Ten
I sat up quietly and looked around me. It was as black in the room as it had been when we had first entered. Shit. I should have mentioned something about leaving a candle alight. I had never told anyone at Hogwarts about my completely irrational yet utterly overwhelming fear of the dark. I could feel my breathing getting heavier and my chest constricting as I fought to make sense of the shapeless shadows around me. I was like a claustrophobic in a coffin just then and was hoping that I wouldn't do anything stupid to make an ass of myself.
No such luck. I felt around on the table above my head. No candles there. I swung around and felt blindly around on the table to the other side of me. No candles there either. Where had those candles been that Snape had lit earlier? Damned if I could remember. My breathing was getting more and more frantic as time drew on and just when I thought I'd lose myself for sure I felt a heavy hand fall upon my shoulder. I froze. I didn't even breathe. I really, really hoped that was Snape and no the boogeyman of my many nightmares.
Nyctophobia, Lygophobia, Achluophobia, Myctophobia, Scotophobia. They could all be used to describe me right then. I was sure I would turn around to see some faceless horror that I had been dreaming up since I had developed this stupid unfounded fear. I finally exhaled when I heard his concerned voice ask me what on earth was the matter.
"Light a candle. Please, could you just light a candle," I asked breathlessly. He did so immediately and returned to his seat beside me on the sofa, where I sat hugging my knees and regaining my composure. I looked behind me. He had been asleep. His bed was unmade and it looked as if he had been tossing and turning quite a bit.
"Acacia." He was demanding my attention, and an explanation, but I couldn't give it. Not just yet. I felt so foolish I couldn't bring myself to look at him.
"Acacia," he repeated, this time more forcefully. I knew what was coming next. He reached out to take my chin and coerce me into looking at him and as he did I brushed his hand aside and stood up. I sped around to the middle of the room and looked around me. Where the hell was the door? Why couldn't I have my bearings back yet?
I found the exit and pushed it open fervently. I didn't even bother closing it as I slipped out into the corridor and leaned against the wall. Precious light. I was regaining my breathing when I heard him come out and stand beside me. I still didn't want to look at him.
"Acacia, what in the name of Merlin -" I was sweating and still breathing rather hard but I just pushed myself away from the wall and began walking purposefully up corridor to the entrance hall. Once there I hoisted the great oak doors open and felt the cold air hit my face refreshingly. I peeked outside. It was a bright night, the full moon illuminating everything. I stepped out into the lawn and just stood, looking around me, shivering. I just needed to be outside. To be unconstrained. I heard the strong doors open behind me and then shut and I turned around to face him finally.
He had a look of anger mixed with confusion mixed with concern plastered on his face and I tried to look apologetic. "If I come down there are you going to run away from me again?"
"Maybe." I managed a weak smile. He did not look amused but he slowly descended the steps onto the lawn and I realized for the first time that he was wearing pajamas. I had never seen him in anything except his tunic and robe. He looked so - comfortable. It was a huge change. He was wearing a simple pair of cotton sleeper pants and a sleeper shirt. Not the button up kind, but more of a v-neck, long sleeved tee shirt. His feet were bare. For some reason that turned me on. I was a total dork.
He had his hands in his pockets as he advanced on me and he just looked so casual. His hair was blowing around his face in the chilly breeze and he was keeping his eyes trained right on me. I realized how entirely opposite we must have looked. Me, blonde haired and blue eyed in a white robe and him all dark and brooding. The only thing we had in common was our pale skin.
He walked right up to me, within a foot of my body and stopped. He didn't reach out. He didn't attempt to restrain me or hold me or even hug me. I appreciated that greatly. I think he could sense that I needed to be completely free just then. He didn't pry or try to get me to explain. He simply waited until I was ready. What a man.
"I'm afraid of the dark," I told him quietly as I stared up at the moon.
"You don't say."
I smiled. He smiled. We were smiling and he looked beautiful.
"Will you walk with me," I asked cautiously.
He stepped forward and offered me his and. I took it reluctantly and he held it so gently it was liable to slip out of his grasp at any moment. He was so perfect. We turned toward the lake and began to walk.
I sat up quietly and looked around me. It was as black in the room as it had been when we had first entered. Shit. I should have mentioned something about leaving a candle alight. I had never told anyone at Hogwarts about my completely irrational yet utterly overwhelming fear of the dark. I could feel my breathing getting heavier and my chest constricting as I fought to make sense of the shapeless shadows around me. I was like a claustrophobic in a coffin just then and was hoping that I wouldn't do anything stupid to make an ass of myself.
No such luck. I felt around on the table above my head. No candles there. I swung around and felt blindly around on the table to the other side of me. No candles there either. Where had those candles been that Snape had lit earlier? Damned if I could remember. My breathing was getting more and more frantic as time drew on and just when I thought I'd lose myself for sure I felt a heavy hand fall upon my shoulder. I froze. I didn't even breathe. I really, really hoped that was Snape and no the boogeyman of my many nightmares.
Nyctophobia, Lygophobia, Achluophobia, Myctophobia, Scotophobia. They could all be used to describe me right then. I was sure I would turn around to see some faceless horror that I had been dreaming up since I had developed this stupid unfounded fear. I finally exhaled when I heard his concerned voice ask me what on earth was the matter.
"Light a candle. Please, could you just light a candle," I asked breathlessly. He did so immediately and returned to his seat beside me on the sofa, where I sat hugging my knees and regaining my composure. I looked behind me. He had been asleep. His bed was unmade and it looked as if he had been tossing and turning quite a bit.
"Acacia." He was demanding my attention, and an explanation, but I couldn't give it. Not just yet. I felt so foolish I couldn't bring myself to look at him.
"Acacia," he repeated, this time more forcefully. I knew what was coming next. He reached out to take my chin and coerce me into looking at him and as he did I brushed his hand aside and stood up. I sped around to the middle of the room and looked around me. Where the hell was the door? Why couldn't I have my bearings back yet?
I found the exit and pushed it open fervently. I didn't even bother closing it as I slipped out into the corridor and leaned against the wall. Precious light. I was regaining my breathing when I heard him come out and stand beside me. I still didn't want to look at him.
"Acacia, what in the name of Merlin -" I was sweating and still breathing rather hard but I just pushed myself away from the wall and began walking purposefully up corridor to the entrance hall. Once there I hoisted the great oak doors open and felt the cold air hit my face refreshingly. I peeked outside. It was a bright night, the full moon illuminating everything. I stepped out into the lawn and just stood, looking around me, shivering. I just needed to be outside. To be unconstrained. I heard the strong doors open behind me and then shut and I turned around to face him finally.
He had a look of anger mixed with confusion mixed with concern plastered on his face and I tried to look apologetic. "If I come down there are you going to run away from me again?"
"Maybe." I managed a weak smile. He did not look amused but he slowly descended the steps onto the lawn and I realized for the first time that he was wearing pajamas. I had never seen him in anything except his tunic and robe. He looked so - comfortable. It was a huge change. He was wearing a simple pair of cotton sleeper pants and a sleeper shirt. Not the button up kind, but more of a v-neck, long sleeved tee shirt. His feet were bare. For some reason that turned me on. I was a total dork.
He had his hands in his pockets as he advanced on me and he just looked so casual. His hair was blowing around his face in the chilly breeze and he was keeping his eyes trained right on me. I realized how entirely opposite we must have looked. Me, blonde haired and blue eyed in a white robe and him all dark and brooding. The only thing we had in common was our pale skin.
He walked right up to me, within a foot of my body and stopped. He didn't reach out. He didn't attempt to restrain me or hold me or even hug me. I appreciated that greatly. I think he could sense that I needed to be completely free just then. He didn't pry or try to get me to explain. He simply waited until I was ready. What a man.
"I'm afraid of the dark," I told him quietly as I stared up at the moon.
"You don't say."
I smiled. He smiled. We were smiling and he looked beautiful.
"Will you walk with me," I asked cautiously.
He stepped forward and offered me his and. I took it reluctantly and he held it so gently it was liable to slip out of his grasp at any moment. He was so perfect. We turned toward the lake and began to walk.