Severus Snape was attending a particularly dull Death Eater meeting. Dolohov was presenting a strategy they could use to capture the Minister and put him under the Imperius curse. He looked at his comrades. They were either not listening or shaking their heads in disbelief at his plan. Severus stopped listening as well. Instead he began to observe Bellatrix.
She was currently looking down at her shoes noticing a bit of dirt on them. She then looked up, but not at Severus. No she was looking at the man who was sitting at the head of the table. He smiled at her and she blushed with joy, like a schoolgirl.
Severus had noticed this affectionate exchange of gestures and it came as no surprise to him. He and he alone knew their secret.
A few months ago, he had been on his way to tell the Dark Lord something he had found out about the Order of the Phoenix. In his excitement he had forgotten to knock before entering his master's chambers so he saw the two wizards holding hands and whispering something to each other. Bellatrix had panicked when she saw him and tried to erase his memory. But the Dark Lord calmed her down with an "I trust Severus", and gave Snape a look that meant he had been sworn to secrecy. Telling anyone what he had seen would have devastating consequences for all three of them.
To this day he could still not believe what he had seen. He had never liked Bellatrix and had always thought she was a strange woman but even the strangest woman would have been put off by his master's looks. And what about the Dark Lord? Severus knew Voldemort didn't love her but still the fact that his master would allow anyone to get so close to him (at least physically) was something he had not thought possible.
He smirked. He was wondering whether or not Bellatrix was foolish enough to think the Dark Lord's feelings for her were deeper then pure enjoyment. Surely she didn't, she enjoyed his power as much as he enjoyed hers.
The meeting was over. On his way home, Severus was thinking of something entirely different. Lily's birthday was approaching. She would have turned 28, the same age as he was. Tears filled his eyes while anger filled his heart. How could he have been so stupid as to believe the Dark Lord would spare her? Even if he had, would she have ever loved him? He smiled bitterly. Even the Dark Lord was now loved.