Disclaimer: Not Mine

The Arrangement

Chapter 4

Severus paced in the Headmaster's Office. They had argued for over two hours about telling Anne everything she needed to know.

"Fine, so you will tell her that I am not really a Death Eater, not really one of the Dark Lords staunch followers but she is not to know about the Order." Severus looked up at the ceiling and held his hands out, palms up. "How exactly is this going to play out when I put on my robes and grab a mask to run to him?"

"Again I say no." Albus sounded exasperated. "She will have to take you on trust."

"Trust?" Severus said incredulously with a sneer. "Trust me? You have no idea what you ask, you have no idea."

"You have been married now for eight months, surly you have built up some sort of trust."

"In those eight months we have fought, argued, and sought our solitude from each other. We have not even consummated the marriage." Severus admitted. "The first time I approached her she was so scared she ran away after vomiting all over me."

"I am sure it is not that bad," Albus said, trying not to laugh at the admission.

"Yes, Albus." He rolled his eyes. "I can honestly say she does not vomit on me any longer. Of course, that could be due to the fact that she hardly eats or comes close enough to do so."

"I am sure you are exaggerating."

"She knows." Severus stopped walking and looked up coldly at Albus. "She knows she is slated to die and she knows it will be me that does it."

"We will do everything we can. She should know we will try to keep her safe. That is another reason she should come here. If you are so ordered we can hide her."

"Then tell her about the Order. Tell her that more than a Death Eater will be there to protect her."

"There is a meeting tomorrow at Grimmauld where I will put it to a vote," Albus said, giving in to Severus because he knew the vote would go the way he wanted. "However, I will speak against it. If you want the rest to vote for your witch you will need to be there."

"Name one person there that would not let her walk in to Voldemort's camp just to spite me."

"Severus, tell her that you are working for me, but mention nothing of the Order. When Voldemort takes her, if Voldemort takes her, he will get the information. That will be my argument tomorrow. I am sorry but I will not put the Order at risk."

"Fine, it is late and I have early classes." Severus turned for the door in exasperation, knowing this was one more disagreement he would not win.

"You are still welcomed to bring her here," Albus said. "She will be safer."

"Perhaps." Severus conceded fuming. "Perhaps I shall since there is little else I can do."

Severus did not return to the Dungeons that night. He walked into Hogsmeade and down the empty pavement to his house. He felt lost. His whole world of routine and pattern was not gone. He would take her to Hogwarts and accept her into his life. He longed for her at the same time he hated her for making him feel this way.

He found her sitting at her vanity, the brush still in her hand, her hair uncombed and wildly covering her lowered head. She was wearing a blue gown, one that fit her no better than the last he had seen on her. She did not look up when he came in the room, but sat so still he thought she might have fallen asleep in the chair.

He picked up the letter from the Ministry that was lying next to her hair combs, and removed the string that was holding it closed. He slowly unrolled it, watching her from the corner of his eye, and wondered what this meant.

The Ministry was warning her that since she had not consummated the marriage they would come in the morning to collect her, the time for consummation readjusted by an amendment to the law. They were allowing her to bring one bag. Severus looked around the room and saw a small case packed and set by the door.

"I didn't think you were coming back tonight." She looked up at him trying to breathe. "I didn't think you would come for me, I didn't ask you to."

He walked over and pulled down the blankets on the bed. Sitting down he pulled off his boots and disrobed. He could hear her trying to breathe with sobs catching in her throat and cursed himself for what he must do and for his body's betrayal as he felt himself harden. He lifted his wand and muttered a soft "Nox" knowing she would be more comfortable if she did not see him over her.

He went to her and picked her up, carrying her to the bed, her heart beating against his chest so strongly he could feel it through her thin gown. He laid her in the middle of the bed and sliding off his boxers, he lay next to her, pulling the sheets to cover them both, hoping to give her some scene of modesty. He leaned over her, resting on one arm, and found her mouth in the darkness. He softly brushed his lips against hers and used his tongue to gain entry to her mouth.

She did not respond to him, but sobbed into his mouth as she mechanically opened hers to his. He stroked her face, kissed her forehead, her eyes, and her cheeks and again to her mouth only to feel her flinch from his touch and turn away.

"I will not hurt you." His voice was low and husky as he fought not to hurry. "I promise to be as gentle as I can. Close your eyes if you have must. Pretend to see someone else. Someone who you have been with before, someone you could love."

He rose to his knees, lifted her gown to her waist, and pulled down her knickers. He tossed them on the floor, leaving her gown on to cover her nakedness as he arranged it only as far as he needed to have access to her. Then he pulled the sheet up over his shoulders as he leaned toward her again, covering her completely, thinking to make it less intimate than it was.

He felt her nod her acceptance into his shoulder as he positioned himself between her legs. One hand supported his weight and the second cupped her face. He leaned down, kissed her, deepening it as lowered his hand to her wetness, and groaned his need into her. He heard her gasp of surprise as he stroked her labia and felt her hands flat against his chest as if wanting to push him away, then hold still and spread her fingers against his skin as if she wanted to give in to him but was afraid.

"Anne." He could not see more than the outline of the face in the dark. "Relax, I will not hurt you. We must finish this. Let me make it good for you."

"Severus?" She tried to push against his chest. Her hands trembled now against his skin. "I am scared. I …" She could not finish. "Please, don't do this please. I … I don't know how…please..."

Severus suddenly knew. He had assumed that she'd had lovers already. He had spent long nights alone on the sofa imagining her under unknown wizards moaning with them even as she denied him. He cursed her for making this harder than it should be, while being glad to know he would be her first.

"Hold on to me," he whispered into her ear. "Grab my shoulders. It will only hurt for a moment, and then it will be over. A small pain, a sting, nothing more."

He felt her hands tremble as they gripped his shoulders, her long nails leaving marks as she desperately clung to him. He kissed her as he thrust into her with one swift plunge, burying himself in her, feeling her rip, and then holding still. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her tears moistened his neck. He closed his eyes and knew the moan he heard was his own. He opened his mouth to breathe and concentrated on not moving. She tightened around him, her thighs tried to close only to squeeze him closer, and her entire body tensed as her legs held him as tightly as did her inside walls.

He pulled back his head and peered though the dark wanting to see her face, knowing he would be unable to hold still, or be overly gentle. He leaned down to her ear, and in the dark found his courage. Taking her hands in his, and raising them over her head, pressing them down and holding her still he leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"I used to dream of you like this, when I saw you working in your fathers shop, I used to dream of you." He heard her gasp and felt her gentle struggle to free her hands. He closed his eyes and groaned feeling her flex against him as she raised her hips to struggle free. When he released her hands, he felt them come to his face and pull him down as her lips reached for his. Then she held him in her hands holding him away as if to see him, to search his face, as he thrust into her coming in an explosion of sweet pain and release as he fought against his urge to hurt her, to go to deep, to go to fast. He held himself rigidly still as he pulsed into her, then pulling her hands away and lowering his head to hers, he captured her mouth. He tasted her as he completed his release and thought she tasted of the sea.

He rolled to his side and pulled her against him, feeling her hair on his chest the way he had dreamed. He felt a contentment he did not know existed, and fell asleep with her in his arms. He woke in the morning to the smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs and into his room, allowing himself a sigh of quiet enjoyment and a glance to her pillow, which still held the imprint of her head.

He rose to shower and ready for class. He still had not told Anne about the decision Albus had made and feared there was no time now to go over it in much detail. Finishing his shower he dressed in the robes she had set out for him and went down to the kitchen to join her.

She had set his plate on the table as usual, but she was not here. He frowned seeing the table with only one plate. He had expected that last night would have changed something, she should know how he felt, and she should be here in the kitchen with him. He picked up the plate and threw it into the sink taking satisfaction at the sound of breaking china with his uneaten food, he was furious with her. He wanted nothing more from her than to be near, and she rejected even that.

Turning he walked quickly through the house and up the steps to throw open the door to the nursery and found her again sitting on the floor.

"Get up," he snarled at her.

She jumped up and took a step backwards, startled at his demeanour. He was often angry and sarcastic to her, but this was a rage she felt roll off him in waves. She could feel his magic swirl toward her and gasped as she felt its energy push against her.

"What have I done?" She looked at him, then lowered her eyes, embarrassed at the intimacy they had shared and at what she had felt the night before, seeing him now and knowing it was only an illusion he had made up for his own sake.

He could not tell her how he felt. He could not let the words fall on the floor before her after this mornings rejection.

"You will come with me to Hogwarts." He sneered, watching her face closely.

"I can stay here now," she said as she reddened. "The Ministry said my ring was charmed, they will know that you… that last night…."

"That I fucked you?" He sneered crassly seeing her eyes fill.

'You will come with me," he said flatly. "Don't worry I will not touch you again since you found me so repulsive."

"I don't …." Her head jerked up to look at him, to try to explain, only to see the hatred on his face. "I'm sorry… I don't know what for… but whatever it is, I am sorry to hell that I am here. That you were forced to… forced to take me as a wife. I thought that you may… when you didn't hurt me… I wanted to tell you… Do you think this is easy for me? That I want this any more then you wanted to do what you did?"

"It appears you have finally learned," he hissed at her. "Perhaps I should have fucked you earlier and been done with all this foolishness."

Severus watched as her eyes meet his and saw the fleeting whisper of defeat that settled in her. He felt a building pressure in his chest that threatened to take him over and choke him but he was still unable to do more then sneer.

"Get your bag," he snapped. "Get it and come down at once."

He had previously talked to Albus and had the floo opened from his Hogsmeade home directly into Albus office. He thought to avoid anyone seeing her on the walk up from the Apparition point if the need presented its self. Now that Ministry had removed the floo and sealed it from the network, he had no choice but to walk up to the castle with her letting the students and staff gawk.

He walked down the stairs and waited for her in the back yard. She came to the back door and hesitantly stepped out and walked to him, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. Seeing her as others soon would, he was struck by her thinness, the pallor of her skin and the way she carried herself with her lowered head.

"Stand up straight and at least try to look like you care where you are," he spat as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him for apparation.

They arrived at the castle and he quickly pulled her up the walk and into the castle hurrying to the Headmasters office. As the staircase carried them up, he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes and lifted her chin trying to control the trembling he could still see. She put her shaking hands in her pockets and bit her lip to still it. He gently reached for her elbow only to have her pull away from him.

"Headmaster," Severus said as he entered the Headmasters office with Anne at his side.

"Ah, Mrs Snape." Albus smiled as he rose from his desk and walked over to the couple. "I have waited several months to meet you."

"Headmaster," she said as she nodded once in greeting, faking a smile and raising her chin.

"Please." Albus waved his hand toward the coffee table where a light breakfast was set out. "I was afraid at this early hour you would not have eaten, and since Professor Snape's first class begins in just a few short moments I had hoped you would join me."

Anne looked up to Severus not knowing if she could stay after he was gone. He nodded to her and walked her to the sofa where he pointed to which end she was to take. Albus watched the exchange frowning when the witch would not even sit without permission. He wondered just how controlling his Potions Master had been, and how much these laws had stolen from her.

Severus saw the Headmasters raised eyebrow and stood straight, hands clasped behind his back.

"They have taken her wand." He looked at the Headmaster evenly. "Her owl and floo have been closed. I am afraid I can no longer leave her in Hogsmeade while I am here."

"Fine," Albus smiled at Anne. "We have an additional guest. I am sure you will enjoy your stay here as much as we shall enjoy having you."

After several moments when Anne made no response, Severus returned to the door.

"I will leave her to you Headmaster," Severus said stonily. "She has no knowledge of our conversation. Be aware that it is illegal for her to be here with you, without my presence."

"I have left my morning free, and Minerva has free time this morning if we have need of her." Albus turned back to look at the witch. "How long has she been in this state?"

"State?" Severus turned and looked at her anew. He saw Anne sitting looking into the fireplace, paying no attention to anything around her, as if she had gone someplace they could not see. He raked his hand through his hair and looked at Albus.

"She will be fine when this is over." He spoke quietly. "She is seldom like this, when she is, it does not last long. She is just… as of late she has…do what you can Albus, I am at a loss."

Then turning on his heel and hurrying out, he went to his first class.

A/N: I know this has been posted for a while, but feel free to drop a comment letting me know what you like or don't like. Thanks...