Chapter 8

I woke the next morning with her draped over me. I won't lie; she is beautiful to look at. She moved in response to me shifting. Sighing sweetly. I enjoyed the feel of her naked form next to me. "Ginny," I whispered, "We both need to be getting up."

"Don't want to," she mumbled and burrowed in closer.

I remind myself of her age, that I am her Headmaster, and that I am a pedophile for being with her. "This will not happen again," I stated and removed myself from the bed. I reached for my robe.

"Why?" she asked.

"You're a sixteen year old student," I declared and covered myself.

I felt her hands on my arms and her cheek against my back. "Nearly seventeen now. We are living in a sort of hell. Is it really wrong to enjoy some pleasure in this?"

"Ginevra!" I stressed.

She spun me around, forcing me to view her naked form. I did my best to lock my eyes on hers. "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy every second of last night. I know I did." My eyes betrayed me and wandered over her body. "I thought so; you want me again, right now!"

"This is wrong," I stated again.

"Because of a date on a calendar? If I was seventeen, you would be okay with this?" she argued.

"Because I hold a position of power over you. I am your Headmaster."

She rolls her eyes at me. "You're my Headmaster because He wants control of this place."

"I was your teacher."

"Yes, and I learned a hell of a lot about myself from you last night." She stole a glance down and noticed I was hard again. "You want me even as you say this is wrong."

"You're standing naked in front of me," I pointed out.

"Sorry. I'll correct that," she said. She dropped to her knees and took hold of my cock.

I'm only human; a naked woman on her knees in front of me will stop my control.

"If you really don't want to be with me, stop me. But if I can make you cum before you stop me, then we will continue to enjoy each other's bodies." She then took the head that was now in control of me into her mouth.

I spent the next couple of weeks trying to avoid her; however, I'm not successful. I swore it's like she was designed for my personal pleasure. She enjoyed the rougher sex I love as much as I do, but most amazingly, I found myself opening up to her. I cared for her, and not because of anything other than her. She seemed to care for me as well. Every time I had to go to Voldemort, she stayed up waiting, clearly worried about me until I returned and she knew I was safe.

Nearly four weeks after we started sleeping together, I heard Amycus plotting against me. He planned to use Ginny, and I can't risk that. She needed to be safe. She needed to go home! I waited until we were basking in afterglow one evening. "You're leaving early on Friday for the Easter break. You're not going to return this year," I informed her.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Carrow is scheming. I fear if he doesn't get his way with you very soon, I will be ordered to have you come with me to a meeting."

"Oh," she whispered.

"We can't allow you to have to face Him."

"But… I'll miss you," she confessed.

"I know. Believe me Ginny, I will miss you too."

"I will have to worry about you too." She pulled herself up to look into my eyes. "Severus, I can't. I can't sit back with no idea of what's happening."

I reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I have done this a long time, Ginny. I'll be fine," I lied. I didn't know what could happen.

I saw tears forming in her eyes. "You're lying," she declared, calling me out.

Somehow, this girl saw through me better than anyone. "Perhaps I am," I admitted, "But you are a liability to me here. I can't do what I have to if I'm continually worrying about you."

The message she received that I needed her to hear is that she wasn't worth the risk to my cover. Being young, she was hurt by my words. She didn't realise that my own life wasn't worth the risk to the goal of the mission. She took it personally, as I knew she would. She slipped out of the bed we shared, with a hurt expression on her face, and dressed quickly.

I wanted to comfort her; to assure her, but I needed her to go. I could somehow make it up to her, explaining myself once she was safe, or as safe as possible, with her family. I came to realise that I did care for her.

She stormed out mad and hurt. I felt like an ass.

On Friday morning, a great aunt picked her up. I watched, hidden, as she and this aunt walked to the gates to Apparate away.

I had bewitched Longbottom into contacting her family and telling them she was in great danger. It wasn't a lie.

The actual Easter break began eleven days after Ginny left. She didn't realise it, but I placed a charm on her so I would be able to get word to her. There was also a charm she had demanded weeks before, out of fear. If I was gone for too long, it allowed her to at least know my location.

Potter had been brought to Malfoy Manor, but escaped before the Dark Lord was told. It wasn't pleasant seeing what was done to the Malfoys for what Voldemort viewed as a failure on their part once again. When I returned to Hogwarts that evening, all I longed to do was forget what I had seen and heard. Ginny was the most pleasant way to forget. I sent her a message:

Events tonight served to remind me why you need to be safe. Please don't be angry with me. S.S

The message would appear in a steamed mirror when she was alone.

That night also opened my eyes to something else; Draco did, in fact, have a soul. Perhaps I could use him, I thought to myself. When school started again, I summoned him to my chambers. He wasn't the boy he was even two years back. Draco had matured. He had a need to do some good.

He was cautious as he entered my office. "Draco," I started.

"Snape." He was still cold towards me. I got it; he was too new at this game to know who he could really trust.

"Draco, you know I care about you," I continued, "I also see you aren't happy with things, so I'm taking the time to give you some advice that I might not have the chance to give later."

"What's that?" he questioned.

"A way to appear to be towing the party line when all this ends."

"Which is?"

"If you follow this, you can keep your principles and have everyone thinking you're doing what the Dark One wants, while doing what you tried over the break. It's brilliant. "

"I'm listening."

"Don't worry, Draco. If I make it, I will take care of this myself. But at the end, when it's all done, take the Weasley girl and claim her as yours. She's still a child, but she is Pureblooded. Don't allow her to fall into the hands of everyone. Do what you wish with her. Lock her in the dungeons. Hell, if you want her, then be kind to her. Just keep her from the others!"

"Why would I do that?"

"To sleep well at night. You can't save everyone, but you could save one."

He laughs at the idea. "One of us will kill the other!"

"Draco, she will likely lose everyone she holds dear. She will be a shell of herself. You've seen what the Carrows and your own aunt are like. Give the girl a fighting chance, even if you simply hide her in the Muggle world."

Draco was a smart boy; he caught on. "She's been here every night. You care for her," he guessed.

"Draco, we both know you owe me a life debt, and this is the repayment. Never tell a soul, not even her."

"And if I told Him about this?" he countered.

"You won't, for the same reason you refused to admit Potter was at your home!"