Hullo, I missed you guys.

Thanks for all the reviews. Nice to know my mature scenes aren't too shoddily written to scare you off. In order to avoid straying into bad or cliche writing, I often stopped and asked myself "Is this what you'd find in a compelling love scene...or a pornhub skit?"

Great news too, now that we've got the most graphic sexual content covered, I can tone it back enough to post full chapters on here again. Yay!

On with the show!

If Someone Cared Enough

Chapter 111: Under Noses

"Lily," Willow called, rapping on the bathroom door, "Come out of there before you turn into a prune. Augusta says breakfast will be ready any minute now."

"Be out in the minute, mum," Lily answered back, the sound of sloshing water trickling out into the hall, "Just rinsing off."

Willow sighed, "A simple bath shouldn't take you so long. You're lucky we can't run out of hot water in a magic household. Now finish up, I have to go fetch Severus from the hedge maze."

Not waiting for her daughter's response, Willow wandered off down the hall back the way she came.

Within the bathroom, Lily breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing against the tub, "That was close."

"It's not like she knew I was in here," Severus commented with a smirk.

Lily chuckled, sliding off her boyfriend's lap, "No, I suppose not. Not when you've got her roaming the hedge maze looking for you."

Severus grinned at his own brilliance, "I told the statue at the garden to engage her in a rousing conversation about gardening, so I have plenty of time to sneak out of here unnoticed."

He glanced at his hand before pulling his wand from his pile of clothes and casting a spell to unprune his fingers, "There we go; can't look wet or they'll be suspicious."

"Don't forget your hair," Lily reminded him. She grabbed a washcloth from the side of the tub and scrubbed between her legs, "Funny, I was cleaner before I got in the bath."

"How very mysterious," Severus drawled, stepping from the water and helping Lily get out.

Lily looked longingly back at the tub, "I wish our bathtub at home was this big. Just think of all the fun we could have."

Severus snorted, flicking his wand at his hair to dry it, "Considering it's the only bathroom in the house, there is little to no chance we'd be able to sneak out without being seen by whoever was waiting to use the loo."

"And then our cover would be blown," Lily sighed, "I wish we didn't have to sneak around like this. We're practically adult; there shouldn't be anything wrong with us having sex."

"I'm sure your parents would beg to differ," Severus said mindfully.

Lily scoffed, "Please, I bet you mum and dad didn't wait till marriage. Dad drove a motorcycle and they both smoked for goodness sake. That hardly sounds like they were the abstinence sort."

"Still, it's not like parents want to consider the idea of their daughters having sex," Severus argued, "I doubt your father wants to know you spent the last ten minutes riding my lap."

Lily giggled, "Good thing they never have to know then, eh? If anyone asked, out wedding night will be out 'first time'. Let them think we're virgins."

Severus quirked a brow, "But just to be clear, a white dress is no longer an honest look for you."

Lily snorted, shoving Severus in the arm.

"Yes, perhaps an off-white," Severus went on, "Brides do that, right? On the other hand, maybe a cream? Hmm…do they have grey wedding gowns?"

"Ass," Lily laughed, smacking his shoulder, "Get dressed before mum comes back to tell me she couldn't find you."

Severus pulled on his slacks as Lily dried off. He paused to take her in, sitting by the stained glass window, light streaming in over her shoulder in a prism of colors, her cheeks rosy and flushed as her hair spilled over her neck and shoulders in wet tendrils. Water droplets clung to her bare breasts, trailed down past her navel in watery slopes that disappeared between her thighs.

She was ethereal. It was like stumbling upon a mermaid basking in a lake.

The corner of Lily's mouth quirked up in a smile, "You're staring."

"Wha?" Severus started, pants hanging loosely in his grip halfway up his legs, "O-oh….right?"

Lily giggled, her perky bosom jiggling.

"Not enough time for another round, Sev," she teased, legs splaying open, "How tragic."

Severus groaned as her dragged his pants up, stifling a yelp as he caught himself on his zipper.

He glared halfhearted at a snickering Lily, "You're a menace."

"Perhaps," Lily agreed, idly playing with a wet strand of hair. Her treacherous playfulness was she sat there naked and splayed was making her more of a dangerous water nymph than a mermaid, "But that's what you like about me."

"Someone's had an ego boost," Severus muttered, tugging on his shirt.

Lily hummed, "Kind of hard not to feel accomplished when it takes only a glimpse of me to make you do that," she proudly pointed at the bulge between his legs.

"We're certainly dealing with more than a glimpse here," Severus snarked, tossing Lily a towel, "Get dressed and stop teasing me already."

"Alright," Lily sighed mockingly, taking pity on her boyfriend, "If you need help making it go down, just picture Augustus in a nightgown. I bumped into her getting a glass of water one night; thing is a little too clingy for a woman her age."

Severus grimaced, "Why in the world would she wear it then?"

Lily shrugged, toweling off her legs, "Beats me. She said it's her husband's favorite nightgown; they must still be doing it."

Severus make a noise of disgust.

"Well it's gone away now," he said, staring down at his lap, "And I fear it may never rise again."

"Alas poor manhood," Lily quipped, eyes twinkling in amusement, "May it rest in peace."

Severus sighed, "We'll have to hold a funeral for it later. Bury it and prepare a eulogy."

Lily chuckled, "Burt it? Where?"

Severus looked towards Lily, eyes trailing down her body, "I can think of a place."

Lily shoved Severus, fighting back a smirk, "See, you're fine already. Augusta hasn't scarred you for life."

"Now get out," she directed, "Can't have anyone seeing you coming out at the same time as me."

Severus nodded, "I'll head for the garden, tell Willow I got lost in the maze."

He opened the door a crack and chanced a peek out into the hall.

"The coast is clear," he told Lily. Turning around he gave her a quick kiss.

"See you at breakfast," he said, before slipping out.

{page break}

"Well, well, well," Petunia drawled as Lily entered the dining room, "Look who decided to make an appearance. We were beginning to think you'd drowned."

Lily sniffed, "Sorry, to disappoint, but I'm very much alive. I just dozed off in the tub for a bit."

Petunia nodded skeptically, eyes flickering between her sister and Severus, "I'm sure that's what kept you."

Severus stiffened while Lily fought down a blush.

"Lily dear," Hank chided with good-natured concern, "You should be careful. Falling asleep in the tub? Your head could have slipped under. That's very dangerous."

Lily stared down at her plate as she nodded, too embarrassed to meet her father's eye, "I'll be more careful, daddy."

"You should never take a warm bath right when you wake up," Hank went on with authority, "A cold shower; that's the ticket. Wakes you right up."

"I-I'm sure it does, dad," Lily agreed, idly fiddling with her napkin.

Across the table, Petunia was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"One step at a time, Ellie," came Ponderosa's voice. He gently led Eileen into the room, walking backwards so he could face her, his hands gripping the undersides of her forearms to steady her, "Take it easy."

August snorted as she strode into the room, practically hip checking Ponderosa as she passed by to take the seat next to her husband, "Don't baby the woman, Pontius. She's not made of glass."

"Mother," Frank scolded from his place by Alice.

"Of come off it, Frank," Augusta snapped flicking her napkin with a loud snap before placing it on her lap, "She crippled Bellatrix bloody Lestrange; I think she can handle walking to the breakfast table."

"She's right, Pontius," Eileen assured, her voice soft but more present than it had been in months, "I'm fine."

Ponderosa frowned worriedly, "I just don't want you pushing yourself."

Eileen smiled, "I need a little pushing, Pontius. I've been acting like I'll break for far too long."

Sitting down to Severus's left, she grasped her son's hand in her own, squeezing gently.

"How are you, sweetie?" she asked, eyes on her son with adoring attention.

Severus gave his mother a reassuring smile, "I'm doing well, mum. I'm glad to see you on your feet."

Eileen returned his smile, "It's strange to be walking about. It almost feels like I woke up from a dream."

She looked down at her lap contemplatively, "I still lose track of time…and there are moments where I forget where I am, but for once I feel…how to describe? Right? Sure of myself? It's odd…I'd forgotten what confidence felt like."

"Well we're all glad you're doing better," Willow said with a smile, "I know we hardly saw much each other, but it was always my hope that you could find a better life for yourself. You deserve it after all you've been through."

Eileen smiled, her eyes crinkling up at the corners happily, "Thank you, dear. It feels good to be myself again. And truly, thank you for taking care of my son. I can't imagine what would have happened to him if you hadn't taken him in."

"We were happy to do it," Willow assured her.

"So will you be wanting Severus to move in here with you?" Hank asked.

Lily flashed Severus a worried look. Yes she was glad Sev had his mother back, but summers were their only time to be together without the divide of dorm rooms and conflicting class schedules. It wouldn't even be like when they lived Separately in Cokeworth; Prince Manor was much too far away to travel too each day.

Eileen shook her head, "I'd like that, but I fear my recovery would be too worrying to him. After the school year he's had, I'd like his summer to be a bit more about relaxing."

"Besides," she added, squeezing her son's hand again as she looked fondly at him, "I think his time with your family has been good for him. I see such a change in him now; he's happier than he's been in years, something I blame myself for."

"Well we certainly love having him," Willow said merrily, "But please, do not hesitate to visit. And I'm sure Severus would love to spend some visited here to be with you. Maybe learn up on his family."

Eileen nodded, her smile widening in relief, "That would be lovely."

"Well for now, no one's going anywhere," Augusta huffed, "Not until they get the wards patched up on all our homes. So it's not like you'll have to spend time apart anyway."

"Now, dear," her husband soothed, patting his wife's hand, "Don't be terse, think of this as a vacation."

Severus liked Mr. Longbottom; he seemed to carry that same affable kindness Frank did, a patience smile and enduring pleasantness shining through against his wife's sharp wit and testy nature.

Augusta rapped her husband's knuckles with the back of her fork, "Hush up, I'm going stir crazy being cooped up in here. Can't go to the market, can't go buy wine on my own. Can't even go to a quidditch match."

"You are technically supposed to be on bed rest, mum," Frank reminded her.

"Bah," Augusta spat, "What do those healers know? Head trauma? No one in my family has ever had head trauma from a little blow to the noggin. My family is notoriously hard headed."

"You're telling me," Alice muttered out the side of her mouth.

Lily giggled into her hands.

Augusta folded her arms over her chest petulantly, "I just don't see why I should be treated as an invalid. I should be overseeing the prepping of the estate for move-in day."

Having various assets and properties under the family name, the Longbottom's were not without places to live despite the burning of their most ancestral home. However, many of those properties had not been lived in for decades and needed to be properly cleaned before the family could move in.

Mr. Longbottom tutted his wife, "Love, the house elves are more than capable of making the place presentable. If anything, we might get in their way."

Augusta snorted, "Nonsense, it's my job to ensure everything is in tip not shape and perfect order. They must be lost without me."

"I'm sure they're fine," her husband remarked, sipping from his coffee mug as he unrolled the morning paper.

"Any news, dad?" Frank asked as he served himself up a large portion of eggs and steak—mainly steak. The young auror bore a large cut diagonally across the bridge of his nose that permanently disfigured the corner of his left eyebrow. It was the only downside to having survived his encounter with Fenrir; the scars on his collarbone he could hide well enough, but the ones to his face would forever mark him as a victim of a werewolf.

Never mind that a transformed werewolf didn't bite him, the stigma may follow just the same.

Mr. Longbottom scanned the front page, brows furrowing, "Bellatrix is still at large."

Eileen stiffened next to her son, hand tightening around his.

Mr. Longbottom continued reading, "Not one hospital or healing ward has reported a person coming in with her specific injuries."

"I suppose it would be wishful thinking to hope she simply bled out somewhere," Severus said dourly.

Longbottom shook his head, "Unlikely, from what my son has been saying, that family has loads of dark connections. If she couldn't get to a healing ward, she surely found somewhere else to lick her wounds."

"She bragged about it," Eileen commented softly, "During the fight; she taunted us for not being willing to go to the lengths she would morally. She probably used dark magic to heal herself."

"Yeah, but how useful is she to You-Know-Who now that she's been crippled?" Petunia asked, "She's only got one arm and leg each, and she probably lost the eye."

"Hasn't stopped Moody," Frank pointed out, "Missing part of a foot himself, and one of his hands doesn't work right ever since a hex in '64. And when he lost his eye, he just popped that bloody magic marble in his head and carried on, nonchalant as you please."

Ponderosa nodded, "In the muggle world, such maiming could limited your quality of life, but in the magical world we have a number of ways around missing limbs or blindness."

"So she's probably hobbling around with magical appendages that can do god knows what," Severus groused, "Moody's eye is rumored to see through enchantments and invisibility cloaks. Imagine what sort of advantage Bellatrix would give herself with a magical replacement or two."

"I'd rather not," Lily said.

Augusta scoffed, "Let her get as many fake legs as she wants; let her replace her whole damn body. Won't make a lick of difference. We'll still put her in a hole in the ground before this bloody war is over."

"Language dear," her husband scolded, "Not in front of guests."

Augusta rolled her eyes.

"Please," she said, eyes roving across the younger ones at the table, "These kids have to have heard worse in school."

"Still…"

Augusta waved a dismissive hand at her husband, "What else does the paper say?"

Surprisingly unfazed by his wife's rudeness, Mr. Longbottom returned his gaze to the paper, "Says here the rest of the Lestrange family has gone missing."

"Missing?" Severus asked, perking up.

Lily too looked intrigued, "Do you think they were killed for Bellatrix's failure?"

Alice reached over to take the paper. Scanning it she shook her head, "Says here there's been no damage to their estates, nor any Dark Marks to signify an attack. But the Goblins at Gringotts are reporting that just days before their vanished, the whole lot cleared out their vaults in the bank. Not a single knut left behind."

"What does that mean?" Hank asked.

Severus sighed, "It's means You-Know-Who realizes the Lestranges will not be able to keep feigning a lack of involvement to his cause with Bellatrix bringing that much scrutiny to them. The whole family's gone into hiding, taking all their wealth with them so that they can continue to fund his efforts in private."

Frank nodded, "Sounds about right."

"Malfoy is playing the innocent," Alice informed them, still reading from the paper, "Our department's investigation on him has hit a dead end; the witness who reported one of the oblivated victims comments about seeing him at the ministry has retracted her statement."

Frank cursed, "He probably threatened her."

"Not legal to use veritaserum on witnesses," Alice commented, shaking her head in disapproval, "Only suspects; so there's no way to extract the info from her without anything we find being inadmissible due to acquiring it illegally."

Severus groaned, rubbing his forehead, "Lucius has he bases covered. The people we spoke with to have no memories and the people they spoke to are too scared to testify. Add in his family's hefty donations lining the pockets of several Wizengamot officials and he's pretty well protected from being placed on the suspect list."

Lily took Severus hand in her own to comfort him.

"I knew I should have let Simone come burn his house down," Petunia tsked.

Everyone gave her a look at that.

"What?" Severus questioned.

Petunia shrugged, "Sim and Thea heard about the attack. Not sure who's keeping them informed on matters here in England, but they found out. When Simone heard Lucius evaded capture, she had half a mind to just come home and burn him alive in his house. She said that was the only way a man of power can face justice when he's abusing the system."

"Can't say I disagree at this point," Lily stated, "He's clearly going to do whatever it takes to cover his tracks."

"Plus he cost their side the diary," Severus added. At Frank and Alice's perplexed looks, he waved them off, "Long story. It was an important cursed item and he let it be destroyed by my friends and I. He had to have been on thin ice for it."

"Which would explain why he vanished for a time," Lily joined in, "Probably was punished so bad he barely survived."

Severus looked seriously at everyone, "I doubt he ever wants to risk angering his master again. Which makes him desperate. He can't have the ministry suspecting him or he'll be back in the hot seat with You-Know-Who. Malfoy needs to stay in a position of power within the community; it gives You-Know-Who an insider with influence in keeping the authorities complacent."

Frank nodded, "Exactly. And according to the paper, he's giving off quite the contrite and dismayed performance as a man who has 'no idea' his in laws were allied with You-Know-Who."

Alice read aloud from the paper, "Lucius Malfoy, heir to the Noble house of Malfoy was quoted as saying this, 'It troubles me deeply to know those I would call my family—people who stood by me at my wedding no less—would tie themselves to such heinous crimes. My wife and I are besides ourselves with grief and shame for this crime her sister Bellatrix has committed against us and the wizarding community as a whole."

She slapped the paper down in disgust, "And of course with the hefty donation he just made to the restoration of Longbottom Manor—as well as a donation to a local orphanage—the public is eating it right up."

Augusta snorted, "Better check to make sure the money isn't hexed. Or worse; I'd hate to have the manor rebuilt only to find he's got a blood curse imbued into the very stone itself."

Ponderosa raised a brow, "I doubt he'd go that far if he's trying to lay low right now."

Augusta waved her fork at the barrister, uncaring of the sausage she nearly sent flying at Severus, "Oh it wouldn't be something deadly, mind you, but something dastardly all the same. Probably cause all sorts of mild but unpleasant illness, make your bowel movements hurt, turn your wanker impotent."

"Mum," Frank cried, shooting a scandalized look at their guests.

Alice choked on her juice while trying not to laugh.

"We wouldn't want that," Mr. Longbottom said with good nature, undisturbed by his wife's blunt nature, "I want grandchildren, Frankie."

"We'd have some already if these two had their way," Augusta quipped, gesturing at her son and future daughter-in-law, "Can't even keep their hands to themselves before the wedding. Better push the date up before we have her walking down the aisle with a bump under her robes."

Alice was positively scarlet, sending a betrayed look to Lily and Severus as the pair tried to stifle a chuckle.

"This is hardly the place to discuss things, mum," Frank pleaded, "Besides, we're not that bad."

"Sure you are," Augusta replied, "All young ones are. So in a hurry to grow up and let hormones take control. You're just like your father, Frank; a randy scoundrel."

If anyone expected Mr. Longbottom to be embarrassed by his wife's bold claim they were to be disappointed, as the man smiled merrily—and dare one say, pleased with Augusta's words, as if they were some sort of compliment.

"I bet these two are the same," Augusta said pointing at Severus and Lily, "Probably up to all sorts of things."

Severus went stock still, Lily stiffening up besides him.

Petunia looked like Christmas had come early.

Willow wasn't the least be phased or alarmed, chuckling to herself as she finished a bite of toast.

"Oh Augusta, I don't think we need to worry about that," she said confidently, "Neither of these two are in any hurry to grow up. So much adult responsibilities have been hefted on their shoulders lately, I dare say they're probably relishing any opportunity to be a kid for a little bit longer. Right kids?"

"Right," Lily agreed, hopefully not as forced as it sounded to her ears, "It feels like it's been ages since we've been able to just be kids. Far too many near-death experiences, you know?"

Severus nodded, "I miss the luxury of immaturity. Seems everyone is expecting us to be mature and responsible; would be nice to just relax and be silly for once."

"Sure...silly," Petunia snickered into her napkin.

"Well, you'll be up to mischief eventually," Augusta said, "All teenagers are at some point."

"Can we just drop the subject," Severus groaned, "It's sort of uncomfortable."

"There's nothing wrong with having a serious talk about this, Severus," Eileen said gently, squeezing his hand, "I wish my parents had been more open with me about sex when I was your age...then maybe I would have been more careful—that came out wrong!"

She cupped Severus face in her hands, "I don't regret you at all; I hope you know that. You're the best thing to ever happen to me. A blessing in an otherwise very bleak life with your father. But if I could have had you under different circumstances, perhaps at home with my family and not that terrible man, I would have. I don't want you or Lily to wind up in a situation where you don't have the support or resources you need to start a family."

Mum..." Severus said, at a loss for words.

"Well they'll certainly never have to worry about that," Hank said comfortingly, "We'd all be there for them. If they ever wound up in a similar situation—god forbid, they're so young—you'd have us to help you look after them, Eileen."

"You guys are talking like we're already engaged or something," Lily huffed, fighting off the flushing rising to her cheeks, "Did we ever even say we're a couple?"

Everyone chuckled, irritating Lily further.

"Please, Lily," Petunia drawled, "As if we can't see the goo-goo eyes you two make at each other."

"We do not!" Lily denied.

Willow laughed, "It is cute how they try to deny it," she whispered to Hank.

"Puppy love," Hank chortled, "So sweet."

Severus thumped his head on the table while the rest of the table laughed some more.

Merlin help him, this was mortifying.

Some parents just aren't capable of thinking their kids do mischievous things. But never fear, Tuney is onto Sev and Lily. And she's going to have a jolly time teasing them with that secret.

Tune in next time for more uproaring adventures with the Premarital Sex Fiends! Lol, this would be a far raunchier story if I went with that title, huh?

Review please :)