Severus Snape A Soul Undiminished

Chapter 42 - Unbreakable

Severus hadn't been sleeping well. He missed sharing his bed with Sirana. There was so much he wanted to tell her. Today was not what he would have considered a good day. He had
met with Narcissa and her sister Bellatrix. He was sure it would have gone much better if Bellatrix had not wormed her way into the meeting. Severus was fond of Narcissa, as she was of him. Before her marriage to Lucius, Narcissa had come to him several times when she and Lucius would argue and take a break from their relationship. He had provided her comfort—among other things. Even though they never mentioned it again after she was married, they never had ill feelings towards each other, and they had not expected anything more from each other than what they received. She had looked at him with tears in her eyes, wanting protection for her son, Draco. The Dark Lord had recruited Draco as his assassin, and since Lucius had been imprisoned in Azkaban, she needed someone to watch out for her only son. He would have done so voluntarily, as Narcissa and he had an understanding of each other, but Bellatrix had pushed the issue, calling him a coward, and asked him to make the Unbreakable Vow. Now, he felt the dread beginning to seep back in, and he wanted nothing more than to see Sirana. He knew she wouldn't be able to stop the inevitabilities to come,
  |215|

A Soul Undiminished—Severus Snape
but she was his reminder that he still had a soul to offer—that his sacrifices weren't meaningless.
He remembered what Dumbledore said—"The time comes swiftly for each of us to give perhaps our last pound of flesh." He had hoped that the time would not have come so quickly, but he could see the signs, and he felt the weight of it all settled on his shoulders. It had been almost a month since he'd seen Sirana. So much was happening that he couldn't risk seeing her and alerting the Dark Lord of his feelings for her. He had kept in contact with Dumbledore, so he knew she was doing well. After making the Unbreakable Vow, he knew it would reinforce the Dark Lord's trust of him, and he could move more freely for a while.
He sat in his chair for a while, trying to clear his mind before going to see Sirana. He didn't want her to feel any of the sorrow and pain inside him. Once he finally felt satisfied that his emotions were under control, he gathered a few items he wanted to bring with him, then Apparated into his room at Hogwarts.
Severus found that Sirana had not as yet arrived home for the evening. He had checked her rooms and his. He was careful not to let his mental connection with her give away his arrival. He wanted it to be a surprise. He had brought a bottle of elf-made wine for them to share. He hoped it would soften the sting of the time he had spent away. He hadn't gone a day without thinking of her, and he could feel a twinge of nervous anticipation building in him.
He went into his study to pour himself a glass of brandy. Maybe that would take the edge off. He noticed that Sirana
|216|

Unbreakable
had completed all of the work he'd left for her. He would have to set out more for her this time. He sat in his study. The living area was too empty without her. He swore at himself for being so emotional and went into his bedroom instead. He was a little surprised that it appeared she had been sleeping in his bed instead of her own. He didn't mind in the least though, and he thought he could smell a faint trace of her soap and wine. It was still early in the evening, and he wondered what she'd been doing with her time. He heard the faint click of a door coming from her rooms. He had left the door open between them so that she would suspect someone was there and come to check.
He went back into his living area to wait for her to find him. The brandy hadn't helped, and his stomach was almost up in his throat. He saw her peek her head around the corner, then she screamed, "Severus!"
He was frozen for a moment, not sure if she was screaming in anger or joy, until she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tight and swung her around, her feet lifting from the floor. They kissed as if they were starving for each other. Finally, they broke apart, holding each other's faces, staring into each other's eyes. Severus had noticed that her hair was wet and that she was completely soaked to the bone.
Sirana saw his confusion and offered, "Ah. I've been out all day in the rain with Hagrid. We've been riding Thestrals. I finally talked him into riding with me today. It was so much fun."
She looks so happy, Severus thought, with a bit of guilt for coming to her in such a solemn mood.
|217|

A Soul Undiminished—Severus Snape
Her smile faded a little, and she asked, "How have you been, Severus? I've missed you so much. I tried not to be sad about it, but some days, it was almost too much to bear."
Severus stroked her cheek with his fingers. "I too have missed you dearly. I wished I could have come sooner, but I couldn't risk it. I'm sad to say I can't stay long. Just until tomorrow."
"Oh no," Sirana exclaimed. "My grandfather is expected to arrive the day after tomorrow. I was hoping you could meet him. But it's alright. I'm sure the opportunity will present itself again some time. I'm just happy to have you back now." She looked at him more closely, then asked, "Are you really alright, Severus? You look tired. Have you been sleeping?"
It was Severus who avoided a direct answer this time. "I will be fine. I brought you home a gift. First, you can go get changed out of your wet clothes."
He went and retrieved the elf-made wine and poured them each a glass while she went to her bedroom to change. He couldn't help but make his way into her rooms. Surely, she would forgive him for the intrusion. He leaned against the doorway to her bedroom as she finished removing her undergarments, her back to him. She took a brush from her side table and brushed her long hair. He felt like a cat watching a bird, and he let his mind enter hers to show her what he was thinking. He saw her pause and set her brush down. She turned around in her full glory and walked towards him. He noticed his mouth had dropped open and he quickly shut it. She stepped up to him slowly and gently took one of the wine glasses from his hand.
|218|

Unbreakable
"Elf-made wine...for you," he managed to croak out. He was bewitched. He knew she was beautiful from the start, but he had almost forgotten the powerful alluring force that drew him to her. He felt it now in spades.
"Thank you, Severus. It's my favorite," she said, taking a drink. "I'm sorry. I don't have a gift for you."
Severus raised an eyebrow to that, his mouth turning up in a grin. "Actually, my dear, you have presented me with the perfect gift, and you were kind enough to unwrap it for me already."
He drank the last of the wine in his glass, then dropped it to the floor.