Fifteen – Do you ever dream of running?
There was a knock at the door. Kaira looked up from her marking and frowned.
"Yes?" she asked, in her best I'm-Busy voice.
"It's me, Kaira. Let me in." Sprout called back, in her best No-Nonsense voice.
"Alright," Kaira sighed. She got up and trudged over to the door. She opened it a crack to see her friend peering concernedly at her. "What?"
"Kaira, don't play the innocent. You've been avoiding us all. The school's already gossiping fit to burst about the fight you and Severus had, and now... they think he's done something really horrible to you. Tell me what's the matter."
"It's nothing to do with Severus. And we didn't have a fight. How dare people gossip about me, when it's clearly untrue!"
"You mean you and he weren't...?"
"Of course not! We were friends."
"But you're not any more?"
"Nothing has changed," said Kaira, but she knew she was fooling no-one.
Sprout raised an eyebrow.
"Let me come in, and give me tea and then you're going to tell me exactly what's been upsetting you."
Kaira sighed and ushered Sprout inside.
"You poor dear," said Sprout, after she had finished telling the story of her father. It actually did feel better to talk about it. "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you."
"I really hoped that seeing him again would put a lid on it, like Albus said, but it has only made it worse. Now he's in such a condition, I know he's likely to die and I will still feel as if he's dictating how I live my life."
"He can't dictate your life, Kaira. Fools like whoever it was in the Auror training will find any excuse to be fools. And no-one who matters will judge you by him."
"I hope not." Kaira looked into the fire. "I really hope not."
After a minute or so, Sprout spoke again.
"So this is nothing to do with Severus?"
"Well," Kaira hedged.
"You did fall out with him, didn't you? Was that to do with your father too?"
"No. Severus knew about him from the start. He noticed the resemblance."
"Something else, then?"
"I don't really want to talk about him."
"Perhaps you should talk to him, then," she suggested. "I don't really think he's worth the hassle, but you evidently value his opinion."
"He doesn't want to see me," she said. "I was mistaken that I ever thought he enjoyed my company."
"That doesn't seem to be the case to me," Sprout pointed out. "Severus seems out of sorts at the moment, even for him. He barely leaves the dungeon. I think he'd have the elves bring him his food if Albus hadn't ordered them not to."
"He's usually like that, isn't he?"
"Well, he's much worse at the moment than he's ever been before," Sprout said. "I think he misses you and doesn't want to admit it. There aren't many people who would willingly endure his company."
"I don't think he would ever miss me. He made that abundantly clear."
"Well, give it a go. He can only be bitter and sarcastic and utterly cruel," Sprout grinned.
Kaira laughed.
Severus looked up as someone came into the dungeon. It was her. She looked nervous and ill at ease.
"Professor Elmsford. What can I do for you?" he asked, keeping his voice cold.
"I wanted to apologise," she said. "I was so angry when I thought you'd been stringing me along... pretending to like me, that I didn't even thank you for saving my life."
He stared at her thoughtfully. What was she up to? He nodded stiffly. Did she mean to wring a confession that he did actually care about her from him as some kind of revenge?
"And, well, I miss you."
Kaira was surprised to see Severus' composure slip for a moment.
"What did you say?"
"I miss you," she replied. Her heart was beating very fast, and she hoped he couldn't hear it. "I really do miss you. I know you probably don't care for me, but I still miss you." She looked at him, hoping that he wasn't going to lash out with some vicious remark.
'I miss you', she had said. Severus was dumbstruck. She missed him. She actually missed him. She was obviously sincere. He hoped. But what should he say? He bit back his usual defence mechanism and looked blankly at her for a moment. He got up and walked over to her.
"I... I miss you, too," he said, at last.
And then she was kissing him, and everything was well in the world.
Author's Note:
I know it's short, but that's how they wanted it.
It has recently come to my attention that there are actually people reading this! Hides You must be mad!
Thanks for all the reviews - I really do appreciate it.
Lots of love,
Darklit