Once again, I mourn the lack of no beta. Sorry these chappies are comin gout so fast. But I actually wrote these back in like... august. I was scribbling them out like you wouldn't believe. And I hav eprove, cause write in the middle of one I scribbled out to a deaf guy taht was sittin gnext to me on aplane that we were almost in sacramento and I went on that trip August 21st and got my notebook when I was buying school supplies. So when I reach the end of my handwritten parts, I'll ahve to make it all up from there... J/K well, abck to whatever.

Disclaimer: HP is not mine! It is JK rowlings and all that, kays?

In the middle of Jane and Rory's flat I appear and holler "Hermione Jane granger! I need you right now!" I stomp my foot ptulantly like a child and she scurries into the living room from the study she likes to call the library and smiles prettily.

"Why, good morning Harry!"

"Jane?" I stride forward and give her a hug before holding her at arms length. "What does a white rose stand for?"

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I sit gingerly on a bench in the park and delicately tuck one ankle behind the other. I peer under my lashes through a curtain of brunette hair (a wig of course), before smoothing my skirt then examining my ring finger, hand splayed in front of me, not unlike the girlish guise I have adopted.

I flick my hair over my shoulder and gaze up at the tree above me. I'm nervous. Anyone looking at me would assume all the wrong reasons as to why.

Tonight I have a strike, and I have to do it alone. Alone is one thing, but without backup or an orchestrator is a whole other. Rory's still out of commission and Jane is holed up with him and therefore incommunicado.

I haven't seen her since 3 days ago when I asked her about that rose.(1) What worries me is that I'm to take out two of that Pimps associates. They aren't fools like he was either. One of them took out Rory for Merlin's sake, and he's my aprtner for a good reason.

I have to take them out, crack their safe for their debt money, and take it back there.

I have a personal request from Mr. Malfoy himself.

"Worrying doesn't suit you."

I smooth my skirt and fold my hands in my lap coyly, shyly answering back.

"Do I know you?"

"Your disguise is good, but you're still wearing my ring."

"Ir it is yours," I ask all girly, "Then why do you not take it back?"

"Because you do not want me to, do yu?"

I am silent as he sits beside me and comfortingly places his hand on my thigh as if I really was the woman I am portraying.

"I admit I am curious." I say slowly.

"About?" He answers, an amused look on his face.

"You. Me. What you're hiding behind that pretty face."

"I'm not hiding anything, you jsut haven't asked."

"Oh, really?" I flutter my eyelashes as a decoy as I study him up and down.

A white shirt with the top three buttons left undone draws my eyes to his bare chest udnerneath and a faint glimmer I can just see if I turn my head in the correct fashion.

"Well then," I reach out hesitantly and trace his chest gently. "Can you tell me what this is?"

A pendant rolls soothingly under my fingers.

'You can see it?" Surprise flits across his face.

"No." I stand up and smooth my skirt and tuck my hair behind my ears. "I can see traces. It... Seems to be a gift of mine."

/"Harry." Snape's voice comforts my rising anxiety as he caresses my face. "Not everyone can see traces of magic like you. It seems to be a gift of yours."/

"What did you just remember?" He leans back, satisfied, as I flick me hair, irritated, and sit down with a flounce.

"Not much, really." I frown. "But I s'pose you still want to know. But why should I tell you?"

"Yes." His tone is unyielding. Almost like... an order? "I do want to know. Don't you trust my judgement when I've been honest so far?"

/"What I tell you is for your own good."

He towers menacingly over me. He doesn't raise a hand in reprimand but I flinch as tough he does because of his tone of voice.

I bow my head in submission as he continues.

"So no more griping like you distrust my judgement."

"Yes sir." I murmur respectfully, thoroughly chastised.

"Good."/

Impulsively, no, instintually, I bow my head and answer.

'I... yes sir." That knocks the breath out of me in shock. Why am I acting this way? "I first saw you telling me what I just said, that seeing traces of magic was a gift of mine."

He's very smug now, and leans back to where he was previously relaxed before he leaned forward to chastise me. He caresses my neck gently in reassurance, and I shiver before equally gently trying to pull away.

His grip firms and I give up, not wanting to attract attention.

Is that really why? Or are you afraid of admitting to liking his dominance?

"Anything more from that flashback?" He prods, firmly, but gently, with his carressing voice.

I shiver again.

"Not... really. That's all I saw for the most part. You said that it was okay and reassured my panic and that was it.?

"And the other?"

"Damnit, I thought you'd miss that." I hunch my shoulders in agitation, trying to wriggle away, and he quickly grips the base of my neck and forces me back into relaxed submission.

I comply much too easily for my tasks and slowly answer, much to my chagrin.

"You were reprimanding me for... griping." His grip tightens when I pause, searching for the right words, as though he doesn't trust me to continue on my own. "When everything you tell me..." I take a quick breath and rush my next words. "Is for my own good."

I'm shivering and it's not even cold out, I'm frightened and it muse show since someone calls out to me.

"Are you all right, miss?"

I look up, startled, and the black haired man's... no, Snape's, hand retreats as if leaving me to my own devices.

An elderly man stands in front of me, worriedly. "Is this man bothering you?"

"Oh no, sir!" I squeak, and stand up quickly, flouncing about and pulling myself together.

I curtsy quickly in Snape's direction and apologixe. I'm very sorry sir, I'm awfully late. Please excuse me."

I imagine my eyes are pleading with his, and I have no idea why.

I turn to the kind old man, who, ironically enough, is my neighbor and is one of the few that has seen meas Harry since the battle. Battle, oh yes. Voldi-man, no, Voldemort. The one I defeated in a final battle.

He has a propensity, my neighbor, when most needed. I freelly admit that, since it isn't a bad thing.

I'm hurrying as fast as my heels and whipping skirt allow back to my apartment.

It's time to focus on my job tonight. Not on silly fantasies that I am most assuredly not interested in.

I'm unbuttoning my blouse when I feel his... Snapes presence in my flat, I ignore him fo rthe moment, although I do quickly calculate where my nearest knife is, as I take off my padded bra as well.

I lift the glamour of stockings and the one on my boxers and... ahem, man parts before letting my skirt fall to the ground as well.

I turn to face him in only my boxers and his gaze wanders my body as though calculating my worth. My skin prickles with goose bumps when he speaks.

"What," His tone is menacingly forboding. "Is that." His eyes are cold and hard as rocks as I feel as though he's burning holes in my chest so I turn away to dig in my drawers for my suit while answering.

"It's originally why I was called the viper." I pause, holding up a shirt and debating a moment before puttin gi on. "I had a pendant. My trademark to go along with my kill mark." I fish for a pair of pants and I notice him sit at my vanity.

"Kill mark?"

"For strikes." I answer curtly as I wriggle into my leather pants.

"And the pendant?"

I huff and run my hands over my face and through my hair.

'It was a danger sensing charm."

"For whom?" His expression darkens and his form seems to grow in the small wooden chair, dwarfin gme.

"It only worked one way." I continue. "My wife had a lion, and I a snake, and mine glowed when she was in danger. Or if she thought the boys were in danger.

He stands and looms over me, stepping so close that I inhale his musky scent of sandlewood and resign to my fate by bowing my head.

His hand tips my face up to look at him an dhe asks me gravely. "Did you love her?"

"Not as much as I apparently lov eyou."

Time stops and I wrench myself free, digging frantically for the rest of my gear. I'm breathless as my mind faces about, trying to figure out what I meant by that.

He stands still as I rush about, trying to attach knives and wrap my arms with shaking hands.

He gently pries my hand off of my arm and efficiently takes over himself. Over, under, around the his hands go, and I'm mesmerized by how delicate they are. He softly speaks.

"you don't have to do this... Job tonight." It isn't a command, but a suggestion. A suggestion I don't take nicely to as I feel my pride kick in.

He glances at me stony face and continues with his self-proclaimed job as he speaks again. 'No one would think less of you."

"Is Lucius Malfoy no one?"

"Well," He drawls. "He's a dear friend of mine, and would not dare do or say anything blatant in front of me."

My bandanna feels too tight tonight as I nervously paw through items in a drawer, withdrawing knuckles plates and a seemingly innoccuous choker with a snake plate on the front.

I'm going all out, if onlyjust to protect myself if something goes wrong. More knives find themselves on my person and Snape eyes me warily.

"And even dear friends are eprfectly capable of sending people to harrass me behin gyour back. I'm going in, and as you can see," I gesture at my person, smiling wanly. "I am going as prepared as possible."

He sighs and gestures towards my vanity. "Sit and I shall do your... paint for you."

I sit and rummage on the vanity top. "Not tonight. The black powder will do. Expecially since I can't often see where I've missed by myself."

He turns on another lamp and directs me to close my eyes as he dusts my face and every other exposed piece of flesh I have.

"Which do you prefer?"

"Well, I usually do the smudge because I can tell wehre it's at by the feel of my skin. But it get's kind of uncomfortable when i sweat."

I sense him lean down and his lips press gently against mine for a mere moment.

I open my eyes and he steps back, handing me the powder which I carefully rub into my lips as well. I slip on fingerless gloves, with my knives sewed in them, to hide the glint of my knuckle plates and I'm all set.

I look up suddenly. "Do you have a first name? I only remember your last."

"I was not aware you knew, remembered, my last name at all."

"All I remember is...Snape."

"My name is Severus."

/"My name is Severus, and in the bedroom you will address me as such."

I am very aware of him as his care skin brushes against mine and his breath ghosts against my lips.

"Do you understand?" His sultry voice asks as his luxurious hair excapes from behind his ears and shrouds my face in a dark, soft curtain.

"Yes."/

"Severusss..." I moan and my eyes snap open before I spring up, backing away in horror.

His face is unreadable as I speak again, waving my hand discreetly.

"You are keyed into my wards and may come and go as you please." I purse my lips and bend to reach my boots under the vanity. "I only ask that you do not remove any o fmy belongings." I deftly tie the laces, for once my hands not betraying my nervousness, before I stand and see him nod.

"Fair enough." He replies mildly. "I shall be at... well, when you visit Lucius, I will undoubtably be there.

I nod and slide open my balcony door, close it carefully, and leap over the edge, to vanish from his sight.

(1) A white rose symbols purity of intent. Or a kind of friendship. But I meant the first one.