Belonging

Period Pains -Severus Snape-

-Severus Snape-

Monday Morning

Severus momentarily awoke, checked the time, found there to be ample more cuddling minutes before having to rise, then slid across the bed to pull Madelyn into his arms. She had been restless during the night. He wasn't sure if she had been having trouble sleeping, but she moved about a lot, and he had let her have some space to try to sleep.

At first as he drew her in against him, placing his hips and knees behind hers, tucking his arm around her waist for a snug fit, all seemed peaceful. She wiggled her bum against him as he settled in, as she so often did, and then the quiet stillness of the morning drew Severus back toward dozing.

Then his mate stiffened in his arms and whispered something he did not catch before she struggled away from him and out of the bed. He assumed she was excusing herself to the bathroom then he heard her feet padding not in that direction but to the living room and back, in a seemingly hurried rush.

When the noises became no less obvious as to what she was doing, he cracked his eyes to see his mate rushing around digging through the piles of her clothing he had removed from her last night. She was muttering something under her breath, he thought he had heard a "where the fuck is it?" or something in that vein.

"Darling?" he asked softly, in confusion.

"Go back to sleep, don't look over here," she returned.

"Sweetheart... what are you...?"

She did not answer, rather began madly grabbing things from cupboards and drawers, then rushed to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. He was awake now, no point in attempting to go back to sleep. Since Madelyn had just run into their water closet with an armful of clothing he supposed the cuddling was no longer on offer either. He sat up, bleary eyed. By the time he finished rubbing his eyes of their sleep his wife was dressed and back to rushing around their rooms in agitation.

"Can I help you with something, pet?" he asked.

"Yes. Stay right where you are. Don't get up yet."

"Why...exactly?"

"Just...don't! Argh! Where did you take my robe off? My wand was in it!"

"Living room by the door," he answered, drawing the blankets off and getting up, not really thinking about how she had said to stay where he was. He had not understood the nature of her flight until now, as he saw the red splotches on the white sheets, her monthly courses must have begun overnight. He belatedly realized she was attempting to find her wand before he moved in order to spare herself some embarrassment of him seeing this.

Madelyn returned, wand in hand, halfway out of breath, and her face dropped at seeing him looking at the bedclothes. She cast the spell to remove the stains from the cotton, and just as Severus turned to her to say not to be a silly creature, that this was all perfectly normal his wife burst into tears. Damn, perhaps he should have stayed still as ordered, but he hadn't understood, his sleepy mind clouded with hope of helping her.

He stood and tried to hug her, she tried to get away. "Sweetheart there is no reason to be embarrassed..." he grabbed her and pulled her toward him.

"I'm sorry I forgot it was supposed to start-"

"Why on earth are you sorry? Stop these foolish tears," he cooed as he pet her hair.

"I just want to die, this is so embarrassing."

"I hate to break it to you, but I was well aware that you menstruate before now."

"Can you not say that word please..."