DISCLAIMER: I think, therefore I am. I do not own, therefore I make no money. ^__^ And, as before, this is a SLASH fic! As in men thinking sexual thoughts (and maybe fulfilling them…) about other men. The pairings are as follows: Snape/Lupin (but not in the way you're thinking) and Snape/Lucius. If I get pressed for plot, there may be more.
WARNING: The next chapter WILL be NC-17. If you want to read the rest of the series, make sure you change the rating span on your browsers!
DEDICATION: To all the people who reviewed the first chapter, I hope you stick with the series and enjoy it! And, once again, to Ginga, for acting as my redundant muse.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, I was pleasantly surprised when I checked how many reviews I had. Pleasantly shocked might be more accurate. The fic continues, along with a higher rating! Yes, there is actual SLASH in this chapter, though nothing too graphic. I hope I'm portraying the characters accurately. Lupin seems a little two-dimensional to me, so I'm going to try and fill him out a bit. For the future of this fic, I'm planning on it being long. At least around eight or nine chapters, which is long for me. Oh, and I apologize for my plethora of typos in the last chapter… ;_; I have no beta. So, obviously, Draco said "hang around" not "hand around." Not that I wouldn't mind Lupin being handed around. I'll stop myself here, on to the fic.
****
"Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud till they unfold."
- Melodies of Life, Final Fantasy IX
****
It alarmed Lupin how easy it was to accomplish the first stage in his plan. Well, as of now it wasn't exactly a plan, more a thread of concepts connected by a similar outcome. What also shook Remus was the lengths he was going to for Severus' affection, impersonating a governor of the school that was gracious enough to give him somewhere to stay. He was betraying Dumbledore, committing a felony and deceiving Severus on top of that. When had his love life become so dire, so desperate? For Lupin had loved before Snape and had even loved after, but none of those mattered to him now. All he wanted was Severus, in his arms, of his own free will, even if it meant that the truth had been clouded.
The potion itself wasn't one that required immeasurable skill to brew, but the ingredients were a bit difficult to get a hold of. Although most of them were trivial things, such as lacewing flies, knotgrass and leeches, some could have very well ended his "scheme." The fluxweed, which would only be potent enough if plucked from the earth under the full moon had been a pitfall to Lupin, who had been specifically asked to stay within his quarters while transformed, Wolfsbane Potion or not. Luckily, no one had caught him sneaking out before the metamorphosis began and stealing away into the Forbidden Forest where he knew the weed flourished. Other than the fluxweed, Remus had been forced to dive into his savings, which contained all of his earnings from his year of teaching, to buy the powdered bicorn horn, boomslang skin and the rest of the rather rare elements. This had sunken his spirits, seeing as how the rest of his plan required the purchase of at least two new robes and an excellent bottle of red wine, preferably one with a pungent odor. Before he knew it, he would go broke once again. Not that Remus doubted that this wasn't worth it, by all mean it was, but it still was an unsettling thought to know that he'd be back where he started in another month.
But this was not the way Remus wished to think as of now, all he wanted to do was just fantasize about the things he would be gaining. There was the chance of getting caught, which was more like a certainty, and being sentenced, but it wasn't as though he had much to lose. No, Remus Lupin had let everything that had ever mattered to him go, his friends, his future, and Severus. But not this time, this time he had nothing to give and everything to receive.
****
Perched over the cauldron, bored as sin and aching with anticipation, Lupin stirred the last of the lacewings into the mixture, which had begun to clog his sensitive nose. It smelt as putrid as it looked and Remus was none too thrilled about the idea of imbibing it. Still, it had to be done. There was only one more ingredient to add, that ingredient being a few of Lucius Malfoy's hairs. The hairs had probably been the easiest thing to obtain, the opportunity had fallen into his lap, literally. Upon coming downstairs to join the others for dinner, Severus accompanied by Lucius swept into the entryway and had stopped long enough to sneer with revulsion at him. Lucius, ever the kind to rub someone's nose in their own misfortune, had dropped his shroud into Remus' arms, telling him to, "Earn your keep and hang my cloak up." And as quickly as they had stormed in, Snape and Malfoy left the foyer for the Dining Hall. Left with this grand opportunity, the golden-eyed man picked as many pale blonde hairs off the cape as possible, stowing them away in a phial that he had been keeping in his robes for a situation like this. And, with that auspicious encounter, the potion could be ready within the week, once the lacewings had finished simmering.
Dropping the small handful of hairs into the concoction, Remus held his breath in anxiousness to see the fruits of his labor. Within a moment, the once deep brown mixture dwelling in the cauldron had bubbled into an icy cobalt, a blinding hue that was a strain to the eyes. At last it was ready! And now, Lupin cogitated with dread, comes the hard part. Carefully ladling a bit of the sapphire liquid into a measuring spoon, he held it upside-down over the uncorked bottle of red wine, waiting for it to fall, for its viscosity was so great that the potion flowed a bit like molasses. Finally having guided the proper amount into the bottle, Remus repeated the process three times, sighing in relief when the wine looked unaltered. Each dose of the potion was good only for an hour, so it had been difficult for Lupin to think of a way to keep taking it without Snape getting suspicious. And since it was common knowledge that Severus had no liking for wine, it seemed the perfect opportunity.
Before he could proceed with his plan, he had made sure to check some things that could have been dead-giveaways. First of all, through gossiping casually with most of the faculty, Lupin had discovered that Lucius did not always visit Professor Dumbledore when he came to Hogwarts. That would allow Remus to skip a meeting that would drain away at his precious potion. Also, he needed to be sure that his sudden appearance would be soon enough so that there was no chance of running into the real Lucius and late enough so that it didn't arouse mistrust as to why he came back so soon. Lupin was walking a terribly thin line, where just one mistake could send him teetering off the edge.
There was also the matter of acting enough like Lucius to satisfy Snape's comfort, for it was also well known how apprehensive that man could be about every little thing. The attitude would be a problem, but he had gone to school with Malfoy, so he had some valuable insights to him that others might not have the luxury to. But the small things, habits, the way he walked, the inflections in his voice, those would be virtually impossible to duplicate. But at the very least, Remus could try to avoid those of which he did, as to deflect suspicion from him. It was sufficient to say that this was a suicide mission.
****
Sighing, Lupin placed a phial of the potion inside the new robes he had purchased, due to the fact that Lucius Malfoy would rather gouge out his right eye than walk around in tattered garments. Patting the spare draught, Remus reflected that a back-up dose was a fine idea, should anything happen to the wine or should the wine fail altogether. He still wasn't positive if he had gotten the right measurement. Mathematics had never been his strong suit. Enough with the deliberations, he chided, just drink it!
The glass was raised to his lips and Lupin timidly tilted it skyward, sending the first drops of liquid winter into his mouth. The substance didn't taste as foul as he would've suspected but what it lacked in repulsiveness it made up for with power. Peppermint pounded at his taste-buds until he thought that all flavor would be lost to him from this point forward. The ice trickled down his esophagus, filling every nook and cranny it could find and permeating it with frigidity. Remus felt as though he had swallowed a ten kilogram weight once it settled in his stomach, now rocking his body with tides of nausea. And if this was not enough, the ten kilogram block of ice shattered into a billion flecks of snow which dispersed themselves from the strands of his hair to the tips of his toes. The pain finally ebbed away and a terrible numbness was left in it's place, along with the sensation that his flesh had been turned to jelly that was working to encase a rapidly changing interior. Lupin concluded that it was entirely different from the transformation from man to werewolf. For one thing, his skin was rippling now, while under the full moon, it ripped and burst. And as he could see it now, there were no major changes, for they were roughly the same height and build, save for the fact that Lucius wasn't as sickeningly gaunt as Remus. Then in an instance, all effects of the potion evaporated into nothingness, leaving Lupin panting on the floor.
Clambering to his feet, Remus stumbled towards the mirror in his humble bathroom, praying to anyone that would listen that the potion had succeeded. He steeled himself before cautiously glancing up to discover who was staring back at him. A gasp of delight escaped his newly reformed lips as Lupin cradled both sides of his face in disbelief. It had worked! It had really worked! Smiling broadly, the ex-professor ran over to his nightstand, scooped up the bottle of wine and hurried out of his room, hoping that no one was about to see him. That was all he needed, to be caught fifteen seconds into the operation. A tingle fired up his spine as he snuck up the stairs to the foyer, brought about by the familiarity of sneaking around Hogwarts. But he shooed the memories out of his mind, he didn't want to be thinking of his friends and show up at Severus' quarters close to tears. Practically running towards the staircase that trailed down into Snape's private rooms, Lupin couldn't help but be filled with a sense of invincibility. This was going to work!
****
Remus took quite a few deep breaths outside the door to Severus' bedroom to keep from hyperventilating from a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. This was what he had been longing for all these years, and now it was right there, right before his fingers. And this time he could reach out and grab it.
Knocking nonchalantly on the door, Lupin leaned in what he hoped was a casual way against the doorframe. A few moments later, mumbling was audible as were painstakingly slow footsteps towards the door. Once more, the door was thrown open, but, unlike the last, the werewolf stood motionless. Upon seeing Lupin, an odd emotion came over Snape's face and he immediately masked it with a scowl.
"Lucius. You could've had the decency to tell me you were coming," he hissed, though not with the usual venom in his voice.
"Hmmm? I don't see why I can't just drop in, keeps you on your toes," Lupin replied, wide-eyed with fear inside. This was not going to work. How could he have been so stupid as to think this would work?
"Hmmph," Having been said, Severus retreated back into his bedroom, staring expectantly at Lupin. "Are you planning on loitering in my doorway all night or are you coming in?"
Chuckling softly, Remus forced himself to stroll casually into the room, keeping himself from imprinting the area into his mind. I'm never going to see inside here again, he thought disappointedly.
"I'd like to know why you're visiting early. Is there news that you needed to tell me in person?" The comment was meant sarcastically, made very clear by the tone in the potions master's voice, but Lupin couldn't help but wonder why they had planned out meeting times…
"No, no, nothing like that, Severus," His name had come out in a hushed syllable, one filled with wanton desire and disparity. He hoped beyond hope that Snape thought nothing of it. "No, just here to see you."
"Narcissa is pestering you then?"
"Not anymore than usual," He presumed that Lucius complained about his wife often, afterall, all men did.
"The boy is troubling you?"
"No."
"Then why have you come?"
"I told you already. I *wanted* to see you," And this was as truthful as Lupin would let himself be. He could just imagine it now: The real reason I'm here is because I've become incredibly infatuated with you over the years. This isn't even my body, you see, I brewed a polyjuice potion and…
By the look on Severus' face, Lupin concluded that this was not an answer he heard very often. He looked positively stunned and it took all of Remus' self-restraint to keep from grinning. "I see," Snape replied simply, suddenly at a loss for words.
"No biting remark? No scathing insult? I'm shocked, Severus."
Still, he remained silent, gathering a multitude of papers into his arms from his desk and depositing them in a basket with other such scraps in it. Lupin couldn't help but approach him and with one trembling hand reach out to lay it on the side of his cheek. The potions master's black eyes trailed upwards to lock with Lupin's, a look of cynicism in them that the werewolf couldn't help but pity. "You think I'm lying?"
"You're acting strangely," Snape accused, shrugging away from Lupin to stride over to a bottle of brandy perched on a high up shelf.
"Desperation can do that," Remus mumbled to himself, drawing in a quivering breath. They had touched, something that had only happened in his dreams for so long. He was beginning to realize that he could not hold up any acts beneath Severus' eyes, if only for the reason that he loved him without question. His head snapping up to check the time, Lupin sighed when he discovered that he still had the greater part of the hour left. Snape was now setting an empty glass onto the mantle and staring at him, his black eyes narrowed once more. "If you wanted to see me, you have. You can leave… If that is all."
Grinning and uttering a quick laugh, Lupin shook his head. That was the closest thing to an invitation that he would ever receive from Severus Snape. No thoughts flitted into his mind, none about his own dishonesty, none about the repercussions of the situation, except that, if only for tonight, Severus was his.
Remus quickly crossed the room to stand beside Snape, a pleased smile playing on lips as he laced a hand into the potions master's black hair. True, it was unkempt, but it was still unnaturally soft, just as it had been in youth. "That is not all. It was enough a few moments ago, but I have grown insatiable rather suddenly," Lupin purred, bringing his lips millimeters from Severus'. "Sight will turn into touch." Now he eased just a bit of his restraint away, angling his lips upwards to press them delicately against the object of his affection's. It was ecstasy, it was more wonderful than any dream he could possibly create because this was real. Pulling away, the werewolf smiled gleefully, fighting the strong urge to knock Snape to the bed and claim him. "And touch will turn into taste…"
He kissed Severus again, this time deepening it by first licking at those blessed lips and then waiting for Snape to allow him to enter. Once this opening was provided, Lupin eased his tongue into the black-haired man's mouth, relishing at the familiar taste that he found. It was enough to make his eyelids flutter, enough to last him a lifetime without yesterday. Remus finally parted from Severus when he felt like his lungs were going to cave in on themselves.
"And what will taste become…?" Snape whispered, his eyes half-lidded from the kiss.
"I've run out of appropriate senses," Lupin chuckled quietly, molding himself to Severus' body and looping both arms around his gaunt waist. "Taste will become love. I'll make you remember what it feels like to be loved…" And with one backwards glance to gauge how much time he had left, Remus maneuvered Snape onto the bed, enclosing his mouth with a searing kiss.
Yes, I'll make you remember what it feels like to be loved. And to love.
TBC
****
END NOTE: Ha! No lemon for you yet! This chapter is a bit shorter than the last, but my father's driving me insane and I'm tired. Sorry the chapter was a bit slow. I promise more excitement in the next. And angst. And sex. ^__^ Maybe, I'm such a tease.
WARNING: The next chapter WILL be NC-17. If you want to read the rest of the series, make sure you change the rating span on your browsers!
DEDICATION: To all the people who reviewed the first chapter, I hope you stick with the series and enjoy it! And, once again, to Ginga, for acting as my redundant muse.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, I was pleasantly surprised when I checked how many reviews I had. Pleasantly shocked might be more accurate. The fic continues, along with a higher rating! Yes, there is actual SLASH in this chapter, though nothing too graphic. I hope I'm portraying the characters accurately. Lupin seems a little two-dimensional to me, so I'm going to try and fill him out a bit. For the future of this fic, I'm planning on it being long. At least around eight or nine chapters, which is long for me. Oh, and I apologize for my plethora of typos in the last chapter… ;_; I have no beta. So, obviously, Draco said "hang around" not "hand around." Not that I wouldn't mind Lupin being handed around. I'll stop myself here, on to the fic.
****
"Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud till they unfold."
- Melodies of Life, Final Fantasy IX
****
It alarmed Lupin how easy it was to accomplish the first stage in his plan. Well, as of now it wasn't exactly a plan, more a thread of concepts connected by a similar outcome. What also shook Remus was the lengths he was going to for Severus' affection, impersonating a governor of the school that was gracious enough to give him somewhere to stay. He was betraying Dumbledore, committing a felony and deceiving Severus on top of that. When had his love life become so dire, so desperate? For Lupin had loved before Snape and had even loved after, but none of those mattered to him now. All he wanted was Severus, in his arms, of his own free will, even if it meant that the truth had been clouded.
The potion itself wasn't one that required immeasurable skill to brew, but the ingredients were a bit difficult to get a hold of. Although most of them were trivial things, such as lacewing flies, knotgrass and leeches, some could have very well ended his "scheme." The fluxweed, which would only be potent enough if plucked from the earth under the full moon had been a pitfall to Lupin, who had been specifically asked to stay within his quarters while transformed, Wolfsbane Potion or not. Luckily, no one had caught him sneaking out before the metamorphosis began and stealing away into the Forbidden Forest where he knew the weed flourished. Other than the fluxweed, Remus had been forced to dive into his savings, which contained all of his earnings from his year of teaching, to buy the powdered bicorn horn, boomslang skin and the rest of the rather rare elements. This had sunken his spirits, seeing as how the rest of his plan required the purchase of at least two new robes and an excellent bottle of red wine, preferably one with a pungent odor. Before he knew it, he would go broke once again. Not that Remus doubted that this wasn't worth it, by all mean it was, but it still was an unsettling thought to know that he'd be back where he started in another month.
But this was not the way Remus wished to think as of now, all he wanted to do was just fantasize about the things he would be gaining. There was the chance of getting caught, which was more like a certainty, and being sentenced, but it wasn't as though he had much to lose. No, Remus Lupin had let everything that had ever mattered to him go, his friends, his future, and Severus. But not this time, this time he had nothing to give and everything to receive.
****
Perched over the cauldron, bored as sin and aching with anticipation, Lupin stirred the last of the lacewings into the mixture, which had begun to clog his sensitive nose. It smelt as putrid as it looked and Remus was none too thrilled about the idea of imbibing it. Still, it had to be done. There was only one more ingredient to add, that ingredient being a few of Lucius Malfoy's hairs. The hairs had probably been the easiest thing to obtain, the opportunity had fallen into his lap, literally. Upon coming downstairs to join the others for dinner, Severus accompanied by Lucius swept into the entryway and had stopped long enough to sneer with revulsion at him. Lucius, ever the kind to rub someone's nose in their own misfortune, had dropped his shroud into Remus' arms, telling him to, "Earn your keep and hang my cloak up." And as quickly as they had stormed in, Snape and Malfoy left the foyer for the Dining Hall. Left with this grand opportunity, the golden-eyed man picked as many pale blonde hairs off the cape as possible, stowing them away in a phial that he had been keeping in his robes for a situation like this. And, with that auspicious encounter, the potion could be ready within the week, once the lacewings had finished simmering.
Dropping the small handful of hairs into the concoction, Remus held his breath in anxiousness to see the fruits of his labor. Within a moment, the once deep brown mixture dwelling in the cauldron had bubbled into an icy cobalt, a blinding hue that was a strain to the eyes. At last it was ready! And now, Lupin cogitated with dread, comes the hard part. Carefully ladling a bit of the sapphire liquid into a measuring spoon, he held it upside-down over the uncorked bottle of red wine, waiting for it to fall, for its viscosity was so great that the potion flowed a bit like molasses. Finally having guided the proper amount into the bottle, Remus repeated the process three times, sighing in relief when the wine looked unaltered. Each dose of the potion was good only for an hour, so it had been difficult for Lupin to think of a way to keep taking it without Snape getting suspicious. And since it was common knowledge that Severus had no liking for wine, it seemed the perfect opportunity.
Before he could proceed with his plan, he had made sure to check some things that could have been dead-giveaways. First of all, through gossiping casually with most of the faculty, Lupin had discovered that Lucius did not always visit Professor Dumbledore when he came to Hogwarts. That would allow Remus to skip a meeting that would drain away at his precious potion. Also, he needed to be sure that his sudden appearance would be soon enough so that there was no chance of running into the real Lucius and late enough so that it didn't arouse mistrust as to why he came back so soon. Lupin was walking a terribly thin line, where just one mistake could send him teetering off the edge.
There was also the matter of acting enough like Lucius to satisfy Snape's comfort, for it was also well known how apprehensive that man could be about every little thing. The attitude would be a problem, but he had gone to school with Malfoy, so he had some valuable insights to him that others might not have the luxury to. But the small things, habits, the way he walked, the inflections in his voice, those would be virtually impossible to duplicate. But at the very least, Remus could try to avoid those of which he did, as to deflect suspicion from him. It was sufficient to say that this was a suicide mission.
****
Sighing, Lupin placed a phial of the potion inside the new robes he had purchased, due to the fact that Lucius Malfoy would rather gouge out his right eye than walk around in tattered garments. Patting the spare draught, Remus reflected that a back-up dose was a fine idea, should anything happen to the wine or should the wine fail altogether. He still wasn't positive if he had gotten the right measurement. Mathematics had never been his strong suit. Enough with the deliberations, he chided, just drink it!
The glass was raised to his lips and Lupin timidly tilted it skyward, sending the first drops of liquid winter into his mouth. The substance didn't taste as foul as he would've suspected but what it lacked in repulsiveness it made up for with power. Peppermint pounded at his taste-buds until he thought that all flavor would be lost to him from this point forward. The ice trickled down his esophagus, filling every nook and cranny it could find and permeating it with frigidity. Remus felt as though he had swallowed a ten kilogram weight once it settled in his stomach, now rocking his body with tides of nausea. And if this was not enough, the ten kilogram block of ice shattered into a billion flecks of snow which dispersed themselves from the strands of his hair to the tips of his toes. The pain finally ebbed away and a terrible numbness was left in it's place, along with the sensation that his flesh had been turned to jelly that was working to encase a rapidly changing interior. Lupin concluded that it was entirely different from the transformation from man to werewolf. For one thing, his skin was rippling now, while under the full moon, it ripped and burst. And as he could see it now, there were no major changes, for they were roughly the same height and build, save for the fact that Lucius wasn't as sickeningly gaunt as Remus. Then in an instance, all effects of the potion evaporated into nothingness, leaving Lupin panting on the floor.
Clambering to his feet, Remus stumbled towards the mirror in his humble bathroom, praying to anyone that would listen that the potion had succeeded. He steeled himself before cautiously glancing up to discover who was staring back at him. A gasp of delight escaped his newly reformed lips as Lupin cradled both sides of his face in disbelief. It had worked! It had really worked! Smiling broadly, the ex-professor ran over to his nightstand, scooped up the bottle of wine and hurried out of his room, hoping that no one was about to see him. That was all he needed, to be caught fifteen seconds into the operation. A tingle fired up his spine as he snuck up the stairs to the foyer, brought about by the familiarity of sneaking around Hogwarts. But he shooed the memories out of his mind, he didn't want to be thinking of his friends and show up at Severus' quarters close to tears. Practically running towards the staircase that trailed down into Snape's private rooms, Lupin couldn't help but be filled with a sense of invincibility. This was going to work!
****
Remus took quite a few deep breaths outside the door to Severus' bedroom to keep from hyperventilating from a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. This was what he had been longing for all these years, and now it was right there, right before his fingers. And this time he could reach out and grab it.
Knocking nonchalantly on the door, Lupin leaned in what he hoped was a casual way against the doorframe. A few moments later, mumbling was audible as were painstakingly slow footsteps towards the door. Once more, the door was thrown open, but, unlike the last, the werewolf stood motionless. Upon seeing Lupin, an odd emotion came over Snape's face and he immediately masked it with a scowl.
"Lucius. You could've had the decency to tell me you were coming," he hissed, though not with the usual venom in his voice.
"Hmmm? I don't see why I can't just drop in, keeps you on your toes," Lupin replied, wide-eyed with fear inside. This was not going to work. How could he have been so stupid as to think this would work?
"Hmmph," Having been said, Severus retreated back into his bedroom, staring expectantly at Lupin. "Are you planning on loitering in my doorway all night or are you coming in?"
Chuckling softly, Remus forced himself to stroll casually into the room, keeping himself from imprinting the area into his mind. I'm never going to see inside here again, he thought disappointedly.
"I'd like to know why you're visiting early. Is there news that you needed to tell me in person?" The comment was meant sarcastically, made very clear by the tone in the potions master's voice, but Lupin couldn't help but wonder why they had planned out meeting times…
"No, no, nothing like that, Severus," His name had come out in a hushed syllable, one filled with wanton desire and disparity. He hoped beyond hope that Snape thought nothing of it. "No, just here to see you."
"Narcissa is pestering you then?"
"Not anymore than usual," He presumed that Lucius complained about his wife often, afterall, all men did.
"The boy is troubling you?"
"No."
"Then why have you come?"
"I told you already. I *wanted* to see you," And this was as truthful as Lupin would let himself be. He could just imagine it now: The real reason I'm here is because I've become incredibly infatuated with you over the years. This isn't even my body, you see, I brewed a polyjuice potion and…
By the look on Severus' face, Lupin concluded that this was not an answer he heard very often. He looked positively stunned and it took all of Remus' self-restraint to keep from grinning. "I see," Snape replied simply, suddenly at a loss for words.
"No biting remark? No scathing insult? I'm shocked, Severus."
Still, he remained silent, gathering a multitude of papers into his arms from his desk and depositing them in a basket with other such scraps in it. Lupin couldn't help but approach him and with one trembling hand reach out to lay it on the side of his cheek. The potions master's black eyes trailed upwards to lock with Lupin's, a look of cynicism in them that the werewolf couldn't help but pity. "You think I'm lying?"
"You're acting strangely," Snape accused, shrugging away from Lupin to stride over to a bottle of brandy perched on a high up shelf.
"Desperation can do that," Remus mumbled to himself, drawing in a quivering breath. They had touched, something that had only happened in his dreams for so long. He was beginning to realize that he could not hold up any acts beneath Severus' eyes, if only for the reason that he loved him without question. His head snapping up to check the time, Lupin sighed when he discovered that he still had the greater part of the hour left. Snape was now setting an empty glass onto the mantle and staring at him, his black eyes narrowed once more. "If you wanted to see me, you have. You can leave… If that is all."
Grinning and uttering a quick laugh, Lupin shook his head. That was the closest thing to an invitation that he would ever receive from Severus Snape. No thoughts flitted into his mind, none about his own dishonesty, none about the repercussions of the situation, except that, if only for tonight, Severus was his.
Remus quickly crossed the room to stand beside Snape, a pleased smile playing on lips as he laced a hand into the potions master's black hair. True, it was unkempt, but it was still unnaturally soft, just as it had been in youth. "That is not all. It was enough a few moments ago, but I have grown insatiable rather suddenly," Lupin purred, bringing his lips millimeters from Severus'. "Sight will turn into touch." Now he eased just a bit of his restraint away, angling his lips upwards to press them delicately against the object of his affection's. It was ecstasy, it was more wonderful than any dream he could possibly create because this was real. Pulling away, the werewolf smiled gleefully, fighting the strong urge to knock Snape to the bed and claim him. "And touch will turn into taste…"
He kissed Severus again, this time deepening it by first licking at those blessed lips and then waiting for Snape to allow him to enter. Once this opening was provided, Lupin eased his tongue into the black-haired man's mouth, relishing at the familiar taste that he found. It was enough to make his eyelids flutter, enough to last him a lifetime without yesterday. Remus finally parted from Severus when he felt like his lungs were going to cave in on themselves.
"And what will taste become…?" Snape whispered, his eyes half-lidded from the kiss.
"I've run out of appropriate senses," Lupin chuckled quietly, molding himself to Severus' body and looping both arms around his gaunt waist. "Taste will become love. I'll make you remember what it feels like to be loved…" And with one backwards glance to gauge how much time he had left, Remus maneuvered Snape onto the bed, enclosing his mouth with a searing kiss.
Yes, I'll make you remember what it feels like to be loved. And to love.
TBC
****
END NOTE: Ha! No lemon for you yet! This chapter is a bit shorter than the last, but my father's driving me insane and I'm tired. Sorry the chapter was a bit slow. I promise more excitement in the next. And angst. And sex. ^__^ Maybe, I'm such a tease.