The Pet

The Pet

Chapter Seven

It all belongs to Rowling, except what you don’t recognize.

“Job well done, Hermione.” Snape patted her shoulder absent-mindedly, “The school should open this September as scheduled.” He swept past her down the corridor, his robes flying behind him.

Hermione kept her face very still as she watched his retreating form. Prof. Snape didn’t give complements often and if you showed any reaction he would follow it with a swift insult—based on his theory that all Gryffindor students developed swelled heads if their egos were not regularly punctured. She nodded and continued weaving the protective spell on the kitchens. No unauthorized students would be able to raid the kitchens—at least not until Hogwarts hosted another pair of students as brilliant at mischief as the Weasley twins.

Another ten minutes of intense focus and she was ready to throw up. She’d just made contact with an older spell, one that sucked the energy from her. She backed away, warding herself. Rather than disappoint Snape, she’d head into the newly restored library and do a spot of research to find out what was the spell she just hit. She made herself a sandwich and carried it wrapped in paper in her pocket. It was an hour past her lunchtime and her stomach was rumbling. Fortunately, the school was almost empty so there’d be no one to complain about crumbs near the books.

Hermione walked down the corridor leading to the library. A portrait waved and called to her.

“Girl, girl, do you think you could put in a word with the professor? The new spell is causing a rash. Don’t want to say where, but—“

“Yes, Sir Cadogan. I’ll mention it.”

She made a mental note to find the portrait restorer who was now working in one of the towers. It seemed that Hogwarts would never be ready. The house elves had all disappeared, the enchantments binding them to Hogwarts having become unraveled. How could Hogwarts manage without Elves? Well, she’d tried to convince them to leave during her fourth, fifth and sixth years and now understood her folly. Snape had told her, rather ominously, that when they did locate the Elves, she’d be in charge of any negotiation needed. As much as Hermione liked the Elves and wanted to get decent treatment for them, she hated the thought of dealing with the Trustees of Hogwarts. They’d been quite vocal in their insistence that Hogwarts should remain unchanged in every aspect. Well, they could all go whistle.

She entered the library, saw Tonks perched in a window seat and turned to leave. But it was too late, Tonks had seen her and sent a spell to bar the door.

“Hermione, it’s been months. You got to talk to me sometime.”

“Oh? Why should I?” Hermione glared at her, wondering how quickly she could undo the spell on the door.

“You still angry about St. Mungo’s?”

“It was humiliating. Yes. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some research to do.”

“In a moment. You’re a big girl now. They had to examine you to make sure that he hadn’t enchanted you. And it was a good thing. Unprotected sex, a post-coitus spell was necessary—“

“Oh, just leave.” Hermione felt her face go red. She didn’t fancy being reminded of it all. How after they had left the island she had been swept up in a series of events that still rankled as everyone insisted on treating her like some abused child rather than a woman in charge of her own fate. About the only solace in the whole matter was having been given over to Snape as his assistant in the reconstruction of Hogwarts. Snape had turned out to be the most decent one of the lot, although he’d never openly display it. Hermione sat down and unwrapped her sandwich. She didn’t have time for this.

Tonks sighed and sat across from her. “I want things to be right between us. It was Remus’fault. He should have told someone where you were. It’s obvious what happened, the selfish bugger just wanted you to himself.”

“And is that a bad thing? With all the danger and possibility of spies and whatever else. He wanted to keep me safe. Protecting me, that’s all. But now he refuses to have anything to do with me.”

“Sure, he was in love with you, but true to form vacillated and equivocated. That’s Remus all over. He wants to be accepted but he hates himself too much to allow it to happen. Oh, yes. I’ve got his number!” She drummed her fingers on the table.

Hermione swallowed a bite of sandwich and put the rest away. “He won’t answer my owls.”

“He probably doesn’t want to see you anymore. He got caught red handed and his pride is hurt. Feeds right into his all his self-loathing. No doubt he’s sitting around that little island of his sulking up a right storm. Hermione, it’s difficult for him. No one will hire him for a job. Wizards like to believe they can support their women in some measure of comfort.”

“Are you still in love with him?” The bread from the sandwich seemed to stick in her throat and she regretted not having brought something to drink.

“No, ducky. He was fun for a while, but it got tired. You are young and inexperienced. He’s--”Tonks sighed. “Two weeks out of the month he’s fine, but for one week before the transformation his hormones, or body chemistry, whatever, goes wild. He’s good at hiding it, covering up all these feelings of despair and fear, but he hates the transformation and himself for going through it. Then the week after there’s this exhaustion as his body tries to swim back to normality. Think about it, it’s not just the changing at the full moon, it’s half his life ruined.”

Hermione shifted uneasily. “And he has to go through it all alone? Without another soul in the universe to care.”

“I cared. It’s a bottomless pit. Don’t waste your life. Go out and be with a few other men and find out how much fun life can be.”

Tonks got a far off look in her eyes.

“Is it Professor Snape?”

“What, what about him?” Tonks snapped to attention.

“You stopped caring about Remus and shifted your attentions to him.”

“Severus was my job. And what if I do still care about him?” Tonks felt a bit confused.

“Well, he’s—“ Hermione didn’t want to admit to her own attraction to him, especially now they were working together. Here was a man with his own “issues” and Tonks couldn’t deny it. “He was trying to get Remus sent to Azkaban even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.”

“Kidnapping not wrong?”

“I went willingly with him!”

“You need more practice lying, you do.”

“So it’s Professor Snape that you love.”

“Why do I have to love anyone?” Tonks frowned.

“Well, I was thinking.”

“Really, Hermione Granger thinking, what a surprise.”

&&&


“Hermione, don’t struggle. You’ve proven you have a taste for older men.”

“Professor Snape. This is most unexpected.”

“I saw how you used to watch me at Grimmauld Place. I thought it was just a schoolgirl crush.”

“I thought that, too. But I’m a woman now, and being here, working alongside you—well, I think we both know better.”

Remus had rounded the corner to the Great Hall when his acute hearing picked up the voices of Snape and Hermione.

He’d been summoned to Hogwarts and was hoping that it involved a paying job of some sort. It could be anything, but he’d love to teach DADA again. He laughed, that would be a cold day in Hell! Not with Snape in charge of Hogwarts! Then again, perhaps the huge responsibility had forced him to drop the luxury of old grievances, at least Remus hoped that was the case. But now he was stuck eavesdropping on the women he loved with Prof. Snape. The sound of a kiss drifted on the air. Remus’ heart sped and he took an angry step forward. He’d taken about as much as he could from the evil spider! Of all the Wizards she could have taken up with, not Severus. He took another step forward and stopped himself.

He’d rejected her. Refused to reply to her owls, thinking that a clean break was better. What right did he have?

But Snape was taking advantage of her naïveté, and using her vulnerability.

“I think I still love Remus,” came Hermione’s voice. She sounded distressed. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

“Touch me, Hermione. I’m a man, not some aberration of nature. I can give you everything. Say that you’ll marry me.”

“Ohhh.”

Hermione’s cry pushed Remus over the edge. He had to stop this. She was his, and he’d kill for her. With blood in his eye, he rushed through the door and hurled the potions professor against the wall away from his love. The Marauder’s Map fell out of Snape’s pocket.

“Hermione, did he hurt you?” Remus took her in his arms. He noted her lips were red and bruised and her hair was disheveled. Her cheeks were flushed.

“Remus, what are you doing here?” Hermione’s eyes shone brightly.

“Rescuing you from that monster.”

“I think you are overstepping yourself,” she whispered.

“What?”

“You don’t want me. And he does.”

Remus held her more tightly, “Who says I don’t want you?”

“You did. You—“

He kissed her forcefully and tasted blood. “Oh, damn it all. Your lip is cut.”

He brought out a handkerchief and put it to her bloodied lip.

“You are an idiot, Lupin!” said Snape from where he leaned against the wall.

Remus felt urged on by Snape’s pronouncement. “Perhaps I’ve been so. Hermione, you know I’m a lycanthrope.”

“Yes. And I don’t care. I just wish--” she pulled away from him.

“What?”

“Professor Snape, are you all right?”

“Now, she asks.” Snape sighed. “Go off and sort yourselves out. You are making me ill.”

“I want to go back to the island. I think we need time to—“

“Yes. Anything you want.” A moment ago he’d been ready to kill Snape to have her. He felt filled with acute feelings of possession. He had no idea how they would make this work, but for the first time since she left he felt alive again. He stroked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Oh for Merlin’s tears do leave and get on with it. I’m about ready to die from the saccharine,” whined Snape.

Hermione came to herself. “Thank you “Professor”. Let’s go then. We can Apparate directly from here, none of the wards are up today.”

He put his arms around her and they left.

A second Severus Snape emerged from the shadows of the hall.

“That was the most disgusting display of Sapphoric behavior I have ever witnessed.”

Tonks morphed back to herself, but was still dressed in Snape’s robes. “So, you watch a lot of that sort of stuff, eh? Well, thanks for lending us the use of your spare robe. Harry’s map was rather useful as well.” She rubbed the back of her head where it had made contact with the stone wall.

“Two Witches kissing.”

“One Witch and one Metamorphmagus, please. I certainly wasn’t going to go any further than kissing, didn’t bother with the equipment,” she laughed.

“No, Wizard’s wand?” Snape half grinned.

“I think you enjoyed watching us.”

“And if I did?”

“Why you old lech.” Tonks crossed over to him and tentatively put her arms around him. She waited for him to protest. When he didn’t, she kissed him. And was rewarded by him returning the embrace. She felt his tongue dart along her lips and she let him in. The kiss was sweet and long and she felt his hardness grow against her stomach.

Eventually Snape broke the kiss and let her go. Tonks staggered. “Oh my, oh my. I… Severus?”

“A good bye kiss. I’m getting married.”

“No. You can’t mean it.” Tonks blinked, “I won’t allow it. I mean. What about us?”

“You’ve made it abundantly clear that you are nothing more than a light skirt. I have a lovely virginal little Hufflepuff all selected. Still in sixth year, but her father and I have been negotiating—“

“Negotiating? Like she’s chattel! Why you bastard…”

“With my new position in Wizarding society I can have my choice of Witches. Why would I want some old scold, like you for my wife? If we were married I’d have to be checking under my bed to make sure there weren’t any werewolves lurking about.”

“That is unfair! You just witnessed that I helped get Hermione and Remus together.”

“Yes, quite irritating. I don’t sound like that at all—saccharine, what’s that? And what about the next werewolf that comes along?”

“You are barmy!”

“A Hufflepuff is much more trusting and reliable. And this one is terrified of me. She practically faints when I come in the room.”

“And that’s what you fancy? Some timid little schoolgirl? And you wanted Remus arrested for being with Hermione, you bloody hypocrite!”

“Some timid little schoolgirl with ta-tas large enough to suffocate oneself in—“

“Some fat cow!” Tonks eyes went wide with shock.

Snape burst out laughing. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. And then it changed to a combined sound of pain and laughter as he dragged himself to a chair gripping his leg.

“Your leg, are you--?”

“It’s been getting better. A magical brace from St. Mongo’s is helping.” He wiped tears from his eyes, still chuckling.

Tonks hit him. “You had me going there. You really had me going. You were joking all along.”

“You are a most entertaining Witch! I couldn’t imagine myself with some whey faced little Hufflepuff, but you did. You swallowed it whole, I can’t believe you were a Ravenclaw.” He continued to laugh.

“Severus?”

He sighed. “Had to get some of my own back after all those months.”

“Severus?” Tonks had a sad feeling about this. “What about the kiss?”

“Most enjoyable. Thank you. Now you may toddle off to your next unattainable conquest.”

“So it’s all fun and games?” her shoulders drooped.

“Until someone gets hurt?”

“I do love you, Severus.”

For a moment his harsh features were transformed into someone much kinder and gentler, the person he might have been had he never heard of the Death Eaters.

“Tonks,” he shook his head, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I lived to see the end of the Dark Lord. And that is all that I lived for.”

“And now that it’s over. You’re still young. Everything is obviously in working order, in spite of the gammy leg. Please, let me in. Don’t you see it? No teasing, no joking, I’m begging you, Severus. Give us a try.”

Softly he said, “I rather think it’s too late for this old dog.”

“Let me teach you.” Slowly, almost shyly, she came forward, and tripped over her black robes. She fell hard, entangled in the borrowed clothing.

Snape limped forward and helped her to her feet. With a half smile, he lifted her chin and brought his lips down on hers. The kiss lasted until they both pulled away, breathless.

“Tonks, I’m not interested in any dalliance. I’ve wasted too much time to wish to engage myself in meaningless affairs.”

“So if I want to be with you, it would have to be for keeps?” she grinned.

“Yes, and I’m dead serious about this.”

“Well—I’ll get back to you in a couple of weeks, and—Yes, you nasty old bat. That has to be the most left-handed wedding proposal a Witch ever received.”

“You’ll marry me?” a look of wariness spread over his face.

“I said I would, didn’t I?”

Snape’s face again softened. “Yes, you did. Yes!”

He held her tight against him, breathing her fragrance and feeling her thin, soft body melt into his. “When?” he whispered into her ear.

“If we hurry, maybe we can do it at the Ministry today. Unless you wanted to take a test run right now, hmmm?”

“Test run? You mean.” Snape mouth hung open.

“That’s it. You can’t wriggle away from me this time.” She clasped her hands around his back and bumped her groin against his.

“I most certainly can and I will. I have a very important meeting regarding Hogwarts starting in a few minutes. Any “test run” could be conducted later this evening.” He took her hand and kissed it.

“Cancel it.”

“Just like that?” He felt himself weakening again, wanting to make her happy and wanting some happiness for himself. He leaned in and kissed her.

“For your future wife?” Tonks watched him, waiting and praying that he’d for once not be his usual contrary self.

“Damn! Hermione’s gone so I can’t have her do it for me. Well come along then Tonks, if I have to tell the Minister of Magic I’m too busy for him I think I’ll want an Auror by my side.

Holding hands, they Apparated to the Ministry to cancel the meeting.


&&&

“Remus, I think it’s all very simple.” Hermione took another bite of her apple. They were on the beach sitting on a large quilt with a picnic basket set along side it.

Remus sighed. “That’s the beauty of being eighteen, it all is very simple.”

“And perhaps, my vision of things is better than yours.”

He found himself amused in spite of the serious nature of their conversation. “Really. Youth over maturity? I think not.” A smile pulled at his lips.

“You’ve spent practically half your life in a war situation.”

“As have you.”

Hermione ignored him, “And it’s warped your perspective.” She picked up a mug of iced tea and sipped it. “The war is over now and it’s time to change gears. There is a future open to you.”

“Not to me, not to a werewolf.” The bitterness broke over him in a bleak wave.

“Part of that is true. Your moods fluctuate because of your curse. But because of the money Sirius left you, you have more security than you’ve ever had. You have a beautiful home now and no one can take that away from you. If you don’t want me here during the full of the moon, I can leave and you can have the run of the place. And you can start up your own business here and—“

“Stop! My head is spinning. You’ve planned this all out.”

“We love each other? Don’t we?”

He swallowed. “Yes. I love you. I’ve missed you horribly.”

“There you have it!”

“That simple?”

Hermione launched herself at him and he wound up on his back with his head on the sand and the girl straddling him. “Yes. That simple. Now shut up and make love to me.”

“Umm. I’ve no protection.”

“Then we’ll have to use mine,” she produced from her pocket a small bottle of contraceptive potion.

“You, you did have this all planned,” he said with a quizzical look.

Hermione smiled and drank down the vial.


&&&

“It was nice of Arthur to marry us,” said Tonks, looking around Snape’s rather dreary bedroom. She turned back the faded green counterpane and made a face over the drab colored sheets.

“Nonsense, it was just his excuse to get to have the meeting anyway.” He quirked a smile at her as he kicky a dirty sock of his under the dresser. “And I’m sure he was dying to try out his new powers as Minister of Magic. Although your contribution to the discussion was most enlightening.” He noticed that his palms had grown quite moist.

“Yes, to be sure. I think the Elves are probably hiding in plain sight right here in Hogwarts. They would have had nowhere else to go. You just need to be able to find the right spell and they will all re-appear.”

“Intelligence, beauty and unbelievable clumsiness. Such a sterling combination in a Witch.” Snape stared at his wife. A feeling of unreality came over him. Now that they were alone in his chambers, he felt afraid. Maybe he should have opted for a test run that afternoon as she so cleverly put it?

“What is it? You look like I just turned into the Bloody Baron.”

“Tonks, what did you ever see in me?”

She walked over to the bed and sat down. She patted the spot beside her. He sat down next to her.

“Deep down, you like having fun as much as I do. In spite of everything, you’ve found a way to enjoy your life. Even if it was just through being nasty.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Your turn. What did you see in me?”

“You don’t expect me to answer that?”

“I most certainly do.”

“Well, I already told you, intelligence and beauty along with the elegance of a circus clown. And when you were hurt in that battle at the Ministry, I felt something.” He stared down at his hands.

All Tonks’ doubts fled her. He had cared for her before she’d ever noticed him. “Take off your clothes.”

“Tonks.” He was feeling a bit light headed. He put his hand over hers.

“Merlin’s Balls, when was the last time you got shagged? You are as coy as a virgin.”

Sighing, Snape removed his robes, revealing a skinny, pale body. The magical brace gleamed as an intricate lathwork of thin silvery lines plaited over his leg up past his knee to mid thigh. “Satisfied?”

Tonks first kissed him on the lips and then trailed kisses down he neck. When her mouth reached one of his nipples he moaned.

“Yes, I think you’ll do just fine,” laughed Tonks as Snape rose to the occasion. “We didn’t need a test run at all.”

Snape’s hands were shaking as he undressed his new bride. He was dismayed by her tank top and thong. “Muggle clothing?”

“Kinky, no?”

“No. Let’s get them off right away.” His breath caught in his throat and he forgot his embarrassment over his unlovely physique and the brace as he lifted up her top, revealing the dark areoles of her very erect nipples.

Tonks slipped off the offending thong and lay down on her back. “How’s this.”

Snape’s eyes roved hungrily over her athletic body. “Past all expectations,” Snape brought himself over her, his engorged cock leaving a trail of moisture across her thigh. “I feel like I’m dreaming.” He pressed his body against her and kissed her, stroking her hair. He pressed his erection between her legs and slowly entered her.

“I forgot my contraceptive potion.”

“I want children.” He paused. “Do you want children?”

“Hadn’t thought of it, really. Yes, I do. Err. How many?”

“Oooh, at least a dozen. I want them crawling, mewling and puking all over Hogwarts, it’s only fair after what I’ve endured from other people’s spawn. Share the misery. And then when they are old enough, they shall all go into Slytherin and we will win the house cup for a decade or two.” He returned to the matter at hand, finding himself a little less hard than before.

“Hold on,” said Tonks, “are you sure this won’t trigger one of those spells with your leg?”

“Now, you ask?” Snape felt like he was about to die from a combination of lust and frustration. “Damn it, woman. I don’t know and I couldn’t care less!”

Tonks stroked his chest, “Well, then, carry on. But if you—“

He stopped her words with a kiss. And then he removed his mostly flaccid penis from her. “I don’t think we are ready for this.”

“Was it something I said?”

Snape’s laugh echoed in the chamber.

&&&

Hermione had him trapped under her. “Remus, I want to move back here. I can commute between Hogwarts and the island. We can be together, always.”

Remus tried to get up. She pressed down on him with her full weight. He found that her bottom grinding into his loin was very distracting. Yes, he was her prisoner. “Hermione, the Wizarding world doesn’t approve of such arrangements. Your reputation—“

“Already in shreds, thank you very much.” She leaned down and planted a kiss on his mouth.

Remus wanted to take her then and there. And yet, it was time to sort things out.

“I love you. But I can’t offer you very much. You shouldn’t throw your life away on me.”

She squeezed his ribs with her knees, “Do you want to marry me?”

“Well, of course I do.”

“Soo?” She leaned down and nibbled in a bit of skin just under his ear.

“No fair, love,” he gasped. “I can’t think straight when you do that.”

“Exactly. Will you or won’t you marry me?”

“I… do.” He flipped her under him and kissed her deeply, exploring her mouth.

He brought her robes up past her waist and was shocked to find she was wearing no knickers at all.

&&&

“Actually, I do prefer a bit of foreplay,” said Tonks.

“Foreplay? What’s that?”

“Oh, you Wizards. It means that before you shag me, you bring me close to the edge of orgasmic completion. That way, when you have your wicked way with me, I don’t get left behind and unsatisfied after you’ve had yours.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, indeed.”

“Witches have orgasms? And, and, what doings go under the category of foreplay?”

“Well, I’m glad you asked. I will say that you are taking it much better than Remus did.”

&&&

The sound of the surf rumbling in his ears, and the tang of the ocean was lost to other senses as he threw off his robe and pressed up against her naked body. The softness of her skin invited him to lick and nip her neck and then her breasts.


&&&

Snape had always been an apt student. He kissed Tonks with lips still wet from her essence. His finger entered her and he fucked her with first one and then two digits. He kept going at it, until the flush on her cheeks and the crescendo of her moans led him to believe she was close to climax.

&&&

“Hermione, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve thought about you every second.” It felt odd to Hermione, to be lying there stark naked under the bright cerulean sky. She stared at his body, and the hard cock jutting up between his legs. Suddenly she felt very free. She reached out and caressed his member. It jumped at her touch.

Remus blushed, “Do you still trust me?”

“Of course I do, in spite of all that mess. I never lost faith in you.”

He sat back on his knees and pulled Hermione up. Stretching out his legs he brought her over him, facing him. Slowly he brought her down over his erection.

Hermione gasped as she was impaled on his cock. Soon he was fully sheathed in her and she was sitting in his lap.

“How’s that?” he asked.

“You’re so deep inside of me. It feels wonderful. What now?”

“Whatever you’d like,” he licked the hollow between her two breasts and then sucked on one breast while fondling the other.

Hermione rocked a bit back and forth, soon finding that one spot in particular made her want to cry out. She continued to move her hips, managing to hit the spot over and over again until she came close to losing control.

“That’s right, dear. Let it happen.” Remus watched his lover’s face contort with passion as he gently twisted and played with her nipples. Feeling his own climax near, he grasped her hips and bucked upward. “Yes, my love, now, now,” he crooned, trying his best not to come before her.

“Oh Gods, yes.” She grabbed his hair and held onto him tightly as she fell over the threshold of her climax.

Remus, feeling her muscles tightening and pulse around him, pushed his hips hard into her. Controlling her and rocking back and forth he brought himself to orgasm.

For a few minutes they simply held each other trembling and gasping for air. Finally Remus lay back on the sand and Hermione stretched out her legs behind her, laying over him. He kissed the top of her head and caressed her back.

“Hmmm. That was lovely,” Hermione closed her eyes and drifted off.

Remus picked up the corner of the quilt and folded it over them, wrapping them together in a cozy cocoon.

&&

Snape thrust his cock into her. Her fingers dug into his back, encouraging him to continue. Soon they fell into a steady rhythm. Feeling his balls beginning to tighten, he sped up the pace. His leg gave a warning ache.

He kept going. Deprived of satisfying his needs for so long, he’d have rather cut off the damned leg than let it interfere. He drove himself faster and deeper, focusing only on the pleasure that was mounting in his loins as he neared completion. His balls tightened and he felt himself heading to his climax.

“Yes,” Tonks screamed and gyrated her hips, causing Snape’s cock to slip out of her, just as he was about to cum. “Oh, not yet, please, I’m so close,” her nails drew blood and she reached down for him. She took his aching cock and slid it back in. “Yes,” she yelled, and wrapped her legs around his, trapping him in a leg hold. She grabbed hold of his skinny butt and ground against him with all her might.

Snape came just as she did.

&&&

“Hello? Sleepy Head?” Remus caressed her brown tousled curls.

“Hmmm. Remus.” Hermione opened her eyes. The moon was a thin sliver on the horizon, casting a pale light on the phosphorescence of the waves. She heard the sounds of night crickets in the beach grasses. “We slept hours.”

“That we did. Well, let’s get to bed, a proper bed. Soon the sun will be up, and it will be our wedding day.”

Hermione gave him a quick kiss, “I like the sound of that.”

&&&

“Sev? Severus? Hmm. Wakey, wake.”

“Tonks, umm, what time is it?”

“I’m hungry. Do you think we could raid the kitchen?”

Snape sighed. Married less than a day and it was time to feed his wife. “Hermione put a non-raiding spell of some sort on the kitchen but hasn’t given me the pass code. Tell you what? We’ll head down to The Leaky Cauldron, have a meal and spend the night.”

Tonks hugged him. “Oh, a real honeymoon, and just think our first meal as husband and wife.” While hugging him she managed to overbalance them both, pulling Snape off of the bed with her. They wound up on the floor in a tangle of sheets.

Smiling, Snape sighed and kissed her hand, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


The End


AN: When I started this story in Feb. 2004, it was planned as a half-dozen chapters. I didn’t expect it would take very long to write. Since then, I left fandom, returned to writing original fiction (after a 13 year hiatus), wrote and finished a novel, completed the rough draft on another novel, and wrote the first three chapters of a third one.

Deviating from my normal fanfic writing style was difficult, like pulling teeth at times. And I wish to thank, deeply and sincerely, each and every one who left a review. Sadly, the old familiar names from my fanfic days have disappeared, but the new names I treasure as well.

Never say “never”, but I expect this to be my last Harry Potter fanfic. I’ve got a book to sell, and a couple more to finish.

So as they say in Hitchhiker’s Guide, “So long and thanks for all the fish!”