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Severus woke at dawn and studied Zelda carefully. He had not considered the effect of his Healing Charm's enhanced endorphin response when it was combined with a rush of sexual desire. It would have been better to experiment with her informed consent; he thought guiltily, a worried frown on his face.

Zelda opened her blue eyes to find Severus studying her with clinical concern. "Hello," she said softly.

Her eyes were bright and she looked very well, he thought with a rush of relief. "How do you feel?"

The memory of the previous evening flooded her. "Pretty normal," she replied. "Will this effect go away soon?"

"It should be significantly lessened by now, and by the end of the day gone completely," he said. "I should have been more careful yesterday," he said guiltily.

"If I hadn't had to wake up and deal with reality so soon it would have been better," she conceded. Her lips quirked into a mischievous smile as she said, "Besides, I don't need anything to add to my lust for you, Sev. I crave you like a drug."

"How did my ego survive before you found me?" he asked sardonically. He stared speculatively at her. "There is but one sure way to gauge the strength of the Healing Charm, you know."

"Are we alone?" she asked.

"Yes," he murmured, and he kissed her neck lightly.

The effect was not as strong, she realized, but a pool of heat accumulated low down in her belly and she gazed at him eagerly. "Not gone yet," she whispered, putting trembling hands on his shoulders.

"How does it make you feel?" he asked, as equal parts clinical curiosity and sexual power warred within him.

"Incredibly horny, you sexy dunderhead," she replied acerbically. "Like zero to ninety in two seconds." She began to pull him on top of her, snarling irritably when he pulled back.

"Now, now," he murmured. "Stay still, my girl. I should study this effect on you." Slowly he laid a hand on her belly, not removing his eyes from hers. He could see that his touch excited her, and he massaged her soft flesh. "Hold still and keep looking at me, precious," he breathed, slowly moving his hand up to cup her breast.

Zelda whimpered, excited and frightened by her body's hyper-responsiveness. "I feel as if I'll go mad," she muttered through gritted teeth.

He was tormenting her by prolonging his examination, Severus realized, and guilt threatened his desire. He carefully avoided stimulating her neck as he kissed her. "I am sorry," he whispered. His tongue caressed her lips and he rolled over to kneel between her legs. He was unsurprised when she wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing contact between their bodies. His enthusiastic passion was what she needed, and if it was partly out of guilt, it did not diminish the magnificence of their climax.

The excessive physical exhaustion that left her drained afterward felt like the last time, but her mind was alert. "Definitely a difference," she said. "I don't know when I'll have the strength to stand up, but I'm fully conscious, anyway."

"It is too much, darling girl, and I am sorry. You shall stay here while I make your breakfast."

Her hand rose to stroke his chest weakly. "Stay with me then?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course. I shall be back soon," he said, softly. He watched her eyes close before he left the room, and in the kitchen he used magic to make a hearty meal.

As he was preparing to Levitate the breakfast tray, a loud, annoying bell began ringing intermittently. Severus looked for the source of it, wanting to hex whatever was making the noise, but in the most obscure corner of the kitchen he saw a telephone. He realized that it was probably Michael, so he set down his wand and went to pick it up, groaning.

"Hey, Zelda, how's it going?" Michael's voice came through as clear as if he were standing in the room.

"It is Severus," he replied sourly. "Zelda is sleeping. What do you want, Michael? This device is something I have happily avoided for most of my life."

Michael's chuckle was bright and annoying. "Too bad you can't hex me through the phone,' he said cheerfully. "I'm calling to see if you want company for a few days."

"Almost the entire magical community of Britain has infested this place of late, so why not you too?" snapped Severus foully.

"How can I resist that gracious invitation?"

"I am sorry. It is, after all, your house," Severus muttered stiffly, remembering too late all that he owed to this man.

"I liked the first, snarky answer better," Michael said. "It made me feel so at home I almost forgot you aren't gay." He paused teasingly, "...or are you?"

All the frustrations of the past few days had accumulated in Severus, and he snapped. "Merlin's bleeding arse, Michael, don't you ever stop?" he shouted furiously. "Isn't there a single bloody homosexual man in this entire region that you can fixate on? Since before I laid eyes on you my favorite activity has been shagging Zelda silly and that will not change, so I assure you that I AM NOT GAY!"

A ringing silence followed, and Severus was horrified. He could count the times he had lost his temper so ridiculously on the fingers of one hand, and worse yet, he was not actually angry with Michael for his teasing. He fumbled for words, but none came and the silence lengthened.

"Severus..." Michael whispered provocatively into the silence, "/Are you sure/?"

Severus hissed in disbelief, but began to laugh then, and found it hard to stop. "Bloody hell, Michael, if you were here I would wring your neck like a chicken." He finally gained control and asked silkily, "At what time will I have the pleasure of getting my hands on you?"

"Sometime in the early afternoon, and don't bother waiting lunch. In fact, I'll bring dinner with me," he said cheerfully. "I can't wait. See ya, Severus."

Severus stared bitterly at the inanimate instrument. This was why he hated human interaction. He always made an ass of himself. Fortunately Michael was not the least bit offended, but he would now be in for some embarrassing teasing. He groaned, picked up the tray in his hands and returned to the bedroom.

He was delighted to find Zelda sleeping and unaware of the telephone call. He set the tray down and kissed her until she stirred. "Are you hungry?" he asked gently.

"In what sense of the word?" she replied, admiring his bare torso as he adjusted her pillows so she could sit up.

"Breakfast," he said commandingly. "I must keep your strength up, so you can protect me from Michael."

"Really? Is he coming up here?" she asked, intrigued by his strange comment. She accepted a cup of coffee from him and began sipping it as she waited for his response.

"He telephoned just now," Severus muttered. "He will be here this afternoon." He was pleased to see a flash of disappointment in her eyes before she said pleasantly, "That's nice."

"It bloody well isn't," Severus replied irritably. "No sooner are we rid of the entire cursed Gryffindor contingent than Michael announces his arrival. Furthermore, as I was not welcoming, he said that my response was so snarky as to seem /gay/, and I, erm... lost my temper and shouted at him."

Her eyebrows rose delicately. "How did he react?"

Severus frowned forbiddingly. "He was amused," he snarled through clenched teeth.

"Oh..." she replied. She set her coffee cup down carefully and asked mischievously, "Is this the confessional moment when you're going to break the news to me?"

He slammed his cup down and threw himself on top of her, pressing her arms down over her head. "Wretched female. If this is all the sympathy I receive from you, perhaps I shall abandon you for Michael," he hissed in his coldest voice.

She pouted adorably. "Really?" she murmured reproachfully, gazing up at him with wide blue eyes. "I'm very sorry. From now on I'll be more sympathetic," she offered. "I'll keep him from frightening you and if he teases you... I'll throw the dishes at him."

"That is more like it," he said smugly. "Now eat your breakfast, my girl. If you recover your strength quickly enough I believe I would like to take a shower with you."

"Hand me my breakfast," she replied with a smirk. "If the only way for me to keep you out of Michael's clutches is to service you constantly, I'll need regular meals."

They both ate heartily, and when they were finished Severus took her back into his arms and they drowsed contentedly. He woke after an hour and could not sleep, so he began to ease himself out of bed.

"Are you leaving?"

"I did not wish to disturb your rest," he replied.

"I'm suffering from physical lassitude and wide-awake. It's amazingly boring. Please tell me what happened when you went back."

He told her everything, including his unexpected visit with Aberforth, who interested Zelda very much.

When she heard about the Dark Lord's plans for the giants, surprisingly she became the most upset. "Can't anything be done to stop him from using them? I understand that they must be huge and terrifying, but for an entire race to be devastated practically overnight, it's horrible."

"Thus the Dark Lord rewards his followers," Severus said bitterly. "My only hope for them is that Hagrid can discover from his brother how to persuade them to go back home."

"You're doing your best, love," she murmured, snuggling confidingly against him. "I'm sorry I teased you earlier. You're so perfect for me that I can't imagine loving anyone else."

He was always aware of their soul bond, which she refused to believe in, so he knew that, having found her, he could not be satisfied with another. "We fit," he replied simply. He began kissing her, carefully avoiding the crucial spot on her neck, and of course one thing led to another. They were still in bed when Michael arrived.

&&&&&&&&&


The bedroom door flew open and Michael strolled in. "What in blazes happened to my hunting shack? And could you do it to my house too?"

Severus was comfortably sleeping with Zelda's nipple in his mouth and her hand tangled in his long hair. He was so deeply relaxed that, incredibly, Zelda woke before he did.

"What?" she whispered, dazed and trying to sit up. But a warm mouth was latched onto her breast and it felt so nice that she relaxed and stayed where she was.

"God, I guess he's really not gay," Michael exclaimed loudly, trying again. He leaned against the wall, his brown eyes gleaming with wicked amusement.

Michael?" shrieked Zelda, suddenly and horridly awake. "What are you doing in our bedroom?" She realized that she and Severus were largely uncovered and grabbed for the comforter, covering them both.

Severus woke to discover that they had been invaded and that they were both definitely nude. He sat up abruptly and glared viciously at Michael.

"Nice," Michael commented, eyeing his bare chest. He watched with a smug smile as Severus narrowed his eyes and flushed a dull red.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Zelda asked, clutching the comforter to her breasts.

"I'd planned to let you finish whatever kinky things you're into, but my house is changed into somebody else's little palace of pleasure. I didn't know what was behind Door Number One until I was in here," he said, smirking.

"Leave, Michael," Severus snarled nastily. "We shall see you after we are dressed."

Michael winked at them and strolled out of the room, leaving the door ajar.

"Where is my wand? I cannot believe I was caught without my wand," Severus hissed. He got out of bed, slammed the door and strode around the room, looking for his clothing. When he looked at Zelda she was sitting on the edge of the bed, a slight smile on her lips. "What?" he asked, taken aback.

"You're gorgeously sexy when you're angry," she said in a breathy little voice. "So intense and passionate. Your eyes are flashing."

Her own eyes were glowing with admiration and when Severus paused to look at her, his rage dissipated.

"Come here," she said lovingly. When he stood before her she put her arms around him, nuzzling his belly and kissing it. "Now, what I can do to make you feel better?"

"You just did it," he muttered, irritated at losing this chance to vent his ill humor, but disarmed by her affectionate gesture.

She kissed him once more and looked up. "Can you find your clothes now?"

"Yes," he said, Summoning them without his wand. He began to dress, but said longingly, "Must I go out there? He is going to be insufferable."

Her cheeks grew pink as she remembered what Michael had seen. "I'd say we should hide here, but all the food's out there, and I think we slept through lunch, didn't we?"

He groaned. "Ah, I had forgotten that you need sustenance in order to, er, service me. Very well, but you must protect me, my little tigress." He watched her pad naked across the room to rummage in the closet. The dress she slipped on was a pretty pink print, and more revealing than she usually wore. It had thin, tiny straps and showed enough of her breasts that he cheered up considerably. "You look delicious," he murmured.

"Thank you," she said. "Now put your shirt on and come out there with me."

They opened the door and strode into the kitchen area, where Michael was making sandwiches. He turned and studied them, grinning impudently.

"How soon will you be leaving?" Zelda asked icily.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Zel. I've missed you," he said brightly.

"Brat. Idiot. Voyeur," she snarled, giving him a hug. "Severus, get your wand and hex him for me, please."

He spotted his wand on the kitchen counter, and breathed a sigh of relief to have it with him again. He turned to Michael only after banishing all expression from his face, and appraised him as if considering which hex was appropriate.

"Hey, I was just kidding," said Michael with a winning smile.

Severus snorted. "People once hated and feared me," he hissed dramatically. "Mine was a simple life. Brewing potions, spying on the Dark Lord, terrorizing my students, mocking the idiots around me... Of course that was before Zelda transformed it all into roaring farce."

Zelda went to him and rubbed his back comfortingly. "Poor Severus. I'll pretend to hate and fear you once in a while if it makes you happy," she offered brightly. "And I promise you can hex Michael whenever you want to."

He chuckled as he pulled her into a hug. "What a lovely girl you are. Would you like to watch me hex him?"

"Hey! I'm still here, you know," Michael smirked. "And what's that sweet tattoo on your neck, Zel?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's /temporary/, and I'd rather not discuss it. By the way, young man, /you will not torment Severus, and if you ever walk into my bedroom again without knocking, I'll shoot you/." She smiled endearingly. "Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, Zelda," he responded humbly, but with twinkling eyes. "And may I just say, you're damn sexy for an old broad."

"Thank you." She turned to Severus. "We'll never hear the end of it, Obliviate him."

"Hey! I'll be good! I'm... /sorry/," Michael shouted, choking a bit over the last word.

She looked up at Severus. "Do we bother trying to trust him?"

"I can Obliviate him at any time, my girl," he said with a smirk.

"Zel, I brought you something, and if I'm Obliviated I won't remember to give it to you," Michael murmured coaxingly.

She grinned smugly up at Severus. "He brought me something." She turned to Michael. "What didja bring me?"

"Ice cream," he whispered with a tempting smile.

"Okay," she announced. "You can hex him later, Sev... He brought ice cream."

Michael eyed Severus cautiously. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Severus replied grudgingly. "But only because you brought ice cream."

"Great. Sit down and have some lunch then."

Severus studied the man, wondering if the time he had spent with Minerva had influenced him. "Michael," he said idly.

Michael looked at him and found his mind under attack. Instantly he was both attacking Severus and defending his own mind.

It was flawless and impressive, Severus thought. 'Enough,' he thought, allowing the concept to float free between them.

Michael smiled. "Minerva's sometimes a challenge for me," he said cheerfully. "But not like you."

Zelda had watched them test each other with a smile. From what she knew of his past, Severus had never had a male friend, but she could see that these two liked each other very much. She wished Michael were a wizard, so he could back Severus up in a fight.

"Can we please be serious now?" Michael asked. "I have a few questions for you."

"All right," Severus replied. "What do you wish to know?"

"Tell me about giants and Inferi."