Snape In Love

Chapter 35

...And Set This Spirit Free

I woke to the sound of running water, reminding me that the baby was very uncomfortably placed at the moment. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes I groaned as I tried to sit up. I was alone, but the evidence all around me served to reassure me that the previous night had been more than just a glorious dream. The bed linen was scrunched up at the foot of the bed, and as I sat up and gravity did its job, the evidence of our passion seeped from me. I sighed contentedly, remembering the way he had felt, the way he had looked; the way his eyes had burned into mine and the way his skin made mine sing wherever it touched. I stared into space for a few moments, lost in a reverie, but had to rouse myself at last and was soon padding through to the bathroom. I found the bath nearly full, of pink water and rose petals.

"Oh, Severus, how sweet!" I said, although he wasn't there. I turned off the tap and decided to leave the bath for a few minutes, and instead pulled on Severus' dressing gown. I went back into the bedroom and through to his office. I could hear his voice coming from the classroom beyond, and I pressed my ear against the closed door, giggling as I heard him say in an impatient tone,

"Just the one lacewing, Mr Creevey, we don't want to be scooping you up from the floor with a spoon, now do we?"

I smiled happily, wondering when his class would finish, yawning as I tried to remember how many times we had made love the previous night. I went over to the fireplace and removed the lid from a small pewter pot on the mantelpiece. Throwing a pinch of powder into the flames, I knelt in front of the fire and said clearly,

"Hermione Granger!"

A spinning head appeared in the grate, smiling broadly at me as it slowed down.

"Ella! You weren't in your room when I called this morning -I take it you're in Professor Snape's?"

I laughed, saying,

"Oh, Hermione, I'm so happy!!"

"Thank goodness! You caused such a stir again last night, the whole school's talking about it!"

"I'm not surprised," I said wryly. "Poor Severus, he's going to have to be very mean to everyone to hold on to his reputation now! I hope Professor Dumbledore isn't too cross with me."

"Well, he's used to damage limitation, after Valentine's Day! So, is Professor Snape pleased?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, Miss Granger, I am ecstatic," Severus said superciliously, crouching behind me silently and placing his hands on my shoulders. "Now please excuse us, Ella's bath is waiting."

Hermione's eyes widened in amusement and she was about to reply when Severus muttered

"Finite Incantatem!" and she disappeared.

"That was very rude," I said, turning to kiss him. He simply shrugged and said,

"Your bath's getting cold."

"Was that you? I wondered if it was the house elves."

He looked very affronted as he helped me to my feet.

"No, I did it! The house elves don't have the imagination or the skill to blend all those fragrances into something" - his nose crinkled distastefully - "that you would find appealing."

"It's been a long time since we took a bath together," I sighed, slipping my arms around his neck as the dressing gown fell open, exulting in the way the heavy fabric of his tightly buttoned frock coat felt against my bare skin.

"Well, we aren't going to share this one," he answered firmly. "This is for you. It'll do you good. And I'm not going anywhere near it, I don't want to smell like a flor..." I cut him off with a kiss. He wrapped his arms around me with a

"Mmmm..." as he ran his hands over my skin, raising goosebumps wherever they touched, but then reluctantly disentangled himself and led me into the bathroom.

"Get in," he ordered sternly. "I have another class."

I lay in the bath and drifted away, steam rising all around me as I tried to identify all the individual fragrances. Severus was excellent at his job, I thought, as the different notes, jasmine, freesia, sandalwood, magnolia, all blended perfectly. I even enjoyed it when he bossed me about, I smiled to myself.

I had just finished getting dressed when Severus came back.

"Thanks for the bath!" I said, beaming at him as I fastened my shoes. He acknowledged my thanks a little stiffly.

"What's up?" I asked, getting up and crossing over to him, reaching up to kiss him gently. His arms slipped round me instinctively and I buried my nose in his jacket, breathing deeply. He smelled of a strangely beguiling blend of sandalwood and sulphurous cauldrons.

"Nothing's up, I just - I don't know. It's difficult to switch from teacher to lover, that's all. There's only a doorway between the two. You know, I still can't get used to the fact that you're here! And that youngest Creevey is a particular irritation, the Longbottom of his year, unless I'm very much mistaken."

I squeezed him more tightly as I felt his words rumble in his chest. He pressed his lips against the top of my head and I felt him slowly relax.

"Ella, did last night really happen?"

"Yes, it did, and I can't stop thinking about it!"

"Neither can I. It's been so long, Ella, so many months of missing you, wanting you..."

"Oh, Severus, I don't feel like lunch any more, let's stay here..." I cajoled, running my hands up and down his back and sneaking one under his long jacket until I found the waistband of his trousers.

"You have to eat, we missed breakfast," he objected, as he bent down to suck the soft skin below my ear, making me shiver deliciously.

"Later," I murmured, unfastening his jacket and leading him over to his chair. I pushed him down into it and knelt at his feet, between his long, long legs.

"What are you doing?" he asked softly as I opened his trousers and released him.

"I think you know..." I breathed, as I bent lower, stroking and fondling him at the same time.

"Aah!" he groaned, gripping my shoulders, my hair spilling over his legs. Strung out in an agony of pleasure Severus writhed underneath me, panting and moaning.

"Oh, Ella! Oh, yes, oh, don't stop - aah! - Oh, who the BLOODY HELL is that?"

There had been a loud knock at the door.

I looked up at him, dishevelled, my eyes unfocussed with passion.

"Ignore it," I said, and continued enthusiastically.

"Severus, are you there?"

"It's Albus! Aah! Oh, dammit!"

Reluctantly I released him, making him draw in his breath sharply and grip the arms of his chair. I sat back on the rug and smiled lasciviously, licking my lips. Very annoyed, Severus adjusted his trousers, hissing

"Well, let him in, then!"

"Yes sir!"

I put on my sunniest, most innocent smile and welcomed the Headmaster into Severus' office.

"Ah, good afternoon, Ella! Severus, I was going to see you after lunch today but I decided to catch you first, I do hope I haven't called at an inconvenient time?" he twinkled.

"No, no, Headmaster, not at all," Severus replied with difficulty. I winked at him and said lightly,

"I'll see you at the staff table, Severus!" and made to leave them alone, trying not to smile at Severus' obvious discomfort.

"Oh, before you go, Ella...I fully understand your motives, but please...the next time you decide to make such a public statement in front of the students, especially after what they had seen in the press yesterday morning, please remember that some of them are very impressionable, and that I am answerable to the board of governors?"

"Oh. Yes, Headmaster. I'm sorry," I blushed, but his eyes were twinkling and I could tell that he was glad for us.

I bumped into Remus and Sirius on my way to the Great Hall.

"Well?" questioned Sirius.

My smile must have spoken volumes, for he enveloped me in a huge bear hug and span me round exuberantly.

"I'm very happy for you!" he exclaimed.

"Really?"

"Really," he affirmed, looking into my eyes, serious now. "You should be together."

"But Sirius, I know it must be -"

"I know you should be together," he repeated.

Remus hugged me too, his gentle blue eyes smiling down at me.

"I'm so pleased for you both."

"Thanks Remus. What did you say to him at dinner last night?"

"Oh, after your dramatic entrance and exit?" he laughed. "Er, well, nothing really profound, just that he should go to you, and that I was sure he knew deep down that you'd make him happy. He pulled a face, but I'm used to that!"

"Ella!" called Hermione as she ran down the staircase from Gryffindor Tower. "Oh, I knew it would all work out!" Then, whispering in my ear, "Tell me all the juicy details later!"

"Hermione, Severus is your teacher, I can't possibly!" I scolded, laughing. "But I can tell you one thing. The Headmaster just called at a very bad time..."

Her eyes widened.

"Why? What were you doing?"

"I'll tell you when you're old enough!" I teased as we entered the Great Hall arm in arm.

Severus joined me at the staff table towards the end of lunch, when most of the students had already left and only a few stragglers were still filing out.

"I'm sorry I took so long."

"What did Professor Dumbledore want?"

Severus snorted crossly,

"Well, I can tell you this, it could have waited till after lunch! It was nowhere near as important as what he interrupted!"

I couldn't help but laugh, and he looked at me askance.

"It isn't funny! You have no idea how painful it was!"

"Well, I'll have to kiss it better later, then, won't I?" I replied playfully. His penetrating gaze softened somewhat, and I saw the trace of a smile play around his lips.

"Sirius and Remus just left," I said.

"Oh, good, I missed them," he answered casually. I looked at him.

"I just thought you'd want to see them today..."

"What for?"

"Never mind."

"Don't worry," he sighed. "I'll thank Lupin for his little homily last night, and I'll thank Black for not trying to seduce you in France!"

Ouch, I thought, and cringed inwardly, but kept my counsel. Instead, I said,

"So, what did the Headmaster want?"

He put down his knife and fork and turned to face me.

"It was quite important really, Ella. It was about Malfoy."

"What about him?" I asked, a sinking, roiling sensation in my stomach as I wondered what he was about to say.

"He's lodged an appeal against his sentence."

"What? On what grounds?"

"He claims he acted under Imperius."

"Oh, rubbish! He's rotten through and through, he's a Death Eater, for pity's sake!"

"I know, Ella, and I agree with you...although I'm glad you weren't here to judge me all those years ago!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, love, but this is completely different!"

"Well, that's a moot point. But anyway, it's okay. And, I'm afraid," he continued slowly, "it would appear that he has friends in high places."

"Why? They haven't let him out, have they?"

"Oh, good grief, no! You've been too long in the Muggle world, Ella. No, I mean, he seems to have the support of the Minister for Magic himself."

"Fudge! Fudge believes him?"

"I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least. He intends to go to Azkaban personally to interview him further."

I shivered, a chill stealing over my soul as I remembered my ordeal at Voldemort's hands. Voldemort and Malfoy would always be linked inextricably in my mind, and I loathed and feared them both.

Severus took my hand and pressed it to his cheek to kiss my palm, his eyes never leaving mine.

I gazed at him, comforted, but more than anything I wanted to crawl into his arms and have him protect me. And despite my concern about Malfoy, my hand was tingling where he had kissed it.

"Severus, you have a free period now, don't you?"

He nodded.

"Well, I'd really like to make love to you."

"Your rooms are closest," he said, immediately scraping back his chair.

Muttering a soundproofing and locking charm on my door, Severus turned to me and enfolded me in his arms, wrapping his robe around me and kissing my upturned face hungrily.

"I want you now," he murmured urgently. "I'm still aching for you from before!"

I reached down to caress him, feeling an unmistakeable bulge through his trousers, reaching lower to cup him in my hand.

"Aah!" he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut. I laughed throatily, feeling my own arousal once more. I withdrew his wand from inside his robes and said,

"Divestio!" removing first his clothes, leaving him startled, then my own. He was in a highly aroused state and I took him gently in my hand, making him shudder convulsively and grip my shoulders. Tugging at him gently, I indicated that we should lie down on my bed. He pulled me down with him and we explored one another's bodies hungrily with hands and mouths. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were glazed with passion.

I was so aroused at the sight of him, the touch and the scent of him, that I felt molten heat between my thighs and wanted to wait no longer. I pushed his shoulder down so that he lay on his back and straddled him, aching for him. Slowly I teased him, until he could take no more and grabbed my hips, pulling me down on to him. My muscles tightened spasmodically around him and I gazed down at him, moaning his name. His mouth was open, his breathing ragged, and his eyes were hooded, half closed with desire.

His hands left my hips now and moved to my breasts, and he stroked my hardened nipples with his thumbs. I arched my back with pleasure and began to gyrate slowly, rocking my hips, enjoying the expression on his face as he drank me in. He moved his right hand from my breast as his breathing became shallower, and pushed his hand under my swollen belly to cup me, his long fingers searching out and then gently stroking me. I cried out then, and our rhythm speeded up until I was coming, yelping out with joy, screaming his name over and over, feeding his excitement and then he too was climaxing making me carry on and on until I was delirious with joy, weeping and shaking.

He pulled me down to him and I rested my cheek on his sweat-dampened chest, sliding sideways until I lay in his strong arms and he held me so tightly, so close.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, kissing the top of my head and stroking my back. "You're shaking!"

"Yes, fine. It was - it was just so intense!"

"I know. You're amazing. The way you make me feel..."

"Mmm..."

We lay entwined for a while, silently. He continued to stroke my back, and I ran my fingertips over his chest, my eyes inches away from the smattering of dark hairs there. I knew every inch of this man, I marvelled, and loved him beyond all measure. I didn't even notice the Dark Mark any more, which had faded to a pale shadow against the fair skin on his forearm since Voldemort's latest defeat. Eventually, he said reluctantly,

"I have to go. I have a class in five minutes."

I complained and snuggled even closer to him, but he took hold of my arm gently and pushed himself away from me a little, looking down into my eyes teasingly.

"Now Ella, you mustn't come between me and my work, not when students are involved!"

"Okay, as long as I can 'come between you and the bed' later!" I said in a lewd tone, making his eyes widen in false shock.

"Are you insatiable, woman?" he demanded.

"For you, yes!" I answered, reaching behind his neck to pull him to me for a lingering kiss.

"Oh, Ella, I have to go!" he laughed as we eventually broke apart. I flopped back onto the bed and lay there wantonly as I watched him dress. Green silk boxers, high collared white linen shirt, black trousers with buttons at the fly and the ankles, black socks, shiny black shoes, darkest purple frock coat with buttons everywhere, and finally voluminous black robes. I sighed, replaying the scene backwards in my head.

"Have you the remotest idea what you look like?" I said, yearning for him.

"What's wrong with what I look like?" he puzzled, looking down at himself.

"Absolutely nothing, that's the whole point!"

"I'll see you later!" he said, looking at me intensely, and he left in a flurry just as the bell to signal the end of the last lesson sounded. I heard his footsteps echoing back to me as he ran down the corridor, and rubbed my stomach lovingly, feeling satiated, happy, and loved. I rolled over into the space where he had lain, still warm, and buried my face in the pillow that still bore his scent.