Lucius didn't come until the middle of May. It was as if, despite the fact his spies were around, the two of them could finally be alone. They'd remained almost inseparable, and the closer it came to June the more she needed to 'study'. This meant an easy excuse for them to be together almost all of their free time. However when she received the letter from her sister she felt like she was always taking a step closer to the gallows. Sure, getting out of this wedding was in her plans, but how could she prevent Lucius from taking what he wanted from her. She didn't mention it to Severus, but as she realized it was only a day before he'd be there, she felt she should. After all, it was the whole day he'd requested from her, thus he would know. So during lunch she led him back to the library and they spoke quietly about it.

"Severus.." She began but he had begun to kiss at her neck. It took all her strength to focus on her own thoughts and not on the feel of his lips upon her skin. She giggled against his chest and pushed him playfully away from her. "Stop..what if someone saw you?"

"I hate having to worry about being seen.." He sighed and smoothed his hair back his voice full of tension. "I can't wait until we're done playing this game..hiding behind bookshelves..I want so much more for us Persephone…"

It almost irked Persephone too much. Before they'd promised to wait, but the idea of it seemed harder and harder as the days crept by. She imagined Andromeda's dress, and imagined herself in it walking towards Severus. She shook the image away nodding. "I know, I do too. But we can't get caught now.."

"What does it matter? If they kick you out, you'll still be here. They'll know about us anyway sooner or later Seph.."

"Severus…please…it isn't that much longer. A month, a month more and we'll be out of here..somewhere happier. Somewhere where we can kiss on the street..in public, wherever we want. For now…let me keep in quiet touch with my family alright?"

"Fine…" It was an argument that Severus hated, but it happened. He had that in his head though, the sight of her in a wedding dress. He leaned against the bookshelf and caressed her hair watching her. "What were you going to say earlier?"

"Lucius is coming tomorrow afternoon. I've been pulled out of the entire days classes for it. Bella wrote me all about it.."

Severus raised an eyebrow and then stood straight. He opened his mouth to argue something and then his expression froze and he gave a slight gasp. "I have three tests I can't make up again tomorrow.."

"I know. I was thinking about that this morning…Severus.." Persephone turned her back on him wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't want you to miss out on those tests. We've missed so many classes between us…"

"You're not going to suggest I let you go without me there somehow. It isn't like we both don't know what he wants from you..what he'll do to you. Merlin knows his mother has announced that she's fine with it..encouraged you to do what he wants.." He was getting madder by the second simply from the thought of her being alone with him of all people.

"I'll be careful..I'll…I'll be sure we spend the whole day in public areas. Even Lucius Malfoy wouldn't just have me on the grounds or anything.."

"That isn't the point. Just imagining him kissing you is enough to sink my stomach Persephone…" He moved his hand out to touch her but she pulled back her eyes shifting away. He sighed and turned his back on her trying to figure out how to keep her from seeing her intended. He could hear her humming something under her voice, some song he'd heard his mother sing when he was little. It was almost unnerving to have that same comparison. He wondered what his mother would make of Persephone were she still alive, if she'd have advisement for his situation.

"Severus…I won't let him hurt me. I won't let him touch me, I'll find some excuse if I must. You can't fail your classes though..I want you to do well.." He felt Persephone's lips against his own, and kissed her back as if starving for a distraction. The image of his mother weeping at his father's feet was there, and faded the more he felt Persephone, the more he smelled that perfume she wore. He knew well enough that when they separated though she'd have won the discussion. She kissed him once more, lingering against his chest.

"When I can I'll come out..find where you are." He assured her tracing his fingers against her scalp. She closed her eyes giving a little nod. His fingers moved down caressing her neck, playing with a loose strand of her hair that hung there. He wrapped it, and unwrapped it, all while considering how he could do something, stop this. His mind fell back on the idea of the two of them just leaving now if she weren't so insistent upon waiting until school was finished. She moved a little to stare up at him her fingers tracing shapes along his chest.

"It'll be fine…Severus, do you remember that day in the library when I kissed you?" Her voice took a sudden turn that almost scared him. He watched her and nodded unable to form words to reply to such a strange question to spring. She closed her eyes and he was sure she was reliving it. "I was really…it all hit that day. The fact I was going to be married, forced into this whole new life where I wasn't myself anymore. So I wasn't myself, and I..I just kissed you. You looked at me, with this funny expression and..I don't know. I would never have believed that would lead to this."

"This as in…us hiding in the library discussing how to avoid Lucius?"

"No. I never expected that you would ever love me and that I'd…love you. I was scared Sev…I was scared of the whole world eatting me up….and I'm still scared but now it's just that..I.." He saw her eyes glaze over with possible tears and he quickly put his arms around her, one resting on the back of her head. She mumbled something to herself against his chest and he just waited. Finally he just spoke himself unsure of where she was trying to go in her speech.

"My Mum…she used to say that Lily Evans was not the sort of girl for me when I was a kid. She said I was so handsome but that she would want a different boy. I was mad all the time about that…but I think she was just trying to help me. Before she died..the last few letters I wrote her were all about you. I like to imagine her reading them, that smile on her face I didn't see much of when Dad was around too much. I talked about you so much..she would have loved you Sephone. Just as much as I do I imagine.." He paused expecting her to say something but instead she held his hand, entangling their fingers. He wondered if this was the moment he should bring it up, the mark on his arm. That he'd done it all for her, to make her happy. To make a future where he wasn't the pauper asking for the princess's hand. Her sudden smile up at him though made his stomach flip. No, that was not the right discussion for now. He kissed her deeply and she giggled as their lips parted.

"Severus….I'd almost forgotten the picnic.."

"Picnic?"

"I promised Sirius I'd catch him up on family gossip. I might have mentioned you tagging along.."

Severus made a face as if someone had choked him and she laughed putting her arms around his neck and pouting her lip. "Oh but Sev…I've even gone down to the kitchens to hand make some little crumpets with hearts on them."

He picked her up, holding her to him though she squirmed as if worried he'd drop her. He stuck his tongue out at her and shook his head. "You're just making it sound less and less appealing.."

She gave an annoyed gasp and poked his nose. "You will go to this picnic…Sirius absolutely loves you now. Like brothers…"

He sighed, admitting defeat and kissing her before murmuring, "Yes sure. I've seen he and Regelus..can't fool me Persephone.."


Persephone waited after breakfast brushing the light hair from her face. She hadn't been able to eat anything, her whole body felt tense and worried. She could feel Severus's eyes on her, and with one sideways glance knew he was just as anxious as she was. So she had put on a brave face, smiling and talking to the girl in front of her describing the wedding dress as if she couldn't wait to wear it again. Which she never planned on doing. However as she waited, watching everyone trail out and eventually Severus himself, his eyes glancing to the Black family crest and the ring she'd left on it. She unclasped it and slid the engagement ring on, not even staring at it. It rested there next to the one Severus had given her she wore on her middle finger. No matter what she thought it was truly the more beautiful of the pair.

Once she was alone, she stared at her reflection in the goblet. Her blonde hair was combed back behind a plaid hair band, her whole face scrubbed until it nearly fell off. Cissy had sent a whole new outfit consisting of a knee length pleated skirt and an almost nervously low cut top. Spited by the outfit she imagined her sister wobbling about with her stomach enlarged with child and even that didn't help as she realized how she felt like a lamb done up for slaughter. Smoothing her skirt down she heard those over confident foot, and stood up her hands behind her as she gave a curt nod of recognition. She never wanted to willingly be the first to speak to him.

"Look at you, I like you better like this than in those school robes. I can't see most of you usually..like covering you with a curtain." He said playfully as he approached. She barely managed to get up before he was moving closer. With three steps he was half an inch from her his hand pulling her hair band out. The curtain of blonde waves fell around her face and she felt instantly aware of how alone they really were. She turned to the left so his lips grazed her ear as he approached; preventing any kiss he wanted from her. Still he lingered there, speaking to her as she gazed up at the ever changing ceiling as clouds moved above. "You needn't be shy..no one's around…just me..and my little bride. A whole day of just you and I.."

The thing that hurt most was the awareness of his eyes upon her body first. It hit her all at once that he was looking her over without pause; no one was there to comment upon it. His fingers moved along her shoulder and down closer to her chest. All at once she gave a cough moving a foot backwards and sliding with it. He gave an annoyed noise as she turned on her heel continuing the false coughing spell.

"Sorry, I should probably go lie down..a bit of a chest pain.." All at once she felt his hand along her waist and her whole body being spun back to face him. Her chin was inches from his body, her whole body was almost smashed against him. One of his hands remained on the small of her back keeping her there, and the other glided up to pull her chin so she was looking up at him staring into those piercing grey eyes.

"What a shy little bride I have…tsk tsk. Shall I help you along then?" He gave her no time to respond his mouth against her's. It was almost agonizing, she tried desperately to imagine instead Severus but his kiss wasn't like this. It wasn't full of arrogance, of lust. When Severus kissed her it had a need, but a need for her to love him. She felt a tear slide down her cheek, and knew he had to feel it as his hand left her chin to touch her face. He didn't seem to react to it though, his other hand moving to guide up her blouse. As his fingers touched her bare stomach she squirmed. The sound of a door opening though stopped everything and through her tears she saw the black hair, and watched as the curse hit Lucius and heard him curse aloud as he let go of her.

"Bollocks, I'm going to get in trouble for this.." Sirius ran over and put his arms around her, holding her up against him as he began to lead her out of the Great Hall. She felt embarrassed as he half carried her, but she was sure she wouldn't be able to stand on her own. He kept moving though, and she clung to him. He stopped in an empty classroom and sat her on the teacher's desk pushing things off carelessly as he examined her face putting a hand to her. "Oi, say something Sef. I would have…I'd have done something awful if he had gone any further than that. I still could, I could go and.."

"No. Don't." The words came out much louder than he'd expected so he just stood staring. She wiped the tears from her face, shivering slightly as she did so. Her fingers traced over her lips, as if she had just drank poison and was waiting to feel it. "I have to go back..what did you do to him?"

"Mm…it'd be like, if I were to throw this desk at your stomach while you're leaning against a brick wall. Maybe a little more painful..I sort of mixed things up." He said as if they were discussing what they'd had for breakfast. He made sure she had no rips in her clothes, no injury at all before he finally continued speaking. "You're not going back to that. It's time to take your stand now Persephone."

"What on earth are you saying? If I don't go back then…Bella, Cissy, they'll be so angry. And Mum and Dad, can you imagine how angry they'd be to know that I.."

"MERLIN FORBID PERSEPHONE BE HAPPY! Stop thinking about them! Andromeda and I will be all the family you ever need. If you want we'll..we'll wander around and complain about how awful our lives are even though we're perfectly fine. That's all they ever do, and demean you. Why can't you get it through that thick head. I don't want to see you spending your whole life in a display box for them to parade around. You're not that Sephone. I don't..I don't even care if you marry Snape now.." The last bit he grew quiet and she perked up.

"You don't? Really you're fine with it?"

"He was the one who sent me to be sure you were okay. As soon as he mentioned you being alone with that prat all day, I ran out of class." His expression was absolutely mischievous however, as if the idea of running out of class and hexing someone was his childhood dream come true. She felt the tears come all at once and she felt foolish wiping them away with her arm the more they came.

"Cissy picked out these clothes…awful..ugly…his hands were so cold..Severus..I couldn't see his face..I couldn't imagine anything and Lucius kept touching me and.." Her words were muffled by her sobs and he picked her up and held her to him as if they were still children. He called Lucius several words that she normally would have scolded him for but she could only cry against him.

"We did this once as kids..do you remember when Bellatrix told you she hated you more than muggles? You came crying to me and told me you thought she'd make you live with the house elf?" He said trying to calm her down. She took a few breaths and closed her eyes nodding.

"Yeah...you broke her wand..clear in half. Mum had to go get her a new one..and you had to apologize to her.." She half whispered imagining her sister's angered expression at the sight of her wand in pieces.

"Better than that, after the apology I filled her trunk with gnomes…" He reminded her, pushing her hair from her face. "The point of this is..you aren't going to go back to Lucius like a wounded animal. This whole charade has to end Persephone, you know it does. What's a little bit of time being one of 'them' if it costs you letting him hurt you huh?"

She stared at him nodding, and he sighed listening as the sound of people filled the halls. "Mm…I should get you somewhere else…maybe where James and I hideout.."

"No, I know where to go. Then Severus can find us..and it'll be fine." She assured him, standing on her own feet. He watched her a moment and took his robes off leaving him in jeans and a t-shirt which'd get him a detention. He put the robes around her, and though they were too tall she looked at least less..terrified. He watched her caressing her head and leading her. "Alright, where's your little love hide out Sephone…but if there's a giant heart shaped bed I'm not sticking around.." He gave a shiver as if the idea could make him sick and she gave a laugh playfully hitting his face.

"Really, you make us sound awful.."

"I've been around enough to notice how long you two go off to 'study'…I date several girls at a time and I'm never in such a constant state of..mushiness.."


Severus was already there when Sirius and Persephone arrived. As soon as he saw her he walked over enveloping her in his arms. She murmured something into his ear that Sirius couldn't hear but he felt rather awkward all the same as he shut the door behind him. On purpose he yawned quite loudly so that the twosome quickly took a step from each other though their hands were still together. Ah well.

"I told Sephone we're not doing this..this thing where she stays with Lucius. I don't know what state he's in right now but, it'd be better if she owled home today as soon as possible. Just tell them you don't want to be sold off to him." He didn't want to give her false hope, he knew what sort of thing would be said. There was no chance their family would forgive such impudence, especially from the one 'pawn' that could be used without much argument.

"You going to be able to do that?" Severus asked her, squeezing her hand. She stared between the two of them, nodding ever so gently. Sirius gave a relieved sigh and walked over, patting her shoulder.

"It'll all work out Sef. I'll go write Andromeda right now..she can properly come visit now without any disguise or anything. Maybe she'll bring her daughter too.." He kissed her forehead and gave her a teasing wink before leaving, calling back, "Behave until I'm back.."

Persephone sat down, letting Severus sit before her caressing her hands and assure her it was going to be fine. She finally whispered to him, "Severus..you're going to miss Transfiguration..and you have to have that test done.."

"You going to be alright here?" His face was full of concern, his hand clutching her's. She reached over and kissing him gently she smiled and nodded. He sighed and got up, kissing her before dashing out. She waited until she was sure he was gone before she stood up, resting her back against the wall. She'd been living in two different worlds, and one was going to finally be gone. She was going to be a whole. She stared at her hand, and the two rings that remained there. She slipped Lucius's off quickly, as if worried it would curse itself onto her, but it came off normally. She stared at the stone, and thought about what she could do to be rid of it.

"I could try to melt you..throw the rest of you in the lake.." She whispered to it as if it was Lucius himself she was letting her frustration on. She imagined Bella's face when she discovered her little sister had fallen for someone that wasn't a pureblood. Wasn't who she was ordered to agree to. She could already see that ghastly face Narcissa's pretty face could make when horrified, her nose wrinkled in an unattractive glare. It was almost amusing. She sighed and put the ring into the robe pocket, keeping in mind she'd have to be rid of it somehow. She looked at her reflection in a mirror, the sight of her face red with either surprise or maybe delight. She smoothed her hands down her clothes before staring out the window and deciding. She walked over and took a quill and some ink, and a loose parchment she'd found on a table and began her letter to Bellatrix. She would be the one she'd want to upset the most. She told her entire story, her love for Severus. Her imagined little apartment with him in Diagon Alley where they'd live the fairytale ending she was assured she should have. That she had no intention of ever being a Malfoy and her sister would be better off leaving it alone.

"Perfect." She whispered to herself, rereading it a third time before waiting for Sirius to return. She knew he'd want to read it as well.


A/N--Whoa, big chapter. Sorry, I have my own little relationship drama going on that has depressed me past writing! I apologize furiously and hope that this is to your liking.

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Debjunk--Thank you so much..really your reviews inspire me so much. Yeah, Dorella I am sure is one of my most evil characters I've ever done..what do you think of this chapter huh?