Come Back to Me (Don't Save Me Book 3)

Chapter 47: The Potion

"This is all your fault!" Harry screamed as my father advanced on him, his wand pointed.

"Harry, I'm so sorry!" I screamed as Lucius held me in his grip.

"Did you honestly think my daughter was your family!? Did you honestly think she cared for you!?" my father's snake-like voice hissed as Harry struggled against an invisible force that held him down.

"Come here, child," Voldemort called to me, his bony fingers wrapping around my hand. He pressed the tip of his wand into my arm.

"No! Please don't! I don't want to do this!" I screamed as I felt a burning pain spreading through my arm, the black ink slowly taking the shape of a skull and a snake.

"I hate you!" Harry screamed.

Suddenly Lily and James appeared in the graveyard, standing by their son.

"I never should've made you his Godmother! You've betrayed us all!" Lily hissed. Tom raised his wand at the three of them huddled together.

"Avada Kedavra!" Green light flashed from his wand and I screamed.

"No!" I screamed, jolting up.

"Shh. Hey, baby... you're okay. You're safe, sweet girl. I'm here," Severus soothed, taking my shaking form into his arms, his hand smoothing over the top of my head.

"I-I'm sorry, Lily. I failed you."

"Shh. It was just a dream, baby. It's not real. Look at me." He lifted my face. "I'm here, baby. You're safe."

"He killed them... he killed them all. He made me a Death Eater."

He lifted my arm. "Look, my love. There's no Dark Mark." He leaned down, pressing his lips to the skin on my forearm. "Just your beautiful, perfect skin."

"I forgot to take it tonight," I whispered, angry with myself.

"Darling, what are you talking about?" he asked me, pushing the hair out of my face.

I didn't answer, realizing I had royally screwed up by letting that little detail slip. I buried my face in his chest and he held me against him. He didn't press the issue but I knew this conversation was far from over. I sobbed, shaking in his arms as he tried to soothe me back to sleep. What I didn't hear was the shift in the bed as he stood up, the shuffling of clothes as he folded my teaching clothes. What I didn't hear was the small crash of a potion slipping from my pocket.

***

Severus's POV

I shifted in our bed, trying to see if Y/n was sleeping. When I heard her soft breathing I smiled to myself at how perfect she looked. I carefully climbed out of the bed, picking up her clothes that I had tossed to the side after changing her into pajamas while she slept. I began carefully folding them when I heard the sound of glass breaking at my feet. I looked down, noticing a purple liquid seeping toward my feet and I took a step back. I knelt down, examining the glass shards and seeping liquid as a lavender scent filled my nose. Dreamless sleep potion. I looked up at her peacefully sleeping form, sighing as tears filled my eyes. How long had she been taking this potion? I thought back to what she said: "I forgot to take it tonight."

"Oh, Y/n," I whispered, tapping the floor and the mess disappeared. I crawled back into bed with her after having placed her clothes on the nightstand. Her body turned in her sleep as the bed sank in next to her from my weight, her arms reaching out for something to hold onto and I gladly reached for her. A small smile reached her lips as she felt my arms wrap around her. I pulled the duvet up around our bodies, making sure to tuck her in carefully.

"Oh, princess. Why didn't you tell me?" I murmured, pressing my lips against her forehead. I knew she couldn't hear me but I hated that I hadn't noticed something wasn't right with her. How long had she been taking this potion? Why didn't she come to me for help? How could I have thought she was perfectly fine after everything she endured? I snuggled closer to her warm body as my eyelids grew heavy. I pressed my lips to her forehead once again, my tears wetting her face as I silently vowed to never let her go through anything like this alone.

"I've got you now, my love. We'll get through this together... without the potion."