Revelations

Chapter 2: Revelations

It was a week after Hermione had sought sanctuary and he was sitting at lunch and he was reflecting that a hospital potion master could do little about Ministry intrigue and he was noticing a lovely lady entering the cafeteria and he was admiring her but a gentleman does not stare and he was giving his pork cutlet his attention when he looked up to see her standing and looking hopeful beside his table.

“Would you like a seat, Miss Patil,” he said, eagle eyes noticing the absence of rings.

Bad boys like good girls.

“You can call me, Padma, unless you want me to call you, Professor,” she said, her refined manner striking him in the heart.

Beasts lust after elegant women. Down Nagini.

"We've been wondering where you disappeared to. That is, I assume you work here. Or are you visiting?"

Modest clothes and quiet demeanor. He admired them. He longed to get under them. Nagini whispered that after he got past them, he would admire them even more.

He confirmed he worked here and asked about her. She was an auditor in the Finance Division of the Ministry, and it was time for the annual review of the hospital records.

Intellect and discipline. He wanted to possess a woman with both. Nagini knew he really wanted to strip her of both as he possessed her. Their reappearance would arouse him.

“You’re tucked away in your own world," she said. "You probably haven’t heard the latest exciting news.”

When he evinced interest, she continued, “A gang of dragon riders has been raiding gold shipments. Everyone’s in a panic."

Nagini recognized Padma Patil. She knew a dragon lady when she saw one. They were rare. Don't let her go.

“Dragons? Isn’t that overdoing it?” he asked.

“You can joke,” said Padma. “Your family’s not being hurt.”

“I can observe the excess and condemn the outlawry at the same time,” he said, realizing he hadn’t previously identified Padma as a robber baroness, “and I recall you described it as exciting, not terrible, but exciting."

“Yes, you’re right,” said Padma, “but to us, it’s a state of emergency.”

There was a moment of silence before she said, “I should keep things in perspective. There’s been cop-and-robbers for centuries, and there’ll be cops-and-robbers for more centuries. It’s exciting, but the real difference in our lives comes from medicinal potions."

He thought wistfully of looking into the eyes of a woman who admired him. Nagini was stirring: You're halfway to getting her wet.

“You give me too much credit,” he said.

“Do you work here alone?” she asked.

“I usually work with Emil Fassbinder, but he’s on holiday. A fascinating character. He made a series of brilliant discoveries in his fifties and sixties. Then he did nothing for six years. Now he’s working again.”

“What happened?”

“There are two theories,” said Severus. " One, he became independently wealthy and not having to work unbalanced him. He took to drink, and it took him six years to recover."

Padma nodded.

"The other theory is that being independently wealthy eliminated the stress in his life and he stopped drinking. It took him six years to regain his creative daemon."

"That's a marvelous story," said Padma.

Her breasts were marvelous. His tongue was flicking out. Golden mounds and dark nipples. Down Nagini.

She paused. "Wait, if he became wealthy, it was from patenting new potions. You and Emil must be doing research, concocting new potions, contending against nature."

Padma eyes were wide in admiration.

He had never cared for strip tease, but he had a fantasy of an admiring Padma performing, performing just for him. She would clumsily undo her buttons. It would be charming. She would shyly drop her skirt. Down to lingerie of simple black silk. He would be speechless. His eyes would be wide in admiration. She would turn and pose. He would go wild. Padma reveling in his admiration.

He shook his head. “I no longer have the discipline your profession requires. I go by fits and starts. With Emil's help, I have been lucky."

If he were lucky, he would find himself slowly removing her garments, admiring every part of her that was revealed: the arch of her neck – graceful lady, the shape of her shoulders – strong woman.

Compared to his profession, Padma didn't see much merit in what she was doing except it provided a decent living. He suggested that with her acumen, she could make her family wealthy. She replied that a few families already controlled the wealth of Wizard England and the rest scraped by. He mentioned looking outside Wizard England.

“Certainly, your family knows some mundane businessmen," he said

“I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but suppose they do?" she asked.

She had heard of the stock and bond market, but regarded it as a combination of rigged game and mob psychology. He agreed, but he thought there was a core of rationality where one could invest in sound businesses.

She gave him an appreciative look. "You're trying to open a new world for me."

He would open a new world for her. A small world with the two of them, but a new universe. Deep kisses until she wanted more. Tending lovely breasts until she impatiently slid knickers past her hips. He would never get tired of seeing her legs open for him. His tongue would flick. He would make the baroness vibrate.

"You're suggesting penetrating a new market," she said.

Entering Padma. Spread beneath him. Soft sighs. Her feet waving in the air. Looking into those liquid eyes. He wanted to see everything. His ivory rod sliding into tawny folds.

"You're counseling patience. Capture the spirit of the rational investor. Hang in there as the market undulates," she said. "You're offering me a gift."

He would be gentle and patient. He would let Nagini capture her spirit. Padma undulating in animal passion. Her legs, those golden legs, wrapping around him. Turning sloppy wet for him. In and out of a gorgeous woman. Her mindless frenzy. Her gifting him with the most intimate clenches.

“Severus, are you listening.”

“What?”

“You’ve got to stop thinking about potions all the time. I said Pansy Parkinson has taken a job in the mailroom. Isn’t that interesting?”

“Yes,” he said. “Yes, it is.”

She would sleep sprawled across him. She would walk proudly beside him. He would be part of her life.

She said she had to run back to work, but she stopped at the door, turned, smiled, and waved goodbye. He supposed he had had unusual thoughts because of Hermione in his house. There was nothing romantic, but day to day life with her had made him think that women were people too. Or maybe it was Nagini. Feminine venom? No matter. If Padma had been flirting, he had not responded, and the chance was lost. The wave goodbye was goodbye.