FicWad

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut and wondered if she were still asleep, dreaming a blissful dream. She felt a warm body next to her own, and a familiarly prominent nose pressed against her neck. The events of the night came slowly back to her and she opened her eyes to find herself gazing at Severus, sleeping soundly by her side. It was dawn and the sky was brilliantly clear through the draperies she had not gotten around to closing the night before.

She lay unmoving, wanting him to rest while he could. She had not yet asked what had happened with the Dark Lord, but he'd looked rather the worse for wear when she first saw him... although he seemed much better now, she thought smugly. He was completely relaxed, deep in restful sleep, and there were no nightmares and twitching, as there had been at first when they were together.

He had taken the news of her new involvement in his world a little better than she expected, she realized - but he would now have something else to worry about... besides the fate of his entire ungrateful wizarding world, she though sadly. She would see about that same bloody ungrateful world, however... and resolved that if they would not voluntarily appreciate Severus, then she would try to make them do it, somehow. At the very least, he was not going to be alone in this fight, she decided. In the meantime, he stirred slightly, putting his arm over her waist, and she took that as an invitation to kiss him awake, to try to make him laugh again.

"Hey, wake up, Professor," she murmured close to his ear, before then kissing that same ear. She watched his thin lips curve into a definite smirk even before his eyes opened, and squeaked with surprise when he grabbed her, flipped her onto her back, and held her arms over her head, kneeling between her legs.

"Who's your daddy, Zel?" he asking in a low, mocking voice, and his black eyes gleamed with mischief as they roamed over her naked body.

She let her body go limp under his grasp and whispered provocatively, "You are, Sev." She tilted her head back, laughed at him and said, "And where'd you pick up the low, disgusting Muggle slang, oh mighty wizard?"

"Hogwarts is filled with idiot young people, many of whom love Muggle popular culture. At times, I am forced to hear their driveling conversations," he sneered, adding, "Now, say it again, my girl. Who is your daddy?"

"You're my daddy, Severus Snape," she said firmly, her blue eyes sparkling with laughter. She wrapped her legs around his waist, a gesture that caused him to smirk with delight. He loosened his grip on her wrists, and she slipped neatly to the side, flipping him onto his back. She straddled him, squirming as she found herself in contact with a powerful erection, and pressed his wrists down next to his head. "And who's your momma?" she giggled, leaning down to rub her nose against his.

Severus was laughing so hard he could barely speak, but he looked up at her, brushing his lips against hers while her face was close to his, and he said sardonically, "Why, you are, my girl. Now that I have admitted defeat, may I throw myself upon your mercy and beg that you take advantage of me?" He smiled wickedly, thrusting his hips upward and when she began to laugh helplessly, he freed himself from her grip and proceeded to remind her that he was, indeed, her 'daddy.'

"Reality sucks, Sev," Zelda said later, remembering that Minerva would soon be there to walk to breakfast with her, "For two cents I'd say we should just forget the whole thing, go back to my house and fuck each other silly... But I'm trying very hard to do the right thing."

"Such an elegant turn of phrase, my sweet betrothed," Severus murmured, smiling fondly at her, "Aside from your other talents, I would marry you simply for the pleasure of hearing you talk Muggle gutter trash to me."

"Don't get me started, my boy," she replied mockingly, but a worried expression followed, "I didn't want to ask you before... but what's happening on the other side? And how long can you stay here?" she asked, her voice as expressionless as she could make it.

"I had no idea you were here, Zelda, when I came to Hogwarts. However, it is the safest place I could think of - and the Dark Lord has called a meeting the night after next. So I came looking for a place to hide until then." He smiled slightly and said, "Imagine my shock when I saw you walking up to the castle last evening. I thought I was daydreaming, except that I have never seen you wearing robes before. You looked utterly beautiful by the way, my sweet witch. I watched you leave the Great Hall after dinner with Minerva, and assumed rightly that she would house you near her own rooms."

"I wish we'd known earlier that you'd be here," Zelda said. "Will you speak to Minerva? She and Molly have been lamenting over the lack of information from the other side and you should know as much as you wish about what the Order is doing."

"I had planned on hiding, but that was before I knew of your 'takeover' of the Order," he said, "Shall we speak to her here? I am willing to go so far as to resume my filthy clothing to greet her properly."

The knock on the door startled both of them, and they rushed to dress themselves as Zelda called, "I'll be right there!"

When she opened the door, Zelda glanced around the corridor to make sure they were alone, then said, "Come in, Minerva. We've got company."

With that warning, Minerva did not seem surprised to see Severus. She observed that he was wielding magic very efficiently as he tidied the room and made the bed, as if to disguise all proof of their passionate reunion. He was wearing only a t-shirt and trousers, and she was unused to seeing him dressed so casually. Nevertheless, he seemed to be very relaxed. "Severus, I am relieved to see you alive," she said to him, holding her hand out.

"Minerva, you are looking well," Severus replied, taking her hand briefly. "I might ask what the devil you were thinking, bringing Zelda here, but what is done is done, and thanks to your meddling, last night was far more enjoyable than I expected."

Minerva looked shocked that he would say such an outrageous thing - but she saw a slight smirk on his face and knew he had anticipated her reaction.

"Severus," Zelda said, suddenly remembering something, "May I please see your arm?"

"You could have seen it any time you wanted, dear girl," he said, but he turned his left forearm toward her, smiling slightly.

"So he didn't..." Zelda said, happy for him that he had been spared from being Marked again.

"No, you were right, my girl. I think it amused him to grant me that privilege," he replied, seriously.

Something in his voice made her ask, "What did he do to you instead, Sev? He had to do something, didn't he?" Zelda felt a bit ill, wondering what else had happened.

Minerva watched them both during this interchange, and she gasped when Severus replied calmly, "A round of the Cruciatus Curse. Nasty, but it was not the first time I have experienced that from him."

"Severus... how can you take it so lightly?" Minerva asked, her voice breaking slightly. "I have seen it done before, I have seen the results of it, and..." she was not able to finish.

"It is what I do, Minerva," he said flatly. "It is what I have done for years now. I hope someday there will be an end to it, but it is part of my job. It was worth enduring it this time, however. Every day that I do not have the Dark Mark on my arm, I breathe easier."

Zelda went to him and kissed his cheek. She stroked the scar on his forearm and smiled at him, then turned to Minerva. "Perhaps we can eat breakfast together, but not in the Great Hall? We have a lot to discuss and not much time."

"I'll have breakfast sent up to my suite." Minerva replied, fascinated at the sight of Zelda and Severus together. They were so natural, and the obvious pleasure they took in each other felt almost contagious. She wanted to see more of this remarkable relationship between the most unbending young wizard she had ever known and this outrageous Muggle woman.

"Severus, would you like some fresh clothes?" she asked presently, "Your things are still in the dungeon, but Horace Slughorn is in residence now, and he will notice if you go there. But perhaps we can figure something out."

"I have an idea," Severus said, "Why don't we meet you in your suite in about an hour, Minerva, and I will endeavor to be more presentable."

Minerva left, and Severus turned to Zelda. "Come with me, my girl, and I will show you the Room of Requirement."

They climbed many empty staircases, and Severus whispered, "This is the seventh floor. Now you may admire this splendid tapestry for a moment."

Zelda glanced at a very odd tapestry, which portrayed a wizard and a group of lumpish creatures in what looked to be ballet clothing. She didn't get the point of it, so she watched Severus. He walked back and forth in front of a blank wall, three times, and suddenly a door appeared. He opened it, looked inside, and said, "Splendid! Come in, my girl." He held the door open for her as she walked through, and a remarkable sight met her eyes.

The door closed behind them, and Severus stripped off his grimy clothes, stuffing them briskly into a European, high tech Muggle washing machine - and turned it on. He strolled over to her and took her hand, leading her toward a doorway - and said; "Take your clothes off, my darling... I would like some company while I wait."

They entered into a cozy room with a large, old-fashioned bed in it, invitingly opened. They passed by a doorway that opened into a spacious bathroom, but when she slowed to look, he said suggestively, "Do not keep me waiting, pet." He stretched out on the bed, frankly enjoying his own nakedness, anticipating her eager desire for him.

Zelda began to strip as she gazed at him appreciatively. His long black hair and gleaming black eyes contrasted splendidly with his hard, pale-skinned body ... and the startling black hair on his body beckoned her to touch it. He spread his legs enough that his firmly standing erection granted her a rare view of the delicious, secret place she loved to play in.

Exposing himself to her was a new high, and without words, he showed her what he wanted. He said, "We must not keep Minerva waiting, my Zelda... so you must not keep me waiting," He stroked himself slowly, watching her watch him, and said compellingly, "Come here, my girl. As you suggested earlier... I am going to fuck you silly."

"It would be, um, rude to keep... Minerva waiting, wouldn't it?" she said weakly, clothes falling from nerveless fingers to the floor. Those strong, thin fingers mesmerized her. She looked up into his wicked black eyes, and down again. She purred, "Oh, Goddess. Let me do that, gorgeous Professor Snape." She climbed onto the bed and stroked his inner thighs, pressing his legs wider apart so she could worship in that hidden temple.

They fell together in a perfect frenzy of desire... as if they had not already spent half the night making love. Severus was in the grip of a strange lust for her. A primitive urge to possess her, fueled by his powerful magical will, created a wild heat between them beyond anything they could imagine. In ecstasy he moaned, "Zelda... oh Zelda... Zelda... " She was swept along with him, and sobbed, clinging to him when they climaxed together. When their eyes met, he had breached a barrier that had been between them, but they drowsed, deliciously sated, without thinking what it might mean.

Severus woke refreshed, wishing he had met her many years ago. He loved everything about Zelda, but when he considered sex between soul mates, well... nothing was more perfect. He relived their encounter in memory... and felt himself becoming aroused again. Then, he remembered; a moment they had known each other beyond physical bodies. He would know her anywhere now, in any form, truly the other half of himself. Ironic that she denied their connection except in love, in this life, he thought. But it was fitting that she was as stubborn as he.

"Wake up, my girl," he said, tickling her lips with soft, tingling kisses.

She stretched languorously and smiled at him, then threw her arms around him and kissed him back hard. "Where were you all my life?" she asked wistfully. "I never realized until now it was you that was missing, Sev."

He realized triumphantly that even without admitting it, she knew the bond between them was deep and real. Now was not the time, but someday he hoped they could explore this connection, the source of such joy for him. "Come along, Zelda," he said, striving for a casual tone. "Minerva is expecting us in twenty minutes. We have just enough time to shower..." His mouth twitched at her quizzical expression, but he said sternly, "No. No sexy shower scene today, darling. We are having breakfast with the Headmistress, so do strive for some decorum," he said, his black eyes gleaming.

"May I scrub your back?" she asked with a grin. "I promise I'll be very good."

They managed to shower without major outbreaks of passion, and when he took his damp clothes from the washer, she looked at him curiously. "Where's the dryer?" she snickered. She herself was already dressed, and admiring the view of his body, covered only by a towel around his waist. "And why a Muggle washing machine?"

"In general, really clean clothes here at Hogwarts would involve house elves, and so I thought that this arrangement would be... amusing," he replied with an ironic smile.

Severus picked up his wand and touched it to his clothes, and they instantly became dry and warm. He dressed himself with a smirk, and stood before her in his second hand Muggle clothes. He critically studied his beloved, in her second hand witch's robes. She looked perfectly magical to him, and he eyed her possessively. "You make me ridiculously happy, Zelda. I hope we can avoid discovery on our way back down, because I am famished."

He slipped his mangy black cloak over his Muggle clothing, gallantly held out his arm to her - which made her giggle, and then they were off to breakfast.