Severus and the Green Witch

Stay Over

"When was the last time you ate a full meal?" she asked him as they cleaned up the dishes, both wandless

He thought back and realized he hadn't eaten a full meal since before the end of the dark lord. His nerves couldn't handle it. He couldn't focus long enough without the fear overwhelming him. The darkness overtook his thought process.

"Not for a long time" he answered elusively, watching as she stacked the plates gingerly

"How long is a long time?" she asked curiously, leaning against the white tile countertop

"Almost a year...My stomach usually hurts too much to eat" he told her, the tightness of anxiety and hyper vigilance returning

"A year?" she repeated, worry crossing her face

"The mission was more important" he shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't matter

But it did.

"Come with me?" she held out her hand, eyes dancing

He followed her into the bedroom, aglow with candlelight. The moon glimmered from its perch in the navy sky, stars invading their privacy. Taking out a small container from her bottle laden shelves, she sat on her knees in front of him, fingers under the hem of his shirt.

"May I?" came the request, to which he had no answer

If he said yes, she would see: all his scars and deformities. The things he desperately tried to hide. And he wasn't a young man anymore, his body not so enticing.

"Just enough to put on some salve. It'll help" she promised soothingly.

He nodded, unable to trust his voice. Gently, she rolled up the hem of his shirt, only an inch, and swiped across a cooling salve. His muscles relaxed, involuntarily, as if the coils released. He let out a deep breath of relief. She smiled, standing up with some of the clear salve on her fingertips.

"May I move your hair?" she whispered in his ear, sweeping aside his long since grown out hair as he nodded his permission.

"That is miracle cream. I need to bathe in it" he joked, the pain in his joints gone.

"You can. I'll draw you a bath" she kissed his cheek, dress flowing as she skipped across the room to her bathroom

He blew out a breath. This was moving so fast. Incredibly fast. As terrifying as it felt, he wanted to do it. He wanted her to see him. He wanted to see her body too. The slope was slippery and he quickly slid to the bottom.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" he tossed out to her, arms crossed as he leaned against the door frame

A dozen candles lit up the room in the same yellow glow, steam furling up from the water, the smell of eucalyptus, aloe, and hemp beckoning to him.

"Would you rather me be mean? That's kind of hard to do when I'm dealing with bubbles" she teased, swishing the water back and forth in the extra deep and wide black ceramic tub

Big enough for two to easily fit.

"You just met me. I've had people I've known my whole life who don't treat me as well as you have...They also don't know anything about me like you do..." he stalled, watching as she tossed in a handful of loose herbs and salts

"Then maybe you haven't known the right people. I just want you to feel better. You're hurting and no one deserves to hurt" she explained, taking his hands in hers

Truly? Did she want him to feel better? For what purpose?

"Why would you care so much?" he pushed, trying to shut her out