‹ Prequel: Fake It

Inside the Fire

Crashed

Dante was in his shower again. But this time it wasn't because she was covered in blood. She rubbed at her eyes which were still full of grit from sleep. She felt better, like being near him was a perfect tranquilizer. Her mind had finally stopped running a mile a minute so she could sleep. She felt refreshed and more like herself. The dark circles that seemed to have permanently fixed themselves under her eyes seemed lighter after about nine hours of sleep. Severus had gone out and gotten her some hair dye while she still slept. Black lines of water flowed down her body as she rinsed the dye out. It felt good to cover up that white streak. She was beginning to feel a bit more normal.

Severus leaned against the pillows, reading a newspaper he had picked up while he bought Dante's hair dye. More unexplained disappearances, most of them he knew to be muggle born wizards, or half-breeds. He shook his head at the article, no one in the muggle world seemed to understand what was going on, they all thought it was some sort of government conspiracy, but every witch and wizard knew better. He heard the water shut off. Dante must be done with her shower.

Dante grabbed the robe hanging off the back of the door. Severus was washing her clothes, they had been covered in all sorts of things when she showed up. She walked back into the bedroom as she ran a brush through her hair.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. Letting me stay last night, buying me hair dye, washing my clothes."
Severus l]gave her an amused look.
"You act so surprised that I would do things like that for you."
Dante blushed and looked down.
"I left you Severus, I didn't expect you to just take me back."
A frown knit itself between his eyebrows.
"You were afraid. I thrust that stupid mission on you and you were afraid something would happen if you didn't stay away. I can't blame you for something I brought upon myself."
She crawled across the bed and into his lap.
"Why are you so forgiving? The old Snape would have kicked me out last night."
He kissed her forehead.
"Things have changed, I can't be that cranky potions master anymore. I don't have the time to be spiteful. I never know when the Dark Lord will turn on me."
Dante shook her head.
"Don't say that."
"It's true."
"I know. I just don't want to think about it right now."
He tipped her face upward and kissed her.
"Neither do I love, neither do I."