Chapter 6

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 please.

Thanks go to ladyinthecloak and charmed_nay for beta reading.

The next couple of days passed with no word from Ron, which began to worry both Hermione and Harry. Ginny had returned home and vowed that after her next game, she and Harry would go searching for Ron if he'd not sent them word. What was worse, she was worn down from spending so much time at the hospital visiting her father, who was finally able to breathe on his own, and supporting her mother, who was beside herself. Her sore arse hinted that she'd never sat so long in an uncomfortable chair before. Hermione shook her head to concentrate on the task before her. It wouldn't do to worry about Ron or her father while she finished making Snape's henbane crown. The plant's root was quite poisonous, and she had to be careful that she didn't ingest anything accidentally or allow it to touch her skin...else she'd find herself at St. Mungo's.

"You're doing a good job," Lucius said, coming up beside her.

"When'd you get here?"

"Only just. How's the potion?"

"Spot on."

"Excellent. Are you ready for tomorrow, my dear?"

"I am," she said firmly.

"I detect an air of sadness about you. Why?"

She lifted her wand and flicked it, fastening the last twig in. "Done." Pleased with her work, she set it aside and gave her attention to Lucius fully. "I'm worried about Ronald. He's not responded to my last owl, to Harry's, to George's. Anyone! What if something's wrong? What if he's been killed?"

"It would have made the news," Lucius said, averting his gaze. "I'm certain he's fine, Hermione. If he's thick enough to leave one such as you behind to move on to someone..." His eyes widened and found hers. "Forgive me."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean? Do you think he's seeing this lady?"

He sighed and moved towards his desk. "I wasn't going to say anything. I thought it best that you learn from him."

"You know something."

"I do."

"What is it then?"

He opened the locked drawer on his desk. "When you expressed your disappointment, I took it upon myself to hire someone to find him...just to be certain all was well. I'd hoped to find him lounging in the sun someplace or doing the tourist thing. However..."

Hermione took the envelope he extended towards her. With shaky fingers, she opened it, already knowing what to expect, as she'd seen it in Lucius' eyes, heard it in his voice. And there was Ron, cozied up to a tall brunette, pointing to the land below from their view on the Eiffel Tower. Tears came to her eyes as she looked at the way he rubbed the woman's back affectionately, the laughter in their faces. It was what she deserved, wasn't it? She should have showed him how much she cared and how much she appreciated him. Instead, he'd found what he needed elsewhere.

She couldn't judge him. She'd had sex with Lucius Malfoy, someone whom Ron despised. This pain would be her punishment. There were many pictures, all as telling as they could be. Ron and the woman were obviously lovers and having a great time together.

"Thank you, Lucius. I appreciate this." She placed them back in the envelope and tried to hand it to him.

"Keep it." He frowned. "I am sorry, Hermione. I thought it best not to say anything."

"I understand." She sniffed lightly. "Look at me, being silly."

"Not silly, hurt." He pulled a handkerchief out and handed it to her.

"Thanks." Rising, she said, "I'm going to go home now that this is done. I'll be here on time in the morning."

"Try to have a good night. Rest well.

She simply nodded, picked up her cloak, and used her Portkey to return home. She numbly walked into the kitchen and fixed some tea, feeling foolish for the last letter she'd sent to Ron. Had he shared it with his lover and laughed about it with the woman? How about all the guilt she'd been feeling for what she'd done...for what she would do? She'd made herself sick with emotion more than once. From the look on his face in the pictures, Ron was far from feeling guilty.

"Why the long face?" Harry asked as he and Ginny entered the room.

"Thought we heard someone clanging about," Ginny added good-naturedly.

She cleared her throat. "Are you two still planning to look for Ron?"

"Yes," Ginny said firmly. "In fact, we were just deciding where to start."

"Don't bother. He doesn't want to be found right now."

"Have you heard from him?" Harry asked, immediately seating himself across from her.

Hermione shook her head. "No, but L...er...the person I am working with hired an investigator to find him... to put my mind at ease." She then pushed the envelope towards her two friends. "He's alive and well apparently."

She watched with satisfaction as both faces showed shock and then anger. The vindictive part of her felt that it served Ron right for others to be angry with him for his actions. Bitterly, she asked, "Do you think he'll ever come back and face me?"

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," Ginny said. "I had no idea he was such a... dirty rotten rat!"

"Who the bloody hell is this?" Harry asked angrily, nodding at the woman.

"I can only imagine it's the lady he met down there to talk about the business expansion. Jeri, I think her name was."

Harry stood. "I'm going to see George about this. He has to know something."

Ginny looked up at him. "I thought you were meeting Draco Malfoy tonight?"

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked suddenly. "You didn't tell me anything."

"I just got his owl a bit ago. He's here in London."

"Oh."

"Malfoy can wait a little longer while I see what George has to say about these!" He shook the envelope in his hand.

"I'll come with you to see George," Ginny said, rising. "I'd like to know as well. Hermione, coming?"

She shook her head, making a split second decision. "No, I need some time to myself. I'm going to pack a few things and leave." When her friends tried to protest, she lifted a hand to stop them. "Please. Let me have this time alone. It's my turn to think things over."

"Going to your mother's?"

"I don't think so. She'll know something's wrong, and I think she's got enough on her shoulders at the moment, what with Dad still in the hospital."

Ginny nodded. "I think you're right. Mothers always know. Still, I wish you..."

"I'll be fine. All right?"

They nodded and moved to embrace her before they left, making her promise to owl them and keep in touch...unlike Ron had. And she supposed it was the best way things could have worked out at the moment. She didn't know what would truly be waiting for her the next day, as it was the day she planned to help bring Snape back to life. She'd already told her mother not to expect her for at least a day or two, as she had a quick business trip to take. Determined to only think of him and her project, she packed a few items and Portkeyed back to Malfoy Manor, to the one place that had become her refuge in so short a time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good morning," Lucius said brightly. "You look well rested. Bozzy told me when you came here last night."

"Yeah, I wanted to have some privacy."

"I thought as much, which is why I didn't stop by."

She felt her cheeks heat slightly. The last time he'd stopped by her room had been the night they'd had sex. "I took something to help me have a dreamless sleep, so I doubt I'd have been up for a chat."

He nodded. "What say we have a spot of breakfast? Toast and juice perhaps?"

"I couldn't eat if I were Imperiused to do so," she said. Her stomach was tightly wound and already bubbling with nervousness.

"Understandable." He sat down next to her. "Not having second thoughts, are you?"

Shaking her head, she said, "No. I'm just nervous. I don't know what to expect."

"Let's go through it once more then."

Hermione sat back and listened as he walked around and went over the steps that they were to follow. She could barely concentrate on what he said, as she kept thinking of Snape and what was expected of her. The horrid, possessive Snape from her dreams came to mind, and she had to force herself to replace him with the happy, gentle Snape from the beach dream. Oh, how she wished that Snape would truly be the one she confronted today.

"To recap: bathe his body...every inch...in the potion; tip half a phial of it down his throat; massage him as he comes to...this may take a while; give him drink to soothe his thirst; give him food to soothe his hunger; and finally, give him flesh to sate his lust."

"Are you going to be with me?"

"I will be there, yes," he said, moving away from her and going to peer into the smaller cauldron. "Did you not want me to be?"

"I think I'd maybe rather you weren't," she said softly.

"All right. Come here."

When she approached him, he dipped his fingers into the oily liquid and pulled out a bit of soaked aloe, which he used to anoint, first, her forehead, then his own. "We're to put this on him as well?"

"Yes, the bed." He smiled crookedly. "We've nothing to fear from him."

With a nod, she went back to sit in the chair. "Have you had any dreams lately?"

"Nothing worth telling. Have you?"

She shook her head. "Not in the last few nights." A sigh burst from her lips. "Worry over Ron and my father have just had me exhausted and drained by the time I go to bed. I have been taking a small dose to help me sleep...not wanting another of those dreadful nightmares."

"How is your father?"

"As of last night, he's in a private room and breathing on his own. Bloody tome," she grumbled. "Sometimes I wish it had never chosen me."

"I remember thinking those same words at one time."

"You warned me about it doing this. What was it that you lost, Lucius?"

"I'd rather not say if you don't mind."

"Fair enough."

He pulled a silver timepiece from his pocket. "Shall we go down and commence?"

"Yes."

"Bozzy?"

"Yes, sir," the elf said from behind them, as if he'd been there all along.

"I'll need you to take our things down to Severus' room," Lucius commanded. "And also, bring us the drinks I had you make earlier."

The little elf nodded and began to bustle about, gathering what Lucius had instructed.

"Come along, dear." Lucius looped his arm through hers formally and led the way.

Together, they descended the stairs, and with each step closer to Snape's body, Hermione began to tremble more and felt the urge to retch.

"You're shaking like a house-elf about to be given clothes. Are you cold?"

"No," she snapped, not mentioning his poor excuse for a metaphor. She didn't care that he arched an eyebrow as if insulted. His part in this was easier than hers.

He unlocked the room and gestured for her to precede him in. Once inside, he gazed at her and frowned. "You can't wear that."

She looked down at her jeans and jumper to see what the problem was. "Why not?"

Lucius simply smirked. "Ah, here's Bozzy."

Hermione watched in a daze as the elf brought in the cauldrons, a table heavily laden with food, and a lovely fountain from which water sprayed out into its base. She could tell that it was cool from the icy mist rising from it.

"Place the crown on your Prince, Hermione," Lucius said with a mocking smile.

"I'm so glad that you're finding this amusing." Nevertheless, she picked up the crown from the table and made her way over to Snape's body. She leaned over him and placed it gently on his head, careful not to muss his hair.

She smiled despite herself and whispered softly, "You do look like a noble prince indeed."

When she turned around, Lucius was before her, extending a wineglass to her with one of his own in his other hand. "Let's have one last drink and make a toast." She shook her head, making him add, "I insist, and it will help to calm you down."

Reluctantly, she took the glass and raised it as he spoke.

"To teamwork. I couldn't have done this without you, Hermione Granger. And also to the future. May Severus have all he's ever dreamed of... and more."

"Cheers," she said, clinking her glass to his and taking a deep sip.

"Delicious, isn't it?" he asked, placing his glass in his elf's outstretched hand.

She downed the rest of it and wiped her mouth as a small amount trickled from the side. "How would you know? I didn't even see you take a drink," she pointed out.

"Of course not," he said seriously. "It's drugged."

"What?"

"Certainly. I couldn't expect you to go through this without botching it up, now could I?" His smirk widened into a nasty grin. "Tsk, tsk, my dear. Don't look at me in such a way. This is for your own good."

Hermione felt a little woozy, but she was able to think coherently. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind and berate him for drugging her, for not trusting her to do her part, but she couldn't say a word. She simply stood there, staring at him while he instructed his elf to bring her something more appropriate to wear, which turned out to be a silky, black nightgown.

"Can't have Severus welcoming his new bride into his bed and life while she's clad in that ridiculous Muggle attire, now can I? You must look the part of the welcoming wife."

Her mind raced. New bride? And why is he saying Muggle like it's a filthy word? He said he was past all that.

"You seem so surprised," he said in a bored tone. "For being tagged as a clever witch, I find you to be amazingly gullible and quite easy to cajole. It didn't take me long to figure out how to manipulate you into doing my bidding. Ah, there is so much for me to tell you, isn't there? I should, I suppose, but you won't remember it after today anyway. You'll only know what I want you to know."

She lifted a hand in front of her face and blinked in surprise to see it there. It nearly felt as though it were still at her side. The heaviness in her head warred with her righteous anger. Hermione vowed to not forget the smug expression on his face or the admittance of his deceit.

Bride? It couldn't be.

And she must have said it aloud because he chuckled.

"Yes, Severus' bride. The virgin blood that you so kindly donated will bind you to him. And the lovely potion that was mixed in with your wine? I happened to have some of Severus' blood on hand to bind him to you. So, you see, that part is done, and now you need to simply consummate it." He nodded towards the bed. "You'll be doing that shortly."

After three attempts, she finally formed the words, "Why... me?"

"Various reasons," he said with a sneer. "My own little personal revenge for past dealings we've had for one. You are also Severus' type, so that is in my favor. Did you know that he spoke fondly of you once with me?" He nodded with a grin. "Over some firewhisky, the day before he was killed in fact, something about admiring your intelligence and fearlessness." He smirked. "However, I thought breaking into Bella's vault to be quite foolhardy.

"Come now. Let's get you dressed."

She shuddered inwardly as he slowly took every piece of clothing from her body, caressing her lightly here and there, fondling a breast, and cupping the juncture of her thighs. Her mind hated him for what he was doing, and yet her body seemed pliant and even moved to help him.

"Mmmm, Severus will enjoy you," he whispered into her ear. "I know that I most certainly did."

Hot tears of rage filled her eyes as he pulled the nightgown over her head and down her body, sliding her arms through the straps.

"None of that." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss against her cheek. "Now go. Prepare your husband. Give him life."

Hermione watched as he turned and went to the door, directing Bozzy to follow him out. The house-elf looked at her, and she noted a faint sadness tingeing his eyes. She knew it wouldn't pay to call out to him for help...even if she would be able to. Once the door was closed behind Lucius, she turned and made her way over to Snape, looking down at his still body.

Could she fight this? And as she peeled away the duvet, she knew that she wouldn't be able to fight it. The potion in her drink had done something to her. It was similar to an Imperius Curse it seemed.

Maybe her wand could help. Why hadn't she thought of that sooner? But where was it? When had Lucius taken it? She couldn't even remember. Her hands reached down and began to tug on Snape's clothes, which easily slid away from his body, the backside having been split to simply give him the appearance of being fully dressed.

"You're so thin," she said aloud, surprising herself with the ability to speak freely once again. Tears clouded her eyes, but not for her predicament, for him. There was a long, thin scar slashed diagonally across his stomach. What had caused it? She traced it with her finger. Odd that she could see that when Nagini's bite marks were hardly visible to her. His ribcage was just beneath the flesh and outlined perfectly. Did he never eat?

Her hands smoothed over them gently, pausing to nestle in the sparse thatch of hair in the center of his chest. At least he had wiry muscles and hadn't been a weakling beneath those black robes of his. The Snape in her dream had seemed happy and hopeful. Would she come to know that man?

Hermione shivered suddenly, remembering his light kiss and his words.

Everything.

Ron had abandoned her for someone else. Harry and Ginny had each other. Her parents, aside from the accident, were leading happy lives. Where did that leave her? Did she want to remain at Grimmauld Place once Ron returned anyway? What if he brought his new lover with him?

That would never work out. And even if he chose to move out, he'd still come around to see Harry and Ginny. It would prove to be too awkward, and she couldn't ask Harry or Ginny to not allow him over. What would she do? Where could she go? As much as she loved her parents, they never fully understood her world or her reasons behind things. The Burrow was out, and while she was certain Ron's family would take her in, she wouldn't put them in that position either.

Her eyes lowered to Snape's face again. If we have sex, we will be consummating a marriage. I'll be married to a man who died. How will I explain this to everyone? What will the world think of me?

Husband. Snape. Marriage. Binding.

She frowned. Lucius Malfoy would pay for what he did...he'd kept most of the information from her, and while the book and Snape had tried to tell her what she wasn't hearing, she'd ignored it. I must remember what he said. Can't forget. Vengeance will be mine.

The pictures of Ron and his new woman came to mind. That future was gone for her now, wasn't it? There was only Severus Snape for her. Research. The ability to possibly help others whose lives had ended too soon. Many people married for reasons other than love. That would never come for them, but she wouldn't mind the companionship he'd showed her to be possible in her last dream.

Lucius will pay, she reminded herself. Would Snape help her seek vengeance on his oldest friend? The one who'd gone through so much trouble to bring him back? And exactly why had he done that? Surely he had some ulterior motive, and she would find out exactly what it was.

Hermione reached down and pulled away the underpants that covered his genitals, leaving him completely naked for her to see. His thighs weren't heavily built, but they were firm and pleasing. She ran a hand over his cold flesh, taking notice of the soft feel of his hair against her fingers. And in that instant, she knew that she wanted the potion to work its magic. She wanted him to live. She wanted to be the one to bring him back, to whom he owed his life. Why should everyone have someone except her?

Quickly, she soaked a flannel in the potion and began to rub it over his body, careful to not miss a spot as Lucius had instructed. Each time she thought of Lucius, her mind snapped angrily. He'd lied to her, used her, and made a fool of her. Another part of her mind tried to soothe her by whispering, No, no, Hermione, he's giving you a better life...power, fame, marital support will be yours. Severus would never flounce off like some petulant school boy.

Was the potion making her so agreeable? And things got foggy for a moment before her mind cleared again. No, it couldn't be. She felt normal on the inside...mostly. At least her nervousness had gone; that was the only thing Lucius had done right, the bastard.

No blush graced her cheeks as she pressed the cloth against his groin, which surprised her. Nor did it come when she flipped him over to rub the potion into his arse, back, head, and legs, doing his feet last. When she turned him onto his back again, she noticed that the flesh on this body seemed softer. Hermione took the vial of potion, gently pried his mouth open, and poured it inside, moving his head to make sure it all went down.

After she tossed the bottle aside, she began to massage his softening skin with her hands, as if they were personally breathing the life and warmth back into each pore. Over and over she worked, shocked that her hands weren't cramping or that she didn't tire. She was uncertain how much time had passed, but her labor had finally paid off, as she felt his hand twitch beneath hers.

"Severus?"

It felt wrong to call him Snape, not with what was to happen between them. And then his chest expanded and sunk and expanded. A rasping shot of air came from his mouth, followed by a gurgling sound. He was breathing! Alive! They'd done it. As much as she hated Lucius at the moment, she wished he'd be there to see this with her...to see what they'd accomplished.

Instinctively, she began softly encouraging him, sitting him up a little and massaging his chest and arms. His rattling breaths continued, but he didn't open his eyes. The only thing she noticed, aside from his chest moving, was the twitching of his nerves beneath his skin, which had warmed extensively. The air in the room warmed around them, as if sensing the need to chase away the cold.

"You're doing fine. Wake up now. All's well."

Taking the duvet, she pulled it up over his waist, rubbing his legs through the thick fabric. "I told you I'd help you, right?"

He coughed slightly, and his eyes moved behind his lids. "Wa..."

"What's that?" she asked, rising and tilting an ear close to his lips.

"Wat..."

"Water. One moment." And so it was time to sate his thirst. She placed a glass beneath the spray of the fountain, filling it quickly and bringing it to him. She cradled his head against her chest and held the glass to his lips, tipping it slightly. He only choked a little at first before drinking deeply. To her surprise, one of his hands rose and helped to steady the glass.

"There you are." There was only a little left in the glass when his hand fell away and his head moved to the side to show he'd had enough. "Would you like some more in a moment?" Her answer was a grunt and minute shake of his head. Reaching as far as she could without moving him too much, she placed the glass next to the bed.

While he rested, she rocked him like one would while soothing a child and ran her fingers through his still-dampened hair. "Welcome back to the world." She tried to say something about Lucius and what he'd done, but she found that the words wouldn't come to her.

Oh no! Wait a minute! What was I supposed to remember? I swore he'd pay for this, but for what? This was what we'd planned and have been working on together. Her mind was hiding something from her, something important. She concentrated hard and found it. He tricked me. He lied and used me. Her gaze dropped down to Severus' sleeping face. We're to be bound together, sealed by mutual exchange of blood-laced potion and consummated on the marriage bed.

Panic set in suddenly. She could stop this now, couldn't she? Snape was alive. She could beat on the door, pretend to have done the deed, and then sneak off with him to St. Mungo's where he could get proper health. But an inner voice warned her that her father would suffer if she did that.

And then she felt her body tingling, heating. Was the room getting even warmer? She looked down at her skimpy nightgown and was glad to be rid of her heavy jeans and jumper. A groan brought her attention back to Severus, and she felt his head nuzzle into her breast as if rooting for something more. Easing him back against his pillows, she strode over to the table that held the food. Thinking he wouldn't want anything too heavy, she chose a bowl of grapes.

When she sat back next to him, the scent of sandalwood reached her nostrils, and she inhaled deeply, thanking the heavens that it wasn't the absinthe she smelled. In fact, sandalwood had never smelled so enticing to her. Shaking her head, she said, "I'm going to feed you some grapes." Her own voice sounded odd to her ears. "Juicy, large, and green..."

She took one and rubbed it along his bottom lip, prompting him to open his mouth, and when he did so, she eased it in, letting him nibble on it slowly. "So good, isn't it?" After she was certain he'd swallowed it, she gave him another. Sating your hunger, she thought to herself. Hermione joined him, giving herself a grape or two now and then between feeding him. Soon, she reached down for the glass and gave him the last drink of water he'd left in it.

"Want some more, Severus?" she asked softly.

He shook his head and hoarsely said, "N-no."

At this she swallowed thickly. She knew what would happen next, what he would want. As she placed the glass back on the floor next to the bed. His voice startled her.

"Lil-mione."

"Pardon?"

"Her-lily."

"Do you not know who I am?" she asked, disappointment filling her. Had her dreams all been figments of her imagination? Did he truly not know that it was she who'd set about bringing him back?

"Hermione," he said, his voice suddenly firm...almost the silky caress she remembered.

"Yes."

"My Hermione."

She didn't hesitate. "Yes."

His eyes opened, and the scream she meant to let loose never made it past her throat. There was no white in his eyes, only blackness. Oh, it was the same cold, black that she remembered so well, but it was as if he had the eyes of one of the many demons she'd read about. God help them all. What had they brought back to this world? For surely it wasn't the real Severus Snape.

She scooted back in fear, uncertain of what he'd do, but she thanked Lucius for thinking of the protection anointment. A hand on her wrist stopped her movement.

"Are you afraid?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

He sat up slowly, black eyes never leaving hers. "I will never hurt you."

It was his voice more than anything that put her at ease. She took a moment to unblinkingly gaze into his eyes. There was no malice, only curiosity. It was as though he was looking at her for the first time. His free hand lifted and cupped her cheek. Uncertainly, she did the same, surprised at how soft his skin was beneath her palm. Ever so slowly, their heads neared, closing the distance between them. Eyes closed, she pressed her lips against his in an unexpectedly delicate kiss.

Desire flowed through her veins with great intensity. She wanted this, wanted him. In that moment, she felt such power. She'd given him life, and he wanted her, would be hers. Here was a man who was arguably as powerful as Voldemort, and he wanted her. He'd never gave any other woman a glance after he'd fallen in love with Harry's mother, and yet, she had turned his head, had made him want her. It was a heady feeling, quite intoxicating. She, Hermione Granger, had beaten death, had snatched back a man tangled in its clutches. What else could she do? What more could they accomplish together?

His deepening kiss nearly took her breath away and made all coherent thought impossible. The sensation of being pulled down to lie beside him filtered through momentarily, but she paid no attention, enjoying the feel of his lips moving against hers, his tongue tangling with hers. A hand slid down her body, caressing her through the silk, and stopped on her bare knee before moving back up again, this time lifting her nightgown, revealing her nakedness to him.

There was a deep growl, and then, he was all over her, hands everywhere, the nightgown yanked off and tossed aside, skin on skin, mouths crashing together. "Need you," he said when he pulled away from her.

Her eyes snapped open, and the weight of the situation crashed down on her. She knew that once they consummated their "bonding," they'd be husband and wife. "Wait," she said suddenly.

Severus nestled his body between her legs and planted open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone. "Want you."

"Do you know what's going to happen?" she asked. "We're being bonded together." She pulled at his hair to force him to look at her. When he did, she gasped. "Your eyes, they're back to normal." Back were the white sclerae, though the centers were still black as night. He dipped his head as if to go back to ravishing her, and she stopped him. "Did you hear what I said?"

A sardonic expression flitted over his features as he said, "Do you mind? I'm trying to bed my wife."

So he knows. Hermione felt much better about the situation and allowed the intense need for him to fog her mind and run through her veins. "Then get on with it," she said in a voice much huskier than normal.

"As you wish."

He ground himself against her as his lips became familiar with her breasts, and she thought she'd burst with need. Heat and wetness already pooled together in her core, awaiting his arrival. "I want you," she whispered boldly, and then she had him, pushing into her, filling her.

Severus' eyes never left hers, nor did she try to look away, as he slid in completely. "I want everything," he whispered as he pulled out slightly and slammed in again, causing her to gasp in pleasure. "All of you. Body. Soul. Heart. Mind." Each time he spoke a word, he drove into her, seemingly deeper, giving her erotic friction of the best kind.

"Yes, yes," she mumbled, not caring what he asked of her so long as he didn't stop. She wanted what he was obviously able to give her, what her body craved. "Don't stop."

Hermione gripped his thighs with her legs and tried to pull him closer and tried to gyrate against him forcefully each time his strokes brought his pelvis to rest against hers. Over and over he plunged into her, sometimes nibbling on her lips, sometimes not. She'd never felt anything so intense in her life...nor did she ever expect to. It was sensual, erotic even, and she wanted more. Their hair and skin were wet with sweat, their breathing was loud and breathy, and their bodies made a small slapping sound each time they came together. Fire filled her body suddenly, crackling through each nerve ending along the way, and then she exploded with a glorious shout. As the fire ebbed away, leaving her to smolder in its warm afterglow, she looked into the eyes of the man who was now her husband, who now had indeed claimed a piece of her soul, and she knew that she'd made the right decision, even as he reached culmination and murmured possessive words against her throat.

Everyone else be damned. She was where destiny had intended her to be.

She hoped.

A/N Welcome back, Snape!