Severus and the Thunderbird

Goodbye, Half Blood Prince

He sat back in his office, barely willing to hope for a moment of peace. Dread weighed down his body, pushing it further into the seat. He just wanted to escape. Forget this whole world. But his deeply ingrained loyalty and pride wouldn't let him. He was no coward.

Albus was aware of the dark lord's plan. He suggested the idea of killing him in place of Draco as easily as drinking another cup of tea.
But what about his soul? His soul would be the one torn apart, fractured beyond what it already was, and everyone just kept asking more and more of him. Forever split unless he took the danger of repairing it. Albus was a grand manipulator, appealing to his sense of justice and innate protection.

And now Draco. He was Draco in his youth. Seeking respect and admiration. But this was the wrong way to go about it. He could try to rectify his past choices. He could try and save the boy. Another boy. Ironically the patron saint of lost boys. Another way to change the future. Vicariously righting his wrongs.

His soul stretched as if it would split from the sheer pressure.

The watch lit up for the first time since spring. He immediately grabbed it, Seren's voice greeted him hurriedly

"Meet me at the edge of the grounds now"

He agreed, wondering what had brought her to the castle. She preferred to be at her place, on her terms, but the past summer and this year he couldn't afford to be away. He had too much at stake.

His hardened exterior waned as he walked her into the passageway, a bit of awkwardness between them. A strange ache in his stomach as he reached to hold her hand but missed. Her shoulders tightened, the sway to her hips gone. He stopped her before they entered his office, slipping the cloak off her head, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He didn't want disconnected sex right now. He needed a reminder that he was human.

She closed her eyes, exhaling deeply. Stepping in closer, he twisted a curl around his finger, staring into her eyes, the guardedness and steel thoroughly blocking him. Her eyes held a quiet fury, one that he knew so well. It came from hiding your feelings in order to save someone else.

"Seren..." he whispered her name, long since forgotten on his tongue

Leaning down he rested his lips over hers tentatively, the barest whisper of a kiss.

She pushed him away, staring at the ground.

He shook his shoulders, opened the door to the office, making certain it was clear, then walked her to his chambers, sealing the doors and walls with silencing charms.

She didn't take off her boots, but she did lay her cloak on the table. Out of her worn backpack, she pulled a book entitled "Rarest Herbs of the Andes" and handed it to him.

"What's this?" he questioned, flipping through the pages curiously

"A gift from your friend Narcissa. For performing an unbreakable vow" she answered icily, body beginning to tense  

His heart stopped. How did she meet Narcissa? Then the anger surged. She went back into that manor! She directly ignored what he told her. It was even worse now, the Dark Lord inhabited it. Fear took over but he couldn't allowed her to see it, he couldn't let the memories be tinged with it.

"You ignored me! You deliberately disobeyed what I said! You went back into that house!" he yelled, breaking his calm demeanor