Hello everyone and AGAIN sorry for not updating for two weeks! But here I am again with another chapter! As usual, I'd like to thank PhoenixHalestormLongbottom, AnnieAC, Calicokel, CarlZerris, Missyick, Yuri Sato and sachaelle for following and adding the story to their favorites, but ESPECIALLY fireanna, WHO ALSO LEFT A SUPER NICE REVIEW! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
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Bonded
Juliana was playing absentmindedly with the arm Severus had draped across her middle while he kissed her neck softly. They were in the Room of Requirement again, only this time there was just a big bed and a few candles adorning the room.
"I've made some progress with my Patronus." She said after a while. He just hummed in response, signaling her to go on. "Now there is this kind of white mist coming out of my wand ." She said dramatically and he laughed quietly. "I believe there's something wrong with my wand." She whispered to herself some time later.
"Why?" Severus mumbled on her ear, making her shiver.
"Because it just feels like a wooden stick in my hand." She replied, turning to face him. "That's not how it's supposed to feel, right?"
"No, but your wand was given to you by the school out of a limited stock. They skipped all that the wand chooses the wizard thing. They just gave you what they had." Juliana scrunched up her face, unsatisfied with his answer. After a few seconds her expression changed and she sat up on the bed.
"Lend me yours." She commanded with a mischievous smile.
"What?" He asked taken aback by the request, but quickly realizing it might not be such a bad idea. "Do you think that would work?" She nodded excitedly and he reached for his pants on the floor. He took his wand out of his pocket and handed it to her gently. She took it carefully and tested how it felt on her hand.
"Try a basic spell first." Juliana nodded and pointed it at the pillow.
"Wingardium Leviosa." She said and it floated to the ceiling of the room. "It works." She concluded putting on a shirt and walking to the middle of the room.
"Focus." Severus told her and she nodded again before taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and pointed the wand at the empty space in front of her.
"Expecto Patronum." She said and out of the wand came a blast of white shiny mist that vanished almost immediately. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment and she lowered it. "Forget it." She muttered and turned to give it back to him, but he stopped her.
"No, no. Wait." He said as he put his boxers on and walked to where she was. "You are definitely not going to get it you try it like that. Are you really thinking of your happiest memory?" He asked skeptically.
"Yes!" She nearly yelled in frustration. "I assure you it is. But there is that mist coming out, it's like the spell wants to happen but it just won't!" Severus bit back a smile. "It's just— ugh! Forget it. This is pointless." She sighed and he looked at her with a frown for a second until understanding flashed in his eyes.
"Love, do you think you can do this?" He asked softly and Juliana raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Yes. Of course." She answered immediately and Severus gave her a dubious look. "Severus, I do." He raised his own eyebrows to match hers. "I—" She lowered her face and he placed his hand on her cheek, making her look up. "No. No, I don't." She confessed with a tired sigh, looking away.
"Well, there you have it. If you don't think you can do it, you won't be able to." He leaned down so her face was an inch apart from his. "But I think you're wrong. I believe in you, and I'm sure you can do this." She captured his lips with hers for a moment before pulling away. "Try again." He encouraged with a smile and walked back a few steps.
She took another deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of Severus' wand on her hand— something so important to him that he gave to her without a second thought— and on her happiest memory.
"I love you." Severus had whispered suddenly and less than one second later his eyes widened and he looked scared like he'd said something wrong and she couldn't help but think about how amazingly gorgeous he was and how that moment was precious and perfect and everything she could have ever wanted.
"I love you too." She had replied in the same tone and then they were kissing madly and they made love again and again and the night became the most amazing of her life.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She bellowed after opening her eyes and her wand released a light so bright that it forced her to take a few steps back. In a second the light morphed into a gigantic grizzly bear, the surprise making her eyes widen until she thought they could pop out of her skull.
"Jesus." She whispered at the same time Severus said bloody hell behind her. The bear roared silently while they just stared, dumbfounded.
"It makes sense." Severus murmured and she turned to look at him, getting distracted and breaking the spell.
"Whaa...?" She asked dumbly, her attention still on the Patronus that had just vanished.
"In the end, one's Patronus is a reflection of your personality, state of mind and... soul. It makes sense a grizzly bear is yours." He finished with a tiny smile and was deep in thought for a moment. "But it was so big... and intense. What memory gave you that level of power?" He questioned. She had completely zoned out, looking at the wand on her hand, but she still managed to answer, probably without even realizing what she was saying.
"The first time you said you loved me." She replied softly, and he stared at her in silence. After a few seconds she came back to her senses and looked up to find him staring at her attentively.
"What's wrong?" She asked, frowning.
"Your happiest memory... the— the memory that made you conjure such an imposing Patronus... is of me saying that I love you?" He asked with no clear emotion on his voice. Her frown deepened, if that was possible.
"It's not stupid; I don't care what you think." She said and handed him his wand but he didn't take it. He just kept looking at her without moving, his face emotionless.
"Severus, what's wrong? You're scaring me." She said quietly and moved close to him, placing her hand carefully on his cheek. His eyes watered the moment her skin made contact with his and he shut his eyes tightly. "Oh God." She said and threw his wand to the bed, so both of her hands were free. "Severus, my love. What happened?" She asked, holding him tightly against her as he broke down and fell on his knees to the floor, crying with his face buried on her shoulder. She whispered comforting words on his ear while she waited to for him to calm down, which took a while.
"I'm sorry." He whispered once he was able to speak again, not looking up.
"What for?" She asked, stroking his hair.
"Being weak." He answered, his voice hoarse.
"Crying doesn't make a person weak. Especially if it's you. But what made you so sad?" She questioned worriedly and he finally looked up.
"No, that— it wasn't sadness." He confessed looking into her eyes, communicating without words.
And in that exact moment she realized that, even if she had showed him a thousand ways that she loved him, he still didn't fully believe it, until now. "I love you so much." He whispered pressing his forehead against hers and she couldn't help but smile as her eyes filled with tears too. A second later she was crying and the next they were kissing. It was both messy and desperate, but it was the one kiss that finally sealed their bond and brought them closer than ever before.
I'd love to hear - um... read actually... your thoughts on this story! Review if you can! :)
