A/N:Greetings Everyone!I know it has been a while since my last update, and I appreciate you all sticking with me through the delays. I especially want to thank the amazing people who are still leaving reviews for the story as new chapters come up. It is amazing how motivating those reviews are and I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to know that people are enjoying the story and are invested in the characters. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, you guys truly rock! And now, on to the story…

Oh, one more thing…the second half of this chapter gets a bit risqué! You have been warned.

Chapter 5

Much to my chagrin, Severus and I do not end up needing to use Albus's office throughout the remainder of the school year. For the most part, though, we do manage to remain "friendly colleagues." There was one hiccup along the way, when a hoard of dangerous Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban. Upon hearing that news, Severus reverted to his original decree that we musn't be at all associated with one another. However, Albus and I were able to calm him a bit and make him think rationally. We explained that if he, all of a sudden, went from being a cordial (well, cordial for Severus, anyway) colleague to completely ignoring me, if would certainly be noticed and make people suspicious. He reluctantly agreed that we were right, and so we continued our established friend-ish relationship at the school.

For a while, things went relatively normally, but everything came crashing down when Albus was accused of (and supposedly admitted to) forming a secret army of students, led by Harry Potter. From what Severus has told me, the Ministry attempted to arrest Albus, but he was able to disapparate before they could do so. That was months ago, and ever since we have been stuck with that awful toad, Umbridge, as Headmaster. Life around Hogwarts since then has been abysmal, and I would be lying if I didn't think about quitting and revealing my knowledge about Fudge as punishment for them driving Albus away, denying the students any semblance of an education, and generally making everyone's lives a bureaucratic hell. But as desperately as I want to hurt them, I know it is more important to protect the students and offer them whatever useful knowledge I can. Due to my blackmail threat, I am one of the exceedingly few professors that still has some jurisdiction over her own curriculum, and I strongly suspect it is more important now than ever before for the students to learn basic healing. I can't prove anything yet, but I believe that bitch is using a blood quill on the students she has in detention. None of the students seem to be willing to speak out (and I can't blame them with the highest authority being the one orchestrating the torture, and furthermore, having the support of the Minister himself), but I have caught glimpses of scars that look like words on a few of my students' hands, most notably on Mr. Potter himself. They all try to hide their hands with long sleeves and gloves, but many of my lessons are hands on (no pun intended) and with the movements their sleeves will sometimes slip. I even went so far as to keep Harry after class one day and ask him flat out what was going on, but he played dumb. When I kept pushing, he asked me, so desperately, to please drop it. I did, as I could see it was increasing his already high stress, but I insisted he take a vial of dittany. The next day I placed an emergency order with the hospital's affiliated apothecary and by the next week was able to distribute vials to all of my students. I also taught them all basic skin mending charms. It isn't much, but I know the Ministry wont listen to my suspicions, and until I have solid proof, I can't go to the media without serious repercussions.

I feel awful about my inability to stop the injustice, but Severus took me aside a few nights ago after one of his treatment sessions and reiterated the importance of staying below the radar right now, especially without knowing where Umbridge's loyalties lie. It is no secret that she looks down on the muggleborns and anyone without pure-blood, so it is certainly possible that she could support Voldemort, though Severus has never seen anyone resembling her body type at any of the few Death Eater meetings that have been called since he returned.

He lamented that we must all continue doing things we loathe, and I know he was talking about his secret trainings with Harry. He hasn't even told me what they consist of, for my own safety, he insists, but I obviously know that he isn't giving him remedial potions lessons like he publicly claims he is. If that were the case I would have heard dozens of rants about the boy's "willful refusal to follow the simplest of directions" and his "consistent inability to follow a step-by-step list that a baby troll could figure out".

Still, I haven't pushed him to tell me what is really going on, as I believe he is entitled to his privacy, and I know pushing would only result in him losing his temper in a small explosion rivaling that of Chernobyl. On the positive side, it seems that Umbridge's appointment has managed to unite nearly all the houses, including even some Slytherins (though others have disappointingly joined her ridiculous "Inquisitorial Squad") as they all seem to be fed up with her insanely restrictive decrees. The professors all seem to share their sentiments and I have even overheard Minerva, Minerva!, giving Peeves tips on ways to make the toad's life miserable! That brought an irrepressible smile to my face. It also gave me a wonderful idea, which I am putting into practice today. I throw my floo powder into the laboratory floo and wait a few minutes for the call to be answered. I hope he's home.

"Hello?" comes the confused, yet pleasant voice of Remus Lupin.

"Hi Remus! It's El…Bradford," I greet happily.

"Oh! Hi El! I'm sorry, I don't get many floo calls so it took me a while to realize what that chime was," he says with a self-depreciating smile.

"No problem, I'm just glad I caught you. How's everything going? Have you been receiving the potions I've been sending?"

"Yes! Oh El, I can't thank you enough for those! Taking them, along with the spells you taught me, have already made such a difference in the pain of the-" he drops his voice to a somewhat shamed whisper, "transformation and the scarring."

"I'm so glad to hear that, Remus! You've been doing the regiment daily, right?" I ask.

"Every day," he assures me.

"Fantastic! You should receive your first project survey next week. Once you fill that out and send it back to me you'll receive your first payment."

"El…I'm still not sure about getting paid for this. I mean, you're helping me, after all. If anything, I should be paying you!" he objects as he fiddles with the stretched out sleeve of his worn cardigan.

"Remus, we've been over this," I sigh in exasperation. "You are a trial participant. You are giving us your time and risking your health to test unproven treatment methods. You are entitled to compensation. I know you don't want pity or charity, but that is not what this is. Having willing trial subjects like you is essential to developing these treatments and every person who is testing the potion and spells gets the same compensation. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't make an exception for you, so please just fill out the survey, send in your staring photos and your current photos, and take the damn payment!"

For a moment I am worried that I've gone too far, as my tirade is met with wide eyes and a slack jaw. After a tense moment, though, Remus's shock gives way and he bursts out into genuine laughter. "Ok, ok, sheesh, I'll take the payment!" he chuckles.

"Damn right you will," I assert with a smile. "However, that's not actually the primary reason I flooed you," I continue.

"Oh, ok, well then to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I need your help," I implore.

"Of course! After everything you've done for me? Anything, just name it!" he offers with enthusiasm.

"Careful there, Remus, you don't know what you could be committing yourself too. I could say I need your help in disposing of a body, or examining a hairy mole, or even babysitting!" I say in only partial mock horror.

"I find it interesting that you seem more horrified by the prospect of babysitting than disposing of a body," he comments wryly.

"I am! Have you ever babysat? It's terrifying!" I insist, recalling harrowing nights of chasing a little black haired troll disguised as an 8 year old wizard.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad!" he contradicts. "I used to watch Harry all the time when he was a baby, and the worst he ever did was vomit on me. And to be fair, that really wasn't his fault. Padfoot had just finishing spinning him around and the poor boy was dizzy," he explains with a joyous sparkle in his eye.

"Padfoot?" I ask in confusion.

Suddenly Remus seems to blanch and for, what must be the first time ever, he stutters and stammers. "Oh! Uh, w-well, Padfoot is, I mean was, uh…th-that is to say…he…he's a friend," he finally manages to get out.

"Oookay. Moving on…" I transition, not at all sure what all the awkwardness was about but not about to question him as he is obviously hesitant to talk about it. "And for your information, that doesn't count because babies are easy! Try watching an 8 year old hellion who thinks its funny to use his new-found magic to conjure piles of manure under couch cushions and use your stethoscope as an undersea explorer vehicle…in the toilet!"

At this, Remus bursts out into laughter again, even snorting at one point. "Wow! I take it back; that is worse than having to get rid of a body! Please tell me that didn't happen with your brother?"

"Thank Merlin, no! Leo was a ball of hyped up energy, but he was very well-behaved as a child. No, this was the cousin of a patient. He asked me to help him watch him one evening and I stupidly agreed."

"A patient asked you to watch his cousin?" He asked with a perplexed look. "That seems a bit presumptuous."

"Well, to be fair, we were dating at the time," I clarify.

"You were dating a patient?! Isn't that…against your oath, or something?"

"For your information, this happened when I was still getting my Healing mastery, so I wasn't his primary healer and it didn't break any rules. However, it was an exceedingly bad idea and it taught me that I should never again date a patient."

"I take it that it didn't end well?" he asks with seemingly sincere empathy.

"You could say that. It was actually due to the night of babysitting. The kid was such a bloody little brat who wouldn't listen to anything we had to say. Time outs weren't doing anything, neither was sending him to his room, so finally I got so fed up I cast an Incarcerous on him."

"You tied up a child?" Remus nearly shouts.

"Hey! He wasn't a child; he was a demon! And besides, I only tied him up for a few minutes while we cleaned up the messes he made and made it clear further acting out would not be tolerated. The only problem was that I guess my anger got the better of me and I ended up casting it a little bit too tight. The kid didn't have any real damage, just some redness on his wrists, but of course his parents freaked out and it all went balls up. They blamed my boyfriend, screaming about how they knew they shouldn't have trusted him with their kid, and how this was just proof of his violent nature, and other rot and tosh like that. I defended him, of course, and told them it was my doing, but it didn't seem to help."

"Violent nature? Was this guy…unstable?"

"No! Not at all! He was very sweet, but you know how blindly prejudiced people can be when it comes to werewolves. Apparently even their own family members!"

"Werewolves? Wait, you don't mean this guy was one of your werewolf patients, do you?" he asks in stunned disbelief.

"Yeah, he was part of my thesis trials for the treatment that eventually evolved into what you are testing out now," I explain.

"You…dated a werewolf?" he breathes, seemingly going into a mild state of shock.

"Yeah, but like I said, I found out dating patients was a bad idea. After the debacle with his aunt and uncle, we got into a fight and broke up. Needless to say, his check ups, especially the scar progression checks, were incredibly awkward for the rest of the trial period!" I chuckle, recalling the uncomfortable sessions of examining Connor's bare chest with both hands and eyes to note any changes in his scarring week after week.

"You dated a werewolf?" he repeats, and now I am totally confused as to what part of my statement was unclear.

"Yeah, why?"

"I…I've never met anyone who dated a werewolf, at least, not knowingly," he explains, still in a daze.

Now it is my turn to be perplexed. "Uh, Remus, what about Tonks?"

"What about her?"

"She's dating a werewolf. Oh! Unless…you haven't told her you have lycanthropy?"

"No, she knows about my furry little problem, but I still don't see what that has to do with dating," he muses.

"You mean you aren't dating her?"

"Me? Dating Dora? Right, as if that would happen. Did you fall and hit your head or something? El, she's more than 10 years younger than I am! She's full of life, and energy, and she's beautiful! She could get any guy she wants. And me, I'm just a boring, poor, old outcast monster who can't even hold down a job! What in the world would she want with me?" he asks in the most defeated tone I have ever heard.

"Remus, stop that," I command. "You are not a monster! You are a kind, considerate, intelligent man who has an affliction, through no fault of your own. By your own admission, you take every step possible to prevent causing harm to anyone else, even if that means hurting yourself in the process. As for the rest of that rot, first off, we're the same age and you had better bloody well not be calling me old!" I say indignantly. "I don't find you to be boring at all; in fact, I've had some of the best conversations with you that I can recall. You are exceedingly well read, you've traveled and met all sorts of interesting people and creatures as you studied Defense, and you have a great sense of humor. In regards to your finances, it isn't like you are lacking money because you are lazy; predjudiced prats like Umbridge have literally made it illegal for you to work full time! Besides, any girl worth her salt won't judge a man by his fiduciary portfolio. Finally, as for being an outcast…all the best people are! Those who aren't are normal, which is just another way of saying average, and who the hell wants to be that? That's boring! Besides, based on the way Tonks looks at you, all doe eyed and blushing, she definitely doesn't agree with your self-assessment."

"What? El, you're barmy! There is no way Tonks has any interest in me other than as maybe a friend."

"I'm going to have to make a notation in your case file that blindness and/or density may be a side effect of treatment, because she totally wants you," I counter, causing him to smile a bit, despite himself.

"Ok, let's just agree to disagree for now," he placates with a telling blush. "I'm sure this isn't what you actually flooed me about."

"Right you are," I agree, getting down to business. "I need you to tap into that juvenile Marauder mind of yours and help me come up with a great prank."

"A prank?" he goggles in disbelief. "Against who?"

"The giant toad herself," I reply with a devious smile. "Umbridge."

For a moment Remus is silent and I can practically see him about to launch into a very responsible lecture about not pranking one's boss, but I am happy to see his mischievous side, and probably hatred of Umbridge, win out. "In that case, count me in," he answers with foreboding enthusiasm.

It is a mere two days later that Remus gets back to me with a truly inspired prank. I have practiced it and today is the day I put it into action. It is sheer luck that the Weasley Twins decided to enact their prank on the Toad on the exact same day that I put into action Remus's plan for my own vengeance. The fact that they so seamlessly compliment one another I am choosing to take as evidence of the existence of kismet.

The Twins, quite brilliantly, created a portable swamp at Umbridge's office, which she, for the life of her, can't figure out how to get rid of. Therefore, she has been trudging through it every time that she has to access something in her office! I am certain that at least three of the members of the staff could counter the charm; Flitwick could probably do it in this sleep, and yet, they have all claimed an inability to do anything. Even Minerva, who usually values order above all else, has simply raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and walked away.

On top of that, Remus developed for me a hex dubbed the "Midas Jinx." He customized the spell specifically for Umbridge, so now everything the unpleasant woman touches turns into a slimy, wart-riddled toad! I swear her head was going to explode when she tried to eat lunch and her fork and knife transformed into two small amphibians that croaked at her and hopped away! I think the entire Great Hall burst out laughing at that one. Even Severus let a miniscule chuckle out before quickly reeling himself in.

"Was that your handiwork?" Severus purrs into my ear as we casually walk from the Great Hall to our afternoon OWL examination sessions. A shiver runs up my spine at his luxurious voice and the recollections of other things he has whispered into my ear in that velvet voice. Focus, El, focus! You are an intelligent, mature woman…you are a Ravenclaw for Merlin's sake! Mind over body, mind over body!

"It may have been," I allude with a smirk. "Though if I had been the one to cast it, I wouldn't feel right taking full credit."

"Oh no," he leads. "Why, in theory, would that be?"

"Theoretically, the caster may have gotten the jinx from an inventive, helpful friend," I reply.

To my surprise, a dark cloud seems to descend over Severus and I feel his demeanor shift. "A friend? Which friend?" he asks with a confusing sense of angry urgency.

I suddenly remember that, although I know Remus has drastically changed from the Marauder he was in school, Severus probably still sees him as that 16 year old who was part of the gang of students who mercilessly bullied him and made his life Hell. "Er, no one. Just…a friend." I reply evasively.

Suddenly Severus grabs my arm and pulls me into an empty classroom at the end of the corridor. He pulls out his wand, without releasing my arm, and waves the door closed with a noticeable bang. As soon as it closes, Severus has me pressed up against the wall, leaning in mere inches from my face. "Who is this friend? Are they male?" he seethes.

"What?" I question, confusion blooming in my mind. Why is he asking if my friend is a guy? What difference would that make to him?

"Are you with him?" he growls.

"With him? Severus, what on earth-"

"Are you fucking him?!" he shouts while shaking me slightly, his obsidian eyes burning and wide with something that looks suspiciously like fear.

I am struck dumb by his seemingly unprovoked question, but then like lightning, realization hits me. "You're jealous," I breathe out in awe.

My observation seems to bring him back to his senses as he drops my arms and steps back, putting space between us. "Jealous?" he scoffs, "don't be ridiculous. Why would I be jealous? We aren't technically together, so of course you are free to get your end away with however many blokes you wish," he continues through gritted teeth while trying is damndest to look insouciant.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" I grumble, throwing my hands up in the air. "Severus, for such an intelligent man sometimes you can be exceedingly thick!"

"I beg your pardon?" he growls.

"How many times have I told you that you are the only man I love? I pined over you for two decades! Why in the world would I go out and sleep with someone else now, when I have finally, finally gotten the man I've been arse over tit for since I was old enough to realize what desire was? It just doesn't make any sense!" I explain, gently resting my hands on his forearms, which are crossed over his chest.

"But…we aren't together. I had to give you up! I pushed you away. I'm not an idiot, El. I know that you are an attractive, intelligent, successful woman, and I know that you have needs. Needs that I am not fulfilling right now, and that I may not be able to fulfill again for years, if ever. I just…I thought I'd have more time to prepare myself," he whispers despondently.

"Severus, look at me," I insist, turning his head to me so that he has to look me in the eyes. "I don't want to sleep with anyone else, ever. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes. If that means I'm celibate until I'm 100, then so be it. I will love you forever, no matter what happens, and no roll in the hay with anyone else could ever compare to the pleasure I get just from being near you."

For a few moments Severus is silent, and I start to have a mini panic attack. Oh bloody hell! I never should have gotten so emotional. I've scared him off! Fuck, fuck fuck! Then suddenly, right as I am working myself into a full blown tizzy, he charges forward, forcing me back against the wall and before I can ask what in the name of Morgana is going on, his luscious, warm lips are on mine, raving my mouth with abandon.

A low moan escapes my lips before I can even think about controlling it and I can feel my brain melting as the heat of desire burns all my logic away. Without realizing it, I find my arms around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer. Suddenly, he shifts his hips, thrusting them into my abdomen and I can feel his unmistakable desire. He moans as he frots against me, then swiftly wraps his hands under my bum and lifts me up to his waist. My legs instinctively wrap around him and suddenly his delectable hard cock is thrusting in between my legs, rubbing against the soft fabric of my robes, quelling and fanning the throbbing of my desire all at once.

"Oh Severus, please," I hear myself beg, unable to control my urges this close to him.

"God, El, yes!" he groans as he throws his head back, moves one of his hands to his belt, and unfastens it. He unzips his trousers and roughly shoves them down, taking his pants with them. I can't help but moan in pleasure at the site of his thick, gorgeous cock, wanting more than anything to feel it inside me again.

It seems he can Legilimize me even without trying, because at that moment he shoves my robes and skirt up, ripping down my panties and positioning himself at my dripping core.

"Mine!" he roars as he thrusts into me with one long, strong stroke.

"Gods yes!" I cry as pleasure engulfs me. "Yours Severus! Only yours, always!"

"El, you feel so fucking good! Ungh, I love you!" Severus shouts as he increases his pace, thrusting relentlessly until I am on the edge, ready to explode.

"Sev, Sev, I'm going to-" I warn, grinding down onto him.

"Yes, come for me, El! Come for me!" he commands, and his silky, domineering voice pushes me over the precipice, shattering any shred of control I had left.

"YES!" Severus cries out as his grip on my arse tightens and I feel his cock throb inside me, pulsing and coating my insides with his warm essence. He kisses me languidly as we both come down from the stratosphere and return to Earth.

"Well…that was unexpected," I say awkwardly once he has put me back on my feet and we have both put our clothes back on properly.

"Indeed," Severus replies with a faint blush. "El, I'm sor-"

"No. Don't you dare say you're sorry!" I cut him off. I know what we did was wrong, and could put us in danger, but I can't bear to hear him say it was a mistake.

"Very well," he agrees. "That's probably for the best, seeing as I am not actually that sorry," he admits.

I can't help but smile at his admission before a terrifying thought strikes me. "Oh shite!"

"What?" he asks worriedly.

"We're late for our OWL examinations!" I shout.

"Oh bugger all!" he curses, grabbing his wand and throwing the door open quickly.

"No, we've already done that," I can't help but retort with a smirk.

"Smartarse," he quips back as we charge back into the hallway and sprint towards our respective classrooms.

When we reach the end of the hall, where he must go left and I must go right, we pause for a moment and look into one another's eyes.

"We really should talk about this," I concede with resignation.

He nods in agreement. "After dinner?"

"Sure, my lab?" I reply.

He nods and opens his mouth to say something else, but seems to think better of it and snaps it shut. He spins on his heel and walks quickly (seemingly floating) to his classroom door. I watch him for a moment, but then snap myself out of it. I have an exam to proctor! I'd better move! I think as I run up the stairs to my own classroom, an irrepressible smile on my face.