-a fine line- part two/ sequal

Chapter 15- Slowly

He carefully tucked the soft covers underneath his fragile body. He seemed worn out. Eyes red and puffy, cheeks more round and closed eyes. 

He'd cried out his heart and soul, clutching onto Severus' robes. He was devastated and utterly crushed that even his own family had rejected him for who he was. He confessed to both of them how he tried to work against it, to fight it but that he truly couldn't help it. He admitted to being guilty of sinful actions and having to ask for forgiveness. 

Jayden didn't believe in God although his mother tried to convince him otherwise. It was the way children were raised, not specifically with religion but parents always found a way, whether it's conscious or subconscious, to convince their children into their beliefs. With Severus, it was the same, and with Y/N as well. Severus learned about betrayal from his family, not trusting people and relying on yourself while Y/N learned about hidden hatred, talking down on people who were below them and being independent.

And although Jayden didn't believe in religion, years of his mother imprinting her beliefs and opinions on him certainly rubbed off.

Y/N felt content with her life, even with the rocky road. She was glad to have Severus back, the one she loved. He didn't have his complete memory yet but it was slowly getting there and his love for her was growing, even when he didn't say that. They were cuddled up on their now shared bed moments later after tucking Jayden in the guest bedroom. 

Severus had his back against the headboard and Y/N's head was on his firm, bare thigh. He was playing with her hair, more gently than expected from a man so hard on the outside. His exquisite fingers were threading through her hair while his left hand was occupied with holding up a book. She was aware of the texture of his skin against her cheek. It was heated beneath her, pale and rather strong. She wished she could squeeze his muscles, see the legs twitch in arousal. To make silly patterns with the short hairs. Instead, she lay quiet and calm.

She listened to his carefully placed words, melting out into sentences and pages. He had the gift of reading for others with his relaxing voice. The scar on his neck definitely had some kind of impact on it. His voice was more groggy than before and it'd get easily irritated if he spoke for hours at a time, like now. 

So when he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her concern reached the top and she turned her head to look up at him with her head still on his thigh. She couldn't believe how much they progressed these years. How it started out with a silly teenage crush in her early years and then grew more into real love, a love that she thought was out of reach. When those first encounters happened, her heart fluttered each time from anticipation and anxiety. She remembered when she nearly fell and he'd caught her, strong and well-defined arms surrounding her and a chest against her cheek when he pulled her towards him.

"Are you okay?" She asked when he looked down at her with a frown. He cleared his throat which made an awful raspy sound, rather painfully.

"I don't know what to do about Jayden's mother. I don't want....our lives to face another impossible challenge in a negative way." He stopped reading after that as well, probably not wanting to worry her with his neck pain.

Jayden had to attend classes, so did Severus, so Y/N had the quarters all to herself. Jayden also wouldn't come back for another week or two since he had to stay in the Slytherin dorm room, not with his teacher and his partner. Dumbledore had basically forbidden him from doing so and continued to explain how it would raise confusion. It would blur the line between professional and get into someone's personal life. She never heard him complain about that but she failed to mention it after Severus gave her a warning tap on the small of her back.

They were on extremely thin ice, especially Severus but since Y/N wasn't actually a teacher she'd be asked to leave as well if he did. She found the perfect way to relieve some stress without Severus there.