Bound in Leather

~takes in the gathered crowd and smiles~ now that i\'ve got you all here, its time to tell you the real reason i\'ve gathered you all together. the story about a new chapter was a carefully crafted ruse. i\'m really here to sell you things you positively don\'t need and could live without, but i won\'t let you leave the room until you drop about five hundred dollars on worthless shit. okay, okay... i\'m lying. this is really Snape-aholics Anonymous and i want to welcome you all here today. let me give you the standard spiel. not mine, only borrowing. not making any money, though i wish i was. everything is j.k. rowling\'s. i\'m merely a peon of the lowest levels. please don\'t hurt me.

and now, the moment you\'ve all been waiting for..... Snape Smut! it be here. i know its been forever. so get out the fans, ice cubes, batteries, toys, men.... what ever you need. it should be a scorcher.

finally, if you find that you\'ve enjoyed your little trip down my rock star induced haze, please feel free to let me know what you think. i\'m always open to comments. nice, though. let\'s be nice. no mean things, or the dragon will hunt you down and barbeque your ass. do you want mesquite or hickory flavoring for that?

Chapter Twenty One: Another First Date
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\'How do I look?\'

\'You look stunning!\'

\'Are you sure?\'

\' I said so, didn\'t I?\'

\' I can put on that green dress. You know the one. With the low plunging neckline, cap sleeves and the lace overlay.\'

\'You\'re going to knock his socks off! Just as you are. Don\'t change. The black suits you.\'

\'What about you? You\'ll be okay here alone? Maybe I should stay here.\'

\' If you stay here, I\'ll never forgive you!\'

\'But...\'

\'No buts! You\'re going.\'

\' I shouldn\'t have agreed. Its too soon after...\'

\'WIll you stop? You\'re going! That\'s all there is to it. Now stop arguing and finish getting read. He\'ll be here soon.\'

\'Are you sure I should go?\'

\'Of course I\'m sure. You like him. He likes you. I don\'t see...\'

\' I don\'t know if he likes me or not. I don\'t think....\'

\'Are you kidding? I\'ve seen the way he looks at you. Of course he likes you!\'

\'No, I don\'t think I should go. I\'ll just stay here with you. A nice, quiet evening...\'

\' If you don\'t go, I\'ll never forgive you, I swear it!\'

\'But...\'

\'No. You like him. He likes you. You\'re going. That\'s all there is to it.\'

\' I\'m scared.\'

\' I know. Things will be fine. Now, finish putting on your makeup. He\'ll be here soon.\'

Al looked at her mother in the mirror, frowning at her. She wasn\'t sure this was a good idea. It had been so long since she\'d gone on a date and she wondered what had prompted Severus to ask her. She knew that they didn\'t have a conventional relationship. He was Severus Snape, the Rock Star. She was a nobody. She thought that he might have been prompted to ask her to go on a date with him because Remus has asked her mother out.

She could recall the look on her mother\'s face the morning after her date with Remus. Aletha had been glowing. When Al had seen the ring, she\'d felt both happy and envious. She wouldn\'t deny that her mother deserved all the happiness she could find. Remus was gentle enough and kind enough that she had no worries about how well he would care for Aletha. But that didn\'t stop her from feeling that sharp pang of jealousy. For as long as she could remember, she\'d wanted a family. With every ounce of her soul, she wanted a husband and some children. She wanted a sense of purpose.

\'Mom,\' she shook her head. \'Maybe this isn\'t the right time. Things are still.... odd between the two of us and I don\'t think...\' Al sighed. She watched her mother\'s reflection. Aletha\'s smile faded into a frown and her arms lifted to cross over her chest. Al looked down at her lap. A gentle hand curled over her shoulder.

\'Darling,\' Aletha leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Al\'s head. \'You deserve this as much as anyone. The man obviously cares about you. Let him. Go out and have a good time. You need to get away from this house and forget that things were so hard for you, even if its only for a little while.\'

\'He\'s been so distant, though,\' Al sniffed, wiping at her eyes to stop the tears from falling. Aletha slipped her arm around her daughter\'s shoulders and hugged her tightly.

\'Honey, the man has had a severe shock. He\'s been alone for a long time, then he finds you. The idea of having children probably never even occured to him. And all of a sudden, he finds out in one night that he was going to be a father and that he wasn\'t. It has to be as hard for him as it is for you,\' Aletha said softly, one hand soothing Al\'s hair down. \'He\'s needed time to come to grips with it. Just like you have.\'

Al nodded her head, then turned her gaze back to the mirror. She\'d put a light coat of makeup on, just enough to keep her from looking washed out. Her hair was left to hang long, a bit of work with a curling iron giving it body and bounce. \'You\'re sure you\'ll be alright here by yourself?\' she asked before putting the wand of her lip gloss to her lips.

\'Of course, dear. I\'ll be just fine. As soon as you and Severus are gone, Remus is going to drop in and the two of us plan to snuggle and generally be mushy all night long,\' Aletha told her, her eyes lit up with the happiness she felt. Al could do nothing but smile at her, glad for the positive turn around in her mother\'s life.

The two women glanced in the mirror. They both studied the younger one\'s reflection. One with nothing but love in her eyes, the other with a critical stare. Al had put a light dusting of blush on to highlight her cheeks, while she\'d put mascara and eyeliner on sparingly. Her lids were a soft gray color that made her eyes look rather smoky and the gloss was a soft pink. She shook her head and stood. This was as good as it was going to get.

\'Darling, you look lovely,\' Aletha smiled at her. Al glanced down at the dress she wore and had to stifle the urge to bite her lip. Severus had picked the gown out and had sent it to her in a large white box with a note stating simply that he wished to see her in it when he picked her up for their date promptly at six p.m. It was something she\'d never imagined herself wearing, made of the finest silk and velvet. It had drop shoulders that lead into a low, sweetheart shaped bust to display an ample amount of cleavage. The waist was fitted to hug her body from just under her breasts to her hips, where the skirt flared out into a semi-full bell.

She was wrapped snugly in midnight black velvet that was so soft, it seemed a sin to wear it. The front of the skirt was split so that when she walked, the under skirt of royal blue silk showed. There was a wrap included with the gown, one of the same silk as the underskirt. Her shoes were of black velvet, with rhinestones decorating them. She wore silk hose that rose to thigh level, held in place by a garter belt of deliciously wicked black lace. The panties she wore matched the garter belt. The undergarments, hose and shoes had all been delivered with the gown, a gift from Severus.

Al barely had time to register that she was looking at herself when there was a short, sharp knock on the door. Before she could call out, the door swung wide and there Severus stood. He was handsome in his nearly all black ensemble and Al vaguely heard her mother making excuses about needing to leave. Aletha slipped past the man at the door and left the two of them alone. For many long moments, she and Severus simply stared at one another.

Al had never seen him dressed in such high classed clothes before. He wore a white shirt beneath a finely tailored coat in black. She was no expert, but the material on both looked to be linen. She found the coat to be styled after what men wore in the Victorian era. It was long, hanging to his knees, with a row of small buttons that ran nearly the entire length of the lapels. The buttons were green, matching the vest he wore beneath it. This, too, had a row of tiny buttons in green. The vest was black with green patterns woven into it that looked to be vaguely serpentine in nature.

The coat wasn\'t buttoned closed, but she could tell that there was a gather in the back to give it a faintly flared look at the waist. She imagined that it the bottom half of the coat would float outward if he were to spin suddenly, much like a woman\'s full skirt but in a less dramatic fashion. He wore black trousers that she decided were linen as well, the bottoms of which were buttoned shut with more of the small green buttons that decorated the coat and vest. The bottom hem rested on the tops of his shoes, the backs hanging down to drag the ground when he walked. His shoes were shined so well that they gleamed in the dull light that filled the room.

He looked devastatingly handsome and positively breath taking. And he was all hers.

\'You look stunning, my dear,\' he told her in a low voice that held so much promise. Al couldn\'t help the shudder his words brought to life in her. It was like silk was simply sliding through her body via every single vein to pool somewhere in the region of her pelvis, where something warm and fluid gathered to make her limbs feel like nothing more than helium balloons.

Al was mortified when she made a faintly meeping noise. Severus gave her a small smirk, then stepped forward to take her hand in his. He lifted it to his mouth, turning it over so that her palm faced up, then planted a soft kiss in the center, his tongue making sigils on her flesh. She shuddered again, the whisper of a sigh escaping from between her parted lips. \'The evening is young and we have much to do. Shall we depart and begin our date?\' he asked her in that same tone. Al had to force herself to speak.

\'Yes,\' she nodded, clearing her throat so that her words wouldn\'t come out on a croak. He moved to the bed where the wrap that went with her dress lay, picking it up in one long-fingered hand. He returned to her side, draping the garment over her shoulders in preparation of the weather outside. Then he slipped her arm through his and proceeded to escort her out of the room and down the long hall to the stairs.

They were silent on their trek to the door, Al simply soaking in his presence next to her. She\'d missed him terribly while he\'d been gone. And she knew that this date was for the night. He would leave again to finish his tour. She refused to hold him back from his band and their job. But she would miss him terribly when he was gone again. She had to make this night last, because she didn\'t know when she\'d have the chance to simply spend time with him again.

The front door opened before them, exposing the car pulled up to the steps before the house. Al\'s breath caught in her throat as she studied the car. It was all elegance and style, the nose as long as the seats and the trunk area combined. The car was shiny and black, the windows darkly tinted to hide the passenger\'s identities. The back end curved downward in a gentle slope. She knew by the hood ornament that it was a Rolls Royce, but she had never seen one in person before. She could tell it was an older model though, how old she couldn\'t say.

The chauffer, dressed in head to toe black, opened the back door and held it for them as Severus led Al to it. He helped her in, one of her hands in his while his other hand rested on her back to act as a guide. When she was settled in the back of the limousine, he climbed in next to her. The driver shut the door after him, leaving the two of them alone. Al turned large, surprised eyes to Severus. \' I can\'t believe this car. Its amazing. I never thought I\'d ever ride in a Rolls Royce.\'

\'Thank you. It is a perfect compliment to the evening that I have planned for us. If it proves to be most helpful in making pleasant memories, I shall purchase it for you,\' he told her, the tone of his voice one she\'d never quite heard him use before. It was almost gentle. She wondered what had brought this on. She vaguely noted the way the car shifted as the chauffer got in, as well as the sound of the engine turning over.

\'For me? I wouldn\'t know what to do with a Rolls,\' she laughed, the sound the holding the smallest bit of nervousness.

\'You would allow the driver to drive you places in it. Silly woman. What do you think you would do with a chauffered limousine?\' he smiled at her. Al blushed at the obvious use, then grinned at him.

\' I can just see the crowd at the diner now,\' she remarked. Severus gave her an indulgent smile, then drew her closer to him. His lips brushed her forehead gently a moment or two, then she was turning her face up to his so that he could kiss her properly. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, his lips covering her own. She sighed as he began applying gradual pressure until she melted into him. The kiss was divine, full of a world of promise. Al was certain that the rest of the night could be nothing more than digging in the mud and it would be the best evening of her life. Severus was at her side and he was kissing her so gently. So passionately.

He drew back from her to draw a breath, but she remained held within the circle of his arms. She nestled closer to him and sighed, her eyes closed in complete contentment. \'You don\'t know how much I\'ve missed this. How much I\'ve missed you,\' she whispered to him.

\'Given that I have missed you deeply, I think I can well imagine,\' he assured her. She sighed again, the sound one of happiness. The two fell to silence, simply enjoying the pleasure of one another\'s company while the long, sleek car meandered along the streets almost aimlessly. The silence was comfortable and neither one felt they needed to break it. Only when the car stopped and jostled as the driver climbed out did the two of them break apart. When the door opened beside them, Severus climbed out and then extended his hand to Al to help her out onto the sidewalk.

The two of them walked into the building before them, Al staring around her in mild shock. It was obviously a well known, high class establishment. The words above the door were French and judging by the smells wafting her way, they were at a fine French restaurant. There were quite a few people filling the lobby, obviously waiting for a table to become available for them. Severus escorted her to the podium where the maitre d\' waited. The man looked up at them and smiled, scooping up two menus without either man saying a word.

There were several grumbled complaints from the waiting patrons behind them, but Al ignored them. The maitre d\' personally showed them to a table set off by itself. A fine, white linen cloth covered the round table, a pair of lit candles edging a crystal vase filled with water and a single, blood red rose bud. It was surrounded by two pieces of leather leaf and a few sprigs of million star baby\'s breath. Fine bone china plates, cut lead crystal glasses and shining silverware made up each place setting. Across the plates lay napkins in a lovely shade of royal blue.

Severus saw Al into her chair, then took his own seat. The maitre d\' smiled at him. \'We are pleased to once more have you here, Monsieur Snape,\' the man said, his words thickly accented. \'Would you care for some wine to start the evening? An apéritif, perhaps?\'

Severus nodded, not bothering to look at the menu or proffered wine list. \'We will start with Champignons Farcis and a bottle of the finest merlot you carry,\' he told the man hovering by the table. The maitre d\'s face lit up.

\'An excellent choice, Monsieur,\' he beamed. He turned and headed from the table, leaving both Al and Severus alone. She stared at him, a bit apprehensive.

\'What is the matter, Alasdair?\' he asked her, lifting his menu up to study it. She gestured to the their surroundings.

\'This place is a little above my level of class,\' she told him. His black gaze lifted to hers and he pinned her with a less than pleasant stare.

\'You are as entitled to eat here as the Duchess of York. Class and refinement have little to do with one another, Alasdair,\' he told her, his tone such that she felt he had someone particular in mind when making the statement. \'You are neither ill-bred, nor ill-mannered. I will hear no more talk of your being unworthy to sit at this table.\'

She nodded at him, then watched as a waiter in a crisp white jacket came over to the table with a bottle of wine. He showed it to Severus, then set it on the table and pulled the cork. The young man handed the cork, still on the cork screw, over to Severus while he poured a measure of the deep red liquid into the wine glass before him. Severus brought the cork to his nose, inhaling the fragrance off it, then nodded and lifted the glass. Al watched in fascination while he swirled the wine in the glass, watching it with a well practised eye. Then he lifted it to his nose and once more inhaled the scent. Finally, Severus took a sip of the wine. He looked at the waiter and nodded, setting his glass down. The young man poured more into Severus\' glass, then poured an equal measure into Al\'s.

When the waiter was gone, Severus motioned to the glass. \'Sip at the wine. Do not swallow. It is not beer. There is a distinct bouquet and body to each wine. It is meant to be savored and enjoyed.\' Al lifted the glass and gave it a brief sniff, noticing that there were subtle hints of other fruits in the drink. She put her lips to the rim and took a small sip, allowing the dark red wine to slide over her tongue and down her throat. Severus watched her the entire time. \'Well? What do you think?\'

\' It tastes very good. Kind of... fruity,\' she replied, setting the glass down before her plate. Before she could say more, the appetizer arrived. She stared at the plate and groaned, the smell of the freshly baked mushrooms assaulting her nostrils so stringently that her mouth watered. Severus served a pair of the stuffed mushrooms onto the small plate before her, then a pair of them to himself.

They fell to silence once again as they nibbled on the stuffed mushrooms Severus had ordered. Al found herself enjoying the flavor of the appetizer. The wine wasn\'t too bad either, though she only sipped at that. She didn\'t want to drink too much too soon and get herself tipsy. She suspected that the night would be terribly memorable and she planned on being able to remember it all.

When the waiter came back, Severus ordered for the both of them. Al thought it odd that he knew exactly what she wanted without her having to tell him, but she wasn\'t about to ask him about it. Instead, she enjoyed the sound of his voice as he ordered for them both. The next course was to be a chestnut with bacon soup, followed by a salad of brocolli and avacados drizzled in a sauce made from grapefruit and dijon mustard.

For the main course and side, Severus ordered Al the filet mignon covered in a creamy Merlot sauce, roasted potatoes with garlic and olive oil and the sugar snap peas with champagne dressings. For himself, he chose a steak topped with a creamy mustard sauce, potatoes and cheese and a steamed vegetable salad. When the waiter left to put in their order, the two of them lost themselves in idle conversation.

They chatted about anything and everything that crossed their minds. Al asked Severus about the band and the tour, while he in turn asked her about her mother and Remus and how she felt. They discussed the differences in the weathers of the United Kingdom and the United States. When the food arrived, the conversation died down to intermittent bursts between bites of well prepared food. Al felt as if she\'d died and gone to heaven, as she\'d never quite eaten anything so fabulous before.

After the dishes had been cleared, the meal eaten, Severus ordered them both dessert. For himself, strawberries and raspberries in Brioche and a white chocolate mousse with strawberries for her. The dessert was decadent and divine all at once. It positively melted in her mouth and Al thought she\'d never had anything quite so wonderful before. They had a cup of coffee to cleanse their pallets, then Severus was laying several large bills down on the table. He stood, moved around the table and offered her his hand. She took it and allowed him to help her up. He slipped her wrap around her shoulders, then escorted her to the door without a word.

Once more, they crawled into the limousine. There was a crowd standing about on the sidewalk, some of them openly admiring the car.The driver was efficient enough to see them into the car, then pull it out into traffic within a two minute time frame. Al watched the city flow past them as the car moved smoothly through traffic. She didn\'t know what their destination might be, but she was enjoying herself and thought that they could simply ride around the rest of the night and she\'d be terribly content. It was enough for her to be held snugly in his arms while they both relaxed to the feel of the engine vibrating beneath them.

After about half an hour on the road, the car once more stopped before a rather ornate looking building. Al was more than shocked when the chauffer opened the door to reveal a gathered throng of very well dressed people. As she looked around, she saw they were at a theater. There was a marquee that displayed in large letters the words \"La Bohème\". She glanced at Severus. \'Everyone should attend the opera at least once in their lives,\' he told her with a faint smirk.

They moved for the red doors, then slipped inside. Just inside the door was a young man in a red coat, waiting to take everyone\'s tickets. Severus moved them to a girl behind a counter, where he handed her Al\'s wrap. She smiled at him, handing him a small slip of paper, then wished them a good evening. An usher escorted them to a set of stairs on the left of the entry, taking them up the curved staircase toward the second level. Once there, he showed them down the hall to a curtained area of the wall. The curtains were open to reveal the balcony seating beyond. Two plush armchairs awaited them, the seats made of thick cushions that would be comfortable to sit upon. Severus nodded to the young man and slipped him a tip as covertly as he could. Then Severus drew Al into the balcony and the curtains were drawn closed behind them.

Acting ever the gentleman, Severus helped Al into her chair before taking his own. He watched her as she stared around at everything with the eyes of a child at Christmas. He felt a small amount of joy in knowing that he\'d put that look on her face and that it hadn\'t required pretty words of prose, love songs, or promises he didn\'t think he was capable of making. He\'d given her memories that would last her a lifetime and she would never be able to think of them without thinking of him.

The lights went out, flooding the large opera house in darkness. The stage lights came up, drawing all attention to the large wooden platform. There was an orchestra in the pit before the stage and, with a single signal from the director, each member began playing at once. The music swelled as several spotlights added extra illumination to the stage and its players, then the opera began.

Alasdair was held enthralled by the opera. She found herself lost in the soulful music and could feel every emotion that poured forth into the words. She\'d never been to an opera before, but the passion was simply beautiful. Though she didn\'t understand the words, she knew well enough what the stars were saying by their vocal intonations. There was joy and sorrow there, as well as love and a camaraderie that she thought was hard to find. Especially in real life. She found the experience so wonderful and amazing.

Through the entire perfomance, Severus watched Al. He\'d felt certain, when he\'d planned the evening, that she would find the opera to be enjoyable. Never once during the performance had she taken her eye from the stage, she was so involved with the story. He felt a certain level of satisfaction in knowing that he had chosen so well. It was more gratifying for him to watch her joy than it was for him to sit back and let the music and poetry of the language spill into his soul and wash away some of the bitterness that had lived inside of him for so long now, some of the rage and anger that festered like a poisoned wound.

Once all four acts had been completed, Severus found himself amused when Al jumped to her feet, clapping ecstatically and enthusiastically. She continued on through the three curtain calls the stars made and only stopped when he told her with a soft chuckle that it was over. Only then did Al put her arms down and allow Severus to lead her from the small, private box into the hallway. They moved for the stairs, his hand holding her elbow. Once on the lower level, they moved to the counter where Al\'s wrap awaited them. Severus helped her wind it about her shoulders, then they were once more outside, climbing into the expensive Rolls Royce limousine.

The trip was short, made in silence as Al considered where it was they were going now. It was getting late and, as far as she was concerned, the date was nearly over. She was starting to grow tired, her excitement and worry fading away to leave her feeling as if she could sleep for a month. She snuggled closer to Severus in the back seat of the sleek vehicle, leaning her head against his shoulder with a sigh. He was content to allow her to rest on him until they reached their second to last stop.

She was nodding, her head slumping heavily into his arm, when the car finally came to a stop. He roused her with a gentle nudge and couldn\'t stop the faint smile that crept onto his face when she sat up and looked around with sleepy eyes. \'Severus? Where are we?\' she asked, trying hard to stifle her yawn.

\'The last stop before we go home,\' he told her in that low, sexy voice of his that sent ripples of pleasure skittering up and down her spine. She smiled up at him and watched as the door swung open. The chauffer stood there, smiling at the two of them. Severus climbed out before her, offering his hand to her so that Alasdair could climb out of the back of the car with ease. She looked around and smiled when she saw that they were parked at the entrance of a city park of some sort.

Old fashioned lanterns were lit within the park\'s perimeter, casting a soft golden glow around the otherwise dark area. Sitting only a few feet from the car was an open carriage with a team of horses hooked to it. The matched pair of stallions were as black as pitch, each one with a blaze of white on their foreheads. The carriage they were harnessed to was a shiny black, a bench seats in the back for the passengers to ride on. There was a second bench seat,at the front of the carriage, for the driver to sit upon. A pair of carriage lanterns hung from raised hooks on the back and a garland of flowers wreathed the edges all the way around.

The driver stood near the horses, stroking their noses and speaking to them in low, soothing tones. He wore a top hat that sat at a jaunty angle on his head. His coat was black, the kind that had tails. He wore charcoal gray pants and a white shirt, his vest matching his trousers. As Al and Severus approached, the man turned and gave them a broad smile. \'Ah, good evening, sir. Madam. Please. Have a seat and we\'ll be on our merry way,\' he told them, motioning to the carriage.

There was a step hanging from the underside of the carriage to help the passenger climb up. Severus took Al\'s hand in his and gave her his assistance. She put her other hand on the edge of the carriage, then set a foot on the step. With Severus\' help, she climbed up into the back of the phyton and took her place on the leather covered bench. Severus took his place beside her and slipped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to his body. Al snuggled up to him eagerly, completely surprised by this event.

After a few words to the pair of stallions, the driver climbed up in his seat. He lifted a blanket off his bench and handed it back to the pair behind him. Severus took it and carefully spread it across his and Al\'s knees. The driver leaned down and scooped something up off the floor of the carriage before him, once more handing this item back over his seat. Severus took this and handed it to Al, who was busy staring at the area surrounding them. \'For you, my dear,\' he murmured to her.

\'Oh! They\'re beautiful!\' she exclaimed. In her hands, Al held a trio of deep red rose buds that had yet to begin opening. They were bundled with pink spray roses and wrapped in green tissue paper. She leaned up and pressed a kiss to Severus\' cheek.

As if that were his cue, the driver snapped the reins and started the horses moving. The carriage jerked, then began rolling forward smoothly. They followed a cobblestone path into the darkened park, driver and passengers lost in the magic of the night and their own thoughts.

~*~*~*~*~

\'Alasdair, wake up. We have arrived home,\' Severus nudged her gently. She was once more snuggled up against his arm, her head resting on it. She\'d fallen asleep shortly after climbing into the back of the limousine. She sat up, blinking at him before she realized that the car had stopped. Giving him a sheepish grin, she drew her wrap around her a little tighter and waited for him to slip out of the back of the grand car. His hand reached in and she took it, allowing him to help her out of the vehicle one last time. She bid the chauffer goodnight, then let Severus escort her into the house.

It was dark inside, the hour terribly late and she thought that perhaps her mother and Remus would be sleeping or at least remaining quiet until both Al and Severus were settled in their beds and sleeping. He drew her with him up the stairs and was mildly surprised when he didn\'t stop at her door. Instead, the two of them continued down the hall. When he stopped, it was before a large wooden door. Severus faced her and motioned with one hand to the closed portal. \'You do not have to go in if you do not wish to. I will not force you to do anything you are not ready to do.\'

Al smiled at him and reached for the door handle. It turned easily in her grasp and, on silent hinges, the wooden panel swung open to allow a shaft of light permeate the room beyond. Severus stared at her a moment with unreadable eyes, then he gave a faint smile and drew her to him. His mouth took hers in a soft kiss, his hands settling on her shoulders to hold her body close to his. Her hands slid up around his neck and into his hair. It was a tight squeeze with his hair braided and she suddenly wanted it free so that she could run her fingers through the length of it and pull on it when she wanted to tell him without words what she thought of the things he was doing to her body.

Together, wrapped in one another\'s arms, they managed to make their way into the darkened chamber until Severus stopped her. He broke the kiss, drawing a sigh from Al\'s throat. She listened as he moved to shut the door, then she heard the rustle of his clothing as he stepped past her. She heard the distinct striking noise of a match as it hit, then the flare of the flame. He touched the match to the wicks of a pair of candles on one side of the bed, then moved to the other to do the same. Each candle was inside of a hurricane lamp and, once the glass was lowered, the burning wicks flared brighter.

Al could see little but the large bed within the circle of light. The wood of the bed side tables and the bed frame itself were of deeply stained mahogany. It seemed to her to be a very masculine color. The bedding was done in shades of gray with accents of blue. Before she could see much more, he was once more standing before her, his hands already dispensing of her wrap. The silk garment slithered to the floor, his nimble fingers already working at the tiny, velvet covered buttons that held the dress together.

It dropped to the floor, the material whispering over her body before it landed in a heap at her feet. Al watched as Severus deftly removed her bra, then set about freeing her from the rest of her clothes. When she was naked, he stood back and simply looked at her. She could feel the heat of his eyes as they passed over her body. She suddenly felt so terribly self-conscious of her looks that she had to fight to keep her hands at her sides.

\'Simple perfection,\' he murmured. Al felt herself blush. Severus took no note and gestured to the bed with one hand. \'Lay down on your back.\'

Al nodded and moved to do as he\'d told her. She climbed up onto the massive bed and settled her head against the pillows. She watched him as he slowly disrobed, his hands working at the buttons that held him confined within his clothes. She found the view to be erotic and her hands itched to move and masage her breasts, to slip between her thighs and tease the swelling folds of her suddenly damp pussy. She knew he knew what she was thinking. She could see the knowledge of how easy it was for him to turn her on shining in those obsidian eyes of his. If anything, her anticipation saw him slowing his hands even further.

It seemed to take forever before Severus was naked before her. She let her gaze rake over him, let her eyes stop on his proudly jutting erection with it\'s weeping, glistening head and angry red color. He was hard as a rock and it was for her. Because of her. A sigh of longing left her throat and brought his piercing stare up to her breasts to watch them rise and fall and jostle with her deep breath.

Severus said nothing, simply watched Alasdair for the longest of moments. Her skin was like fine porcelain in the light of the candles. Her nipples were already fim and pointing at the ceiling, begging him to wrap his lips around them. Her legs had fallen apart of their own accord, giving him a perfect view of her moistened, swollen folds. It had been far too long since he\'d sought solace in her body. Since he\'d taken the peace only Alasdair could offer him. That same peace she was offering him now with her wordless speech and her wanton body. The peace he was gladly going to take.

He moved to the bed and carefully climbed in beside her. She watched him with fathomless eyes, their depths so great that he couldn\'t look into them for fear of getting lost. So he turned his attention instead to her breasts. His eyes devoured their shape and size before he lowered his head and took a nipple into his mouth. She sighed, her back arching as his mouth closed over the tight peak. His tongue grazed the puckered tip, his teeth applying the smallest amount of pressure to it. Her hands lifted to thread into his hair for a moment or two, then they were seeking out the end of his braid so she could release all that glorious hair.

Severus continued to feed from her nipple, sucking and pulling at it with gentle force. She could feel the tugging as it traveled from her nipple, down through her belly and into her womb. Each suck saw her muscles drawing tight with the need for something more. She freed his hair from the confining braid he\'d put it into for the evening, allowing the soft, silky locks to fall around him and all over her body. The ends only served to tickle her flesh and heighten her arousal and need for him.

Finally, when Al thought she was going to cry, Severus moved to the neglected breast. He treated it to the same attention he\'d given the first one, his mouth and tongue and teeth working in tandom to raise the level of desire that flooded her veins. His slow, sensual assault was working so effectively in draining her will to act. She was nothing more than a bundle of nerves that quivered in anticipation of what was to come and all she could do was wait for him to get there.

She lost track of time, so she wasn\'t sure when his mouth moved to trail hot, wet kisses down the center of her body. His tongue swirled over her skin, tracing invisible patterns that marked her as his own. It was the only way he could think of to tell her how he felt. He certainly couldn\'t put it into words. But he could show her. He could make his intentions known in deed, if not word. He could make her his with the way his tongue turned and curled, with the way his mouth pressed butterfly soft kisses to her flesh. She was vibrating with emotion beneath him and her body jumped when his tongue dipped into the indent of her navel.

Alasdair\'s back bowed up off of the bed when his mouth touched her most secret places. He was careful to keep his hands away from her, wishing to give her intense pleasure with only his lips, his tongue and his teeth. A shuddering sigh escaped her lips, telling him that he was succeeding in his method of attack. Her thighs shifted further apart, spreading her nether lips wide for him. He took advantage of the move by sliding his tongue in between the open lips, into the depths of her wet pussy.

He groaned as the very essence of her filled his mouth and his nostrils. She smelled of feminine musk, as well of need and desire. She was so very hot and she wanted him. She tasted of passion and pleasure, of joy and sadness. It made him that much more determined to drive those feelings from her mind. He was selfish enough that he didn\'t want to ever taste sorrow in her tears or upon her lips. He didn\'t want to taste it in the dewy moisture that flooded her tight passage.

Her cries were soft in the large room, her body moving against his questing tongue. He pressed as deep as he could with his tongue, thrusting the muscle in and out for a while before pulling back to lap at her clit and along the swollen folds of her lips. He could sense her impending orgasm, felt the growing need mingled with excitement in the currents of air that swept around her body. It only encouraged him to double his efforts.

He pressed the flat of his tongue to her clit, rubbing it over the small nubbin. The tiny bundle of nerves was pulsating beneath him. Drawing his tongue back, he sucked the small bit of flesh between his teeth and nipped it. She cried out and arched, panting out a silent plea. Severus took pity on her and drove his tongue back into her pussy. Her orgasm came with a soft moan and a shiver of muscles before her body relaxed back against the thick mattress beneath her. He lifted his head and moved up over her, positioning his body in harmony with hers. Then he pressed his lips to her own and kissed her, driving his tongue into the warm cavern to duel with her own.

Al\'s arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close to her as she whimpered in the back of her throat. She could feel his cock nestled against the aching flesh of her pussy. She needed him so badly. She\'d never thought this day would come. She\'d never let herself believe that he\'d want anything more to do with her now. She was so glad to find she\'d been so very wrong. It was heaven to be laying pinned beneath him, his mouth slowly plundering hers. It felt as if he was drawing her very soul out through her mouth and he was taking possession of it and her all at once. It was a feeling she thought she could grow terribly used to.

Severus thrust into her wordlessly, bringing a strangled gasp from Alasdair. She wrapped her legs about his waist automatically, drawing him deeper into her body. He lifted his head to look down at her, then rolled and took her with him. Soon, he lay on his back and she was left to straddle his waist. His cock, so hard and thick inside of her, shifted deeper and filled her so completely that she felt as if they were two halves made whole when he\'d possessed her body. She stared down at him a moment. Then his hands reached out and curled about her hips, shifting her up and down over her length.

Al didn\'t need any further prompting. She continued the rhythm easily, her legs moving her body on top of him. She sought his gaze with her own. Their eyes locked and held while she rocked back and forth. His hips arched up, thrusting himself deeper. She groaned, but didn\'t close her eyes. She wanted to watch him when he orgasmed. She wanted him to see into her soul when she did the same. She would never, in her life, want another man the way she wanted Severus and she intended to make sure he knew.

The two moved in near silent unison. The only sounds in the near dark room were sighs and gasps, panting and moaning. Two bodies slapping softly against one another in time to a dance that was older than history and more primal than the need to fight to protect one\'s property. Everything spiraled away in a haze of lust and passion, of need and desire. A high-pitched cry filled the near silence, followed shortly by a deep groan of completion. Two bodies tumbled to the bed together, spent and lost in exhaustion and exhiliration.

Silence filled the house as Alasdair and Severus slid into peaceful slumber, her body sprawled over his and cradled gently in his arms. The candles sputtered out and died, leaving the room to darkness. A small, bald-headed creature popped into the large bedroom suite to pull the covers up over her Master and Mistress.

It was gone as quickly and as silently as it came.

end chapter twenty one.
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my usual thanks to my usual people. they all know who they are and why i constantly thank them. love you guys lots! ~mu-wah!~

if you liked this, please feel free to let me know. but be warned... i\'m my own beta and all mistakes are, sadly, my own. i can\'t blame them on the bunnies. damned furry little creatures hop off at the first sign of danger...... bugger.

and finally.....

to Pearle: i hope this chapter appeases your need for Severus. i know you\'re actually reading for him. snarky bastard that he is. i\'m glad Remus is in a relationship, too. i felt he needed one. i also felt he needed to be with a woman who would understand that those other things that he was didn\'t change who he was on the inside. and Aletha seemed to be the one to do it. as for Al finding out about Severus.... you\'ll just have to read on to learn that. ~insert evil laughter here~

to Katherine Rose: glad you liked it. hope you like this one, too.

to Red Writing Hood; oh, pish! ~blushes~ my writing isn\'t that good. you\'re only saying that because of the rum.... why is the rum gone? seriously, thanks for loaning me your mother\'s name. it seems to fit the character well and i\'m glad that she\'s taken with Remus, too. he needs loving as much as she does.

to tamargrl: i\'m glad you liked that update. i was really happy with that chapter. i feel it was a good show of emotions for the two without being too sappy or out of line. i\'m quite sure Severus will get a clue eventually. just wait and see.

to camille: so glad you enjoy this story so much. i\'ve really enjoyed writing it. i hope you like this chapter as much as the rest of it.

to star: it was rather a romantic chapter. but that\'s sort of how i imagine Remus would be with a woman. he is, in his own way, sophisticated to some extent. yet he\'s still rather hip and with it. hard to explain. but i just get this image in my head as to how i think the character should do something. almost always, he lets me do it that way, too.

to Echo: glad to know you aren\'t disappointed.