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Author's Note: It's time…Get ready for some glorious magic in this chapter. Adult sexual themes.

"Legend has it that there is always a reason why souls meet. Maybe they found each other for reasons that weren't so different after all. They were two souls searching and found a home lost in each other. When souls find comfort in one another, separation is not possible. The reasons they are brought together are no accident. Maybe she needed someone to show her how to live, and he needed someone to show him how to love."

– N.R. Hart

CHAPTER 41: Stay with Me

November 4th, 2003

[Severus Snape]

Severus felt rather groggy, not quite remembering how he ended up at the Hospital Wing. Through a haze of harsh morning light, he squinted as he pushed himself up on the hospital bed. White light appeared to reflect around him, soon realising he was surrounded by the ghastly white hospital partitions. He could feel his headache subsiding and yet still a little displaced. He groaned as if his head was weighed down by stones and knowing he wasn't going anywhere in his state, he leaned back into the pillow in a defeated huff.

He heard a quiet shift close by, upon noticing that Dawn was seated in the chair beside him.

As he turned to find worried blue eyes staring back at him, she offered a small smile, but he knew there was a sadness there behind them. He drew in a sharp breath, "I feel like I've been plummeted by a bludger."

She blinked slowly, not taking her eyes off him, not feeling humorous enough to respond in her usual wit, "You had me worried, Severus."

Suddenly, the image of the student embedded within his mind, sparked to the forefront, "The child –"

"Her parents have taken her with Auror escort, " Dawn's shaken voice lowered to a whisper, but he could see tears welling within her eyes still haunted by what they had seen, "I'm glad you were asleep, so you didn't have to hear them…Their cries…This is awful, Severus…"

The woman paused to recollect herself. He admired her wilfulness to put on a brave face, but it faltered between her determination to keep it together. Her hands uncharacteristically writhed within her lap.

Severus shifted himself further up within the bed, leaning back against the headrest eyes flickering up at the enchanted glass ceiling, before resting back upon her, "I suspect classes have been canceled indefinitely?"

"Yes. Minerva doesn't know what to do. Rubeus had to take the student down…" She paused to draw in a deep breath, wincing at the memory of it which Severus obviously could not remember, "Where do we even start with this?"

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but somehow the haze in the last twelve hours still had not fully dissipated. He closed his eyes softly, fighting the remnants of his headache.

Dawn sensed his hesitation immediately, "What is it? What…What happened in the forest, Severus?"

He didn't know where to begin. As those strange moments flooded back into his mind, he knew exactly where the both of them had ended up. And from the sheer, familiar agony he felt at that moment, he also knew what horror was buried there. A moment in his life that took away so much precious time as his life slipped away day by day, forcing Harry to witness his dying breaths. His life hung by a mere, frail thread, which would have been cut at any moment.

Severus remembered feeling so powerless. So ill. Feeling every part of his body broken and dying, was the worst thing he had ever physically felt in his entire life. Losing Harry when they had just come to terms with their past animosity was like an arrow to his heart, mourning the loss of a child that was not even his by blood. And yet at that moment, he felt like family was being ripped away from him. A family he never had before.

And he remembered those feelings like it was yesterday. His slow decline in his health was close to his end and yet he gained another life. Another chance to live again.

Severus' fingers interweaved together, twisting in the rising panic of the feeling he felt those years ago when that curse had so consumed that part of this life. Dawn remained exceptionally quiet and patient and he knew he could not deny her of that truth. His dulled gaze remained fixated on the floral portrait beyond him as he spoke, "A few hours before Riddle's demise, he sent his giant snake to maul and kill me. She was a vessel for his soul – a Horcrux – that which protected his soul, keeping him alive. But that serpent was magically fortified. Cursed with his own dark power. I lay bleeding however by sheer miracle, someone came to my aid and healed my physical wounds. But the curse remained embedded and continued to ravage my body for weeks leaving me barely clinging to life, " He paused to glance quickly at the woman, who sat frozen, and eyes blinked slowly. Severus continued, feeling the nervous tremors within his hands begin to show as much as he tried to subdue them, "Harry and Miss Granger discovered an old ritual, ridding me of this illness, that of which culminated over three long, painful, devastating months. With its surprising success, the curse was cast away from me and placed in an object, buried deep within the forest. The location of that we were in…was the place in which it was buried."

Dawn sat, astounded and speechless. Her lips parted and her eyes glazed over in such a deep empathy, enough to dull those eyes he had so come to love. He wasn't sure if she was about to break down, but her face drooped in such a deep sorrow, that he almost regretted telling her a single thing. He didn't want to wound her in this way, and he didn't even expect her to even get upset by what had happened to him. Especially by something he hadn't spoken about in years.

Without a single word, Dawn slowly reached for Severus' hand and held it tenderly between hers, feeling his tremors slowly subside once she made contact. She traced gentle strokes upon his hand with her index finger, soothing him from the anxiety gnawing at his chest. Her touch never faltered, delicate in its simple magic, calming his soul with every circle across his skin. Slow, methodical, gentle. It was almost as if she knew exactly how to calm him. It very well worked, because he had never felt so reassured and safe in all his life. Her presence alone was like a calming elixir and the gentle focus in her touch upon him was enough to tell him how careful she was of him.

For so long he had since flinched from her touch – anyone's touch – and yet the feeling of her skin against his was euphoric. Succumbing to this irreplaceable kindness, he allowed his own hands to entwine slowly with hers, feeling her touch further collide with his wounded soul. His very being. A man once so lost in the dark, that she became his beacon of light guiding him out. Those same hands who led him to freedom and opened his heart soon became someone he could not bear to part with. He remembered the feeling of her last touch on that night in his quarters when she observed his old Mark, and yet this time felt so much more surreal.

He wanted her. All of her. With him.

Dawn continued to hold his hand, running her fingers over every scar, callous, and wrinkle his hands contained, when eventually she looked sympathetically into his blissful gaze, "Severus, I am so sorry you went through what you did. Your life…Your life is precious. I am glad you were able to chance another, and I'm…I'm so glad you are here."

Severus himself felt speechless, merely squeezing back her hand in response. That was all his fragile heart could manage, hanging his head still for that ounce of forbidden shame that still consumed him.

As much as he wished for that moment to last forever, there were several new footsteps entering the Hospital Wing, leaving Severus and Dawn to quickly part from their moment of tenderness and withdraw their own hands, suddenly feeling cold once again.

"Severus?" That was Harry's voice. It didn't take long until the younger Gryffindor entered through the partition with relief on his face, with Ron close behind. "Oh good, you're awake."

Severus' head flicked away, hiding the heat upon his gaunt cheeks, "What is it, Harry?"

The young man planted himself at the foot of Severus' bed, "I was here earlier, but you were still rather out of it. Dawn told me what happened."

Severus nodded, grimly, "Yes, we are attempting to figure this out."

"Actually, I think I may have an inkling, " Dawn suggested, "And it is to do with this…vessel."

Harry turned quizzically to Severus, who responded quickly, "I've informed her of what is located there."

The woman drew in a deep breath, lowering her voice so that only the three of them could hear, "I think that this vessel is somewhat of an epicenter for these attacks. Forest creatures and even the surrounding flora are being affected. Those grounds are tainted."

Severus nodded immediately, once again sharing the same thoughts, "I believe that is exactly what is happening. This illness had somehow broken down this vessel and spread across the grounds like a disease. A contagious, mind-debilitating disease."

Harry nodded slowly, "This proves it. But, how? And why now?"

"I suspect it grew over time. Contact, perhaps. Like a virus. A magical virus possibly passed on with something as simple as an owl. Strange things have been happening for years - at first small things. Then creature deaths, however rare they were..."

"But then the frequency of those incidences increased?" Ron asked.

"Precisely."

"But how do we fix this?" Dawn questioned seriously.

Severus shot her a dangerous warning, "That thing is dangerous, and we are not to touch it."

Dawn bit her lip in thought, "Can we relocate and quarantine it? If this spreads directly to the school, we could end up with worse problems."

But Severus did not feel confident in that idea, "That thing contains the illness that took hold of me for three months...The last remnants of his power. His curse..."

"Well, we have to figure this out fast, " Ron said, looking equally as worried as the other three, "But then why does this have to do with the other horrible things that are happening?"

"We've no idea yet, " Dawn said slowly.

"We can only speculate and not enough to draw those conclusions just yet, " Severus answered as logically as possible, "We must approach this slowly. And carefully."

Severus shifted in his bed, before Dawn stopped him, "Yes, including you, Severus. Take a little more time to regain your strength, and I – we'll see you soon."

Dawn rose from her chair, offering Severus a warm, friendly smile before she bowed her head as if to hide her own flushed cheeks and silently departed their company. After talking with Harry and Ron further about what had happened in those early hours, they, too, departed.

But Severus was left alone, longing for Dawn's touch again. Something he never expected to ever need, but here he was wishing for something so simple.

So…reinvigorating.

A touch that as soon as it left his skin, left him feeling cold and empty once more.

November 8th, 2003

[Harry Potter]

Hogwarts had been chaos since the mysterious and sudden death of the Hufflepuff barely a week prior. It left the school in such deep, dark mourning. Classes had been all but silent, and no student dare to engage. Essays were never handed in. Assignments abandoned. Some students stared lifelessly at the blackboard; words clearly muddled up within their minds. They were losing all focus. Understandably, of course. What had happened was utterly horrific.

Some students left to return home for some reprieve, and some turned back to the counselor. Especially the poor student who witnessed her last moments.

She was never the same after that.

Reassuring scared students had been such a challenging thing, that the faculty were just as emotionally worn out. The staff had clearly been left in a broken state. Rubeus, having seen the dead student, could barely finish teaching a lesson without suddenly breaking into large, watery sobs. Rolanda even cried quietly one afternoon at the staff table in the Great Hall, which was rather unlike her at all. Harry, Severus, and Dawn sat rather sombrely, not saying a single word whilst they were in public. Each of them had their own theories of the matter, but neither of them any good, and neither that the public was ready to be made aware of.

It was difficult to focus at all when tragedy hit them, but the worst of it all was that it wasn't until the Battle of Hogwarts did a current student lose their life. It seemed rather unheard of for something like this to happen in the time they were in, and Harry did not want to face the idea of another darkness rising in their present. First Grindelwald, Tom Riddle, and now these other ragtag group of murderers, working beneath the shadows. They couldn't even begin to place who could be responsible.

But it didn't sound like the work of one person. It just couldn't be.

Since the tragedy, they had several staff meetings, each ending in the same frustrated dismay as the previous, although the only suggestion they could think of was to shut down the school until they figured this out. But who were they kidding, really? All other disasters have ravaged the school before, and yet closing it indefinitely was something neither of them wanted to do. Dawn had already spoken to Minerva that she was happy to handle the investigation, but neither of them appeared confident about it. Herbology was taken with extreme caution, as with Potions. With the additional Potions professor now, at least they had an extra pair of eyes to monitor the incoming flow of ingredients.

Trust was hard sought for.

That Saturday, barely anyone showed up to the Great Hall that afternoon for lunch. Harry didn't visit Ginny that weekend, feeling as if he shouldn't be abandoning Hogwarts during this time. Dawn herself insisted that he head home to be with his family, but for once, Harry couldn't bring himself to leave.

Meanwhile, Neville was gushing about the recent progress his parents made, as Harry overheard him speaking with one of the Healers, " - Dad can count to ten, now! Mum asked me how I was, and she even drew me a picture of her and dad – "

Harry smiled to himself. At least there was some piece of good news.

He found Draco in the Great Hall sitting at the Slytherin table and chatting with Cyrus Hastwell. Only a handful of students were in the hall at that time, with Filius sitting alone at the staff table. Not even Minerva was present this time.

It was all too eerily silent.

"Not that I care, but you're meant to be sitting at the staff table, " Harry quietly slid into onto the bench chair across from the other two.

"Then what are you doing here at the Slytherin one?" Draco retorted, sarcastically.

"As I said, I don't care, " Harry reached for a small triangle of what appeared to be a roast beef and cheese sandwich, but as he placed it on his plate, all he could do was dismally stare at it. He sighed heavily.

Draco cracked a mocking chuckle, "And here I thought beyond Hogwarts was bad enough. There are enough problems still bloody here."

Harry shrugged, not even thinking of denying that, "Glad you could join the chaos. And I see you've met Cyrus."

Draco smirked darkly, "I'm more than happy to give pointers to a fellow Prefect Slytherin."

Cyrus grinned, each sharing the most mischievous of looks, "Professor Malfoy has been very helpful."

"As long as he's helpful and not a bad influence, then I'm fine with that."

The young boy then stood to leave, "I must go now…I'm supposed to patrol the outside courtyards soon. Have a good day, Professors."

Once Cyrus departed and was out of earshot, Draco leaned forward, lowering his voice to almost a whisper, "So, Severus told me about what might be in the forest."

"What, might be? Hang on, you were there when Severus buried it."

"I know that, " Draco rolled his eyes, "What I meant was that it seems kind of strange that suddenly it's an issue? It's been dormant and buried for ages."

"Yeah, but it's been growing in power. It explains all the strange things happening around Hogwarts, " Harry said. They had already given him the lowdown shortly after the passing of the Hufflepuff, knowing already he had a tonne of questions and much that he missed out on.

"Are we actually sure it's the vessel, though?"

Harry stared at him blankly, "What bloody else could it be?"

The other man paused, ending in a shrug, "I dunno. Just speculating. Weird things are happening everywhere. Maybe they are not even related."

"What if they are?"

"And if they're not?" Draco repeated, "Look, I think you all need to stop jumping to conclusions when there is not enough to connect anything yet. For all we know, they could be dumb coincidences."

"Dumb coincidences?" Harry said, "That Hufflepuff's death wasn't a coincidence. Severus agreed that she was hit with the Imperius. Someone here would have to have done it."

"What, do you think someone in the forest is messing about? How could they get through to the school grounds, then?"

"No, I dunno – " Harry drew in a deep breath, "We didn't see anyone else around. Gregory was with us when we ran to them, and it most definitely wasn't Hagrid."

"Well, someone is messing with you, " Draco spoke rather confidently about it, finally taking a bite of his blueberry muffin.

"It just doesn't make sense, Draco, " Harry persisted, but he knew very well that something felt terribly wrong.

"Nothing in your life makes any bloody sense, Harry, " Draco mocked, but Harry wasn't all that impressed, "So, what's your next step?"

"Severus has an idea for us to scout the forest, but he's in the process of figuring out a safe way for us to do it. You're welcome to join us if you want some excitement."

"Ah, yes, like our lives didn't get enough of that already."

There really wasn't much that they could come up with, speculating ideas that Severus and Dawn had already made. But as much as he didn't want to believe it, Draco was right. They didn't have too much for them to go on, and the scraps of scattered evidence they had led them to mere dead ends. The Imperius Curse would have had to be used by someone in close vicinity but without any clues as to who, they were sitting ducks.

Someone led this child to their death. But why? Could it have been a prank gone wrong? Surely this good-hearted student didn't have enemies that neither of them knew of – and they had already had this discussion. It seemed strange if she was specifically targeted. There was such an injustice about not knowing who was behind it, which really crawled across his skin.

Feeling rather terrible about the entire thing, Harry ended up plucking some deep red chrysanthemums after lunch and sending them off with Godric to deliver to Ginny. If he couldn't be there whilst he was sorting through this mess, at least he could brighten up someone's day.

November 20th, 2003

[Severus Snape]

Hogwarts was undergoing a collective quiet for a while.

Neither staff nor student could function ever since the death of the third-year Hufflepuff. A meek girl with vast amounts of common sense and quizzical nature who focused more on helping her fellow classmates than on her own work. Many students, even those from other houses, left flowers by the door to the Hufflepuff Common Room since the tragedy to show their respect and condolences.

But her death still hung heavy. It should never have happened, even now, five years after Voldemort had fallen. These senseless attacks should not still be happening and yet they were. Instead of Muggleborn attacks, now those of other blood were targeted.

…Why?

That Thursday, classes had since resumed but they did not feel the same. He had noticed his Slytherins remaining awfully quiet. Cyrus had been casting sullen looks towards him during class, and Severus had since told him to remain behind whilst he dismissed the others. He knew something else was wrong.

Ensuring the door to the classroom was now sealed, Severus rounded the workbench and returned to his desk, "Mr. Hastwell."

"Sir, " Cyrus greeted; his voice hoarse and trembling, "I heard some Slytherin chatter before class close to the Defence classroom. They've been rather shaken up about it all."

"Do explain."

Cyrus sat on the edge of one of the workbench stools, dropping his school bag to his feet, "I think we're being blamed again for what happened to the Hufflepuff. The other Slytherins are really cut up about it."

Severus sat unmoving, staring back at the Prefect before him. There was a quiet devastation on the boy's face, one that appeared awfully familiar. There was an obvious helplessness there, evident by his wiliness to approach Severus about it. Once again, his Slytherins were cast blame upon this mysterious death, and he knew full well had nothing to do with it. His students were not murderers. He didn't know how, but he simply knew that neither of them was capable of such acts of violence and cold-blooded cruelty. It just didn't make any sense. Unless one of them knew something and was afraid to speak up, then he could at least consider that possibility. But he knew those students alone could not have done such a thing.

He leaned forward upon his desk and closed his eyes for a moment. He hated this. A House so rooted in a dark grey history had so much still yet to overcome. He knew Slytherin was far better than what they have been perceived as. But to convince the school that they meant no harm – not anymore – was one of Severus' toughest challenges. It meant he'd need to talk with them once again, although the idea of interrogating his own students in this way was a little repulsive even for him.

But he knew what that segregation and ostracism felt like. He knew how they were feeling, to be blamed for something you never did, only by association with those responsible. He had the most difficult House of all and to overcome past prejudice and malice was a task he wasn't quite sure he had the strength for.

Once he opened his eyes and peered down at the boy, he finally gathered up his own flicker of courage, "Leave this to me, Mr. Hastwell. We will get to the bottom of this, and I assure you that I will do everything in my power to protect my House from such accusations. I will not let us fall again."

"And what would you like me to do, sir?"

"Continue as you are. Support your House and inform me of anything new, " Severus responded carefully, "Keep an eye out for my owl. A House meeting is well-overdue."

Nodding in understanding, Cyrus rose from his chair, picked up his bag, and swiftly departed the Potion's classroom leaving Severus still seated and staring back at the door. With no one around in a rare moment of solitude, he leaned forward heavily on his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose hearing nothing but the ticking wooden clock above the blackboard. He sat there for several moments, trying to focus on his own breaths, steadying them as best as his willpower would allow. Not knowing how at all to rectify this, worried him immensely. Severus was always a man who had the answer and solution to everything, but now with this, he felt so pathetically powerless. His old Slytherin glory slowly diminishing with his House, and he had no idea how to fix any of this.

Finally summoning up his energy, he packed up the classroom for the day and dragged his weary feet to the Great Hall for dinner. As predicted, most of the occupants appeared to be such a miserable mess, so for once he felt like he wasn't alone in how he felt. There were a few group chatters between the students and staff, but for the most part, it still felt rather grim. Most people were eating in silence, consumed by recent events and what the future may hold for them. Dawn was already seated between Sybill and Aurora, but even she too remained quiet as the other two spoke around her. Her usual brightened glow had dulled as she joined the sea of sullen faces.

Severus didn't like this at all.

She had only glanced up once and that was to meet Severus' lingering gaze. Dawn had only barely managed a weakened smile, but that just disheartened him further. Eventually, Severus finished the very little roasted potato he could stomach and departed the emotional suffocation of the Great Hall. He just couldn't bear to be there at that time.

Severus retreated to his private quarters, throwing his traveling cloak upon the stand at the door, and made an immediate beeline to his personal lab. A shelf-full of completed Wolfsbane vials sat in neat rows, clearly labeled, dated, and ready for the following month's dosages via the Healers in the Hospital Wing. He already had two adolescent werewolves in his House, those who were already quiet and reserved, as predicted. With each turn of the full moon, those afflicted would journey through the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack to spend their hours until the transformation eased off. It had been quite a discussion with Minerva as per the details of how they were to manage these children, but Harry suggested the shack would be a wise decision as it was secure and still practically secret. They had spent much of the holidays fixing the rickety house up and renovating the rooms for added comfort and segregation if they so desired it. But the Wolfsbane had worked wonders, enabling those children to regain their minds whilst transformed, keeping themselves and others, safe.

Understandably, Severus was nervous about the entire situation, but only the staff were allowed to know their identities. The students were sorted, but…they looked just like every other child. You'd never had known what they were otherwise and seeing such younglings afflicted with this terrible curse, caused Severus to see it differently. Of course, all he could think about was Lupin and how he almost mauled him twice, but now these young children had to deal with this too and Severus knew that there was nothing they could do about it except manage it consecutively with Wolfsbane and other invasive means.

They were only children. Young boys and girls forced to become a beast every full moon, violently infected by the fecal stains of the wizarding world by the likes of Greyback, and the staff did everything in their collective power to help them. It was all they could do to help them feel safe and protected. This was new territory for everyone.

Severus sat counting the Wolfbane vials and scribbling in the small piece of parchment beside it ensuring he had the expected quantities and dosages for the upcoming moon cycle. As much as he didn't desire it, Ms. Granger still sent him galleons for his efforts and service. So far, he was well-received with the Ministry, and given his success with the Memory Potion, it was enough to gain a more positive social standing and rapport. Something he never thought would ever happen.

Now the wizarding community was giving him a chance and he was relieved that they allowed him to. Fighting against the hateful public was exhausting.

Several hours passed, allowing the few cauldrons to bubble of Calming Draught for the Hospital Wing, he sat scribbling on his parchment for the next task. His solution to safely exploring the forest without the risk of being inflicted by whatever the vessel was releasing. He needed to search the area, and he couldn't do that at grave risk to his life again. That alone was painful enough.

Halfway through writing a few more ideas, he heard a soft knock at his door. He lowered his quill, soon hearing the knocks once again when he allowed a brief silence to pass.

"Severus…it's me."

It wasn't until he heard her voice, did he retract his desire to ignore it completely. Anyone else, and Severus wouldn't have cared and would have gladly been rid of them. Placing his quill into its holder, he dragged his weary feet to the front door and opened it rather diligently. Dawn stood with her sympathetic gaze toward him, still wearing her burgundy teaching robes from her earlier class. She ducked her head respectfully, and Severus quickly stepped aside, allowing her in.

She barely made it through the door when she turned to look at him, "I figured you could use some company…I just arrived from consoling a crying Hufflepuff…"

Severus closed the door and turned to notice that she appeared slightly shaken, which almost took him by surprise. A confident woman slowly crumbling before him, left him feeling a little out of his depth, "I'll make us some tea."

With Dawn lingering behind at the doorway, Severus tinkered around in his small, private kitchen and placed a kettle on the stove. He tapped at several places with his wand, preparing two rather generous mugs of tea feeling the woman's eyes upon him throughout the task. Soon the pleasant scent of jasmine and honey wafted through his abode, with a wave of calm gently washing over them. Once he was done, he handed a poured mug to Dawn, who inhaled the scent rather invitingly.

Dawn took a few sips and held it closely to her chest with a grateful smile, "Thank you, Severus. I generally don't go for tea to calm my nerves, but this is lovely."

Holding his own mug close to him, they wandered back to the laboratory seating themselves at the wooden workbench, taking respective seats beside each other. There was a calmness in the way her presence affected him, although his heart beat faster more of anxiety rather than terrible panic.

"So, how do we enter the forest without succumbing to the effects of the curse?" Dawn placed her still-hot tea on the table before her.

Severus pulled over the littered parchment over his desk, placing them in a slightly unmanaged pile between them as he explained, "There is an ingredient – amber nightshade – which only appears during a crescent moon on the far side of the lake. It can be used to create a potion of temporary immunity and it should be able to gain us enough time to properly investigate the affected area without becoming inflicted."

Dawn looked slightly unsure of herself, "Not the most ideal location."

"We have no alternative solutions at this point in time, " His eyes briefly flickered to hers, feeling a small heat burn at his cheek, casting his sight away back to the parchment, "We must get close enough to inspect the site and barricade it in order to contain it."

"It might be far too late at this point, " Dawn said, exasperatingly.

"As opposed to doing nothing?"

"I know, " Dawn released a soft sigh. Her eyes panning over the notes, before it rested on him, "Severus, this is…rather frightening."

Severus gave a single, small nod, with his lips barely moving, "It is surely unusual."

Dawn said quietly after a lingering pause. She leaned forward, lowering her voice to a whisper as if they would be overheard, "Raphael discovered that her father is a part of the Wizengamot. Her mother…aided in hiding Muggleborn families during the Second War."

Severus' heart sank, "…Blood traitors."

"Precisely, " Dawn whispered, resting her hand flat upon the table.

The cauldron before them began to bubble more ferociously, leaving Severus to quickly lean over and place a simmering charm upon it. But he felt his hand accidentally brushed against hers, feeling the heat rising within his cheeks once again as he leaned back into his seat.

Dawn had quite obviously noticed his hesitation, tilting her head slightly to one side. But a strange breath escaped her lips, blinking slowly as if she tried to re-gather herself, "So, our plan is not set, but it is a start."

Clenching his jaw to avoid feeling any slight embarrassment, his eyes flickered away from hers, "The amber nightshade should be easy to gather."

"We could also investigate – " All that could be heard was Dawn's breath so close to his face, as they leaned close to the slowly simmering remnants of the Calming Draught. She struggled to form the words, making breathless pauses as she went, " – the greenhouses again. Or the remainder of the lake…"

Severus' eyes trailed from the potion to Dawn's face, and he felt his own breath grow irregularly. And it was at that moment, the woman gazed up at his eyes in admiration. He felt his own face flush again, and he only hoped it was not visible to his sudden irrational nerves taking hold of him. She was so close to him, now. He felt her breath upon his own skin, a subtle scent of jasmine and honey from the tea they shared not long before. It tickled his senses. He could barely compose himself when he noticed Dawn gradually leaning closer to him, almost entirely forgetting their topic of conversation.

Dawn gave Severus a warming smile, reassuring in its delicacy. Their eyes met in a haze of wild, erratic thoughts. Both pairs in a permanent state of silent longing, meeting their shared stillness in the comfort of each other's company. But in all Severus' pathetic nervousness, he turned away.

"Severus – " His name rolled off her tongue in such a soft whisper, calling for him to see her. Calling for his eyes once again to meet hers. He loved the way it sounded from her lips, always with meaning. And it didn't take much for him to realise that she loved his company as much as he loved hers.

Finally looking back at the blue eyes he so adored, Dawn began to raise her hand, slowly bringing it to Severus' face when, once she knew Severus did not hesitate, her soft palm rested against his cheek. He could feel himself melting into her touch almost immediately and leaning against it as if it was the only thing holding him up. His lips trembled in the comfort he felt and how loving such a touch felt. So gentle, so careful. Oh, she was so careful with him, watching him cautiously for any sign of panic that may arise.

But he didn't feel that way, so much as he felt his heart jump within his chest at such a simple gesture that would have made him weep if he were alone.

Her bright smile melted his heart. Her touch caused his breath to elevate again when her thumb gently brushed against his gaunt cheek, and soon enough, Severus found himself leaning closer to her. Their lips no longer worlds apart finally melted, locking together in sweet tangents. He felt a strange and unexpected surge of excitement and newfound energy within him, resting his other hand upon the softness of her cheek, caressing her as they kissed.

Their kiss deepened until their breaths could no longer keep up with them. He murmured blissfully beneath her touch, stealing words between soft kisses, "Are you sure this is wise?"

"…Yes, " She breathed, pulling back, smoothing a finger over his lips, "I've never been so certain of anything else. Aren't you?"

"Of course, I'm - " Severus' eyes flickered back to hers for confirmation, drawing his lips back from hers, almost begging for the answer he wanted to hear, " - Please be certain."

"I am certain, Severus, " Dawn's palm rubbed comforting circles on his chest, teasing her fingers around his buttons until they came to rest upon him. "I-I want to share this with you."

Severus' eyes wandered to hers, deeply wondering if he was doing the right thing. But his heart wanted her as much as he needed to breathe. He didn't know what to say since expressing his raw feelings for her was completely out of his depth. Throwing himself in this wild leap of faith was not what he had in mind, but he felt so drawn to her energy that the thought of her ever leaving was painful to even consider.

Without another word he leaned over and planted a soft kiss upon her forehead, allowing his lips to linger on her skin before he pulled away. Dawn murmured under her breath, elated with the gesture he chose. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his thinned torso, and holding onto him so tightly as if she did not want him to leave, too. Severus arms gently wrapped around her, savoring in her warmth and light that she had so blessed him with as her head rested against his chest.

"You don't know how long I've wanted this, " Dawn whispered; her voice trembling with emotion.

Exhaling in relief, he leaned into her again and pressed his lips against hers.

Severus' fingers eventually glided over her smooth, supple skin, over the bony prominences of her shoulders. His eyes flickered to her desperate ones, and he proceeded to slide away her collar revealing more of her soft, pale skin. Once she pulled away from his torso, his other thumb brushed tenderly across her cheek feeling her smile beneath his palm. Her smile brightened as much as the crackling flames in the other room and his heart leaped wildly within his chest, silently begging for more of her light to lead him to safety. His breath was lost within hers, drawing in each other's scent and taste imprinting this moment within his mind, kissing deeply between their shared acts of affection as they explored every inch of their bodies. Sweet murmurs of quiet pleasure escaped their lips, lost within the presence of the other. Severus' thumb continued to caress her cheek before he drew it back and gently clasped the back of her neck to draw her closer.

He felt her hands trail down across his chest, sending the skin underneath his clothes tingling, eventually feeling the sudden jolt of a warm hand finding himself below. He gave a small sudden gasp, watching Dawn as a small smile played upon her face. Before they could register what they were doing in the dark of night, she was unclasping his buttons, and he was removing hers. With each item of clothing, he could feel himself growing more aroused and he could only hope he wasn't making a huge mistake.

She wanted this as much as he did. There was no denying that.

As the pair were down to their undergarments Severus – between the heated breaths of their kisses – led her to his bedroom in the next room. His fingers never left her skin and gently guided her to the bed already warmed by the small fire ablaze in the fireplace. His fingers slowly trailed across her bare skin, finding her breasts underneath her bra once she unclasped it, allowing himself to brush teasingly against her hardening nipple. A breath suddenly escaped her, arousing himself further and feeling himself growing hard simply by the look of pure bliss upon her face.

The energy alone was sending him mad with hunger.

She pulled him down on the bed in an embrace; their lips finding each other yet again like the pull of magnets. Hungry and savoring. The heat of her body rippled against his own, feeling goosepimples on both of their skin as he planted soft kisses trailing from her lips down to her chest and torso, with her back arching with every sensual touch. She whispered his name again - her voice was soothing to his soul and drove him further into ecstatic madness until he couldn't hold back anymore. His erection grew harder, and there was no stopping it now. It felt far too good to stop now, soon finding himself between her now-bare legs the moment Dawn ran her hands teasingly across his arms, nodding elatedly.

She whispered his name again between heated breaths, this time far more beggingly than she did before, "…Severus…Please…"

Her legs parted willingly as he pushed himself up against her warm groin and entered her. Gently, at first. This was their first and he didn't want to ruin a passionate moment between them by being careless. Once he did, her back arched slightly, feeling himself slide deeper and savoring the warmth as it devoured him. As he felt Dawn's hands rub against his body and desperately clasping the lower of his back, he moved slightly faster, and feeling every inch of himself within her. Each push forward rubbed him so sensitively, that he had to bite his lip to stop himself from crying out in sensual pleasure.

It was euphoric.

Her fingers ran circles all over him and he never wanted anything else so badly in his life.

Severus could not describe the ecstasy he felt and it was a feeling he had never experienced like this in his life. The familiarity of her body against his own felt right and it was as if he had known this woman all his life. And yet this was all he had known. He admired her beautiful form, taking in the lovingness of her gaze as she looked upon him with such adoration, sending his heart racing further. Her eyes met his and he knew those blue eyes returned were of gentle longing and compassion. Those eyes were soft, and kind, and what he had spent years searching for. Her kindness was his undoing and it so happened to be quite literally.

They lost track of time and with each exertion of breath and deeper thrust, he felt himself building up. Dawn's moans grew stronger, further arousing him with the sounds she made. He felt her hand reach down below, rubbing the sensitive spot above her opening, in her desperate bid to share their insatiable need to release with him. Her face elated in pleasure against his thrusts, as he held her tightly against the twisted sheets.

This was all happening so quickly, and something in the back of his mind caused him to second-guess himself. He didn't want to disappoint her, but there was also a feeling as if maybe, this was going too far. But another voice inside of him – as drowned out as it was – enjoyed this almost forbidden, passionate act. Something that they really should not have been doing in the dungeons of a school castle. But flouting rules he usually so vehemently abhors, gave him an odd sense of excitement and pleasure. By the small voice, he finally succumbed to the connection he found with the woman and took the leap of faith that would have otherwise repulsed him.

His mind was trying to remain logical, but his heart so desperately wanted her love more than anything else. It was something he sought for so many long, lonely years, and he didn't know how badly he wanted it until it happened.

Severus moaned as he finally began to pulse within her, feeling her every curve, every sensitive spot on her body as he tightened his hold on her. Her skin was hot to the touch, panting together with her as they continued in complete euphoria. He leaned his tiring, perspired body over hers, feeling her lips trail from his own to his neck; her hands desperately finding a place to hold against his force and his body began to tremble. Severus' muscles tensed, shifting himself slightly for better access, and he knew he was so very close. The build-up of energy within him was almost maddening and instead, moved faster. Dawn found herself reaching down to her entrance again, messaging her most sensitive spot, desperate to unravel along with him. Her moan deepened and he felt her nails dig into his skin. It didn't take long for her to let go in orgasmic bliss, and Severus released one of his own as he followed soon after, legs buckling beneath him.

Breathing heavily as he tried to subdue his racing heart, he collapsed on the bed beside her. Closing his eyes, he felt a head of hair fall upon his bare chest, feeling her panting breath in unison with his own. Her sweaty palm rubbed circles upon his chest and Severus opened his eyes and let out a small moan in satisfaction with the aftershocks of such a powerful experience, both trembling orgasmically together, slowly subsiding with their dissipating energy.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in closer. Not a word was spoken, as each exhausted, slowly drifting off to sleep in each other's arms.

And for once in his life, he felt peace.

Genuine peace.

And he found it with her.