Redemption

36

"How long has it been since you've taken a moment to relax?" I asked, leaning my head back against his sud covered chest.

He sighed, leaning his arms on the edges of the bath. "Too bloody long, darling."

I giggled, turning to face him, pressing my hands to his chest, tracing over his many scars. Our frequent baths had become somewhat routine during the winter break, always finding some time to escape the outside world and revel in each other's company. "Will you tell me about your sister one day?"

He thought a moment before nodding. "What is it you want to know?" His tone wasn't guarded, per se, though he was very evidently alerted by the mention of his sister.

I shrugged, meeting his eyes. "What was she like? Were you close? What House was she in? What was her favourite colour?"

He chuckled, pulling me close. "Ever the curious witch, aren't you?" He pressed his lips to my forehead. "She was a peaceful soul, always stopping arguments from going too far. We were very close as children, less so when I left Hogwarts to begin my own life. She was in Slytherin, her favourite colour was purple, I believe."

"Did she have a middle name?" I wasn't sure how long he'd let me ask the questions I had, so I tried to spew as many as possible. "What was her favourite class? Why an Auror?"

He sighed, his lips quirking into a slight smile. "Love, you don't need to spit out all your questions at once," He said, burying his face in my hair. "We have all the time in the world for that."

I blushed furiously, looking away, trying to focus my gaze on something else. I suppose he decided to humour me for he answered the following; "Tempest." He whispered, kissing my shoulder. "She loved Ancient Runes, and she wanted to rid the world of evil."

His voice drifted near the end, sadness ebbing. His words were pained. I took his face between my hands, brushing my lips across his. "No, my love, please don't be sad. I didn't mean to upset you."

He met my eyes, pulling me in for another searing kiss. Merlin, I loved him.

Once again, our moment was interrupted by a knock at his office door. He sighed, leaning back. "Ignore it."

My eyebrows creased. "What if it's your daughter?"

He shook his head. "It isn't." He paused. "She knocks differently."

I stifled a laugh, touching his mouth with mine. "Only you would recognise the differences in knocks." He shrugged, pulling me to him, water splashing over the side of the tub. "Severus!" I gasped, letting a hearty laugh escape me.

He allowed himself a small smile before claiming my lips, his hands sliding across my body, one of them coming up to hold the back of my head. I melted in his arms, tangling my fingers in his hair, I nearly forgot the person at the door, but another knock came. "Severus, the door."

He shook his head. "The house elf will get it. I told her not to let anyone in." He managed, before returning to my mouth, slipping his tongue past my teeth.

A few more minutes passed, and at last Minky knocked on the bathroom door. It was a quiet, tentative knock. He sat up, stepping out of the bath, grabbing a towel. I lay against the edge, breathless, my head leaned back. Whatever it was had better be important...

I heard him groan before walking to another part of his chambers, slamming a door. "Minky, just tell him to leave. I don't have the patience for this, I just dealt with him yesterday."

I heard some garbled whispering, a squeak and a frustrated sigh. He came back into the bathroom, towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. "What's the matter?" I asked, willing myself to sit up properly, though my muscles were a happy pile of mush.