A Life Half Lived

CHAPTER 10

Morgan stepped out of the Malfoy carriage after Narcissa and Lucius. Thank God that trip was over! She had almost forgotten how much she disliked this particular brother-in-law.

She saw Draco with his parents and opened her arms. He stepped into her hug and smirked. This Aunt, at least, was going to make him the envy of the male population of the school. He looked at her - and privately agreed with a comment he had heard Sirius Black make about her when he had visited The Den. She really was Sex on Legs.

"Looking good, Aunt Morgan," he said approvingly. "Especially the colour scheme."

Morgan laughed. She had chosen her clothes carefully - deciding that she would wear the colours of her House. "Thanks, Draco," she said, "so glad you approve. Tell me - are Slytherin going to win the match?"

"Naturally."

"The Gryffindor seeker notwithstanding?"

Draco looked uncomfortable. "Problems, Draco?" asked Morgan.

Draco nodded. "Can I talk to you sometime? Alone?" he asked, hugging her again.

Morgan put her arms around her nephew. "I'll come and get you," she promised. "Tonight. I know that I can get leave for you," she laughed softly, and stepped away.

Snape watched her and wondered what the business with Draco was about. The boy looked troubled, and Morgan serious. He watched as she turned and caught sight of him, smiling and raising her hand.

As she walked towards him he found himself admiring her, at the same time wishing she'd eat more, another few pounds would only enhance her looks. Her choice of clothes today, however, made the lack of flesh less apparent. The tight black trousers and boots, teamed with the green jumper suited her. Then he chuckled as he realized she was also wearing a Slytherin house scarf. He bet if he checked she would have her house badge as well.

Morgan walked gracefully towards him and held out her hands. Against his will, he found himself taking them and enfolding her in his arms. 'If I don't kiss her," he thought, "I can keep in control." But it was hard. More than anything, he wanted to kiss her - and he didn't care who saw. After all, he could see the shock on some faces at the embrace. He tightened his arms, and felt her arms tighten in return. God, he wanted her. Ever since he had first laid eyes on her, he had wanted her. He could feel himself hardening and when she moved slightly, knew she could feel it too.

Morgan sighed as he pulled her into his arms. Bliss. If only she could be sure he really wanted this. If only he wanted her as much as she wanted him. If only he loved her as much as she loved him. If only. She wished he would kiss her. She felt him harden and moved involuntarily against that hardness, needing it against her. Needing him inside her. Needing him. She looked up at his face, and her own eyes darkened as she saw the desire in his.

This time, neither of them tried to look away, blue and black eyes drowning in the emotions they revealed.

With a sigh, Severus and Morgan surrendered to the inevitable. In the middle of the quadrangle at Hogwarts, with most of the school looking on, he kissed her. His hands pulled her closer to him - one moving to the back of her head - pulling her as close as he could. She grasped him and her hands roamed over his back, caressing and light. He swore he could feel her nails through his clothing.

Morgan's arms moved until she grasped him around the neck, pulling his head down towards hers, she opened her mouth and felt his tongue sliding over hers, and she responded to his touch. Deliberately, she deepened the kiss, desperate that it would not end.

Desperate that he would make love to her. He would definitely not throw her out of his bed tonight, she decided. Finally - she would be where she wanted to be. And had wanted to be since she was seventeen.

Of course, the reactions around them finally intruded onto them. The silence was deafening.

As they broke apart, Morgan started to giggle at the faces around them- including those of both sisters and their husbands, and the two boys she thought of as "nephews" - one by birth, one by the fact he lived with P. Draco and Harry - united for once in astonishment and a vague feeling of disappointment.

They looked at each other - for once standing together. "How could she," fumed Draco, at the same time as Harry said, "I thought Morgan had taste!"

Behind them, Sirius Black spoke grimly. "Bad taste, obviously," he said, with a self-mocking laugh. Lupin punched him on the arm. "Finally. Pilar will be pleased - she was getting annoyed with the pair of them."

The two boys and Black looked at Lupin. "Pardon?" said Draco. "Aunt Pilar knew? And approves? Snape and Aunt Morgan? I think I'm going to be sick."

Lupin looked at his wife's nephew. "Morgan has been agonizing to Pilar for weeks. She's disappointed though," and he looked at Sirius. "She'd been hoping that you and Morgan would get together," he confessed.

Morgan felt she couldn't take her eyes off of Severus. Held in his embrace, she felt at home - like she belonged there.

As for himself, Severus Snape didn't want to let her go. He liked the way she felt in his arms - liked the way she fit into his body. Liked the way she tasted. He wanted to taste her more - and wondered where she was sleeping that night. With shock, he admitted to himself that he hoped it would be with him. He then surprised himself further by deciding that it would definitely be with him.

The reaction of the rest of the school could be summed up in two conversations - one between males and one between females.

The male reaction could be summed up by Ron Weasley's words. "Now that's put me off my dinner," he said to Neville Longbottom. "It's bad enough that she's gorgeous and Malfoy's Aunt - but what's she see in Snape?"

Seamus Finnigan who was standing nearby turned. "Good in bed?" he suggested.

Ron shuddered - "Now I really feel sick. Imagine Snape having a good hard shag! I wonder if he gives her detention if she's not good enough?"

Neville looked at him "How would he know?"

Ron patted him on the shoulder. "Never mind, Neville," he said. "My brother Bill has mentioned Morgan Winter before, and I don't think her being bad in bed will be a problem."

The female opinion's were reflected a conversation between Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson who happened to be nearby.

"How romantic," sighed Pansy enviously. "Imagine him being brave enough to kiss her in front of the whole school!"

Hermione nodded. "But what on earth does she see in Snape?"

"Who knows? Who cares."

The two girls looked at each other, envying Morgan - not her choice of man - but of her essential self showing in their faces. "I wish I was her," they both sighed.

Both Morgan and Snape were dazed. They had been stepping around each other for months now - only once had they let the "game" merge with reality. The results had frightened them both.

And now they had done it again - the embrace had been for the "watchers" - had the kiss too?

Dumbledore looked at them both, still locked together. He watched as Morgan's face started to match the colour of her hair. "Well, well, well," he thought, "who would have thought that this couple would come together?"

He walked away and Morgan and Snape reluctantly separated - although they kept close enough to brush against each other.

At that point, Pilar dragged Lupin up to them. "Well, finally!" she said grumpily, hugging Morgan. "I've been tired of watching the pair of you pussy-foot around."

Lupin looked at them both and shrugged. "Indulge her," he said gently. "She's a bit tired - the twins are not sleeping well."

Morgan looked around, "Where are they?" she asked. "I really do want to see my nieces."

"They're inside," said Pilar. "You didn't think I'd bring them out in this cold, did you?"

At that, Morgan put her arm through her sister's and dragged her towards Narcissa. "Let's grab 'Cis and go and do some baby worship," she said.

Narcissa Malfoy looked at the embracing couple. Disgusting - in public! And him a teacher! Then she softened. Perhaps this was the man her baby sister needed to tame her. And perhaps her baby sister would make him a little more human.

Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowed. So, what Hawden had told him was true. Morgan and Snape were lovers. He had not believed that - nor had he believed it when he had been told that Morgan had agreed to arrange a meeting between Snape and Hawden. He would have bet his life that Morgan was not part of the same "circle" as him - would have bet even more that Snape had defected years ago.

Had his Master not told him everything?

Neither Morgan nor Snape noticed Professor Dumbledore until he spoke.

"Nice to see you again, Morgana," he said, stopping her movement towards Narcissa. "I take it things are going well?"

Morgan blinked, bringing her mind back to earth. "Yes, better than expected."

"Excellent. I shall see you both in my study after the match," said the Headmaster.

The match that afternoon was between Slytherin and Gryffindor. The two teams were very evenly matched - and Morgan could see that it would be a hard tussle - coming down to the catch of the snitch.

As for her, it had been years since she had enjoyed herself this much. The members of Slytherin House had been taken back when she accompanied Snape into their grandstand - especially since she was wearing her old school scarf and house badge (Snape had been right about her having it).

Snape noticed a change about her. She was being aggressively female - and he recognized the breed. She was a true "Slyth-Chick" as they were called. He'd forgotten what they were like - for the last ten years or so, he had not seen a true Slyth-Chick - just the pale copies that seemed to embody the bad traits and none of the good. He looked closely at her. She must have the tattoo somewhere, he thought, certain now that she would have been a Queen Slyth. He felt a frison move through him as he felt his own tattoo respond to her. That had been part of his attraction to her - the normal reaction of a male Slytherin to the Queen.

He wished he could explain the rest of it so easily.

Watching her, he was transported back to his own schooldays, and to his early teaching career. Looking intently at her, he realised that she was probably the last great Queen Slyth - she had the guts, the looks, and the style, along with the aggressive femininity that tended to play havoc with the male population.

He remembered his own fifth year, when the reigning Queen Slyth had, to all intents and purposes, given him an education of her own and had admitted him to her court, giving him the right to the tattoo he wore proudly. He still thought fondly of her - and looked at her son, currently a student of the school and, like his mother, a Slytherin. He wondered if the boy knew that his mother had been responsible for the "education" of many of his friend's fathers. Probably not.

He also chuckled at himself as Pansy Parkinson and her friends tried to imitate Morgan. It would never work - they were tarts - none of them had her style. They had a long way to go before he would ever grant them the title of Slyth-Chick - even though they used the term themselves.

Live and learn, you stupid girls, he thought. Live and Learn.

At that point, Slytherin made a rather spectacular save, and Morgan turned back to him, flushed with excitement. Her eyes sparkled and she grinned. But in her eyes, he saw the desire that he knew burned in his own, and knew that after today, everything would be different between them.

Morgan saw the admiration in Snape's eyes - even though to all intents and purposes, she was concentrating on the game. She had also been scrutinising the members of Slytherin house - and found them wanting.

She sat back down next to Snape, and slipped her arms through his. He looked down at her.

"Slyth-Chick," he said.

She grinned. "In person. And dammed proud to be one. In fact, in my seventh year I was Queen Slyth."

"Why am I not surprised? Where does yours hide?"

She smiled wickedly. "Oh, you'd be very surprised at what I did in my seventh year." She grinned again. "And you'll have to find her yourself. You know the rules."

Then she jumped up and was screaming as Draco and Harry Potter raced down the field, in hot pursuit of the Snitch. Draco suddenly made a grab, and pulled up - his arm held triumphantly in the air. He'd caught the Snitch - just inches ahead of Harry.

As Harry zoomed up beside him, Draco couldn't help himself, and grinned at Harry - who grinned back and reached over to shake his hand.

Dimly in the background, Draco heard the chant of "Slytherin, Slytherin" - and marvelled. His house was genuinely cheering - not taunting Gryffindor. He turned and saw his redheaded Aunt going mad in the stands, and grinned with Harry again.

Both of them knew Morgan - and could guess that she was the instigator. In her, both Harry and Draco saw that Slytherin did not have to mean bad. In Morgan Winter, they, and the rest of the school, saw embodied the best of Slytherin.

Draco felt his heart lighten - surely his Aunt could help him. With her help, he could find the strength to stand up to his father.

Harry grinned and searched the Gryffindor stands. Sure enough, there was Sirius waving at him, and next to him, Pilar seemed to be sobbing on Remus' shoulder. Idly he wondered if she was pregnant again - honestly the woman seemed to cry at anything these days! Then he paused - she couldn't be - the twins were only five months old.

Narcissa watched her sister and wished she could abandon being "Mrs Lucius Malfoy" just long enough to join her sisters' display of pride and happiness. Draco, Her son!, had just won a Quidditch Match against Gryffindor. And did it without any dirty tricks. She thought her heart would burst with pride.

Dumbledore and McGonagall watched Morgan's display and smiled. They remembered Morgana de Lisle well - and wondered when Severus would also remember her. It was obvious he had never connected the two - even if he remembered it was she.