This is the last bit I wrote. For the first time in a very long time I don't have anything else written. So please review (wink, wink).
Again thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers ::: :::
Chapter 21
Nymphadora looked around the room. They did unintentional magic. The water pitcher by the lamp console was broken. The portrait by the window was on the floor and the bed was all wrong. One of the bedposts was missing. She came in tonight to seek stress relief, to seek comfort from the man she loved. For weeks now, ever since Sirius died she had been depressed and she couldn't help but think that her Severus was next. She felt conflicted, she loved Sirius, she didn't know him very well but she grieved her death. After the fight in the ministry she started to think about Severus, he would be next. She dreamed every night about Severus dying and leaving her. The pain was unbearable.
Last night she had a dream about a black haired boy. He ran through a field, yelling daddy. The boy's hair changed colors, from black to blue and then green. A man caught him and the boy hugged him and laughed. The man laughed too, a deep reach laugh. One that she had heard very few times, she grazed Severus neck. Ever since she had that dream the idea of having a child had been omnipresent in her mind.
Her sole purpose tonight had been to seek relief. Instead she had spilled her secret desire. Severus had been very sweet, after his rather unusual welcome. He explained Wormtail's presence with an edge on his voice.
She opened up to him about all her fears. He told her in simple words that he didn't want any children but then he'd given her all his family jewels. Andromeda Black chose Ted Tonks for a husband but she never parted with some of her old pure blood traditions. According to the witch there was charm when it came to wizarding jewelry. Her mother always talked about the Black jewels; inevitably she ended mentioning the rest of the pureblood families. Andromeda had special fondness for a thick gold loose medallion with a sapphire triple spiral Celtic symbol. Nymphadora remembered when she was about nine and her mother combed her hair at night. She had just developed a liking to ankle bracelets.
Andromeda combed her chestnut brown hair. "I remembered when I first saw it. I couldn't have been more than six years old. It is so strange; mum told me all the Princes were very old. It didn't make sense that I saw that young woman with the medallion." She ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.
"Why mum?" The little girl asked as she changed her hair to black.
Andromeda smiled, "We'll, the medallion means pregnancy. Mum wore hers that day. I remembered dad gave it to mum the evening before. It was a pretty silver one but nothing compared to the Princes' medallion."
Nymphadora saw it minutes ago. She glanced at it and wondered if Severus knew what all the jewels meant. He moved behind her and hugged her.
"Do you like your presents love?" He traced the huge wedding necklace.
She turned around and kissed him with as much passion as she could muster. "All of those are truly mine?" She kissed the side of his neck.
"Yes, they are." His hands began to wander to her rear." She smiled and teased him when she pulled her leg to his hip.
He laughed and was on her instantly. She missed this, with him all the sadness and fears left her. She became her happy self again, touching him, seeing him was all the reassurance she needed.
"Fuck Severus." She yelled as he spilled his seed inside of her. He took her from behind; it was the morning after she had apparated on his doorstep.
She tightened around him and came with a shout. He squeezed her breasts and licked her back.
They slumped on the mattress. "I don't want to go back to the Ministry." She said sadly. This interlude was coming to an end. It would be very difficult for them to be together. She would be busy with her mission and he was being watched.
"Nymph, I want you to promise me something?" He looked nervous.
She nodded, "swear that you'll take care of yourself." He said while playing with a strand of her hair.
Nymphadora looked surprised, "you are not eating well and your eyes are puffy from crying."
He knew gee so well. Nymphadora nodded. She looked at the small box with all the jewelry. She had her opportunity then. As she dressed to leave, she asked distractedly. "Do you know how many pieces are in the box?"
He was still sprawled in bed, smoking a cigaret. She frowned, "hypocrite, you lecture me but there you are. Those will kill you."
He smirked, "completely different. I'm an addict, and my body has been coping with this habit for more than twenty years. And no, I don't know. I only know what the engagement pieces are and the wedding one. Mum never bothered to show me or explain the other ones."
She smiled beautifully and kissed him, "I know about them." She sang happily.
"Mum had an obsession with jewels; especially the Princes' line."
He tried to coax her back into bed and she would have willingly accepted but Wormtail knocked.
"Snape, there's no food left." The coward whined.
Severus's eyes darkened with anger. Nymphadora sighed. "I'll try to be back in two weeks." She kissed him hard, took the box and her robe.
She apparated to her old flat and contemplated the medallion. Mum was right. It was beautiful, magnificent without being gaudy or overstated. It was such a delicate design.
Nymphadora clutched and remembered her dream. Severus had been crystal clear about the baby issue. She couldn't help but think about the little boy in her dreams.
Severus didn't use the charm this morning. They didn't rely on potions. She had developed a side effect, nausea and fatigue. He was supposed to come up with other potions but the ministry and their missions took priority.
She shook her head, Severus was right. No children until after the war. Children needed a home, care, love and stability. She ate some light breakfast and then napped for a few hours until her next shift.
Nymphadora continued with her duties and tried to keep her promise to Severus. They couldn't meet over the summer. In fact the last time she saw him was when he gave her the jewels. She tried to apparate and owl him but no answer. This unsettled her a lot, when August came and her period with it she was saddened. A part of her wanted to be pregnant with his child.
She brightened a little when her newest assignment came in. Kingsley handed her a parchment, "you'll be part of Hogwarts defense group. You'll be stationed at Hogsmeade for at least a few weeks."
She was sure Kings noticed her smile. She hugged him hard, "thank you."
The older man winked, "Don't be too obvious."
She smiled brightly. "Don't tell anyone."
"For the life of me I don't know what you see in him but it's your life Tonks."
She checked the train for any stragglers. "Wotcher Harry." She said when the bloody young man looked blankly at her.
They made their way to the castle. She wasn't sure how to act around Harry. Seeing him reminded her of Sirius's death. Their trek was uncomfortable. She sent her patronus, not her usual rabbit. She couldn't conjure a true happy memory with all the dementors around.
She expected him to be by the gate. There he was, in his professor regalia. He looked tired, weary. He was a sight to her starving eyes.
"Interesting to see your patronus has changed." He sneered.
"You were better off with the old one." He closed the gate on her face. She knew it was an act and tried to not look as hurt as she felt. "This one looks weak." He said maliciously and escorted Harry Potter inside the castle.
Tonks went back to the Three Broomsticks. She rented a room, well the ministry paid for it. She disrobed and showered. No supper. She didn't feel like eating anything. She wouldn't cry. "It's a façade, Severus loves me." Was the last thought in her mind before going to sleep.
Someone was inside the room. She didn't have time to grab her wand before someone quieted her with a hand. "It's me Nymph." She turned to him. They kissed and she clung to him.
He smelled her hair. "You're pale." He tightened his hold on her.
"You don't look well either." She said relishing his smell.
"We are a pair aren't we?" He looked at her and hugged her hard. "I love you Nymph."
He made love to her slowly, for hours as if it was the last time he would. She cried out with the force of her slow burning orgasm.
He held her and without noticing squeezed her tightly. She kissed his forehead, "tell me. What's going on?" She said calmly.
"Nothing, everything is fine." He said with a flat voice.
"I love you. No matter what I love you." She said firmly and petted his back.
It took several minutes for her to speak again. Nymph knew he hated being vulnerable. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me?" She said while holding him to her. He shook his head against the crook of her neck.
"I need you close. That's all I need."
His head was spinning with so many emotions. He held his Nymph. Severus Snape was the new Defense Against Dark Arts professor. Sixteen years of rejected applications had finally paid off. It was bittersweet at best. He wouldn't last more than a year. After all the post was cursed.
He knew he wouldn't teach the class for more than a year. Simple fact, he was going to kill Albus Dumbledore to save Draco. Albus was dying; he'd taken an unbreakable vow to protect Draco.
It was all a ruse, for the greater good. Dumbledore orchestrated the whole play. Severus was a puppet to a master and there was nothing he could do to prevent the events that would take place.
All he could do was enjoy these stolen moments with Nymph. He almost told her about the unbreakable vow after they made love. Not even three months ago He promised her a life and now it would never happen. He would never condemn her to the stigma of loving Albus Dumbledore's murderer.
He was glad not many people knew about their relationship. After he was dead or in Azkaban it would be easier for her to move on with her life. It was painful to think about her with another man. It made his blood boil and his insides twist with rage. His mind began to cloud but then she stirred and smiled at him. She moved up and kissed his frown away.
"Too early for that sour face." She kissed the corner of his mouth.
"I know what has you like that. What idiot got the DADA post this year?" She asked trying to console him.
He smirked. "This idiot," She looked at him with a gaping mouth. She looked like a fish out of water.
"Why so surprised? It was only a matter of time before the old coot realized that naturally I am the best option for the post." He said smugly and enjoyed her confused face.
"The post is cursed." She said seriously.
"Don't be silly Nymph. All those professors were incompetent." He said sardonically. Nymphadora rolled her eyes at him. "Remus is a good teacher, or so the kids told me."
Severus was glad they had a distraction, even if it was the werewolf. "Too soft, teaching them about bloody grindylows…" He growled and then surprisingly pinned her.
"I'm not sure when we'll see each other again." He said softly and touched her hip. She nodded, "Well, I'm stationed here in Hogsmeade at least until Christmas." She said happily and loved the way he smirked.
"That's very fortuitous indeed. What shall you do during those long lonely nights you have off?" He wondered with his eyes on hers.
"Well, I know this grumpy mean, old, bastard of a professor…"
He pulled on her hair. "I'll have you know that my parents were married when they had me." He kissed her and made love to her one more time before going back to the castle.