“Hadrian, your father isn’t James Potter. Your father is Professor Snape.” Vi’s words sent him to his knees.

“This is the secret my mother has been keeping from me,” he whispered hoarsely.

He didn’t expect Vi to reply let alone pull him onto her lap. He turned to face her and kissed her hard. If she was surprised she didn’t show it. Hadrian pulled at her clothing, desperate for skin to skin contact. Vi pulled away gently.

“Hadrian, are you sure sex is a good idea right now?” She asked quietly.

“Please,” he begged. “I need to feel something other than this pain.”

“Amida, Amida,” she crooned placing her hands on his face. “The pain will still be there when we finish.”

“I know kotenok. I know. But please, I need this.”

He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt Vi wiping his tears away.

“No watashi no ai what you need are answers and I intend to get them for you,” she murmured in his ear.

His eyes snapped to hers.

“I would do anything to alleviate the pain you feel because I feel your pain as if it’s my own.”

She stood and drew him into the shower. Beneath the spray of the water, she pulled him into a searing kiss. He was left momentarily stunned.

“I have longed for the day when I no longer need to fear my magick escaping my control or the cage my uncle constantly threatens me with.”

Hadrian growled at her statement. Her fingers traced his cheekbone. He leaned into her touch. Her touch did things to him; things that Draco’s touch couldn’t do.

“Calm, my dhampir,” she murmured. “I’m not that easy to cage. No one can cage me; they never could. Now let’s get you cleaned up so we can visit your father. Sound good?”

Hadrian nodded.

“Thank you,” he whispered placing a kiss on her palm. “No one has ever cared enough about me to do anything like this.”

“Hadrian, I know what it’s like to be relegated to the shadows,” Vi told him quietly. “My family does not look favorably on me because of my curse. Compound that with the fact that I’m an empath and a natural legimens and nobody in my family likes me. The only one who did, died long ago. I know what it’s like to have your whole life built on a web of lies, because that was my life until my magick started to get out of control. I know it’s hard and bloody (Japanese god/goddess of magic) does it suck but you have me and Draco. We will get through this.”

Hadrian pulled Vi to him and kissed her deeply. He’d never felt more seen.