Mended

Nineteen

"If I agree to this," Danu begins as she warms her hands on the mug of coffee she was clutching tightly and makes her way around the wall of plants still lining her kitchen to face Severus standing between the kitchen and living room. "Where do we begin? I've had a jungle in my kitchen for nearly a week and a half, Bram is chewing on or scratching half of them, and Lorna knocked three over yesterday alone."

"I told you I would construct a greenhouse at your request" Severus replies dryly as he makes his way to the kitchen to pour his own mug of coffee, Danu trails behind him in order to move several tall plants blocking the cupboard where the mugs were held.

"And how long will that take?"

"Two days, perhaps three. No longer than four, I imagine." Severus stifles a yawn and takes a deep gulp of the scalding coffee as he glares down at her over the rim of the mug. Of course, it was not a true glare in his usual sense, just the permanent scowl he had etched onto his face every morning before his first mug of coffee.

"And then what?" Danu asks, pulling a frying pan from the cupboard and placing it on the stove to begin preparing breakfast.

"Then you will move the plants to the greenhouse, and I will supplement your income while they reach maturity. Once matured, I will pay you for what I require. Should you chose to assist me in brewing at any time, or help around the shop, you will be compensated."

"So, the shop is definite then? You're buying it?" Danu asks as she cracks an egg into the frying pan, the sizzle of the eggs touching the hot oil in the pan deafening in the otherwise silent house.

"I am to meet the property owner this morning to see the building in person. Should it be satisfactory, then yes, it is definite. I will purchase the prints for the greenhouse while I am out and begin the assembly this afternoon."

"And what about us?" Danu murmurs, placing the spatula she had been holding to flip the eggs on the side of the counter and turning to face Severus, who was leaning against the island counter watching her cook. Severus raises a brow at her in question before bringing the steaming mug to his lips once more. "What are we?"

"Married, last I checked." Severus retorts, his face clear of any emotion.

"Yes, but are we...you know, together?" Danu furrows her brow and looks into Severus' eyes, part of her terrified that he would say no.

He had stayed there nearly every night for over a month now, minus the four days surrounding their fight prior to Christmas, but that didn't mean anything with Severus. He has proven the act of casual sex was not beneath him, and likely wouldn't even stay had Lorna not begged him to each night. Severus doesn't say a word, only places his mug of coffee on the first clear space he can find and stalks towards her, his dark figure towering over her. Danu finds herself enveloped in his arms before she knows it, the scent of eucalyptus from his morning shower dominating her, he rests his chin on the top of her head before kissing it gently.

"DADDY!" Lorna bellows from upstairs, causing her to jump slightly. "I NEED YOU!"

"I will return in a moment." Severus sighs as he peels himself from her arms. Danu listens as he footsteps echo off of the wooden steps, his voice echoes down the stairs as he scolds Lorna gently. "Lorna, I must remind you once more not to shout throughout the house; it is rude. You will come downstairs and find your mother and I, unless it is a true emergency; and your inability to reach the sink is not one. I truly do not understand how you and your mother can bare brushing your teeth before breakfast."

Danu smiles to herself as she removes the eggs from the frying pan and turns to slice fruit for Lorna. This had been a constant petty argument between the two of them for as long as they had been together. Severus insisting that teeth were meant to be brushed after eating so your food does not taste like toothpaste; Danu insisting that they were meant to be brushed before breakfast so that your food does not taste like stale morning breath.