Secret Eden

The air inside the Hog's Head was heavy and stale and smelled faintly of farmyard animals. Even though the pub itself was relatively empty, Snape hid beneath his hooded cloak, hoping to remain unnoticed by the small number of patrons taking lunch in the bar area. He nursed a single measure of Firewhisky served in his own glassware.

Aberforth was in the back yard, feeding his goats, and a scruffy young witch in her late teens was tending to customers. Snape watched as the barmaid wiped down the bar with a scrap of cloth so utterly filthy it made his stomach churn. The last vestiges of his appetite surrendered with a gurgle.

The Hog's Head was the last place he wanted to be, but his need to see Tonks again had driven him to this juncture. He craved connection. The arduous nature of his current responsibilities were pushing him further and further towards his limit, and Tonks had given him a way out of his doomed existence with her promise of a secret Eden. In addition, he felt deeply satisfied to have usurped Lupin and bedded the eligible witch. He now needed to ensure that their 'arrangement' could continue undisturbed. If only Tonks would show up, they could leave this godforsaken slum.

Just as Snape's patience had worn down to its last thin layer, Tonks stepped through the back door of the pub and walked across the sawdust-strewn floor towards the bar. He turned his head and she saw him, hesitated slightly, and then smiled.

Within moments she was standing with her hand resting on the back of the chair opposite him, saying tentatively, "Can I buy you lunch?"

Snape's nose wrinkled. "Absolutely not."

He inclined his head towards the grimy-looking barmaid, who was serving a ruddy-faced, rotund witch her third Butterbeer inside half an hour. Snape had silently mused on the calorific content of her preferred tipple and quickly answered the question of her corpulence. The ancient, wooden cash register creaked as payment was taken.

Tonks followed his gaze and smiled crookedly. "The food's alright, you know."

"I have a better idea," Snape said, draining his glass and standing up. "If you will allow me?" he asked courteously, beckoning towards the door.

The Auror assessed him with amusement, plainly not accustomed to witnessing Snape's chivalrous side. "OK," she replied, intrigued.

They walked out into the cold, fresh air and made their way up the side road towards the centre of the village. Christmas lights twinkled inside the thatched cottages, and Enchanted Candles adorned the trees; the whole of Hogsmeade had embraced the festive spirit and were now preparing to celebrate the New Year in a few days' time.

Tonks slipped and slid inelegantly on the ice, and Snape had to lend a hand to prevent her from falling into the gutter.

"Where have you been today?" Snape asked, leading her towards a safer path on the pavement.

"At the Ministry," Tonks answered, staring at the ground, concentrating on her footsteps. "Why?"

"I thought today was your day off work."

"It is. But I've been meaning to check in with the Ministry; I've got some friends there that I've not seen for a while."

Snape noticed she didn't seem to mind his gentle probing. It was a good sign. Weeks ago she'd have slapped him across the face if he'd dared to question her whereabouts. Something between them had altered on Christmas Day.

They turned left onto High Street, where the pathways had been cleared of snow.

"Where are we going?" Tonks asked.

"Zonko's," Snape replied.

Tonks threw him a look of bemusement. "Zonko's is shut, Severus. And, even if it were open, I can't imagine you'd want to go there."

"Oh, really?" Snape said with a smirk. "And why would that be?"

Her smile was lopsided. "It's not exactly your style."

He snorted under his breath. She was, of course, quite correct. His sense of humour was much less obvious than the overstated, childish offerings of a wizarding joke shop. They trudged through the snow until they reached the boarded-up shop, which had a large 'To Let' sign hanging above the obscured window.

"It's a shame it's closed," Tonks lamented. "I loved this place when I was a student."

The hanging board creaked in the breeze.

"I've made some enquiries," said Snape. "Apparently, Messrs Weasley have shown interest in opening another Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes here, but nothing's been agreed as yet."

"Are you serious?" Tonks mocked. "Do you really think a new joke shop opening would cheer me up?"

Snape's eyebrows arched, and he rolled his eyes. The Auror made a face of disparaging despair in return.

He marched her around the side of the building and up a wooden stairwell to the first floor. With a swish and flick of his wand, and the utterance of several charms, the door opened, and a warm gust of air bathed their faces from within the house.

"Hurry up, Nymphadora," Snape said as he pushed her into the hallway. "Don't let all the heat out – it took forever to warm this place up."

He followed her into the first-floor living quarters and cast a Lumos Charm upon the gloomy rooms within. Candlelight radiated the flat, revealing its opulence and beauty to the visitors. Tonks gasped as she wandered into the bedroom at the front of the house, taking in its tall windows, luxuriant woollen carpet, and beautiful four-poster bed. Snape watched her run her fingers down the purple woven curtains of the bed and the mahogany wooden frame, before turning her attention to the magnificent dresser in front of the window, and the amethyst ornaments decorating the sill.

"This is beautiful!" she whispered hoarsely. "How is it all still here?"

"It seems the owners went into hiding a few months ago. The joke shop didn't go out of business through lack of sales; they were driven away, simply because one of them was Muggle-born, and his wife a Blood Traitor for marrying him."

"So they just up and left?"

"Yes."

"Such a shame," Tonks said with a sigh.

"It's only a shame if it isn't made use of, which is why I have persuaded Dumbledore to rent these quarters for you."

Tonks turned to face him, aghast. "I beg your pardon?"

"The lease is signed and sealed. You can move out of the Hog's Head this afternoon."

"Just hold on one minute!" Tonks rejoined. "I didn't ask you to do this! I didn't want you to do this. I'm fine where I am."

"That is a matter of opinion."

Her hands rested upon her hips again, and Snape groaned inwardly.

"No, Severus, it is my opinion that matters, not yours."

His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.

"You've already said how much you like it here, and you'll have much more privacy in this location." His voice was laced with his best attempt at persuasion, but he was close to losing his temper.

He knew he was enforcing his own standards upon her, but he wanted Tonks to agree of her own accord and not be forced to supplicate. Of course, he would impose his will, should she refuse; he could pull a few strings and she would soon have no recourse to complain.

Tonks' hands slid from her hips and she shrugged, plainly irritated, but there was also a sense of longing as she looked around the luxurious room. Her stomach rumbled and she covered it surreptitiously.

"What about food?" she asked promptly.

She seemed aware that this might be a useful distraction, or a get-out-clause for refusing the deal, but Snape had already covered that angle. He led her into the small kitchenette, where he opened cupboards freshly stocked with common staples such as bread, butter, and baked beans.

"Beans on toast for lunch?" he offered. "Or perhaps you'd like to call on the service of a Hogwarts' house-elf? Impy has been consigned to serve this apartment at your beck and call."

Tonks' lips pursed and she stared at Snape, agog. "You have got to be kidding me..."

"Not at all," Snape said, and a smile curled his lips. He snapped his fingers once.

A tiny house-elf, probably the youngest on the staff at the castle, popped into existence in the hallway and trotted into the kitchen, wearing his Hogwarts tea-towels. He bowed and turned his big green eyes towards the Auror.

"How might Impy serve Madam Tonks?" the little elf squeaked nervously.

Tonks dropped to her knees, and her eyes watered slightly. "Good afternoon, Impy, I'm pleased to meet you."

Impy's eyes widened further and he gulped, bowing his head to the floor. "Madam serves Impy a great honour," he said reverently.

Tonks giggled slightly. She looked up at Snape, torn between accepting the generous offer, and returning to her familiar room at the Hog's Head. He knew the choice she was making would not be easy; she wouldn't feel she deserved to be so well looked-after.

Snape tilted his head, hoping she would acquiesce. She smiled sadly and addressed the elf again. "I think two servings of beans on toast and a pot of tea would be lovely, please, Impy."

The house-elf bowed again and set to work without delay.

From behind his newspaper, Snape looked up at the sound of rapping on the Potions office door. With so few people residing at Hogwarts over Christmas, he felt he could open his door to a late-night caller without the need to arise from his seat by the fire. He pointed his wand at the latch and wondered who he would find standing behind it; Snape knew whose company he wished for.

Tonks stepped into the shadowy gloom of the office and walked towards his leather armchair. He put the Daily Prophet down on the floor and bid her good evening.

"All moved in?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "Impy helped me pack and unpack, and then made me dinner. I came to say thank you."

Snape made to rise from his chair, but Tonks beckoned for him to remain seated.

"Don't get up," she said, a trace of a smile gracing her lips.

She remained standing for a short while, and Snape watched her remove her long leather coat, to reveal a short, purple and green tartan skirt, and a black polo-necked jumper which bore silver holes and studs around the sleeves and neckline. Her boots rose to the tops of her calves, and her knees were covered with black stockings.

Well, he hoped they were stockings; it was difficult to tell in this light. He wondered fleetingly if the 'thank you' would be more than verbal...

She moved forward and sat upon his lap with her knees either side of his thighs, and her core rubbing against his groin. Snape smirked with satisfaction; he would be quite happy to accept this sort of payment in kind.

Her lips grazed his cheek and she bit at his earlobe, timidly at first, but more confidently after he moaned in her ear. She unfastened his shirt collar and kissed his neck and the sensitive flesh in the nook of his collarbone. He capitulated to her touch and felt the movement of her body grinding into his, and then the teasing of her breath as she focused again on his neck and nibbled behind his ear.

"Nymphadora," he sighed.

Her lips moved to cover his mouth, stopping him from speaking, then sucking hungrily on his tongue. His erection strained against his trousers and he pulled her nearer, seeking closer contact.

She unbuttoned his attire and held him in her hands, gently enticing him to full hardness, and she kissed him again coquettishly. With each flirtatious stroke of her fingers, and each provocative movement of her hips, Snape felt his authority eroding to reveal an unfamiliar, shivering glow of subservience.

Another part of him wanted to stop the teasing and reclaim control of the situation, but when she lifted her skirt, pushed her underwear to one side, and lowered herself down upon him, he relaxed into the back of the chair, surrounded and encased by the warmth of the young woman on his lap.

The silk of her knickers rubbed against him as she moved, slowly and deliberately at first. Her breath felt like ripples of Saharan heat on his neck. His hands slid up her stockings – yes, they were stockings – and relished the soft, warm skin of her thighs. Her buttocks felt shapely and firm in his grasp.

If this was the way his favours would be repaid, Snape would be happy to do more. Much more. He marvelled at the sensation of her weight bearing down upon him, the pressure exerted by her body as she glided back and forth, and the zeal with which she rode him, up and down, up and down, and then, exquisitely, round and round, deeper and further inside: a dizzying swirl of pressure and heat.

Snape revelled in Tonks' assertiveness and her ability to take the lead. It wasn't usually his style to be passive, but he was enjoying the removal of responsibility and not being in control of each move, each caress, and each thrust. To sit and be rode by a pretty young woman who gave herself willingly really was something to be savoured.

His orgasm built silently and he came suddenly, unexpectedly, and explosively. Its magnitude blasted all thoughts from his mind and flooded his body with undulating pulses of heat. He grasped at her sides, pulling her into his firm embrace, shuddering underneath her.

Tonks stopped moving and nibbled gently on his ear. When his breathing began to resemble something like normality, she slowly moved upwards onto her knees. She stepped away and her skirt fell down, covering her modesty.

She placed a kiss on his forehead, picked up her leather coat, and turned to leave without uttering a word. Snape was left sitting in his armchair, trousers and defences undone. He tossed his head into the back of the chair and sighed.

It seemed he was going to have a decidedly unconventional relationship with his young Auror.

His excitement was palpable and exhilarating.