The Snape family was one of the most prominent families in all England.
Rich, powerful and of noble origins, the family boasted men of great cultural and prestige.
He was the youngest member of this prestigious family: the noble and beautiful Severus Snape.
A large reception was being prepared to celebrate his return from the war against the mighty Lord Voldemort, who had been defeated and killed.
All of London had been invited to celebrate.
Among the guests also the Potter's, another emerging and rich family above the ears of their respective exponents.
The young Erica Potter was the confirmation of how even that house was among the best and wealthiest in the region.
Severus and Erica, although separated them ten years later, had grown up together.
Yet something had changed over the years and what in the eyes of others appeared as a brotherly bond had become a great and indestructible love.
Not even the distance from the war had separated them.
They seemed destined to be together if it were not for the fact that her father, Baron James Potter, had other plans for his only daughter and taking advantage of Severus' absence he had destined Erica to a certain Lucius Malfoy, a brilliant man in public, stingy and hard in private.
Severus knew the nature of the man and would never ever allow his Erica to become someone else's wife.
On the evening of the reception in his honor he would reaffirm and underline what was his.
He did not mind creating a probable quarrel between families who seemed to have been united for centuries.
He would not have traded her love for anything in the world!
As had been established in recent days, all of London attended the reception organized by the Snape family.
Severus continued to receive hugs, handshakes and pats on the shoulder.
When Lucius came to greet him, his eyes spoke louder than words.
On the other hand, the blonde knew of the love that united Erica with that dude.
He knew it because the girl did nothing but refuse his court.
However Lucius was convinced that Baron Potter would never back down on the choice he made despite having always been friends with Duke Tobias Snape.
Lucius was calm, he didn't have the faintest idea against who he had decided to compete!
Severus supported the grin of that platinum blonde fool and with a handshake made him understand who was in charge.
Snape would have smashed him if Baron Potter had not entered at that moment accompanied by the most beautiful goddess who had ever descended to Earth.
Erica was beautiful and Severus himself noticed the changes that had taken place in those two years.
Erica was a real woman and the love he felt for her grew by moment.
At that rate his heart would burst at any moment.
Erica had to hold on to her father's arm so as not to falter under the fiery gaze of her man.
They had succumbed to passion before Severus left for the war and now her body was looking for him just as her green eyes were looking for those obsidian ones.
Tobias who was next to his son smiled, noticing how much passion the two burned.
Nobody would have divided them.
James Potter came up with Erica to greet friends.
Severus undressed her with his eyes.
Erica wore a long red dress like fire that went down tight on her hips and wide on her legs.
She was a real princess.
Her hair was gathered in an elegant bun and some wavy locks had been left free.
Erica greeted the guests with a smile, loosening her arm from her father's.
"Erica, you are breathtaking, dear!" Eileen, Severus's mother, smugly exclaimed.
Erica smiled showing her perfect white teeth.
"Thank you very much Mrs." she replied with a little reverence.
Erica approached him. Severus had grown taller and more muscular over the past two years.
The war had changed him but she hoped he was still hers, her man.
"Good evening, Erica." Severus said reaching out to take her hand.
That contact made them pop into the sky as if they had been thrown by a catapult.
"Good evening, Severus."
Severus kissed her hand.
A kiss that might have seemed chaste and simple but instead caused a brief cardiac arrest in both.
Lucius came over to separate them.
The music had started to liven up the room and they hadn't even noticed.
"Erica, would you like to dance?"
The young woman could not refuse.
She knew well how much her father thought that at least in public she might show a slight interest in the man he had chosen for her.
Reluctantly she had to accept letting her hand separate from Severus'.
The latter returned to stand next to his father.
If it really hadn't seemed possible Tobias could have sworn his son growled.
"Give yourself a breakdown, soldier.
You are disintegrating him with your eyes, son. " the man pointed out.
Severus grinned, and said loud letting James hear him.
"Just because I don't have a gun in my hands…"
Severus did not wait long before going to disturb them.
Love always knows how to take action.
It doesn't take much: a moment, maybe half, and here it comes like a madman running against his heart, like an angry bull to break through his door and fill everything with his perfume.
Scent of happiness, scent of love.
"May I enjoy the honor of a dance with this goddess?" Severus asked even if his tone did not suggest a request but an order.
Lucius could not oppose that much.
He was in the wolf hole and angering the alpha male was not in his plans.
The war had made Severus even more arrogant than before.
Lucius let go of his partner which amazed and amused Erica at the same time.
She loved the man before her.
It didn't matter if she was just twenty-four and he was thirty-four.
One of the oldest sayings in the world says that "love has no age because the heart has no wrinkles".
"He's just an idiot." Severus whispered to her lips, holding her close.
Erica swallowed the void as her heart started dancing faster than her feet.
The slow dance was a sweet contrast to the deafening music due to the frenetic beats of her mad heart.
"He doesn't have the courage to challenge you. Do you blame him? "
Severus smiled contemptuously, putting deeper pressure with his hand on her back.
"Are you by chance defending him?"
"No, I'm just telling the truth." Erica answered smiling dryly.
"Lucius will never have you." Severus confidently confirmed.
"Do you want to go against my father?"
"Anything to have you, love."
Erica closed her eyes savoring those words.
She had missed that closeness, that whispered voice on her face.
Her body responded to that of the man. She would never love anyone else as she loved him.
Severus understood the effect that his words had had on his partner and smiled.
"Only God knows how much I missed you.
Tell me love, tell me what I am dying to hear. "
Severus opened his eyes again smiling sweetly.
That tone between the pleading and the arrogant sent her into defibrillation.
She couldn't think of him and dance at the same time.
If Erica was able to move her feet it was only because Severus was leading her.
"Tell me." he whispered on her lips.
Another step and Severus would have kissed her there in front of everyone.
He didn't give a damn about what others might think.
He wanted to make love to her, he wanted to hold her and roll with her between the sheets.
Too much time had passed and Severus no longer wanted to wait. He wanted everything from Erica: mind, body and soul.
"I love you." Erica finally said to him, freeing herself from that sweet embrace.
The dance was over and she needed air.
For a moment the fear of not being able to change things had made her push him away.
It would have been too cruel if her father hadn't changed his mind. She was ready to die for Severus' sake.
She desired it with such force that she felt almost sick.
Erica moved away from the room almost reaching the entrance of the manor.
She hid on the left side of the imposing Snape manor, behind the wall along which, there were the steps leading to the upper floor.
Erica closed hers eyes leaning her back against the marble wall trying to breathe deeply and calm her heartbeat.
She blamed the too-tight dress but knew that the reason was another.
The same reason, reached her after a few minutes.
"Are you OK?" Severus asked, smiling at the effect it had on her.
Erica nodded but her heart beat didn't want to slow down.
It increased even more when she felt Severus touch her face.
Her heart tumbled from her chest. "The dress is too tight…" she lied.
Severus laughed amusedly at the woman he loved. Erica was stubborn and tenacious.
She had told him that she loved him only because he had almost begged her but it was unlikely that she would let herself be softened with an affectionate word.
No, Erica was strong and at the same time fragile.
She was his.
"Ah yes, the dress." Severus repeated.
His hand fell relentlessly on her chest and stopped right there where the index finger began to drum along with her heart.
Severus could feel it.
He bent with his head leaving a kiss on that point while the other hand slipped between the wall and the girl's back going up to the zipper of her dress.
Erica opened her eyes suddenly meeting Severus's.
"Do you want me to take it off?" he whispered mischievous and passionate.
Erica smiled at the brazenness.
If only someone had appeared on the left wing of the villa they would have seen them.
Erica pulled Severus by the jacket and kissed him greedily.
Severus was not surprised by that gesture and holding her he pushed her against his body, against his erection that throbbed inside his pants.
Erica opened the buttons of the man's shirt to sneak her hand onto that warm and sculpted chest.
Their mouths were magnets.
"You make me feel like a good for nothing." she whispered for a moment sucking his lower lip.
Severus smiled, touching her breast.
"Glad to be the devil."
They looked at each other.
After two years of distance, they would no longer be separated.
"I want to make love with you." Severus whispered to her, swelling her heart with love and pride.
"Not here." Erica answered smiling.
Severus pulled a few centimeters away allowing her to notice the statuesque physique that was visible from the half-open shirt.
Severus took her hand and led her to his room.
They went up the stairs and when they entered his room Erica turned to lock the door.
Severus was behind her.
Erica could feel his breath on her neck and then his lips because the man had started to kiss her holding her tight.
She felt Severus' hands tighten around her breasts.
That languid caress ignited her senses burning them all at the same instant.
"You can't run away anymore." Severus whispered in her ear licking her lobe.
A shiver ran down her spine.
She waited for Severus to unzip her dress and for it to crouch at her feet before turning around.
"I don't want to run away. Not anymore."
Severus smiled untying her hair.
The brunette smiled at him, freeing him of his jacket and shirt already partially unbuttoned.
Severus took her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. They kissed again and again.
Severus took her to bed, made her lie down before getting rid of the remaining clothing.
Completely naked he stretched out on her trying not to make her feel too much weight.
He kissed her and licked the centimeters of skin he uncovered as Erica indulged in the pleasure she had been asking for too long.
Erica's eyes glittered and became bright emeralds, precious jewels, stars stolen from the firmament.
They darkened with desire when Severus went down to lick her nipples while his hand stroked her legs, exploring her thighs.
Erica spread her legs slightly so that her love could caress her better with his fingers.
The warmth of that touch enveloped every cell in her body and she arched her back as Severus brought his mouth to her neck, her mouth, her breasts.
Almost close to the limit she stopped him.
Erica straddled him rubbing her femininity against her partner's virility.
"Oh Erica!" Severus let slip while holding her by the hips.
Her breasts began to dance when she made their bodies collide.
As Erica moved over him Severus licked her nipples already bristling with pleasure.
Severus sat for a moment to kiss her.
Then he slowly entered her body thrusting slowly.
The thrusts became more demanding and urgent until their juices exploded and the pleasure brought them to the drift of a place that only lovers know.
A smiley place in Heaven or perhaps Heaven itself.
Erica breathed exhausted but happy on her lover's chest.
She shivered at the thought of having to leave him to return to the party.
Most likely their absence had already been noticed.
Severus had to recognize that fear, in the form of tremors because he squeezed her and with a caress made Erica look him in the eyes. Crouched on his chest, close to him, Erica looked more like a girl than a woman but those eyes didn't lie.
"Do not go." he whispered.
"I must. And you should too. "
Severus took her hand and put it on his chest.
"No, we don't have to.
Not if we don't want to.
For duty and honor to this land, I moved away two years ago from the most beautiful thing in the world and I risked that this gift was taken away from me.
That's enough." Severus said to her as he stroked her hair with his other hand.
Erica smiled happily as her eyes shone.
"That's enough." Erica repeated before kissing him again. "I love you." she whispered.
Severus returned the kiss, the first of a series.
"I love you too. I will do it forever. "