The Harry Potter world and characters are the sole property of JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros, Inc. I make no money from writing fanfiction.

This fic was translated from the original French by RaeWhit and submitted with the author's permission. "Un amour impossible" par Lychee. Thanks to my betas Cyrianne (French text) and JackieJLH (English translation). Reviews may be left here on Lumos, or submitted directly to Lychee by accessing her website from her author profile page.

This fic is part of a series of one-shots that make up "The Brothel of Lychee". Six of the seven fics will be uploaded as individual stand-alone stories. They were all written well before the release of HBP, and as such, are technically AU.
------------------------------------------------



Un Amour Impossible

Each time they met, it was like it was the very first time.

She slipped her head onto his shoulder, and he breathed in the familiar perfume that was so uniquely hers.

For a long moment they did nothing, content to lie beside each other in the soft warmth of the little hiding place they had discovered in the depths of the castle. There, where no one would think to look for them; there, where no one would find them; there, where no one would disturb them.

For a long time they watched the sky, splintered into sparkling diamonds by the window...this sky of complicity that seemed to watch over them.

Then one of them finally stirred—a small movement, a slight tremble—and once again they lent themselves to the sweet pleasure of just being together…and sharing themselves.

Those close to them would not understand. They could never understand. It was with broken hearts that they spent their days apart; it was with butterflies in their stomachs that they made their way to each other every evening. Fear of being found out had become their daily companion, haunting them with all the shades of rejection and contempt that this possibility of discovery would bring them. Everything conspired to keep them apart: the conviction of their friends, and even age itself.

She often lowered her head in sadness, and he could guess her thoughts: she believed herself too ugly and too old for him. So he gently nuzzled at her ear, until she moaned softly and playfully pulled away. All would be forgotten—at least for that night.

How had it all begun? Neither of them really knew. She found him vulgar, and too much in love with himself. He called her an old cow. Then, sometime during the dark events of these times, they began to see each other differently. They’d come to that point when they’d stopped their bickering in order to cooperate, and each had found in the other a diligent worker. Exchanges and confidences quickly followed, and then one night…one night….

He had chanced upon her in one of the classrooms. Despite the lateness of the hour, the roaring fire still gave off heat. She looked lost, a little puzzled, and he had simply approached her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And then the first night had unfolded as if it were a dream….

He yawned, and then stretched as he pressed closer to seek out the warmth of her. Her eyes were still closed as she made a small sound in her sleep. He studied her for a long moment, admiring her smooth silhouette and graceful limbs. Soon the sun would be rising, and once again he would have to leave her for another endless day, overwhelmed by the memory of her throughout the long hours to come.

They didn’t know what was in store for them. They didn’t know if they could one day share a future. Soon, he would have to go away, leave the castle; she would be staying here. It could be no other way.

The first rays of the sun brushed her sweet face, making her eyelids flutter. Her beautiful eyes opened and came to rest on him. They looked at each other for a long time. Then he sighed one last time as he stood, and leaned down slightly to breathe one last word in her ear.

“Meow.”

From her perch on the desk, Mrs. Norris followed Crookshanks with her eyes as he left the deserted classroom.



FIN