Lifeline

{ chapter 15 }

You were now leaned over a toilet bowl, throwing up what felt like all of your internal organs at once. " You really are stupid you know that?.......let it all out." Snape huffed. He had been standing with you the whole time, holding your hair back surprisingly gently as he shook his head in disbelief watching you. You had sobered up enough now to at least be aware of what was going on, whilst still leaning over the bowl you whimpered," I am so sorry, I really am a complete idiot. I thought it would take my mind off it all, but now I'm here throwing my bloody guts up." He chuckled slightly at your honesty. Your pain filled voice echoed against the bathroom walls. Wait. Now that I think about it, where are we?

You began to turn around to look, until Snape redirected your head with the hair he was already grabbing, and positioned you back over the toilet bowl. "Don't you think for a second I'm letting you throw up all over my floors Miss L/N. I don't care if you are hungover beyond belief, you will be the one cleaning it up." It seems you were in his bathroom, in his own chambers. Oh my god, I got so drunk that I'm now throwing up in Professor Snape's living quarters! Snape could see you were a shaking mess, he released your hair from his grasp and watched you as you curled up into a ball and silently cried. Your head was in your hands, attempting to shield yourself from the world and the humiliating situation you had got yourself into.

" Stand." He spoke softly, but still with a level of authority. Without thinking you stood, but with your head still hung low. He tilted your chin upwards and studied your flushed, tear covered face. You expected him to throw another insult or maybe even send you away, but instead he did the unthinkable. Snape outstretched his arms and nodded," Come here sweetheart." He is offering me a hug? You immediately ran into him and began to break down once again in his grasp. He held you close, brushing through your silky hair with his fingers to calm you. You began to slow your breathing and calm down, one hand upon his back and one rest neatly on his chest. This was your first proper interaction together in weeks, you had this fuzzy feeling inside that was not only due to the alcohol.

He continued to hold you, and whispered, " I suggest you get yourself out of these clothes, have a shower and then come to me. I can lend you some fresh sleeping garments." You giggled to yourself about his unique way of saying the word Pj's." Thank you, that's very kind." He traced his arms back from around you and stepped out of the room," And try not to fall over in your drunken state Gryffindor, I don't want to have to bury a body tonight." He called through the already shut door. Wow, he sure has a dark sense of humour. You slipped off your clothes and stepped into his shower. The feeling of the water running over your body was like a wave of relief. You felt so safe in Snape's presence and knew he was there to protect you.

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After your shower, you approached the door wrapped in a towel. You creaked it open to see Snape sat comfortably in his armchair reading the daily prophet. He flipped down the paper that was in front of his face, and jolted his head towards the room to his left. He continued to read as you walked through the door he had pointed at, you stepped inside to see the most grand double bed you could possibly imagine. Laid neatly on the silk sheets was an oversized shirt of his, and a pair of pyjama trousers. You put them on, the shirt was big as expected but manageable, the trousers however dragged onto the floor with every step.

You walked back into the room Snape was in, he took one look at you and smirked, " Trousers a bit long are they?" You nodded with a half smile, "Deal with it." He muttered mockingly, you shot him a hard look of disbelief. " My my Gryffindor, no need to kill me with your eyes." He walked into the bedroom leaving you by yourself in the main living area. You whipped your hair up into a messy bun and waited for his return. Soon enough he came back, "Here." He threw you something else to wear. You walked back into the bedroom and started to get changed, he had given you a pair his grey boxer shorts. You returned to the room where Snape stood waiting, he looked you up and down with the faintest smile on his lips. "Better." You smirked.

"Go and sleep Miss L/N, by the morning I will have brewed a potion to assist in your inevitable hangover." He guided you by the small of your back into the bedroom, you were filled to the brim with butterflies. He is letting me stay? You were so tired upon arrival, that you basically collapsed onto the soft sheets of his bed and got yourself comfy immediately."Goodnight Y/N." He whispered in his deep, calming tone. He had used your first name, no miss L/N or Gryffindor, simply Y/N. "Goodnight Severus." His name trickled from your lips with ease, as if you had been calling him by that forever. You felt his gentle hand sweep a strand of hair from your face over your ear out of the way, then leave the room. Soon enough you were out cold, the hangover in the morning was sure to be a bad one.