1 Quiet Promises

Disclaimer: If I owned the HP characters, Patricia would be an actual character, now wouldn't she?

AN: That last chapter took a lot out of me, so if this one isn't as good as past ones, it's because I'm suffering from fanfics drain. I'm really not into this chapter for some reason... I don't know why. Okay, that's not true, but I wasn't into it when I first started it. I hate this! I want to be at the end already! I already have my kick-arse ending written out! Grr!!! Oh, and Sev makes a really stupid comment or two in this chapter. I didn't want him to, but he insisted.



With a flash of anger, Severus realised that Quirrell had done something horrible. He didn't know what it was, but he would gladly make Quirrell suffer for it. He soothingly caressed the top of the trembling animal's head until she calmed down a bit. He waited until she laid her sleek head on his lap to speak.

"Patricia, it's okay. He's not able to hurt you anymore." She raised her head and looked at him with trusting yellow eyes. He once again marvelled at her smoothness as she changed back into the woman he loved. Getting up, she walked over to his bed and sat down. Following, he sat beside her and put his arms around her. He had seen that look before somewhere... With a start he remembered those same black eyes glinting coldly as they looked at Sirius Black; he remembered them filling up with tears when she told him she and Sirius were no more; he remembered his longing to cheer her up; he remembered the name she had gone by...

"Patricia - or should I say Latisha? - What did he do?" he asked gently. He felt her relax against him like she had never done before, and then heard her answer.

"It was horrible. A stranger took me tonight. That man is not the man I married."

He didn't really want to know, but he knew it would be better if she talked about it.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"He was so demanding. He wanted so much, and if I didn't give, he just took what he wanted anyway!"

"He raped you?" he asked, his anger mounting. If Quirrell had done that to this sweet, not-so-innocent angel in his arms, he would die a slow and painful death. Many times.

"Not at first," came the quiet reply. "At first I was very willing. It was Jason who was making love to me. But as it went on, something changed. I don't know what, but I *think* I heard him say he was sorry for something. It just... scared me. A lot. It got to the point where I was just pretending. I wasn't making love to my husband, I was letting a stranger have me. I knew something was wrong when I first saw him today... He was talking in his sleep tonight," she finally admitted.

"What did he say?"

"Something about getting rid of two people... He was sorry about something... some boy would not be a problem... but I'm probably making something out of nothing."

"Pat - ," he began.

"I love you Severus," she said quietly. There was something in the way she said it that made him look sharply at her.

"I love you with all my heart. You know who I really am - or rather, who I *was* - and you love me still. You are mine, and I... I am yours. Jason lost me the moment he left. I only want you, Severus. Will you have me?" she looked away before he could see the hope in her eyes, but he turned her chin towards him with one gentle hand. He looked deep into her eyes, his mind forcing him to ignore the primal instinct that was making him want to run up to Quirrell's room and stick his tongue out at him.

Ever so gently, he laid her on his bed, careful to not hurt or scare her in any way. He had loved her before, but now loved her even more for her courage to tell him what had happened. He softly touched her lips with his own, smiling gently when he saw the terrified look fade from her eyes.

"It's going to be okay. I'm not going to let him hurt you ever again," he promised. "You're mine, and I'm never going to let you go." Patricia looked up at him and smiled lovingly.

"Sev?" she asked shyly.

"Yes?"

Suddenly she sneezed, ruining the moment, and making her forget whatever it was she was going to say.

"Sorry about that," she said, trying not to laugh as he wiped his face off. "Didn't expect that to happen."

"Not so perfect after all, are you?" he growled, trying not to smile.

"Sev, you know better than anyone else that I'm not perfect."

"In my eyes you are," he whispered.

"Well, then love is truly blind." She said. "You know the atrocities I've committed."

"You were under Imperious," Severus quickly replied.

"Maybe, but I didn't fight it very hard, now did I? Sev, I enjoyed what I did for a while. If Crouch hadn't believed I was under Imperious, I'd still be in Azkaban."

"Don't talk like that; he did believe you, and you're not in Azkaban," he said, kissing her face gently. He wondered if she would let him have her after what had happened with Quirrell. He seriously doubted it, and was very surprised when he felt her hand undoing the clasp of his robes.

"Show me what real love is, Severus," she whispered as she fumbled with his shirt. He stilled her hands with a searing kiss. Always before he had held back from making her completely his; this time would be different. She belonged to him, legal marriage or not. He was done with sharing. If Quirrell disagreed about it, then the DADA teacher could take it up with the Potions Master. The latter had no problem with that.

A soft moan came from beneath him, and he knew that they were both in for a long, pleasurable night.

* * *

Patricia woke to familiar arms around her, and Severus' familiar smell enveloping her. She opened her eyes to gaze into his.

"Well good morning," he said huskily after her mouth released his.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"6:30. We still have plenty of time before breakfast."

She relaxed as he kissed her again, as her first class wasn't until the afternoon that day.

"That's only an hour, silly," she said, watching him play with her red-tipped locks.

"I know," he replied. "Plenty of time. Have you ever thought about changing these tips to purple?"

"No, why?" she asked.

"No particular reason. I've just always thought that purple is more your color than red."

"Oh... Speaking of purple, I left my robes-"

"Right over there, my dear," Severus said, lazily pointing at the armchair by the fireplace. Over the back was the most beautiful, deepest purple robes Patricia had ever seen.

"Severus, they're beautiful!" She exclaimed.

"Go try them on," he urged. He thrilled as he watched her move across the room and try on the robes. She was just the right size for his tastes. Average, not waif-skinny like some of the women he'd had.

"Pity I have to wear clothes underneath these," she said, delighting in the feel of the silk against her bare skin. She continued her inspection of the robes and gasped in delight when she was the Slytherin crest sewn in emerald green and silver, instead of the usual green.

"Oh Severus!" she said quietly. "I can't accept this."

"Please. Consider it an early Christmas present." He asked her.

"Well," she said, being nearly convinced. He got out of bed, wincing a bit at the cold, and grabbed the bathrobe that was on the floor. Putting it on, he crossed over to where Patricia was standing and embraced her lovingly.

"Please take it," he said again.

"All right. Severus, I - thank you so much!" She kissed him passionately before getting dressed using the clothes she had left in his room once before. Once again putting on the glorious robes, she turned to Severus, who was also now dressed, and together they again walked to the Great Hall.

"You know," she said thoughtfully, "the students are going to start suspecting things if we keep showing up together."

Severus looked at her in amusement. "What do you mean *start* suspecting? Did you not hear any of the rumours that were flying around the castle about us last year? According to the students, we had two children last year, and got married three times."

"Are you serious?" she asked, gaping at him.

"Yes, dear, I'm serious. Now close your mouth. A fly is going to decide to make his home there."

"Oh so you call it a fly now?" she asked impishly. It took him a second to work out what she had meant, and when he did, he turned on her so fast that the disturbed air ruffled her hair. He whispered something in her ear that caused her to break out into peals of laughter and they continued on their way to the Hall.

"Severus," Patricia began quietly. "What do you think has happened to Jason? You must have some idea."

He debated with himself about telling her what he had been thinking about when she had burst into his room earlier, and decided to tell her. It would be easier in the long run if he were truthful.

"Well, I sort of think that he was approached by the Dark Lord." He finally admitted.

"What would Old Voldie want with Jason though?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. I have the feeling that we hurt Jason more than he let on. I mean, I know we hurt him, it's obvious. A woman can't sleep with another man without her husband getting hurt, but I think he was hurt to his core. And *that* must be what Old Voldie preyed on. He must have given Jason an offer that was too good to pass up in the state he was in."

Patricia bowed her head and Severus glanced down at her. He didn't miss the tear that dropped to the floor, and didn't take her into his arms; he knew that doing so would just make her feel worse.

"So I basically drove him to Voldemort is what you're saying," she said, her voice filled with self-punishment. "I knew I should have just left him."

Severus stopped and grabbed her arm. "No," he said. "You didn't drive him to Voldemort. I was at least half to blame for it. Most likely more than half to blame. I knew that you were happily married to him, and yet after he left, I took every opportunity that came my way to cause you to fall in love with me."

"But you didn't leave me!!!" Patricia said, suddenly fierce. "He left me to go wandering, and didn't even ask me to go with him! I *know* I probably would have gotten myself killed. I *know* I attract trouble 'like no other'! But that's not the point! He could have asked me to go! Instead he left me here, fully expecting me to be here when he got back! *You* were here for me when he wasn't! You, not him! So don't go blaming yourself. It's his fault and mine. I should have left him instead of trying to have it both ways. I just wish I could have chosen between you two before now."

They had reached the doors to the Hall, and could hear the students beginning to come down the corridor to breakfast. Severus looked at her and could see all the pain the whole situation had put upon her.

"Marry me." He said, surprising himself.

"What?" she asked, clearly astonished.

"Marry me. Then you don't have to beat yourself up over this anymore."

"I can't! I'm still married to Jason, whether I like it or not! I - I love you so much, Severus, but... I can't. I just can't. I'm sorry."

"I understand," he replied. "I don't even know why I asked you that."

Patricia didn't want their relationship changed any because of that question, so she reached up and brought his mouth down to hers. She gently kissed him before the kids entered the corridor, and they entered the Great Hall totally unaware that although they weren't married legally, anyone who looked at them could see their souls had been married. Patricia glanced at the staff table, and could see Dumbledore smiling at them gently, while Jason glared at the both of them. There was no longer any love in his eyes when he looked at her, only hate. Patricia felt a twinge of almost unbearable sadness when she saw the hate, and then remembered she had brought it upon herself by falling in love with Severus. Her eyes happened to meet Minerva's, and Minerva smiled supportively at her.

The past year had found Patricia in Minerva's office more times than not, pouring her heart out to the older woman over a cup of tea. Minerva had always listened to the younger witch. Just listened, not given advice unless specifically asked for it. In return, the older woman had found a friendship that would not be broken by anything. Tonight would find Minerva in Dumbledore's office discussing the triangle that seemed to be manifesting between Patricia, Jason Quirrell, and Severus Snape. Patricia looked as if she had made a painful decision, Severus looked as if he wished he could take back the past hour, and Jason looked ready to kill them both. Why, she couldn't imagine, when he could leave Patricia as easily as she could leave him, but she supposed it would all be resolved in time. Minerva had to swallow a laugh as Patricia pulled a goofy face at her, and hoped the young woman would dine with her that morning. Meals with Patricia were never boring.

As hoped, Patricia plopped down in the chair beside Minerva and looked at the older woman.

"You plop very nicely, dear," Minerva couldn't resist saying.

"Thanks! I've been practicing for years!" was the reply. "Sooo... And then there was silence..."

"You're a goof, Pat," Minerva said fondly, and was rewarded with a totally fake, utterly bright smile.

"This looks like my cooking, you know," Pat said suddenly. Minerva choked on the mouthful of eggs she had just taken. It was well known that Patricia couldn't cook worth a hoot.

"What?" she asked innocently when Patricia laughingly glared at her.

"Quit dissing my cooking."

"Dissing?" Minerva asked, confused.

"Sorry, Muggle term that I picked up over the summer. Quit insulting my cooking! I make a mean pot of boiling water, you know!" At that, Minerva couldn't contain her laughter any longer and it took her a good two minutes to calm down.

"What? I'm innocent! I swear, it wasn't me who pushed Fawkes into the lake the other day!" Dumbledore looked at Patricia with an amused grin.

"I had wondered how he got all wet," he said.

"Seriously, for some reason he decided to stick to my shoulder, and he wouldn't get off, so I had to take him swimming with me!"

"And the fact that he's mine didn't discourage you in the least, did it?"

"Of course not! Vandalizing your property makes it so much more fun just because it's yours! Vandalizing Minerva's stuff isn't nearly as fun!

Dumbledore looked at Patricia and smiled again, while Minerva had to control her laughter again. Some of the students were looking at the staff table with odd looks on their faces. Patricia caught the eye of one of the Slytherin fifth years, and showed him what was in her mouth. The entire Slytherin table burst into laughter with the rest of the House tables looking at them with odd looks. Breakfast proceeded with Patricia looking innocently at Dumbledore before chucking a hash brown at him.