Entry tags:

fic, snape, tonks

Special Delivery For: karasu_hime, pt 2
Title: Six Ways To Sunday, pt. 2
Author: odogoddess
Recipient's LJ name: karasu_hime
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Snape/Tonks
Word Count: this section 7,210. 11,750 total.
Warnings (if any): karasu_hime, among other things, you asked for women in charge, fingering, first time-kissing or sex, dirty talk, experimenting. I think I managed a bit of all that. You also said you don't mind angst or even having your heart ripped out as long as everyone is together/happy at end. Check. Well, what you didn't ask for and this story contains is mention of (off-screen) torture, legilimentic voyeurism, and h/c.

Summary: This fic explains one possible way Snape regained Voldemort's trust after Goblet Of Fire.
Authors notes: Thank you to my beta's and britpicker, who shall remain anonymous. karasu_hime, your work has given me so much joy that I was delighted to be chosen to write for you. I hope you enjoy your wizard_love. :) Oh, and by the by, all inset quotes are from Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire.

Continued from part 1

"Pyjama party, is it?"
Moody



Tonks had cleansed them both with a wave of her wand, then taken his hand and urged Snape to share tea with her.

To his surprise, he was famished, despite having missed dinner and not eaten all day out of nerves. The nerves were now quiescent as the initial part of his ordeal was now over and he could think more clearly again, so he readily agreed.

They both enjoyed a proper tea, with sandwiches and various nibbles the kitchen elves had brought. As they began to eat, Nymphadora had asked him about the properties of various potions in use at the Ministry and Severus gladly focused on something besides his nerves and the fact he had spunked in his pants at the merest touch of her fingers.

Soon, they had finished their repast and were pondering the next step, Severus with mild trepidation and Nymphadora with tempered anticipation.

Her kind, now almond-brown eyes -- their non-magical shade -- held nothing but enthusiasm and not a little bit of interest in events as she silently reached for his hand. He took it and allowed her to urge him from his chair and toward the bedroom.

Once there, she stopped by the bed and turned to him, her hair shifting to a lustrous, wavy brown and graced him with a small smile.

"Would you like to watch me undress? Or would you like to undress me?"

He cleared his throat to speak, then hesitated. She waited and finally said softly, "I'm not saying this to offend, but just to remind you that I will gladly change anything about myself you like. I mean it. I know I'm not much to look at otherwise, so it's kind of a nice feature. Don't you think?"

His dark eyes flashed with what looked like anger and she winced, but he released a slow breath to speak.

"Miss--" He paused and Tonks was surprised when Snape stepped up and cupped her cheek with one cool hand. "Nymphadora. You are, I assure you, most aesthetically pleasing without artifice."

She swallowed, feeling her knees go a bit weak at the deep timbre of his voice and his clear sincerity.

"Um... Could you call me Tonks?" The muscle in his cheek twitched and she shrugged. "Sorry. I guess for this it's okay. It's just... I don't care for Nymphadora."

"I shall endeavour to call you as you wish, but keep in mind, I find your first name charming and unique and have no difficulty in using it."

Tonks nodded, fighting a blush. "It's all right. I mean, between us like this, I don't mind as much. At least, I know you're not saying it to be obnoxious."

His dark gaze was assessing and Snape stepped closer still as he quietly responded, "A nymph is a spirit of nature, a creature of myth... a beautiful young woman, and that is what you are."

She smiled despite herself, and blushed fiercely. "Yeah, but a dor is a dung beetle, and from nymph to nympho isn't a great stretch. The kids that didn't call me nympha-dorkus... well, you know what they used to say."

He lifted a brow. To her surprise, Snape began to stroke her cheek. His touch was gentle, even if his fingertips were rough with callouses. Snape's voice grew even deeper as he softly spoke.

"You remember, I'm sure, what your cousin called me." Tonks considered this and he added solemnly, "You may call me Severus."

She gave him a shy smile he found rather endearing and replied, "Nymphadora is okay. Although, I still prefer Tonks."

"Nymphadora," he murmured before bending his head slightly to kiss her.

It was gentle and hesitant, but soon firmed as she responded, slipping one hand behind his neck to pull him closer. He drew back briefly to draw in breath and she pressed her forehead to his, savouring the closeness and the feeling of his warm breath against her cheek. His breath smelt of tea and sultanas.

She could feel him tremble slightly and he sucked in a deep breath and spoke with his eyes tightly closed.

"Nymphadora... Tonks... I would appreciate it if we could do this, the first time, with no light."

She nodded, wincing as she knocked her forehead with his slightly and then blushed. "I don't mind, but isn't that, well, counter to what you need to give old You Know Who?"

He opened his eyes at this and she was taken aback at the pain she could see and sense in their depths.

"He won't see it. I don't want him to see it."

Tonks understood. Snape wanted his first intimate encounter to be confidential, as it should be, she privately agreed. Plus, it amused her to think she would, in effect, be taking his virginity twice; once for real and once for show.

She waved her wand. "Nox."

The room went dark, not quite pitch black, but dark enough that she could only make out his shape. She automatically adjusted her eyes to night-vision, and realised another benefit to this would be her ability to shift her features without disturbing or distracting him. With her night-vision, she could also see him and be able not to fumble around so much. She did enough of that without help from the dark!

"All right then." Tonks stuffed her wand into her trouser pocket and reached out and grasped Snape's hand and lifted it to the bottom edge of her jumper, then placed her fingers on the buttons near his collar. "My clothes aren't charmed or anything."

He nodded and began to lift her jumper along with her tunic, even as she began to work the tiny buttons free on his collar. He paused and cleared his throat and she waited.

"I, uh... my waistcoat and shirt are both charmed. If you stroke the top button, they all open as one."

"Ooh," she nearly purred and reached back up to stroke the buttons as directed and watched with delight as his chest was slowly revealed.

He had scarring, she noted. Old hex marks and curse scars, and other indistinguishable marks liberally marred his otherwise milk-pale flesh. A thin patch of hair was sprinkled over his sternum, narrowing to a thin line that dipped down to the waist of his trousers. She gently slid his shirt and waistcoat off and levitated them to his dresser, then held her arms up as he gently lifted and pulled the jumper off her, along with her tunic.

Tonks took her wand and tucked it in her hair and placed her hands on his trouser placket. Snape drew in a shivery breath and Tonks smiled as she tested the top button, stroking it. To her delight the buttons all popped open and his burgeoning erection, barely covered by his fine linen pants, slid out.

He seemed frozen in place, scarcely breathing and she placed his hands on her own trousers. The action seemed to galvanise him and he fumbled with her button and zip until they were open and he slid cool fingers through her belt loops and gently tugged them down, until he was crouched before her, feeling for her shoes.

She toed them off and lifted one foot, then the other, holding firmly to his shoulder as he removed her trousers and then stood back up. She did the same for him, although it took a bit of effort to get his boots off, but then they stood before each other, still wearing their smalls. She fought a giggle and he swallowed.

"What is it?"

"It's just... I'm a bit nervous."

He nodded, but said nothing, then reached a hand out and his questing fingers found her warm ribs. His hand splayed out along her side and she fought another giggle, reaching up to touch the sparse hair on his chest. She could feel his rapid heartbeat and then gasped as his fingers found her small breasts. She wore no brassiere -- her breasts were small enough not to require it -- and her nipples were pebbled from the slight chill of his rooms.

She watched the expression on his face as he ever-so-gently caressed her tightly budded flesh, even as she fought to keep her focus on him as a shiver ran through her entire body.

He smiled at her response, neither knowingly nor with any of the arrogance she might have expected, but with genuine pleasure at having given her even that tiny amount of gratification. His touch became more certain as both hands cupped her breasts now and she gasped and moaned as he gently pinched, then rubbed her nipples.

Without further hesitation, he bent his head and took one in his mouth, suckling on it and tonguing it and she grasped mindlessly at his hair, holding him to her as he kissed his way to the other one and gave it the same attentions.

Severus was murmuring and Tonks was astonished to realise he was saying her name, her first name, and it was uttered with so much passion and need that for the first time she didn't mind someone using it at all.

The sensations were maddening. Tonks did not know what to do. She had never felt like this before with any of her other lovers, not that she had that many.

She had a few curious and mostly clothed encounters her last year of school with other students who knew no more than she, and had enjoyed two brief affairs with older ministry workers, both of whom were rather more experienced in this area. While they had never deepened into proper relationships, she had thought her encounters were exciting. Now she realised they had merely been energetic.

The untutored, inexperienced, unexpectedly shy and rather endearing Severus Snape was turning out to be quite a surprise. His touch was diffident to start but quickly grew assured yet still gentle, until now she saw by his expression that his attention could best be described as reverent.

His hands slipped over her soft skin caressing it as if it was something precious to him and perhaps, she thought, it was. He had never experienced this, after all. He coveted this experience so badly that he was even risking Voldemort's wrath in not giving it to him, but presenting him something else. Something else, she realised, that she was looking forward to creating with him. In fact, she found herself hoping that Snape would be interested in Albus's suggestion of using the Come and Go Room for the weekend... and still continuing their new found affair at later dates to be determined.

Now he released her breasts and began to work his way down her body as she grasped at his shoulders to gently stop him.

"Severus, we really should use the bed. More comfortable."

He did not even nod, merely grabbing her hand and pulling her with him onto the bed. They were both still wearing their smalls, although his were hugely tented in a way that would seem, to her, to be uncomfortable. She reached for his waistband now and began to gently pull them off.

His shaft was so rigid it slapped against his belly and she gasped at its girth and length. Tonks had heard the phrase 'as big as a bludger bat' but had thought it to be hyperbole. Now she began to see where it came from.

The head of his cock was bare and broad and she had thought he was circumcised until she gently grasped his shaft and stroked him experimentally and realised he was simply so hard that his foreskin had slid entirely free of the head without assistance. The skin rolled up and down, sliding easily over his cock head as she assessed him.

Severus had the largest erection Tonks had ever seen, certainly the largest that she would consider placing inside herself without use of a spell to stretch herself or to minimise him. It wasn't exactly attractive, with thick veins and an odd little bend near the bell end, red and angry-looking. Still, she felt as if her womb twitched at the sight of it, and she could feel her fanny getting slick and juicy.

Tonks swallowed. The touch of Severus's work-roughened hands distracted her from her prurient thoughts. His fingers were gently searching along her hips for her own underwear. They trembled when they found the thin band that made up the sides of her lacy thong.

To her surprise, he did not begin to remove it. Instead his fingers slid along the waistband and felt down the sides to determine its dimensions.

She whispered, "It's not much is it?"

"I've heard of these," he managed to say in a breathless tone. His voice trembled as he added softly, "I never thought..."

Tonks placed her hand over Snape's and gently squeezed his fingers. "Well, now's your chance to think and do."

She helped him pull it down and off and then before he could drop her thong by the side of the bed, she took it from him and reached up, finding a pillow, and then tucked it underneath. She wanted him to find it later and to think of this moment. The mere thought of it gave her pleasurable tingles all along her body.

He blinked, waiting, and she realised anew that only she could see clearly and that he did not know what she had done and it gave her another wicked thrill.

"I'm ready, Severus," she managed to say in a breathy whisper.

His reply was a guttural sound, nearly a groaning of her name and she moved forward to press herself against him and experience the texture of his trembling skin against hers.


~ * ~

"I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in."
Albus Dumbledore




Severus had never felt anything like it. Warm, willing female. A musky and indescribable scent that was about to drive him spare, so different and yet so complementary with his own smell which he had always fancied must seem a bit fusty.

Now, their combined odours and her soft sounds and warm body were the totality of what he could sense.

He felt her kiss his neck and moaned, moving down slightly to kiss her and complete the sensory mélange. Without his sight, everything seemed so much more intense and exciting. He kissed her over and over, unaware he was rubbing his hugely swollen cock between her thighs, just wanting to renew his acquaintance with the sweet berry taste of her lips. A lip lustre? Something she had eaten? Or was it her own natural sweet flavour?

Snape almost felt like swooning at the thought she might let him taste her, down there. But not now, he realised. He was far too close despite her earlier attentions and wished to enjoy other more needed experience before he had to gain memories for the Dark Lord.

The thought of it was enough to cool his ardour now and he was grateful as the need to ejaculate receded a bit. He did not want to thrust artlessly within her, willing or no. Severus intended to make love to her, at least this once, before engaging in the fucking his dark master would be expecting to see.

With this in mind, he pulled back slightly and felt for her hips, and then felt between them. She stifled a giggle and he firmed his touch and thrilled at the sound of her bitten off moan.

In silence, he urged her legs apart as he positioned himself carefully and closed his eyes to gain control when he felt her legs slip around his hips. Snape bit his lip as she grasped his cock and gently placed the head where it needed to be.

He was expecting her to ask him to be gentle or to go slow and he planned to reassure her that it was his intention, although he did not know if he could manage such a thing this first time, but she said nothing, merely pulled him closer, pulling him into her and before he knew what he was about, most of his length was inside her heated depths. When he nudged forward slightly, Snape could sense that he could go no further, not without hurting her and so he lay against her, propped up by his elbows and waited for some sign from Tonks that he was not hurting her and that he could move.

After a few breathless moments where she fidgeted beneath him, making him gasp as she gently tightened and released around his aching shaft, he heard an odd sound. It was akin to a whimper combined with a groan and then her nails dug into his shoulder as she pleaded with him.

"Severus, please!"

She emphasised her plea by rotating her hips upward, making him gasp with pleasure. He began to move instinctively, gently thrusting in and out. After a few heady moments, he joined in her side-to-side movements and felt her begin to grow slicker around him. Then she arched her back and sighed and he felt himself slide in the rest of the way until he was firmly seated against her.

Severus closed his eyes and let his senses run rampant. It seemed to him as if warm flesh comprised his world. Tonks moaned and gasped, her fingers clutched at him, her nails digging into his shoulders, her legs wrapped around his hips, both of them sweating now, slick with desire.

She was so tight, so very tight. He was not sure how long he could hold off. Snape could scarcely believe he was doing it all.

Then one of her clutching hands slid up his neck, pulling his head down toward her, and Tonks began to kiss him, and the already intense intimacy overwhelmed him. He cried out wordlessly against her lips as he came.

She held him through his shudders, her hands soothing him, caressing his face and back.

Abruptly, he realised that he had collapsed on top of her and began to try to lift himself, but she shushed him, gently urging him sideways until he slipped out of her and they were both lying facing each other, one of her hands loosely clasped with one of his.

Tonks felt awed at the expression on Snape's face. She did not think that anyone had ever seen Severus Snape in this condition.

His hair was wildly dishevelled, but for once his piercing black eyes did not express anger, sarcasm or disdain. The lines on his face were relaxed making him seem younger and his expression could best be described as exalted.

As he slowly relaxed and caught his breath, Tonks realised he was gazing sightlessly in her direction with an expression of gratitude.

"I-I appreciate this more than I can possibly express... Tonks," Severus whispered reverentially, gently squeezing the hand he still held.

His breath caught as she leaned into him unexpectedly and kissed him deeply, before pulling back to whisper against his cheek.

"Call me Nymphadora."


~ * ~


Once they roused from a brief nap, Tonks spelled the lights back on.

Snape still felt rather diffident and was genuinely grateful for Tonks' distraction as she sat cross-legged and utterly unconcerned in her pert nudity atop his bed. She ran her fingers through her currently long blonde hair which shifted to a brilliant vermilion shade. He was amused to note that her pubic hair also changed colour to match, as well as her eyebrows.

For her part, Nymphadora found Snape's tackle was not so intimidating when soft. In fact, Tonks rather appreciated its pleasing shape where it lay against his thigh, like a plump sausage in its casing. His large, fleshy bollocks were also intriguing, nearly bare of hair, and she had a sudden urge to run a finger along the crease of his scrotum down to his entrance and watch his reaction. She cleared her throat and decided to try that later.

"I think we should discuss what we plan to give old Moldy Thing," she declared. He nodded, and she allowed her skin to shift to a startling shade of coffee and her hair to tightly curled, short, purple frizz before asking, "Did you decide if you want me to present myself like other people?"

He swallowed. "It's a good idea. However, I am not so certain I would care to implicate others."

She considered this. "We could always have you pretend to Obliviate them. Or maybe use a potion?"

He nodded. "An excellent suggestion."

"All right, then how's this -- we'll show you shagging me the first time. I'll give you information on others at the Ministry, but not so's anyone else would notice. Like I'll give you the names of other ladies I know in other departments that have been wondering what you keep hiding under all those buttons and make it seem like I'm feeling lucky because I actually get to find out. Then we can change locations in the Come and Go Room and have at it as I pretend to be those ladies. I know where they all work and where some of them live, so we can do it there or anywhere else you like. Then you pretend Obliviate after each and on to the next. You can store those memories, Dumbledore said."

Snape nodded, but looked troubled. Tonks changed to a pale, freckled appearance with tawny brown hair as she waited for his response.

"Whilst it is a good idea in theory, I'm afraid it strains credibility for you to use such a subterfuge."

She frowned. "What subterfuge?"

She was surprised to see his blush return and he looked away as he spoke. "No one would believe any ladies, particularly reputable ones, would wish to have anything to do with me beyond the purchase of a potion."

"That's bollocks, Severus!"

He turned back to find a rather angry-looking Auror on his bed and felt concern, despite himself.

"That is total shite," she reiterated, leaning forward now to poke him in the chest with a finger as she added stridently, "I'll have you know I volunteered because I've always kind of wondered about what you kept hidden away under all those buttons. Ever since I was a girl I thought you were amazing. You are bloody brilliant at your craft and you're a graceful sod, to boot. You know what I'm like -- a hopeless life member of the awkward squad. I fancied shagging you rotten as a girl, and I'm not the only one, either! I wasn't taking the mickey when I said there are other women at the Ministry who fancy you. I know at least half a dozen who fancied you whilst I was in school and still are interested if you'd show them the slightest bit of attention. It's not just because you're a Death Eater, either, although we can tell old Moldy Thing that if you think he'd believe it. Who cares what he thinks anyway?"

He blinked, taking this in and she added, as her poking finger changed to a rather more sensuous caress, "I'll also have you know, Severus Snape, I am most definitely a reputable lady. Even if I am a bit clumsy."

He could feel himself responding to her touch and swallowed again. "I'm aware of that. I... I was not aware of the other."

"Well, now you are," she retorted, still caressing his chest and sliding her hand down. His hips thrust up and he bit his lip as she stroked along his cock and then released it to run a finger along the seam on his sac and down, making him gasp as she tickled along his entrance.

She smiled a bit wickedly, then moved her hand back up to gently grasp and massage his scrotum.

"I'm also a jealous lady," she admitted. "And so I'm glad I can let you have a go at them without them even knowing about it."

She let him go with a gentle stroke up along his once again rampant erection. He swallowed.

Her expression grew distant as she murmured, "Oh, aye. I think I know just what each one would want, too, the randy tarts."

He considered this and noted the gleam in her eye. It would seem she wanted him, as inexplicable as that was to him. Still, it was a stroke of luck and if it was to be only for now, then he had best make the most of it, as Albus had suggested.

"I'll have to use a potion," he finally said with a sigh. "I don't think I can have a go that many times between now and Sunday evening, even with rest and food."

"I'll need one, too, you know." Tonks smiled at his slightly baffled expression and then blushed as she said, "After your, erm, largesse, my snuggy will definitely need a rest. That and some of the scenarios I've been thinking about will probably call for a bit of healing potion and maybe even a bit of Lucious Lubricus."

He blinked and his face grew crimson, but he merely asked in a quiet voice, "Did I hurt you, Nymphadora?"

"No, Severus" she gently replied, punctuating it with a kiss and a smile. "Not at all. But I wouldn't be averse to a nice bath. The hot water will be soothing and I'm sure I can come up with something else you might enjoy."


~ * ~


Her fanny was definitely feeling rather well-used at the moment, and she knew the hot water would soothe it before they did any more proper shagging, but really, Tonks' request was a flimsy excuse to get to fulfil one of her favourite fantasies -- having Severus Snape in the bathtub.

He moaned as she gently rolled his bollocks, stroking along their sensitive surface beneath the soapy water. His own hands explored her, revelling in the feeling of her warm skin slippery with water. The resilience of her breasts as he gently massaged them gave him a thrill he had never experienced.

Still, his awareness that they had yet to stage the performance necessary for him to provide to the dark lord remained ever at the back his mind. Could not this night be for him, and for him alone? He had given so much of himself and yet he felt a miserable sense of guilt over allowing himself to enjoy these singular pleasures. True Slytherins, he had been taught, did not allow guilt to dictate their moves, but he had lived with guilt for years and it was not easy to release it. Perhaps Albus had been right, he thought now. Perhaps he had been sorted incorrectly.

So it was with a combined sense of pleasure and regret after their rather haphazard bath, that Severus allowed Nymphadora to sit astride him, resting her slippery fanny along his erection and bring them both to climax by rubbing herself back and forth along his needy length.

He gasped at the sensation and the last thing he saw before closing his eyes was her astonished pleasure as the warm, pearly semen drizzled him from belly to cheekbones. He drifted on the blessed lack of sensation that followed a particularly good orgasm until she spoke in an awed voice.

"Do you always spunk so forcefully?"

He lifted a damp flannel and wiped his face and torso off before looking to her and frowned. "I thought this was why you wanted to do this in the bath. It is far easier to clean up in the bath when I want to, uh, wank, as it does tend to be very messy. Is it -- am I so unusual?"

She shook her head. "Not that I've heard. Mind you, I don't have a lot of experience, but it's just I've never seen any man spunk so far, especially not after having spunked twice before."

"Oh." He felt a blush trying to return. "The, uh, thought occurs -- perhaps, it is related to the fact I'd never... before."

She smiled at this. "Saving it up? Sounds very Slytherin."

He smiled back in kind, relaxing. "Whereas you are most definitely Hufflepuff."

"Oh?"

He urged her closer and brought her to rest against him, enjoying the feeling of her smooth skin.

"It was said Helga was the earthiest of the Founders. Unpretentious, practical, and not a little bawdy." He considered for a moment and added, "She would likely have come up with a similar scheme to yours, my dear."

She looked up at this and smiled at him, sharing a quick kiss before laying her currently short, silver hair back against his chest.

"I like that," she finally said with a sigh.

He said nothing, merely stroking gentle fingers along her back and neck. He would remove this memory, he knew, and store it carefully. He could not keep it in his mind; he did not dare, but he would re-experience it at need.

Idly he wondered if he cast a Patronus with it in his mind, what the Patronus would be.

The pang he expected at the thought of Lily failed to manifest and he relaxed still more.

Sometimes, he thought now, needs must.

It was not what he would have chosen, but as it turned out, he was very glad to have shared such a private thing with this refreshing young lady.

If only he could have more than just these two days...


~ * ~

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."



Severus thrust hard and fast into the spread-eagled blonde witch. The desk shuddered and creaked with the force he used, and his hair swung wildly about his face as she looked up at him with desire.

"Yes! Yes! Fuck me! Merlin, yes!"

"Tell me you want this."

"Yes! Yes! I love you fucking me! Fuck me harder!"

He pulled from her and abruptly shoved her face forward onto the desk and then plowed into her from behind.

"Like this?"

"Yes! Oh, oh!"

"Tell me you like my cock."

"Yes! I love your cock! Stick it to me hard!"

He began to smack her arse cheeks in between thrusts and as the skin reddened, he peered at the paper the witch had been working on before he had come into the room.

Departmental Memo, it read. Pertinent to the reassignment of personnel...

Severus blinked.

The Headmaster's Office re-asserted itself into his vision again and he sat, allowing himself to relax and, hopefully, his unbidden erection would also relax.

Dumbledore steepled his fingers before him, a slight tinge of pink spotting his cheeks as he cleared his throat.

"I see. I take it Tom was... impressed."

Snape nodded.

"He seemed particularly amused that I 'Obliviated' the witch and left her confused and naked on her desk."

Albus nodded, sighing. "I am sorry, my boy, that I must bear witness to these moments. It's an unforgivable imposition, however--"

"It is of little import, Albus. It is not really Miss Tonks. Nor is it really me, as I was under influence of a potion for most of it. Watching it is more fascinating than titillating, a reaction, I might add, that could sum up the Dark Lord's."

"The further he distances himself from the human emotions, the closer we get to achieving our own goal of his destruction."

Snape said nothing, merely waiting, and Dumbledore finally nodded.

"Is there anything else to report?"

"No, Headmaster. There is a meeting of the Order tonight?"

"Yes, rather later than I'd hoped, I'm afraid, what with events this morning."

"Frankly, I am surprised that boy hasn't created a similar scene long before now."

"Now, now. You know very well he did not cause trouble needlessly."

"If he had been at his family's residence as he was supposed to be instead of meandering about moping about his fate, he would not have come to any harm."

"Perhaps. Or perhaps his young cousin would have been irreparably harmed thanks to Harry not being there."

Snape scowled.

"It is a moot issue as I have asked Alastor to accompany young Harry, with a proper escort, to Headquarters tonight. He will stay there for the remainder of the summer. It is as safe as his family home."

"Yes, and no doubt the mutt will show him some new tricks."

"Severus."

Snape sighed. "Am I free to go then, Headmaster?"

"There is still the matter of what I asked you before--"

"Albus, I refuse to allow that boy access to my mind. You just witnessed a fraction of the sort of... of filth I must, per force, engage in at either the Dark Lord's or your behest. Would you allow an impressionable teenaged boy to see such things?"

"I have every confidence in your ability to hide what you do not wish to be seen."

Severus thought now of the memories he kept bottled, only occasionally retrieving them to re-experience them before storing them once more in safety. He also thought of a pair of scanty lace knickers, which were tucked into the concealed pocket of his robes. He kept them there since he had discovered them beneath his pillow and they helped brighten his mood whenever he needed something to focus on besides his stressful existence.

"I would need to borrow your Pensieve, in order to remove anything... potentially offensive... before our sessions."

"Done."

"In that case, I have no objection, provided the lessons do not begin a moment before they must. The boy's presence is a nearly unbearable irritation."

Dumbledore sighed. "Then, my boy, you are free to go."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

He was nearly at the door when Albus entreated, "Please do give my regards to Miss Tonks."

Severus barely paused as he continued out the door, not looking back.


~ * ~


Tonks' hair shifted from violet to blue to a decidedly Slytherin green as Snape strode into his quarters to find her sitting in his chair by the fireplace.

Her smile was radiant, sunny, ebullient as she stood and moved toward him.

It dimmed slightly at his expression and she stroked his face with a gentle hand.

"Hard day?"

"Potter," he replied succinctly.

They had discussed many things since their first assignation five weeks ago. Nymphadora had come to see him nearly every spare moment she had, and whilst that did not present difficulties when Severus was at Spinner's End, it was rather more difficult at Hogwarts under the Headmaster's watchful eye, not to mention the difficulty which would be present when the children returned for start of term.

He sighed as she nodded sympathetically.

"Albus knows," he finally said, watching her for reaction. To his surprise, she merely shrugged.

"So? He knows everything, I think, and it doesn't really matter. Unless it bothers you."

He sighed again and closed his eyes briefly. "Not exactly bothers, it is just..."

"You're so Slytherin, and that is one of the things I love about you," she said now, caressing his chest with a warm hand. "Wanting to keep your secrets even when it doesn't really matter if they get out."

"There is blessed little privacy here, Nymphadora," he retorted. "I choose... I prefer to keep my private life private."

She thought now about their first time, and how he had risked Voldemort's wrath in order to be able to have it for himself. It was really rather sweet, she thought, and nodded at him, smiling.

"Okay. Then I won't give it away with word or deed. In fact, I'll make on like I've got a thing for someone else. Oh, I have it -- Remus Lupin."

Snape lifted a brow, untroubled and slightly amused. "Won't your dear cousin find that upsetting? They are cohabiting now, it is well known."

She smirked. "Yes, but you know what people are like. It'll confuse the heck out of everyone."

"Except Molly Weasley. She harbours some hope of pairing the fool and marrying him off."

"Well, I could get irredeemably kinky and pretend to have a thing for my cousin?"

Snape could not help his reflexive grimace, although he knew she was merely baiting him. He responded with a sardonic retort.

"Must we discuss your sordid fantasies?"

Her smile grew wicked and merry. "You're right. We should be enacting some of our own."

That said, she waved her wand to bar entry at his door and Floo and reached up to stroke his top button.

As his jacket unbuttoned itself, she gazed only into his eyes as she stroked the button on his waistcoat, and then his shirt.

"In a hurry?" He managed to enquire of her a bit breathlessly. He could not help it, her presence set his heart to racing and he still could scarcely credit that she not only wished to be with him, but that she had chosen to allow the most evil wizard he had ever met to witness their coupling for his sordid pleasure.

Moreover, she had presented him with enough fodder to keep the Dark Lord satisfied for some time to come, even to ensuring that all the women she had mimicked were Purebloods. His dark master had been pleased with his bogus assertion that blood purity was, indeed, a superior goal. So long as he continued to present Voldemort with masturbatory fodder and seemingly carefully gleaned information, his position within the ranks was assured. She had saved his life, and for nothing more than a wish to share this pleasure with him. It was beyond his comprehension and yet he could not deny it.

Her fingers slid to his trouser placket and he grasped her to him.

"Nymphadora," Severus murmured before bending to kiss her and sample anew her fresh, sweet taste. He could never get sick of it, of this.

He summoned his wand and disrobed her with a single wave, pressing her back until they were leaning against his heavy bookcase. He kissed her hungrily, working his way down her neck to her collarbones and then to her breasts as his hand slid down to her thatch, where he slid his fingers in and found her slippery wet and warm.

He toyed with her folds, rubbing his thumb over her clit as she gasped and he suckled her beautiful breasts. Soon, her clit throbbed and pulsed against his hand and she cried out, clutching at his arms.

He was so hard, he thought he would burst with it, and she acceded to his need as he lifted her by the buttocks, spreading her legs wide. She clasped his slender hips as he thrust within her, giving vent to his need and his passion, so long constrained.

"Dear Merlin," he muttered as the pleasure rose to a blinding spike of pure bliss and she suddenly tightened around him even further, convulsive waves revealing her own pleasure had been sought and found.

"Severus," she whimpered as he gasped out his climax against her, pinning her to the bookcase with all his wiry strength.

"Nymphadora," he sighed, feeling himself tremble.

He shifted back, holding her as she disengaged and then looked away as he summoned his wand to set them both to rights again.

She deserves better than that, he remonstrated himself. He should have taken her to the bedroom. He should have been gentler.

"Please turn," he requested when he was done buttoning himself.

She studied him briefly, before nodding and turning. He winced at the sight of the reddened areas which, he knew, would be bruises soon.

He cast various healing charms on the worst of the damage he had caused, feeling ashamed at his loss of control.

"There."

She turned and graced him with a radiant smile.

"Thank you, love." Then she kissed him gently, but passionately, on the lips.

His expression as she moved back made her frown.

"What's wrong?"

He licked his lips, but said nothing and she studied him a bit longer. After a moment, she sighed and slid her arms around him.

"It's all right, Severus. I don't equate anything we did for old Red Eyes, with anything that you and I do. They're totally different things."

"I could have hurt you. I did hurt you," he pointed out now, a bit shakily.

She shook her head against him.

"No, Severus. You didn't do anything I didn't want just as badly. I love you, you big dope." She hugged him tighter, before letting him go.

He studied her face now and after a moment, replied lightly, "I take it that is not going to be my new nickname?"

She beamed at him. "Nope. I'll have you know that your nickname to my friends is 'The Beater.'"

He frowned at this. "You have told others about our relationship?"

"Not by name, no. But I can scarcely hide coming in to work these last few weeks smiling all the time, with love bites and stiff muscles, can I?"

He blushed, but merely enquired, "Why 'The Beater?'"

Her gaze became impish and she suddenly reached down to fondle his tackle.

"Do you really need to ask when you're carrying around this bludger bat?"

His blush turned crimson, and her fingers continued to work until he could stand it no more and began to kiss her again.

They had at least ten hours before the meeting that night, and Severus planned to put those hours to very good use, indeed.



~ Finis ~