Smut ahead. This chapter was supposed to be vastly different, actually. Again. But whatever. This worked much better; the other direction was heading into OOC-Land and I wasn't having it.
Bells rang in the distance. The Alley was deserted, the occasional person walking the cobblestone path. Holidays were usually very quiet here; it was the day after that made everyone crazy. Returning things, wanting exchanges. Just like Muggles. Only the Muggles tended to trample people (Black Friday? Just name alone gave an ominous feeling to Riley).
It was peaceful. Wonderful.
Not much snow, if any. That was what she loved about Hogwarts, being north enough to experience the traditional winter everyone else thought of.
She laid in her bed, snuggled deep in the blankets. She had no presents to really open; the glee of Christmas had sort of left with Sebastian those few years ago. And then with Voldemort's return and everything, Christmas just seemed like a formality. It couldn't be celebrated. Hell, she had missed last Christmas because she'd gone into the woods.
She didn't have the heart to see her father today. She loved him, but it wouldn't be the same. Her mother had always cooked dinner the old-fashioned way, and sometimes relatives stopped by. Little cousins, curling up in her lap as they watched some Muggle show involving a man who traveled though time and space in some weird box that seemed like it had an extension charm on it. Perhaps tomorrow, then. A good reason to close shop.
Riley managed to keep herself occupied while waiting for Scabior. They had agreed on one present each.
His was the small little green box sitting under the pathetic excuse for a tree she had gotten. It was decent size, but nothing compared to the one she used to have at home. That one used to skim the ceiling, and take up most of the corner with its fat branches.
Scabior had let himself in, finding her standing in the kitchen, the kettle on for tea. She was thinking; that much was clear to him. She hadn't noticed him come in, and she tensed at his touch as he drew her into him from behind.
He kissed her temple and let her go, knowing it was better to let her sort them out herself.
She had brought two mugs over into the living room, placed them on the low table and sat down on the floor. Riley plucked the small box from under the tree, holding it out to the man across from her.
He opened the box to find another one, a wooden box with a seal of a watch-maker in the Alley. He was almost as old as Ollivander, and was damn good at what he did, too. The dark cherry-wood box held a silver pocket-watch. The front had the head of a stag on it, the antlers branching off and curling in elaborate patterns. The face of the watch itself was white with black roman numerals. Very simple.
"I didn't know what to get you. I went with something practical. Could always use a watch…" She shrugged.
He ran his thumb over the front, over the stag. She must have gone with his ring for inspiration.
"Not jus' a watch. A fob watch." He dangled it from the chain, the light catching it for a moment. He leaned over and kissed her, the gesture ending as abrupt as it began. "Thank you, Riley."
Putting the watch back in its box, Scabior reached into his pocket, fishing for something. Damn, why'd it have to be so small? He found what he was looking for, cupping his hand over it as he placed it on the table.
He took his hand back and a golden fox, tiny and swift and elegant, danced across the coffee table. It left a streak of golden light behind it as it darted around the books she had left out, around the mugs like a horse doing barrel racing.
It wove itself around Riley's right middle finger, where it remained motionless, creating a ring. Its head and tail were the only details left of the tiny creature, running in an eternal circle.
"'s enchanted wit' a Locomotor charm. It'll animate itself when you want it to. I also tampered wit' it to find me, if you're in danger or somethin'…"
She looked at him, confused. Why would she be in danger? Greyback wasn't after him, as far as she knew. And she hadn't committed any crimes. Well…harboring a fugitive, but no one had found him yet…
The fox unwove itself, tiny golden paws treading back across the table, looking haughty with its tail swishing as it walked.
She smiled, feeling like a child as the fox heeded her call and rested on her finger again.
"Strange how we both chose woodland creatures…" She murmured. "Why a fox?"
"I don' like wolves all that much."
She had come upstairs after work on New Year's Eve, only for her vision to go black. No. She wasn't unconscious, she was breathing, she was aware of herself and her surroundings still. What…was she being kidnapped? Her wand was in her hand in seconds, pointed to whatever threat was around. The point came in contact with something, slightly soft but solid.
Her heart picked its own beat, until she heard Scabior's voice in her ear. "Love, stop pointin' that a' me."
She lowered her wand, rolling it in her hand. She still couldn't see. It drove her nuts, scared her. She relied so much on her sight.
"Why can't I…?"
"It's temporary, nothin' to worry 'bout."
He had charmed her vision for a brief time in order for her to focus on her other senses, on sound, on touch, on smell. She would have no choice, and it would drive her a bit crazy, to feel him and not see him.
He led her by the hand, and she had never noticed how large his hands were. Rough. Warm. His hand nearly engulfed hers but somehow she was okay with that. It worked. Just like how they always seemed to fit together, sex aside.
He had led her into the bedroom, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, or so it felt. His hand had left hers and she couldn't feel his breath on her, no hands, no indication of his location.
Until there were lips on her neck, a chest against her back, hips against hers. Hands grasped her hips, keeping her to him as he enjoyed her flesh. She instinctively arched into him, a shudder running down her spine. Ooh, she'd missed this so much.
He buried his nose into her hair, right near her ear. His hands crept from her hips, one up to her breasts, the other teasing the skin right below her waistband.
Her scars tingled again at his touch, his fingers massaging the skin, kneading, sometimes grabbing a bit too hard for her liking.
The other hand undid the button and zipper of her jeans, fingers grazing her skin until they found what they were looking for. He teased her, playing with her flesh some more. He nipped at her neck as he entered her with two fingers, eliciting a pleasure-filled cry. He withdrew from her and then entered again. She writhed against him, mewing and moaning. She was trembling, finding it hard to stay on her feet as she nearly came. He had withdrawn his hand, leaving her unsatisfied.
Scabior spun her around, her vision returning. She blinked, looking up into light-blue eyes that glimmered with unresolved lust, and kissed her hard and full. Unrestricted. They held nothing back as they tore at the other's clothes, reveled in the feeling of flesh on flesh. She trailed her lips from his neck down his torso, a hand running lightly over his length. Her hands found his hips, and she hesitated for a moment before continuing where she had left off in their previous heated moment. His fingers found themselves once again tangled into her locks as her tongue and lips teased him, coaxed him the way he had teased her. She pulled away when he had been close, and a growl escaped his throat as she worked her way back up to his lips.
"Tease." He hissed, tossing her onto the bed and nipping at her breast as he laid on top of her.
"And you aren't?" She replied, tugging at his messy excuse for a ponytail.
He didn't reply, only wrapped an arm around one of her legs and supported himself with the other. He positioned himself, entering her as their eyes met. She usually closed her eyes, out of pure pleasure, out of normalcy since they were usually kissing. She moaned, having missed how it felt to have him. He found a rhythm, trying to last as long as possible. It hadn't even really been that long, but he had missed this, missed Riley arching up as she moaned, knowing it was him doing that to her, causing her that pleasure.
The familiar tension was building, and she wrapped her arms around him tighter as she found herself trembling, so close.
"Look a' me, Riley," He whispered, giving her bottom lip a quick nip, like a pup. "Look a' me."
Her grey eyes found his, icy blue that sent no shivers of cold down her spine. He thrust one last time, causing her to cry out louder than before as she came. He moaned her name, but they never broke the contact, never looked away from the other, never closed their eyes in ecstasy.
He let out a heavy breath as he laid his forehead against hers, sweat beading down their faces. He withdrew, but stayed on top of her, the both of them catching their breath.
They eventually had curled up under the covers, Riley curling up and resting her head on his bare chest. His arm was around her, holding her to him and almost protecting her, with his other hand teasing stands of her hair between his fingers. Their legs were tangled together.
Scabior never wanted this to end. Having Riley, be it in bed or just there. A companion. He adored the little things about her. Never wanted to let her go or be hurt by anyone or anything. A year ago, he was a bitter, horrid Snatcher running through the woods and thinking only of himself as he turned in people for money to continue living. And now, here he was, curled up in bed with a beautiful woman and hiding from the law he had yet to answer to. Some would have said he had gone soft.
He didn't care.
He couldn't go through it again. Losing the woman he loved because he had fucked up. He couldn't go through Azkaban again. He had told her he was done with being on the other side of the law and he meant it. He couldn't hurt her, couldn't hurt himself by landing back behind bars and dementors. He wanted to stay with her, be with her. Fuck the near-decade between them. Some distant part of him saw a future with her. He wanted to live. He didn't want to have to sneak around like he did because he didn't want to be caught.
He murmured words he hadn't even thought of in a little over a decade, amending the name at the end to match the woman in his arms. "I love you, Riley."
He had made his choice.
Large hands held the frame given to him, nails more like claws now. His former leader holding that stupid half-blood witch in his arms, looking smug and protective.
Oh, he remembered her. The stupid girl who got off because she fucked Scabior. He felt it necessary to ration out some of their group's food for her. To make sure she survived.
Greyback would have made sure her last breath was right after he pleasured her and ripped her to shreads.
The large man's eyes fell back upon Davidson, waiting with the infinite patience of a subordinate.
"He's only a threat if he opens his mouth. Do nothing but keep an eye on his movements, and on the girl. Nothing else. We'll play it by ear."