The Exposure

Chapter Thirty-Four

          You pack a bag for your trip with Severus, still unsure of where you're going. You slip your new bustier set in the bag too, excited to show him. You head downstairs to find him and your eyes take him in, your breath catching in your throat. He's wearing black trousers, a black turtleneck shirt, and a long black trench coat. He looks absolutely breathtaking no matter what he wears. He offers you his arm and you take it as he leads you away from the castle, walking the path toward Hogsmeade.

          He stops once you're just beyond the limits of the grounds of Hogwarts, next to its wooden sign pointing toward the castle in the distance. He turns to face you, "Hold on to me," he says softly. You wrap your arms around his sturdy center, feeling safe in his arms. Suddenly you're in a swirl of black and your heart jolts, before your feet land on unfamiliar ground.

          Severus looks down at you as you get your bearings, "Congratulations on not vomiting," he jokes.

          You take in your surroundings, first noticing a tree-lined, bubbling creek with snowy banks. The wispy bare branches of weeping willows hang low overhead, the twigs of oaks dipping to skim the surface of the icy water below.

          You notice a stone bridge running across the water to a beautiful little cottage nestled snugly on the hillside, beyond it a forest of pine and cedar, their branches encumbered with snow. Smoke plumes from a stone chimney, puffing up into the air and mingling with the grey sky. The thatched roof is covered in a thick blanket of snow, the windows glowing in warm yellows with light from inside the house.

          You nearly gasp at the sight, "It's beautiful, Severus..." you sigh, your breath fogging in front of you. He takes your hand in his, warming your cold fingers. The sun is nearly set, its golden rays streaming through the trees onto the snowy ground. A feeling of gratefulness swells in your heart, washing over you at the notion of just being here. Being alive.

          He leads you across the bridge and up a cobblestone path, up to a wooden arched door. The fireplace is already roaring when you cross over the threshold. The warmth of the room sweeps over you and thaws the chill from your bones. The inside of the cottage is just as cute as the outside, its walls made of long wooden slats running horizontally across the room, its ceiling boasting large wood beams. Lanterns light up the space. It's mostly furnished, a rocking chair near the fireplace, a loveseat facing it, a coffee table between with a checkerboard. You see a little door in the corner of the room, leading into a bedroom. Your cheeks flush when you see one large bed through the door that's ajar.

          "Have you rented this cottage for our holiday?"

          "I have purchased it," his deep voice replies gently. "The house and the land." Your eyes widen as you whirl around to face him, "You did?" you exclaim, "that's wonderful, Severus! Is this where you will live when you leave Hogwarts?" You wonder where exactly this is.