Hard to Come By

Chapter 14

When you had finished your quick bath, Severus was already up and waking around your living space. He's picked the clothes up from your bedroom floor and placed them in the hamper by the door. The bedsheets are straight and it looks as if no one was there this evening.

You throw on some sweat pants and a T-shirt before making your way to the living room. Severus sits on the couch, relaxing, while your dirty dishes clean themselves in the sink.

"Oh you didn't have to do that," you tell him and sit next to him. "You provided me with dinner did you not? At the very least I could get the dishes out the way," he says matter of factly, and it makes your heart warm.

"How thoughtful," you elbow him slightly and he throws you a look.

"I'd say polite."

"Then how polite of you, Severus, thank you."

He nods then slowly stands up from the couch, "as much as I'd love to stay and worship your body again, I must be going for the evening."

"Oh.. you know you don't have to," you tell him, starting to feel sad in an absence he as yet to take.

"I'm not on patrol tonight and if any of the faculty see me leaving your chamber so late," he says, "it would not be good." You huff and roll your eyes, "I guess so."

"Already being difficult," he asks and quirks an eyebrow at you as he watches you walk to the coat rack by the door. "No," you grumble.

You grab his cloak from the hook and turn around to place it on his shoulders, "good. I wouldn't want to have to punish you so early on," his voice is low and silky and sends a shiver to your core. He grabs his cloak from your hands and fastens it around himself, beating you to it. "Punish," you question quietly.

"With your attitude, you'll find out soon enough," he grins at you and moves past you to the door. "See you tomorrow Miss L/N," he says as he opens it and leaves.

*

He shouldn't be depriving himself of physical touch. It's unhealthy.

Severus keeps saying that to himself to try and justify this new arrangement that he's made with Y/N. It's not as if he's never had meaningless sex before. Many were drunken nights with strangers he'd never have to see again. But he's never crossed the line with a colleague.

And you wants to be friends. Not something he is well versed in, but he did fool one of the greatest dark wizards of his time. He can play the role of a friend, even if it's for something as insignificant as sexual pleasure.

At least he tells himself that.

Friends don't have a connection that you two do. It's as if this connection is spiritual. He wouldn't say it's love, he's only loved one person in his life, but he wouldn't wish harm on you. Your company isn't bad either, at least when you're happy. When you're anything but, it makes the air in the room thick. As if your negative emotions bleed and transform into a haze.

As he makes his way down the hall back to his chambers, he replays this evening in his mind. He loved watching you come undone under him, the sinful way your body contorts while in the throes of pleasure. He hope he left you more than satisfied. He smirks to himself as he steps through the door of the living room.

He settle in for the night and allows you to stay as a guest in his mind.

*

This morning has been easy. You woke up on time and you were finished getting ready before you had to leave for Severus' class. Today you wore your back slacks and a white flowing blouse. Simple but super comfortable. You make it down to the great hall in enough time to grab breakfast with everyone.