Quantum Mechanics: The Mechanics of Protection
by Rose of the West
Disclaimer: The characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling and her assigns.
Severus turned to his desk, where the scroll lay. His happiness lay in being with Septima and their child. He traced the rune that he now knew belonged to his son.
There was a knock at the door. Severus waved it open, and Septima stood there. “Is it a bad time?”
Severus walked over to her and brought her to his couch. “It's never a bad time, love.”
“I'm so sorry,” she said. “Is all of this ok? Would you rather I stay in my own rooms?”
Why was she so skittish? “Septima, do you regret this?”
“Oh, no! Severus... This is what I want, more than anything.”
“Then why are you acting this way?”
“I don't trust it.”
He nodded. “You don't trust me, you mean. I haven't given you much reason to trust it, have I?”
“How much can you trust me after I spent so much time with Remus?”
“I pushed you. In a way, I pushed you into his arms. I realize now that I didn't really want to do it.”
“No? Then why?” She looked confused.
He frowned. “I think it's time we decide here and now that we will not eat or drink anything offered to us by Dumbledore.”
She thought for a moment. “There's always something in it.”
“He put something into the brandy he shared with me in the evenings. Under its influence, I wanted nothing to do with you.”
“So when you aimed your wand at me...”
“Please forgive me. It was as if someone else did it.”
“Then you do want to be with me?”
“More than almost anything.”
“Dumbledore said you wouldn't have time for me.”
“I do have certain obligations, but I want to spend every free minute with you, love.”
“But if the other witch were to come here...” Clearly this was something that worried her. He would have to deal with it somehow.
“Septima, if she stood before me now, next to you, I would have to choose the mother of my children.”
“Oh.”
The look in her face made him want to pound his head. Somehow that hadn't come out right. “I didn't mean it like that. Septima, I would choose you, even if there were no children.”
“But you love her!”
“She never loved me, and she never made me feel as you make me feel.”
“How do I make you feel?”
He didn't know how to answer that. “I don't know. I just know that you've always been there when I need you, and it's damned easy to be with you, when the rest of the world is far too complicated.”
“So you want to be with me?”
“Constantly.” He held her close. “Fortunately, we have months to be together, now.”
“What will happen when Dumbledore finds out the truth?”
“We'll figure that out. I'm sure we have plenty of time to find you a place to hide... with little Nicolas.”
He was finally rewarded with a smile. “Nicolas... Is he going to be a great Alchemist?”
He chuckled. “Were you planning for Renée to create whole branches of Mathematics?”
“I suppose Math and Alchemy have quite a bit in common...”
He started looking for buttons. “Just like we have quite a bit in common...”
He kissed and fondled her, enjoying the breathy sounds she was making until there was a knock at the door. Septima leaned back and quickly refastened her clothing as he walked to the door and yanked it open, intending to scold whoever stood there. Instead he had to adjust his stance. “Headmaster!”
Dumbledore smiled benignly upon them. “I wanted to make sure our newest mother gets her dinner. It's been a long night and day, I'm sure.” He walked through the lounge. “I believe the door to Septima's bedroom will be right about here.” He knocked on the wall and received an answering knock. “Yes, that will work admirably.” He turned to Septima. “May I escort you to the Great Hall, my dear? You'll be eating for two, now.”
She could do nothing but look helplessly over her shoulder at Severus as she was led away. He followed close behind, hoping to overhear whatever was confided in Septima's ear. He was sure that Dumbledore didn't trust her or him. Fair enough; he had finally learned how little to trust Dumbledore.
A/N: Thank you to Kyria of Delphi and Owlbait for the beta read!
This story archived at: Occlumency
http://occlumency.sycophanthex.com/viewstory.php?sid=8389