Last Witness: Detached (Snape Love Story)

Interlude For Love

……………..

Georgianna hid herself into one of the blankets in front of a blazing fireplace and waited for Severus to return from the Malfoy Manor. She was cold; not even a hot bath, Pepper-up potion and sitting here could fix it.

“Damn him,” she uttered under her breath and moved closer to the heat. She swore to herself hundreds of times that she would do her best to maintain her self-control and she failed miserably at the tiniest sign that Yaxley could suspect anything. Her stomach twisted as she recalled his curiosity about what she looked like when she was younger; for as long as he knew her as Lorrelaine Kendrick, he was never interested in anything of personal nature unless it endangered the frequency of their relations. Something was most definitely wrong.

She pulled the blanket tighter around herself and started to reconsider her options. She could run of course. If she ran away she would never see a Death Eater again, especially if she stopped taking her medication, but her heart ached when she recalled that it meant she would also never see Severus again. She could also kill Yaxley but something inside her knew that in the end, she would never be able to bring herself to do it.

Georgianna heard the door creak open and Severus’s footsteps behind her. He had quite a distinct way of walking: his steps were always very confident, yet careful as those of a cat whose hunger has been satisfied and yet she prowls around in case she can find something to play with. She didn’t turn to him until he sat down by her side. His expression was hard to read as his face moved into the light; he seemed to be considering something and Georgianna sincerely hoped that he wasn’t informed about the truth by anyone.

“You left in a hurry,” he said suddenly.

“I wasn’t feeling all that good,” she replied with her head down suddenly. Her heart started to beat faster as she heard the sound of his voice. He seemed calm and as unwavering as a rock cliff that entraps the waves of a stormy sea – a person who kept his word and could keep many secrets as well. She wondered if one day he would be both willing and able to protect hers. She grabbed his hand and heard him tut slightly when he felt how cold it is.

“Wouldn’t it be better to take a Pepper-up potion rather than try to warm yourself in such an impractical manner?” he asked. She could tell he suspected there was something more behind her leaving so early but as always, she knew he wouldn’t try to force her to talk about it. It was something she truly appreciated; even though he cared for her as a man, he’s let her keep her secrets.

“I already took a double dose,” she admitted to him. “I also took a bath but nothing helped.”

Severus took of his cloak in silence and covered her with it as well. He stayed at an arm’s distance of her, capturing her chin with his fingers.

“Are you sure you’re just feeling a little under the weather? Or did someone curse you?”

“What?” she asked surprised. The look on his face told her that he was absolutely serious.

“Everyone in that room could see that you and Yaxley certainly didn’t get along well. I was concerned that he didn’t only upset you but also cursed you somehow.”

“He didn’t do anything,” she said quietly and regretted the lie. All she wanted to do now was to lie down onto Severus’s chest and tell him everything. She had a feeling that he would understand what she was doing and why. Maybe he would even have some sense of empathy for all that’s happened… but perhaps that was too much to hope for. His fingers felt warm against her skin but she didn’t seem to retain the warmth he was sharing with her.

“You just ran out of the room like that for no reason at all?” he asked her softly.

“Well, not entirely,” she admitted, meeting his gaze. His face was extremely hard to read but somehow she knew that he wasn’t angry with her. Georgianna decided that she might try revealing the truth to him after all. It would take time but she could at least start.