Untitled Title: Untitled Author: faeryqueen Pairings: Severus/various (and not all romantic, either!) Rating: PG-13 Word Count: Approx. 100 words each Warnings: Implications of torture (first one only) A/N: Thanks to dracosoftie, who beta’d for me, and roozetter and atypicalsnowman, who read it over and made sure it qualified. :D I’m posting this under the duress of a headache I’ve had for about 12 hours now, so please forgive me for not reading anyone else’s drabbles! I will get to them later this weekend.
Summary: “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever, the same.” ~ Anonymous
The Enemy
He loves her best like this, writhing on the ground, eyes dark with pain, wide with fear. It’s the only reason he’s allowed this to continue for so long. They’ve come so far over the years.
He can taste her defeat. “Tell me all you know about Horcruxes.”
And later, when she’s whispered every secret the Dark Lord has privileged her with, Severus draws one last scream from her bleeding lips.
When she is silent once more, he whispers, “Obliviate.”
He wonders what treasures she’ll have for him next time.
The Master and the Spy
Severus should feel relieved, thankful for all that Dumbledore has done for him over the years. He can imagine what would have become of him, had he not been given a second chance, a reprieve from all the wrong-doing he has committed.
But when he sinks into the chair across from the Headmaster, shakes his head at the tin of candies that are too sweet for his teeth, he feels none of this. He has simply traded one cruel master for another. He is a tool, used as seen fit.
All he feels is regret.
The Quiet Friendship
It goes like this:
When the last round has been made and the hallways are silent except for his own soft footfalls, Severus makes his way down to the kitchens. He tickles the pear almost resignedly, but then the door is opening and Severus can feel the weight of the day falling away from him.
Minerva is already at the table, and when he sits, she pushes his cup of hot white chocolate into his hands. The sip their drinks in silence as the house-elves go about their business. This, he thinks, has become his favorite part of his time at Hogwarts.
The Leader
During the reign of the Dark Lord, overseeing the Slytherins had meant looking for traitors, weeding out who would be most likely to follow their parents into the Death Eaters’ circle. Now, twelve years after Voldemort’s fall, it means food fights, nightmares and cheat-sheets tucked into the folds of robes. He is their leader and their confidante, but also – always – their instigator.
It is good, he thinks, that children can finally be children, and even when their whinging has driven him to the brink and back, he would not change it for the world. Not when he looks at Draco and sees the potential they all carry within them.
The Lover
The sex is good, there is no denying that. Great even, though he’ll never tell Harry so, lest he become too full of himself. But that isn’t his favorite part. It isn’t the steaming cup of tea waiting on the bedside table for him every morning, the animated conversations concerning his latest projects or even the comfortable silence as they grade papers together.
It is waking in the middle of the night to feel Harry’s warm weight settled half over him, his sleep-tousled hair tickling Severus’ nose and his mumbled ‘love you too,’ when Severus pulls him closer.