A/N: So..It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've posted. As in a year or more. But I'm going to do my best to continue where I left off and hopefully complete this story. I am so incredibly sorry for the wait but here it is- Chapter 14!
***Severus' POV***
"Has there been any progress with the girl?" the voice was cold, yet silky and smooth, "When will she be ours?"
"We-well you see..there's been a bit of a- a bit of a setback.." Lucius' normally arrogant voice barely rose above a whisper.
His long, delicate fingers plucked nervously at the black fabric of his robe and as the steady thud-thud of the Dark Lord's footsteps suddenly stopped his eyes flew to mine in terror.
"..What kind of a setback?" the voice was deceptively calm and I could feel Lucius shaking next to me. Something like pity began to grow in my stomach but I forced it back. Better for him to face the Dark Lord's wrath than me.
"She-Autumn, well-well she, uuh, she made up."
"Made up. With?" the footsteps started again, closer now and chills ran down my spine. Beside me Lucius became less and less coherent.
"With, umm, with her-her friends. The-the, umm, Gry-Gry-Gryffindors."
The footsteps stopped.
For a moment nothing moved. I didn't dare even to breathe.
But the Dark Lord's anger was palpable, a living thing stretching across the room, slithering silently closer.
Lucius whimpered.
"Join me Severus," the voice called suddenly, steel wrapped in velvet, deceptively warm, "We have much to discuss and Malfoy must learn the cost of failure.."
I closed my ears to the terrified pants of the boy next to me. Nothing I did could help him now. Eyes focused straight ahead I marched from the room after the Dark Lord, Riddle, noticing with a pang of horror that his snake no longer hung from around his broad shoulders.
Lucius' shrieks were the last thing I heard as the door slammed shut behind me.
...
***Autumn's POV***
"Oh come ON, Autumn. There's no use denying it." Lily poked my ribs for the hundredth time, refusing to let me focus on my Care of Magical Creatures essay. Quiet filled the room again, my quill scratching the only noise.
Poke.
"Lily!" I shot her an exasperated look, "I love you but you are insufferable."
"Just say it and I'll stop then." she knew she was getting to me and her smug smile caused irritation to shoot through me.
"What do you want me to say, huh?! That I like Sirius? That I have a crush on the boy who made my life a living hell? That my heart racing every time I see him isn't because I'm afraid he'll hurt me again?" Lily's eyes widened in shock and I could hear my voice getting louder, more frantic but I couldn't stop, "Do you want me to say I've forgotten what he did? That the way he makes me feel is enough to make me trust him again?" Suddenly exhausted I dropped my head in my hands, staring dejectedly at the pattern of frost covering the couch cushions, "It's not Lil.."
"Sirius.." Angry I lifted my head to snap at her to let it go but she wasn't looking at me. Apprehensive I turned around and met the hurt grey eyes of the boy I hadn't been able to get out of my head in weeks.
"Sirius..oh gods, I didn't.." he didn't let me finish before whirling around and running out the porthole. "Sirius!"
Frantic I jumped up and bolted after him, inkwell and parchment scattering across the floor but I didn't care.
"Wait!"
Flying through the corridors it was all I could do to keep him in sight and by the time he slowed my side ached and I couldn't speak for lack of air. He had no such problem though.
"I thought we were okay? I thought..I thought you forgave me?" his normally smiling face was disappointed and hurt. My eyes burned with tears and I tried to speak but nothing came out.
"You still think..you still don't trust me?" his dark hair hung in his face and my fingers ached to brush it away, "You think I'd hurt you?" Stomach churning I couldn't meet his eyes. I could feel him searching my face didn't say anything.
"I thought you believed me..when I said I was sorry." his voice quivered and I heard him start to turn away.
Choking back a sob I reached for him, grasping his hand, pulling him back. I shook my head furiously to clear the tears from my eyes, struggling for words.
"I- I'm not scared of that. I did forgive you..mostly..that's why I'm scared." my eyes stayed glued to our hands but I heard the confusion in his voice when he answered.
"I don't get it, love."
My stomach flipped at the word 'love', just like it always did and I gave a shaky laugh. My eyes were shy when they met his gaze.
"I've never known anyone who hasn't hurt me, and you hurt me more than most." he started to pull away but I tightened my grip on his hand. "Wait. Let me finish. I-see every time I've let someone in it's ended badly and the thing is..I'm starting to let you 're getting under my skin and I'm scared. Understand?" The corner of his mouth rose up in a tiny smile and his eyes twinkled but he didn't say anything.
After a few moments I couldn't bare the awkwardness any longer so stretching up on my tiptoes I leaned in, my lips just barely brushing his cheek. "Don't let it go to your head, Black."
Pulling back I smiled at his wide-eyed look and turning ran back to the common room and gathered up my fallen schoolwork.
Lily's eyes bore into the side of my head until, rolling my eyes I turned to her, "Fine. I admit it."
She smirked.
"Knew it."
...
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