A Guilty Conscience [1/3]
Authors Note: Hello everyone! It has been ages since I have wanted to write anything. Luckily for yall, I gave a thirst that can not be quenched for Professor Sharp... so there's a lot of WIP's. This fic will be posted in 3 parts, if I finish it...
Anyway, I hope yall enjoy, and I love hearing your feedback. If you're interested in being added to the tag list, please PM me or leave a comment.
Tags: @bountydroid @mothgirl-is-tired
The wind was howling outside the Three Broomsticks. A light snow had begun to fall on the already snow covered ground as the sun had begun to set. The tavern was very lively, for many had come in to escape the harsh weather.
It was winter break at Hogwarts, and many of the students had gone home for the holidays, leaving many professors with some well earned free time. So, the professors had planned to spend their evening fraternizing in Hogsmeade before retreating to the private room in the Three Broomsticks to drink and continue their festivities. This particular night, almost every professor had shown, besides the Headmaster of course. Black could not stand being in the company of anyone he deemed lesser than himself, so he was not inclined to spend any more time than he needed to with his staff and students. Meanwhile, Professors Weasley, Fig, Ronen, Garlick, Hecat and Sharp found themselves enjoying their free evening and the rare chance they got to socialize outside of Hogwarts.
The small room was filled with chatter as the professors drank together. It seemed that Ronen and Garlick were the only two who struggled to hold their alcohol; then again, it was hard to keep pace with Hecat and Sharp. Though Weasley and Fig managed to keep up okay. After only two butterbeers Ronen ended up asleep at the table they sat around. Garlick had managed about three and a half butterbeers before her flirting with Sharp became even more blatantly obvious. Though he did not seem to mind Garlicks advances, Sharp never really flirted back or acknowledged the advances. Though the other four professors had ingested significantly more alcohol, having finished a bottle of firewhiskey they had shared, they somehow managed to keep their composure.
The night was eventful and relaxing at the same time. After a few hours of drinking and chatting, the group had elected to send Sharp down to procure them more alcohol and maybe some food since he was the least likely to be bothered by any students. It was with a great sigh that Sharp got to his feet and limped for the door. There was a small smirk on his face, though his eyes still seemed cold and empty as per usual, as he closed the door and limped down the many stairs. It had been a long while since he had allowed himself to have fun like this.
As he stepped off the stairs and into the main room of the tavern, Sharp froze, his gaze fixed on a person standing at a nearby table. As soon as he had seen her, his eyes had widened ever so slightly, and the smirk he had been wearing had faded away.
The person in question was a tall, curvy yet slender woman. Her perfect skin was like porcelain; though, it seemed wind beaten for her nose and cheeks were red. Her eyes, which were obscured by her long lashes, were a piercing and icy blue, and her dark brows were pointy, slim, and sharply shaped. Though, her most distinguishing feature was her long, layered, and fluffy hair that went down past her bottom. It was wind beaten but it still looked very elegant. The top section of hair at the crown of her head was black while underneath was an ashy platinum blonde which almost seemed silver (yes, a lot like narcissa malfoys, but the blonde is more white/silver). She was clothed in an emerald green cashmere turtleneck sweater which she wore over a simple floor length black dress, black stockings and simple black heels. Her most distinguishing article of clothing was her wool cloak. It had been a gift from none other than Sharp. It was a fine black wool with very detailed silver clasps that looked like snakes, with emerald eyes.
It was like he had been petrified, though he wanted to move, Sharp couldn't bring himself to take another step, nor could he remove his eyes from her. After a few moments of trying to gain his composure, Sharp cleared his throat and took a breath, unable to figure out what he should do.
"Aesop, what's taking you so long?" Garlick's voice called as she stood at the balcony above him.
'For the love of merlin,' Aesop thought. All the color drained from his face as his attention snapped to Garlick and then back to the woman who was now looking over her shoulder at him. Her icy eyes seemed to pierce Sharp's very being. Though he was far from the table she was at, he could hear her velvety voice excusing herself as she got to her feet. Their eyes had met, and Aesop could hear his heart racing in his ears as he watched the woman's every move.
The woman had risen to her feet, she limped ever so slightly on her right leg as she whisked toward him. Her face was blank and emotionless, like a stone. The sight of her limping made Sharp's heart sink and he could feel a pit forming in his stomach and a strange mix of emotions washed over him. It was as if his nervousness had been completely washed away by guilt and sorrow. As the woman got closer, Sharp caught a glimpse of the dark scars that peeked out from beneath her turtleneck. It seemed like an eternity before she stood just barely in front of him. Her face remained blank and her icy eyes had not left his for a moment.
The two of them stood in silence, staring into each other's eyes, as if trying to break into each other's minds. Suddenly, the woman's lips curled into a small smirk and she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Sharp, who stumbled slightly, for both of them were unsteady. As he managed to find his balance, Sharp let out a small sigh of relief and allowed a rare and genuine smile to creep onto his face as he wrapped both of his arms around her. He could barely hear himself think over his heart racing in his ears.
"I didn't know you were out of St. Mungos…" Sharp hissed as he nuzzled his cheek against hers, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"I thought I'd surprise you, but I got caught up with some Ministry matters," Aurora murmured as she leaned into him, trying to give him some comfort.
At that moment, neither of them had noticed the small gaggle of professors who had gathered on the stairs in search of their colleague. Sharp was too busy savoring the moment. It had been 8 months since he had visited her in St. Mungos after she had been on a mission that had gone awry. Of course, Aurora had been unconscious when he had visited and the healers had been unsure if she would recover.
The wispies of the woman's fluffy hair tickled his face, and the sweet scent of her powdery floral perfume filled his nostrils. Though, she was significantly thinner than he remembered. A small wince escaped her lips as she put too much weight on her right leg which made Sharp's heart ache even more than he thought it ever could. If the woman had noticed them, she wouldn't have cared. Her cold nose was pressed into the crook of his neck and Sharp could feel a single tear of hers drip onto his neck.
Their sweet embrace could have lasted a lifetime and that would not have been long enough for either of them, but they were roused back to reality by the mumbling of Professors Garlick, Fig, and Weasley.
Sharp reluctantly released the woman from his arms and looked at the three professors who had gathered on the stairs. The woman had turned her head to look at them. She was shorter than Sharp, the top of her head came up to just beneath his nose. This elegant and regal looking woman had an extremely commanding presence and was quite intimidating. So much so, that the professor's chatter ceased as her icy gaze fell upon them, it felt almost like a scolding.
"You must be Aesop's colleagues at Hogwarts…" The woman's voice was almost as cold as her gaze and it easily cut through the immense noise of the tavern.
Professors Weasley, Fig, and Garlick nodded in silence while Sharp gave a small "mhm" to confirm the woman's assumption, for even he was still quite stunned to see her.
"I am Aurora Malfoy," She said, the corners of her lips curling into a slight smile that almost made up for how intimidating she seemed.
"You're the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!" Fig exclaimed, an excited look on his face. "I thought I recognized you!"
"You're --" Garlick began before Weasley cut her off.
"Would you like to join us Miss Malfoy, I'm sure you have some entertaining stories. And it would be nice to hear something other than school gossip."
Though she was not all that surprised by the offer, Aurora still raised one of her eyebrows at Weasley. She contemplated the offer for a few seconds.
"I suppose I can join you if you're all alright with it… but I will be choosing what we drink," She replied simply.
Without another word, Aurora headed over to the bar and paid for a few bottles to bring up to the private room. Weasley and Fig had dragged Garlick along as they began making their way up the stairs as Aurora paid for the drinks for the professors. Sharp had followed them, but he stopped at the balcony and waited for Aurora.
As Aurora rounded the corner, out of breath from the stairs, Sharp pulled her into a tight embrace. As his arms wrapped around her, Aurora jumped and gasped rather loudly. Sharp loosened his grasp on her just as she wrapped her arms around him.
"You scared me…" Aurora mumbled as she gently rubbed his back with her cold hands, knowing he likely had not meant to.
"I'm sorry…" Sharp breathed as he pressed his nose to the crook of Aurora's neck.
Sharp was shaking as he held her, overwhelmed with emotion.
"It is alright, I just -"
"No… I mean, I'm sorry…" he mumbled, his voice filled with regret.
"Aesop… it doesn't do well to dwell on the past…" Aurora insisted as she pulled back, placing her right hand on his left cheek and lifting his face so she could look at him.
Sharp looked down at her with watery eyes. This woman was the one thing in life he loved more than his work, and he felt guilty for not staying by her side when she was in St. Mungos. But, he had found it unbearable. He was not as strong as she had been. Though there was nothing he could do, Sharp could not sit in silence at her bedside and do nothing while she was unconscious and hurt.
"Darling, you know how much I hate to see you upset, especially when it's over me…" Aurora sighed as she looked over his face.
Sharp was overcome with guilt. He hadn't been there to protect her, and he hadn't stayed with her while she was injured and in St. Mungos like she had for him. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret. His strong arms were still wrapped protectively around Aurora.
"I forgive you… Aesop, none of this is your fault" Aurora whispered as she ran her thumb over his scar.
They stood in silence for a few moments while Aurora caressed Sharp's cheek. Their eyes were locked on one another's. Aurora's gaze had gone from icy and cold to warm, comforting and filled with love. A small and comforting smile had spread across her face as she tilted her head at Aesop. As her smile widened, Aurora leaned in, closing the space between them and pressing her silky lips to his. Sharp parted his lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth, his right hand moving up to hold the back of Aurora's head. Their kiss was soft and not too long, like they had shared a million kisses before this one. As their lips parted, Aurora embraced Sharp and quickly kissed his cheek. They stood there, rocking from side to side as they hugged. A few minutes passed before they separated. Aurora's smile had faded but her eyes were still warm.
Without saying another word, they climbed the stairs, hand in hand. Before entering the room, Aurora turned and gave Sharp a quick kiss. They entered the private room together, it was warm and pleasant. The other professors were chatting away, well besides Ronen, who was asleep in an armchair. All conversation came to a halt as Aurora stepped in with Sharp just behind her. With a flick of her wand, the four bottles of alcohol Aurora had purchased appeared on the coffee table. The professors all had their eyes on her as she strode over to an empty seat. Aurora had given Hecat a small nod in greeting that went unnoticed.
All of the professors except Mirabel Garlick had met her at least once. Hecat and Aurora were good friends from their time at the Ministry together. Of course, Sharp knew her the best, for he had been courting her, successfully, for many years, they were engaged after all.
Aurora had taken a seat in front of the fireplace, her legs crossed, and a drink in her hand as she enjoyed the warmth of the fire. Of course, she drank firewhiskey on the rocks. Her free hand held one of Sharp's hands, her fingers interlaced with his.
The night still being young was the perfect excuse to continue excessively drinking. Unsurprisingly, Weasley, Fig, and Garlick did not have much to talk about that was of interest to Aurora. Though, she did entertain their questions. Well, she entertained them until Fig would not stop asking about what the Ministry was doing about Ranrok and Rookwood. Of course, Fig's attempt to interrogate Aurora made her quite irritable.
Once Fig had thoroughly gotten on Aurora's nerves, Hecat stepped in, scolding Fig for pestering Aurora with questions. Hecat and Aurora had actually been good friends during their shared time at the Ministry. Apparently, Aurora had not always been quite this cold. Though they worked in different departments, Hecat had always found herself in the young aurora cubicle for lunch. Even if Hecat could not talk openly about her work, she enjoyed Aurora's insight on certain things, especially when it came to taking down dark wizards. They were inseparable for a while, and when Hecat had been injured, Aurora visited her in St. Mungos every single day until she had recovered. Though they did not talk much, they still sent each other owls at least once a week. Hecat had been the one who had found Aurora after she had been briefly captured by Ashwinders when she was still very new to her profession. They shared a strange bond. They were very different people and led very different lives, but they appreciated one another very much.
As the conversation about ministry work continued, Sharp joined in, talking about their many late nights in the office and assignments they had worked on together. They had been like a perfect match and were one of the most successful pairs of auror's in the department. Of course, Sharp left out many of the intimate details that seemed to become the only thing he could remember. Sharp smirked a bit and would briefly meet Aurora's eyes as he skipped over their countless late night escapades with a pause. Though it had been ages, the memories of their nights together hadn't faded in the slightest. Sharp found himself missing the good old days when they had worked like dogs and fucked like bunnies.
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