Come here Severus

In the morning, before Malfoy wakes, Snape tells Elsbet that he has inquired about Micha's fate, and she tells him she thinks he is dead. "Bea told me they are both watching over me, not by name, but...who else could she mean but my brother and my friend," she says with a slight shrug, and as he pulls her into his arms he tells her he thinks it is worth trying. "But--" he doesn't let her finish. He kisses her tenderly and holds her close, thinking to her, what makes you believe Bea didn't mean your brother and Sirius? She rests her head against Snape's chest and tells him, "why would Sirius...

Steeling himself for the worst, Snape approaches the glass and sees Malfoy sitting with his back to the door. After a second, the White Wizard looks over his shoulder at his Dark lover, an expression of undisguised joy on his face. After another couple of seconds, the elegant head of the great bird appears, and rests on Malfoy's shoulder. The swan gazes at Snape, who finds himself at a loss. He sees Malfoy's lips move and he knows he's asking the swan something; the bird turns his head and clacks his bill in response. Malfoy laughs and Snape's heart is light...clearly, the healing is a success....

As Malfoy leaves Elsbet's room the Silhouettes are departing, and he wishes them good fortune with a gentle mental touch.

"So," Therion says as Malfoy walks back into the living room, "Ellie truly is an Elf." Malfoy nods as he sits down, sighing deeply. Remus stretches and goes into the kitchen, and after a moment or two comes back with a glass of juice and munching a piece of bacon. Tonks sits down across from Malfoy and runs her hands through her bubble-gum pink hair. "What does that mean for us?" Layne looks at each of them and smiles softly. "I think...it means we're supposed to be together."...

Tonks sits for a moment, thinking. "But, how would she know the language itself, unless her parents actually sat down and worked it all out?" The wizards look at each other silently, fidgeting, then Tonks gives a half-hearted laugh. "You can't mean..." Quietly, Therion goes to the huge bookshelf that takes up the corner of the living room opposite the door that leads to their backyard park. He crouches for a moment and pulls a very large book carefully out of the bottom cabinet, then places it in the center of the coffee table. He sits back down and looks at Tonks evenly. "The Encyclopedia...

Remus the Wolf is vaguely aware of something moving near him. He turns and flicks his ears, then lifts his nose toward the sounds. He moves toward it slowly, toward the shadows of an empty house, and he can just make out the shape of the observer.

It's another wolf.

The other wolf is as curious about him as he is about it, and as he moves closer to the shadows, the other wolf whines excitedly. He moves slowly, cautiously, forward, and the other wolf moves just as cautiously toward him. As it passes out of the shadows and into the moonlight, Remus sees the other wolf is beautiful; blond fur shot...

Snape rises and dresses silently, then slips out of the room unnoticed. Their laughter follows him and he smiles faintly as he steps into the kitchen. He washes his hands and dries them, then pulls out three pans and begins preparation for lunch. Malfoy enters the kitchen as Snape opens the fridge and asks him if he would like anything in particular. Malfoy tells him he's feeling like something sweet, when there's a sound at the door. "Ah, if you'll get that Severus, I will fix us lunch." Snape looks at him quizzically and Malfoy tells him quietly, "it's Dance, and Shiver, from the feel of...

Snape sits at his desk deep in thought, his mind running over the events of the last few days. He hasn't slept yet. It didn't make any sense to him to even lie down, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He's not sure what he wants to know more, the details of Malfoy's meeting with the Inquisitor, or Elsbet's. Elsbet's, really, Malfoy's he can guess at, and probably be right. But Oddbit...why was she unconsious? What happened to her in there, and will she even tell him? That question is almost worse than the other; she keeps everything bottled up inside and probably always has. Sooner or later...

The door closes and Snape is left alone with the two people dearest to him.

His heart trembles at the sight of them together.

When he first realized what he felt for her was love, he could not tolerate the idea of another man touching her. But now, gazing at her in Malfoy's arms, he is actually comforted. Comforted because he knows that if something happens to him, she will not be left alone. He wants nothing more at this moment than to lay down with them, take his time healing them, but he can't. He doesn't have that luxury. What he does have, besides the burning desire to make love to them,...