Severus scanned the room with no expression on his face, his Occlumency walls high as the muggle family was tortured in the center of the room for the Dark Lord's entertainment. Another failure, he could not even give them the mercy of a quick death, so he simply tried to avoid looking at them altogether without making it obvious. "Delicious looking meal, aren't they?" Doholov sidled up to him and immediately his stomach turned, knowing where this was leading. Every time there was a bit of sport among the Death Eaters, particularly when muggles were targeted instead of blood traitors, the man would seek him out. He grunted non-commitally, remembering why he was there and why he had to give the pretense of enjoying himself even if he didn't participate. Bellatrix was always on his back about not having the balls to actually enjoy torture, but every time Antonin started up the only thing that kept him silent was imagining all the creative ways he could tear him limb from limb.
"How is my little pet?" Ah, so there wouldn't be any beating around the bush tonight. Maybe that was better, so he wouldn't have to brace for the moment the question came. Black eyes turned on the spineless little cretin and it was everything Severus could do to keep from hauling back and paying tribute to his muggle roots. He knew that the only reason Doholov kept asking after the girl was to get under his skin, but this newfound obsession was troubling in more ways than one. It was one of the reasons he requested she not be out alone next summer, even if that meant more time spent around those two dunderheaded friends of hers. "...Your.. curse.. still holds, Antonin." Eight months had passed since the fateful day at the Ministry, and the potion regimen Miss Granger had been on was nearing the end of its course. But it wasn't quite there yet, and he could see from the glimmer of pleasure he was glad to know his curse was still affecting the girl.
If it weren't for her silencing him before he cast it, there was no doubt she would have been dead before even hitting the ground. Even in the first two months it had been touch and go for a bit, but finally… finally the curse was weakening. Even so, he wasn't about to tell this one anything of the sort. "Good, good. I can hardly wait to see her come undone - quite literally - the next time we meet." He gave a wicked laugh and Severus simply looked at him, never giving a hint of the hatred behind his eyes until the sound died off. It didn't take long for Doholov to get bored and move onto someone who would eagerly join in with him, and so the evening wore on.
Severus was lucky enough to escape the night without punishment himself, though the psychological toll had made him bone weary even without the Cruciatus. Even Dumbledore didn't know half of the things he was forced to endure as the other side grew more and more depraved, and there were some things he would all too gladly take to his grave. But not before putting that vile little man in his. Personally. Warding the floo and the rest of his chambers for the night he decided to put off making a report to the Headmaster until the morning. There was nothing of note that had really been discussed, nothing that would help the Order this time. Shucking off his Death Eater robes he sent them to the wardrobe along with his mask, toeing off his boots and managing to get his shirt unbuttoned before the rustle of sheets alerted him he wasn't alone.
"...Sev'rus?" Her sleepy voice was so innocent, and it was all too easy to let the horrors of the night slide off his back as she held out her arms to welcome him in. "You're back.." Her smile preceded soft kisses and he simply vanished the rest of his clothes to the bin, too eager to feel the slide of skin against warm skin. "As promised." He granted her a rare smile of his own, smoothing his thumb across her cheek before reclaiming her lips again. With a little bit of shifting she was laying on his chest just like she liked, with her head tucked in the crook of his neck just as he liked, and it didn't take more than a few minutes for her breathing to even out again. Severus sighed and watched the ceiling for a moment after placing a light kiss in the top of her curls. No matter what he had to face in the future, he would find a way to come back to her. To keep her safe, whether it was from true dangers like Doholov and the Dark Lord or simply Potter's stupidity and knack for getting into trouble.
He hadn't been able to save Lily, to cherish her even though he had tried for so long. This time, when his feelings were actually returned, he wasn't going to muck it up. As long as Hermione would allow him, he would hide her away in these moments only they knew of. Whisper things he'd never told anyone in the darkness of the night, just to be rewarded with the cleansing sound of her cries and the heat of her body wrapped around him. Worship her with his tongue and guide her through whatever caught her fancy in his library. He knew all too well it was more than he deserved, especially on nights like this. But one day, when it was all over, he was going to rise from the ashes of what he had to do as a spy and be someone worthy of standing by her side.
As promised.
