It was past midnight when Harmony re-entered her room.

She had bathed Severus, given him dinner and even read to him a book of his choice. As he had become sleepy she had made him lie down comfortably and had left Rufus in charge before she went back to the kitchen. The man was nice companion, she would give him that. He knew how to talk and captivate even as a survivor. He seemed to be well-read too as he had committed to memory many passages of the book.

Pulling her apron back over her dress, Harmony recalled with a smile on her lips his time in the bath that day.

"How does it feel for you, Severus? To be in a tub full of hot water?"

The man had his eyes closed and the head thrown back on the edge of the tub in delight.

'Extraordinary. Every time it feels more real and less of a dream.'

" I can feel part of it through you, now with the bond. I had no idea it felt that good for you. I saw that you took great pleasure but that was all."

She took a cloth to wash over his chest.

'You don't feel disgust for them?' He asked still with his eyes closed.

"They are part of you Severus. I also have my fair share of scars. Perhaps one day I will show some of them to you." She answered casually as she washed him, eyes on her hands. "There must be no shame on our scars. Even Rufus has one."

That seemed to spike his interest.

'How did that happened?'

" He saved me. Just one more time, during the war. I own my life to this dog."

Just in cue, the referred subject entered the room with a low bark to announce himself.

"Welcome my great Sir." Harmony teased him. "Should I them surmise that you will join us tonight again in this humble room?"

Rufus went by them muzzle pointing high as if he was royalty in a parade and then he hoped on top of the bed where he kept an imposing posture. Even Severus laughed hard through the bond.

'How in the hell he does this? Was he taught to be like this?' The wizard questioned, still laughing.

"Many asked me the same across the years but the truth is that no, he wasn't taught how to be like this. It is just his personality. I have him since he was a pup, I found him lost in the forest wandering. He was my experiences subject a lot, the bond between us was just one of those. My companion during the times he barely had enough to eat or where to live. I own him a lot. Sometimes I have found myself questioning if he really is just a familiar or something else."

'He's incredible. I never particularly liked dogs but this one is something else entirely.'

Yes, it had been a funny evening after all the gloom of the day. But it was time to go back to work. She still had some orders left to do. An so she did until she started to feel fluctuations somewhere inside of her. She had just finished to package the last cake and was having her last cup of tea of the night. Then she heard Rufus complaining through the open door of the room.

'Here we go... Severus? Severus wake up. You're dreaming. Wake up dear, come on.'

She felt when he did. His presence in her mind became more present, more heavy. He was tired and he was scared. Really scared.

'Harmony... Please, come to me. Please. Where are you?' He called anguished.

'I'm coming dear. I just had to finish a few things in the kitchen. Breath slowly and I will be by your side in no time.

True to her word she got to the room in the next minute. Severus was gasping for air like a fish, completely out of himself. Whatever he had dreamed about, it was bad. His face was covered in sweat and his skin ashen even in the warm light from the hearth. Seeing him in such a state she sat on top of the be by his side and tried to comfort him as well as she could.

"I'm here, see? It was just a dream. You're here with me, safe."

Her hand covered a side of his face and she gently stroked his hair. Slowly but surely he mastered some degree of control over himself.

'I hate these nightmares.' He blurted out of nowhere.

Harmony smiled and made the gesture to clean him up and the bed.

'That was nice. Thank you Harmony.'

"No need to thank me. I just did the basic thing. Are you feeling better now?"

'I am. Where were you?'

"In the kitchen. I finally finished my orders ." Harmony gestured towards the door

'It's past midnight already Harmony. I delayed you in your work today. You should be sleeping by now.'

"I'm used to having weird schedules Severus. And don't even start to think that you are being bad for me. You're not. I had fun with you today. I hope you had too."

'I did. But I would hate to put you late with your work.'

"You don't, okay? Drop it Severus. Really."

The witch let herself fall on top of the bed.

"I miss my bed." She sighed.

'Why don't you sleep there? It would be better than sleeping on the armchair. However...?'

"However..." She pushed him to continue his thoughts.

'However I think that I would miss your presence nearby after all these nights. I know that tonight I felt it. When I woke up I looked straight for the armchair and you weren't there.'

"Well... I could always go back to my bed but seemingly it was taken over by two remarkable boys. I don't know but I guess the only option to have it back would be to sleep with those two."

'Wait! My bed, this bed was your bed?!'

"Yup."

Severus looked positively shocked by the discovery.

'You slept for two weeks in an armchair for me to have your bed?'

"I did. I needed to keep an eye on you and this is the only room in the house where I feel cosy enough to sleep."

'Please, come sleep with us. I'm talking seriously Harmony. No more armchair for you. It's not as if I could hurt you even if I intended to. I and don't. Not now, not ever.'

'It's that a promise?'

'If you want. But no more armchair.'

"Alright, no more armchair for me then. You win, Severus. Let me just go and change myself."