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

Chapter 85: Promises and Reunions

The next morning I awoke, still holding Harry's hand, but I found myself surrounded by warmth. I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to clear the sleep from them as I recalled last night, placing Harry on the couch and sitting down next to... Sirius.

"Comfortable, are we?" Severus.

Shit. I shot up quickly, the pair of arms that had been around my waist quickly falling away as I moved away, Harry's hand slipping from mine. Severus was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed. I looked down and Sirius was smirking up at me, still laying down.

"Aunt Y/n?" Harry stirred, looking around the room, finally taking in the position Sirius was in and Severus standing in the doorway. I'd moved away from Sirius but it wasn't hard for him to figure out what was happening.

"Severus, I-."

"Don't bother," he hissed before turning to Harry. "I simply came to let you know your Occlumency lessons will start following the holiday. If anyone asks, you are simply taking Remedial Potions. This shouldn't be too much of a stretch as your performance in my class has been abhorrent."

Harry simply stared at him, eyes wide as he was unsure of what to say.

"I could use some form of acknowledgement, Potter. A nod or grunt to let me know you understand, or are you truly that dense that you cannot comprehend a simple instruction?"

"Severus!" I hissed. "Just because you are upset with me, that doesn't mean you can take it out on Harry!"

Severus ignored me, his eyes remaining on Harry.

"I understand, Profesor," Harry responded.

Severus began to leave but I quickly stood up, following him into the hallway.

"Severus, wait!" I called after him but he wasn't listening. I caught up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, but he quickly turned around, snatching my hand. I'd expected him to toss my hand aside but he held it in his, inspecting the skin as if he were trying to memorize every line.

"You were with him," he whispered. It wasn't bitter, nor an accusation, but a simple realization, an exhausted acceptance as he pressed his lips to my hand.

"The life we could never have," he whispered. His eyes locked on something behind me and I turned to find Sirius standing in the doorway, watching the interaction, Harry standing just behind him.

"Can you give us a minute, please?" I begged, struggling to fight the tears forming in my eyes. Sirius reluctantly nodded, closing the door and leaving us alone.

"There's nothing left to say, Y/n. It was pretty clear," he scoffed, tilting his head toward the door. "You looked quite comfortable with your perfect little family."

"That's not what was happening, Sev. Harry was exhausted after your session. He was terrified to be left alone so I stayed with him. Sirius was sitting next to me and we must've fallen asleep. That's all it was!"

"It doesn't matter. This was probably bound to happen anyway. Perhaps it's for the best." He lowered his voice. "Now we don't have to pretend."

"No, Sev. That's not-."

"It's fine," he interrupted.

"No, Sev. It's not fine. What happened was not fine!"

"You looked happy. This is for the best, love." He pulled me into his arms and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"No," I murmured. "Don't go."

"I can't do this anymore, Y/n," he said, pulling away from me. His face had hardened and I knew it was supposed to intimidate me but all I could see was his pain.