severus' tale ( snapetober 2021 )

ix. when you're without love

"OLD BOOKS"

***

"you are quite the pick miss y/n." he said, looking up from his book and leaving a kiss.

"and you love me for it." you said, wrapping your arm around his and resting your head on his shoulder.

"what did you find?" you asked him.

"just some muggle book." he said.

your hand trails over his as you get a glimpse at the cover, ah yes. a romance book. johanna lindsey.

"i think i know this author. this is probably one of her worst books, in fact the worst book in history." you said, severus flipped through the book.

"scream now, duchess, while you've got the chance. you won't get another." severus mocked the character in the book whilst you had mocked the duchess' screams. you couldn't hold back your laughter, flipping to another page in the book.

"oh god this segment. good grief! come on lets re-enact it!" you said, grabbing a hold of severus' cloak which had been left at an empty chair and wrapping it around him. an ounce of hesitance ran through him in the case the customers were watching but you cupped his cheek and kissed him softly.

"you're absolutely fine. its just me and you, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of fun." you said.

severus let his shoulders relax and nodded, handing you a duplicate copy of the book.

"now what page are we on?" you winked.

and so the chaos had commenced.

***

"will you marry me?" severus asked in a mocking tone.

"jocelyn's forehead dropped against the window. it was a wonder her legs didn't give out." you read, cringing at the wording of the jocelyn characters nervousness.

"she felt such unbelievable relief on hearing those words, and such ecstasy washing over her — and he'd made her suffer for three weeks while he made up his mind."

"well...'i don't know,' she said in a perfectly normal tone, though she didn't know how she managed it. "the countess says one shouldn't marry her lover. ruins the romance, you know.""

"am i still your lover?" severus read whilst still on one knee.

"if you are, you've been a very inattentive one." you mocked, pouting.

you broke character to read the narration. "he kissed the pout from her lips, slowly, persuasively." you looked to severus and nodded.

"that's where you should kiss me." you said, severus shot up and kissed you...persuasievely as the book said.

"how can you kiss in a persuasive manner?" he muttered.

"get on with it sevvy!" you giggled.

"what if you marry me for the hell of it, but we pretend we're just lovers?" he asked.

"that sounds rather nice, especially since lovers tend to love each other."  you said, mockingly you pushed him onto the sofa behind him and you sat next to him, acting as anxious as the jocelyn character was.

"and married folks don't?" he asked.

"not always." you drifted.

"i won't have any problem with that."

"you won't?"

"don't look so surprised, duchess. did you think i was after your money?" severus had laid on top of you. you grinned, looking at the book for the next line.