Chapter 27

Three days passed. Skyrah had a free period. She was heading to her office to correct some fourth-year essays when a sound stopped her dead in her tracks.

A crying baby.

She turned around and looked straight at a painting that showed a woman trying to hush her baby, rocking him. Skyrah's eyes lost their lively spark. A knot formed in her stomach, the desire to correct the papers lost. She only felt like crying in Severus's arms, as she usually did when the memory of what happened occasionally struck her. But her husband wasn't there. He was teaching fourth-years. She didn't realize her legs had begun to march until she found herself in the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy?"

Her voice had come out feebler than intended. Skyrah hoped there were no ill students yet. Luckily, her wish was granted, for only Poppy was there. The medi-witch stopped squirreling away some healing potions and bandages and went into full protective mode when she spotted Skyrah. Poppy put a hand on her back and guided her until they sat comfortably in a hospital bed.

"Are you hurt?"

"Not physically." Poppy knew what she meant. "I-I remember you told me that you had a mis-miscarriage too… How did you do it? How did you cope with it?"

"I learnt not to blame myself for what happened, although it took me years. It was a hard, frustrating lesson. I am a matron, my job consists in nursing, yet I wasn't able to mend my own soul. My husband made it all better though. I didn't have to mourn alone. Eventually, I understood that the best medicine is love. It heals it all. Love and time will heal your wound."

During her discourse, Poppy had dried some tears that had escaped Skyrah's eyes. It was then when Skyrah realized why her husband was close to the old woman. She was that kind of person that, just by standing next to you, made everything you were surrounded in shine a lighter shade. The world needed more people like her.

A guilty feeling developed in her stomach and that was when the apology slipped off her lips, "I am sorry Poppy. I wasn't very friendly when you came over to make sure I was okay. My cold attitude was uncalled for."

"I know what it feels like. It was still very recent, I understand. I've known Severus long enough to gather that he wouldn't marry a woman he didn't love. Your wound will scar over, believe me."

"We are trying to cope, but it hasn't even been two full weeks since we lost her. Sometimes, I have flashes of that day, and the thought that I'll never be a mother makes me feel sick. Nightmares have become my nightly routine. I miss my daughter and she wasn't even born."

"I know. It is only natural that you feel like this. You can be a mother, Skyrah. Everything is fine with your body. It'll heal. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Skyrah was moved by the nurturing nature this woman seemed to spread across the room. As new tears formed in her dark brown eyes, Poppy clasped her hand between hers. Her touch was firm yet caring, and Skyrah felt like she could finally let go. Poppy had gone through something similar and had survived. It wasn't impossible for her either.

"Thank you for everything, Poppy."

Poppy gave her a small smile.

The Snapes were on the bed. Skyrah's head was on Severus's lap. He was reading to her, his fingers stroking her hair as his baritone voice caressed the rest of her body. He reached the last sentence and left the book on the nightstand. He didn't stop toying with her tresses. Skyrah curled into him and nearly purred like a cat would, making him chuckle lowly.

"I love your voice and hands…"

He raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Indeed? So if I were to touch you like this." His spidery fingers grazed her side as his other hand traced her lips. "And tell you that everything I can think of at the moment is how much I yearn to kiss you, what would you do?"

She shivered under his voice and hands, eyes tinted of desire. It made him feel butterflies in his stomach, like any dunderhead he had to teach felt in front of their crush. What surprised him was that he didn't care one bit, he quite liked it.

"I'd probably tease you before granting your wish," she said with a sly grin.

Severus smiled, something he reserved only for her, and bent his head down. Their lips were about to meet when Skyrah turned slightly so that his mouth landed on her cheek. He pulled away. She giggled at his pout.

"Now, now, Severus. I told you I'd tease you… You didn't truly consider it would be so easy to-"

His bow-shaped lips interrupted her, turning her voice into a dimly strangled whimper. Since the angle was uncomfortable for them, Severus carefully retrieved his legs from under her head, turned over and got on top of her, all of this without breaking the contact. His tongue poked and glided along her lips until Skyrah opened her mouth, inviting him in. Her hands snaked around until they settled on the back of his head, bringing him closer. Severus pulled back, eyeing her smugly with a special flicker in his eyes.

He couldn't resist giving her a playful peck and joshing, "I'd say that it isn't that difficult to get a kiss of yours, not even when you play hard to get."

"Arrogant prick!"

She smacked him playfully before her joyful guffaw echoed across the bedroom. Severus lived for these moments. They were his fuel. He wondered how he had survived so long without her company. He didn't even want to contemplate it. The only thing that mattered was that he was with this enthralling witch who made him feel alive. Her laughter melted away as she raised her hand to cover her mouth and yawn.

"Do you want to go to sleep already?"

"No... I'm a little tired, but I don't want this perfect moment to end."

His heart skipped a beat at the realization that she felt exactly as he did at the time. He had to force himself to breathe properly. He was about to kiss her forehead when she yawned again, proving that she was more than a little tired, as she had put it.

"The moment doesn't have to end. We can cuddle until we fall asleep."

"Oh, so you are a fan of cuddles now?"

"Only with you."

Skyrah chuckled. "I'm certainly not going complain…"

The couple moved so that Severus could spoon her tenderly in his arms.

"May I ask you something?"

Her tone had come out as shy, something unusual in her. Severus masked his nerves behind a confident nod.

"On my first day at Hogwarts, I met the librarian." Severus's throat went dry, although his expression remained the same. "I noticed she was cutting, but was there a reason for you to send her a deathly glare?"

Severus hadn't expected that question. If he lied, she would see right through him. Subtleness was the key.

"I look daggers at basically everybody in this castle except you, Poppy, Minerva and Albus. I don't know why it surprised you." He paused. "I don't like her, not many people in Hogwarts do."

Skyrah got the impression he was hiding something, but she blamed it on her sleepy mind and dropped the subject. She nodded to let him know she wouldn't be questioning any further, something for which he thanked Merlin.

"Good night," she babbled as her eyelids shut.

He kissed her temple affectionately. "Good night, Skyrah."

Any thought Severus had of Irma Pince or, more accurately, Eileen Prince, flew away thanks to Skyrah's steady heartbeat, a sweet melody that lulled him to sleep.

Severus was patrolling the corridors at night. Two weeks had passed since the course began. Skyrah was alone in her chambers when she spotted a note under the bottom rail of the door. She frowned and inspected it. Her face paled when she read the content.

I can help you. Meet me in the Astronomy Tower at midnight. If you cherish your family half as they do you, you will not tell your husband about this.

She didn't identify the handwriting. It wasn't signed. Anxiety arose. The only ones who knew about her family in this school were Severus, Albus and Harry. Then again, she wasn't sure whether her father would reveal to every Death Eater about her and her family. What if some Death Eaters knew? What if she was teaching some daughters or sons of these people? She peeked at the clock. Ten to twelve. It wasn't like she could waste time looking for Severus to let him know what was happening. He wouldn't get to their chambers until a quarter past twelve at least. Skyrah accioed a quill and some ink and wrote something below the note.

"Severus,

I have less than ten minutes left to go to the Astronomy Tower. If I am not back by twelve thirty, tell Albus and look for me. Don't come earlier. I don't want to risk it.

Skyrah."

She left the note on their bed and made her way out of the dungeons and towards the cited spot of the castle. She arrived there a few minutes earlier. Somebody else was in there.

"Five points from Slytherin, Draco. You know that you should be in the dungeo-"

She trailed off when she had a crazy idea come to her mind. Draco was a Death Eater's son. What if Lucius had told him something? As far as she knew, Lucius only knew about the arranged marriage and their mission. Nothing else. But then again, there was the possibility that the pure-blood family had been commanded to watch over Dione and Andraste. If that was the case, why would Draco want to help her?

"You were the one who sent me the anonymous note."

It wasn't a question. Draco could do nothing but gulp. An irrational fire clouded her mind as she took her wand and pointed it at him.

"What do you know?"

Her voice had seldom sounded so intimidating. Draco flinched.

"Has your husband followed you?"

"You are in no position to ask me anything. What do you know about me, about my family?"

Draco began to sweat. "I will tell you nothing until you lower your wand and answer my question. You are supposed to be my teacher. You cannot threaten me."

Skyrah did as told reluctantly. "My husband hasn't followed me, but I guess it doesn't come as surprising, does it? You knew that I was alone and that Severus was patrolling. You made sure I could come behind his back. You had it all planned. Very Slytherin."

By her tone, Draco couldn't tell whether she was complimenting him or not.

"He cannot know what I am about to tell you. If he found out, it would end badly for both of us. He is his most loyal Death Eater. He wouldn't hesitate to fill in the details to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This must stay between you and I, got it?"A stony expression plastered on her face, revealing none of her feelings or thoughts. She simply looked at him, daring him to continue. "What if I told you I know a way you can communicate with your family? You could write letters to Dione and Mrs. Fawley. You should give them to me so as to be discreet and avoid Professor Snape. I will send them as if they were addressed to my mother. She will give them to your family. They might reply. In that case, I would give them to you during Professor Snape's patrols."

So my family is most likely in Malfoy Manor, she easily deduced.

"Why do you trust me? What makes you think that I won't go to my father after our little meeting and let him know that you and your mother are untrustworthy?"

Her tone was icy, aloof. She didn't let any emotion betray her and Draco was beginning to panic. He didn't want to anger her more.

"I know your sister, er, half-sister. I… You aren't what your father makes his followers believe. You aren't like him. That's why he blackmails you with your family."

Skyrah was beginning to have trouble keeping her emotionless façade.

She tried to dissimulate it by snapping, "Why do you care? Why did you risk your safety for me and my family?"

"It doesn't matter why. I just did. Isn't it enough for you?"

A hopeful tear slid past her cheek, finally breaking through her mask. Draco was astonished yet relieved by her reaction. He could finally see the teacher that had helped him in class, not Voldemort's daughter.

"How long will they stay in the Malfoy Manor?"

He sighed. "I don't know. This deal will break when they are moved, of course. This is already too risky for my taste. Just don't do anything stupid. Don't try to get them family would pay, and so would you if You-Know-Who found out."

"Why are you doing this? I really don't see the benefit for you."

"Dione told me everything and I…" He gulped. "Most people believe I am a heartless bully, but the truth is that it was hard for me to see somebody of my age being treated like that. I wouldn't survive being separated from my family in such conditions." He paused. "You are the only teacher that has really helped me, save for Professor Snape on some occasion. You are the first person to say they believe in me. Not even my parents have ever told me that. I'm in debt to you."

Skyrah got the impression that there was another reason. Draco was a Slytherin, after all. He wouldn't do something so suicidal if he didn't have a great motive. Plus, she felt mixed emotions at his confession. On the one hand, she felt sorry for him. Parents should be the first ones to believe in their children. On the other hand, she was moved. She had only had a few classes with him, yet here he was, confessing all of this.

"I am your Professor. You owe me nothing. It was my duty." He looked unconvinced, so she kept speaking, "Don't you ever stop believing in yourself, Draco. Slytherins are meant for greatness, aren't they? The Sorting Hat is never wrong. You can do fantastic things if you set your mind to it."

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, bringing a tiny smile on his face. It was the first time Skyrah saw him grin. In these two weeks, she had seen him sneering and smirking, but never really smiling. She smiled back.

"You said you talked to my sister… How is she? And my mother?"

"Ugh- they are as fine as they can be, I guess."

"Did you and Dione talk a lot?"

"Not really."

"Yet she trusted you enough to tell you about our situation. Why?"

He thanked Merlin that the room was quite dark; otherwise, Skyrah would have caught sight of his pink cheeks. "I offered her some food in exchange for that information."

She snorted. "Blackmail. How very like Father."

He avoided her piercing gaze and cleared his throat. "Are you going to accept the deal? Dione misses you. She'd like to hear about you. Your mother, as well."

Her expression softened. "I'll ponder it. I'll let you know when I make up my mind."

Satisfied with her answer, he nodded and made to leave.

"Wait! Thank you, for everything."

His pupils dilated when he noticed that her cold mask had been teared off. He could read her like an open book now, and her honesty and gratefulness took him aback, especially the happy tears gathering in her eyes. He felt lighter at the sight. Although Draco had never been as afraid and doubtful as when he left that note under the door, he didn't regret it now.

"And Draco! Five points to Slytherin. Snakes help their kind, don't they?"

She winked at him, making him grin softly for the second time in one night.

Severus was pacing across their living room, the note she had left crumpled in his hand. Skyrah didn't have time to open her mouth and provide an explanation: Severus had already swathed her in his arms. The note landed on the cold floor as his hands clasped her firmly in place, nearly suffocating her. It wasn't like she cared about that. The hug and the feelings it carried attracted her full attention. It was so different to any one they had experienced. He was holding her like he wanted her to stay in his arms forever. She wasn't surprised to find that she wouldn't mind it.

"Stupid woman!" The insult erased her previous thoughts. Skyrah felt the urge to shove him, but his next words stopped her. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! What were you thinking? This could have been a trap! Draco is the son of a Death Eater!" She wanted to ask him how he knew it was Draco when she remembered that he had been correcting his homework for years. He'd recognize the handwriting, unlike her. "What if some of the Death Eaters, his father even, ordered the boy to make you come alone and something bad happened to you?! I have spent five full minutes that felt like a lifetime reflecting on whether I should disobey you and make sure you were fine, or whether I should go to Albus directly."

"If you had come, you would have spoiled everything. The boy believes you are his most loyal Death Eater. He must keep thinking so. And before you ask: no, there wasn't anybody else with us."

He drew back, the unasked question of what had happened lingered in the air.

"My mother and sister are being kept in Malfoy Manor. Draco is willing to pretend and send letters to his mother, when in reality, the letters would be written by me and directed to my family."

His eyes narrowed. "Why would he offer to do such a thing?"

"He didn't really tell me. He said that he felt like he owed me because I helped him in class and told him I believed in him. He also said that he didn't like seeing somebody of his age in such conditions, referring to my sister."

"That's bullshit. There must be something else."

"I agree, but right now I don't care. I just want to save my family, and now I have a chance. Tomorrow morning I am telling Albus. By the way," she added as an afterthought. "I am far from stupid. I can take care of myself and I was sensible enough to leave you a note."

He rolled his eyes. "Leaving at midnight to see a stranger, because let's face it, there was no plausible way for you to recognize his handwriting yet, was certainly not your sharpest move, Skyrah. Especially when said stranger threatened you in the note they asked you to meet."

She pouted. "If you put it like that… Still, shall I remind you I was a Horned Serpent? I hate it when people call me a moron. I can make stupid mistakes, but I always think before acting. Fools don't do that."

He snickered lowly at her indignant face and tugged her back into his embrace, nuzzling her hair. "I do not cuddle inane people, Skyrah. And I get it, you represent the mind of the wizards in your school, but you forget that you are my heart and that, for a moment, I thought you were in real danger. I apologize for calling you stupid. I speak nonsense when I am agitated." That's how I lost Lily, he said inwardly.

Her heartbeat rate sped up.

"Your heart?" she rasped, voice thick with emotion.

Severus froze when he realized what he had said. If his emotions hadn't been so raw, he wouldn't have confessed that. Tersely, he put some distance between them, his hands still clutching her shoulders. They stared spellbound at each other's eyes. Hers were getting teary, but the gentle smile on her face told him that she wasn't feeling down. On the other hand, Skyrah perceived a thousand emotions in his black tunnels. Haltingly, she got closer to him without breaking eye contact. Their breaths mingled. Their lips barely brushed. The gap between them extinguished. They had no idea who had initiated the kiss, but they cared not. They only cared about the warmth that spread throughout their bodies. The kiss was unhurried, comforting. The world blurred gradually until only the other person existed. His hands reached up tentatively from her shoulders until below her ears, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs. Meanwhile, Skyrah rested her hands on his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat under her palms. The kiss ended. Her smile lit the room. Severus couldn't help but caress her cheek.

"Don't scare me like that again. I can't lose you." His voice cracked when he added, "Not now that I have just found you."

She turned her head and kissed the palm that was stroking her cheek in response. She felt his heart leapting under her palms at the gesture.

"You won't lose me." To emphasize her point, she kissed his chest, where the fabric covered his skin, and his heart. "Are you sleepy?"

"After the start I had upon reading the note, I'll find it particularly challenging to rest tonight."

"Good," she purred. "I propose we celebrate that we will be able to help my family. I wonder what we could do…"

There was a naughty tone in her voice. She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously and stared him straight in the eye.

He knew where this was leading, so he played along and teased, "If my memory serves me well, we are in the habit of celebrating by making love, although I don't know if my wife is too tired for such a strenuous activity."

His breath hitched when he saw her moistening her lips in anticipation.

"Severus."

"Mm?"

"This time I'll be on top."

He had never been so happy to comply orders.

First thing in the morning, the Snapes entered the headmaster's office. Albus, who had been petting Fawkes, didn't have to turn around to know who had come in.

"Severus, Skyrah, what do I owe this pleasure to?"

"I know my family is in Malfoy Manor," came Skyrah's direct response.

He narrowed his eyes and turned his head to look her over his shoulder.

"And how did you obtain this piece of information?"

"Draco Malfoy. He offered to help me. Not to save them, but to communicate with them. He and his mother are willing to pretend they are sending each other letters when in truth it would be me and my family."

"Have you sent them anything?"

"Not yet. I told him I'd ponder it."

Now Albus was completely facing her, rubbing his beard.

"How do you know it isn't a trap?"

"We wouldn't have come had we had the tiniest qualm that Draco Malfoy had lied," answered Severus for his wife.

Albus nodded. "Young Malfoy has given us what we need to actually save your family. The Order may intervene today, if you want."

Although Skyrah wanted to authorize him to implement the plan, she shook her head in denial. She shocked not only Albus but also Severus.

"Not so fast. We need to find a way for Draco and Mrs. Malfoy to get away with it without looking suspicious. I don't want Father to torture them."

Severus's expression softened. Here she stood, Voldemort's daughter, showing mercy towards a family that followed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. If Severus hadn't known any better, he would have doubted that she was the Dark Lord's offspring. He admired her even more for her compassion. Severus put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it, grabbing her attention.

"Skyrah, the Dark Lord will castigate them, no matter if they look suspicious or not. He won't care about that. He will only see that his followers have failed him. That's how your father reasons. You know it. It's not in our hands… If the Order goes today and catches them by surprise, it will look like an ambuscade. Your family will have more chances to escape."

Albus was watching their interaction with genuine interest. He noticed how Severus wasn't afraid to touch her in front of him, how his voice had come out as the softest he had ever heard come from his mouth. Albus would have never guessed when Severus had come in to inform about Voldemort's plan regarding an heir that the relationship between Voldemort's daughter and his spy would turn out to be like this, but he was glad.

Skyrah's usually warm eyes lost their luminosity at her husband's words. "Draco and his mother-"

"Draco will not suffer directly, he will stay at Hogwarts. Narcissa may receive some kind of punishment, but believe me, she's been through worse. Lucius is the one who will really regret it. He is the Death Eater of the family. Keeping your mother and sister captive is his task. He will be the one to pay for it when he doesn't fulfill it."

"But the boy will know about the punishment! It will affect him! We must find a way to-"

The lines of his face hardened. So did his voice when Severus interrupted her.

"Skyrah, forget it! It's the Dark Lord we are talking about! We cannot spare them."

"They only wanted to help me! Is this how I am going to thank them? By letting my father torment them?"

"It won't be your bloody fault! Lucius did this to himself when he accepted to be marked!" Realizing he was shouting, Severus compelled himself to calm down. "It's your choice: your family or the Malfoys. Just remember that your mother and sister will be moved soon. We will be unable to do anything for them."

She averted his intense gaze and gulped, initiating a silence that lasted in the room for a minute.

Voice small, she said, "I choose my family."

"It's settled then," said Albus. "Tonight, your family will be free again."

Severus hated seeing Skyrah looking so troubled. Without minding that Albus was witnessing it (it wasn't like he hadn't caught them kissing or seen his neck with love bites already), he took her hand.

"Whatever happens, it won't be your fault. Especially, whatever happens to the Malfoys," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I know, but it's unfair. Draco told me that most people see him as a heartless bully. What will he think when he does something with good intentions only to end up with his father being crucioed?"

Everybody in the room had the answer. None voiced it.