Chapter Eight

Claire entered her house rather apprehensively in the evening, wondering if there were more surprises waiting for her. Severus wasn't there. She called his name, went from room to room.

Nothing. Damn, so he was gone! The stupid bastard really was gone. She opened the kitchen door and went into the garden. One last chance.

"Severus!"

Mrs Davis's head appeared over the hedge.

"Ah, Claire, there you are. Come over and join us for tea. Severus is already here. The poor man was so alone."

Claire's jaw dropped. No, this couldn't be true. Severus sitting with Linda Davis drinking tea! Absurd. She went to the hedge and looked over. There he was, sitting in a wicker chair on the perfectly clipped lawn. He smiled at her and saluted her with his teacup. Claire went back into the house and over to her neighbour's front door. Linda welcomed her with a torrent of words.

"He's such a charming man, your cousin. And so brave, fighting this terrible disease. He told me he was so glad he could come to you as he has no one else to help him. It's so good of you. He's such an interesting man, I've never met a composer before. I really must make a habit of going to concerts, it's so interesting. But he must be fed properly, Claire, he's so thin. I mean I don't want to criticize your cooking, but if you don't have the energy to prepare a meal after work, I'll be perfectly happy to help out. I told him to pop over whenever he likes."

They had reached the garden by now and Claire shot an angry look at Severus, who was sitting there, looking perfectly at ease. He acknowledged Claire's glare by raising an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but otherwise his expression remained one of perfect innocence. Mechanically, Claire accepted the teacup that was offered to her and sat down. While she listened to Linda Davis's endless prattle about her love for music and her hidden talent as a violinist and made all the appropriate noises of approval on auto-pilot, her eyes bore into Severus', wanting to get an explanation. If he could read her thoughts, maybe communication was possible as well.

"A man with no social skills, that's what you said."

"This woman is like a hurricane. I stood no chance to decline her invitation. And you ordered me to be civil. I can be quite accomplished an actor, dissimulation is a vital part of my life..."

Claire was aware of a pause in the flow of words.

"Sorry, I didn't listen. I – eh – admired your daffodils and tulips. How do you make them flower like this," she said.

"I just wondered about the lack of family resemblance between you two," Linda remarked. "Oh, that. It's, well, it's…"

"It's because I was adopted by Claire's uncle. We are not related by blood," Severus helped her out.

Claire choked on her tea.

"Adopted. Oh, how romantic. Do you know about your real family?" Linda had got very excited. Severus shook his head sadly. "They told me I was found outside a hospital door."

"Poor dear. How very intriguing."

Claire, very red in the face, tried to regain her breath. Severus smiled at her.

"I was very happy with my foster parents."

Before Linda had a chance of starting a sermon on the advantages and disadvantages of adoption, Claire got up.

"Linda, I'm sorry, but Severus isn't very strong yet, he needs his rest. I think we should go home before he overexerts himself."

"Oh yes, by all means, take care of yourself, Severus. We can talk again tomorrow."

Claire spun round as soon as the front door was closed.

"How touching a performance, Severus. Your heart-rending drama will make this woman pursue us day in day out. Did you have to exaggerate that much? Couldn't you tell her in your best grumpy way to go to the devil before she got too enthusiastic?"

She kicked off her shoes violently. He shrugged.

"I went outside to sit in the sun on the patio when she spotted me. You had told her about me and she was curious. I only followed your advice. If you don't like the outcome, you can always throw me out, you know. I'm much better today, no more spasms, I really should be on my way."

Something in his voice alerted her, she looked at him sharply, but he averted his eyes.

"No", Claire sighed, "you shouldn't, you're still far from being well. I'll make us something to eat. As Linda said," she imitated her neighbour's voice, "you need feeding."

She went into the kitchen and after a few moments' hesitation he followed. She was cutting vegetables on the worktop. He watched her struggling with the onions.

"Let me do it."

He took the knife from her hand and Claire watched, fascinated, as he deftly and quickly cut the onions into much smaller pieces than she had done.

"Where have you learned that?" she asked non-plussed.

"Well, I'm a potion master. For brewing potions you must cut things, boil them, stir them – it's much like cooking. Anything else?"

Claire handed him tomatoes, courgettes and an aubergine.

"Can you make ratatouille?" she asked curiously. "It's a French dish, vegetable stew, very nourishing and healthy." Again she imitated her neighbour's tone of voice.

"I am able to follow a recipe," he replied dryly.

Claire showed him the cookbook and went about putting chicken legs into the oven, cutting French bread into pieces and laying the table.

They talked about potions during their meal; Severus clearly enjoyed giving her an insight into his subject and Claire enjoyed listening to him. She had a friend who specialized in herbal remedies, but this seemed to be much more complex.

"Round about the cauldron go; in the poisoned entrails throw," she recited, shaking her head.

"What?"

"Oh, it's Shakespeare. Macbeth. The witches are brewing some potion with lots of disgusting ingredients. It just came to my mind, when you described some of your concoctions."

He smiled.

"Disgusting ingredients is quite fitting, fortunately there are Latin names for most of them, so they sound much better."

Claire laughed and the conversation turned to her - mostly futile - attempts at teaching foreign languages to disinterested and untalented pupils. To her surprise she learned that Severus knew Latin, that he could speak French and Italian fluently and had a basic knowledge of German. He told her how much he thought young wizards disadvantaged, because foreign languages were not part of their syllabus.

It was a pleasant meal.

Together they cleared away the plates and did the washing up. Claire made some coffee.

"You know", she said thoughtfully, leaning at the kitchen cupboard and waiting for the coffee to cool, "we have only been together for a very short time, but I feel, well, at home with you, I'm comfortable in your presence. Your being here just feels right. Does that have anything to do with the blood we share?"

Silence.

"Maybe, I don't know", he finally answered, studying the pattern on his mug.

"I've never felt like this with a man before, certainly not with my husband. I don't know how to describe it, but maybe…"

She swallowed, not knowing how to go on. She could feel the heat rise in her face, her mouth became dry. Hastily she sipped some coffee and promptly burned her mouth.

Again there was silence, she could hear his breathing and the soft humming noise of the fridge.

"Maybe there's a word for it?"

He came over, standing close to her.

"Yes, we Muggles have one," she said nervously, conscious of his body next to her.

"So do we wizards."

They looked at each other. His eyes were fathomless, for a long time he remained motionless.

The presence of his body seemed to grow in intensity.. Then he bent down and kissed her lips softly. A shudder went through her. Severus put down his coffee and gently took the mug from her hand. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again and again. Claire willingly responded to his lips and tongue, to his hands caressing her, to his body pressing against hers. Time and space ceased to exist, it was just the two of them, bound together in eternal love. She wanted him so much! "The word's love, isn't it?", she breathed between two kisses.

"Love", he answered, holding her very tight, his mouth in her hair.

"Claire," he whispered desperately, "this is madness, but I can't help it. I tried to fight it, but it's stronger than me. I've never felt like this before, not for anyone."

For an answer she lifted her face and found his lips once more.

Later they were in bed together. Claire was asleep, curled up on her side. Severus listened to her breathing. They had made love, indulging in caresses and kisses, their bodies responding to each other perfectly, reaching the climax as an inevitable reaction to their love. He had never experienced it like this. She was the first woman who wasn't paid for these services or forced to please him. And now he was afraid, terribly afraid. He should have been able to use more self-control, he should not have given in to his emotions, he should have fled from her presence as soon as he was capable of walking. They certainly had no future together. She was a Muggle, an innocent, unsuspecting woman, who had been drawn into this mess by a simple act of kindness. He was a wizard, far from innocent, deeply involved in Dark Magic, an outcast in the Wizarding world, he couldn't take her to live there, and he certainly would be useless in the Muggle world. He was a wanted man, hunted by both sides. What if the Aurors found him? How would she cope with him being sent to Azkaban. And worse – what if the Death Eaters found him, found out about her? The situation was hopeless. He turned violently, making her move in her sleep, snuggling closer to him. He put his arm around her, wanting to cry out loud with desperation. Why was fate so cruel?

A blackbird had started singing in the tree outside before he finally fell asleep.

Thanks to J.K.Rowling for the inspiring characters.