Don't Save Me

Chapter 9: Home Sweet Torture

TW: Breif description of torture

This is a bit of a shorter chapter and is more of a filler chapter

I don't remember much of the summer. Most of it I was unconscious for but the one thing I can very clearly remember is my uncle's voice in my head and the pain he inflicted. The days seemed to blur together in an endless cycle of pain.

"You deserve to suffer. The cruciatus curse is nothing compared to the suffering you have put me through every day. You are the reason your aunt is dead and it should have been you instead!" he would scream at me as he raised his wand to my head.

"Crucio!" he screamed and I felt the searing pain spread through my body. It felt as if all of my muscles were on fire, screaming at me for relief. The only thing getting me through the endless cycle of pain was knowing I would see my friends again... knowing I would see Severus again. His face was so beautifully ingrained in my mind and it felt as if I could hear his voice in my head... begging me to stay strong.

When the summer finally ended, my uncle brought me to King's Cross station and simply left. There was no long goodbye, no final hug, no wishes of a good semester. He simply dropped me off and left. I boarded the train and sat in an empty compartment, my head resting against the window. I felt a few tears slip down my cheeks and I quickly wiped them away as I heard the compartment door open. Severus walked in and took a seat next me, silently grabbing my hand. I put up my Occlumency walls as he stroked my hand and pushed my hair behind my ear, trying to look at my face.

"Y/n... are you alright?" he asked me as he rubbed his thumb against my cheek. He pulled my frame into him, placing my head on his chest.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just... I'm going to miss being home," I lied, hoping he would change the subject. "What about you? How was your summer?"

"Oh... uhm... it was great," he replied, still stroking my hair. "Yeah... I'm going to miss being home, too."

"Yeah?" I replied, not really sure what else to say.

"Yeah," he whispered against my hair as the two of us fell asleep.