I rolled over, ready to feel the firm warmth of his body, only to be disappointed by the armful of bed sheets.

Yet he didn’t leave me as quickly as I thought. I could see him sitting at the side of my bed, trying to get dressed.

“Leaving so soon?” I could see that he didn’t expect me to be up. He momentarily stopped what he was doing at the sound of my voice. Looks like he was trying to sneak away and leave me lonely again.

“You normally stay longer, at least till morning. Seems like you’re leaving a lot sooner than usual.” I could hear him sigh, then mumble something under his breath. It seemed like he was trying to avoid the conversation. “Feels like it’ll get to the point where you won’t be here at all.”

And then he turned to me. I could see his eyes piercing through the darkness of my room. I expected him to retaliate with some harsher words or …something. But he just looked at me with those dark eyes of his. His eyes mulling over my appearance, from my bed tussled hair to my dark brown skin.

He looked and said nothing, which infuriated me.

“You know you said her name again last night.” I could see that these words irked him by the way flinched.

“Woman, why must you persist in these games?” he said in his usual monotone voice.

“How is it that you can share yourself with me in my bed and there be nothing else? I’m not as unfeeling as your are, Severus!” I could hear him let out a muffled groan as he started to put his shoes on.

“You’re gone from days at time, and you know how that makes me worry. And then when you’re here…you take your fill of me and leave out before sunrise. What the F-“

“And yet, you let me in to your bed knowing that I won’t stay for long. So again, woman, why do you persist in playing in these games?” The harsh tone in his words stung me hard. I was left shaken and beaten, and he knew it. But then he did something so unexpected, that I thought maybe he was being kind.

He looked into my eyes and took my hand, “I am forever grateful for your company. And I am sorry if I caused you any grief. It was not my intention.”

He got up to leave. But just before he turned the knob on the door, I reached him and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. I knew I wasn’t going to see him again, so I figured it was my last chance.

For a moment, I felt him give into me. I could feel the tension from within him ebb away. But before I could get any further with him, he let go of me…and left.