Chapter 16
Severus' POV
All of this was abnormal. Lucius had been the person I trusted most before Ginny, but Ginny is my world. Had someone told me, even on the night we were first together, that she would mean more to me than Lily, I likely would have killed them for thinking it. Before Ginny, to even think about caring for another like I had cared for Lily was beyond unthinkable. When we first got together before the end of the war, I told myself she was a convenience, an outlet, a pleasant reminder. But that night when I thought she was desperate to see Potter, it opened old wounds and made new pain as well.
I recall hearing Potter ask her to see him again. My own pain, and a need to protect myself, made me send her away. I was mad and angry for a long time. Then as I was tried for my crimes, she and Potter were witnesses for me. I couldn't even look at her, I was so bitter. I didn't want to see her happy with him. The number of times I wished Potter had lost was impossible to count. If Potter had lost, I could have kept her.
She came to see me when I was incarcerated, but I refused her. I didn't want to hear what I was sure were niceties. When I'm hurt, I'm truly a bastard. Then I heard she agreed to marry Potter.
One day, while visiting Lucius, he told me he played a part in Ginny ending things with Potter and that she and Lucius were together. I had told myself that I had moved on, and I almost believed it until the day she unexpectedly returned home to the Manor and walked in on us. I saw the surprise flash on her face at the sight of me. I felt like I had been holding my breath since I sent her away. She was panicked about what all Lucius knew, which was nothing, really. I put her at ease about it with a few words.
I could tell at the time she was happy. If she wasn't, I would never have allowed her to stay with Lucius. But he was also happy, so I stepped back.
Now I was watching my oldest friend deal with the fact that he, like myself, never got over the youngest Weasley. He, unlike me, will not step back as easily. Lucius is used to coming out on top. It will take him longer, a lot longer, to adjust to the fact that I am Ginny's.
My only concern was my wife's forgiving nature and her wanting to see the best in everyone. I feared she might allow herself to fall into a compromising situation. I don't believe she would ever plan to be unfaithful, but I did worry about her self control if she was too close to the line. While I never personally experienced it, I do know that Lucius is a skilled lover, and that there are still some feelings there between them.
Truthfully, if she was to have sex with him I could deal with that, but I know it would never be just sex. I hate to think how her guilt would eat away at her. I was organizing the lab while I waited for Lucius and Ginny to return, to kill time.
A while later, there was a knock on the lab door. "Come in."
The door opened and there was my lovely wife, smiling at me. "We're back!"
"Are you enjoying your time with him?" I asked, knowing I sounded like a bitter arse.
"Snarky tonight, aren't we?" she commented. "It was nice to shop with someone who doesn't bitch about it the whole time."
"But it wasn't just shopping," I pointed out as I relabeled a jar.
"No. At dinner, I pointed out that he has been living Muggle for a few days and he has been in a better mood than we expected."
"Brave of you. I'm surprised you're still standing."
"I know! I wish you could have been there to see the look on his face when I said it!" She came in closer to me. "Come on, let's go to bed."
"Are you sure that's where you want to be?" I guess I had allowed some doubts to eat away at me.
She smiled at me. "Severus, you know there's nowhere else I want to be. I get that, deep down, you're somehow dealing with old wounds that I don't fully understand. If you need time to be a snarky bastard, take the time you need. When you pull your head out of your arse, I will most likely be asleep in our bed. As far up there as your head seems to be, you're going to need some time." She turned and walked out. Seconds later, I heard the garage door slam.
She was right. I'm still dealing with past pain that has nothing to do with Ginny. I went to go after her and opened the door to the rest of the house. As I stepped forward, I could hear Ginny and Lucius at the top of the stairs. "Are you alright?" Lucius asked.
"Severus is in a mood," came the reply.
"Oh. And is he in moods like this often?"
"Only when his wife's ex is staying in the house," she replied.
"He wouldn't hurt you, would he?"
"Only with words, but even then, not much. Not when you know him and understand him."
"Words can be very powerful," Lucius agreed.
"Good night, Lucius."
"Good night, Ginevra."
I knew I should go up and talk to her, but I also knew I was still in a bad mood. I would wait until morning to fix this.
The following morning, I woke before her and ran out to grab her favorite coffee and bouquet of roses and stargazers. She loves the mix of the two flowers. I laid the flowers next to her and the coffee on her bedside table, then jumped in the shower to start my day. A few minutes later, she joined me in the shower.
"Thank you for the coffee and flowers." She smiled broadly at me.
"You were correct about me last night," I admitted, then placed my whole head under the spray of water. The hot water felt good on my neck. I finally pulled my head out of the water in time to see the lovely sight of Ginny under the other shower head with her back arched. This large walk through shower was the best feature of the house.
"I know I was," she said as she worked the water into her hair.
"I am sorry," I apologized.
"I know." She handed me the soap. "Will you wash my back, please?"
"Are you trying to start something?" I asked, taking it from her, then lathering up my hands with her beauty bar.
"I wish I was, but there are things to do today, plus we have the get together at my editor's tonight." I started to massage the rich lather into her skin. She looked at me over her shoulder. "But there's promise after all that."
"If you could be silent, I could pin you against the wall and take you quickly right now!" I whispered earnestly to her.
Her breath hitched at my words. "Mmm, that's tempting."
I pushed her towards the shower wall and reached up, adjusting the shower head so it would continue to spray on us.
Later, Ginny was taking inventory of the kitchen and making a list. This in itself was a holiday tradition. She always stressed about making the perfect holiday. She would buy fresh spices she already has, out of fear of it not being perfect. She was pulling things out of the cupboards and smelling and tasting them, just to toss them out and add them to the list.
Wyatt was working on homework at the breakfast bar. Lucius and I had been talking about the Ministry while both of us watched Ginny. We both found her stressing endearing.
"Mom, you need stuff for the s'mores!" Wyatt exclaimed suddenly.
Ginny smiled at him. "Your father takes care of that." She smiled at me. "Lucius, did you tell Draco about Eva?"
"I did. He looks forward to meeting her. He wonders what she will be like when raised by you, Severus."
"Who is Draco?" Wyatt asked.
"He is Lucius' son and Eva's other brother," Ginny explained. "He was in your Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's year."
"Eva has another brother?" I know my son; this didn't sit well with him.
"Yes she does, but Wyatt, he's older than me. Even if they become close, he would be more like an uncle." Ginny did her best to relax him.
"He has a son who will be starting Hogwarts next year," Lucius explained to Wyatt.
"Lucius, we have a cocktail party tonight, so the girls will make supper. Do you think you can handle an evening with all of them?" Ginny asked him.
"I'll be fine," he assured her.
"The girls can get rather silly when Severus isn't here. Don't say I didn't warn you," she advised him.
"If they get to be too much, I'm sure Wyatt and I can do something to distract ourselves." He winked at Wyatt.
"Severus, there's an owl." Ginny pointed out the patio door.
I rose and went over, letting the bird in. Ginny grabbed the jar we keep for owls and opened it for me to give to the bird. Once paid, the owl dropped the letter and took off. I picked it up and saw familiar writing. "It's from McGonagall," I explained and opened the letter.
Dear Severus and Ginny,
I hope this letter finds you all doing well. I recently met with the fourth years at Hogwarts to discuss their possible career paths. I had the honor of meeting Eva, finding she is a lovely young woman. Severus, you might be interested in the fact that she was thinking of pressing the Board of Governors to add an arts program to the current curriculum and has an interest in heading the whole department.
But I am writing to you to address the other issue she and I discussed; she told me of her Muggle friend Marie. Based on what she told me of the girl, I think the child might be a natural Occultist. The last known example of this was over a hundred years back. I have spoken to a few people and they are reaching out to the Canadian wizard community. I expect someone will be in touch with you and arrange to have the girl tested after Christmas.
Severus, I also caught a glimpse of your son. For a second, it was like stepping back in time. He looks so much like you! I look forward to my interview with him in three years' time.
Perhaps we could meet for tea the next time you are both in England.
Minerva McGonagall
"What is an Occultist?" Wyatt asked.
"It is a person, a Muggle, who has a natural sense or understanding of magic and the 'paranormal,'" I explained.
"Yup, Marie is definitely one of those," he said like he had a clue.
"Not a word to Marie about this, Wyatt," Ginny advised. "Guys, I'm going to do the rest of my gift wrapping. If there's anything you need wrapped, I need it here shortly."
That evening, Eva and Marie were busy making pasta sauce. I joined Ginny in our room to get ready for the event. I was pleased to see I didn't miss my favorite part of her dressing; her pulling on silk stockings. I always stopped and openly stared when she put them on. She likes the attention. I then put on my suit. When I stepped out of the walk-in closet, Ginny was wearing an emerald green cocktail dress that clung to her. It had a high neckline, but her back was bare. She isn't bothered by the faint scars on her back.
"Can you charm my back so I don't get cold?" she requested.
"Perhaps I want you cold so I have an excuse to touch you all evening," I stated.
She just smiled and shook her head at me. After I did my charm for her, she charmed both of her feet and shoes before putting on the heels that will give her a few more inches of height.
I saw Lucius looking at my wife as we came downstairs. I know him well enough to know he wanted her. "Mum, you look hot!" Marie exclaimed.
"Mom, I love that dress on you!" Eva gushed.
Wyatt looked up from the tv and simply gave an approving nod.
"Ginevra, you look lovely," Lucius stated.
"Thank you, everyone. Now kids, be kind to Lucius."
"We'll be fine. I thought we could make him watch all the holiday classics, like Charlie Brown's Christmas, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Eva detailed.
I imagined Lucius' reaction to this and I almost wanted to stay just to watch this! But I will spend the evening with my lovely wife instead.
"Well, everyone, tomorrow we will be going to Candy Cane Lane. Perhaps you can explain this tradition to Lucius."
Alone together in my car, we could talk. "I was an arse last night."
"I know." She smiled at me.
"I often wonder why you put up with me," I stated.
She reached up and brushed her fingers into my hair near my temple. "Because I can understand where you're coming from. Most often, you're an arse to protect yourself."
"What happened last night?" I asked, sounding more like a human being.
"There was a party the girls wanted to go to, and Lucius used the situation to his advantage. He scored coolness points with Eva and got time alone with me. I wasn't going to allow her to go."
"I warned you."
"I know. Look, we did some shopping, he bought Eva and Wyatt each a gift, and it was a meal at a cafe. Nothing to stress over."
"I don't know why I'm so bothered by this," I confessed to her.
"I do, Severus. On some level, Lucius reminds you of James Potter. The fact that he and I have a past has you worrying that you might lose me. Your past pain is causing your reactions, but honey, I'm not going anywhere! I hate to tell you, but you would have had a better chance of getting rid of me if Voldemort won and you were forced to marry me. Then I would have always worried that you felt stuck with me."
"Do we have to attend this party? We could instead get a room and spend the night alone," I suggested. I would much rather be alone with her than have to make small talk with these people.
"Yes, dear. I do have to make an appearance tonight, and besides, I think our room is better than most hotels."