Bring Me To Life : A Continuation
by I Got Tired of Waiting

Part III :: Epilogue :: And Lead It Back Home
Colin and Dana

"I found Severus' notes today about Altus and Althea," Dana said, walking into their bed chamber two weeks after they'd buried Harry. "I must say I am impressed. Severus has their whole life planned up to and including the day his Orrery says we will die." She paused, sitting at the dressing table, pins in her mouth as she pulled her hair down from its complicated up-sweep. "From unnatural causes I might add... I'm sorry to say our demise will be in forty-six years; we'll probably get crushed or something."

Colin watched her from their bed. He so enjoyed her dry humour. Watching her brush her chestnut waist-length hair, he noticed she was beginning to braid it.

Please, leave it unbraided for now. I like it down. He looked at her significantly, eyebrows raised.

With smouldering eyes, she got up from the table and sauntered over to the bed. How long do you think this want is going to last?

Does it matter? Who was it that said, We want what we want when we want it?

She laughed. I believe I was talking about 'facing' circumstances.

She dropped her robes to the floor slowly, letting her underthings follow until she was clothed only in her skin. Bending ever so slowly, seductively, she stretched out her arm to get her nightdress off the back of the press near the bed.

Oh gods, you are so... Please, don't put that on. I like it best when you wear... nothing. His desire pulsed against her in waves. Shivering in anticipation, she climbed into bed and faced him, her hands automatically seeking his arms and chest.

He turned so that he was covering her, his hands braced on either side of her. Taking her lips with his own, his lean body moved slowly over her lush one, her full breasts barely touching his chest, tickling it with taut flesh.

She shivered again at his touch, earning a chuckle from him when she realised he'd just worn his skin as well. Two can play at this...

Oh, please, by all means play...

So she did. She played him like a Gryffindor playing a Slytherin.

Oh gods, the things you do to me, woman...

With Colin wrapped around her like a blanket, Dana took advantage of the quiet night and the soft sounds of his breathing to just think, a novel experience considering the last couple of weeks. Barely accustomed to this mind-speaking, she suspected it would take them many years to equal Harry and Severus' prowess with double-speaking; so far they could only accomplish one or the other. Still, it was thrilling to have Colin in her mind, especially when they...

Colin stirred, snuggling closer. I probably shouldn't be thinking about that; all it takes is one misplaced thought and then... He stirred again, his lips nuzzling her neck absently, sending ripples down her spine. She held her breath as he went back to sleep.

Oh goddess, when will this want end?

They'd always had a healthy intimacy, but this? This was unbelievable. This want. Constantly wanting. She knew it was the castle's influence on their bond. We're randier now than when we were first joined and that had been horribly embarrassing.

Thinking back on the last twenty-five years in the castle, she realised she'd never seen Harry and Severus exchange an intimacy, small or large, in public... until that one amazing kiss they'd shared on the stage at the party, the one that had her gripping Colin's arm hard, trying to stem the wanting ache. Their fervour had mirrored her own and, with mounting respect for their prior restraint, it dawned on her that theirs had probably always been so, just better hidden. Not surprising, she thought, what with the on-going public censure of their relationship and the closeness with which they were watched. Bloody unfair, if you ask me.

How had they borne it? All in private, then? They saved it all for when alone? Or perhaps with a few close friends? Goddess, what torture they must have gone through. What sweet torture. This isn't something to which one grows accustomed, it's too... fresh... every time.

Maybe that's where the mind-speaking helps. Control. Maybe there's more to it than just words. Maybe feelings, too? Touch? This is something I must explore. I know I can feel Colin wherever he is... but to touch him with my mind? How lovely would that be?

No wonder they wanted to retire. How they must have wanted to escape the control, to stop hiding their affections. Will we want this as well? Will we be willing to risk everything for freedom? She shuddered, saddened she'd not known them better in life.

At a sudden rustling noise, she turned her head. Bright eyes peered at her in the dark. Fawkes.

It was inevitable. The Headmaster of Hogwarts always had Fawkes. But does she have to live here? Why not his office, like all the other headmasters? Why Colin? Bloody bird's always staring at me... us... him.

She squinted in the dark. I'm picturing you as a feather duster, you know. Fawkes ruffled her wings and squawked at her. A bright green feather duster. I'll do the books, first, she thought with relish... Until she remembered how Fawkes had first come to them. Shivering at the memory, she suddenly didn't care if the bird was there or not, just as long as Colin was.

Fawkes cheeped and closed her eyes.

The day after Severus' death, while Colin wrote Owls for the funeral, Fawkes flew into their chambers through an open window. Landing daintily on Colin's desk, her gilt-edged black feathers glinting in the afternoon sun, she stared at him with tilted head and then flew off. With a heavy sigh, he'd set his quill on the blotter and, holding his hand out to her, explained, "Fawkes requests my presence in the infirmary." He hesitated, then added, "Would you join me?"

How could she refuse? When they arrived, Seth awaited them with Ron and Hermione and led them quietly past the private room Harry occupied to a side room she'd never seen before. The room's chill assailed them, making gooseflesh stipple their skin. Once she saw the room's occupant, she understood why it was so cold. Severus lay in state, his face relaxed, looking younger than he any right to be.

She wondered who had prepared his body.

Wearing his formal Slytherin robes as Head of House, the threads of silver and green ran shimmering through a heavy black brocade fabric. Peeping out of the sleeves' cuffs encrusted with tiny emeralds set in platinum, his hands rested loosely at his sides, the ornate marriage band still borne by his left hand. His silver hair had been brushed and flowed freely across the bed, the cold spell making the ends waft slightly. He appeared asleep, like he would wake at any moment, and she fully understood why they kept Harry out of this room.

It would kill him.

Fawkes winged in behind them and landed neatly on Severus' chest. She spread her wings like a hug across his shoulders, her face rubbing his cheek. With a great cry, she lifted her head to the heavens and let loose a song, a song they'd all heard before, the song Harry had composed for Severus for their anniversary. As Fawkes wasn't limited to the single notes of most creatures, her voice wove the subtle harmonies Harry had created to honour his subtle husband.

At the song's end, the last note fading, Fawkes immolated. A few heartbeats later, a tiny head poked out of the ashes. Rapidly growing until full-grown, a smallish Phoenix coloured a vibrant iridescent green with gold markings emerged. She took wing from the ashes and settled on Colin's shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his.

She was still on Colin's shoulder when they turned to leave after paying their respects to Severus. Still rubbing her cheek on his when they re-entered the infirmary and started the return trip to their rooms, Ron and Hermione behind them.

Dana felt an irrational surge of jealousy at the sight.

Catching her emotion, Colin thought, I have Fawkes, you have the castle. Seems equitable to me. I'll ask her not to bite you and you can ask the castle to stop moving my things around. Deal?

Deal... although I can't help thinking you're getting the better end of the bargain.

I can't imagine why. They smiled at each other in a private way.

Ron leant over to Hermione and whispered in her ear, "They're doing it again."

She smiled softly at him. "So I noticed."

TBC