Finders Keepers | Severus Snape [Book Two]

Chapter Five | Two Paths

This wasn't at all how I wanted to feel when I woke up on my seventeenth birthday. Of course, it was the fact that tonight would be the task where I may have to brutally torture a family. The thought of it crossed my mind the second I woke up, I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. I threw the covers off of me, staggering to the bathroom and slamming the door, trying to hurl up any of the roast beef and carrots I had the night before. Maybe it was the two glasses of wine I wolfed down to numb me to sleep, or it was the fact I could hear echoed screams through my head, my mind playing a guilt trip on me. I washed my face with cold water, cleaning out my mouth as I looked into the mirror in front of me. My face dripping, I could barely stand my own reflection.

I could hear a faint whisper hissing in the air and I wasn't quite for if it was my mind playing with me or not. But, as soon as I saw a shadow whipping behind my reflection, I quickly spun around. Nothing. All I was faced with was the white tiles of the wall. My heartbeat was racing and I grunted, throwing open the door and walking out the bathroom and noticing Draco, in his white T-shirt with the black satin sheets covering his lap, sitting up and ruffling his hair, yawning.

"Oh," I muttered as I walked to the vanity mirror and slipped on my slippers, "Did I wake you?"

"Well," he yawned, "When you jumped off the bed, you kicked me in my groin... So yeah, you bloody woke me up." It was awkward to be sleeping in the same bed as Draco, but the security of having someone there was soothing enough. But, sometimes when I toss and turn at night, I look beside myself and is disappointed, seeing the man I didn't want with me since the beginning of all this mess. "I'm sorry," I said with a forced chuckle, "I guess I had too much wine last night." That was a lie, but I didn't want to tell Draco of my guilt and pain of what I would have to do tonight.

I sat at the vanity, pulling out a hair brush and brushed my blonde strands gently, pulling at any tangle. I felt a small tap on my shoulder and looked up, noticing Draco above me. I noticed he tapped me with my wand I left beside my bedside, on the endtable. I put down the hair brush and took my wand and looked at him puzzled.

"Thank you?" I said in question and Draco smirked.

"Come on now, Wilson, have you forgotten?"

It took me a minute, but soon my lips curled small smile, "Yeah, I remember."

"Well, shower up!" He said, "I'll shower in the guest room and we'll have a bit of fun, shall we?"

I smiled to Draco as he rummaged for his things in the wardrobe and grabbed his shoes, heading out the door. Magic, something every seventeen year old witch or wizard would be excited about. But, to me, that wasn't the case.

After I showered and pulled on comfortable dress robes, I pinned my hair up and headed outside in the back of the manor. Draco, in his infamous suit and tie, stood below the white patio stairs with his hands stowed in his pockets to avoid the chilly morning breeze. I walked down the steps, in my comfortable slip on heels that were thankfully an inch tall and stood next to Draco.

"Come on," he said, taking his hand into mine, "Let's head into the woods and try out some magic." But, before he can pull me any further, I took my hand back and shook my head. I forced a smile and said, "I'm not really up for it."

Draco furrowed his eyebrows and said, "And, why not?"

"I feel more better spending my life in the wine cupboard than making fireworks with my wand, that's all." I said sheepishly. Merlin, I sound like my mother.

"How does that sound any better?" Draco said, inching closer to me.

"Draco, I don't have to explain myself every time you ask, alright? Can I just go back inside?" I groaned and he shrugged.