VII: Revelations

I wish I owned the HP universe, but unfortunately JKR does. I'm just playing around.

Thanks go to Apple Blossom for beta reading.

Chapter VII: Revelations

Severus jerked awake and looked around, slightly disorientated. What was it that had woken him up? He could have sworn that he had heard a familiar noise. It had sounded like the hooting of an owl and a beak tapping against a window. But he must have dreamt. There were no delivery owls in Iceland.

He turned around to look at the woman who was sleeping right beside him. Her short, red hair was a tangled mess, her make-up was slightly smeared, and her lips were bruised from kissing.

She had driven him to the edge of insanity only hours earlier, teasing him, kissing him, touching him ever so lightly. Every time he had been close to losing control, she had withdrawn, leaving him shaking like a leaf in the wind. And when he had relaxed, she had started again, touching him with fingers that were light as feathers, kissing him with lips that were barely touching his skin, rocking against him with movements almost too delicate to notice. In the end, he had begged her for release. And when she had finally allowed him to peak, the sensation had almost made him pass out.

She was lying close beside him now, with her back towards him, fast asleep. Severus admired the curve of her hips, remembered the feeling of her breasts in his hands and the taste of her lips. His body reacted immediately to the memory. He was thirsting for more.

Careful not to wake her, he snuck up towards her, adjusting his body to the curve of hers, wrapping his arm around her hip to pull her closer. Did he dare wake her? He traced up along her neck with the tip of his nose, exhaling softly. When he reached her earlobe, he nudged it tenderly with the tip of his tongue, just to encircle it with his lips only moments later. He heard her whimper softly and felt her moving in his arms, pressing herself up against him.

'Happy birthday, Cassandra' he whispered into her ear.

'Hm, you remembered,' she murmured with a sleepy voice.

'Of course I did.'

His hand was now cupping her breast, and he felt her nipple harden at his touch. She was still not quite awake, and her movements were slow as she turned her head slightly so the length of her neck was exposed to him. She moaned softly as he continued covering the sensitive flesh with tender kisses.

Slowly, carefully, he turned her around so she came to lie on her back and positioned himself beside her. She had opened her sleepy eyes and was looking straight at him now. The light that was still burning in the hall lit the bedroom just enough for him to see the soft flush on her cheeks and the desire in her eyes.

'Close your eyes again' he whispered as he softly brushed her face with his fingertips. 'I want you to think that this is a dream.'

He started at her collar bone, slowly kissing his way down her body. He covered every inch, his lips barely touching her skin, his kisses just as light as hers had been earlier that night. He enjoyed seeing her shiver with pleasure, relished the sound of her heavy breathing.

The soft skin on the inside of her thigh tasted of honey, and Severus took his time, kissing, licking, tasting. As he let the tip of his tongue brush against her most sensitive spot, he heard her gasp and felt her hips buck up against him. Once more he flicked his tongue, applying a little more pressure as before, and this time Cassandra moaned deeply. Severus grinned. That was exactly how he had wanted her to react.

She gave a disappointed wince as he abandoned her core, but he had it all planned out. He would tease her just as much as she had teased him. He wanted to hear her beg for release the way he had.

He kissed his way up her body again, ever so slowly. He felt the goose bumps under his lips, felt her shiver under his touch. When he had reached her lips, he positioned himself beside her again, letting his hand now glide down the same path his lips had taken only minutes before, while he nibbled softly at her earlobe.

The sound that escaped her throat as he let one finger slip inside her was delightful. And so was the sensation of her muscles tightening around his finger. He moved his hand ever so slowly, and when a second finger joined the first, he had Cassandra exactly where he had wanted her.

'Severus, please. Please.'

When he curled his fingers, starting to make a beckoning movement, she was lost. He saw her clawing at the covers, felt a spasm go through her entire body and heard her calling out names of deities he did not even know. He smiled contentedly. Everything had gone according to his plan.

Her muscles had not relaxed yet when he entered her, and it took him all his self-control to not thrust into her, not to lose control, but to advance slowly, inch by inch.

'Look at me,' he whispered as he had buried himself up to the hilt inside her. The blue eyes met the dark, and the desire he saw in her eyes made him forget the mischievous intentions he had had earlier. This was not about teasing anymore. This was not about control. This was about making love.

His eyes never leaving hers hers, he started moving his hips, slowly at first, savouring the sensation of her warm flesh. He took time to kiss her, to stroke her tongue with his in the same rhythm their bodies were rocking against each other. This was bliss, he thought. Pure bliss.

As his desire grabbed hold of him, he picked up the speed, started thrusting harder and deeper. He felt her legs encircle his hips, felt her nails scratch his back. And as she called out his name over and over again, he let go of his control, crushed her lips with his, drank the sweetness of her mouth and spilled himself deep inside her.

~ ~ ~

The bed sheets beside him were empty when he awoke in the morning, still warm, still carrying her scent, but nonetheless empty. Severus abruptly sat up, listening. He relaxed as he heard sounds from the kitchen. She had not run out on him then.

'Idiot,' he mumbled to himself as he swung his legs out of the bed. 'This is her house. How could she run out on me?'

He found a terry cloth dressing gown hanging over the armchair by the window and put it on. As intimate as they had been last night, he would not have wanted to run around in Cassandra's house stark naked at half past nine in the morning.

He had already put his hand on the doorknob as he hesitated. What exactly was he supposed to do now? He had never woken up in a woman's bed. He had had his share of women, but he had never stayed until the morning. Most of the time, he had not even bothered to say good-bye. He was completely at a loss. What was Cassandra expecting of him now? Was he supposed to hug her or give her a good morning kiss? Hoping that she would take the lead, he tentatively opened the door and stepped into the kitchen.

She was kneeling in front of the window. Nicodemus was meowing loudly, rubbing his head against Cassandra's hands. Obviously, it was time for the cat's breakfast.

'Good morning,' Severus mumbled, leaning against the doorframe, rubbing his neck, simply because he did not know what else to do with his hands.

'Good morning.' Cassandra got up and gave him a radiant smile. She was wearing a black dress, with a neckline so low that Severus had difficulties taking his eyes off her breast and looking at her face instead. Her hair was still a mess, but she had managed to get her make-up off.

'I see the dressing gown fits you,' she said, smiling, and started walking towards him.

Oh, Gods, what now? Should he kiss her? Or just hug her? Or just shove up her dress and take her right there on the kitchen table?

A loud crash saved Severus from making a decision.

'Nicodemus, you infernal nuisance!'

The obscenities that escaped from Cassandra's mouth as she cleaned up the mess that Nicodemus had created by knocking over the milk bottles could have made a troll blush. And instead of helping her, Severus stood still in the door, an amused expression on his face.

'I do not fancy milk in my coffee anyway,' he said jokingly as Cassandra rinsed out the dish rag.

'Well, I do,' she replied, scowling slightly. 'Tell you what, I put out a towel for you. So why don't you have a shower while I go and buy some milk.'

~ ~ ~

Cassandra hadn't returned yet when Severus had finished his shower and gotten dressed, so he decided to make himself a cup of tea and wait for her in the living room. He had just made himself comfortable when Nicodemus came strolling in.

'Now, you troublesome little beast, what are you up to now?'

The tabby brushed against his leg and looked up towards him as innocently as if butter wouldn't melt in its mouth. And before Severus even had time to react, it had leaped onto the third shelf of the bookshelf.

'I would come down from there if I were you,' Severus said in a warning tone, but the cat ignored him and continued balancing on the shelf. Two books landed on the floor with a dull thud.

'Nicodemus,' Severus said, his voice almost threatening now.

A third book came flying, then a fourth and then a candle. When a small wooden casket hit the floor with a loud crash, Nicodemus jumped down from the shelf and fled the room.

'Infernal nuisance indeed,' Severus mumbled and made to pick up the contents of the casket: a necklace, some earrings and a simple golden ring. Cassandra's wedding ring, he thought. He had all but forgotten about her having been married. It had been ten years since she had become a widow. Was it presumptuous to think that he was the first man she had let into her life after the death of her husband?

As he opened the casket to put its contents back inside, he noticed a second ring. It was forged of silver, three snakes encircling a black crystal. With trembling fingers, Severus picked it up, his heart pounding in his chest. He had the uncanny feeling that he knew this ring. But he sincerely wished that he was mistaken. He had to be mistaken. This could simply not be. For some moments, he considered putting the ring back into the casket, forgetting that he had ever seen it.

The palms of his hands were sweaty; his heart was racing. One part of his brain was telling him not to look. But how could he not? He had to know.

He did not even notice that he was turning the ring around. Suddenly, he was staring at the engraving, reading the words which he desperately wished weren't there: Toujours Pur – Always Pure.