Chapter Twelve: Perpignan Market
They apparated to a quiet little park near the city centre and Severus walked her to the hotel. He said that he had some purchases to make in the neighbourhood and would be back in about one hour's time. So Alexandra went to her room, took a shower and changed out of her walking attire and into a summer dress. Then she packed her things and went down to the reception to pay her bill, telling the man behind the counter something vague about family matters and having to leave immediately. She took her suitcase outside, where Severus was already waiting for her, greeting her more feminine appearance with an appreciating smile.
"Shall we have coffee somewhere?" he asked.
Alexandra looked at her heavy suitcase and sighed.
"That's no problem," Severus said.
He took the suitcase from her and led her around the corner to a deserted alley, where he put it down and pointed his wand at it, making it shrink until it was reduced to the size of a purse. He handed it to her.
"Magic comes in handy from time to time."
He grinned, enjoying her surprise. Then he offered her his arm and steered her through the maze of small streets to the modern city centre.
He was happy. For the first time in his two years of freedom he was truly happy. He had tried to overcome his past, he could work himself into exhaustion and forget about it during daytime, but whenever he rested and when sleep eluded him at night everything would come back with a vengeance. In contact with other people he could never free himself of the sensation that somehow his past was discernable on his face or in his eyes or in his demeanour, and that they would turn away in horror eventually. That and his life-long distrust of people, his deeply-ingrained fear of being made fun of or of being betrayed were the reasons why he tried to keep away from human company as much as possible.
And now a part of his infamous past had reappeared; a woman who knew about his character, his crimes and about his miserable state in prison had come looking for him and had declared her affection for him. And, as the two days of their being together had shown and what he would never have thought possible before, he felt comfortable with her, accepted and at home. Never before had he experienced this with another human being, with the exception of Dumbledore perhaps. But with Alexandra it was even more: There was this need to touch her, to feel her skin, to smell her hair, to explore her body with his hands and with his lips, to protect her, to hold her and never let her go – he had fallen, there was no denying it, head over heels in love with her.
So he had shoved his doubts and his fears into a far-away compartment of his mind, resolutely determined to keep them locked away while she was with him. Perchance she could even make him lose the key…
Her hand in his now, warm and soft, her body brushing against his as they walked down the narrow lanes, it felt so good. He was happy.
They found a free table on the pavement in front of a café and he ordered two coffees. Then they were sitting side by side, her pristine red linen dress and matching sandals a striking contrast to the black shirt he was wearing with his jeans today. His arm was around her shoulders, her hand resting on his thigh, they were watching the passing pedestrians and the car drivers in pursuit of a free parking space. For the first time in two years, for the first time in his life actually, Severus felt as if he really belonged to human society. They were an ordinary middle-aged couple, deeply in love with each other. He sighed with contentedness as she rested her head on his shoulder.
She turned her head a bit and looked up at him enquiringly.
His smile was self-conscious, his voice hesitant and low. "I love you, Alexandra."
She smiled back, happily, reassuringly.
"I love you, too, Severus."
Life was perfect.
Later they went to see Mme Derusseau, who had requested a new supply of salves. They were approaching the market and could already see her stall, when Severus suddenly stopped and pulled Alexandra behind a rack full of long, brightly-coloured skirts.
"What is it?" she asked nonplussed. His face was hard, there was a haunted look in his eyes.
"Ministry officials", he hissed.
"Our Ministry?"
"Yes, our Ministry. Look! Only they would dress in such a tasteless and incongruous way. Are you sure you told nobody about me?"
She was hurt by his suspicion.
"What do you think of me? Of course I'm sure", she replied curtly.
They watched as the two men, one wearing a long leather coat and a panama hat, the other one defying the warm weather in brown corduroy trousers and a thick blue sweater, were having a heated argument with the stall owner in what sounded like a mixture of bad French and simplified, angry English. A small crowd of spectators had gathered round the stall to listen. In the end a very furious Mme Derusseau threatened to call the police and picked up her mobile. The two men gave up and left, while the crowd slowly dispersed.
"Shit", Severus muttered as they realized that the two wizards were coming their way. He pulled Alexandra further back into the porch of the church near by and started kissing her passionately, at the same time watching the market from the corner of his eyes.
Although she knew that this public display of passion was mainly a tactical move to keep his face hidden, she enjoyed it. Finally he released her.
"They're gone."
"Would it be so bad if they found you?" Alexandra asked, still breathless.
"I don't want to have anything to do with English wizards and least of all with the Ministry", he replied vehemently.
"All they want is the formula for that salve, I think."
"It is my invention, I don't give it away."
"It could help many children if it was produced by a large pharmaceutical company."
He sighed. "The problem is that, apart from a few selected exceptions, giving magic potions to Muggles is illegal, even if they are completely harmless and useful. So the only way for me to help children is to remain anonymous and let people like Mme Derusseau sell it."
"Oh", she said in a small voice, "I didn't know…What a silly law. And can't they make your salve one of the exceptions?"
"Actually, the law isn't silly. It is supposed to protect Muggles from potions of Dark magic. Unfortunately it prevents them from using beneficial potions as well. But that's the law, and applying for an exception means a lot of red tape, much testing and many years of waiting for the permit to be passed through the Ministry institutions."
"Could they sue you for selling the salves to Muggles?"
He snorted and shrugged, then turned to scan the market square and frowned. "I doubt that they have given up. I'm sure they are watching the market. That means I can't go there."
He exhaled in a frustrated way.
"I could go. They don't know me."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. After all, you played a role in my release."
Alexandra looked around the market square thoughtfully. Suddenly she smiled. Next to where they were standing there was a stall selling hats and scarves.
"Wait." She went over to the stall and selected a bright red hat. Back in the porch she put on the hat and added a pair of sun glasses to make the disguise perfect.
"Well?" she looked at him enquiringly.
"That's - acceptable. You have a talent for becoming a secret agent."
His eyes glittered while he pulled something small from his pocket, which, after brief contact with his wand, turned into a bulky backpack. She lifted it and grimaced inwardly at its weight.
"You are going to need some means of identification. Here, take this."
He pulled an intricately wrought silver ring from his finger and gave it to her. Alexandra shouldered the backpack, took the ring and set off towards the stall. She paused at several other displays of goods on her way, ostentatiously looking at whatever was on offer, thereby surreptitiously keeping an eye on the other people until she was sure that nobody was following her. At last she came to Mme Derusseau's. She had slipped the ring on the middle finger of her right hand and by fingering jars of honey and jam, displayed it to the stall owner's view.
" Qu'est-ce ce? Ou est Severus ?" Mme Derousseau asked suspiciously in a voice barely audible.
"He can't come, he's afraid of being shadowed," Alexandra explained in an equally low tone while examining a hand-made candle. "He sends me with the salves."
She put down the backpack in front of her and started shoving it under the trestle table with her foot.
"I don't know you. You are a stranger, why should I trust you." Mme Derousseau's suspicion remained firmly in place. Alexandra removed her sunglasses.
"Mon Dieu - you are the woman who was looking for him!"
"Yes, I found him, by accident", Alexandra explained, picking up another candle, blue and shaped like an elephant.
"I'm his friend. Please, trust me."
They were interrupted by other tourists arriving at the stall, asking if she sold the magic salve and if it cured acne as well. Mme Derousseau pointed out the single small white porcelain jar and when they expressed their intention of buying at least five of them, she cast a pensive look in Alexandra's direction and got an encouraging smile in return. With a shrug she bent down and took some jars out of the backpack, wrapping them for the customers. Alexandra watched the transaction, constantly looking around for strangely dressed ministry spies. The tourists left and Mme Derousseau turned towards Alexandra again.
"I believe you", she said, "I'm going to give you the money."
"Wait, I'll better buy something, in case they are watching. This one." Alexandra handed her one of the smaller candles and then the two women exchanged the money and the carefully wrapped candle was put in a green carrier bag.
"Give him my regards", the Frenchwoman said softly, "tell him all the world is asking for him, it's becoming a nuisance. I revealed nothing, though. And – make him happy, he needs it." She winked and smiled mischievously at Alexandra's perplexed face.
"You've been away for ages", Severus complained when she returned to the porch.
"Well, I thought I'd better be careful", she replied reproachfully and removed her sun glasses.
"I'm sorry. You were very convincing."
He drew her in his arms and kissed her gently on the cheek.
"Shall we go home?"
She looked at him, his face was grave and tense. Somehow the day had lost its glory. She nodded, and they returned to the quiet little park from where they could apparate to the sanctuary of his cottage.
Thanks to J.K.Rowling for inventing these wonderful characters