Second chance in love?

Fevered Moments.

I sat in Severus's arms, the weight of the past three days pressing down on me like a stormy cloud that refused to dissipate. The pain and emotional distress he had caused swirled in my mind, mingling with his recent apology, which still echoed faintly. Each word he had spoken in anger, every moment of cold indifference, played on a loop, stabbing at my heart. Doubt lingered, like a shadow that wouldn't be chased away by the light of his promises. Could he truly keep his word?

My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and heartache. The memory of Severus's harsh words still stung, his accusations cutting deeper than any curse. He had questioned my loyalty, even gone as far as to hurl cruel accusations about my blood status, as if my being Muggle-born somehow made me more likely to betray him. The betrayal I felt when he turned away from me, refusing to listen, left a bitter taste. 

Severus shifted slightly, breaking the heavy silence. 'Why are you so quiet?' he asked, his voice a soft murmur against the quiet room.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. 'I was thinking about everything that's happened,' I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. 'What you saw at the Burrow... it was a misunderstanding.'

His eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity mingling with lingering skepticism.

'I went inside alone,' I continued, searching his face for any sign of belief. 'Chris followed me, started telling me how you're not a good husband and before I could react, he... he forcefully kissed me. I didn't want it, Severus.'

A flicker of something crossed his face – doubt, pain, perhaps a touch of regret.

'I wanted to tell you, to explain,' I murmured, my voice trembling. 'But you wouldn't listen. You shut me out, and it hurt so much.'

Severus's arms tightened around me, his grip a mixture of protectiveness and remorse. 'I'm sorry,' he whispered again, his voice raw with emotion. 'I was blinded by my own insecurities, my own fears.'

Tears pricked my eyes, but I held them back. 'I need to know if you can trust me, Severus. If you can keep your promise to believe in me, to not let misunderstandings tear us apart.'

He nodded, his gaze intense. 'I will. I promise. But there's something you need to know about Hawthorn.'

I looked up at him, confusion evident in my eyes. 'What is it?'

'Hawthorn is a Death Eater,' Severus said, his voice steady but filled with a dark edge. 'He confessed to me that he targeted you on purpose. He knew it would create a rift between us. He was trying to manipulate the situation.'

Shock flooded through me, and I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. 'He... what?'

Severus continued, 'He told me everything. He said he knew how I was taking you for granted and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to exploit my weaknesses. He planned it all, from following you inside to that kiss. He wanted me to feel the disloyalty and betrayal through you so that he could avenge for the betrayal of dark lord.'

I stared at him, the enormity of Chris's betrayal sinking in. 'I can't believe it. He seemed so... normal.'

'That's what he wanted you to think,' Severus said bitterly. 'But he's been working for his master, manipulating people, creating chaos. He wanted to create a distance between us and he was almost successful in doing that' His voice dropped but his hands gripped me to himself.

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered Chris's unexpected proposal. 'Severus, there's more. On your birthday, when I went to Hogsmeade to buy ingredients, Chris approached me.'

Severus's eyes narrowed, curiosity replacing the earlier flicker of anger. 'What happened?'

'He insisted I go to a café with him,' I explained, feeling the intensity of his gaze. 'He told me I was so loyal to you, despite how you treated me like an option. Then he confessed his feelings to me.'