Severus didn't duck as he saw the creamy reflection of the china against the dark grain of the headboard, nor did he blink as the roiling, dark liquid gushed over his face.

The water was tepid, her anger was not.


She dropped the cup, tossing it with wild and uncertain abandon, hearing the scatter and squeak of the infinitesimal shards over the floor. She was trying to be destructive, but found that she had nothing to destroy. This was at her most primal stage of grief, the breaking point of her sanity and the perdition of her mind as she knew it.


Her wrists came out, swinging at his face, her eyes still forcing back the tears which were gaining an unbearable pressure at the base of her head. She wasn't screaming, in fact, neither of them made a sound. It was supernatural play fighting, both opponents incredibly, and inhumanly graceful.


She came at his face again, and he, without even hesitating, nor looking away, grasped her wrist. This stalled her, and she sputtered, not knowing whether to fight to freedom, or try and continue damaging her closeted antagonist. She crawled onto the bed, her hand still dangling above her, other hand still coming at him.


He pulled himself up, allowing himself a small grunt of exertion as she tried kicking him between his legs.


None of that, girl. You fight fairly.


His voice was chiding, almost fatherly. He was trying to teach and rebuke her.


She punched him, tiny hand bunched in an equally tiny fist, between the ribs, hazardously close to his heart. He groaned in momentary pain and let go of her wrist, clutching his chest, staggering on the flimsy mattress.


And this is where she made her mistake.


She charged at him, too inflamed to care, colliding her head with his shoulder, her mouth pressed into his collarbone. He fell over onto her, successfully scissoring her legs and inserting his knee between them and wriggling himself into a position where the use of her hands would have proved futile.


She knew that the fight was over as soon as it had begun, but because untended woe can grow into a rampant lust for damage, she still attempted to best him.


She still wasn't crying, and Severus was concerned. Her eyes were nailed firmly shut, and she lay beneath him, an unwilling, human coffin. She stiffened at his touch, her head still buried oddly into his neck. An perversely armorous position, Severus thought grimly, still not releasing her.


The girl's face was beginning to redden, cheeks flaming because he was sure that he was hurting her. Her arms wrenched above her head like that were an affirmed discomfort, as was his bony knee wedged against her rather delicate thigh. Her mouth formed a moue of pain, and a small, hissing whimper escaped her. Her fingers began to gyrate between his hands, and Severus was perfectly aware he was most likely jerking on a tendon.


She wrapped her legs around his, and he found himself falling into her. She freed herself from his grip, and in the oddest of gestures, brought her hands around his back, embracing him in an injured hug. Her fingers met themselves around his back, and her legs were wound around his own. Her face was shuddering into his shoulder, and he felt dampness spread through his shirt.

She was crying. Copiously.


He said nothing, and finding the state both of them were in, incredibly uncomfortable. Dealing with grieving females of his own house was one thing. Trying to soothe a woman whose sister one of his cohorts had most likely killed was another. He relaxed, easing himself onto the bed again, pulling her on top of him, finding it ironic that he would be the comforter this time, and not the wound.


He ran his hand awkwardly up her back, finding that clothes did little to add any bulk upon her lean, almost starved frame. There was a sob, halfway between a dry hiccup and an exclamation, that he felt form in her chest and escape into his shoulder. Her grip was tenacious, and he had no hope of being able to escape until she had released him in sleep induced weakness.


He ran his hand over his eyes, massaging them. This early morning activity had deadened his depth for thinking, yet stirred his susceptibility for pain.


She shifted her face slightly, and he felt the ticklish trickle of her warm tears ease themselves into his shirt, dripping slightly off his back and pillow themselves into the mattress below him. She shifted into him more, digging herself into his body again, and Severus ignored the raging and long neglected need for sex.


She was absently stroking his back, fingering the small bones which occasionally revealed themselves as he shifted. Her fingers remained constantly interlaced, and he could feel the drumming of blood in the palm of her hand.


Her eyes closed, more tears jetting out and skidding over the damp and sticky surface of her face. She sighed again, ribs raising themselves in a melancholy expansion.


Severus' mouth was hovering above her forehead, the heat expelled from her was intoxicating his lips, causing them to twitch gently and ease a very pensive kiss onto her face.


She shuddered at his touch, raising her face in exploited questioning, eyes hovering between anger, disgust and wanton need for more. He pulled away from her, but she bade him to stay by gripping onto his shirt sleeve and pulling him very roughly into her mouth.


He was very amused that she didn't close her eyes, nor did she swivel her head to avoid bumping into his excess of nose. She regarded him thoughtfully, lips primly pressed against his own, with her dark and swirling eyes.


He was unmoving, only wishing she would ply him into something more human. He didn't move, he breathed subsistently and his hands remained splayed over her back. He was testing her, provoking her, and he was also frightened of her. She pulled away, obviously discouraged by his lack of reaction. Severus inclined his head a bit, to gaze at her in smug and self restrained satisfaction.


She parted her lips, the sound of damp skin pulling away from damp skin.


.





A/N: Many profuse thanks to Starlight for writing more than their share of reviews. Yeah, so we discover Severus is a man with a penis, so its all good. Anyway, felt like being a bit naughty in that chapter, but not full blown out porno. I find the chase more erotic than the sex, but its most likely that that view is definitely not shared by all. Anyway, tokens of thanks for everyone who bothered to read this. Maybe he will actually get some where. Or, maybe not. ^_^