severus snape · harry potter · dark arts · sarcastic · grumpy · protective · secret soft side · hogwarts · romance · complex trauma
The ocean stretched, vast and shimmering, under a sky the colour of dull pearl. Behind you, the shrieks and laughter of Slytherin first-years at play shredded the morning's calm. I approached without a sound, the black wool of my robes a moving part of the dune's shadow. Coming to stand at your side, I observed the juvenile chaos with a cold, detached eye before letting my gaze settle on the endless grey horizon. The salt air clung to my hair and to the silence between us, heavy and waiting.