The dull sound of flesh meeting flesh reverberated around the kitchen. A young man of 22 glared down at his partner as she lay cowering on the floor; her usually bright green eyes downcast, hidden by her long locks of dark red hair. She waited for more pain to take a hold of her – as was usually the case – but when none came she lifted her deadened gaze up towards the shaking form of her love.
"Look what you made me do, Lily! You know I don't want to hurt you; I never want to hurt you." His poisonous voice pouring out the lies which came so readily to his tongue after years of practice; lies which the young woman trembling at his feet so readily believed. "I love you. You know that, don't you Lily?" It was all worth the pain and suffering, because he loved her. "Don't you, Lily?" He screamed down at her vulnerable form, anger threatening once more to surface.
"Of course I love you, Severus! I'm sorry." She moaned, her thin form writhing in agony, the small gash on her cheek bleeding freely; this she can deal with, this was fine, but if he were to leave her – which she was so sure he would; after all, she's in no way worthy – then her world would be destroyed. Severus was her world and – for as long as he still needed her – she was his. The simple fact that he loved her even though she was worthless – not even fit to kiss the ground he walked on – proved his devotion.
"Good." He smiled down at her, eyes full of the love he held for her; his fingers lightly tracing over the wound his ring had caused before ghosting over her cheek bone and into her hair; tightening his grip in warning – nearly pulling her hair out by the roots – he wrenched her head back so she was looking up at him once more. "I'm sorry Lily, but you know it's the only way you learn." With that he slams her head into the fridge door, dropping her with a look of the utmost disgust, and leaves without affording her another glance. The last thing she hears is the slamming of the front door before the darkness overcomes her, leaving her unconscious in an ever growing pool of her own blood.