem to care, she had even said it back.
They didn't speak on the matter again, not even when they arrived into Severus's living room at ten am, both still half asleep.
Severus insisted Veronica was too tired to apparate home, and offered his home to her once more. This time, however, he didn't sleep in his office.
For the rest of the summer, Veronica spent many a night at Spinner's end. They didn't always make love, sometimes they just slept or sat up all night reading or writing. But whatever they decided to do, they enjoyed it.
The longer they stayed together, they learned more and more about each other.
Severus learned very quickly that Veronica did not like to debate, even in a friendly manner. It didn't take much for her to get whirled up and red in the face and it took all of Severus's restraint not to make fun of her over it.
In turn, Veronica learned that Severus was a marvelous cook. She wasn't sure why she was surprised, after all cooking isn't so different from potions. He was particularly good at stews, but the first time she tasted his roasted chicken she swore before God that it was the best she had ever tasted.
Above all, they found themselves taking care of each other.
Whether it was escorting them to bed after working through the night, whispering to them through their nightmares, or simply presenting them with an unprompted cup of tea, the two nannied each other more than they did themselves.
While their plans had fallen through, it could never be called a waste. With the money Calvin had indirectly gifted them stowed away, it seemed for a moment that things were finally looking up for the two.
That is, until the end of summer drew closer.
So this is the end of Honey Bee, if you want to follow the next installment then check out my new story The Swarm on my profile. and thank you all for reading and reviewing so faithfully, I love you so much! See you later!