"A Death Eater."
"A Death Eater?" Kate repeated dumbly.
"Yes Kathryn, you have enraged the most dangerous wizard possible. Lucius Malfoy, quite literally, has muggles for breakfast." Anger and fear had Severus spitting the words out.
"Crap." Kate chewed her lip mercilessly. "Guess I screwed the pooch on this one, huh?"
Severus's scowl deepened. "Your quaint Americanisms aside, I must concur."
"Well, tell me then, what was I supposed to do Severus?? He was assaulting me. He and that spawn of his have an ugly habit of putting their hands on me at will." Kate stomped around Snape's kitchen. "And so help me God, if you infer that my style of dress is the cause I will punch you in the face!" She seethed.
"I wouldn't dream of it." He returned snidely. "However, I think it would behoove us to take this to Dumbledore immediately." Kate nodded and grabbed up her coat to follow him out the door. Severus turned before opening it and pulled her into his arms. Fear was ripping through his insides, he knew full well Malfoy would not let this go, and he also knew some of the things Lucius liked to do to the unfortunate muggles who happened to cross him. His fear was bordering on terror, he loved her so. She was quickly becoming his reason for being. Kate returned his embrace; his emotions were exacerbating her own, despite her bravado she was genuinely afraid of Malfoy.
Severus released her and kissed her sweetly on the lips, then pulled her through his door and they made their way to Dumbledore's quarters.
"Then it is settled, Kate, when you are not at Hogwart's you will be escorted by one of the faculty, that should keep Lucius reined in, and perhaps over time his ire will dissipate." Dumbledore said after considering all they told him. Fawkes squawked and ruffled his feathers, as if in agreement. "I will ask you to tread carefully with Draco, not that I wish him to get special treatment, but only until this settles and passes. I ask it out of concern for your welfare." Kate nodded and stood slowly.
"I will keep an extra watch on her until this is resolved Headmaster." Severus drawled, much of his anxiety had drained away when he learned of the charm on her necklace. That, at least should allow her some protection.
"Thank you Severus, that is very generous of you." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled mischievously, making Severus wonder how much the old man knew about their relationship. Kate flushed becomingly making the Headmaster chuckle, and as they took their leave Severus followed her to her room, and seeing the invitation in her eyes he stayed the night, barely leaving before dawn's light.
The next day and the ones that followed were peaceful and quiet during Draco's suspension, the serenity she strove for carried her through the weeks following and helped her deal with the sullenness and impertinence of the younger Mr. Malfoy, Kate even managed to ignore him nearly completely during class.
Kate and Severus grew closer as the weeks sped by, he enchanted her daily with his dry wit and sarcastic asides, and it was all she could do to make it through a meal without crying with laughter. Their relationship was a revelation to the other instructors and staff; they did not know Severus possessed such a wit or was capable of the softness that shone from his black eyes when he looked at Kate, he was deeply in love and it showed all over him, and as for Kate, she was seriously smitten by the dark professor, her caution with her heart kept her from jumping in head first, but she had no doubt her feelings for him were stronger than any she had experienced before.
It happened that one day Snape's work with Dumbledore and the ministry caused him to be away from the school for several days, and his guilt over not telling Kate his whole involvement caused him to be terse, which in turn infuriated Kate.
"You know Severus, you don't have to tell me where you are going, you don't have to tell me anything, I am not your mother or your warden, but when you cop an attitude and just try to piss me off it makes my want to kick your ass." She snarled at him as he put some things into a black portmanteau.
"Occasionally there will be times when I must leave here for a little while; I am unaccustomed to explaining myself to anyone." He returned coldly, his heart aching.
"Well, I just don't appreciate you getting all frosty and anal when I am not even giving you a hard time. It's almost like you want to fight with me to make it easier to go. I get it that you may have to do some things on the sly for the ministry, so don't treat me like crap to make it easy on yourself." Kate spat out at him, enjoying the look of shock on his face. "Yes, that's right, the Professor told me about your involvement." Snape's mouth dropped open.
"When?" he choked out.
"Yesterday after he talked to you, he didn't want me to assume the worse and knows he can trust me. I only wish you did…..nope, I take that back, it's right that you didn't tell me, there is more at stake here than my ego." She gave him a small grin. Severus snapped his mouth shut and sat down on the edge of his bed, completely taken off guard. He hardly knew what to do, he had never been able to be open with anyone about his role, it was almost a painful sensation to let down his guard completely with her. Kate advanced on him and pushed him down on his back on the mattress, then got on top and straddled him.
"I want you to go, do your thing, I don't need to know what it is, and come back to me safely." She ground her pelvis against him, a very satisfied gleam in her eyes when his body eagerly responded to hers. "Then, I will finish what I have started here." She bent and kissed him deeply, theirs tongues twining and teasing till they both groaned with desire.
"If it is any consolation to you I had Albus place a spell on me, if anyone tries to question me about your involvement with him and the ministry, all I will be able to respond with is the 'star spangled banner'." Kate laughed and removed herself from atop him, then offered him a hand up which he accepted, kissing her fingers gently.
"I will return to you Kate, as soon and possible." Severus kissed her thoroughly then stepped to his fireplace, one of the lesser known flues, and with a final hot look he was gone.
The following Friday was gloomy, dark and rainy. Kate was in her classroom after dismissal idly clearing up and readying the classroom for the next week. Her spirits were low, Severus was still gone and most of the teachers were off grounds, leaving her cooped up for the rainy weekend with no relief in sight. Sighing as she knelt in front of her desk to pick up some loose papers, she didn't hear the catlike tread of the man who approached her from behind. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and nearly jumped to a standing position and twirled around. She found herself face to face with Lucius Malfoy, a very dangerous glint in his eye. He advanced on her slowly and her stomach fell to somewhere around her knees as fear assailed her. She felt like the fly stuck in the spider's web as he smiled a cold little smile.
"Can I help you Mr. Malfoy?" She said, proud of how smooth and calm her voice sounded as she quaked inside, displaying fear to this man was unthinkable. Lucius's eyes were smoky as they bored into hers.
"Yes, I believe you can." He said silkily, advancing her. Kate didn't realize she had moved until her bottom hit the desk behind her. An eerie sense of déjà vu rolled over her, as she remembered his son doing something very similar.
"Step back Mr. Malfoy!" She snapped, attempting to move aside out of his reach, but he put his hands on either side of her hips, pinning her to the desk. Kate pushed against his chest ineffectually, a sick feeling in her stomach.
"You know, I have thought much about you in the past few weeks, the impudent muggle who dared assault me." His warm breath played across her cheek as his lips neared the shell of her ear. Kate gritted her teeth as a peculiar feeling spiraled through her belly. "The thoughts that niggled in the back of my mind fascinated me; I couldn't stop thinking of your eyes my dear, the fall of your hair." He inhaled deeply just behind her ear; chills ran up and down her neck, seeming to find their way to her belly. Kate's hands had stilled on his chest, and now that he pressed closer they were the only barrier between them. Lucius put one foot between hers and shoved her legs apart, then settled his hips into the cradle of hers. Kate squeaked, shocked to the core at his actions as well as the tingle of desire inside of her, and she began to struggle in earnest against the steely strength of his arms. Lucius Malfoy was much stronger than he looked; his lean body was muscled and lithe, and was at this moment undulating against her own as he rubbed his nose against her cheek, his tongue lightly tasting her flesh and Kate hissed in anger and confusion. He buried one hand in her hair and crushed her mouth with his; effectively smothering the scream that she was about to release. Somewhere inside her, all reason shredded beneath the onslaught of his mouth and hips, the beginning of desire exploded into a flash fire of lust and she found herself responding, her mouth and hands greedily taking all he offered.
Lucius felt his own reason slip away, he had come here to terrify and torture her in revenge for what she had done, and found himself betrayed by his own feelings, feelings he didn't know he had, and unbelievably for a muggle.
Hungry mouths worked feverishly against each other, hips rubbed and ground. Her hands tore at his spotless white shirt seeking the flesh beneath. The hiss of his cloak hitting the floor did nothing to break the spell they were under as they pulled at each others clothing. A sob issued roughly from Kate's mouth as her fingers finally found the smooth skin of his chest, her mouth tore from his and worked its way down his neck to his chest as Lucius groaned, his hips thrusting roughly against hers.
A screeching squawk snapped them both out of the lusty trance they were in. Their heads snapped up in unison as they both located the source of the noise. Fawkes sat upon the window sill across the room staring at them in an almost accusing manner then fluttering his wings flew back out the window. Kate sobbed out a breath and then shoved the still dazed Lucius away from her as she fumbled with her blouse, cursing the buttons that would not cooperate with her tingling fingertips. Lucius turned and leaned heavily against Kate's desk, righting his own clothing as he tried desperately to order his chaotic thoughts.
"What……the holy hell……was that???" Kate ground out, still breathing heavily.
"A better question I cannot imagine." Lucius's voice was husky as he reached down, swirling his cloak onto his broad shoulders, with a last hot look he strode from her classroom, but definitely not from her now tortured mind.