OMG!! I have not written in so long. Everything has calmed down and I can finally write in peace. So here goes with another chapter…

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters (unfortunately) except Selene, I created her myself.

          The only noise in the castle came from the crackle of flames from the torches that lined the stone hallways. Selene missed the noise of the children, their laughter, their voices. The castle seemed so empty, so lonely without them. But not entirely lonely. Severus had kept her company in the afternoons, on long walks through the grounds and wizards chess games in the courtyard followed by picnics on red checkered blankets in the grass. The snow may have been falling but she never noticed. It must have been a warming spell Severus put on the air around them or his presence as he sat close to her, his quiet laughter contagious as he told stories of his life after graduation. But not all of his stories were happy ones, Selene knew that. His past was filled trials and horrifying memories, ones that almost certainly followed him into sleep, haunting his dreams. He had never actually came out with those stories but she could see the pain for years of torture and strife etched on his face at times. But she knew that Severus was the first man she ever felt entirely safe with, at home with. The kiss the night of The Ball had awaked feelings within her that she had not felt for a man in many years, and, in a way it scared her. She feared he would not return her feelings, that it was a passing thing, or as the Muggle's called it "a fling". Then again the fiery look in his eyes whenever she was near should have crushed any thoughts of it being ill-fated. In the back of her mind, a voice would always say, "This is forever" and that always caused her to smile.

          The morning dawned bright, the sun glimmering off of the fresh powdery snow that had fallen the night before. The staff met in the Great Hall for breakfast as usual and then each went their separate ways. Selene went to her room, where she knelt before her trunk. She opened the heavy metal lock and pushed open the lid. She sighed as she stared at its contents, her entire Quidditch career including her old uniform and every magazine and newspaper she had ever been in. Removing her old uniform from its home and placing it on the bed, she began to change out of her robes and into it. Fastening her hair in a pony tail, she turned to face her reflection in the mirror. All she could do was smile. She fetched her broom from behind the door and made for the Quidditch pitch. Mounting her broom, she took to the sky, instantly the cold wind bit at her face and whipped her cloak behind her. She flew circles around the castle towers, the cool stone inches from her shoulders. Wrapping her legs tighter around the broom, she took her hands off, and flew straight up into the clouds. She felt like a bird, arms outstretched to the sky above. Looking back below her, the buildings like ants, she took hold of the broom again, but tighter this time, as she dove in a tight spiral to the earth. Urging the broom faster, she waited for that moment, the moment when, by pulling up, the tips of her feet would be a mere inch from the ground. Blood pounded in her temples and adrenaline raced through her veins as she pulled up hard on the stick causing the broom to level with the ground. She had done it, though she had not doubted that she could. She landed masterfully, where she retrieved the Snitch from its home. Holding it to the sky, she released it, watching as it flew skyward in a blur of golden flutter. She took off after it, weaving behind it. Her eyes never let it as she followed it around the top of the castle, through a port way, and back up toward the sky. It made a beeline for a window on the second level, urging her to chase it. As it neared the window, it slowed, as if in decision on what to do next. Bad move, Mr. Snitch, she thought as she reached one hand out to catch him. Firmly tucked into her palm, she stopped at the window. This is Severus' room, she mused, I wonder if he's been watching me. Sure enough, there he stood half obscured by the drapery. Smiling, Selene threw him a wink and a wave before flying away.

          Damn, she saw me; Severus cursed, inwardly kicking himself. He thought that she would not have been able to see him obscured by the shadow of the drapes, but he should have known better. A knock at the door tore his eyes from the window.

          "Enter."

          The door swung open and Dumbledore stepped into the room, a bag of candy in his hand.

          "Lemon drop?", he asked as he held the bag out to Severus.

          "No, but thank you." Dumbledore shrugged and popped one into his own mouth. "What brings you to my chambers, Albus?"

"Ahh, yes. I came to request something of you. I received an owl from the Ministry this morning. Apparently, a family of Welsh Green Dragons have been causing quite a stir in a small town at the base of the Cambrian Mountains called Llangammarch Wells in Wales."

                   "And this pertains to me how?" Severus asked, folding his arms across his chest. 

          "I was getting to that. I asked the DADA professor, and it appears that his is afraid of dragons. So you were my next logical choice, since you have encountered dragons before. The ministry has their hands full with Lord Voldemort among other things, at present, so they could not spare a wizard to do the job. Also while you were removing them the town, you could gather some scales and talons for your potions' stores."

          "I see." Severus rubbed his chin as he paced, comtemplating his response. "Well, if I must, then so be it. I suppose it would be profitable for me in the end."

          "Wonderful. You leave tomorrow morning." Dumbledore said smiling as he turned to the door to leave. "Oh, one more thing I forgot. Selene will be traveling with you. Good day."

With that, Dumbledore turned on his heel and left, closing the door on a very confused looking Severus. Why is Selene coming with me? Does he think I am not capable of doing this on my own? Now Severus was angry. He thinks me incompetent, that manky git. With a confident step, he yanked open his door and went to speak with Selene, thinking perhaps she know something about this whole thing. He wasn't angry at the fact that they would be together, alone, away from Hogwarts. To that he was quite pleased, and a few thoughts came to mind that weren't professional. It caused him to smile slightly, but then he remembered what he had been thinking about and his smile faded almost as quickly as it came.

He came to the pitch as she was putting away the Quidditch balls, the wind causing fly-away hairs to move across her face. As she tucked them behind her ear, she saw him walking toward her, his robes flowing behind him.  Well, well if it isn't Peeping Tom, or should I say, Peeping Severus. She smiled at him, but when he didn't return one, her brow knit together in a combination of confusion and annoyance.

"What's wrong?" she inquired after him.

"What's wrong is, Albus just came to me to request my services in the removal of a family of dragons in Wales." Severus spat.

"Oh that. He took me aside this morning and asked if I would assist you. I worked for a brief time right after graduation with a dragon keeper in Ireland. He requested my expertise and I said yes. Is that a problem?" she asked him, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, it's not a problem. I merely thought it was some sort of joke or wild goose chase. But since you confirm it and you have prior experience with dragons, then there is no problem. This shall be quite an experience. Did he rely to you all the specifics of the journey?"

"Yes as a matter of fact he did. Accommodations, names of wizards in the town who we can trust if something should go wrong. He has it very well planned. I will enjoy seeing dragons again, it has been so long since I…" Selene trailed off, a flustered look in her eyes.

"Since you what?", questioning her flustered appearance. 

"Since…since I've seen them, especially Welsh Greens. They're my favorite.", the words escaping her lips quicker then she would have liked.

"Are you hiding something?", Severus watching her eyes for a sign of lies.

"No, I have nothing to hide.", answering his questioning look with a straight face and an even voice. "Besides," stepping closer to him, "this could prove to be quite a lot of fun." The inflection in her voice was made even more evident by the look of playfulness in her eyes.

Smiling, Severus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "And what, pray tell, could you mean by that?" whispering in her ear. Selene shivered against him, the sound of his voice, full of promise and desire, made her wish they were not outdoors. Pulling her face back to look at him, she replied mischievously, "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" With a soft kiss on his lips and a wink, she gathered her things and walked back to the castle. All Severus could do was stand there and watch, mesmerized. Inside he was cheering.

That took forever, jeez! Sorry about the long wait, my creative portion of my mind seems to shut off when I'm stressed. But now I have nothing to worry about so the creativity is flowing. Next chapter up very soon, I've already started on it.