Severus walked around the wizarding part of London on almost a nightly basis after the war. He was free and refused to return to Hogwarts to teach. There was no reason for him to do so and he needed his freedom. After the war he spent two months in St. Mungos recovering from his wounds and the poison. Luckily he was adept enough to make an antivenin to Nagini's venom. The nightly walks through wizarding London were a relaxing thing for him after a long day of being in the lab. He usually bypassed the more popular parts and went for the quiet dark areas.

On one of these night walks Severus met Celine Fortier. Severus had gone to a tavern for a drink on his own and chose to sit in the shadiest part of the tavern where no one would see him, no t that anyone would mess with him. He was content in the quiet surrounding him. Most of the noise was in the front. After a while though the rest of the patrons began to move back towards him. Severus quickly got up and left paying his tab. He walked outside down an alleyway to another street that was empty. Then a woman appeared from around a corner. Severus could see the worried/scared look on her face. The woman looked up and made her way to Severus and held his arm.

"Please help me, act like you know me. There is a man following me and I don't know what to do. I can't use my magic because I'm too exhausted. Please, help me!" the woman pleaded. Severus felt bad for the woman. She had a legitimate excuse to not be able to blow her pursuer to bits. Then Severus looked up and saw the man appear. The man did not seem to stop and had a deranged look on his face. The man drew his wand and Severus reacted in time. Without a moments hesitation Severus drew his wand and knocked the man back a few yards against a brick wall. Severus grabbed the woman by the hand and they apparated to another street.

"Are you okay?" asked Severus. "What's your name?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. My name is Celine." She answered with a smile. Severus could see her adrenaline rush.

"Why are you so exhausted and out on the street?"

"I'm an Auror and am on my way home from work. Had to do some energy consuming things today." She was not divulging exactly what she did but her answer was sufficient to Severus.

"Would you like me to escort you home?"

"Oh, you don't have to." She said.

"I insist. In your current state something could happen."

"Oh, well, fine." He had a point and she allowed him to. So they walked. Severus looked at her from the corner of her eye. She was tall; she had to be around five foot ten or eleven. She was curvy and could tell she was strong. Her hair was a cross between dark brown and auburn and was kept up in a bun. Her skin was the color of chocolate but not without blemishes. He could see the marks of battle on her skin. It was warm that night so she wore jeans and a t-shirt with her purse crossing her chest. Her eyes were almond shaped and brown and her lips were perfectly plump. He nails were not painted but she wore a gold ring on each of her fingers and had three piercings in each ear.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Sure?"

"Do you know who I am?" Celine hesitated to answer for a moment.

"Yes, you are Severus Snape."

"Did you come to me because you knew who I was?"

"No, you happened to be the only wizard in my path."

"Okay." He could tell she was telling the truth. "Do you think the man that was following you knows where you live?"

"I hope not. I've never seen him before until tonight. I usually apparate home, but like I said, I'm exhausted and I didn't want to risk injury."

"Smart move. Would not want to loose you to a splinch." Severus looked out the corner of his eye and noticed the smile creeping on her face. They walked on for a while and finally reached her home.

"Thank you for escorting me home safely Severus." She said softly. She stepped closer to him and kissed him on the cheek. Severus stood there in shock. "Can I treat you to dinner one day?" she asked. Severus, once again, was rendered speechless for a moment.

"That would be satisfactory. When and where?"

"My apartment, third floor. Tomorrow at seven."

"I will be here on time." Severus nodded his head then apparated when she was safely in her building. He apparated to a dark door and watched for a while to see if the man showed up. The man did and Severus quickly and easily got rid of him.

Severus and Celine continued to see each other after that. It was now six months and Severus found himself walking the night streets to her home. He didn't have to walk but it felt good for him to do so. Severus had a key to her door and let himself in. He took off his robe and hung it up. Severus found her in her living room reading papers that were scattered neatly around her on the floor. Severus removed his shoes and jacket and placed them on a chair then tiptoed through the papers so he could get to her and kiss her.

"How was your day?" she asked. Severus sat down next to her on the floor and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Uneventful, just more orders to fill. Yours?"

"Frustrating but you're here so these get put away." With a wave of her hand the papers neatly stacked themselves in the appropriate files on her coffee table. They stood and sat for dinner, which she had prepared earlier and left with a stasis charm. They ate dinner and talked about their day. When Dinner was over they cleaned up and retired to the living room and relaxed. Severus lay next to Celine on the sofa and held her in his arms. She was warm and that was exactly what he needed at the moment. He needed her warmth and softness.

"I think we should move to the bedroom." He whispered in her ear. She nodded her head in agreement and they stood and walked to the room. Severus walked through last and put up a ward that made the room sound proof. Celine removed her clothes in front of Severus to tease him then climbed on the bed when she was completely naked. Severus did the same and crouched at the foot of her bed. He kissed his way up her legs to her pussy and licked it. This made Celine very aroused and caused her to wriggle. Severus then continued to kiss her all the way up her body till he reached her lips.

Celine spread her legs for Severus and he slid in easily. She was very tight and Severus liked the feeling. Severus went in and out of her slowly at first then they switched in to another position and continued on. Sex between Severus and Celine was always sweet and extremely pleasurable. It usually wasn't long before Celine came and Severus followed suit. This night would be the same and they collapsed in each other's arms on the bed. They lay there a while catching their breaths.

This was the time that Celine did not look forward to though. Like clockwork right after sex Severus would get up and leave because he had an early night. But today she really wanted to sleep in his arms. She fought with herself if whether she should ask him or not but finally gave in. Severus slid out from under the covers to get dressed when Celine sat up and watched him.

"Severus."

"Yes."

"Why don't you stay tonight?"

"I would if I could but I'm busy. I'm always busy." He said not looking at her. Celine didn't know what to say after that and sat there trying to fight back tears.

"Severus we've been doing this for six months and not once have you stayed for a night. Am I just a meal and fuck for you?" she asked. Severus quickly turned; the words coming out of her mouth gave away her hurt. He was going to answer when he saw the look of sadness in her eyes. Severus put down his clothes on the floor and climbed back in to the bed with her and held her.

"No you're not a quick fuck and a meal to me. You are a friend and a lover. I'm just…" Severus didn't quite know how to continue. He held her close for a while. "You're lonely aren't you?"

"Yes." She whispered. He could feel the tears she shed falling on his chest.

"I'll stay. I don't want you to be lonely and I do love you." Severus released her and undressed and climbed fully back in to bed with her and the lights were turned off. Severus never let go of her that whole night. He never did from that point on.