Chapter Four: Love, Laughter, and Pillows
(A/N--I give my friend Mia credit for the chapter Title, the title was made by her, I'm just borrowing it.)
Cursing silently under her breath as she walked around the lake, she wasn't too particularly happy with the Severus at this moment. He'd left her, with out a word at all, like he was afraid of something, of her. She let out a soft sob and put her palms to her eyes trying to clear her head of the thoughts and the massive headache she'd received since. Turning her face to the dimming sky she let out a cry of frustration. She wasn't sure of it, but she might of found a reason for living a little longer, Severus
The sun was just starting to set against the looming trees at the edge of the forest. The lake waters shimmered like a smooth red mirror reflecting her twin up at her. She could see no one and then shut her eyes while walking till they shot open as a cold arm found it's way around her waist and pulled her back and another hand gripping into her windpipe cutting off her air. Opening her mouth to scream nothing came out and a harsh laugh chilled Asryel.
"Told you I'd come back for you, child." The voice was like a hiss, winding down her neck and finding her ear causing her heart to skip a beat. She knew that voice; somewhere she knew that voice, that same icy breath, same touch, but who was it?
The hand around her waist came up and raked across her neck, it's nails digging into her flesh, she shuddered at the stinging adrenaline pumping through her veins. Strangely enough she found she liked the burning pain, but not who was causing it. Then the hands left her neck and she put her palms to the earth sucking in air, she turned around to see who it was, but no one was there, just the grass bowing to the will of the wind, turning back she looked down. Only now did she realize she was on her knees and that her body was shaking. Forcing herself up she ran the rest of the way till she was safely in bed where she lie till she fell away to a restless sleep, haunted by that voice.
Slowly weeks drew by, Hallows Eve just around the corner and Asryel drew further from people, further from sanity, something was wrong, some edge inside of her told her something was very wrong. She hadn't told anyone of those moments by the lake weeks before. One of the few times she knew fear was a strong emotion and seemed her only emotion along with anger, as well as some unknown one deep inside her.
"What are ingredients to the Polyjuice Potion." Snape hissed looking at his class of Slytherin and Gryffindors, three hands went up automatically, Potter, Granger and Weasley. About to call on Weasley Severus noticed the figure sitting in the back, gold hair falling in ringlets to her shoulders and her eyes far away at an unhappy memory his brow furrowed a second then he called out her name.
"Miss. Seraphic." He stated in his normally harsh tone towards Gryffindors, she jerked from her thoughts and looked at him for a second obviously she hadn't been listening.
"…Polyjuice Potion, Ingredients?" he crossed his arms behind his back and looked at her, into her burning eyes. Then she smiled lazily and replied.
"Lacewing flies stewed twenty-one days, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed picked at full moon, boomslang skin, a bit of who you want to turn into."
"Shrinking Solution?"
"Chopped daisy roots, skinned shrivelfig, sliced caterpillar, one rat spleen, dash of leech juice." she said again as if it was no effort."
"Wolfsbane Potion?" He hissed testing her wit and mental quickness at the moment, the class gaped a moment as Asryel smirked like a Slytherin would, sly, like she knew something no one else did except Snape.
(Note: this isn't the real formula for the Wolfsbane Potion so I made these up)"Crushed Black beetle eyes, chopped knotgrass, seven Pixie Tears, Jade Flower picked at midnight, wolfsbane boiled three days, and a drop Dragons blood." She finished and looked straight at Severus who was itching to smile, but kept it back he nodded and turned away.
"Good, Miss Seraphic, twenty Points." Whispering broke out among the tables a lot of the Slytherins glared at Asryel.
"Quiet!" hissed Severus rather loudly causing Neville to jump nearly out of his chair.
The class continued with Severus giving them an essay to do as he sat down at his desk to write things down stealing glances at the figure in the back. She sat alone now, she hardly talked, laughed like she used to, she was oddly different. He'd noticed all four of the Seraphic sisters seemed to be uptight, Asryel though seemed angry as the others seemed afraid…what had happened?
"Miss Seraphic stay after a moment." Asryel looked at the door longingly then sighed as the rest of the classed filed out by her, running her hand through her hair she sat there a moment silently watching Severus at his desk, head bent over some project. She opened her mouth to speak then he spoke cutting her off.
"Are you okay Miss Seraphic, you seem a bit off these days."
"I'm fine, Sev…Professor Snape, just don't feel very good right now.
"How can I help?" he said crossing his hands on the desk looking at her as she stood there glaring.
"I'm Fine!" she snapped and without a word walked to the door till his deep voice reached her ears and made her shiver.
"Meet me here tomorrow after dinner I need your help on something." She paused and then walked out of the room continuing to her classes.
Hallow footsteps sounded in the hall and soon a girl with long golden red hair in soft waves was seen walking down the Corridor. The soft silky green night Robe billowing behind her, like water.
Her Bright green eyes where shining brightly in the torchlight. Glancing behind her and down the hall she paused and opened a door stepping inside.
"Well Cleopatra has arrived." Joked the blonde 6th year sitting on a blanket by a burning fire. Cleo flushed and swept in shutting and locking the door behind her; it was an old classroom in the dungeons never used for anything. It had cold stone walls a few tables pushed against the wall. She sidled over towards him and he smirked seeing her curves fully visible when she walked he hips swaying, the silky robes and night gown flowing over her form. The firelight played with her angelic face and long golden hair that hung down to her waist recently brushed. The folds of the silk glinting in the light as well as her eyes, she was Draco's Dream, she was Draco's.
He stood up to meet her as she stepped onto the blanket and he kissed her nose softly pressing his forehead against hers. She smiled as she pushed away and he went to pour some wine he'd smuggled into the school, she in the mean time walked across the room and sat on a table watching him. Her thoughts though lie on her sister at the moment.
Asryel is changing and Cleo knew that.
"Cleo…" Draco said as he come over to her and set the glasses down.
"…Are you okay?"
"Yea, just thinking." She took up a glass and put it to her lips sipping it then setting it down, sliding off the table she stood in front of Draco and rested her hand on his chest looking up at him softly. He drew down and kissed her tender lips gingerly and encircled his arm around her waist pulling her closer. She giggled under the kiss and put her hands up and around his neck lacing her fingers in his fine hair.
Draco relished in her sweet smell, her soft skin, her hunger for no one but himself, it was odd, but he was in love with this girl, she just wasn't a toy to gain money or popularity like all the others had been. Running his hands up to her thighs he lifted her up pushing her up onto the table knocking the two glass of wine over and crashing them to the floor. Cleo let out a moan of wanton as she felt his lips trail down her neck. Damn his touch it intoxicated her, rendering her helpless to resist her desire.
Draco pushed her robes away from her shoulders and kissed down her shoulders and back to her lips then they both jumped as a rather large bang was heard against the door.
Asryel couldn't sleep, her body shook with emotion, she was still falling from sanity no matter how hard she tried and now she had to face Severus tomorrow.
She sighed and got up pulling her school robes over her nightgown and made her way out and towards the 6th year boys' dorms. She had heard Harry talking about an invisibility cloak sometime ago. Opening his trunk she pushed a few things aside pausing as she heard him shift in his bed, finally she came across the cloak and snatched it up. Shutting the trunk she scurried out of the room silently.
Pulling the cloak around herself she came down the steps into the Common Room to find a few seventh years finishing homework. Walking to the Portrait hole she opened it silently and slid out into the halls
I need to take a walk. she thought as she jogged halfway down the corridor before slowing down. It seemed like hours while she wandered around aimlessly down many steps and through many doors.
Her thoughts lie in a lot of places taking her away from where she was going and then she ran into something. She jolted from her thoughts as she careened to the floor the cloak slipping off her. Her head hit the ground with a crack and she moaned in pain as she rubbed the back of her head and sat up to meet that icy black gaze of none other than Severus Snape.
"I…sorry…err…" she stammered looking at the cloak about her as he stood up and looked down on her. He held his hand out to her as she looked down and then looked up to see his emotions, there was none. Cautiously she took it and stood up, coming up a bit closer than she realized they would. They paused looking at each other silently.
Severus was immediately taken back to those weeks before in the room under Hogwarts, he remembered it so well, his eyes danced over her figure as they stood there. She was changing, somehow she was, the ringlets of hair hung in her face as she looked at him lost in thought torn between something…that's when he noticed it.
"Where'd that scar come from, Mis…"
"Asryel." She cut him off pulling her collar around her throat more, Severus seeing this he batted her hand away as he ran his fingers over the three jagged scars recently made.
She shivered at his touch on the sore skin and she cast her eyes down not looking at him, his skilled hands came to her chin and lifted her head. When it was just them he was a different person towards her.
"Miss Seraphic…what happened?" he said in his still cruel voice but she could hear the hint of kindness in it.
"I-can't-tell you." She forced out and made to push away, but he flicked his hand out and caught her wrist. She tried to jerk her hand from his grasp, but couldn't.
"Let me go!" she hissed trying to pull her way away. He shook his head obviously not letting go till she told him what had happened.
"Professor! LET ME GO!" She hissed louder and firmer and he all the sudden let her wrist go as an eerie wind churned in the halls, her eyes were dancing with fury, her face emotionless. She stood there the wind tearing at her hair and clothes, a torrent of heat flushed around them and his eyes got wide.
It is true she is Asryel Seraphic no doubt about it...the youngest of the seven and most deadly. he thought as he pushed her forcefully into a door making sure she couldn't hurt him or herself for that matter. Snapping from whatever trance she was in she looked at him frightened, she then shut her eyes and a few tears escaped down her cheeks.
Severus had his body pressed against hers' as she strained to get away, his face closer to hers than he realized, after a moment she settle down looking into his eyes. He couldn't help it any longer, he was drawn into the fiery pits of her eyes and he couldn't stop himself from bringing his lips to hers emphatically.
At first she tried to pull away from him, but she soon melted into this hungry yearning. God she wanted his strong arms around her, she just plain out wanted him. His grip around her loosened, but the space between them was pressed to nothing as his hands ventured down her body and hers clung to around his neck digging her nails in his back.
He finally broke away and looked at her softly she looked at him her eyes hardly open, but her desire was apparent, her burning lustful eyes staring at him.
"You need sleep." With that he picked her up in both arms carrying her down the hall.
Little did they know that as soon as they disappeared down the corridor Cleo and Draco stuck their heads out of the door puzzled, Draco picked up the cloak lying outside in the hall so no one would know anyone was in the room.
Stepping into his sleeping quarters Severus lay Asryel down on the bed softly. It was really his only choice since he didn't know the password to Gryffindor and he didn't want Dumbledor to know what had happened.
She was angelic as she slept on the bed, he stood over her a moment watching her chest rise and fall in rhythm. He felt the urge to bend down and take her in his arms again and hold her, but he forced his eyes away and walked across the room.
Opening his wardrobe he pulled his night clothes out and glanced at Asryel making sure she was asleep before he pulled his robes off and then his shirt, he turned his back on the girl as he folded his shirt and hung his robes.
Slowly Asryel opened her eyes the head splitting pain jotting through her nerves, but she gasped inaudible as she spotted Severus on the other side of the room, no shirt on. Opening her mouth, no words came out, she only stared sitting up silently. Her Chemise had come untied during the ordeal in the halls and now showed the crease of her cleavage in between her cloth.
He turned around, about to pull his shirt over his head when he dropped it at the sight of Asryel watching him. They stared at each other a moment that spark of emotion flying between them again.
Severus let his eyes fall over her tense figure, her short hair, her Chemise, and exposed legs. He forced himself to look away speaking,
"Get some sleep Miss. Seraphic." Bending over he picked his shirt up and she spoke stopping him once more.
"Severus, I'm sorry and thank you." He didn't answer and pulled his shirt over his head buttoning the three buttons at the top the sleeve hiding the bandage over his arm, that cursed cut he'd woke up with it was like Asryels.
"I should go back to the…"
"No, I'm not letting you, you're too tired to go anywhere." He hissed putting out all the candles save one.
"Then where are you sleeping?" she asked her eyes following him around the room. He glanced at her a moment then shook his head.
"Don't matter, here take this and get some sleep." He handed her a glass of some potion and with out a question she drank it then blinked her eyes a few times. The world swirled around her and she dropped the glass from her hands and it plummeted to the floor, but Severus caught it in one hand watching her lie down in the bedclothes. He drew them around her and gave a true smile.
Cracking her eyes slowly the room was dark and it took Asryel a moment to adjust, then she could see the outline of someone sitting on he edge of the bed. She knew it was Severus, it had to be, getting up softly on her knees she came over and touched his shoulder causing him to whirl around and pin her down against the pillows his hand around her throat.
After a moment he lifted his hand and turned around again. He was holding his arm and curious, Asryel looked over his shoulder to see a glowing mark on his arm like scratches, three of them. She gasped shortly and fell back in surprise. He once again whirled around, bloodshot eyes and his lips pursed tightly, he was over top her within seconds breathing hard, his hands at her sides pressed palm face down on the bed.
"Se…"
"Shhhh" he pressed his fingers to her lips and leaned down closer.
"It hurts…" he choked out in a hoarse voice. She opened her mouth again to speak, but he hushed her again with his fingers.
"It was…" this time she silenced him with her hand and reached up putting a hand around his neck and drew him down kissing him, softly letting him sooth his pain through her.
Letting a hand with haste to the strings of her chemise, untying it he let his lips fall from her lips to her chin and down the front of her neck. Moaning in delectation she tipped her head back softly allowing his lips to venture down her collarbone. Her breath quickened as he pushed her frock away from her shoulders and down slowly, the cold air hit her bare chest as she desperately grasped from something clench on to.
His lips found her supple breasts covering them with soft kisses then he brought his lips up back to her lips kissing her with all the passion quaking inside of him.
He ran a hand past her scar on her neck and then her scar, met with his glowing wound causing a series of explosions in Asryels blood seemingly. She let an airy sound of pain escape and clenched her fists around the cloth of his shirt. He didn't noticed, or if he had he didn't seem to care.
Sitting up momentarily, he came down again kissing her with all the pent up emotion from years before. He let his tongue explore her's twist with hers. He could feel warmth radiating from her, she was warm to touch, so he let a hand run down her side, and hip pushing up the bottom of her frock slowly with fluid motions caressing her skin.
He was in pain, he wanted to vent it all out on something and he hated it that she had presented herself for the task. He didn't want to hurt her; she was just trying to help, but if this went as far as he thought it would, he could cause her injury.
Asryel moved her hands to the hem of his shirt and brought it up to caress his back with her fingers. She could feel scars riddling his flesh along his spine. She shut her eyes having her hand explore up his backbone, she pulled the shirt off him caught a short breath before kissing him again. She wanted nothing else besides him, he was her life now, and anything else didn't matter. The hem of her night gown was pooled at her hips, leaving her legs fully exposed, his hand caressed the inside of her thigh hiking slowly upwards.
Then he jerked away and yelled in pain putting his hands on his head; Asryel, frightened, jumped back against the headboard watching him. Her burning eyes rested on his arm where the glowing had stopped and three marks settled over the Dark Mark. Asryel Gasped, pulling her Chemise up around her. He looked at her in horror.
"What's happening?" With that silence fell over them.
Staring for a long time at each other unspoken words passed between them, between their contrasting eyes. Breaking the trance they had fallen in Severus got up from the bed and crossed the room over to the wash bowl dipping his hands into the cold water.
"None of this happened Miss Seraphic, understand?" He spoke sharply the words cutting into her as he spoke; she slowly laced her Chemise up around her again and then looked up staring at his back that was turned to her. He knew something she didn't, everyone knew something and wasn't telling her.
Getting up she pushed towards the door when she was met by the dangerously velvet voice streaking between the strands of hair hanging in her face.
"Weather foul and Weather fair, six sisters stand and stare. Wince upon a seventh made, Angel of death, Wings of Flame. Let the seventh take the blame. No soul to save, immortal slave, marked by three, The seventh most deadly." It was no more than a whisper, but it caused Asryel to spin around her eyes fixing on the Professor looking into the reflective glass. Something dawned in her, something she didn't know was there…understanding and love, actual love for this man.
"That's me, isn't it?" she asked her voice smoother than she thought it would be. He didn't answer and she took a step closer.
"That's what everyone is afraid of, isn't it?" She took yet another step towards him and laid a pale hand on his arm, he looked up at her, strain in his dark ebony eyes then turned and pulled away from her touch grabbing a book from the table in the far corner.
"Read it, you'll understand." Pressing the book into her hands his brushed against her's softly. They both stopped and looked at each other, that longing desire pulling them back. Asryel was the one to break the gaze, she nodded and strode out of the room.
Cleo sat down on the blanket staring into the fire one hand pressed against the stone firmly. Draco came from the door and walked over towards her sitting down slightly behind her placing a cloak he found in the hall beside them.
"That was your sister and…"
"Professor Snape." Answered Cleo as she looked back at Draco's iron-gray eyes staring at her with imploring desire. She turned her eyes from his so not to see his disappointment.
"It's late I should get some sleep." She cooed as his hand found hers. She shivered at the touch of his flesh, his icy eyes his icy touch, yet warm heart and breath always filled Cleo with all the rapture she could've ever thought possible for her to achieve; a body who has a soul, a soul that has been through everything.
"Something is on your mind, Cleo." Draco murmured holding her pale hand in his.
"You wouldn't understand." She stated standing up only to be halted by his grip on her hand still.
"Let me understand then." He begged looking up at her with his cutting gaze. Sighing she came down again to sit next to him when she was pulled into his lap his firm arms encircling her.
"Now…" he drawled in his normal Malfoy tone.
"…Tell me everything, Miss Seraphic." Taking a deep breath slowly she shut her eyes and then reopened them gaining her normal composure.
"As I've told you I'm not normal, I'm a err prophecy, a statistic, something that wasn't exactly suppose to be made." The blond 6th year nodded his head, stroking her hair with one hand letting his fingers rake through her soft curls.
"Well me and my sisters were created- birthed from the blood line who hardly got to hear us cry out our first breaths in the harsh atmosphere of this new world we entered.
First Faith was born …Child of Air; she was the oldest of us and was killed when she was given freedom. Cade and Jade were born next, the sun and stars twins both didn't look like the rest of us they were born with brilliant white hair, like Veelas though later we found they weren't. A Dragon killed Jade four years ago and Cade still travels the world I think more for Jades sake than herself.
Then came Serenity of water, you've met her, she was born from the same mother as Livid who came a few years after Serenity as the child of dark and light. Then came I who is the only sister of the Rowena Ravenclaw and the child of Earth." Cleo took a breath as Draco gaped at her his thoughts reeling, but where was Asryel in all of this?
"Everyone in our blood line came from the Ravenclaw pure blooded family all taken away by the same twisted man, the man I've yet to know. He was the most cruel man I've ever seen, his signature mark is three jagged marks made by his fingers nails raking over your skin, it states that he has marked your soul for his taking. Once you got the mark you stop aging, I think it has to deal with a potion he gives us when marking us. The reason he marked us was we were part of the Prophecies each generation of a family would spawn a child who would be an angel of a certain realm of elements.
We were taken from our mothers dating back to my great-great-great-grandmother to be branded like animals and to be weapons of war, there was only suppose to be six of us. So we had no souls, they were taken and therefore we were controlled.
I was the most perfected at the time since I was the youngest at the time, which was up until the seventh and true soulless child came about."
"Asryel." Draco automatically said looking at Cleo emotionless.
"She was Rowena's second daughter and when she was born the rest of us were given our souls back though immortality reminded us of our rough beginnings.
The strangest part about Asryelynn is she couldn't be marked no matter how hard he tried. He had stated she had no soul at birth and you can't mark a soul that is not there, it was like the soul she was suppose to have wasn't available so she had none. He tricked her into thinking he controlled her, by means I wouldn't utter to you. The thing that disturbs me now though is she has the mark now, somehow she has feelings besides the deepest hate for the world, Love I would assume." Cleo finished out of breath looking at Draco with her gleaming eyes he just looked at her obviously not sure what to think much less say.
"Now you know what was on my mind, thank you for listening." She got up and walked to the door looking at him one more time and smiling meekly, so unlike herself.
"Good night my Love." She let the words roll off her tongue as she shut the door behind her leaving Draco sitting there pondering everything he had just heard.
"Seven Blades: A Mythical Tale of the Soulless" she whispered musically under her breath as she sat on the sill of the large arched window set into the wall of the Gryffindor tower. Her hands shook as she opened the cover once again like she had at the bookstore, she had been frightened by what she read then. Then Cleo had told her she was an elemental sister, Asryelynn Seraphic and along the way she found more and more about herself. Now only pages stood between her and the truth.
Her burning eyes fell on the first words like they had before and she read over them.
Some think that the seven sisters never existed as others say that they still do, no matter the view it's explained here…
Hours passed Asryel as she read through the chapters the moon light dimly shining through the clouds and lit her page as she turned the rough parchment with her split fingertips.
Part VII
The She-Devil
The Unknown Seraphic
"Asryel?" came a thick voice causing her to jerk in surprise and nearly fall out the window before catching herself, but not before seeing the book plummet from her hands.
"Damn!" she hissed leaning out looking through the fog to see where it landed.
"You okay?" Spinning around with a flood of anger she was about to spit out curses when her blazing eyes met the gelid cool green of Harry's.
"Yea…" was all she could say as she looked at the sixteen-year old boy who had his eyes fixed on hers.
"You're book…it fell. Didn't it?" she nodded and sat down on the sill again beckoning him over, she hadn't read anything in that book worth her time anyway, but yet again she didn't finish either.
Giving a defeated sigh Harry looked over at her as he sat down next to her.
"What are you doing up?" he asked softly in his dark voice.
"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to read." She left out the walk in the halls and Severus knowing that those kinds of things were forbidden.
"Oh, I couldn't sleep either I had a…" he couldn't finish for some reason his eyes were cast outside as if in a long away memory.
"Nightmare?" she inquired suggestively and he looked back at her with sad eyes then nodded. She gave a short warming smile and gathered him into a hug, he was tense at first then relaxed into her arms and nestled his face into her shoulder.
They were like that for a long time before he pulled away and looked at her a moment, a thousand questions raining in his eyes like the tears that had dried on his face.
"Asryel, can I ask you something?" he suddenly became interested in the crack that was in the stone.
"Yes…" she nodded even though he wasn't looking at the moment.
"Well," he looked up at her and cleared his throat before continuing.
"What would you say if I did this?" he articulated softly blending the words together then leaning down planting his lips over her's, his hand cradling her face gently as the kiss went on taking them both away. Then reluctantly he pulled back to look into her eyes with plain desire haunting them.
"I would say wow." She said coolly with kindness, she liked Harry, maybe even liked him enough to date him, but he would never be as well liked, no loved as Severus was; she hated that fact of her feelings.
"I hate to break up this little love fest but I'm in urgent need of speaking with you Asryel." Blotting to her feet along with Harry she whipped around to meet the pallid eyes that belonged to none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy what are you doing here?" snapped Harry putting himself between them.
"Stay out of this Potter, I'm only here to talk to Asryel you Prat." He hissed reaching around him grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the Gryffindor Common Room.
End Chapter