Fallen Angel

Chapter Twelve: Fall Like Rain

With Ron and Hermione, plus Draco and Ginny, on respective dates during their first Hogsmeade weekend, Harry trudged alone down to the wizarding village. Seamus and Dean were otherwise occupied with Lavender Brown and Susan Bones, and Neville and Luna were celebrating one of their anniversaries. Harry forced himself not to dwell on the fact that it was considered acceptable for them to have their significant others and not him as he made his way into the hub of Hogsmeade. He stepped into The Three Broomsticks, and Madam Rosmerta immediately served him a butterbeer without being asked.

Harry moved from the counter and into a booth in the back as he nursed his butterbeer, feeling sorry for himself. He loathed the fact that Dumbledore had attempted to seek him out more than once since term began, and the letters from Sirius were growing infuriating. He had pawned them off to Hermione, who explained to Harry's godfather that, due to his hurting caused directly by him, he needed some space. Therefore, Harry was now permitted to approach Sirius when ready, although he was not looking forward to the Christmas holidays at Grimmauld Place, and had began asking Ron if he could go to the Burrow instead.

Harry finished his butterbeer and left the appropriate amount of Galleons on the table, before heading to the back and using the loo. As he was finishing up and washing his hands, a silvery light entered the bathroom from behind him and, upon turning around, Harry noticed that it was a Patronus. To his shock, it was a sleek silver doe, who approached him immediately and proceeded to nuzzle at his hand.

I am upstairs, the doe said in Severus's voice. If you would like, you may come up and see me. I am in room seven.

Harry bolted from the loo immediately thereafter, climbing up the stairs of The Three Broomsticks as quickly as he could. He counted the doors, discovering that the even numbers were on the left, and the odd on the right, which would put Severus's room as the fourth door on the right. Dashing forward, Harry knocked at the door, his heart entering his throat as soon as Severus opened it, and was immediately dragged inside. Once the door was shut and warded, Harry threw himself at Severus, kissing him as if he was drowning.

It took him a moment to well and truly realize that he was in his lover's arms again, and he yanked himself backwards in an unceremonious manner, and proceeded to run his hands up and down Severus's wiry-muscled frame. "You're real," he whispered.

Severus smiled down at him, reaching his own hands upward and using one to cup Harry's cheek, and the other to card his fingers through his wayward hair. "Last time I checked, that was the case," he replied, looking Harry over. "You've got circles underneath your eyes, Harry, and you're noticeably thinner..."

Harry worried his lower lip. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Has our separation caused this change?" Severus asked.

Harry rolled on the balls of his feet for a moment before he broke away from Severus and crossed the room, staring out of the one window the room had, and into the main street of Hogsmeade below. "I... I was waiting for you to contact me," he whispered.

"You were what?" Severus queried, his tone surprised.

Harry's fingers drew themselves inward then, and proceeded to bite at the sensitive palms of his hands. "I... I had tea with Remus nearly a month ago, and he told me that you weren't locked away in Azkaban, but that was all he knew."

"I see," said Severus from behind him.

"I couldn't bear the thought of you locked away there," Harry whispered. "Sirius has told me bits and pieces about the cells, and they're horrible, Severus, just horrible. The only people that belong in there are Riddle, of course, and Bellatrix, for all she did to Neville. I couldn't sanction someone I care about being in there..."