Serendipity [Book 2]

In The Still of The Night

"You're being unreasonable, Snape." Remus growled.

“Remus,” Both men paused in their feud as Ariella’s trembling voice was heard. Remus turned to the blonde, expecting her to side with him.

“Remus, Severus is right,” Ariella remarked quietly as Remus stared at her in surprise. He bent down onto one knee in front of the woman and took her hands in his.

“Elle, you don’t have to stay with him. I’m fine, I swear,” He spoke quietly, pleading with her. Ariella shook her head.

“You’re already weak, Remus. I hate to burden you. I’ll stay with Severus,” She announced and Remus sighed before conceding. Snape nodded curtly. Honestly, he hadn’t fully thought she’d pick him over Lupin. After all, the two were best friends, he thought sourly.

“Oh,” Ariella gasped as she frantically patted herself down. Tears welled in her eyes again as she looked up at Severus.

“He has my wand,” She whispered as Remus and Severus frowned. Albus nodded.

“I’ll inform McCormick of that as well,” He informed the trio as Severus helped Ariella to her feet. Remus followed the pair until they reached the main staircase.

“I’ll check in on you in the morning ok, Elle?” Remus reassured the blonde as she nodded. He hugged her tightly before watching Severus lead her down toward the dungeons. Snape could fear Ariella’s fear and panic and he knew her trek to the dungeons that late at night did not help her. She clung tightly to the back of his robes as he led her to his quarters.

“Cross, he won’t reach you,” Snape tried to console the blonde but she didn’t answer him as they entered his office. She looked around quickly, frowning.

“You sleep in your office?” Ariella asked, uncertainly. Severus frowned as he shook his head. He pointed toward a bookcase and led the blonde through it. On the other side of the bookcase illusion was a large bedroom that was scarcely furnished. A bed, small bookshelf, and a night stand were the only pieces of furniture in the expansive room. Books littered the bed’s cover and Ariella found herself dreading her night here.

“If you need me, I’ll be in my office,” Severus informed the panicked blonde. She turned to him with wide, fearful eyes.

“You’re leaving me here? In this cold, damp hole?” She asked, fearing his answer. Severus frowned at her description of his bedroom. The fear in her amethyst orbs was almost too much to handle. He loathed Black for not only breaking her heart, but frightening her as well.

“If anyone were to come after you, Cross, they’d have to go by me. I wouldn’t let them near you,” He tried to reassure her, but it was in vain. She refused to let him leave her sight.

“No!” She exclaimed as tears welled in her eyes and silently fell down her already ravaged cheeks. Severus Snape sighed before conceding.

“Fine, woman. I will stay here with you,” He agreed as he crossed the room to his closet. Ariella only followed his with her eyes as she listened to his rustle in the dark doorway across the room. He turned back to her and handed a dark wad of clothing to her. She frowned as she separated the clothing. A large, button-up shirt and pair of boxers were held up as she quirked an eyebrow.

“You may sleep in those, unless you wish for the house-elves to bring you something from your room,” Snape informed her as she sighed and shook her head.

“No, this is fine,” She announced as she disappeared into the connected bathroom. Snape sighed in frustration. He had been hoping that he wouldn’t have to see her in so little clothing. He doubted that he could restrain himself. When Ariella stepped out, Severus knew he had been right to want to run out of the room. The large, black shirt hung limply on her small form. Her ample breasts kept the shirt from touching her flat stomach. The boxers barely covered her thighs. Her curls were tangled and hung haphazardly around her cheeks and shoulders.

“Ugh. I look like a teenager after a long night of shagging,” Ariella whined softly as she pulled at the shirt. Severus clenched his fists at his sides, fighting his urge to take her into his arms. When the blonde looked up, she paused. She could see the restraint Severus was trying to hold as his dark eyes swept her form.

“You alright, Snape?” She asked quietly as she padded her way to him in her bare-feet. She shivered when she reached him and Snape frowned.

“I’m fine, Cross. Go to sleep,” He pointed toward the bed and Ariella sighed before she walked quietly to the bed and slipped beneath the cold bedspread and sheets. She could hear books and scrolls clatter to the floor at the foot of the bed and she sat up with a frown.

“I’m sorry,” She remarked as she watched Snape flick his wand and everything separated to their respective spots on the bookcase. He turned to face her and shook his head.

“Get to sleep, Cross,” He ordered with a scowl before Ariella quickly gripped his sleeve in her hand.

“You won’t leave, will you? You promised,” She remarked as Snape rolled his eyes.

“I won’t leave, Cross.” He swore as she smiled. The smile warmed his heart as she pulled him toward her.

*****

Severus Snape had no idea how he ended up as Ariella’s pillow. Truthfully, he didn’t care but her closeness and vulnerability worried him. Even in deep sleep, she clung to him, unwilling to release him. He unconsciously slid his slender fingers through her curls, easily breaking apart the tangles  he found. He stared at the ceiling, unwilling to look down at her angelic face and see what would never be his. He couldn’t understand how Black could have ever thought of hurting the blonde, much less killing her. Especially when he had been engaged to her. The thought brought fury up in the pit of Snape’s stomach.

 “Severus…” Ariella’s groggy voice distracted him from his thoughts and he looked down just as her amethyst eyes fluttered open. Just as her eyelids opened, they sank.

“Severus, go to sleep. Your heart’s beatin’ a hundred kilometers a second,” She muttered as her eyes closed again. Soft snores alert Snape to her sleeping status and he smirked. His eyes fell shut and he easily fell into his first peaceful slumber in 20 years.