Chapter 23

Skyrah woke up with a fright. She sat and hugged her legs, hiding her head in her knees. Severus drifted away from his sleep at the brusque movement. It only took him a few seconds to notice her body was trembling and sweating and that her breaths were erratic. Now on full alert, he sat up and slowly put a hand on her shaking shoulder so as not to startle her. She froze for a second and then, she threw herself at him, sobbing. Severus wrapped her in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, which was leaning on his chest. Her arms were binding his waist vigorously.

"Nightmare?"

She nodded.

"My father." She held back sobs. "He had imperiused you and you were crucioing me and then Dione and Mum appeared and-" she trailed off, but Severus waited patiently for her to continue, trying to shoo the vision of himself doing exactly that to her. "Then Daddy killed Mummy and my lil' sis… He killed you, like he did Daniel."

Severus couldn't stand it that she referred to that monster as Daddy. She had done so just before he cast the curse on him as well. Voldemort didn't deserve that title. It made her sound so vulnerable - like a lost, innocent child - that Severus felt even more protective of her. He found himself kissing the top of her head and rocking her back and forth. A few months ago, he would have felt awkward in front of a weeping woman; he wouldn't have known how to comfort her. Now, though, the gestures and words came naturally, at least in front of Skyrah.

"I'm here. Your mother and sister are alive. It wasn't real."

"It could still happen," she managed to say between cries.

"I'll keep you safe as long as I live, Skyrah. I will not let him do anything to you or to your loved ones. This time I'm planning on keeping my promise," he swore, thinking desolately of the oath of protecting his daughter he had broken.

She pulled away tersely, searching for reassurance and veracity in his eyes. That's exactly what she found. Her husband had meant every word. Suddenly, her lips were on his, kissing him roughly. Her hands were exploring his torso with an urgent need, descending until they caressed his thigh. Severus let out a groan. Taking it as a positive sign, Skyrah kissed him with even more enthusiasm, slithering her hand under his underwear to get a hold of his penis. At the first brush, Severus's mind woke up alert.

"W-wait," he panted, finishing the kiss.

"Something wrong? You clearly want this," she said as she rubbed his erection to prove her point.

Severus bit his lip to restrain another whimper of pleasure. Breathing was a challenging task at present. Against his bodily instincts, he grabbed her hand and smoothly pushed her away.

"Don't you think it's too soon for this?"

She shrugged.

"I don't want to get pregnant yet. We aren't ready for that... But there are many spells to prevent a pregnancy. Getting intimate shouldn't be a problem. I just want… No, not want; I need to feel you inside me, close to me. For a moment I thought you were dead. I have to make sure you're alive," she croaked, putting her hands on his cheeks.

Severus knew that Skyrah had loved Daniel as much as he had loved Lily and he had learnt to accept that she truly loved him, her snarky Potions Master, as she had called him. If he had dreamt of Skyrah dying the same way Lily had, he would have needed to feel her by his side, too. He understood her necessity all too well. He sighed and pulled her in for a placid, short kiss, providing her the solace she required. Her hands held his face strongly. He held hers tenderly. He drew back before the kiss became passionate.

His hands were still cupping her face when he murmured, "I am alive. I am with you, Skyrah. I'll bring you a dreamless sleep potion. Stay here."

"No!" she yelped, grabbing his hand, "Please don't go!"

He was about to ignore her and bring the potion anyway; it was for her own good, after all. Nonetheless, the clasp on his hand was too strong and Severus found himself enfolding her in his arms and cuddling her instead. His shoulder became wet with her quiet tears. He loathed Voldemort for doing this to her.

"Promise me you will never leave me! Promise me you will always be by my side!"

He became immobile. Nobody had ever asked him something alike. He repulsed most people, in fact. Yet, everything he yearned for was everything she was asking: to be with somebody who cared. He wanted to spend forever with her, the only person who had accepted him, flaws and all, the only person who hadn't judged him.

"Always," he spoke from the depths of his soul with bursting emotion in his silky voice, which had come deeper than usual.

This single word meant the world to Skyrah, who tightened her grip even more while Severus played with her wavy black hair. In this position, she could hear the strong beat of her husband's heart, bringing serenity to appease her still disturbed spirit. Skyrah could have sworn that their hearts synchronized at some point, beating to the same rhythm as if there was only one heart in the room, two hearts beating as one.

She snogged him again with more fervor than before, if that was even conceivable. He matched her hunger, offering comfort through the kiss. They only stopped when their bodies demanded to inhale, resting their foreheads together.

"My baby. We didn't even name her… I-"

"Sh. We'll get through this, remember?"

She held back a sob. "Make love to me… Make me forget for a second. That's all I ask. A second of pure bliss, of pure pleasure."

A temporary solution. It would solve nothing. In spite of being thoroughly aware of it, he captured her lips in a sloppy kiss and worshipped her under the gloom of the room, slightly lit up by the moonlight and some streetlights from nearby. Perhaps, he wanted to heal her the same way she had done him when she kissed his scars. Perhaps, he needed that second of ecstasy just as much as she did. Whichever the reason was, he made love to her with extreme passion, devotion and care, longing to grant her what she needed: that second of oblivion, that second of complete bliss and pleasure. His tender kisses covered all of her body, all of her except her belly. He would break down in tears if his lips stroked her skin there.

Dione and Andraste, Skyrah's family, were in a cell. They considered themselves lucky, since, this time, the Death Eater family to whom Lord Voldemort had assigned them fed them twice a day, even if it was in small quantities. The cell also had a little space to have a shower and use the toilet. They weren't the most ideal conditions, but taking into account everything they had went through, this place was heaven.

It was late at night when Dione woke up to somebody calling for them. She went to the bars of the cell and left her mother sleeping. She spotted a boy of about her age. His hair was of a platinum blond color and he had cold silver eyes. He resembled the Death Eater who had taken them there, but she could also see some features from the witch who sometimes brought them the daily meals. This had to be their son.

"What do you want?" spat Dione.

"Don't take that tone with me, filthy mudblood," he said with a sneer.

Dione snorted. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I happen to be pure-blood."

The boy raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You two must be blood traitors then." Dione shrugged. "There are many blood traitors witches… What makes you so special?"

"So you don't know who we are, eh?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow. He avoided her blue eyes at all costs. "Well, see how much I care about you being left in the dark."

"Wait!" he yelped before she left, trying to mask his desperation.

She stopped, but didn't face him.

"I'll give you food if you tell me."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, because the word of a Death Eater is known to be exceptionally trustworthy and honorable."

"I am not a Death Eater."

"You aren't yet," she pointed out, turning around to face him. "What's the saying? Like father like son."

Instead of answering her, he showed her some fruits and rice he had brought. Dione realized just how hungry she was then.

"Are you telling me, or would you rather keep losing weight until all I can see is your skeleton?"

Dione hadn't stopped staring at the food, smelling it. The truth was that she and her mother could use some fruit and rice. They were too weak. She pondered the situation before giving a confident nod. After all, she was sure that his parents were already aware of why they were being held captive. It was just a matter of time before they revealed everything to the boy. If she was the one to tell him, at least, she'd gain something out of it.

"I knew you'd see it my way. Let's start with the basics then. What's your name? Yours and your mother's."

"What's yours?" she shot back, folding her arms across her chest.

"Fiery, aren't we? I asked first. Giving personal information wasn't part of the arrangement, now, was it?"

The girl stifled a groan of frustration. "My mother is Andraste Fawley, née Carrow. I am Dione Fawley."

Both, the Carrows and the Fawleys, were popular pure-blood families; the blond boy recognized them instantly. He stared at her for the longest time.

"I am Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he said eventually.

Dione gaped. Why would he tell her his name, especially when he had acted so reluctant to do so just a few moments before? Dione stared at his grey eyes, which for a friction of time, softened, losing the coldness they had first displayed. Abruptly, his expression turned to his cheeky and arrogant self.

"Fawley, then, why does the Dark Lord consider you important enough to lock you in a cell and change your location frequently?"

The sunlight hit Skyrah's face delicately. She hadn't open her eyes yet. The feeling of skin against skin relaxed her. His chin was resting on her nape, his left arm was holding her by her waist and their legs were entwined. Severus was softly snoring against her ear. She was sure that if she teased him about snoring, an adorable blush would appear on his face while he denied it on his life. She collapsed into giggles at the mental image, unconsciously waking him up. Severus felt like he was still dreaming. Hearing her graceful giggle first thing in the morning was a treasure. He'd give anything to wake up every morning like this. He waited still a few moments to see if she could tell that he wasn't sleeping anymore. However, it wasn't until he hugged her tighter that she realized he was awake.

"May I know what's so funny?"

"Nothing."

"You were giggling."

"I was not. You must have been dreaming," she claimed, not as persuasively as she had desired.

She could tell that by the smirk against her nape that he had caught her lie.

"Your giggle is responsible for my awakening. You will accomplish nothing denying it," he teased.

He couldn't see her face, but he could see her ear from behind... It was crimson (as crimson as her face, he bet), inciting Severus to kiss it. He did, making her gasp. Ever so slowly, she turned around to face him. At her tearful eyes, his expression changed from morning bliss to preoccupation.

"Did I do or say something wrong?"

"No, quite the contrary, in fact. I'm touched," she replied with a soft smile that removed his worry. "You are opening up to me. You aren't so awkward at the time of expressing affection."

As he stared at her, his thoughts ran wild. He had thought he had lost her for a whole day, a whole day which had felt like an eternity in hell, like a punishment. It was scary to admit that he was attached to Skyrah to the point he felt empty without her, but that didn't mean it wasn't true. When she accepted him back and told him she still loved him, his heart was filled again. He made himself a promise. He would seize every opportunity to be with her. There was still a voice in his head that told him that someday she'd find somebody better than him and leave him, or that she would simply realize he wasn't worth it. He needed to create good memories with her. If he ended up alone, they would comfort him. He didn't want to look back and regret not kissing her, touching her or making her laugh when he had had the chance.

"That is what happens when one thinks they have lost somebody only to be lucky enough to realize they really have not. They do whatever they can to ensure every moment is a gift."

Skyrah distinguished a hint of anguish in his voice. A quick flash of the moment he told her he thought he had lost her came to her mind. She twigged.

"You are still afraid of losing me. That's why you kiss me and hug me more. You are trying to live in the moment so that if I ever leave, you can find solace in the fact that you didn't waste any opportunity."

He opened his mouth, but no words came. He had forgotten how sharp-witted she was. Skyrah put a hand on his cheek, caressing it.

"It was me, the one who asked you to never leave me… If anything, that should tell you how much I want to be with you. I'm staying. Always."

She intentionally echoed the word he had pronounced as a pledge last night, trying to make him realize just how much she meant those words. And he did. The moment he heard 'always', his heart skipped a beat and he brought her closer to him. She smiled against his chest and nuzzled into him, shutting her eyes and relishing the moment.

Minutes later, a mischievous grin spread across her features. "I imagined your reaction the moment I told you that you snore. That's why I giggled."

He rolled his eyes. "I. don't. snore."

"Of course you do! You woke up to my laugh, I woke up to your snores!" she replied with a chuckle as she poked his chest to put more emphasis, enjoying his reaction.

Severus blushed. "I don't know what you are talking about…"

Skyrah laughed out loud at his childish response and adorable expression. It was even funnier than the possible scenario she had imagined. When she realized her laugh was embarrassing him even more she took pity on him, kissed his hooked nose and put a hand on his chest.

"It's okay, Severus. It's the first time I heard you snoring, anyway. It may be punctual. We both were very tired. And even if you snored frequently, I wouldn't mind it." Self-doubt still plagued him, so Skyrah took hold of his hand and squeezed it. "Your snores weren't that loud, Severus! For Merlin's beard, don't feel ashamed! Everybody snores sometime during their lives, really, it's fine. I quite liked it, actually, to wake up and hear you."

The last sentence seemed to calm him down. They stayed in silence for a few moments, reveling in the feeling of being so close to each other.

"Thank you," she said, voice small.

"Whatever for?"

"For comforting me last night after that nightmare."

"I know how real nightmares can feel. You would have done the same for me."

She cuddled him closer in response. She looked out of the corner of her eye at him and noticed he appeared troubled, so she cupped his face until he was staring at her dark brown eyes.

"Are you still bothered by the snores thing? I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfort-"

"It is not that." He paused, looking at her expectant eyes. "Why did you tell Potter about your father and your family?"

He had intended to use a soft voice, but it sounded madder than he had pictured. The truth was that he couldn't understand why she had confessed her secrets to the boy. Why did Harry have to know about her life? That was supposed to be a private matter, something to hide from Harry not only for them, but for the boy's protection.

"He knew you were a Death Eater and he asked me why I attended the meeting if I wasn't one. I tried to make him leave, I really did, but he was so bloody stubborn and I wasn't feeling well and I guess… I guess I exploded…"

Skyrah had prayed that the explanation would help him understand. Nothing farther from the reality. Severus was livid.

"Inconsiderate brat! He never obeys! He knew you were grieving. He will regret pressuring you! I will-"

"Harry was worried about me. He made sure I ate something and comforted me. He was the one who tried to make me understand how much I needed you. He just wanted to understand why his Professors, the same people that, need I remind you, he was starting to see as parental figures, went to a Death Eater meeting, especially when one of them didn't have the mark. He was confused and he believed that there was nothing which could be worse than being a servant of You-know-who, so he could take the truth of why I went with you. Little did he know…"

"It was still wrong," he sighed after analyzing the situation. "He may care, but he didn't have the right to put you in that position."

"It was liberating, actually. I just hope he believed me when I told him that I am not like Father."

They fell silent, each lost in their thoughts until Severus spoke again.

"He pressured me too. He was trying to make me go to you. He didn't understand why you couldn't…" he gulped before continuing, trying to erase from his memory Skyrah's frightened eyes at his touch. "Why you couldn't see me. You weren't the only one to confess yesterday. I told him I k-killed our b-baby."

She squeezed his hand. "But you didn't. You know that now, right? The only one to blame is my father."

The truth was that he still hadn't forgiven himself for doing that to his own flesh and blood and to his wife. He didn't want to worry Skyrah even more, so nodded, unable to speak. Her eyes held suspicion, but she disregarded it quickly.

"You will tell Harry where your true loyalties lie, won't you?"

She waited patiently for her husband to recover his voice, tracing circles on his chest with her fingers, wishing to provide him with comfort.

"It's not like I have another choice. We both knew this could happen the moment we welcomed him home. We just hoped we didn't have to face it and we were unlucky."

"Should we meet him now?"

Shyly, he murmured, "I would rather stay in bed with you for a while."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said, making him chuckle lowly.

She kissed his scarred shoulder, one hand lying flat on his abdomen. The gesture was enough to remind him of the morning he had woken up to find Skyrah caressing her belly absentmindedly. His palm traced her side and slid down her womb.

"Does it still hurt here when you look at me?" he asked, quietly.

She teared up. "Not as much as it did yesterday. You're helping me cope."

That was enough for the time being.