Early Days

Chapter 28: Early Days

The next day's Daily Prophet carried the story of Rowan's attack and rescue and of Severus's subsequent trial. Not, thankfully, on the front page, but prominently enough. Trust Rita Skeeter to put the worst possible interpretation on the facts and, where facts failed her, to create salacious new ones.

Severus tossed the paper into the fireplace after the briefest glance and torched it. Rowan smiled and poured him another cup of tea.

"I take it that you've read it?" He asked.

Rowan nodded, nose wrinkled in distaste. "I figured I'd better know what was being said."

"I can guess, I don't need the details."

Severus drank his tea, then put the cup down and said suddenly, "Let's just get away today. Tomorrow is soon enough to have to deal with it."

"Where would we go?"

"Nowhere special, just away from nosy idiots with newspaper subscriptions. How does a walk on the moor sound? We could pack lunch."

"It sounds perfect."

Rowan changed out of her dressing gown and into jeans, a light, long sleeved shirt and sturdy shoes. Severus wore his black trousers and linen shirt but left off the coat. When they were ready, with sandwiches packed and sunscreen charms placed, Severus Apparated them to the wilderness north of Hogsmeade to ensure they wouldn't run into anyone en route.

They spent a quiet peaceful day hiking together. Severus pointed out various plants that were useful for potions ingredients. Rowan collected lichens for dyestuff. Under the endless open blue dome of the sky, it was hard to feel that problems were significant, and they opened to each other. Even Severus's habitual reticence cracked a little, and he told her something about his childhood at Spinner's End.

Rowan in turn told him about her lifelong fascination with textiles. "My mother used to read Grimm's fairy tales to me. There were so many stories about girls who spun flax, and then magical things happened. I thought if I could just learn to spin well enough, then magic would happen to me too. I wanted it so much; I made a spindle out of some toys and took the fluff from a medicine bottle." Rowan peeked up at Severus, who was smiling at her.

"My mother used to laugh at me about it ... until the letter came," Rowan told him, grinning, and Severus laughed delightedly, imagining her moment of vindication.

Rowan adored the sound of his laughter. She never thought she'd see him so lighthearted and easy to be with. Taking his hand, she lifted her nose to the air and widened her nostrils a moment. "Mmmmm, smell that?"

"It smells like cocoa. There must be a stand of chocolate milkweed nearby."

"Yes, no wonder we feel so peaceful here. Pity it's the wrong time of year to get the fiber."

They crested a small rise and went down into the dell below. Suddenly, the scent of cocoa grew stronger, and they were surrounded by a cloud of brown-tan-black butterflies rising into the sky – Chocolate Monarchs. Rowan gasped and both of them stood stock still in wonder at their beauty. When they had gone, Severus turned to Rowan and kissed her. She closed her eyes and felt the sun on her back, listened to the breeze rustle the milkweeds, smelled their chocolate perfume and tasted happiness.

When evening came, they Apparated back to their flat and had dinner together from the remaining food that the Hogwarts house-elves had provided them. There was enough for dinner and breakfast, then they would have to shop.

After dinner, Severus and Rowan shared a bottle of elf-made wine he had brought with his things from his house the day before. Warmed by the wine and their day together, Rowan took great delight in furthering her explorations of her new husband. She found a spot on his thigh that always made him gasp when touched and learned that he could not keep his eyes open when she kissed his clavicle. When he could take no more, he scooped her into his arms, carried her to the bedroom and undressed her there.

Lying naked on the bed, Rowan watched Severus undress himself. What was it about an erect penis that drew the eye so? It should really look rather ridiculous, sticking out as it did from a thin, sallow, scarred man. Somehow, though, it transformed that man into a figure of strength and passion. Gladly, she opened her arms to him.

This time there was almost no pain; by tomorrow, she was sure, there would be none at all. Only the amazing pleasure his touch brought her and took from her in turn.

She'd been right when she watched his hands working so deftly and imagined them on her body, how they would feel and how it would make her nerve endings sing.

She'd also been right when she imagined how his voice would sound purring endearments in her ear. It was so sexy, the sound alone nearly sent her over the edge.

She hadn't been right – because she hadn't thought to imagine it – how tremendously powerful it would make her feel to have him go tumbling over the precipice himself, brought there by her touch and the sounds of her voice, but it was so, and that was perhaps the best part of all.

The next day it was time to set forth and face the world. At least, the Hogsmeade portion of it.

Severus frowned at Rowan, who was smiling at him across the breakfast table.

"Hogsmeade isn't entirely safe. You will have to assume reports of you, of your behavior, will make it back to the Dark Lord."

Rowan swallowed thickly. "I don't want to cause you any trouble. What does You-Know-Who think of all this? Or rather, what should he think?"

"He does not know about your invisibility fabric project. As far as he knows, I was forced to offer you marriage, and you accepted out of necessity. It would be best if you appeared diffident, even a little frightened of me. Can you do that?"

"I'll try imagining I don't have my Potions essay ready," Rowan suggested, straight faced.

One eyebrow lifted, and a hint of a smile showed at one corner of his mouth. "When have you ever not had your assignments prepared?"

"Never, because as soon as I'd imagine what you'd be like if I didn't have it, I got scared into working," Rowan told him, grinning.

Severus snorted. "Very well, if that will work for you. We'd better go."

Rowan needed to buy groceries, and Severus to be fitted for new teaching robes. They walked down the two flights of stairs together and stepped into the High Street.

Immediately, eyes were upon them, and conversations stopped dead as they approached. Rowan felt eyes on her back as she chose vegetables and tried not to notice the butcher boy's smirk while the proprietor weighed her purchase. She wanted to sink when she saw the stack of Prophets at the checkout counter in the third shop. She drew strength from Severus's presence, a forbidding shadow at her back, but she did not show it. Instead, she looked fearfully to him for approval of her choices and stepped back deferentially while he paid.

Back in their flat, she flew into his arms as soon as their purchases were put down.

"Ugh, that was awful. How long do you think it will take before it wears off?"

"I suppose it depends on what else happens to divert attention."

"I was glad you were with me. Did I manage to look like I wasn't?"

Severus closed his eyes and held her. "You did. You had me worried for a bit."

On the one hand, Hogsmeade was a small village, so the entire population was fascinated by the scandalous history of their newest residents. On the other hand, Hogsmeade was a small village, so there were a limited number of people Rowan had to endure staring at her in lurid fascination.

Severus spent the next several days with her, helping her shop and arrange the flat. Since there were very few residents who were not terrified of him, even among those old enough never to have studied under him, this shielded Rowan from the worst of the impertinence.

By the time he had to return to Spinner's End to deal with his tenant and attend to his duties there for a while, she was accepted as Mrs. Snape with only a little wonder. When she went among her neighbors alone, she was treated with a kindliness that suggested they pitied her. It was irksome, but much better than frostiness, so Rowan responded politely.

It was a good thing Rowan got a chance to meet the lighthearted and tender Severus who had taken her out on the moors the first day of her marriage, because very soon after the stresses of his position returned him to his more normal disposition. In addition, he was really not used to living with anyone else, having to accommodate their habits, or take their feelings into account. When things weren't exactly as he liked them, he had a tendency to revert to his classroom demeanor. Only his very fervent desire to sleep in his own bed with his wife, and not by himself on the couch, kept him from driving Rowan completely around the bend.

Severus arrived at the flat just as Rowan was taking a roasted chicken from the oven. Potatoes stood ready for mashing and veggies were in a pot. Rowan's wand was safely on the table in the living room. She wore an apron over Muggle jeans and t-shirt, beads of sweat hung on her forehead.

"It smells wonderful, but..."

"But?" There was a dangerous note in Rowan's voice.

"Why are you doing everything by hand? You do know you are allowed to use magic out of school now?"

"I did use magic; I started the stove," Rowan commented. It was a wizarding flat; there was no electricity or gas. "I've been helping my mother cook since I was twelve, no magic allowed. I haven't learned any other way. I didn't notice you teaching us any useful peeling or chopping charms. We had to do it all by hand in class."

"That's Potions; magic in the preparation can interfere. Cooking is different. I'll show you tomorrow."

Rowan started carving awkwardly, until Severus nudged her aside and took over.

Rowan picked up the flour, then turned as Severus made an indecipherable noise. He had his Potions classroom face on; she suspected he'd just wisely swallowed a sharp remark.

"Let's take it as given you've subtracted five points from my house – which is now yours by the way. What is it?"

"Would you consider arrowroot instead of flour in the gravy?"

"I've never used it; we don't have it. Next time? I'll pick some up."

"Thank you."

After dinner, which was delicious even if the gravy did taste of flour, Severus charmed his wife's good mood back by charming the pots and dishes clean and by providing afters in the form of a box of chocolate cauldron's from Honeydukes.

Rowan ordered her equipment – a spinning wheel, bobbins, winders, cauldrons and glassware for potions, and the new pride of her heart – a golden-wooded Swiss countermarche loom. It took most of the living room and blocked the view from the window, but since Rowan wasn't planning to entertain much company, that didn't matter. When she sat at the loom bench, natural light fell on the web, and she could see the lake and the castle through the corner of her eye. When the sun went down, she could spin by the fireplace. It was perfect.

Severus spent the summer shuttling between Spinner's End, the flat in Hogsmeade, and wherever he was required to go on the Dark Lord's behalf. The first time Severus was called through his Mark, Rowan was sick with worry. She sat up the night, trying to spin but mostly watching the fireplace for his return. He would report first to the Headmaster, if he could, and Floo home from there. When the green flame flashed at last, she rose and made room for him to come through, all but weeping with relief that he was unharmed.

"Hush, hush," Severus murmured into her hair. "It's all right. You needn't worry. Mostly these are business meetings, reports and planning."

"Mostly. But, not always?"

"No, not always." Severus had to agree. "Come to bed, you look exhausted."

"Does You-Know-Who trust you now?"

"More or less. Mostly more, I think. Others have failed him recently and been punished. That raises my own standing somewhat."

"That's safer, I suppose."

"Rowan, you won't like this, but..."

"Yes?"

"Call him the Dark Lord. Make it your habit."

Rowan's face eloquently expressed her distaste for that idea. "Why?"

"It would be safer for both of us. Hogsmeade has ears."

She took a deep shuddering breath but only said. "Very well."

AN: Thanks to Juno Magic for beta reading this chapter.