It was May. The air was warmer and flowers everywhere had begun to bloom. Wikeni and Severus had been married on the 28th, only three days before. Severus was in the habit of bringing her fragrant yellow flowers every other day. Wikeni, back in her own house, had almost 10 cups filled with warm water and flowers sitting on her dresser. Severus himself felt oddly with them around. He wasn't used to giving gifts, let alone anyone enjoying them. It was a Friday afternoon, classes were finished for the day, and he was waiting for Wikeni to get home from school. Although she was 25, she decided she needed to finish the degree that she had started working on years ago. Journalism, of all things, was something Severus definitely loathed, and it just so happened to be Wikeni's major. He hated everything about the press and media, from tear-jerking sob stories to biased political opinions. Wikeni claimed she didn't like it much, either, but she loved to write, and "Besides," she explained, "If I work within, I can change it from within." Severus only rolled his eyes. She was beginning to branch out into photography, anyway, something far less offensive but with much lower pay. He shifted in his seat, bored. He hated waiting for her all the time.

Suddenly, she came bursting into the room, out of breath and grinning from ear to ear.

"Sevvie!"

Severus grimaced. "How did you know I was here already?"

"Well, A: Your classes are over, and B: You left your broomstick out by my front door. My neighbors are going to think I'm crazy, that broom looks like it's made out of money."

"No, Ironwood."

"Crazy, how does that thing fly?"

"With magic, of course."

"Duh."

Wikeni smiled. Severus had come, shrunken and shy, to her around Mid-March, and meekly explained about his entire life; the fact that he was a wizard, taught Potions at a large magic school, and was somehow involved with a very dangerous, very terrible wizard he merely referred to as "The Dark Lord." Severus was not very clear on this part of his life, but Wikeni got the picture. He showed her a dark, burning mark on his arm, one of a snake crawling in and around a skull. Severus did not come across to Wikeni as someone who would have a tattoo, let alone one like that, but she ignored it. It gave her the chills to look at it. When Severus first told her the truth about his occupation (he originally said that he was a chemistry teacher at a private school, which really wasn't that far off), she, of course, met it only with disbelief. He brought out his wand, however, and from its tip, procured a black rose. When she still didn't trust him, he placed his wand back into his pocket, then flicked his hand and made the flower burst into flames. Wikeni never asked for another demonstration.

"So what's up, Sev?"

Hearing her say his name still sent shivers down his spine, even if she did use a moniker.

"Well, as you know, the end of term is nearing, and rather quickly. Soon, I'll be quite free for the summer, though I might have – other duties – to, the, ah, school."

"Yeah." She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't want to merely sit around your home… after all, you do still live in your grandmother's house…"

"Yeah, but she's not around. I mean, she's always on vacay and stuff…"

"Well, of course, but don't you think we ought to move out? I don't believe that your tiny little room can accommodate us for much longer."

"Why? It's not like we have any kids yet, and we've only been married for three days."

"I know, I know, but it might be nice to consider… having our 'own place.'"

"I don't have that kind of money, Sev. You know I don't. And I'm not going to ask you for a handout!"

"A handout? Wikeni, you're my wife! My – responsibility."

"Yeah, but honey, I'd rather help you pay for it, I just wouldn't feel right sleeping at night, knowing that it's only your house and technically I'm just renting it from you."

"Renting it from me?"

"Yeah, you know, I'll have to cook, clean, wash the dishes, do the laundry…"

"Please, magic can do all of that."

"I'm not a witch, though. I need electricity. And I can't be pampered… All the time."

"That's a nice thought, but seriously, I can't live here for the rest of our lives." His tone had suddenly gone very dry. "Do you want to move out or no?"

"Well, of course!"

"Then here." He whipped out a large, yellowing piece of parchment upon which there was tiny black lettering.

"Oh my God," she said. "This is a deed."

Severus smiled weakly.

"Does it matter?"

"Maybe. What about your parents?"

"I haven't seen them in almost 17 years."

"Why not?"

"I left their house under – strained circumstances."

"Oh. You know, I never got along with my parents all that well until they divorced. They were a lot nicer apart. Were yours?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he snapped.

"What? Hey, if you want to be my hubby, you have to learn to open up a little. I did."

"Yes, and now you're crazy already."

"No I'm not, I'm just happy. Something you would be, too, if you just relaxed a little."

Severus sighed. She was driving him crazy.

"Do you want to move out or not?"

"Well, that depends. Is this in a wizard area or not?"

He sniffed. Once again, he asked, "Does it matter?"

"Whatever. I never even heard of this place… Spinner's End? Where the hell is that?"

"Somewhere… a little farther off."

"Doesn't sound very cozy."

"It's not meant to."

"I'm not going to raise kids in a dumpy little neighborhood with crooks everywhere. It's not right."

"Well, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"You mean you're going to sell the house?"

"What? No, I meant you don't have to have kids."

Wikeni's face suddenly darkened.

"Like hell I'm not."

"You expect some already? God's sake, we've only known each other for three months!"

"Not now, I'm not ready for any yet, either… but, when the time comes, I don't want to be hassled by a horrible neighborhood or the stresses of moving."

"Well, who says we'll have any anyway? I mean, I'm quite a bit older…"

"Only a woman's age really matters. Guys can father kids at like… 80! I've got a good… 15 years left in me."

"But I mean, I've gotten quite… worn."

"Worn? But you said you'd never…"

"No, no, I… I've never… not that… before you…"

"Well, me neither…"

"Look, just think about it, alright? We don't have to move in right now. But how about soon?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"Well how about you live there and I'll live here. You had no problem when we were dating."

"You can't be serious! We're certainly not dating anymore."

"Exactly, so why should we worry about preventing kids anymore?"

"We never did in the first place…"

"So why now?"

"Because now it's more of a possibility!"

"What? Are you crazy? People just don't have kids because they get married! We could've… I mean, I could've… you know, before! Why care now?"

Severus was silent.

"Is it because if I had gotten pregnant, and we weren't married, you could have just left me?"

"That's not it. I just… Wasn't as close to you before."

"Liar."

"I wouldn't abandon you, Wikeni. That's the last thing I'd do. I just hadn't thought about children before. I didn't think you did, either."

"Well, yeah, I mean eventually I would like kids. Granted, even if we adopted, I would like some. Or even just one. Wouldn't you?"

"No."

Wikeni's features suddenly turned very cold and she turned her shoulders away from Severus. Somehow this was extremely attractive to him. He didn't know why, but when Wikeni would get angry or show her cool streak (which she most certainly did have), Severus found it quite striking, if not disturbing, and although it scared him a little, reassured him that they were not as different as they both thought. He touched her hand gently.

"We can wait a few years, can't we?"

Wikeni's jaw tightened. God, she was so stubborn.

"Alright… alright. If it happens, it happens. Now are you happy?"

Wikeni brightened immediately and squeezed him. "Very," she said.

Severus scowled. He loved her very much, though it was extremely hard to admit it to himself, let alone Wikeni. He hadn't even gotten the nerve enough to ask her to marry him straight out… they were lying in bed, freezing, and Severus was behind her. He reached over under the pretense of warming her hands, but slipped a gold and diamond ring onto her left ring finger. She was startled, but sat bolt upright, then cried her eyes out, which scared him half to death at first until she said yes, smiling and wailing. When they were married, it was in a small civil chapel far away from Hogwarts and her home. She didn't tell her parents until the next morning, where, instead of being outraged, they cried over the phone and congratulated her and requested to meet him soon. Severus had yet to see or talk to them, but was very nervous… Wikeni said that her family would be very strange, but very accepting, and would do their best to chase him off. Severus hoped that she was kidding.

He broke away from the embrace and looked into her eyes. She smiled and held him again. Severus was suddenly very scared… if he had to face The Dark Lord again, if he definitely returned, what would she say? Would she suspect anything? How would she feel if she knew the truth, and what would her reaction be? Strange that his potential return to power would make him think more of his new wife than of himself or the danger he would soon be in… if they really did have children, how would he explain to them in later years that he was once a Death Eater, a member of a forbidden and extremely dangerous gang of followers to one of the most powerful and feared wizards in history? He was once serious about following them… power was very attractive to Severus then, and he could almost taste his victory over the four who had made his education at Hogwarts more miserable than if he were living at home all year.

But he remembered her face. Her loving, trusting face before he betrayed her… He had never forgotten his first love, those many years ago, and when the Dark Lord threatened her life, he turned to the protection of Dumbledore… trustful Dumbledore. He had been more of a father figure than his biological one ever had, and Severus did indeed look up to him then. He never tired of his intelligent tricks and benign humor, nor his almost infinite knowledge, which Severus drank like a dying man. Now, however, he was much older, and quite unsure of himself and his abilities, which had lain somewhat dormant for fourteen years.

He had a different duty now, though. He needed to protect his wife, Wikeni, from any danger that could befall her from his "connections." They would probably kill her if they knew she was a muggle… he would have to hide her well or pray that Voldemort would either not come back or not care… neither gave him any real hope. Although Voldemort had extended that protection to is first love all those years ago, Severus doubted he would be as merciful towards a true Muggle girl, Severus' wife or not. He merely looked into her face again.

"Severus, is something wrong?"

He paused. Then he smiled.

"Nothing I can't handle."