Threshold - Severus Snape

Chapter 19 - Meet Up in the Middle

When I woke up, it was still dark, really dark. I tried to piece together all that transpired last night after leaving Hog's Head Inn. I remembered throwing up on the lawn... that was disgusting. I remembered falling asleep on Severus's lap... that was sweet. Now I was in bed, and I suspected Severus must have Apparated me back home. Fortunately, whatever potion he gave me last night kept me from getting a hangover. I wrapped up tighter in my blanket. It was Saturday, and I could linger in the comfort of my bed as long as I wanted... except, as I awakened even further, I was coming to the realization that this was not my bed. Hmm, maybe after I fell asleep, Severus took me to lay me down in his bed. I ran my hands over body, and I was still wearing my clothes from last night, minus my boots. I slowly reached my hand out, sweeping my arm across to the other side of the bed... empty. I tapped the side of my thigh to find my wand in place, and I drew it out to illuminate the room. I could definitely see how this could be Severus's bedchamber. It was black and green, in true Slytherin form, and seemed masculine and lush... just like the man himself.

I decided to roll out of bed, my curiosity winning out over my residual sleepiness. I wonder where Severus is sleeping, if he even is. It felt like the middle of the night according to my internal clock, but I knew that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't still awake. I dimmed the light from my wand and walked into his living room, my bare feet padding stealthily across the floor. I found Severus still in his chair, sound asleep. He didn't look the most comfortable... he was sitting straight up with his head leaning back against the back of the chair, his mouth slightly open, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was still dressed too, but he had shed his robe and jacket, and was down to his white shirt and trousers. He was also barefooted, and I stole a long glance at his feet, finding the opportunity to look at them strangely intimate. His feet matched his hands... big and attractive... not too skinny or bony... just right.

"I can put my shoes back on if you find the vision to be too disturbing," Severus drawled, and I had been caught looking, and I was a bit embarrassed when I realized how long I had actually been staring at his feet.

Once again, I make the split decision to own up to it, "No, please don't. I was just admiring your feet. I mean, well, they're quite attractive really. Not that I have a thing for feet," and I shut my mouth before my ramblings could turn into anything cringy.

"Well I too had the opportunity to admire your feet when I removed your boots, and I found them to be equally appealing, so I cannot find fault with you for gawking at mine," he said, and this may have taken over as my new strangest conversation ever, and yet I couldn't keep the thought out of my mind of our feet rubbing together, tickling toes, and I smiled at the strange thought... or not so strange.

"Avia, I sometimes regret agreeing to not try to open the door to your mind, because your expressions reveal only a tantalizing glimpse into your thoughts," he said as he uncrossed his arms to reach and run his hand through his hair, then rub the back of his neck. His neck was probably stiff from sleeping in such and awkward position, and I felt a little guilty for taking his comfortable bed. He wanted to see what was in my mind? Sorry, no chance, but I was willing to share verbally what I was thinking at this moment, well, maybe not 'everything' I was thinking, "It's still a long way until morning, and I feel particularly guilty for taking your bed. If you show me to my boots, I will return to my room so that you can sleep more comfortably," and I knew if he were to read my mind, he would find that offer to lack complete honesty. I found being here in Severus's chambers in the middle of the night peculiarly comfortable, and I really didn't want to leave to the solitude of my own. He sat up straighter in his chair and looked at me intently, as if actually trying to read my mind, which I could tell he wasn't, or at least I assumed I would be able to tell if he tried.

"I will offer you a thought from my own mind, knowing that you may find me doing so to be too forward..." he said, and I almost felt like I could read his mind, and that I was simply waiting for verbal confirmation of his thoughts.

He paused for too long of a moment, and I was almost sure he had changed his mind about putting his thoughts into words, "Were you thinking that you would like me to stay, and we could share the comfort of your bed, knowing that it is adequately large enough to keep to our own sides?" I offered boldly.

"No," he said, and I could kick myself for the rush of embarrassment that instantly super heated my face at my assumption.

"I'm sorry..." I blurted out. He reached and gently grasped my fingers in his hand, then stood to face me.

"No... I was thinking that you could stay, and we could share the comfort of the 'middle' of my bed, knowing that 'comfort' would be all that I would ask for us to share," he said, and I could tell that he too did not want to return to his own solitude, and I was flattered that he may have felt the same comforting warmth of my presence that I felt with his. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, and I was a little surprised that I had actually glimpsed a rare look of embarrassment from him, as if he was afraid he had went too far for the newness of our relationship with his request. Before he could revise his request, I tugged gently on his hand, which was still holding mine, and he took the cue, allowing me to lead him into his bedchamber as I lighted the way with my wand. When we neared the end of his bed, I went one way, and he went the other, our hands only releasing when we were too far apart to maintain our grasp, and we looked at each other and smiled at the almost sappy, but terribly romantic action.  I slipped under the covers, fully clothed, and he followed my lead, doing the the same. I laid my wand on the nightstand, and the room resumed its pitch black darkness. I know I had a stupid smile on my face as I scooched over to feel him scooching over to meet up in the middle of the bed. If I had to put it into words... it was adorably awkward, and I giggled softly as I heard a quiet chuckle come from Severus. I didn't even want to think how even more awkward it would be in the morning, and as we wrapped up in each other, I fell sound asleep against his chest hearing his adorably soft snores in my ear.