He Came and Took my Crown of Thorns...

A/N: Thanks to my betas, Augurey27 and ImOnMedication. Warning: Explict Sexual Content. No worries, they're both happy about it! Please review!

***

It was the last day of the holidays when Severus came back from his meeting at Grimmauld Place, livid and in a right foul temper. He burst through the door, ripping off his traveling cloak, and began to pour himself a large glass of firewhisky.

I had been working on my Charms work when he blew in, but I knew him well enough by now not to engage him when he was in a mood.

"Damn Black!" he muttered. "Thinks he is so high and mighty! As if he could have anything to say on the matter!"

I listened while trying to appear I wasn't. I had never met this Sirius Black character, but knew all about him, at least from my husband's point of view. He was a scoundrel of the foulest kind. He had been the bane of Severus' existence while in school, and now, because of the Order, they had to work together for the "Greater Good." Every moment in this man's presence was pure hell for him.

"Mary," he said to me.

"Ummm," I murmured absentmindedly.

"Potter will be coming once a week on Mondays at six to start his Occulemency training. You may recall he is an impossible prat who is as nosy as he is arrogant. I need you to be very careful not to allow yourself to be detected."

"Of course," I agreed. "Does this mean things are finally coming to a head? Will I be able to come out of hiding soon?" I knew I sounded eager, but only to be free of the dungeons...not of him.

"Patience," he murmured.

***

Later that night, we tried again to make love. Again, it was not the best experience in the world, but I was less tense. Yet, when the moment came for his release, I still hated it and winced in remembering. He was quick to clean up immediately afterwards and allow me to shrink away from him. I wondered when I would ever not shrink away.

Normal life continued throughout the winter, although the new bane of Severus' existence was the damn Umbridge woman who was demanding more and more Veritaserum from Severus so she could break the code that held the secret meeting place of what was called, "Dumbledore's Army." Severus hated that Potter had his own little following. Although, truth be told, I found his obsession with Potter rather amusing. It should have made me furious, since it mirrored my own obsession with Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and MacNair, but actually it was comforting. Seeing my mentor, teacher, husband, and now lover show the unstable and irrational side of himself made my little shelter from the outside world less lonely. We were so alike, Severus and I. We were both very volatile and damaged people who had a great capacity for love, but had such a difficult time vocalizing it properly.

***

Severus came to me with a copy of the Daily Prophet the day after his first Occulemency lesson with Potter. It had not gone well. I had heard the yelling and bickering from inside the bedroom. Mostly, it came from Severus. Damn him and his stubbornness! I had thought. But I did not judge him when he came back, seething about how lazy and obnoxiously rude the boy was.

This morning, however, I thought he would be in a better humor, as we had tried making love the night before, after he had calmed down from his tantrum over Potter. This time I had watched his face while he came inside me. It was beautiful how he whispered my name and kissed me. I had actually let him hold me afterwards instead of shrinking away. So, I thought this morning he would be chipper. I was dead wrong!

"Look," he said dangerously as he thrust the paper in my face. I read the front page. My face went numb with disbelief. There had been a mass breakout from Azkaban.

"Can this be true?" I exclaimed as I stood up from our breakfast table.

"Yes, this has been the plan. It won't be long, and I don't yet know how the Dark Lord will orchestrate the infiltration into the Ministry, but dammit...Potter better work harder than ever if we're to have any chance," he growled.

"If there is a battle, I'm going to fight!" I announced.

"NO!" he roared. "You will not engage in this. These are vicious, soulless, evil people! You will remain here until this is all over, and then we can be free to live in the open and... maybe have some sort of life." His voice grew soft at the end.

I, on the other hand, grew more agitated with each word.

"Goddamn it, Severus!" I bellowed as I flung the paper down onto the table. "This whole time I've been working my arse off for nothing? So those bloody rapists can inflict more damage on the Wizarding World? No! I will have my revenge. And don't you dare try and stop me!" I threatened.

He drew in a large breath and his chest puffed out. He was murderously angry with me. He turned on his heel and marched towards the door. He turned sharply towards my direction as he turned the knob to leave.

"There is no use talking to you when you are so hell bent on being irrational. This discussion is closed until you can speak to me in the manner that befits how a wife should converse with her husband. Good day."

Bastard! I thought as I crumpled up the paper and threw it at the door.

***

Severus came with disturbing news after Valentine's Day. Umbridge had replaced Dumbledore as the Headmistress of Hogwarts. It was a terrible blow and a major setback. Severus seemed to be teetering on the edge. There was nothing I could do to make the situation any easier. The storm was brewing; the fight was coming to a head. Lines were going to have to be drawn. I did not discuss my decision to fight against my rapists. I knew he would become unglued if I broached the subject. So I decided a diversion would be a welcome respite from all his mental frustrations. Besides, his weekly meetings with Potter only left him angry, frustrated, and hopeless. So I decided it was time to help him to forget his woes for a while before he had to go meet with Potter again that evening.

He was trying to relax on the sofa with a drink and a good book. I came and knelt between his legs. His book was quickly tossed aside as I undid his trousers and released his semi-erect penis. I slowly removed my bodice and closed my eyes, stroking my breasts. I became lost in pleasuring myself in front of him. When my eyes re-opened, I saw he was breathing heavily, fixated on the attention I was giving my hardened nipples. He swallowed hard and gripped his thighs painfully. I took the swollen cock in my mouth and began to swirl my tongue around its purple head. He reached down and grabbed me to pull me closer so he could push himself deeper inside my mouth. Barely five seconds passed before he grasped my hair and thrust his hips forward. He came immediately, panting and cursing, "Sweet Merlin, you are fucking brilliant!"

Later that evening, I heard a fantastic crash come from my husband's office and then heard my husband screaming and howling like a banshee. I knew better than to come out while he was busy with his lessons with Potter, so I waited on tenterhooks until his return.

I had never seen him so angry. He was screaming and blowing the room apart with his hexes. I dropped to the floor and crawled my way to the bed and drew my wand. So much for the theory that going down on him would relax his temper...well fuck that! I thought sarcastically. I was crouched behind his work desk, grasping my wand, waiting for the right moment to overtake him when he finally wound down and sat on the one chair he hadn't blown to bits. He was crying! I had never seen him so emotional in such a manner.

"What the bloody hell...," I began to say.

"Please stop talking," he sobbed. "I hate him so much, how could he do that? Those were my private thoughts...MINE!" he howled. "All the things I've done in my life, that was the worst, and I could never take it back. Never take it back!" He started sobbing anew, his arms crossed protectively across his chest, rocking back and forth in pain.

I dropped to my knees in front of him and tried to give him some comfort. "What can I do?" I asked.

"Nothing. Nothing can ever be done. Please, just leave me alone," he mourned. He looked like a wounded animal that needed to lick his wounds in peace. So, I respected his request.

I backed off and began to repair the damage he had done to the room. I wasn't offended. I knew there were just some things that couldn't be fixed with a "swish and a flick"! Hell, I knew that better than anyone. Cursed scars don't heal. While mine could be seen, I had known for a while now that my husband had cursed scars as well, you just couldn't see them with the naked eye.

***

Spring came and my desires mounted. I felt electric and started experiencing feelings of sexuality that were so powerful, I didn't know how I was to go on. I knew my body was ready for more. I was ready to explore this new feeling. Just walking out to the woods would send my thighs tingling and my nipples would react to the lace in my bra and harden so badly I wanted to scream. I would lie in bed just going insane with a need for Severus to touch me in places I didn't know where or how to explain! Finally, one evening, I got my nerve up and approached my husband and told him my desires. He took me by the hand and immediately took me to our bed.

As he swiftly undressed me, he suddenly blurted out, "I can't tell you how happy I am this time has finally arrived. I have so much I want to share with you. There are so many joys to experience with a man. I want to teach them to you, if you trust me?"

"Yes," I breathed huskily as I tore at his clothes, furiously working on his buttons. "I want it all...I want you to make me feel good, Severus. I can't bear it anymore."

I was desperate and I couldn't care less. Whatever he wanted to do to me, I was his. I loved him and wanted him to possess my body as he had already possessed my mind.

***

"Severus, I have to pee!" I whimpered.

"No, you don't...just stay with the feeling. Lie back and close your eyes and go with the sensation," he whispered. "Trust me."

What is he doing to me? I thought. I was getting tense.

"Relax," he breathed in my ear.

His fingers were inside me, touching me in ways I had never felt before. I honestly thought my bladder was going to burst when all of a sudden something snapped inside me. My eyes flew open, and I jerked up from the bed onto my elbows. I was face to face with my husband, breathing deeply and moaning his name. He was smiling broadly, urging me to stay with the feeling. He kissed my neck and breathed in my ear, "Come for me, release yourself to me."

I was mindless. I started moving my hips. I had to move. I couldn't stop. Severus swiftly removed his hand and mounted me, ramming his cock deep inside me. I was completely undone, writhing and arching underneath him, my nails digging into his back and hiking my legs up as far as I could to his shoulders. I screamed for him to fuck me harder and harder. He sank his mouth onto my right breast and sucked greedily on the nipple, grabbing my thighs as he pounded into me. I screamed and screamed in delight and finally sank back onto the bed...exhausted. I watched him orgasm and felt as if I were in heaven. He was so beautiful, lost in me and what my body did to him. He shouted a great shout and fell on top of me. I felt his seed slowly slide out of me, and I smiled. I peered at the spent man on top of me and knew there was no place on earth where I could be happier.

***

I woke up and it was morning. Severus was sitting at the breakfast table with his usual tea and toast, completely dressed.

"Good Morning, Mrs. Snape," he said in very serious tone, but with a smirk on his face.

I blushed. He had never called me that before.

"And you, Mr. Snape," I replied. "But why? You've never called me that before."

He was busily reading his morning paper, turning the page while he said in a straight face, "You never asked me to...what was it?" He screwed his face into fake concentration. "Fuck me harder?"

I laughed and shook my head. I was also a little embarrassed. I pulled the duvet up to my eyes to hide my face.

He still did not take his eyes off the paper, but was completely aware of me. "Don't you dare hide from me!" he growled. "And don't you ever feel embarrassed to ask me for that again...it was the most intriguing activity I've been able to engage in for years. Now get that beautiful, naked arse out of bed and eat breakfast with me."

I slipped out and went for my robe. The top of the paper flipped down. He spoke in a menacingly voice. "I said NAKED, Mrs. Snape. I want to see you in all your glory."

I sauntered over and stood to face him and ripped the paper out of his hands. "And what about YOUR naked glory, sir?" I teased him.

He laughed and pulled me onto him. I straddled him and played with the buttons on his frock coat as he stroked my hips and raked his eyes shamelessly over my nakedness.

"Well, if you had awoken sooner, I would have been naked," he said silkily.

He drew my head to his with his hand and kissed me chastely on the lips. "Happy Birthday, Mary," he whispered.