Severus and the Thunderbird

The Watch

The sun filtered through the window, waking him from the first deep sleep he had gotten in years. Confusion traipsed across his brain as he looked around at the grass green walls, covered with art and poetry. The floor was clean, the dresser neat and tidy, clothes hung in the small corner closet. He looked to his right and read several of the titles on the small bookshelf beside the bed, this had to have been the most treasured collection.

Looking to his left, he let his gaze linger on the slumbering woman beside him. Long lashes against her sun speckled skin, her straight bridged nose prominent and striking, strong arms clasping the pillow to her face, curls flung every which way, the curve of her spine rising and falling slowly. He wanted to touch her skin, it was so soft. It beckoned him. Would she push him away?

The moment laid out before him like ice on a pond, fragile and ready to be broken when he stepped down.

He allowed his fingers to slide down her shoulders, spine, and back up to her neck. Her eyes fluttered open, his heart jumping in his chest as she smiled brightly, alto voice groggy with sleep

"Good morning, I'm glad you're still here"

He didn't respond, but he kept up with his ministrations. He could make someone feel good. He liked that. She closed her eyes, pulling her hair up in a loose topknot by muscle memory, and settled into his touches. He pushed down the silver sheets, exposing the curve of her bottom, expanding his touch.

After a few minutes, she reached her arm out and wrapped it around his shoulders, pressing her naked body against his, legs intertwined. He stifled a groan, kissing her forehead. It was nice to rest. They had spent the better part of the night having sex and talking, in all manner of positions. He had been timid at first, afraid to let go, but as the night wore on she teased out the commanding side of him. Her body familiar against his torso, the contented moans from last night still lingering in his mind, the way she gasped as she climaxed in his ear.

"When do you need to leave?" she asked, voice muffled from her position in his shoulder blade

His rounds started that night at seven. It was now nine am. Ten hours. Maybe he should be back an hour early to settle in. Nine hours.

"This evening" he answered vaguely, not wanting to set a time frame yet

"You know what I was thinking?" she sat up on her elbow, swiftly kissing his temple 

"That's a loaded question if I ever heard one. No I do not" he rolled his eyes, tucking away a smile

She reached over him, breasts pressing against his chest, kissing his neck forcefully, flinging her legs over his hips. He laughed, kissing her lips just as hungrily. That is exactly what he was thinking too.

————

It was nearing six, and they stood beside each other, lingering for no other purpose than the others company felt right.

"Was this just a one night thing? Or will we see each other again?" she questioned neutrally, her affect swaying neither direction.

A bit of him wished she would ask him to come back. But also, that would signify something more than what they had planned last night. He wouldn't mind seeing her again. But he needed to know she wanted that as well.

"That depends...I still mean what I said last night" he answered bluntly

"That doesn't scare me. I can more than live within those boundaries. Here..." she answered with relief in her voice.

Maybe she did want him too, in a small, limited way.

She summoned a pair of antique pocket watches, which came floating out of her bedroom.

"I found these in Austria a few years ago. I never knew what to do with them. When you want to come visit me, just set the time. See?" she told him, grabbing her wand from her pocket.

She began incanting an unfamiliar spell, a mesmerizing purple light swirling around the watches before settling into them

"I made that spell up myself"

She set the time for one minute and they waited. Soon, his light glowed and when he opened the watch face, the time read 5: 45 pm.

"This is rather impressive. What if one of us isn't available at that time?" he asked, flipping the heavy watch around in his pocket

"There's two buttons on the top, press the left button if you can't and the right if you can" she instructed and he pressed the correct button, and immediately her watch began to glow yellow

"It would glow red if not. What do you think?" she asked excitedly, eyes glowing happily

He smiled. This was covert. She had put so much effort into this, he would be more than willing to give it a shot. It was much safer than sending an owl. No paper trail.

"What if someone else gets a hold of it?" he questioned, turning it around.

"It will lose the magic if anyone else but you touches it. Fail safe" she explained, opening the watch before explaining more

"And if you ever want to talk with me, use the spell dico amica, which I also made up by the way. I use it when I can't see my family often, but usually it's just a charmed mirror. This will be much easier to carry around"

He popped open the watch, copying Seren's exact movements, a simple tap on the face plate for each syllable of the charm. Her face immediately showed up, making him laugh.

"Just tap it and close when you're done, the charm isn't permanent" she smiled, sitting the watch on her side table.

"You are an incredibly brazen and dangerous witch" he told her sternly, secretly impressed at the power she held.

"I know. That's why you like me. I can keep you on your toes"she teased, leaning up to give him a final kiss goodbye

"Until next time..." he murmured, apparating himself back to the edge of the grounds where he hardened his features and sealed off his soul once more.