Morning, at Hogwarts, were always a bit of a surreal experience. The world was silent, just for those few moments as Dawn began to drag her fingers softly over the curtain of the sky and lift. Severus liked to sit at his desk in the early morning and watch the colour of the light filtering through change.

Dawn, of course, was easily his favorite time of day. The soft grey light was warm. Forgiving, in a way that spoke to him. A ritual that was the same no matter the day, the weather or the season.

It was a sacred time for him. Coffee steaming on the desk, the only sound the scratching of his quill and the shuffle of papers as he meticulously went through his grading before he had to make his way to his classroom.

Mornings, at Hogwarts.

For a very long time, he had been content with being a solitary soul. He didn't much care for the company of many. He preferred to be able to have quiet moments of solace without anyone speaking to him or having to answer any incessant questions.

But, like all things, change came on quiet feet.

Change came in the form of soft eyes, warm laughter, and a mug that sat next to his in the sink which had been previously filled with coffee, cream and sugar.

Change came in the form of you.

For a man who had so long ago insisted upon his daily rituals, his rigid structure and all his walls fell without even a whisper. You had that effect on him, and it was frustrating to no end. He wanted to dislike you, at first. But he'd very quickly realized that was impossible. He didn't want to think about what that meant.

Tea became nights spent with you curled up on the love seat near his desk. Those nights became mornings with you sipping coffee from a mug that never really ended up leaving. And before he could really protest, you were part of his life.

He supposed it had been inevitable, really.

Dawn winked at him from the window as he padded into the kitchen, his eyes falling on your form. Merlin, you were so damn beautiful.

"Unbelievable," he murmured, his scent filling your nose- parchment, ink, herbs and a hint of something so uniquely him- as he wrapped his arms around your middle.