Bellatrix's smile was that of Medusa and it temporarily froze Severus. He had been concerned about the Dark Lord knowing of Lily but Bellatrix was a hyena that would savor every moment of the kill. The only way he could deal with her was to meet her and hope that Lily would be occupied long enough or that she would see them and have the common sense to wait.

"Look who's risen from the dungeons," Bellatrix cackled. "I was sure you were going to be punished."

"Try not to sound so disappointed," Snape said cooly.

"I was hoping to watch."

"Maybe next time."

Bellatrix cackled as her eyes raked over him. "But what is dear Snapey doing out? Don't you have some cooking to do?"

"I needed supplies," he answered. Her stare was probing and Severus had to resist the urge to cross his arms over himself.

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows and smirked. "Rumors have said that you may be lonely."

"Interesting…"

"Oh it is!" she exclaimed. "Especially when they say you were quite fond of a Mudblood."

Ever nerve in Severus' body came to attention under her electric stare. The playful sneer was fading. She was actually curious and he didn't know why. Severus was switching into survival mode. He closed him mind off. He didn't think Bellatrix knew anything of Legilimency, but it what impossible to say what she had picked up while trying to be the Dark Lord's lap dog.

"It is quite amazing what kind of conclusions the uneducated can come up with."

Bellatrix stepped closer and she dragged one of her fingers up the sleeve of his shirt. "That's not all they say about little Snapey."

He was quickly losing patience with her game, but he knew he had to play. "I never knew you had such a fondness for rumors."

"When someone's loyalty is in question I do," she snapped; her tone suddenly cold.

"The Dark Lord knows of my loyalty," he answered.

"And what is your loyalty."

"If he knows, you dare to ask?"

"I sometimes wonder if your heart is entirely in our cause." He wished she would step away.

"I assure you it is."

"What do you say of the rumors of a Mudblood?"

"I say that only foolish people give rumors credit."

Her eyes flashed. He was dancing on a fine line of pushing her too far. Severus wasn't entirely sure that she wouldn't curse him in the middle of the street for the sheer joy of it.

Bellatrix regained control, she looked up at him through her lashes and dropped her voice. "Does that mean that your tastes run toward a purer blood line?"

He didn't know what she was getting at, but the conversation had unnerved him.

There was a pop some distance off, the unmistakable sound of an apparition. Bellatrix glanced over her shoulder, then back to Severus. "We'll finish this conversation soon," she promised before whipping around and almost skipping down the street.

Severus didn't relax. There were warning bells screaming in his head and he knew he had to get Lily out of there now. Her spun on his head and stormed into the store. Lily was chatting happily with the clerk. She shot him a grin, finished her conversation, then came over to him. "I may have a job—"

"We need to leave," he said. He placed his hand on her elbow, but left the store first. He didn't allow her to step onto the street. Her held her on the stoop and disapparted.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked the moment they were back in the living room of Spinner's End.

Severus swallowed thickly. He didn't know. True, the conversation had rattled him, but there didn't seem to be any immediate danger. He didn't know how to tell her that he was in fear for her safety. It would only cause a fight anyway.

"I just felt something was off and that we needed to leave," he answered.

Lily raised her eyebrows, waiting for more of an explanation. When she realized she was not going to get one, she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Did you get your medicine?" he asked. This was another topic he didn't want to discuss, but depending on the elixir she purchased he could switch the contents with something harmless.

Lily face turned red and she dropped her gaze to the floor.

Severus couldn't help it. He grinned. Though she looked embarrassed, she looked, above all, beautiful and humbled. His smirk grew larger as he thought about how rarely he was able to see that particular expression on her face. "What?"

"Stop smiling!" she exclaimed, shoving his shoulder.

He tried to contain his smirk, but it wasn't going to happen. "Are you all right?"

"I fine," she lied, the blush in her cheeks darkening.

Severus reached for her hand but she was quicker and covered her face.

"Lily, talk to me," he said softly. His humor in the situation was fading.

"I should be fine. I just need to give it a few more days."

"Should I be this confused?"

"I don't know!" Lily moaned, tossing her head back. "Can we just let this drop? I'm going to be okay. Or I should be…"

Suddenly, he was concerned that she had taken something. Maybe the apothecary had given it to her while she was in the store and he was occupied with Bellatrix.

"What did you take?" Damn. He hadn't meant for his voice to come out that sharp.

Lily narrowed her eyebrows. "Nothing. I just chatted with the shop keeper. He made a comment and I got to thinking about—why are you being so weird?"

It took physical restraint to not groan and glare at her. "I just wish you would talk to me!"

"There's nothing to talk about!"

They glared at each other for several minutes. Severus was the first to cave in. Wasn't that always the case with her? "So, you mentioned a job…"

Lily nodded. "We talked about school, and he mentioned NEWT exams, and he said someone with scores like mine could have been a healer, and I told him I'd considered it. His wife is a healer and he is going to talk to her about me. He asked me to come back next week."

Severus sat in one of the arm chairs. "You know you don't need a job…"

Lily pursed her lips. "One of us needs to be working."

Severus sighed. He couldn't talk to her about this. He couldn't. She would never understand what had attracted him, and why he couldn't just walk away. Well, she might understand that part if he made it clear he would be killed.

"Lily," he started, then he realized he must be losing his mind. He had this desire to be open with her; to lay everything out but now just wasn't the time. For Merlin's sake she didn't even know she was pregnant yet! If he were to try to explain the Dark Lord situation she would leave, she'd run directly Potter's and never see him again. No, for now, he would continue their game pretending it wasn't happened. He shook his head. "Nevermind. We'll talk about it later."

Lily nodded, she was biting her lip and looking uncomfortable. "Well, I guess I need to talk to you about something instead then."