As they reach the main level of the house, the birds are discovering that they have a new place to explore, and nearly fly right into the two wizards. "We may have to make a play room for them," Malfoy says as he slides their bedroom door closed. Once alone together they are silent, and the silence is surprisingly awkward. "I felt آپ pass through the barrier when آپ returned..." Malfoy says softly after several منٹ pass, and a smile plays across Snape's lips. "You're getting stronger, your senses are expanding. That is very good." Malfoy nods as if he knows Snape is not telling him something. "What I can't sense right now is what آپ are feeling," the fair wizard says. Snape hesitates, then tells him, "I hired a Seeker to discover the fate of Elsbet's friend." Malfoy doesn't know what to say at first.

"I just need to know what happened to him," Snape says as he takes off his روب, چغہ and unbuttons his tunic. "What kind of life does he have? Is he happy? Did he..." he diverts his gaze from Malfoy's as he sits down and slips off his shoes, "did he find love..." Malfoy lights مزید candles in the recesses in the دیوار and watches the flickering flames. "Severus," he says quietly, "what if Micha is dead?" Snape watches the dancing candlelight for a moment. "I have considered that, and if that is the case, I will deal with it." Malfoy nods then turns slightly, his grey eyes half closed. "And have آپ considered the consequences if he is alive and discovers who is inquiring about him? If he comes in تلاش of Ellie, Severus, what then?" Snape hears the unease in Malfoy's voice and rises, extending a hand to him.

"What if," Snape says as he pulls Malfoy to him, "we take it a دن at a time," he kisses Malfoy softly, "and wait and see what the Seeker finds?" They kiss again and Malfoy seems to melt against him. The warm, satiny touch of Snape's lips could almost make him forget everything; the Dark wizard is مزید than just a skilled lover. He's gifted. As his hand drifts downward Malfoy actually blushes, and Snape whispers in his ear, "is this the surprise آپ have for me?" Malfoy gives him a breathy, excited laugh and has to gently push himself away from his lover. "No...er...well," he laughs again, then reaches into his pocket. He takes out the medallion for Elsbet first, then the small box. "This," he says, trying not to tremble, "this is the surprise."

Snape takes the box from him and his breath catches in his throat when he opens it. Three rings, simple yet elegant, and they could not be مزید beautiful to him. They are each a braid; the black resembles onyx though he knows it must be colored gold, and coupled with it a pale metal that resembles Oddbit's pretty hair, and the other a radiant silver-white. "It's us," he says, his voice cracking, "Lucius, how...?" Snape's eyes are wide and deep when he turns them up to the frosty-maned wizard. "I found a مزید than equitable jeweler while Loki and I were out today." He sits down on the بستر beside Snape and tells him the سونا for his braid was tinted with one of the little raven's feathers, and this just makes the rings مزید precious to Snape.

"Once we put them on, they will adjust to us. I haven't tried mine on yet, and Ellie doesn't know about these. I thought...we could give her hers together." Snape remembers the vision in the Mirror, the vision of the life he wanted; he and his two partners were wearing matching rings. His دل skips a little as he carefully takes the ring closest to him then slips it on. It shrinks to fit him comfortably, and after a moment, Malfoy tells him to take it off. "Read the inside," he says softly, and Snape does this. "Gra anois agus go deo," the Dark wizard whispers, then shuts his eyes tightly. He trembles just a bit and ignores the sting of tears; he knows that Malfoy loves him, and Elsbet, but this expression of love proves it is far deeper than he realized.

He slips the ring back on and turns to the wizard he loves. Malfoy slips his own ring on and smiles as it shrinks to fit him, then faces Snape, takes his hand and holds it between his. He meets Snape's deep, dark gaze and says, "Severus, آپ are everything to me. آپ and Ellie...without the two of you, I would be lost." He moves closer and Snape brushes back his frosty hair, so deeply moved he has not the will to speak. "I pledge my life--" Malfoy whispers, and Snape shakes his head suddenly, protesting weakly. "Lucius, please, do not make such a pledge when we face--" Malfoy protests right back, "I want to, I need to! I need آپ to know that I am willing to do whatever I must to protect the two of you!"

Snape pulls him close and kisses him deeply, then tells him, "I know آپ are, but I don't want that kind of pledge...not your life, Lucius." Malfoy rests his head on Snape's chest and listens to the sound of his great heart. "If something happens to me, آپ have to take care of Elsbet," Snape tells him and Malfoy pulls away. "I can't think of that, Severus, I can't think of you...dying. It makes me ill..." He rises and the candlelight flickers with his movement; a moment later Snape rises as well and catches him up, pulling him back. "I am not fond of the thought either, Lucius," he says in an almost teasing tone, and leads the fair wizard back over to the bed.

Malfoy turns and kisses him, a sweet little kiss, then climbs up onto the bed. He lays down in the middle of the بستر and looks up at Snape, smiling wickedly. "Do آپ remember our first time?" he asks and Snape chuckles. "It would be difficult to forget," he says, then lays down beside the fair wizard. "You were spectacular," Snape tells him as he rises up on an elbow, then kisses him deeply. How long do آپ think Ellie will be? Malfoy thinks, and Snape tells him, some time, I imagine; decorating Layne's room, with the birds, could take a while. The kiss continues and Malfoy pulls at the little bit of clothing Snape still has on. I don't want to wait, Malfoy thinks and the kiss breaks. "You don't have to," Snape whispers, looking meaningfully into the smoldering grey eyes. "We will have our joining with Oddbit later. This is just for us..."