After spending a little while longer down by the lake they returned to Hogwarts hand in hand. They went to Rose's room, where they spent the night talking in each other's arms. They slept through the night together in each other's arms. They didn't wake up until the sun began coming through the windows. Severus rubbed his eyes and shifted positions. Rose felt him and sat up.

"Morning already?" She yawned. Severus smiled and watched her. She felt his eyes and blushed, turning to look at him. "Was last night's conversation a dream?"

Severus sat up a bit and cupped her face.

"It wasn't." He softly spoke. Rose kissed him and he returned it. His arms wrapped around her waist as they pulled away and pressed their foreheads together. They both looked into each other's eyes and smiled.

"I should let you go." She whispered, their faces inches apart. Severus ran his hand through her hair.

"I'll be back." He replied. "As quick as I can."

"But Severus, the forces that forbade…" She began, Severus sighed and pulled back a bit.

"Yes." He sadly spoke.

"Severus, I don't mean to pry but…what were the forces?" Rose asked. Severus shook his head, he sat on the edge of the bed facing away from her.

"I can't tell you, Rose. I wish I could. But…there is a lot that I can't explain." Severus spoke.

"I'm sorry." She hugged him from behind. He turned toward her and took her into his arms.

"Don't be. I wish I could tell you more. I desperately do." He buried his face into her hair. They sat like that for a moment.

"I will make sure we aren't found out." She reassured him. He nodded and kissed her again. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain surge through his forearm.

"Argh!" He winced in pain and drew back. Rose got up and knelt in front of him.

"Severus!?" She looked up at him. He looked frightened and grabbed his forearm where his dark mark was.

Rose looked at where he grabbed his arm and felt her heart stop. It was his dark mark. She put her hand over his. He gave her a look of shame. She shook her head.

"It's alright." She softly spoke. "Let me look."

He hesitantly removed his hand and Rose unbuttoned his sleeve to reveal the dark mark. It was red and the area around the ink was red as if it was burning. She heard Severus thickly swallow.

"The ink has gotten darker." He spoke, taking a deep breath and buttoning his sleeve back up.

"What does that mean? When it burns and when it gets darker?" Rose asked, seeing him shaking slightly.

"He's summoning us, he's getting stronger," Severus answered, fear in his voice.

That afternoon Harry was sitting in Rose's office with her. They were sharing a pot of tea after returning to Hogwarts from a trip to Hogsmeade, ever since Sirius sent in a note to Dumbledore signing off on his pass Harry was allowed to go. Rose had bought him a pair of dress robes for the Yule Ball, that morning McGonagall had given them all the dance lesson for the traditional Yule Ball waltz.

"Rose…" Harry suddenly spoke up.

"Yes, Harry?" She asked. He seemed nervous. "Are you okay?"

"Well. Rose, do you think I should ask Cho Chang to the ball?" He asked, turning bright red. Rose smiled wide.

"Do you like her?" She asked. Harry sheepishly nodded. "Well, then I think you should," Rose answered. Harry smiled.

"Do you really think she would say yes?" He asked, excited.

"Of course I do," Rose responded.

That evening Rose and Severus were laying in each other's arms again. Rose was laying on his chest and Severus had his arm wrapped around her.

"The items for a polyjuice potion keep disappearing from my cabinet." He spoke up. "I'm not quite sure who is taking it." Rose frowned.

"That doesn't sound like something a student would steal…" She trailed off. "But for a professor to…" She sat up, facing forward. Severus rubbed her back.

"I'm hoping that it's nothing. I told Dumbledore today and he doesn't seem too concerned." Severus explained. Rose nodded. Severus sat up and hugged her from behind around her middle, leaving small kisses along her shoulder. She was wearing the slip that she slept in and his kisses made goosebumps pick up on her skin. As Severus left the kisses he saw it, the scars from Lucius. They disappeared under her slip. She felt Severus stop.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He began to gently trace her scars with his fingertips, feeling tears in his eyes. She shivered.

"I'm sorry." He felt his words halt in his throat. He didn't realize they would scar this bad that final night she was with Lucius."Oh, Rose."

"Severus. It's not your fault." Rose turned around and took his hand. She moved so that she was straddling him and she kissed him. Severus brought his hands to her face and kissed back. Severus had tied his hair back earlier that evening but Rose removed the hair band so she could run her hands through his hair. His hands wandered under her slip and she softly moaned. Severus blushed and pulled back.

"I'm sorry." He spoke, breathing quickly. Rose smiled at how nervous he was. "I mean it, I didn't mean to cross a line I…"

As he spoke Rose shyly took her slip off, revealing her naked body. Severus's eyes grew wide. His face flushed deeper and he looked at her body with a lustful glace. He moved to touch her but hesitated and looked up into her eyes as if to ask permission to touch her.

"It's okay," Rose whispered and Severus embraced her.

An hour later they had finished making love for the first time. For Severus, it was his first time ever making love to someone. Rose laid under him and he was on top of her. They were both sweaty and trying to catch their breath. Rose hugged him tightly. Severus nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

"Rose, I love you so much." He whispered.

"Severus, I love you too." She responded.