[Fic:] Chapter 14: Finding Space

[smirkingcat]

Title: Chapter 14 Finding Space

Author : smirkingcat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count : 1.717
Notes:find part one @lj, @dw
many thanks and gratitude to themightyflynn for all the beta!
used for hp_bunintheoven November prompt 1: breathtaking
Summary: Building a new live in-midst of an old one.
Warnings: fluff, mpreg, D/s- subtext, OOC
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.




It was with some surprise that Severus followed Blaise up to the fifth floor and then to the left. If the house was not messing too much with him they were walking in a southerly direction. And it was a walk, as it took them more than three minutes to reach the door Blaise finally opened.

The passing walls were decorated with portraits of what appeared to be the properties of the Zabini family on the continent. They alternated with portraits of various people. As they were only passing, Severus did not have the time to study the portraits, but he noticed that most of them did not belong to the Zabini family, at least in name. And though Severus had heard some of the names, he had never seen a portrait of any of these people before. He also noticed the subtle fragrance of flowers again, this time not as fresh as the orchids, but more exotic, more refreshing and appetizing. Blaise held the door open for him and closed it carefully after Severus entered.

"My rooms," Blaise said, before frowning a little. "Well, part of my rooms. The whole south wing has been mine for as long as I can remember. To be completely honest, I think the last time someone other than me or the houselves set foot in this part of the house was back when I was ten, I believe. Yes, it must have been husband thirteen. He helped with the design of the bathroom."

For the first time Severus allowed himself to wonder what it must be like to be the son of Senzafiona Zabini. What sort of relationship that would entail? He didn't believe that Blaise hated his mother, or feared her, but at the same time he was certain that calling their relationship one of love would be so far off the mark it would not even be in the vicinity. What must it be like to be the undoubtedly beautiful son of the femme fatale in your known world.

"Tea? Or would you prefer something stronger?” Blaise asked as he moved past Severus and down yet another staircase. “It has been a long day after all."

"Tea will go a long way, indeed," Severus readily agreed, taking a minute to let the room sink in.

The door they have stepped through entered to a balcony with yet another marble balustrade. In contrast to the white used in the entry hall, here it was a rather colourful marble with flecks of green, red and yellow. But not the overpowering kind, more like pastel. Somehow, it fit Blaise better.

Severus only got a look to the right. From what he could see, there was another room right at the end of the balcony. He was certain he would have ample enough chance to become familiar with these rooms and the house itself that he chose to follow Blaise instead of investigating the room and turned to the left and down the stairs. The room they entered - a huge sitting room decorated in shades of blue, green and white, which appeared rather comfortable to Severus - showed the first signs of life so far. Books were stacked on every small table or coffee table that was accompanied by any seat. From the titles Severus could make out, he summarised that Blaise came here when he helped with research, or dove into a topic for his own good. The windows on the far side of the wall would provide more than enough light during the day. As it was the middle of winter now, and the sun was setting rather early, Severus only caught a glimpse of the gardens. Blaise had not been lying: the front yard had nothing on the backyard. It was the shuffle of clothes that brought his attention back to Blaise, had seated himself on the biggest sofa in the room.

"Please do not stand on ceremony. As this is to be your home too, you are to behave as such. Just do not venture into the second story of the northern wing. I left small charms, which only you should be able to pick up on, in place to mark the entries. Those are my mothers rooms, and it is best to let them be. At least until she decides to leave on her own," Blaise said. His head was leaned back and his eyes were closed. Severus noted the irregular breathing.

"Are you alright?" he asked Blaise to make sure. It was a new concept to them, to make sure that everything was fine outside of their agreement. And Severus had no illusions that the oddity was not something which could be removed quickly. It would be like a long session of teeth pulling for the both of them. The only hope was that it would be worth it in the end. Which was a truly frightening statement in and of itself, making something inside of him recoil.

"Tired, mostly. And there is... I feel... I have... there is a buzzing in my head, and tension... I can't... it's too much... pressure," Blaise stammered keeping his eyes closed. His fingers were opening and closing helplessly.

Severus would never cease to be surprised by Blaise's shyness when he needded to be put out of control. It was such a contradiction to the nineteen-year-old boy who went out of his way to seduce his then headmaster to get what he wanted. However, there was a big difference, that made the behaviour relatable to Severus. It was easy to go after what you want simply because you want it. It was difficult to ask for what you need, because the possibilities of it being used against oneself were near endless.

Severus took another moment to look around the room, tried to figure out how Blaise lived here by the signs of things. The sofa he was sitting on right now, must be his favourite spot for multiple reasons: books on various topics are stacked on all three tables surrounding it, the left side table was the only side table with new parchment, and there was a cosy afghan neatly folded on the sofa’s right armrest, right next to Blaise.

The nook in the window was apparently for pleasure reading, as the books there were only story books. He soon realised that his first observation of the room hit the mark: these rooms were lived in by Blaise, which also meant that there was no empty space that their routine could take over.

This was what made the whole situation so dangerous for both of them. Here the edges of their different ways to interact collided with unforeseeable results. For now, Severus would work with what he had. They could, and in fact needed to talk about it later. Right now he had to take care of Blaise. With resolute steps, he walked across the room and sat down in the comfortable high back wing chair, conjuring a black cushion next to his right foot.

"Come, pet," he ordered.

He watched as Blaise lifted his head and looked at him, first with surprise and then with relief. As he watched Blaise getting up and moving around, he noticed that while Blaise had gained a little weight, he certainly had lost nothing of his grace. And what he liked especially about watching Blaise walking towards him were the self-assured steps. Blaise was beautiful, nobody could say anything else, but it was not only the body, it was also the way he moved, and behaved. And while Severus was more aware of some of Blaise’s faults than most likely anybody else, seeing him acting self-assured and confident was something worth watching.

Blaise sank to his knees on the cushion in one easy movement and, with a silent sigh, he leaned on Severus' legs, closing his eyes. Severus put his hand on Blaise’s head, slowly brushing through his hair. He could feel and see the way Blaise relaxed into him and the caress.

"Comfortable?" he asked more for Blaise's sake than anything else.

It took a few moments, before Blaise answered in a soft voice: "Very.," and put his head onto Severus' thighs.

"Then close your eyes and rest, pet."

It was not a needed order. Blaise was likely tired enough to fall asleep sooner or later. It was an order to signal to Blaise that, for now, nothing else would be required of him. Severus felt the moment when sleep claimed Blaise. It was clear not only through his weight increasing where he leaned on Severus' legs, but also through his fingers that were still moving through Blaise’s dark, soft hair.

It was these moments that Severus was not good at handling.
Being a Sir - a Master - truly came naturally to him. That was why the whole thing with Tom Riddle had been such an ordeal. And serving two insane Masters for the greater good had not been his definition of fun, no matter the circumstances or the intention behind.

At first it had seemed like Blaise was his reward of some sort. Something he deserved, something for his taking. But, through the years, Blaise might have become more than just that.

It was the open trust that Blaise offered so freely. Like now, watching him sleep right next to him without any of his usual defences. It touched something in Severus. It made him feel. That in and of itself was a frightening experience, because it was the one lesson in his life that he could not forget: feelings never served him well. And yet, he could not fight the tenderness when he looked at Blaise in such rare moments as these, or his want when Blaise obeyed his commands in the most breathtaking way imaginable.

It was this want, this need to own Blaise and, to have him for himself and, by that, deny any others the pleasure of seeing Blaise this way, that made him accept the change; made him try to live up to this new challenge which living together and later on trying to raise a child meant for them. However, in his mind there still was the faint echo of Narcissa's question, if this was going to be enough for him, for them.



Chapter 15: at lj | at dw