Stress Relief
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
29,578
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
29,578
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the world or characters of Harry Potter. I make absolutely no money from this.
The Battle Begins ...
In the black of the night, just before dawn, Severus dressed, silently, not waking the woman sleeping restfully in his bed. He paused to gaze down at her and smile, softly, lovingly, and a smile no one would ever see grace his face in the light of day. Just before donning his robes, he settled on the side of the bed; the mattress sinking and rousing her slightly. She reached for him with eyes closed. Feeling that he was upright and dressed, she sat up, instantly alert.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He cupped her cheek with one hand, rubbing his thumb over her skin as if to memorize its very texture and contour.
“Time to go. The castle is too dangerous now. Get out as soon as you can.”
“Where are you going?” she demanded.
“Where you cannot go,” he answered softly, with a sigh of resignation for punctuation. He kissed her forehead.
“No,” she whimpered. “Not yet …”
“No time,” he moaned as he dragged himself away from her side. “Dress quickly and leave through the secret entrance.”
With those last words, he swung his robe over his shoulders and rushed from the room without a backwards glance.
She jumped from the bed, snatching a dressing gown, and hurrying after him. She sped into the office just in time to see him fly from the open window, far too high for her to reach. Angrily, she stomped her foot in her frustration.
She did as he asked, dressing as quickly and silently as he himself had done. As she eased through the secret entrance to his quarters, she held her wand out defensively, prepared to battle, knowing her best chance would be to slip from the castle unseen by anyone. The dark navy of her robes hid her well as the cowl covered her face and she slid into the shadows becoming one with the night. Picking her way carefully through the dark corridors, she listened alertly for any sounds of danger, acutely aware that neither side in the wizarding war she found herself caught in, would think twice before attacking her merely for her relationship with Severus Snape. Once onto the grounds, she clung to the stones of the castle, pressing her back against its protection, and surveying the surroundings for her best exit route. Casting a quick detection spell ahead of her, in the line of her planned path, she found no one lurking, then took off at a silent jog. The edge of the horizon lightened almost imperceptibly and she only paused once clear of Hogwarts’ wards to turn and glance back. The castle was now ablaze with lights. She could hear voices shouting, but did not understand the words. Her heart ached to find Severus, to help him, to protect him, to steal him away if necessary. But, that was not his plan. He had long ago demanded her promise to flee, to live, even if it was without him. She closed her eyes, bowed her head briefly, and whispered, “Be safe.” Then, with a swirl of her cloak, she hurried to the Apparition point long hidden in the Forbidden Forest. With a crack of thunder, she disappeared in a dervish fashion, the wind she created, drying her tears as she did.
She reappeared outside her own home. Stomping towards the door, she grumbled to herself, no one present to hear or care. She slammed open the front door, and hung her cloak on the waiting hook. The housekeeper scurried from the kitchen, concerned.
“Miss?”
“Yes?”
“Are you ill?”
“No, Marie, just angry, and feeling quite impotent at the moment.”
“Is there something I can do to help?”
“I only wish,” she grumbled. She smiled grimly towards her concerned friend. “But, I think, there is a lot I could do to help.” Her smile grew wider, and her stance more purposeful. “Why should I be relegated to the sidelines? Am I not a capable witch?”
“I’m not entirely sure I know what you are talking about, but you are a more than capable witch.”
“Thank you, Marie.” She made for her upstairs bedroom. “I’ll be changing into dueling clothes and returning to Hogwarts to help.”
“What?” exclaimed Marie. “Are you insane?”
“Maybe …” she answered, her voice trailing off as she made her further up the stairs, “But I am not going down without a fight.”
“Circe!” swore Marie. “Prepare well. Your mother …”
“What about my mother?” she hollered from the top of the stairs.
“She left an amulet with me, for you, just in case you ever needed extra protection. I’m going to fetch it. Don’t you DARE leave without it.”
“Yes, ma’am!” she shouted back, strangely happy to have a plan for heading into a war.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He cupped her cheek with one hand, rubbing his thumb over her skin as if to memorize its very texture and contour.
“Time to go. The castle is too dangerous now. Get out as soon as you can.”
“Where are you going?” she demanded.
“Where you cannot go,” he answered softly, with a sigh of resignation for punctuation. He kissed her forehead.
“No,” she whimpered. “Not yet …”
“No time,” he moaned as he dragged himself away from her side. “Dress quickly and leave through the secret entrance.”
With those last words, he swung his robe over his shoulders and rushed from the room without a backwards glance.
She jumped from the bed, snatching a dressing gown, and hurrying after him. She sped into the office just in time to see him fly from the open window, far too high for her to reach. Angrily, she stomped her foot in her frustration.
She did as he asked, dressing as quickly and silently as he himself had done. As she eased through the secret entrance to his quarters, she held her wand out defensively, prepared to battle, knowing her best chance would be to slip from the castle unseen by anyone. The dark navy of her robes hid her well as the cowl covered her face and she slid into the shadows becoming one with the night. Picking her way carefully through the dark corridors, she listened alertly for any sounds of danger, acutely aware that neither side in the wizarding war she found herself caught in, would think twice before attacking her merely for her relationship with Severus Snape. Once onto the grounds, she clung to the stones of the castle, pressing her back against its protection, and surveying the surroundings for her best exit route. Casting a quick detection spell ahead of her, in the line of her planned path, she found no one lurking, then took off at a silent jog. The edge of the horizon lightened almost imperceptibly and she only paused once clear of Hogwarts’ wards to turn and glance back. The castle was now ablaze with lights. She could hear voices shouting, but did not understand the words. Her heart ached to find Severus, to help him, to protect him, to steal him away if necessary. But, that was not his plan. He had long ago demanded her promise to flee, to live, even if it was without him. She closed her eyes, bowed her head briefly, and whispered, “Be safe.” Then, with a swirl of her cloak, she hurried to the Apparition point long hidden in the Forbidden Forest. With a crack of thunder, she disappeared in a dervish fashion, the wind she created, drying her tears as she did.
She reappeared outside her own home. Stomping towards the door, she grumbled to herself, no one present to hear or care. She slammed open the front door, and hung her cloak on the waiting hook. The housekeeper scurried from the kitchen, concerned.
“Miss?”
“Yes?”
“Are you ill?”
“No, Marie, just angry, and feeling quite impotent at the moment.”
“Is there something I can do to help?”
“I only wish,” she grumbled. She smiled grimly towards her concerned friend. “But, I think, there is a lot I could do to help.” Her smile grew wider, and her stance more purposeful. “Why should I be relegated to the sidelines? Am I not a capable witch?”
“I’m not entirely sure I know what you are talking about, but you are a more than capable witch.”
“Thank you, Marie.” She made for her upstairs bedroom. “I’ll be changing into dueling clothes and returning to Hogwarts to help.”
“What?” exclaimed Marie. “Are you insane?”
“Maybe …” she answered, her voice trailing off as she made her further up the stairs, “But I am not going down without a fight.”
“Circe!” swore Marie. “Prepare well. Your mother …”
“What about my mother?” she hollered from the top of the stairs.
“She left an amulet with me, for you, just in case you ever needed extra protection. I’m going to fetch it. Don’t you DARE leave without it.”
“Yes, ma’am!” she shouted back, strangely happy to have a plan for heading into a war.