He’s My Safe Space
Written as: Rose Zeller
Looking down at the empty parchment in front of her, she chewed on her lip, staring at the title which haunted her at the top. Her Astronomy Professor had given her yet another detention and decided to use the spare time she had to finish off her essay assigned to all Hufflepuff students. It was a common courtesy that their head of house assigned all Houses an essay, and though the war loomed over wizard-kind; Hogwarts continued as normal as it could while the Deatheaters ruled the school.
Usually, Rose found these essays easy, Professor Sprout always gave them open-ended questions regarding their house’s characteristics. Usually loyalty, justice or kindness. But this question, in particular, had stumped her…
“What does a safe space look like to you?”
She read aloud again, feeling Cay- Professor Carrow look up from his desk with a mixture of confusion and amusement on his features before going back to his paperwork. Pursing her lips together, she felt her cheeks heat up before swiftly looking down at her paper again, though she couldn’t stop her gaze from sneaking back up.
Cayden Carrow was a hurricane of a man, he was only two years older than her, and only two years above her in school before he graduated. The two had only ever spoken once while he was a student after he had found her down in the Slytherin dungeons when she was supposed to be at home sick for the year. She had been pretty battered after a trial and had just left through one of the secret passages. Thankfully he hadn’t asked her what she was doing, honestly, she hadn’t given him much of a chance, after apologizing she had swiftly made her exit. It wasn’t until this year, where he had returned to take control of the Astronomy lessons that the two had ever properly been introduced. Admittedly, she initially hated everything about him.
He was cruel, vindictive and downright rude sometimes. From the moment the two of them had met he had been dedicated to ruining her life. She had spent more time in detention this year alone than she ever had in her entire student life at Hogwarts. And initially, it had irked her. This man who was only two years older. 20 to her 18 and he spoke to her like she was below him. Barking demands and insisting she obey him. It had frustrated her- the two often at ends with one another. And yet, the forced proximity had the two find out more about each other. And along the way, her hatred for the man had shifted into something else entirely.
Cayden Carrow was cruel, vindictive and downright rude, she was right on that perception of his personality. But, he was also protective, loyal, cunning. He had a whole other side of him which he had locked behind a stoic persona. He had shown her things she never could have believed in. Nights under the stars where he pointed out constellations. Days lost in the highlands with rain pelting down on their skin. He had showed her what it meant to be alive, not just survive. And in return she had showed him what it meant to truly love.
And, it was that realization which had Rose now staring at the male seated at the front of the classroom, his eyebrows knitted together while he worked through some student charts, he was tense like always, alert of his surroundings. And, like all of their detentions since he had returned from his mission to find her broken and bruised, the door to his classroom was locked with enchantments. When she had questioned him as to why, he had simply told her she was safer in detention with him than she was alone in the halls. The war was drifting closer, they both knew they would have to pick between their responsibilities or them soon enough. Yet, here they were, still stealing moments whenever they could. Here he was, still finding subtle ways to protect her from the very Deatheaters he called allies.
It was in this very moment, that she could finally answer the question.
”You’re my safe space…”
She finally spoke aloud, this time wanting him to hear it, before closing the distance into his arms again. Even if they both knew it would end in heartache.
