Night fell as time escaped you, after return returning to Hogwarts you had gone to spend some time with Severus in the potions classroom. He was taking his time to passionately explain a few intriguing things he had found out while brewing potions throughout the years, his expressions had you non-stop smiling for hours. Finally, you checked the time, shocked to see that it was around eleven o'clock. "I have to go..." the words reluctantly left your lips, "Stay." you met his gaze like you had so many times before, your bodily reaction giving away that you were more than happy to stay with him. "If anyone asks, I shall say I found you in here" he sounded almost pleading, you nodded almost instantly in agreement, it wasn't like it was the first time you weren't in the dorm after hours.

Once you had decided to stay, the two of you moved into his personal living quarters, onto the couch you had grown to love. You held a pillow comfortably in your arms, your eyes tracking the ebony eyed man, watching as he pulled out his wand to light the fireplace in front of you. He paused for a moment, following his gaze you saw him looking over to his nightstand, staring at a pile of books. His strides were slow and deliberate as he walked over to the stack, going through it for a moment until he picked out a tattered looking black notebook. "May I read you a poem... I don't truly understand how, but you have managed to remind me so dearly of the person who shared it with me." his words seemed chosen carefully, looking up to meet your curious (E/C) gaze as he made his way back over.

Before you could respond, the raven-haired man cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair as he flipped to a very specific page of the book. Listening intensely you felt like you were on the edge of your seat, questions flowing through your mind, curious, nosey of who this person may have possibly been. He skimmed the page with his eyes, a glimmer of sympathy coursed through them as if he had regretted something in that very moment.

"A full ginger moon hangs in the garden.

On this side of the house there are no stars.

When I go to bed, I like to soothe myself with

streetlights, lit windows and passing cars."

His voice filled the room, it sounded almost like a no-maj or muggle poem. You had felt you'd been read it one time before, a close friend of yours from Ilvermorny had been of non-maj decent, she was obsessed with this type of thing. Hailey was a very close representation of her, though she was a lot quieter, she was a bookworm, unlike your loud-mouthed green-eyed friend. You continued to listen intently, your heartwarming with memories of past friends. People you knew you could easily see in the future, a smile slowly finding its way onto your lips at the awe of what this man could make from words on a page.

"When my grandchild comes to sleepover

I find we share the same preference.

She doesn't want to draw the curtains either.

I like to look out on my town, my London."

Your smile brightened slightly, strangely enough, you started to link the poem to the man in front of you. His storytelling capabilities were far stronger than he would have probably believed. How he held himself, stood by the fire to keep warm, one hand holding the notebook open as his eyes followed the words. Every word he said would end up dripping in emotion, spinning beautiful tales you didn't know you were trying to seek out.

"Have you seen London from above? She asks me

It's like a field of lights. And her grey eyes widen.

Her eight-year-old spirit is tender as blossom

Be gentle to her now, ferocious London."

Reading the last line, his voice grew to a quiet rumble as he closed the old notebook. His dark eyes met yours, "Did you like it?" he asked softly, 'does he think I didn't?' you thought in confusion. You were sat, awestruck in the same position as when he started reading, a small, bright smile on your face. "It was beautiful" you responded, after a short, much needed dramatic pause of tension. The words were still cascading through your mind, attempting to unwind every line as if they were tangled together.

Severus let out a yawn, causing you to snap out of your awe-stricken state, shaken into looking at him in the present tense. Clearly tired from the day out, he must have done a lot while there, probably having to chase around Gryffindors before you caught him at The Three Broomsticks. Standing up, you waddled over to him, wrapping your arms tightly around him in a sleepy hug. Feeling him let out a heavy breath, you felt his arms wrap around your waist, placing his chin on the top of your head. "Come on darling, let's go to bed" he murmured sleepily, pulling away from the hug, he over to his wardrobe, you watched him pull out a shirt for you, along with his regular nightwear. As he passed it to you, you felt butterflies in your stomach and a feeling of contentedness wash over you. It had been so long since the two of you were able to do this, or at least it felt like it did.

After changing, you climbed into bed next to him to notice he had already fallen asleep. You laid there for a moment, just simply thinking to yourself as you watched his chest rise and fall. Looking around the room you felt a sense of home rush over you, you knew this was where you were meant to be. Your heart thumping so hard yet so calm, like strong ocean waves against the tide. Turning on your side, you watched him sleep so soundly, his breathing perfectly even as you drifted into a river of happy thoughts.

Growing to learn Severus over the past year had been strange, yet absolutely wondrous and lovely. His questions never ceased to run around in your mind, questions you had sometimes never even thought to ask yourself. Simple things he had done for you, dreams that he had managed to so easily make come true. This black-haired man had stolen your heart, it only took such a small amount of time together, your heart yearned so heavily for the many more years you were going to spend together. As you looked at the peaceful sleeping form of the man you loved, you smiled softly, only being able to see a man you trusted with your entire being.