note: I have finished constructing my AD/SS archive, which holds my stories as well as the list I keep of my favourite AD/SS fanfics. There is also a form to submit any new stories to the list. Stop by sometime: http://petrificus.org/phoenix
by Elfish Arrow
The moonlight from the open window fell upon the headmaster's face, alluming it with mysterious, inattainable light. A soft breeze blew across the room, doing little to disturb his slumber, but upsetting spare parchments and light books that lay on every surface in the moonlit room.
In the doorway, an unwilling immortal watched. It had been two months; two months since his life had been ruined - ended. Two months since Albus Dumbledore promised him his help, his love, his blood. Not to say, of course, that he hadn't always had that love, but now... now things were different - how could anything ever be the same?
He moved toward the bed in unnatural silence and sat on the side, fingering a sheaf of parchment beside the sleeping headmaster. He himself couldn't sleep; his body wasn't agreeing with the rules he and Albus had set. Of course, Severus was the one who insisted on them, insisted on sleeping at night, waking in the perpetual dark of the dungeons. It was against his instincts, his very nature, but Severus was slowly becoming accustomed to it.
He sighed and moved to the window, closing it firmly before he could catch the scent of living blood. No, he could never give in to what nature - had she ever condoned his existence - urged him to do. As such, however, he could neither know peace.
In the soft light of the moon, Severus's white skin gleamed with perfection, free of mark or blemish, giving his face a mask-like quality. Indeed, he no longer carried the Dark Lord's brand, but that was over with long ago, and was attributed not to Riddle's demise, but to the nature of the vampire. His body had been purged of most mortal needs, including magic of any kind. That was perhaps the hardest change to deal with.
Now he moved away from the window, from the sounds he could still hear through the glass, and stood over the frame of the headmaster. He was not yet hungry as such, that is, he did not yet feel as though his veins had become tightening strings of pain, his eyes had not clouded, and he could concentrate fine. No, Severus was not hungry, but he desired. What he desired, though, he could not say. He knelt beside the bed.
"Albus..." he intoned so quiet he was sure no mortal could here.
But Albus seemed to have heard, for he stirred and soon returned to consciousness. If Severus's presence in his chambers in the early morning hours surprised him, he made no sign. Rather, the headmaster smiled calmly,
"You should be sleeping."
"Can't."
Albus brushed a shock of black hair from Severus's eyes, "Have you tried?"
Severus glanced around the room once more and changed the subject, "You've been researching."
The headmaster smiled again and sat up, making room for Severus to sit as well, which the young immortal did unhesitatingly.
"I have been researching, Severus, yes," Albus avoided the fierce, bright eyes of his companion.
"And?"
Albus took one of Severus's hands in his own, his thumb brushing over the warm, well-fed skin and glass-like nails, remaining silent.
Severus's eyes searched his a moment then roamed over the titles of thick, leather-bound books written in languages he didn't recognize. He lifted a particularly heavy one that had been used to hold a stack of parchment in place. "What have you found, Albus?" he asked again quietly.
A sigh escaped the older man, "Not enough, Severus, not nearly enough. I was correct when I told you there was no cure..." he trailed off into silence for a moment.
"What do you miss most, Severus?"
The questions startled the immortal and he turned his gaze from their hands to Albus's face, "You think I shall say magic?" Severus shook his head, "That is... difficult, Albus, but not unbearable; not nearly as much as knowing I can never sit in your window with you and read by warm sunlight." A sharp intake of breath, "I miss staying here until dawn and stumbling down to the dungeons, praying to stay awake enough to teach... and I even miss your bloody sherbert lemons."
All this was delivered in a deadly soft tone so different from the angered one laced with casual menace and sharp sarcasm he used to have so often; now his voice rarely held that unique quality. Albus first thought it might have been attributed to Severus's new vampiric nature, but after much research he had come to realize that this hopelessness came from Severus himself. Albus was determined to hear that sarcastic, dark, and yet reassuring voice again.
Albus took the immortal into his arms, needing the closeness much more than Severus would understand. Leaning his forehead against Severus's, he found himself nearly lost in the new, bright liveliness of his eyes; eyes which, after a moment, wandered shamelessly across the headmaster's face and frame.
"You have no idea how you look to me now, Albus. How all humans look, but... you Albus, you especially. I can feel your power, your emotions, you... radiate. If it is possible, I am more attracted to you now than ever, but..."
A small, sad smile, "But you can not..."
Severus closed his eyes and traced his fingers lightly along the back of Albus's neck, "No, I can not." He paused, "Does it upset you?"
"It's not everything, love," Albus kissed him briefly. "But it would have made things easier."
Confusion passed momentarily over Severus's immaculate features before it dawned on him, "You have found something, haven't you?"
"Yes, but I hesitate... I do not wish, Severus, to give you false hope. Though, I fear I have already given it to myself. Allow me learn more of this before I reveal this design." Albus glanced out the closed window, "It's near dawn..."
Severus nodded and rested his head on Albus's shoulder, as unwilling to leave as Albus was to let him go, "I know."
The headmaster smiled, "Will you stay and sleep here?"
Severus did not have a chance to answer as Albus reluctantly untangled himself from the professor, and quickly magicked away all the windows within his chambers, "It's Saturday, Severus; we'll have all night and all day to do as we please."
Severus smiled and lied down among the absurd amount of pillows; he rested his head upon Albus's chest when he joined him, listening to the hypnotic, nearly intoxicating beat of the human heart, "Thank you..."
~fin.
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