Uncanny Snake

XXX - Short of Shameless

When my eyes fluttered open, I stared at the streak of light pouring into the room from the gap in the curtains. I didn't want to wake up yet. Well, I suppose I was already awake. Aw, but I didn't want this moment to ever come to an end. The bed was warm, and Severus was loosely holding onto me, his heartbeat so calm. I closed my eyes, wishing they would never open again; I was afraid I was dreaming.

"You're not dreaming," a voice murmured in my ear, and I relaxed into his arms, tucking my head under his chin once more.

"Stop reading my mind."

"Don't leave it open," he chastised. A small smile crept up my lips, and I wiggled to wrap my arms around his torso. I missed this warmth, the ease that came with feeling protected and at ease. I didn't want to leave this room, this bed. Screw responsibilities, and everything else in between. Why was it so bad to be selfish? If I could feel like this every day, I didn't care how selfish I was. His arms tightened around my waist, crushing me against his chest, and while Severus hadn't commented on my thoughts, his must not have been far from mine.

He unraveled my arms from his torso and smirked when he succeeded in pinning my them to the sheets, now looming above me. "Don't look so smug."

"The morning is barely star-" Aggressive knocking assaulted our door, and Severus paused, his lips thinning into an annoyed grimace. "What?" he snapped. Tonks came barging in ranting about some nonsense that Sirius had brought up at breakfast—which we had missed. She abruptly came to a stop and stared at us, Severus' gaze landing back on mine. He clicked his tongue as he let my wrists go and shoved a pillow onto me, covering my chest.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon," he murmured, sitting up, the covers pooling around his waist. "I hope for your sake you have a good reason to be here, Nymphadora." He annunciated every single syllable, and a sigh escaped my lips as I melted into the sheets. Here we go again. Surprisingly enough, she spared us of her outburst, her gaze lingering on the floor, and I didn't miss the wry amusement protruding from Sev. "Does Remus not take you down enough?"

"That is none of your business Severus, now get dressed, we have a funeral to attend." At those words, her eyes landed on mine, and they softened into a small apology. And my morning was suddenly ruined. With a wave of his hand, a chair swept Tonks off her feet, dragging her out the door before it slammed shut, and silence filled the air.

"That was unnecessary," I mumbled.

"Barging into our room was also unnecessary." Another awkward silence lingered in the air, and Severus cleared his throat. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, I'm ready for the day to be over..."

"I'll be by your side," he whispered, squeezing my hand gently. "Come now. It's time to get up." He had an expecting look in his eyes, and I cursed under my breath as I took his hand.

I was used to showering alone, but watching as Severus read the back of the shampoo bottle was a joy of its own. Not to mention this shower was just an escape for me to cry without anyone interrupting, mainly Sirius. One too many nights had I sat, curled up in the corner while I sobbed my tears into the drain. "Can I wash your hair?" I cringed at my own words, but Severus seemed to contemplate the idea, and his eyes wandered back to the shampoo bottle.

"I don't see why you couldn't..." A but was supposed to follow, but it never did, and I realized then that he was trying his best to comfort me. He was giving me some sense of control in contrast to the otherwise cruel chain of events that had happened thus far—the need for control.

"You won't regret it. You'll be so handsome!" I smiled, and my heart fluttered when he smiled back and dropped to his knees, allowing me a much better angle to wash his hair. It was a bit awkward as I poured shampoo into the palm of my hand, but the act was surprisingly intimate. Severus did not like people touching him in general, intimate or not, and his hair often felt off-limits, except for now. It was soft and silky after the shampoo was rinsed away, and I couldn't help but smile. "I'll be right back, don't move."