Moon and Stone

Sharessa grew rapidly in the ensuing days; Salazar worried a little about how fast she shed skins, but she seemed happy enough about it. He saved them all very carefully -- after all, who knew what importance they might have later on?

And then came the full moon, and he realized that afternoon that he hadn't yet explained what was to happen.

He sat watching as she feasted enthusiastically on the mice he'd brought, pensive and edgy at the same time. The full moon always brought that out in him. "You're going to have some company tonight," he finally hissed quietly. "Godric will be spending part of the night down here."

Sharessa swallowed a mouse and flicked her tongue in his direction curiously. "Why?"

"As...protection. There will be a...beast in the Chamber tonight. He seals it in, and guards for a time afterward. I hatched you partially so you could be an extra guard in case it gets out."

The basilisk ate her last mouse tidily and came over to him; she was as thick as his calf already and as long as he was. Definitely a magical part to the growth. "What kind of beast?"

He scratched her head, trying to quiet the wolf inside. He still had a few more hours of humanity, blast it! "A werewolf."

Sharessa hissed worriedly and climbed up around his shoulders; she could smell him being agitated, and there was an odd edge to his scent otherwise.... "What is a werewolf? And what should I do?"

"A werewolf is...a furry creature, about so high, with fangs and claws and a hatred of humans. It is completely irrational during the full moon, and would do anything to hurt humans. It's very unlikely that it would break out of the Chamber once Godric seals it, but if it ever happens...you should protect Godric, and the others, at all costs. Stop it." He swallowed hard. "Kill it if you must."

"Killing is easy," Sharessa said casually. "Stopping is harder, probably. Why are you upset?"

"Try to stop it first without killing, little one," he said softly, scratching her head. "Only kill if there's no other way to stop it, but don't hesitate if that is the case."

"If it hates humans, why do you want it alive? I don't want it to hurt you. Is it like a wolf? I know wolf, it's in my words, even if I haven't met it. And why are you upset?"

"A werewolf is a...special kind of wolf. It's not a wolf all the time, only during a full moon. The rest of the time it's...a human. That's why I want to keep it alive."

"Oh. Your friend?"

"No werewolf deserves to be killed just because it's a werewolf," Salazar said more sharply than he intended.

She hissed softly in his ear. "I know, I know, humans are not food. You've said so, Father. But you smell upset. Sad, scared... a little angry. I thought maybe it was because it was a friend you had to shut up and have hate you." She tasted him again, thoughtfully. "Or you?"

He hissed out a long, shuddering breath. "Yesssssssss. I'm the one who turns into a monster who hates humans and would kill my friends if I had a chance." He stood suddenly and started pacing around the room.

"Sss!" Sharessa didn't have a very good grip, and slipped looping to the floor when he stood; irritated, she followed his strides determinedly and tangled herself up in his legs so that he had to stop or fall over. "You dropped me," she said rather reproachfully, climbing up him again until she could tuck her head under his chin. "Ss... I would be upset too, if I thought I would suddenly want to hurt you."

"I'm sorry, lovely one. I didn't mean to drop you. I'm jusssssssssssst...agitated, this time of the month." He scratched her chin, trying to calm himself.

"I wasn't hurt." She nuzzled him. "Can I do anything?"

"...Stop me before I do something unforgivable," Salazar said very softly.

"You won't. Godric keeps strong stone, and if you got out, I would hold you still."

He smiled weakly. "Which was part of why I hatched you. I know you will do well. I still...hate this time."

"I can see why." She flickered her tongue against his jaw. "Well. Not see."

"No, not see." He closed his own eyes and scratched her head. "I'm very glad you're here now. I...feel like I'm losing my mind more and more each time, but I can't tell them that. I wanted something...extra. To protect them."

"You seem to have your mind, to me. But I have only known you as long as I've been alive."

"...They have been everything to me. I can't risk them."

"You are everything to me. I will do what you want." She put her nose thoughtfully against his ear -- it didn't fit inside anymore -- and then settled back down. "But I will not kill you, Father. If I can keep from it at all. If nothing else works, I will bite you, but I won't use very much venom."

"I don't particularly want you to kill me. Only if there is no other choice." He scratched her eye ridge gently. "Thank you, my lovely one."

"I like you. I like your friends, too." She made a sound that he had never heard before her and had finally classified as a sort of serpentine purr. "Hates humans...not snakes?"

"Hates humans, I think because part of it knows it was one. It sees other animals only as...possible prey. I don't know, I've never been around snakes while transformed before. I would probably try to eat you too."

"My scales are getting harder," she said thoughtfully. "I think I would be difficult to eat, if you couldn't swallow me whole."

"I don't want to test it!"

"Maybe you should take my last skin in with you, and see what happens," she suggested calmly. "It should still smell like me, so if it isn't torn afterward, that means either you didn't see it as food or you couldn't tear it."

He smiled faintly. "An excellent idea. I will try that." He scratched her eye ridges again. "And I should go see Helga before sunset."

"Can I come? I promise to keep my eyes closed."

"No, it's best for you to stay here. The students may react badly to seeing a basilisk. Or more likely, try to sneak down here to see you at all hours, and someone could be hurt accidentally."

She hissed amusedly. "I can feel footsteps and taste scents before you get here, you know. But very well, I will stay." She shrugged her coils around his shoulders and climbed down. "Don't worry."

~Even serpents are telling me not to worry now,~ Salazar thought in vague amusement. "I will try. And I will see you soon. Be nice to Godric tonight."

"I'm always nice to Godric. He pets my eyeridges."

"I know. He's a very good friend, to us both." One more pat and he left the anteChamber, still heavy-hearted but hopeful.

Sharessa opened her eyes once he was done, killed a couple of unwisely-wandering rats, forced them down to fill the last possible gap in her stomach, and settled down to scratch herself meditatively against a stone. She hadn't known Father was a wolf sometimes. She hoped he couldn't tear her skin; and if he could, why, she'd just have to grow more so it would be tougher next time the moon came around.

*****

Salazar lay face-down on the smooth stone, panting heavily and muscles quivering with exhaustion. Moonset. Finally. Merlin.

As he did every month, he tried to rise as he heard the faint sounds on the other side of thick stone that told him Godric had arrived and was recreating the opening. Somewhat to his surprise, this time he succeeded. Well, sort of. He managed to lever himself up into a sort of half-kneeling state, but even that much was a considerable improvement from the usual. ("The usual" being, of course, muscles too ripped and strained to support the lightest of weight and entire body screaming at him for the slightest movement.)

But now...well, he hurt, and there was still too much blood all around him for comfort this close to the full moon, and the thought of walking would have made him laugh if it didn't hurt so blasted much. But...for him, for now, he felt amazing.

He only noticed when he attempted to raise a hand in greeting to Godric as he made it through the stone that he was clutching Sharessa's shed skin like a lifeline.

"Here we go...." Godric cast a practiced succession of levitation and warming spells and ones to clean up the blood and stop its flow, this time all backgrounded by a soft, fretful, wordless hissing. The snakeskin stayed in Salazar's hand as he rose; Godric regarded it, and him, thoughtfully. "You look... a little better," he said quietly. "Let's go."

"I...feel a little better," Salazar said weakly, adding in a soft hiss to Sharessa, "I'm all right, lovely one. Don't worry." He closed his eyes for a moment as Godric floated him out of the Chamber, but when he opened them again he had to blink several times. "...All right, I'm not better. I've never hallucccinated before..."

"Pardon?"

"...I'm sssssseeing a giant head."

"Oh. That's real." Godric gave him a mischievous grin. "I found a way to pass the time."

"...Making giant headssss?" Salazar blinked at it, trying to focus. "It looksss like a monkey!"

"Well, I haven't ever done one before...."

"Mossst people manage to go through life without ever making giant headsss, Godric."

"It was fun."

"You're ssstrange." Salazar shivered lightly. It always felt so much colder in here without his fur. Well, and the blood loss probably had something to do with it. "Let'sss jussst go. ...And bring Ssssharessssa?"

"Of course." Godric cast another gentle warming spell on a bubble of air and wrapped it around him. He turned toward Sharessa; she flicked her tongue and started toward the door.

This early, they reached the room Salazar and Helga shared without running into any students. Godric settled Salazar gently onto the bed, Sharessa slithering onto the bed and curling up on his pillow and hair. Helga blinked at him. "Godric, have you been healing him already? He looks better..."

"No. He looked better to begin with. But...." Godric lifted the end of the skin Salazar was still clutching. "He did take this in."

"Sssharesssa wanted to know if I could tear it sssso sssshe could come in next time," Salazar explained, then dutifully drank the potion Helga held to his lips and sighed softly as the blissfully numbing fingers spread through his body. "Maybe you were right, love."

"That she might be able to help? I pray so...." She kissed his forehead and glanced down at the skin. "Is it torn?"

Godric examined it. "As far as I can tell, only where she tore it to get it off, but I'm no expert."

"Then let me sssee," Salazar said dryly. Godric obligingly held the skin so Salazar could inspect it as Helga began her healing spells. "I think you're right. That isss a very durable ssskin..."

"I don't know whether you didn't worry it at all, or just couldn't -- though I do remember you trying to cut the one before this with a knife and swearing at it a lot."

Salazar chuckled weakly. "Yessss, I remember that too. But if thisss wass in the Chamber with me, I would have attacked it. I attack anything during that time." He looked down at his own bloody limbs sourly.

"Well, as far as I can tell, Sharessa's only getting tougher...."

"See, Father? I'm good. Maybe I can stay in with you next time."

"We'll see," he hissed at her quietly. "I don't want you getting hurt either."

"But see, you didn't hurt my skin. And it couldn't wrap around you and hold you still. I could, especially next moon, I grow fast!"

"I know you do, lovely. I'll think about it, I promise."

"Can I do anything now?"

"Just be here. I like having you around," he hissed tiredly, wincing slightly at some of Helga's treatments. They'd gotten the process of putting him back together each month down to a careful science, but that didn't mean the process of healing wasn't still sometimes painful. He hated seeing the sadness and pain in her eyes at his wounds, and resolved to try Sharessa's suggestion next month.

"Is there anything serpents can do of healing? Can I do spells? I'm magic. Should I put the skin over you?"

"Relax, Sharessa. Helga knows what she's doing. It's all right, I promise. We've been doing this for years now."

"I still want to help." She nuzzled his face; he felt his stomach jolt when her blunt nose went slightly between his lips, but it seemed even the wolf wasn't quite stupid enough to think of a basilisk as food. She smelled odd.

"I know you want to help, but basilisks have no healing abilities. I think you've done enough just with your skin."

"...Very well. I can stay, though, can't I? Now?"

Salazar's eyes fluttered shut. "Yesss... just don't get in Helga's way..."

"I won't. She's making you better, right?"

"Yes, she's making me better. She always does..." Salazar's voice drifted off as the exhaustion and potions combined to make him sleep. Sharessa nudged at his hair and hissed softly.

Helga wondered what the basilisk was saying, and it was rather odd trying to work around a large serpent -- but Salazar was in significantly better shape than usual, and if that was the effect even of taking the discarded skin in with him, she certainly wasn't going to argue.

She wondered how it worked, though, and was quite certain Rowena was trying to solve the question in her head this very minute.

When she'd suggested that perhaps having an animal in with him would be calming, she hadn't really expected it to work quite so...dramatically. Especially not from a mere skin! But then, Salazar took more comfort in snakes than most people. Just look at his reaction to the Caduceus charm. Perhaps that was part of it.

Godric brought her a cup of water when she'd done all the healing she could, and she sipped it gratefully. "Thank you. He's...he's really doing better..."

"I noticed that. He... had actually partly got up when I opened the stone. And he was holding onto the skin so tightly his knuckles were white." Sharessa was hissing with an odd sort of rhythm that made them wonder if she was singing. "I don't know if it calmed him, or just distracted him.... Though his mouth and hands seem to have been better than usual...."

"They were." Helga stroked one of the aforementioned hands lightly as she sipped her water. "Heaven knows it's about time something made this easier for him! It's...I haven't wanted to say anything, but it's been getting worse every time..."

"I've been trying to find things -- I've tried enchanting the stone not to do harm, but then he just seems to tear himself worse." Godric lowered his eyes. "I think we've all been not wanting to say anything. And he won't." He shook his head. "I should have..."

"He never says anything if he can help it. And he's been looking so...old lately. It terrifies me. Especially as he said his family is usually so very long-lived anyway..." She brushed her hand against her cheek quickly, then said with forced brightness, "Well, maybe this will help."

"I hope so." Godric sighed. "Maybe I should have made the stone a net to bind him instead, all along..."

"He always said the Chamber was the best solution!" Helga protested a bit desperately. Her nerves were always worn to a thread at this time of month.

"I know," Godric replied quickly, then gave her a lopsided and not too obviously forced grin. "But it's my job to argue with him now and again, and I might have been neglecting it."

An almost sincere chuckle. "I don't think anyone could accuse the two of you of neglecting that."

"We'll see. If Sharessa can keep him from hurting himself... which looks promising if she keeps growing at anything close to this rate, though if she does it for too long she'll be bigger than the castle in a few years..."

"Hopefully she'll slow down once she reaches maturity." Helga sighed and closed her eyes. "I just pray she can help. I -- I don't want to lose him."

"No more do any of us." Godric reached across to squeeze her shoulder. "We'll do the best we can. You know that."

"I know, I know!" She dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve. "I'm sorry, I'm just overly emotional." And that was something she'd have to discuss with Salazar soon....

"Helga, really, if anyone has the right to be, it's you. -- If there's anything else wrong, can I help?"

"No, it's nothing. It's just...I've never heard of werewolves living very long, even in all I studied after meeting him. I know he was bitten quite some time before he came here and...with it getting worse lately...I just keep thinking...his time is running out. And I can't stand it, Godric, I can't!"

"That's hardly 'nothing'." Godric came around the bed and hugged her a little gingerly until she relaxed and rested her face against his shoulder. "I... really don't know. I'd hate to think we might be making it worse overall -- but even though I know being closed in and near people makes the transformations worse overall, I can't think that being away for the rest of the month wouldn't balance that.... And I believe him, that even this is better for his peace of mind. And better... to be cared for." He set her away a little and tilted her chin up. "And you do that very well indeed, in all senses."

She sniffled a little into his shoulder. "I know. I know that it's better for a true Healer to see to him instead of whatever he was managing before, but...I'm used to fixing things, Godric."

"I know. And you can't entirely fix what you'd most like to." He sighed. "But you can make it better, and that's... better. I'm sorry, my eloquence is rather lacking."

"It's sincerely-meant, and that's all that matters. It just seems to be hitting me more now." She hugged him back tightly. "Thank you."

He smiled wryly down at her and gestured at the basilisk. "I try. Do you think she's saying the sort of thing he usually hears from Caduceus?"

Helga laughed softly as she wiped her eyes. "I have no idea. I suppose I'll have to ask him to do a comparison later."

"You do that. Seems the sort of thing he'd probably like explaining..."

"I will." Helga leaned up and brushed a bit of hair out of Godric's eyes. "Go to bed, Godric. You look exhausted. What were you doing all night?"

"Sculpting, mostly. Salazar says my statue looks like a monkey."

She blinked, the brought up her hand in a futile attempt to restrain a peal of giggles. "Whatever possessed you to start sculpting a statue?"

"It seemed," he told her with a grave dignity that someone who didn't know him might have mistaken for genuine pompousness, "like a good idea at the time."

She giggled again. "Oh Godric." She gave him a fond kiss on the cheek. "Next time try serpents instead of monkeys, perhaps?"

"I've been making serpents," he protested.

"And he always liked them, didn't he?" she countered logically. "But serpents or monkeys, it did tire you out. It's a Sunday; take advantage and go to sleep." She smiled mischievously. "Or just to bed. Rowena was missing you last night."

"Well, that was nice of her. All right, I'm going."

"Sleep well," Helga called out softly as Godric left. Her eyes lingered for a moment at the sword hanging at his hip. She dreaded the day he might actually have to use it...But with Sharessa's addition, that was seeming far less likely.

Then she turned back to her own bed and the two occupants currently in it. "You," she informed the basilisk sternly, "are going to have to make room."

Sharessa flicked her tongue at Helga as the witch climbed into bed beside her husband, but did at least shift her coils aside so Helga could cuddle up against Salazar's chest. Helga closed her eyes and listened to the slow, even breaths, with the continued hissed purring/singing providing an odd but soothing counterpoint. "Be well, my husband. Just be well."

Salazar turned a little toward her and tried to hold her in his sleep -- his own instincts for the moment, not the wolf's, and with more strength than usual. Sharessa nuzzled thoughtfully along each of them as Helga drifted toward sleep herself (though being examined by a giant serpent did slow her down a bit).

When she was quite sure that there was no one else in the room and that Father and Mother were sound asleep with their eyes closed, Sharessa lifted her eyelids just a bit for a peek at them, not looking too directly at their faces...just in case. Then she shut her eyes and stretched out along the bed, still hissing softly.

There was little reason for her to know a lullaby, but she did.

*****

Salazar drifted back into consciousness with the drowsy but certain feeling that someone was watching him. As he vaguely recalled Sharessa accompanying them out of the Chamber, he hissed softly first and waited for Helga's amused, "Good morning to you too," before he opened his own eyes.

"Hullo, love," he replied around a yawn, then leaned over to kiss her lightly on the forehead. "Did everything go all right last night?" He stood shakily and walked with her help to the chamberpot, then took the goblet she handed him to wash the sickly sweet taste of blood out of his mouth.

"It seems to have. You were...less hurt than you often have been, lately."

He looked at her in surprise. "Really? I thought I wass imagining that." He sat back down on the bed and scratched Sharessa's scales lightly. "I felt...calmer, all night. It wass very sstrange."

Helga nodded. "I thought at first that Godric had started in on the healing rather more than... well, the usual blood-staunching."

"...Well. That'ss...sstrange, but encouraging."

"It seems the snakeskin did you some good."

"And if memory sservess, I couldn't even tear it. I may be able to let Ssharesssa in next time after all."

"I somehow think she would like that." Helga kissed his cheek. "And I like nearly any means to soothe the night. Yes, as far as any of us can tell, the only tears in the skin are from her getting out of it." She paused, then added with a slight grin, "And that does include you, though knowing you I'm sure you'll want to look again now that you're a little clearer-headed."

"Yessss," he agreed, lying back down against his pillows. "Although now I jusst want to stay here with my lovely wife. Until my head sstopss sspinning, at leassst."

"I'm certainly not going to object." Helga curled up beside him and smiled. "I prescribe rest," she told him with a wink.

"Ressst," he agreed, leaning his head against hers. "...For a while, at leassst." He kissed her lightly.

"For a while." She reached up and riffled her fingers through his hair. "If you feel up to it, there's soup ready."

"Mmm. Sssoon. I jussst want to hold you...."

"I certainly shan't complain.... The soup, however, would probably have more restorative effect."

He sighed regretfully. "Probably. Very well."

"Well... I won't be far." Helga reached for her wand and summoned tray and soup, then rearranged the pillows, without ever actually moving from his side. "Is this acceptable?"

"Hsss. Very." Salazar began eating the soup slowly, his hand shaking only slightly. "Mmm. Exccellent."

"This way," Helga said contentedly, "you can do both. Well, at least I can hold you. Let me know if you need this arm for anything."

"No, that arm iss very happy where it iss," he laughed softly. "My love."

"Ah, good. I'm very happy where it is too."

Salazar smiled and kissed her lightly before returning to the soup. Helga smiled at him and tried to think of how to broach her next topic. "Salazar...my love..." She swallowed hard, then lost her courage. "Never mind. Finish eating."

He looked at her curiously. "If you need my undivided attention, the ssoup can wait a bit...."

"No, no, finish eating. You need your strength."

"If it'ss ssomething that worriess you...." He took another spoonful and gave her a concerned look.

"No, nothing's worrying me." She summoned a bright smile for him. "Except you not getting enough to eat."

"You ssounded very sseriouss before you ssaid 'never mind'," he grumbled. "Very well. I will finisssh, and then you can finissh your sentencce." He smiled back and kissed her again, carefully. "Not that 'Ssalazar, my love' is at all unpleassant on itss own, in your voicce."

She smiled, with just a hint of uncertainty, and murmured, "Salazar, my love," again as she stroked his arm.

Salazar murmured "my love" back to her and applied himself determinedly to his soup (not that this was very hard; he was quite hungry). When the bowl was empty, she pressed another serving on him, and he ate that too, and then managed to set the tray aside and turn to her. "I am fed," he told her seriously, though with a warm smile, "and will not 'never mind' any further."

"No, you won't. I -- It's good news, truly, love. You don't need to look so apprehensive." She kissed the tip of his nose lightly, but her eyes were worried as she took his hands and said softly, "We're to have a child."

"Oh." The word came out in a sort of reverse gasp as his own eyes widened. " --Is it well?"

"It's too soon to tell much, but it seems very healthy." She placed their joined hands over her stomach. "I know you weren't sure about...this, and I didn't plan it, but I -- I hope you're happy about it."

He closed his eyes and breathed her scent in for a moment, quelling the wolf that let him smell her more keenly in favor of the man who adored the way she did smell. "I -- I am happy. The idea -- I never thought -- I'm alsso terrified that I'll have passsed the curssse on ssomehow, but if it's well, if you'll be well...."

"I will be well. Our child will be well. I don't know if lycanthropy is -- passed on, that way, but..." She tried a weak smile. "At the least, I discovered he isn't transforming in the womb last night."

Salazar gave a strangled hiss and collapsed into the pillows at that. "...Isss he far enough along that you can be ssssure he could, and you'd feel it? If he doesss later, late enough for clawsss and teeth...." He looked rather pale.

She curled up beside him, her face buried in his collarbone. "Nothing is certain, my love. And...it's done now, whatever the consequences may be. I want to have your child, even though there may be risks."

"I want -- I -- the idea isss -- wonderful -- but I ssshould not like to losssse you, my dearesssst."

"I don't particularly want to be lost," she retorted tartly, looking up and kissing him again. "I can't think that God would bless us so only to take it away. We will be careful, but..."

"We will. Of courssse." He wrapped her in his arms and clung. "Beloved. Ever and alwaysssssssssss...."

She clung back just as tightly, relieved he was taking this so well. She'd been terrified of how he'd react to the news. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she kissed him firmly. "I'm sorry, I'm always emotional now. We will be fine. All three of us." She laid her head on his shoulder. "Now you just need to start thinking about whether you will have a son or a daughter."

"I don't know how to guessss," he protested. "For all the assssoccciationsss of ssserpentsss and prophecccy, I don't ssseem to have the ssssight...." He touched her face and added softly, "What did I sssay for you to cry?"

"Nothing! I was just glad you were happy about it. We'd only discussed it the once, and you seemed so uncertain then..."

"I... well. I hadn't thought.... You know that I can't passs on... name or essstate from my family. Sssslytherin I took from the Parssseltongue. And worssse, I fear hurting you... but if it'sss happened, I will pray your ssssafety, and ssspell it if I can... and be grateful."

"I don't ask for you to pass on anything but yourself," she told him softly but fervently. "I've seen you with the students. And with Sharessa, for that matter," she added with a laugh. "You'll be a wonderful father. No child could ask for more."

Salazar buried his face and hands in her hair and gave a tiny chuckle of his own. "And if thisss one iss a Parssselmouth, he can call her elder sssissster, maybe."

She giggled against his skin. "I never dreamed as a child that my own children would one day call a basilisk sister."

"Well," Salazar said reasonably, "it can't be sssomething that comesss up very often."

"True enough." She raised her head to kiss him again. "I just hope, son or daughter, our child has your eyes, my love."

"...My eyessss?" He sounded a bit surprised. "I quite like yoursss...."

"Mmm, yours. They're so expressive." She raised her hand to touch the side of his face. "I feel as if they're looking into my soul."

"Yoursss ssshine...." He tilted his head into her hand. "You're ssstill sssuch a wonder."

"No less than you, my love. I'm so glad we found each other."

"I'm not a wonder," he protested, laughing slightly. "Jussst a ssstray. Only not anymore."

"If I say you're a wonder, you're a wonder," she retorted firmly, eyes narrowed. "Don't argue. You're so kind and loving, so good with the students and teaching. One of the dearest friends I could have ever imagined." She kissed him lightly. "And my love."

"I'll not argue then." He made her shut her eyes, by kissing the eyelids, and settled them cozily together.

Helga laughed quietly. "Good, you're learning." She stroked his hair gently. "I love you so much, my husband."

"I'm ssstill amazed sssometimesss," he whispered to her, "that you are sssso willing to touch me, and alwaysss have been.... You don't know, how grateful I wasss...."

"I quite enjoy touching you," she told him solemnly. "And I don't see any reason not to, bar propriety in front of the students occasionally, of course."

"Sssss. I'm very glad." He stroked the side of her foot with his. "At firsst... it had been ssso very long sssince anyone had...."

"I could tell it had been, even if I didn't know how long. But that was just foolishness."

"It wasss fear. And not wholly unjussstified."

"Fear and foolishness are more interrelated than most people are willing to admit. And there is no more harm in touching you than any other wizard when the moon isn't full!"

"Lesss than sssome," he offered, eyes glinting a little amusement though they were still warm and soft with emotion.

"And I like touching you," she said again stoutly, kissing him soundly. "It's lucky for me that no one else saw the man you are behind their fear."

"I... very much like it too." He wound his fingers in her hair and pressed his forehead gently against hers. "I could never have found a ssssweeter love than you."

"Then we're fortunate we found each other," she said softly. "And our child is very fortunate too."

*****