The Black Unicorn

A morning alarm was going off somewhere; Severus must have had charms installed in his bedroom. She blinked blearily. Thin sunlight was streaming into the bedroom; he was still asleep in front of her, immune to the discreet ringing. She twisted against his shoulder and prodded him.

“Wake up. Severus….wake up!” She snorted into his neck and he jerked awake. Quiet joy flooded her; she felt rested for the first time in weeks; she began to look forward to the students, to the possibility of a new life here.

“Is it time already? Blast.” He groped for his wand and disabled the charm. He dropped his wand and pulled the covers back over himself. “I don’t want to get up. I’m still tired.” He growled at her through the sheets, muffled. She crept closer to him under the covers. He was very warm. She ran her hand over the hollows of skin in between his ribs, running one finger down his side under his arm.

“It’s only 7:00 am. We have time.” She said quietly.

“Time for what.” He stilled under the covers. “Oh.” His voice curled up, and he lifted his head and looked at her. Esmeralda gave him a knowing look, and scrambled over him and ran for the bathroom. He sat up in bed and waited for his turn; a certain part of himself was suddenly very interested in being awake. He popped out of bed and padded over to the hallway, tchitching. She kissed him as he walked by, but he stopped her, gently. She looked at him, questioning, smiling at him. This was his bedroom; he tested his mind….he had had no nightmares last night….just blackness and other images, other feelings that remained thankfully shapeless. In growing relief he remembered no lurid images, no memories of that other time. He could feel the smooth ridge of scars over her right arm where his fingers lay. He traced them carefully. Her eyes were clear, focused; he reached up to feel the texture of her skin. She hadn’t left.

“You’re…here.” He said quietly, almost formally.

“Yes, Severus. I am.” She smiled at him, but worry was in her eyes. She brushed his hair out of his face, and she shifted her weight on her legs, her head tilted at him assessing him, her expression growing more worried. “Severus….do you see things? Are you, is Dumbledore giving you anything for what happened to you? I mean….” She continued, “I know it’ very difficult for you to talk about, but I am worried.” His face had stilled, and the mask was smoothing back into place, but she put her hand on his cheek.

He could feel himself withdrawing; his mind was the last bastion, and called into question, he felt some part of himself pull away in embarrassment, in fear, but she was calling gently.

“No, don’t go. I can tell when you go.” She moved closer to him, her eyes never left his face. “Is Dumbledore helping you? Is he giving anything for this?” He nodded his head mutely. But he stopped.

“He was. During the last week, I was distraught. I must admit that I stopped taking them.” Her eyes were very worried now, her mouth had become thin.

“You can’t stop taking it. I don’t completely know what happened, but Severus, I’m starting to get an idea. We need to get you to Dumbledore today. All right? Will you talk to him after breakfast? Or would you like me to do it?” His first impulse was to flare, indignant at someone meddling in his affairs, but he stopped. If she really did love him, maybe she was trying to help. He was not used to this, it confused him, it pushed him off of his moorings. He stood there, rigid. “Look.” Her eyes continued to watch him. Her beauty was alive, he could see the muscles shift underneath the skin of her neck, curving as she tilted her head to look at him more closely. Her earlobe was delicate, the skin there almost translucent; he kissed her ear carefully. She pushed him away, trying to get his attention. “Do you want me to talk to Dumbledore? Or will you promise to do it? Severus, I’m worried about you. Please?” He nodded his head.

“Yes. I will talk to him today. I promise. The last week, I was simply not myself. And you….” He prodded her sternum very gently, “have no room to talk….” He smiled at her, and she smiled back, but she persisted.

“That’s true. But Severus.” she shifted her weight again, her brow furrowing. “I haven’t been tortured.” Her eyes went dark; she knew she had spoken too bluntly, but it was out before she could stop it. She was so worried, and he was too quiet about the whole affair. As she feared, he went frozen where he stood; she could feel him coiling away from her, fleeing into some protective recess of his mind. She pulled him to her, trying to use her physical presence to slow his run away from her. It helped; he relaxed against her, but he was silent.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” His arm came up tentatively and held her.

“I’ll talk to Dumbledore.” But he would say no more. He left her, and continued on to the bathroom.

When he returned, she was sitting up in bed waiting for him.

“Do you remember what I said last night?” She asked quietly, very serious suddenly. He got in beside her and stroked her shoulder. He knew que question earlier was not prurient, it was becoming clear to him that she cared about him, but he wasn’t used to this. Dumbledore’s care had been such a shock, but his mind could understand the older wizard’s concern; after all, he had been Albus’ best spy. His heart ran from all other explanations. But this was different, there was warmth flowing out of her for him, and this was the same feeling only stronger that he had also gotten from Albus; his heart though damaged, could feel it, some part of himself began to knit back together. She was undisputedly here, her love for him was not a fantasy, not a poisoned mirage, or an elusive dream. Her love connected him to her, bathed him in a clean light that soothed the tight, curled edges of his despair.

“Yes. You told me…” he kissed her neck softly. “That you were in love with me. And I told you the same thing.” He kissed her cheek. Her breath was warm against him. Her eyes were gazing at him. She wanted so much to talk to him, to find out what had happened, but she knew strongly that to bring up such a topic in a safe place where they were now would be harmfully stupid. Her love for him flooded her; she wanted him against her so badly that she went weak.

Esmeralda’s hands moved over him; her arms were around him in urgency suddenly, pulling him to her with surprising strength. Her arousal swelled around them both and her hands tugged on his hgentgently but insistently. She had arched up underneath him, but he hesitated, resisting entering her so quickly; this seemed too fast.

Esmeralda felt him holding back; the memory of the night before pulsed through her; she was trying to make him understand. She could feel the heat of his erection on the inside of her thigh, and she moved her leg against the size of him softly. Coiled over her, his breathing went erratic and she began to tease him further, moving over the length of him with the inside of her leg. His hands clawed in the covers.

“That’s….not polite...to tease….” He breathed against her throat.

“It’s not polite to tease me.” She whispered. She did not stop the movement of her leg.

“Ah.” He understood. She moved her hips up against him again and her hands pulled his back down to her. He wrapped his right arm around her shoulder and neck, and she tensed around him as he entered her. He rocked against her and she succumbed to the pleasure of his slow, unhurried thrusts. The feel of him inside of her made her skin flush; her own breathing turned into sobbing. Severus pulled her to him protectively, covering her with his body. Esmeralda cried into his ear, her hands shaking and trembling on his back; they were both trying to go slow. This was bliss, this was heaven, and Severus wanted it to last all morning long, there were no more voices inside of him warning him against her, against what was real under him…..some still-resistant part of him melted; the physical pleasure became entwined with what had laid hidden in his heart for so long, and he could feel the closeness growing between them. He could feel her becoming more urgent and she was keening against him. Then her hand wrapped around his head and she pulled his ear to her mouth. He closed his eyes.

“Harder.” She whispered. He hesitated, but her hands reiterated her need, and trusting her, he drove into her with far more aggression; instead of crying out, her breathing went ragged, her body wrapped around his and she was violent against him. Her sobs turned into hitching gasps and her legs wrapped around his hips and squeezed him ferociously. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate; he wasn’t used to this…the sheer physicality of her was robbing him of any kind of tenuous contro mig might have had.

She was making crying sounds he had never heard before. The magnitude of her passion destroyed his concern, and at her silent urging he pounded into her. They became animals. He was up on both arms off of her, thrusting into her as hard as he could; then suddenly she was tightening around him, bucking up against him, in such fury, he worried in some distant part of his mind that she was having a seizure, but she was coming against him with greedy viciousness. She was panting his name, groaning and gasping, kissing his throat, his neck, his jaw; he hung on as she shuddered, her body surging against his. Everything was happening so fast, she was so strong underneath him and his own body was so gone from the waves of pleasure that he could do nothing but try to hang on. Her hands and hips kept urging him deeper and harder until he was spasming inside of her, the release rippling through him like a sheet of white thunder. He came at the same time she did in a rush, his own breathless noises racking out of him. It was over very quickly. He laid against Esmeralda, stunned. They were both covered in sweat.

“That was brilliant.” She whispered up at him. She was panting heavily. Her eyes were glowing at him. ”That was perfect.”

“It didn’t hurt?” He was dumbfounded. She laughed, deeply.

“Oh, no. That didn’t hurt at all. You could have gotten even rougher, but that was fabulous. Oh my. You gave me goose bumps. Come on! Let’s go get breakfast!” She wormed out from underneath him. Still speechless, he watched her shake herself as she stood in the middle of the room. She ran her hands through her hair, fast. She turned suddenly, and looked at him. “Severus? Are you all right? Was that all right for you?” He was lying stunned on the bed. She walked back towards him. She had assumed, maybe too fast, that everything was fine. But she did a double take, realizing she might have been too abrupt. He was watching her with black eyes.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.” He was sitting up on his elbows, his face still. Completely still. She wrapped one arm around him, and kissed him tentatively, gently. He didn’t want to let go of her; his mouth moved over her lips, kissing her lower lip gently. She pulled away from him. “Listen, you didn’t hurt me. That was magnificent. Really.” She could see that his throat was still flushed. “May I take a shower?” He nodded. She left the room and he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Everyone was so different. The sheer physical presence of this woman constantly surprised him; no, not quite the right strength of term; shocked the living hell out of him.


They strode down the main hall, seething with students…Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins….all shapes and sizes….Esmeralda did not think she would ever get used to the swarm of young life around her. She tugged her robes around her, her hair still damp. She reached out and pulled on Snape’s hand.

“Severus, slow down. Will you…wait up.”

“Don’t hold my hand here.” He growled.

“You can’t be serious.” She was baffled. “Why ever not?”

“We’re….professors.”

“But we’re seeing each other!” She was mildly angry, but primarily she was perplexed. “I don’t remember Dumbledore saying that professors could not show affection for one another, Severus?”

“Oh.” He rolled his eyes, and made a great impatient noise. “It’s just the students. Their endless, magpie-like chatter…the gossip will be all over the place in mere hours, Esmeralda.”

“Well, then, let’s give them something to talk about. Do you know what I mean?” She grabbed his hand and did not let go. “Just try it, Severus. For me?” She smiled at him, and something came unhinged inside of his chest; he did not let go of her hand. They walked down one of the side aisles leading up to the professors’ table, and he held her palm politely as she took the stair railing up to the platform. The entire hall became hushed. His hand began to sweat in hers. She whispered to him, and squeezed his hand gently. “Don’t worry about it; just walk me to my place, it’s all right.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, do they have to stare like this…my reputation is ruined….” he hissed, but he did as she asked. Now all the children were staring up at both of them. He inclined his head politely to her, and went back to his own place at the table. McGonagall looked up at Esmeralda with questioning eyes. Esmeralda smiled at her in a positive reply, and McGonagall gave her a small thumbs up underneath the table.

“Well, thank the stars he finally came to his senses.” McGonagall ruffled her napkin and placed it in her lap, not looking at Esmeralda. She was smiling however. Esmeralda passed her the porridge bowl. McGonagall whispered to her under her breath.

“I hope you shagged the daylights out of him.” Esmeralda was too embarrassed to turn to her, and she could hear Minerva laughing musically next to her as she drew her own conclusions. Dumbledore looked down at her briefly from under his glasses and smiled at her, giving her a small nod of support. She looked up at him and grinned in acknowledgement.

“Pass the eggs, will you.” Snape gestured to Hagrid. Hagrid eyed Snape like he was some kind of rare species that had just crawled out of a bonfire, but did as he was asked. The hall began to buzz again, ignoring the teachers’ table. Snape began to relax. “And the sausages, please.” His voice was terse.

“Pardon me, professer Snape, sir, but don’t you just want the toast?” Hagrid was definitely confounded; for years the only thing the potions instructor had touched was toast and tea for breakfast. Snape looked immensely annoyed. “I can eat what I like, thank you. Now the porridge.” He growled out of the side of his mouth. Hagrid’s eyebrows went up and he passed him the sausages and the porridge. Now the entire row of professors was staring at him; Dumbledore, Esmeralda, Flitwick, Hooch….he put his fork down and glared .
.

“Can’t a man eat breakfast in peace?” He was becoming livid. No one spoke. Finally Hagrid ventured to reply.

“Begging yer pardon, professer, but…we’ve seen men eat breakfast. We’ve just never seen….you eat breakfast. Before. Sir.” Dumbledore turned slightly to Esmeralda. Esmeralda turned away discreetly and tucked into her food; she could feel her cheeks begin to burn. Hagrid followed Dumbledore’s gaze, and then looked back at Snape. The entire table looked over at Esmeralda, then at Snape.

“Er….sorry sir. I’ll just…pass you the toast.” Snape glowered at Hagrid and watched as the entire table turned away, murmuring.

“Thank you so much for that, Hagrid….oh.” He hissed at the huge man, furious, and grabbed the porridge from his hands.

“Erm….sorry sir.” He looked crestfallen. Then he brightened. “But congratulations! She’s fancied you for some time, sir.” Hagrid acted as if he was patting Snape on the back casually over the acquisition of some hard-to-find ingredient. Snape could not believe his e D Did the entire world know about Esmeralda, but were his own senses too blind to see what was right in front of him? His irritation turned to curiosity.

“Whatever do you mean?” Hagrid took a huge mouthful of porridge, and still able to speak somehow, leaned over to Snape conversationally.

“She’s fancied you since she’s known you. I remember from school. Right?” Hagrid nudged him gently and Snape dropped his fork, his upper arm muscles spasming.

“Be careful, you oaf! No. I didn’t know that.” His brow worked, thinking. He was ravenous, and he began eating while he was pondering this outside information. How blind could he have been? So ensconced in his small, studious world that others noticed but he himself did not? Was this possible?

“Oh. Well.” Hagrid looked over at Snape, keeping his voice down. “I knew. Me and Esmeralda, we used to take long walks in the woods. She twasn’t afraid of them woods the ways most students were. Great mate, Esmeralda. We used to talk fer hours over the beasties in the forest. I showed her the centaurs and the old dragon nests that were in there. We had great good times in there.” Hagrid’s eyes wandered off fondly, reminiscing. Snape watched him, pounding sausages, growing oddly jealous. “And….” Hagrid wolfed a piece of toast like it was a quail’s egg, “she told me about you. What was it? Twenty years ago? Mebbe more? She really fancied you, but you were…what did she say. An enigma….to her. Well, you were a strange one to most of us, sir.” He looked at Snape suddenly. “Shouldn’t have said that.” He bowed his head, sighing, continuing to vacuum toast.

“It’s all right.” Snape growled. “I…obviously was not the brightest of young men.” Hagrid stopped eating and looked at Snape. “Oh, no, that’s not true. Dumbledore told me about yer parents. You had yer own reasons to be…the way you were. Even I could figure that out…I lost me own mum early on. I didn’t tell Esmeralda about yer parents, though; tweren’t none of my business, that.” Snape’s face went pale and still. Hagrid shook himself. “Shouldn’t have said that neither.” Hagrid focused on his own breakfast, inhaling the rest of his porridge. “Well. I should be off to get the grounds ready.” He patted Snape on the back lightly and the smaller wizard choked. “Let me know if you want to chat more. All righ’?”

“Yes, yes. All right then.” Snape cleared his throat, coughing, looking grudgingly up at this strange ally. His own class started in 10 minutes; he needed to get to his classroom to go over a set of ingredients he had laid out the day before. He moved for the rear door, and Esmeralda jumped up and went out the back entrance with him; she stopped him in the hallway. She embraced him and looked at him, grinning.

“What? No goodbye kiss? No wishing me good luck on my first week here? You thoughtless man…” she whispered, her green eyes laughing, and she kissed him lightly on the mouth.

“Stop….” But he was grinning at her, and he hesitantly kissed her back. “We shouldn’t be doing this, on a school day, in the hallway….” But he moved closer to her, holding her, and against his better judgment he returned the kiss with more interest, remembering their morning. He couldn’t stop himself; she smelled like warm porridge and sex. She pushed him away, tugging at the tops of his robes. He was very surprised to find that instead of the morning dissipating his desire for her, it had increased it.

“Listen. I talked to the house elves about favors and so forth over the last week, and they can make us lunches if we want to go on walks, and I was thinking, I’ve got class from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, and you have double potions from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, and I thought we could go for a walk from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and have lunch around the lake, you know? On that little path you and I have been walking down?” She encircled him and against his will, his body responded to her presence with too much vigor. She pulled him tighter. “What do you think?” Her face glowed and her eyes were shining at him, nose to nose. He looked sideways away from her and his face stilled. He wasn’t used to someone wanting to be around him like this, but with a shock he realized how much he wanted to be around her.

“Yes, yes. Fine. I’ll meet you in front of your rooms at 11:00 am or so.” She beamed at him, and kissed him on his jaw. She straightened his robes for him.

“Brilliant. I’ll see you then!” She moved away from him, and through the door, and she was gone in a flash of green. He steadied himself and went to work.


He walked quickly towards her rooms later that morning and rapped shortly on her door. Children were running about and he nodded at one that had gone to get a broom for Quidditch practice; where was she. Finally she opened the door and stepped outside. She was dressed from head to toe in a dragonskin robe, the flared gauntlets of the gloves in her belt and her real riding crop in one hand, the lunch in her other hand.

“Hullo.” She kissed him again, quickly, and he huffed at her, embarrassed, but silently pleased. He motioned to her outfit.

“What is this. Are you going to be chasing dragons this morning?” He stood away from her, his hands crossed at his belly, and he tilted his head slightly while he took in the costume, eyebrows furrowing. He gestured towards her legs. “I have to say, though, I quite fancy those boots.” His h moh moved in a thin line of appreciation.

“Do you like them?” She was laughing at him. She handed him the lunch and tucked her gloves in more carefully. “You would like the boots. They’re my favorite, as well. Do you like the robes?” He grimaced and nodded his head. The robes were in six flaps that hung down to the tops of her boots; her breeches had dragonskin sewn into the tops of the thighs, like thin armor.

“What kind of dragonskin?” He fingered the smoothly scaled skin carefully.

“Don’t you recognize it?” She smiled at him shyly, and recognition flooded him; he flushed suddenly, too hot in his robes. She continued. “It’s Norwegian Ridgeback. Great against flames and most piercing attacks. A bit heavy, though. I’m already sweating. Unlike you…” she swatted him lightly on the shoulder, “I had a break from 10:00 to 11:00 am, and put these on then so I wouldn’t waste time getting dressed for class while we could be out….walking.” They looked at each other sideways. Then she tugged on his hand, taking a deep breath and ignoring his glance, and began walking towards the lake. “Come on then. We don’t have too much time.”

“Right.” He swung in beside her, and missed his cane. His hips still twinged occasionally and he liked the feel of it in his hand. “Why are you wearing all of this?”

“Oh. I’ve got the 6th years at 1:00 pm; they’re horrifically bored with books and in general. I thought I’d do show and tell with them. They’ve been asking me about dragons all week and so…..I thought I’d give them an earful.” He moved his lips in agreement.

“Not a bad idea. Oh, and my class this morning drove me mad with questions about you! I couldn’t believe their cheek.” He grumbled, walking more rapidly.

“What did they say? What did you tell them? I mean, Severus, they are children; they’re only curious.”

“Oh, how would *they* like it if I asked where Weasley had been with that Parkinson girl, or where Padma was last night when she should’ve been studying? Is that fair? I can’t ask them, but they can bloody ask *me*!” He was ranting.

“What were the nature of their questions?”

“Nothing about potions, I can assure you of that, the ruddy little mongrels. They wanted to know if we were getting married, if we were dating, if we were going to have children…oh! The best one was this: ‘had I finally given up lusting over the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, and had I been fighting with you about the position, and was I friends with you now’? I almost had an embolism.” But she was laughing at him. Laughing hard. She stopped and bent over, really hysterical. “What is so damnably funny? Esmeralda?”

“Oh, Severus. I know you torture those children, I’ve heard the stories….now they’re just getting their chance! This is so funny….” She laughed more, not able to breathe.

“This is not the kind of sympathy I feel I deserve.” He looked around the grounds, as if another entity might spring to his aid. His eyebrows raised, but he regarded her, still. “Well. Perhaps I am hard on them. But they need to learn the rudiments! And it’s none of their business!” He spat. Esmeralda began to calm down, and they continued to walk.

“Have you ever thought that perhaps they cared about you?” She looked at him, shyly.

“Those little troglodytes.” But he thought. “I don’t know. Maybe one or two of them. The rest of them are just insatiable for gossip.”

“You’re probably exaggerating. They ask me about you, you know.” They had come up on the path. It was a slightly overcast day, late September.
The wind was coming in from the Forest, bringing the cool of Fall; the leaves were turning in scarlet and vermillion. There were no children here. He reached for her hand and they began to walk more slowly.

“Well.” He growled. “What do they say.” He looked away through the trees, pretending to be highly interested in the clouds.

“They say….you’re downright mean at times. You’re not fair. You treat the Slytherins abnormally better than all the other houses.” He began to make indignant noises but she stilled him. “Wait…let me finish….they say you’re an excellent teacher, but you don’t let them experiment at all.” He could stand it no longer.

“IF I let them have their way in an exacting potions class, they would all be covered in mermish scales, burned from poisons, or falling in love with each other from a whiff of the wrong potion! It would be disastrous! I might be….hard on them, but I am a responsible man! I don’t want them to get hurt!” His voice had risen. He was getting really upset.

“Calm yourself. I was just relaying….hold on.” Esmeralda paused on the path. The wind had died down. The lake was very still; it was a quiet day. “Do you smell that?” She was suddenly and too warily alert. Severus hushed and paid attention. He smelled the loamy soil, the light wind bringing the cold metal smell of the lake to them. But that was all.

“No. What do you smell?” Esmeralda was completely still on the path, she had started to back into him.

“I smell….heat.” She was looking all around; Severus’ skin began to prickle. “Wand….Severus…your wand….” He groped for his wand, it was with him; she was looking down the path from whence they’d come; Severus was looking forward….he watched in disbelief as the beasts rose up from either side of the path. He could not speak, but tugged on her robes; there were two of them, great, rough-skinned Welsh Greens, slowly rising from the woods around them, their gleaming yellow eyes hideously alive and greedy for the prey in front of them. She turned abruptly, and then things, events slowed horribly in his mind. The beasts were inhaling, and she had pulled the hood up over her head and had screamed for him to get down, her face frozen in rigid alarm; she had thrown him to the ground and the last thing he saw before she pressed his face into the damp, crumbling dirt were wings and a wall of flame at least 15 feet high; the rushing sound of air and the feel of hot fire, like a blast furnace, was all around them, the weight of her was pressed into him, covering him, her arms were trying to tuck his arms in but part of his hands were engulfed in the licking flames. Then they were over them and moving away, and she stood up, fast, and was ripping her robes off, yelling at him to take them and put them on…..he stood up, staring at her, he vaguely felt some pain in his hands….she threw the robes at him and she transformed in front of him, in a flash of gleaming black scales, sinuous, long body and pulsing gray wings….he turned around, the Greens were slowly, ponderously wheeling in flight, getting ready to make their second pass….he was ripping his own robes off, and he watched, completely not understanding what his eyes were reporting, as the smaller, darker dragon, tail whipping, flew directly up and at the two much larger, malevolently bloodthirsty monsters. He shrugged the robes on; they were tight, but they fit….he could clearly understand now what was happening, they were going to murder her, rip her to shreds above him…they were all three high in the sky…..they weren’t paying attention to him at all, and there was no one else about…..the two larger dragons feinted at her, one of them blasted Esmeralda with a ball of flame, she screamed and wheeled, and did the same to the one on her right side; the Green shrieked in fury, and the other Green presented its rear talons to her midriff and began tearing at her; he couldn’t see her any longer, the second beast had blocked his view….the air was filled with the screaming, roaring of the enraged beasts….they were going to kill her…he was frozen on the path, his worst nightmare was coming true in front of his eyes. She was going to leave, they all left, all of them….but in a flash he saw, suddenly, that he had a choice, he didn’t know where the voice had come from, but he knew beyond a doubt that there were always choices, and he had raised his wand rapidly and pointed.

“Expecto Patronus!” He bellowed, with all of the power and force he could muster. A great, silvery raven shot out of his wand, haloed by a huge circle of golden fire, and a second figure followed the first out of his wand…..not trusting his eyes, Severus watched the second figure following the raven coalesce into a magnificent, silvery-feathered hawk. The two silver, misty birds attacked the eyes of the Greens, screaming and clawing. Esmeralda turned on the nearest Green and finally able to get purchase while the dragon was distracted, ripped the Green’s abdomen open with her rear hind-claws; the dragon’s guts spilled out in a huge mass of steam and dark blood, and fell into the lake; the dragon fell out of the sky, screaming in rage and pain, trying to send a last fireball, but unable to…the remaining Green was twisting, trying to rid itself of the clawing birds, the Ridgeback wheeled around behind it to get purchase, but the Green dove down underneath her; the patronuses followed, but the Green, much larger, turned suddenly and too quickly on the smaller Ridgeback….Severus raised his wand to throw a hex, but the Green had wrapped its jaws around the Ridgeback’s right wing where it joined the dragon’s shoulder; blood ran all over the Ridgeback; the Green’s talons were on her back…..the two patronuses were clawing the Green’s eyes and Severus threw the hex.

“Impedimentia Oraculum!” The Green’s eyes bound shut, and it screamed and pushed off from the Ridgeback; Esmeralda wheeled and blasted the Green with fire, but she was losing control of her flight. Her wing had been damaged by the Green’s bite, and she was losing altitude…..Severus was standing on the path, feeling nothing, thinking only of a way to save Esmeralda….…..he watched the Green wheeling, trying to get its bearings as it flew, blinded….Esmeralda was falling, falling underneath the Green, onto the lake below….someone was standing by his shoulder, and another voice bellowed in his ear, another wand was raised……

“Petrificus Totalus!” It was Dumbledore’s voice. The enchantment shot out of the more powerful wizard’s wand in a huge circle of blue and gold fire. The Green seized up, turning an odd shade of concrete-green, and plummeted, smoke streaming from its nostrils, into the lake. Severus regained the use of his legs and he ran over to the side of the lake where Esmeralda was struggling to land; her left wing kept her from falling completely but her right wing was now useless; her back and shoulder were streaming blood…..she landed, hard, on the edge of the lake in a bank of rushes. He ran sloshing through the water over to her. There was dark blood everywhere, all over the grasses and in the water, he started to shake as he took off the cloak she had given him. She transformed back slowly, naked now, and he covered her gently with the cloak and knelt down beside her. She was coughing softly, there was something wrong with her breathing. The water was cold, he needed to get her out of the water, but he didn’t want to hurt her further. Dumbledore yelled at Snape.

“Pomfrey is coming; Snape! Obstruct the blood flow!” Thankful for the mindful words, Severus pulled out his wand and voiced,

“Obstructus Sanguinus.” Her wounds stopped pulsing blood. He held her head. She moved her eyes to his.

“Are you…all right?” Her voice was weak, too thin. He stroked her cheek.

“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. Hang on; Pomfrey’s coming.” She coughed again. Her face spasmed in pain. She was pale; her forehead had broken out in a sweat.

“Don’t leave, all right?” Her voice was so quiet, a thread of sound. She started to shake in the cold water. Her hand tightened weakly around the cloth of his tunic. He sat down in the water beside her and held her against him. The smell of rotting leaves and rushes were dank around them.

“I won’t leave. I promise.” Her eyes were fixed on his face in fear; her countenance was too pale. He reached for her hand, still clutching his tunic, and squeezed hard. “I won’t leave you. Ever.” Dumbledore sloshed up to them. Severus’ eyes ran over her torn right shoulder; her clavicle had been shattered and the bone shards were protruding from the skin where she’d been bitten. Blood had congealed around the torn gash. The skin of her shoulder had gone an ugly scarlet red from her arm to her neck. Severus could see people pounding down the path towards them, Pomfrey and another assistant were running their way.

“Severus….I might faint…...it’s just blood…..loss……” Her eyes were glazing over, her head was rolling under his hand as she fought to stay conscious. She tried to squeeze his hand back. Severus pulled her to him gently but firmly; her lips had gone white. Dumbledore kneeled down at her other side in the water and turned her over. His face was pale.

“We need to get her to the infirmary. Now.” He stood up, and voiced, “Levioso!” Pomfrey came over and looked at the wounds, then looked at Severus. Her face was grim. Pomfrey moved away rapidly down the path with Esmeralda’s limp body in between herself and an assistant. Dumbledore grabbed his shoulder and the entire party left the water and walked back up to the castle, silent.

Severus could not speak. The shock of what had happened was finally sweeping over him as he sat stilled on one of the infirmary beds. Pomfrey had been in the room with Esmeralda for hours, and Dumbledore was pacing in front of Snape. Neither of them spoke. Severus could not bring himself to ask the question that burned through his mind; he had seen what happened. He had seen the Green tearing at her back. He did not know what kind of damage Dumbledore had witnessed. He could not muster the courage to ask, sitting there on the bed. They had physically restrained him from being in the room while Pomfrey worked, and now all the both of them could do was wait.

Hagrid walked through the main door, holding a bunch of wildflowers in one large paw. He stood there awkwardly, until he spotted them on the far side of the room, near Pomfrey’s operating chambers. He ambled over to both of them slowly. Severus lifted his head. Hagrid nodded politely to Dumbledore, who continued pacing. He moved towards Snape gingerly, offering the flowers.

“I brought these fer yer both. I saw the battle, you know. How’d she get hurt, with them dragons up there in the sky?” Dumbledore came over and put a hand on Hagrid’s forearm.

“Dear Hagrid. She is not out of danger yet. Pomfrey is still in the room with her.” He said quietly. Hagrid’s eyes lowered, and he sat down next to Snape on the bed.

“Oh. Well. I’ll wait here with ye, then.” Snape lowered his head. The larger man patted him on the back carefully. “She’ll be all righ’, Esmeralda is a strong’un.” Snape buried his face in his hands. His world went black with despair. Hagrid bent his head to Snape’s hands. “Oh, sir, yer hands is burnt, Dumbledore, sir, come look at this.” Albus strode over to Snape. The backs of Snape’s hands were white with burns. Albus didn’t say anything; he walked away towards Pomfrey’s main offices.

The doors to Pomfrey’s main operating room creaked open slowly. She came out, looking exhausted, but grimly pleased. Snape had stood up and walked over to her; he looked as if he was about to shake her, but he restrained himself. Pomfrey stilled him, and waved him off before he could speak.

“She’s got nasty damage to the upper lobe of her right lung; several of her ribs and her clavicle were shattered. I spent most of my time re-setting and repairing bone shards, that’s done. The damage to the lung is the worst part of this; I put a healing spell on it that wilep hep her blood from clotting and infection out of there, but organs are tricky business. They are delicate, and every individual is different in how they repair themselves. She’s alive, Snape, but she’s got some rough nights ahead of her.”

“May I see her?” Snape’s eyes were hollow with worry. Pomfrey nodded, greatly fatigued herself. Snape drew himself up, and addressed Pomfrey. “Thank you, very much, for your skill. I know….we have not been….friends, but your help is…hugely appreciated.” He was direct and formal. Pomfrey nodded silently, her jaw setting. Then he excused himself and strode into the room behind her.

Albus trailed after Snape with one of Pomfrey’s assistants behind him. Another assistant, a young man, was in the room with Esmeralda, finishing bandaging her shoulder. Ugly yellow and purple streaks showed up and down her right arm under the bandages. She was unconscious, but Severus could see the pulse at her throat. Just this morning, he had lain with her, he had laughed with her, and now…..this. She was deeply unconscious. Her face was very pale and drawn. His hand shook as he touched her cheek.

“Albus. How….did those two dragons…get into the Enchanted Forest.” His voice was low; he could not keep the quaver out of it. Albus was behind him, quiet.

“I don’t know, Severus. But we’re going to find out. You’re going to have to take the dragon’s blood again.” Snape did not turn from Esmeralda, but he nodded.

“I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever I can.” His voice was thick with anger. His head bowed suddenly. “She…saved my life.”

“And you saved hers. If you hadn’t used the patronus spell, or the blinding spell, she would be dead.” Albus’ hand was on his shoulder. He nodded silently.

They moved Esmeralda into the same room that Snape had had; Dumbledore assured him that he would take Esmeralda’s classes for the rest of the week and most of next week, and that Snape could take a few days off to stay with her until she was out of the worst of it.

It was late that same night, and Snape was dozing in a chair next to her, his hands bandaged now. Esmeralda stirred in the bed, coughing. Snape snapped awake and bent over her carefully. She groaned and tried to move, and groaned more loudly.

“Esmeralda, try not to move. Your back is badly damaged.” She tried to speak, but her throat was too dry. “Hang on, I’m getting Pomfrey.” He left briefly, and came back with Pomfrey. Esmeralda was conscious, deep circles under her eyes. Her gaze followed Pomfrey around the room. Poppy had some liquid in a cup with a straw, and she helped Esmeralda drink.

“Oh. Much better. I can talk now.” Her voice was hoarse, but she grinned, and winced. “I feel like I’m in a thousand pieces. How am I doing?” Her voice was slower than usual, and weak. She looked up at Pomfrey and Severus, who had wrapped his arms around himself tightly. Poppy sat down beside the bed.

“Your right clavicle was shattered; three of your superior posterior ribs were shattered, and in pieces, some of them in the upper lobe of your right lung. I removed the shards, and have been administering the Skele-grow potion, but your lung is going to be the slowest to heal. It goes without saying that the layer of muscle over your scapula and ribcage were lacerated badly. It may feel difficult to breathe, and it’s going to hurt a lot to move for a week or so. It really depends on how fast you heal. Your bones will knit overnight, but you’re going to have to be very careful of moving your torso around. I’ll be here to help you, as well as…Professor Snape. But you must remember….no moving around. Having said that, we’re going to have to sit you up later this morning, so the fluid can drain out of your lung. It took a lot of damage. You’re quite lucky to be alive.” Her mouth set, and she stood up. “Snape can assist you with drinking. Anything else, you call me.” She looked up at Snape. “You understand? No heroics.” He regarded her, but nodded his head quietly.

“I underst” P” Poppy left the room, shutting the door behind her quietly. Snape moved the chair closer to her, and took her mobile left hand in his. The tips of his fingers outside of his bandages worked nervously in hers.

“I….” he stopped. He could not speak. He was holding himself stiffly, as if he might fly apart if he untensed his muscles. He tried to gather himself, but she watched his composure crumble against his will. Tears fell out of his eyes onto her hand. He put his other hand to his eyes, trying to control himself. “I thought….I was watching you die….” She gripped his hand with hers.

“I thought the same about you.” She coughed weakly, her gaze followed his.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so emotional.” He tried to clear his eyes; he looked anywhere around the room but at her. She laughed softly at him, but started coughing again.

“You strange man. Don’t think on it. I find it endearing.” She smiled at him from where she lay, so still now in the bed. He sat stiffly again, trying to retrieve his self-control. Her hand tugged on his, to get his attention. “See. If….you hadn’t been with me…I had been going on that walk all week…they must have been watching me….they knew I’d be by myself. But you were with me. You stayed with me.” Her eyes were full of love. It felt like his chest was going to burst; heat rose in his face and the world swam in front of him. She held his hand tightly. He couldn’t tear his eyes from hers. Finally he found the ability to speak again.

“Well. We have to get you….out of here. I would go mad cooped up in here, in these four walls.” She grinned slowly at him; she looked horrendously tired.

“Now, where have I heard that before.” Her voice was getting weaker, but she squeezed his finger“Sev“Severus. I may fall asleep again. It really hurts to breathe. But I’m just going to sleep. All right?” She looked up at him. Her eyes were starting to unfocus.

“Yes. Fine. Go to sleep.” He placed one hand gently on her forehead, her her eyes closed, her hand stilled in his. He began to weep openly in the quiet of the room. He understood now too well why his father could not stay, why his heart had stilled, so long ago. He understood why he had not allowed himself to feel the tearing pain of this emotion that overthrew everything he had ever counted on to hold himself together. He was raggedly, completely undone.

There was a small rap at the door, and Pomfrey entered slowly. His back was to her, but she saw his spine stiffen too suddenly, and she became circumspect. Pomfrey stood behind him, and waited. He cleared his eyes quickly with one hand.

“I thought…I would offer to transfigure a bed for you.” She said quietly. “I mean, if you plan on staying in here, you could at least be comfortable.” He did not turn to her.

“I thought it would get in your way. I didn’t want to hinder your duties.” His voice was too formal. Poppy shook her head, and placed her hand very lightly on his shoulder.

“No. I can just transfigure it back into a chair when I need to work with her. Here. Stand up for a minute.” She brought her wand out, and murmured a charm over the chair. It transfigured into another infirmary bed. She placed the extra blanket she had been carrying at the foot of the bed, and turned to go.

“Thank you.” His voice was stiff. She nodded, and left the room quietly.



Hermione walked briskly down the infirmary corridor, her hand wrapped around the bouquet of flowers she had picked early that morning from the school’s cutting gardens. Ron and Harry followed in her wake, not quite comprehending that she was walking into a potential snake’s nest of woes rather blithely.

“What is wrong with you two? Do hurry up! I don’t want to be late for class!” Her voice was too loud in the corridor and Ron squeaked, looking around him in complete anxiety.

“Hermione, if Snape’s down here, he’ll *kill* us! He’ll turn us into newts!” Harry nodded his head, pushing his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose.

“He’s right, Hermione. And he’s probably in a bad mood, on top of it. After being through all….that.” What all that was, however, none of them were completely clear on; the rumors were rife around the school. Dragons had attacked both of the instructors….Snape had transfigured into a dragon and fought them off….Admantia had transfigured into a dragon and fought them off….Dumbledore had killed all three dragons, and Professor Admantia had gotten hurt in the process….no one really knew what had happened. But all of the students were worried, and frightened. How had the dragons gotten into the Enchanted Forest?

They walked up to the sick room door quietly; already students had left flowers, chocolate frogs, and cards against the wall near the door. Hermione set the flowers down in the small vase carefully and propped the get well card up against the vase. Ron had broken out into a sweat.

“Can we please go?” His freckled face was pale.

“Will you stop being such a ninny for a moment. Maybe we should check on her.” Hermione set her jaw and shook her head in that alarming way she had when she was about to do something exceptionally brave, or stupid. Harry placed his hand carefully on the knob of the door.

“We did come all this way. We don’t know what happened. Maybe if we just looked in quickly.” Ron looked at Harry, his eyebrows crawling up into his vivid red hair.

“You’ve lost it too! Snape will eviscerate us! He could be anywhere! And you….what’s gotten into you?” Ron turned on Hermione. Hermione shrugged.

“I’m worried about her.” She tossed her shoulders. “I’m just so glad to have a woman Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for once, you know. I mean, Ron, she’s really been through it….she’s fo for for our side! She was in a battle!” Hermione’s face flushed. “I just…want to show my support.” Harry had opened the door just a crache dhe door did not squeak like most doors at Hogwarts. Ron peered in under Harry’s arm, and Hermione pushed Harry out of the way. Ron and Hermione both gasped, and Harry closed the door quickly and quietly.

“Cripes! He’s in there with her, asleep next to her!” Ron pushed Harry away from the door; Harry was trying to open the door a second time, to see what the two had seen. Hermione stood up, her eyes far away.

“What is it? What did you see?” Harry’s voice was maddened with curiosity. Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“Ugh, he’s filthy! His trousers were covered in lake muck….he looked unconscious himself!” Ron shuddered. “She’s so beautiful…what in the world does she *see* in him? He’s so….bloody mean!” Hermione gave Ron a quick, piercing look; her eyes had narrowed. Then she stared away, down the corridor, an odd expression on her face. “What’s with her?” Ron motioned to Hermione with his thumb, looking at Harry.

“Don’t know. What’s up, Hermione?” Harry moved closer to her; all three of them were whispering. Hermione glanced at the two young men.

“He’s in love with her. Can’t you tell?” Hermione looked away from both of them again. “It’s so sweet.” Ron made a face of utter and complete revulsion.

“You’re daft! That is *Snape* in there, he’s made of ice! He can’t love anyone! Hermione, you know that!”

“Her hand was on his arm. Even while she was asleep. She’s in love with him, as well. Ron, didn’t you see?” Hermione looked at the two, annoyed at their lack of understanding. Harry and Ron exchanged exasperated glances. Ron whispered back at her.

“He is right up next to her, but Hermione, she’s unconscious. Maybe he put a spell on her.” Harry nodded in agreement; that seemed more like Snape. Hermione looked away again.

“That’s probably not too far from the truth.” Harry and Ron made faces at each other, perplexed at Hermione’s strange comments. None of them heard the door open behind them, but all three of them felt rather than saw a presence. The three looked at each other sideways, and cold realization spread over all of them. Harry was the first to turn. Professor Snape was standing there, his expression was his usual, frozen mask, but his eyes glittered with fury. Harry had seen the look before. Snape’s voice was soft.

“What….are you three monkeys doing here.” Hermione gathered her courage first.

“Please, Professor, we just….came down to bring you both…some flowers and a card…we were worried. About you.” Ron nodded his head silently, and began backing away from the towering potions instructor. Snape didn’t move, begaregarded them. Harry had never seen him so haggard….he looked awful. There were dark circles under his eyes and the gauntness of his face made his nose seem even longer. There were smears of mud still on his cheek and tunic.

“I see. Well. Thank you for your concern, but Professor Admantia is very ill and I daresay, all three of you should be in your classes.” His eyes moved over all three of them. Harry could not believe his ears. Snape sounded almost…human. But….that was impossible. Hermione took another chance.

“Please sir, what happened? Rumors are everywhere….were you attacked?” Harry and Ron exchanged horrified glances. Snape was going to destroy them any minute. The grace period was over. Ron had started to go pale instinctively. But Harry watched as Snape closed his eyes wearily.

“Yes. We were attacked.” His eyes opened suddenly again, intense. “You…all three of you…all the stud…kee…keep out of the forest, do you understand me?” He hissed at them, pressing his face closer to all of them to make his point. “Now….get out of here! Before I take points off from Gryffindor for undue prying into instructors’ affairs!” The hiss turned into a soft roar, and they turned and fled, walking quickly down the hallway.