Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

Love

Astronomy Tower

Florence closed her eyes as a nice breeze blew through the tower, making that warm chaotic night more bearable.

She sat on the floor near one of the large openings that circumvented the Tower, thinking on all that had happened in the last five hours; a deep sense of loss-of-self sat heavily on her chest, nausea threatening to flare up again, even though she had nothing else to throw up.

For the first time in her life, she was afraid of her own powers.

Soft thuds of fast footsteps on the spiral staircase cut through her heavy thoughts, making her smile for she recognised those steps.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it, Severus?" she said when her husband appeared.

He carefully approached her, unsure of how to address her, "Florence," he spoke softly, deciding to act as if she were an unstable wild animal, "Are you alright? Why are you here?"

"I just needed to be alone," she sighed, "But then I was alone and realised I'd rather be with you and the kids and tried to apparate home... but I vomited, so I decided against apparating again," Florence gave him a small smile, "Didn't want to end up splinched in our backyard."

He stopped near her, waiting for a sign that she wasn't still angry with him, pondering if touching her would get him hexed or not.

"Sit down, Sev," she finally said, scooting forward and giving him enough space to sit behind her.

He sat and she made herself comfortable between his legs, laying her back on his chest, taking his larger hands and entwining them with her more delicate ones over her stomach, in silence.

"What happened tonight, love? Where did you go?" he asked, kissing the side of her head and smelling her sweet-vanilla scent.

"I took a gamble, and it paid off," Florence whispered, her voice low and tired, "Now, as that muggle detective says: the game is afoot. I'm in on the plan, Severus. I'll try to be your informant inside the Order; I'll help you do whatever necessary to kill Dumbledore within the next twelve months," she looked up at him, tears falling down her face, as she voiced her biggest fear: "I don't want you to die."

Severus held her firmly against his chest, "I'm just glad you're not chewing my head off..."

She chuckled, closing her eyes, feeling safe as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, then she continued:

"I saw a part of myself today that I never wanted to see," she paused, looking at their entwined hands, "I tortured Bellatrix today, Severus. Not only that: I summoned her."

He tensed up, "You have tortured her before, love."

"Yes. With the Cruciatus curse, not with my bare hands and no spell but my pure desire to cause her pain."

He hesitated, feeling her pain through their bond but also getting a glimpse at the memory of the excitement that had filled her as she tortured the woman – it was terrifying.

"You said you summoned her, Flor. How?"

"I cast a temporary Mark on my arm and focused on Bellatrix, on ordering her to go to Little Hangleton. Then I went there and waited. And it worked," she finished in a whisper, "Then I hurt her, and I... I wanted to kill her. I wanted to watch her bleed."

"And then your father appeared?"

"Yes. I was able to stop myself a few seconds before he walked into the Training Room," she paused, adding in a small voice: "I left after he said Bellatrix would be punished accordingly."