The Tribrid and Her Prison {COMPLETE}

Tribrid's Don't Beg

As night fell, Hope was in Albus' chambers sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her reflection. Her skin had, for the most part, healed, but she felt horribly dry. Like she'd been in the sun all day. The long dark brown hair near her waist was now above her shoulders.

So much had come out that Hope had taken a pair of scissors and snipped it off hastily before she could think better of it. It had to come off anyway. It might as well now. The cut itself didn't look terrible, it might even look cute if not for the singed pieces here and there.

Albus stepped between her and the mirror. She slowly looked up at him as he knelt before her.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, stroking her cheek gently with the pad of his thumb.

Letting him comfort her for a moment, she nodded slowly. "It just wasn't my choice." Hope knew it was just hair and would grow back, but it somehow felt more personal. That twisted her stomach into a knot.

"Hm," he smiled softly, eyes sad, "I know, love." He stroked her knee gently. "How are your eyes feeling?"

"Better." She nodded, watching his fingers trace the skin of her knee lightly. "I took a shower just yesterday morning, you know. Everything was fine then. So whoever it was, did it sometime between yesterday morning and this afternoon. I don't understand how someone can do this so often without anybody seeing anything."

Albus nodded, his brows furrowing. "There haven't been many magic traps I could set without endangering you, and I wanted your room to be a safe space for you. Now, however, it certainly isn't until the culprit is caught. So until then, I'd let to set a few surprises."

"Surprises?" She asked with a half smile, to which he chuckled and nodded.

"Things that might help us catch them. They might revisit the room while you're away from it."

Hope frowned a little. "And I don't particularly like thinking someone like this is running around the castle, especially where students are. Anyone could get themselves into the wrong place at the wrong time. I might be the target, but I don't want anyone caught in the crossfire."

"No worries about that. It's all taken care of. Minerva has graciously set a schedule that all students are in their common rooms early and at the same time, and starting tomorrow, students will be walked from class to class to ensure everyone is accounted for."

Hope nodded, taking a slow deep breath, watching his hands stroke lightly along her calves.

"You said earlier your skin felt very tight and dry?" He asked.

"Hm, yeah. Feels like a sunburn. Acid burn, I guess."

Albus nodded and stood, going to the bathroom and bringing out a jar of creamy white mixture. "I have just the thing." He smiled. "This might help you sleep a little easier."

He started at her knees, dabbing his fingers into the cream he used just a little to massage the mixture slowly down her calves. Albus didn't just coat the surface and move on, his fingertips worked the lotion into her skin, into her muscles.

An involuntary moan escaped as he worked. Hope could feel the tightness of her skin being alleviated.

Albus glanced up at her with a slight smirk. "I imagine you've needed this for a very long time." He dug his thumbs into the soles of her feet, her eyes rolling back in her head as she sighed happily.

From her feet to her thighs and continuing up, she eventually was laid on her stomach. Her cheek rested on her arms as he massaged and moisturized every inch of her now-naked body. When he reached her shoulders and neck, he earned another moan.