When Love Is Timed

Little Chats

*Kiah's POV*

"I hate myself! I hate how weak I was; the cutting, suicidal attempts, staying with Cyrus. I hate that I wasn't strong enough to block him out!" I cried at the lake, where I'd been all day, still refusing to attend the Halloween party.

I sat directly in front of the water that would creep up to my toes and rush back in.

Where did I go wrong?

I lost a friend,

Somewhere along in the bitterness.

And I would have stayed up,

With you all night.

Had I known how to save a life.

I cried harder, as if I were singing it about myself. In the sobbing quietness, I heard another voice, more beautiful than my own. I looked around and saw a beautiful woman peeking out from the water. My eyes locked on to hers and immediately it was as if I were in a trance. Nothing else mattered to me. I couldn't see or hear anything but her.

I found myself slowly crawling into the lake. I followed her down, but only my head went under before I was pulled out. My vision went black as I looked toward the sky, her voice still singing into my ears. It wasn't until her voice stopped abruptly that my vision and hearing returned.

I stared blankly at the man that pulled me out, and it wasn't Tobias.

"The boy was right, you are crazy!" Severus scolded, still leaning over my body.

"I didn't... I felt as if I wasn't in control. I could only hear and see her. Who was she?" I watched as Severus leaned back into a sitting position.

"Must have been a mermaid. They like to take advantage of your vulnerability and fill your mind with whatever they wish." I knew he was implying I was weak, he must've known what I was doing out here.

"I'm sorry, it was all my fault." I looked down with embarrassment.

"Why do you do that?" He asked which made me turn toward him, "when something bad happens to you, you are the one that gets embarrassed."

"I'm embarrassed by my weakness. I try not to be, but I'm just..." I couldn't finish, there was a lump stuck in my throat and if I were to speak, I would definitely cry.

"You are just broken. It will take some time before you can heal, you just got away from that arrogant twat. It's only weakness when you let yourself fall without effort. If you are truly trying to fix yourself, then you are stronger than most." I hung on to every word that he spoke, as if my life depended on it.

I took the moment of silence to reflect on my behavior. I admit, it's going to be hell, but I can't let his rarely nice words go to waste.

I was suddenly reminded of the dance, "how was the costume party?"

He grinned and said, "you are lucky you were not there... But it would have been amusing to see you in a ridiculous costume."

"I would've only went if you were wearing one as well." We both laughed and sat by the lake for what seemed like a few hours, just talking, as if he let his guard down.

I remembered slowly dozing off and leaning my body into him, my forehead resting against his neck, but I didn't remember a single thing after.

*Severus' POV*

A million thoughts went through my head as I carried a sleeping Kiah in my arms. I would be in denial if I said that the night was terrible, but I also hate admitting it because it was because of her that is was actually pleasant, when I vowed never to let one in after her.

I hadn't sat and talked with anyone like that in years, but it felt relaxing. I glanced at her from time to time within the castle when I came to an abrupt stop, Argus filch standing in front of me. The arse made her stir and wrap her arms around me and her face press into my chest.

I kept a stern face as Argus eyed me, "is there something you need?"

"I heard someone out of bed, turned out to be the two of you." He said suspiciously.

"I would like it known that I found miss Black out by the lake again. Occlumency lessons must have gotten to her today. However, if we were up to something, we are both professors and fully capable of making that decision." I snarled as it was unnecessary to justify the current predicament to an old squib.

"Very well, off you go, then." He limped past me.

"Unpleasant man, he is." I commented as I headed down the stairs to the dungeons.

When I reached the last step, allowing the cold to shiver through my body, Kiah also shivered a bit and clung tighter to me. She mumbled something but was muffled by my chest. I looked down and waited for her to say something else.

It wasn't until I reached our dorm that I clearly heard her mumble my name, which made my heart pound.

"What the hell is this woman doing to me?" I laid her in her bed and took to my own room, where I laid down and fell asleep to the thought her sleeping in my arms.