His Obsession

My Sister's 'Happy' Christmas

Aurora pulled the crate out of the box and opened the metal door, pulling out the scribbled letter within. 

Dear Aurora,

I can't help but notice how withdrawn you have been this year. I know Snivellus has something to do with it! I have not forgotten my promise to you, dear sister. I will kill him if he has harmed you. I know we are not as close as we once were but my love for you has never changed. It was not my intention for us to drift apart as we have... I miss you Aurora. I know you are probably still angry with me, but I've never been able to follow our sadistic parents' ideals. It's not who I am. I would have brought you with me if I had been sure you would want to come. I know we could not be more different, but we are twins Aurora. I will never desert you.. 

Anyway, I got something for you. She reminded me of you when I saw her. I just don't want you to have to feel lonely anymore. 

~Sirius

Aurora felt happiness enter her for the second time that morning. She had a pretty good guess already at what Sirius had gotten her. She had always had a fondness for cats, despite her father and mother never allowing her to have one. The crate that he had sent was just the right size for a full grown cat too. The thought of having a pet of her very own made a large smile creep across her face. 

There was a shuffling sound behind her and she turned. Snape was stretching and blinking his eyes blearily around him. Before they had arrived at Malfoy Manor she had never seen him when first waking up. He was normally awake before she ever was. Maybe he could relax more when he wasn't at school? 

He looked to her side of the bed and frowned when he noticed that she wasn't there. Snape sat up and whipped his head around the room until his gaze met hers. When he noticed her by the fire, he relaxed. "What are you doing?" His voice was husky from sleep. Aurora brushed aside the shiver of arousal with annoyance. 

"Opening my present." She said. "Sirius has gotten me a friend, I believe."  A small smile was still touching the corners of her mouth. 

Snape gave her a wry smirk, "if it's not an owl, he can return it."  

The smile disappeared from her face, her jaw clenched in suppressed anger. Of course, he would deprive her of this too. She had been elated to learn of her new friend, someone to ease the separation of society. Aurora had not known how much she needed it until he had refused her. Her face twitched, she struggled to hold her tongue but the words slipped out before she could stop them. "I hate you." She seethed. 

Aurora knew she had angered him, it was obvious in the stiffness of his posture. His words were clipped and devoid of emotion as he said, "I don't care." 

It was a lie, all he does is lie. Aurora dropped her head into her hands and pulled strands of her hair tightly. She pulled until she felt the sharp ache in her scalp, a frustrated scream bursting forth from her lips. 

She could feel his dark gaze on her, taste his amusement in the air. Her pain meant nothing to him, or perhaps it was everything? Snape chuckled darkly, throwing back the covers he began to get dressed. His flippant attitude towards her obvious distress fanned the flames of hatred within her. How could she have ever thought that she could convince herself to see the good in him? She had been naive, and it no longer surprised her. 

Aurora wiped the tears from her face and stood silently next to the couch for a moment. She had to steel herself against the disgust building in her stomach as she approached him. He had already put on the majority of his outfit but his black shirt hung loosely across his frame, unbuttoned. His hair hung lankly in front of his face, obscuring his penetrating gaze partially. He cocked a dark brow in her direction when she stopped in front of him. Aurora bit her lip apprehensively, bringing a shaking hand to his torso she ran her fingers along the dip in his sternum.