Chapter 14: Fate's tapestry: threads crossing, lives intersecting

It was that Thursday at breakfast, that Cassie finally got a reprieve. She was sitting at high table, picking morosely at her eggs when Severus came striding through the doors and across the great hall. He met her eyes briefly and raised an eyebrow, which Cassie took to mean "later," and made his way to Dumbledore. Leaning down, he whispered something in the old man's ear, who simply nodded and clapped a hand on Severus' back. With that, Severus sat down at his own plate which then loaded itself with eggs, sausages, tomatoes and toast. Apparently Bella was no cook, Cassie thought.

Now knowing he was back and that there were hours yet before she could get ahold of him, Cassie spent the rest of the day with her foot tapping impatiently under her desk and losing the thread of conversations in class. At last she ushered the fourth years out the door and crossed the room to the fireplace. Should she flue straight over or freshen up a bit? Before she could decide, green flames erupted from the grate and Severus stepped through. Saying not a word, she rushed into his arms, knocking him back a step.

"Careful there, I'm supposed to be recovering from scrofungulus, it's highly contagious."

"Don't be ridiculous," she laughed. "Oh god, I'm so glad to see you. What took so long?"

"In the first place I could hardly look as if I'd wanted to rush off. Not to mention there were some details to iron out for Potter's supposed capture this summer. I had to assure him that the child would by no means be willing to accompany me anywhere as he distrusts me so, and in which case, rather, the Dark Lord has to come here. I did point out to him that hardly anyone, including Dumbledore would be here to defend him, and that I could in fact undo the enchantments on the grounds."

"So everything's in place then." She touched her palm to his cheek. "Severus, you're the bravest man I have ever known. I don't know how you do it, and after these few days, I don't know how I'll make it much longer knowing what you have to do."

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, then leaned in for simmering kiss. He reached up, tangling his fingers in her hair and deepening the kiss simply by changing the angle as the door swung open.

"Professor Pearl, I wanted to ask--" the intruder broke off as he took in the scene. Severus and Cassie looked around to the door, still holding onto each other, as Harry snapped his mouth closed. "Sorry, I'll come back later," he managed before beating a hasty retreat out the door.

"Tomorrow would be better," Cassie called after his retreating form.

"Perhaps we should away to somewhere a bit more private," murmured Severus, the laughter evident in his voice.

"I vote for my quarters then," said Cassie, tossing a pinch of Floo Powder on the flames and stepping through.

He stepped up behind her, both hands on her waist, and pulled her to him. He dipped his head, pressing his lips to her neck as his hands found her breasts. She could feel the length of him already, pressing into her backside before he spun her around and backed her across the room to the bed. He flicked his wand twice, once to cast the muffliato over the room and one aimed at the fireplace, presumably to ward off any intruders, before he laid it on the side table. To Cassie's surprise, they were suddenly both naked, Severus' hardening erection already obvious. She climbed up on the bed, kneeling as he crawled over to her, pushing her gently onto her back as his hands stroked up and down her body sending chills up her spine. With her breath quickening, she nearly protested as his mouth found her breast and his hands made their ascent up her thighs to her already wet folds. She let out a moan and bucked when he abruptly switched positions, taking her lips in his and flicking his tongue at her opening before changing the angle and lapping at the very center of her, driving that bundle of nerves into a frenzy. Her legs drew up as she fisted her hands in his hair, struggling not to come so fast. As his hand stroked down from her breast and across her belly she tensed further, taut as a bow, while his fingers deftly entered her, his tongue still working lazy circles over her clitoris. Slowly stroking his fingers in and out, he pressed up a bit, finding her g-spot as his tongue flicked more quickly over her. Cassie's control snapped entirely as she gasped his name, bucking against his rapid fingers and mouth, she came forcefully, letting go of his hair only to clutch at the sheets as she tipped straight over the edge into a perfect haze of orgasm. "Good god, Severus," she said shakily, pulling him up to meet her mouth.

Not to be outdone, she stroked her hands down his back, giving his cheek a squeeze. Then, linking a leg around his hip, she bucked him off and rolled him straight over onto his back while she straddled him.

"If I'm not mistaken, Professor," she purred, "you said you were in need of a healing."

She leaned down for a kiss as his hands reached up to cup her breasts, teasing the pads of his thumbs over her already erect nipples. Sliding her own hands down past his collarbones, she circled her thumbs around his own nipples before tweaking them lightly. Shifting her hot mouth down, she flicked her tongue over one first, then the other. Already taut, from her oral attentions, he groaned aloud as she pulled her mouth back a bit to blow on them slightly. This time it was his hand that fisted in her hair as she slid even lower, tracing wet kisses across his stomach down the happy trail to his already hardened member. Her hands slid up his thighs, as her finger pulsed just behind his sac while she slid her tongue slowly up his shaft and flicked her tongue at the tip. He quivered as he grasped both of her arms, his own legs drawing up, as if grappling for control. She continued her assault only for a moment, until he was writhing in earnest, thrusting himself against her mouth before she climbed back on top of his legs and lowered herself, burying him to the hilt. Easing up again slowly, until just his tip was inside her, she clenched her muscles and gliding back down slowly. He moaned in a rapturous ache as he gripped her hips, still allowing her to set the pace. Again and again she tortured his senses, sliding up and down over the length of him and intermittently swiveling her hips as he began to slowly thrust against her. Feeling the pressure strengthen and build, Cassie pistoned her hips quicker now, taking all of him into her and rocking against his body. "Oh god, yes," he cried. "Yes! Just there." He let the last breath out on a moan as he started bucking harder, their loins slapping against each other as she drove them further, faster. Grinding hip against hip, the pressure built to a peak as she came, shaking, and he gripped her again, thrusting once, twice more as he spent himself.

He rose, their torsos touching as he thrust his tongue into her willing mouth, hands still clenched on her bottom. His hands raked up to her breasts, massaging them as he sucked on her bottom lip. "That was absolutely worth getting ill," he said when he could finally talk. "Happy birthday, babe," Cassie laughed as he pulled her back down on top of him, and it was thus, hours later that they finally slept.

Cassie was awakened early the next morning by two big paws plopping up on her side of the bed and a cold nose pressed against her face. "Ugh," she said rolling away from the smelly dog breath and closer to Severus.

"What is wrong?" he asked groggily.

"I think Lump wants out. He can't go in and out of the front door somehow."

She started to rise, but Severus pulled her back down for a kiss before swinging over the edge of the mattress. "It's alright, I'll take him." He stood, stretching before pulling on trousers and boots and shrugging into his shirt and coat. Lump, sensing imminent departure with his second favorite escort began wriggling and dancing, jumping up on Severus, who simply rubbed behind his ears. "You don't fool me for a second, mongrel. What you're wanting is to go find Fang and hunt rabbits, aren't you?" At that, Lump woofed and bounded to the door.

"Thank you Severus," Cassie yawned. "He loves you too." Severus cast a single smirk over his shoulder before striding out the door after the dog.

***

Later that Saturday, Cassie came racing down to Severus' quarters from the hospital wing, her face alight. She came up short at the adder's painting and before he could so much as hiss, she said, "scrofungulus" and it swung open.

"Severus! Are you busy?" she asked, practically hopping with excitement.

"Not now," he answered, looking completely bemused. "What in the world has you this excited? You found Draco kissing his half-blood girlfriend?"

"I am so sure that's already happened and that doesn't make it any less adorable, but no. I just came from Poppy and she confirmed it for me. I didn't want to say anything until I was sure because I've been feeling this way for a few days now, but--"

"Perhaps you should take a breath, love before you pass out."

"But that's it, she gave me something so I won't pass out because I was feeling dizzy a bit. And now I know why. Severus," she said, sitting on his lap and taking his face in her hands. "I'm pregnant."

"Good lord," was his only reply. He looked from her face to her belly and back again as her face fell, clearly not happy at this reception.

Saying nothing still, he pulled her face down to his and kissed her lightly. "How in the world will we keep you both safe?"

Seeing the problem now she asked, "does that mean you're happy to have a little quarter-blood prince or princess on the way?"

"Of course," he said, laughing at the thought. "Then again, you may not after you've levitated for no apparent reason."

"Would that actually happen?"

"Yes."

"Uh oh."

Ed. Note: Trickie, I lied. Ha! There's your lemon.