Severus Snape is the type of man to internally panic whenever his sweetheart of a wife decides to model a sundress.
And its not any sundress either- no, none of that tight muggle fashion made with toxic polyester- it was the one she had acquired in Diagon Alley while shopping with her cousin.
It flowed with her, not hugging at her curves but somehow enhancing them with every tug and spin she offered. It was enough to drive him mad.
The soft, organic fabric complimented her in such a way, it pulled at him. “Severus?”
“Hm?”
That was unlike him, the way his eyes widened at her call told her that he wasn’t paying attention to a single word she had spoken a few seconds ago.
“Do you think I should return it? …I didn’t try it on at the store, thought I might test my luck.”
The dress was a pretty one indeed, but his lack of response made her consider that maybe it didn’t flatter her as well as she thought it might. It wasn’t an expensive dress, not at all. It was meant to stroll down markets and strut around parks.
A simple, casual dress.
But to him?
It might as well be the finest piece of design to have ever crossed his path.
“Do you think the color washes me out?” His wife kept mumbling, partly to herself as well.
“No.” He swallowed, hard.
She took notice if this, mistaking his nerves for disturbance. “Are you alright? I assure you, it wasn’t that costly.”
His head shook slightly, his feet not having moved from his stance at the entrance of the room. Its as if he was stuck in time. Oh, and how he wished it were so. To forever paint his wife’s figure standing in front of their framed mirror while wearing that… dress.
Its length almost swept the floors, coming up gracefully to cover her legs. The waist was tied neatly to show her figure. And his eyes trailed up to where the fabric delicately covered her chest to finally tie around her neck. The back was as open figure. One she would most likely cover up with a shawl.
If he could just reach for her spine and allow his fingers to linger down- no. How can such a modest dress unravel him so?
“Its…. lovely.”
Lovely. He thought it to be exquisite.
“Oh, well I guess its nice.” Her face fell slightly. Her attention still turned to her own figure in the mirror while swaying from side to side to examine every angle.
This made him approach her from behind and tried to reassure her. “Very much so.”
She was satisfied with that answer, knowing she wouldn’t get much verbally from her husband. It was nothing extravagant so why should she expect anything more?
“Could you help me untie it?” She requested innocently.
It didn’t help him that she even gathered her hair to the side, giving him, what he could describe as, a pang in his chest.
He froze.
“Sev?” She looked behind her to meet his eyes and he instantly melted.
Closing the gap between them, he pressed into her. It was like satisfying the impossible pull he felt since witnessing her in that dress. His hand, finally, found the soft skin of her back while the other circled her into him.
“Oh! What’s gotten into you, my love?” She gasped, unable to contain her smile.
“No.” His lips pressed to her cheek once. Then, he trailed down her jaw.
“No?”
Now she grew concerned. She was used to him not offering many words or long dialects, other than the rare occasions he did allow himself the pleasure. Severus was a listener and a writer. One of his best qualities was how eloquent he could present himself, no matter the circumstance. So for him to not make much sense at the moment was alarming.
“Are you feeling alright?” She managed to get out between his affections.
Sensing her worry, he slowed. His actions didn’t stop completely but it allowed him to pull up from her neck and speak into her hair. “No, im not helping you out of the dress.”
Her confusion only grew. Before she could protest, he continued.
“I don’t want you to take it off.”
Then, it clicked.
It was as if a light had flickered in her head. He was smitten with the dress. Or rather, her in the dress.
She moved to face him, still trapped in his arms. “You like my dress, Severus?”
His face grew a few shades darker as she reached over his shoulders to play with the soft ends of his black hair. She smiled up at his nervous expression and that was his end.
He closed the gap between them lovingly, quickly finding out that it had nothing to do with the dress.
….
*Not proof read*
