72) Sometimes a break is all we need

Alice frowned as she looked around herself.

Severus had asked her to meet him in the Room of Requirements after dinner. Apparently he wanted to talk about something.

'I want to meet Severus.'

'I want to meet Severus.'

'I want to meet Severus.'

Alice thought as she walked infront of the wall.

Slowly a door appeared in the wall at the third time.

Alice looked around and immediately entered inside the door, once she deemed the surroundings safe.

She looked around the room. She frowned a little. It was different than usual.

It was more like of Severus' office in the Potions factory. A place she had visited before.

She spotted Severus on the couch. He was leaning against the back of the couch leisurely.

"You took your sweet time." Severus commented looking at her.

"Unlike you. I share a dorm with other girls. It ain't easy to sneak out easily." Alice replied as she sauntered her way to the couch.

"Hmm." Severus replied disinterestedly. He looked at her and took a deep sigh.

Revealing something like this was not easy. He didn't know what to expect from Alice. Would she even understand his point or reasonings?

He was in a dilemma. Nonetheless he took the opportunity to disclose the information. It was better to come clean in this whole mess.

"You seem to be nervous." Alice remarked casually.

"Do I?" Severus asked amusedly. He didn't know that his nervousness was showing in his posture.

"Well. You do seem uncertain about something." Alice pointed out as she took her seat in the couch.

"Ahh. Well you are right on that. I find myself at an impasse." Severus said slowly as he looked at her pointedly. It was time to drop the bomb.

"What happened?" Alice asked with a frown on her face. If Severus was proclaiming that he was at an impasse. Then it must be something serious. She knew that he considered very few things to be difficult to deal with. It made her curious and alarmed about the situation.

Severus slowly started to tell her more about the whole scenario. He watched calmly as Alice's expression changed throughout the whole tale.

When he finished everything. He spotted her giving him a neutral glare. Severus didn't know what to make of that glare.

"What have you thought on then?" Alice asked neutrally. Her mind was a mess after hearing everything. She had long pondered over this whole matter. Yet the inevitable had arrived. She didn't know if Severus would agree to her decision though. She didn't know how he would react to it.

"I will be her consort to House Zabini. She will have no rights over the Prince family and in turn I will ask for no rights over her family. After sorting all this, I can marry another girl for House Prince then." Severus spoke slowly. His deep voice reverberated through the room as his black eyes pinned Alice with a confident look.

Severus didn't know what to do. After he finished his words, Alice was strangely silent. Her face was calm and neutral as she looked at him intently. Her eyes searching his face for something which only she knew.

She continued to remain silent for another two minutes.

Severus was honestly freaking out now.

"What is my role in all of this?" Alice asked finally after moments of silence on her part.

Severus was confused. No he was in a dilemma. He didn't know what to answer at this moment. Sure he liked Alice. He liked her company. However it was too soon to propose something or to talk about topics like future marriages etc. He found such talks highly cliche.

Romance had never been his strongest skill. He felt highly weird doing things like that.

"I don't know Alice. I mean, you are my girlfriend. So I decided to tell you about it. I think it is too soon to think about stuffs like future marriage and commitment." Severus spoke truthfully. He didn't want to talk about marriage and other things relating it. One looming over his head was giving him enough of a trouble.

"Do you want me to share you with Francesca?" Alice asked looking at Severus.

Severus was caught unaware by the question. It was the first time when he didn't know how to answer something. How could he answer an absurd question like this? He would be only digging his own grave.

He remained silent for a minute.

"I am bound by the contract Alice." Severus finally spoke up. His eyes were tired as he looked at Alice. The girl should think from his perspective.

"That's not the answer I want Severus." Alice replied stonily. Her blue eyes glinted with anger as she looked at him.

"You will have to, considering the arrangement I am stuck in." Severus replied finally. He knew, it was painful for her. However he was frustrated too by the situations.

"Will you be happy if I share myself with you and someone else?" Alice asked looking at him pointedly.

Severus immediately became angry at her words. He wouldn't let someone have his hands on his girl.

"What type of man would like his girl doing that! Only a cuckold can tolerate something like it." Severus exclaimed harshly.

"Then how could I tolerate the same!" Alice shouted back.

"Why should I tolerate it for you? When you won't be able to tolerate me doing something like that. Why is it that only you can have the free pass!" Alice said loudly. Her voice was high and angry as she looked at Severus. Her sapphire eyes breathing fires at him.

Severus was shell shocked by her words. He hadn't thought that something like this would happen between him and Alice. He had thought Alice as somewhat shy and docile with him till now.

It seems he was clearly wrong to think that.

"I won't be able to share you." Severus admitted unashamed. He was speaking the truth from his heart. He just won't.

"Then how could I?" Alice said with tears forming in her eyes. She would never be able to do that.

Her pride and heart won't allow it. It wasn't in her to do something like that.

Severus didn't know how to console her worries. He himself had no refutes against her arguments.

"I won't be able to share you Severus!" Alice said with a choked voice.

Severus was ashamed of himself at that moment. Guilt and loathing were the only emotions he felt. He tried to reach Alice. Hoping to hold her and console her.

He didn't expect such a reaction to his effort though. Alice simply retreated back. She didn't let him even touch her.

It hurt him. To see her hesitant and retreat from his touch.

"I think. It is time we take a break in our relationship!" Alice declared suddenly.

Severus' eyes widened hearing that. This was insane. Was Alice really thinking logically? Was she even in her senses?

She didn't gave him any time to protest. She simply walked back to the door.

Severus watched her retreating figure. He was half in a mind to call her name, but stopped himself at the last moment.

How could he argue with her, when she was right all along.

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Here's the next chapter. Hope you all like it.