After rushing to the apothecary and making her excuses to the other professors, Taranis rushed back to the school in a state of pure dread. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid, she thought. I am surely heading to my impending doom! She flinched at the thought facing his angry wrath, sure that was one thing he did wholeheartedly. Gods, he is going to be mad. She slowed as she entered the dungeons with apprehension. Outside his door where she started to tremble with fear she stopped to take a few deep breaths and knocked.

"What!" came the roar from inside.

Taranis entered timorously, and he whirled around fixing her with the most furious look she'd ever seen. "Severus before you start I am SO sorry, I have got to be the most stupid, dense, featherbrained, doltish imbecile ever to walk this earth!" She held her hand up to stop him so she could continue, "I didn't have any idea that was Malfoy you were arguing with, and because of my ignorant thoughtless act I've put both of us in a bad spot and I should have just left it alone. You're a big boy after all, you can take care of yourself and I shouldn't have gone in there but in my defense I was worried about you, and. . .that's all, you can go ahead now." Taranis moved closer to him head held high, but when she could take that chilling look on his face no more, bowed her head in acquiescence.

Severus had stormed back to the school sincerely contemplating strangling their new teacher. He had slammed about his office venting his fury on various inanimate objects and considering various methods of revenge. That witch! Silly thoughtless interfering WITCH! What the hell did she think she was playing at! That woman will dread the day she laid eyes on him, he swore. He should strap her down and force her to take Vertiaserum, then she would spill all of her secrets, or perhaps he could use his considerable skill as in Legilimencey, that may be the best way after all. While already a skilled Occlumence, Snape had spent the last few years honing the other side of the tone, so to speak.

He was surprised at how quickly she sought him out, rather than try and wait for him to calm down, not that he would have at that. More shocking was that, here she stood, admitting that she was wrong. As he listened to her for several minutes his anger started to abate. This submissive apology was not the reaction he had expected, women don't admit they're wrong do they?

"Why did you not tell me about this 'thing' you do?" he said between grated teeth.

She looked up sharply, "I did, you know I can manipulate energy, that's all emotions are. Why didn't you tell me you were a spy?"

"Ridiculous, where did you get that idea? You mean you can't fabricate these emotions?"

"No I can only draw on what's already there, and be serious Severus you were plotting with Malfoy and he's a Death Eater right?"

"Yes and he's a very dangerous man, and we were simply having a discussion. Do you mean to tell me that amongst the three of us there was, sexual tension?"

"Wasn't it obvious, he was drooling all over me when he thought me a student, I can't believe he's a school governor. I 'am' a potions master remember I know the Da'an Nok causes a particularly painful death and that the Ka'an Nor is very delicate, none would be surprised if it did not achieve the desired affect. Why else would he want you to supply that?"

"Perhaps I am still a Death Eater Miss Aislin! Was Lucious the only one of us emitting these feelings?"

"NO he was not, and give me a break Mr. Snape that's the most absurd thing I've ever heard, you told me you're not hanging out with that crowd anymore remember. You're helping Dumbledore with the Order now."

"You are too trusting! Who was the other person letting off that energy Taranis," he lowered his head and looked her in the eye. Was she attracted to Malfoy?

"Look I can't 'tell' these things, if it's there I can use it, and I don't believe your silly excuse for a moment."

"But you knew it would be there, this energy, didn't you," she nodded, "how?"

Taranis opened and closed her mouth several times, not wanting to answer, "I," she started, "none of your business."

"Taranis!" he demanded!

"Fine! If you must know, I, when I'm around you that is, I," she stammered, "Oh you figure it out! Why didn't you just tell me you were going to be scheming with Malfoy!"

"I don't need to tell you everything I do!"

"Fine! What more do you want from me then," she looked over to see him leering at her, that sensual animalistic leer, "NO! Not that game again!"

Severus considered his actions for a moment, perhaps another game then, he eased himself into her mind, searching.

Taranis felt him enter her mind, a trick her parents used to try when she was little and she knew it well. He wants to play, she thought, lets play then.

Suddenly Severus found himself in a white room, at least he thought it was a room, there was a fireplace and two easy chairs, seated in one, he saw, was Taranis. "What is going on here, where am I?" he demanded.

Taranis smiled as she got up and walked over to him, "you should know Sevs, you're the one who came here, uninvited."

It dawned on him that he was in her mind, somehow, was this possible with Occlumence? "Let me go, now!"

"Now why would I want to do a thing like that," she drawled, "have a seat," she said as he found himself involuntarily sitting back into a chair.

"This is one game, Professor Snape, that if you choose to play, 'I' will be the winner," she said as he put her hand on his cheek, running it down to his shoulder and across his back as she walked behind the chair. Slowly she massaged his shoulders, "you're tense, you really should learn to relax you know."

"How is this possible? No Occlumence I've ever know could do this?" he said aloud.

"I'm no Occlumence Severus, never had a talent for it, but my parents were gifted in Legilimency, and I had to find a way to keep their prying eyes out didn't I? Surely you would have expected it?"

"How, I've never heard of such a thing done before, now let me up!"

"Really, are you serious?" He nodded, "huh? I just assumed everyone could do it," she thought for a moment," so you just thought you could waltz in here and get all the information you wanted?"

"Unfortunately yes, I had assumed so."

Taranis smiled at him sitting there, he's angry as hell, she thought devilishly, but he is so sexy right now, and I have the upper hand. Yes! She settled herself on his lap and put her arms around his neck, playing with his hair. "You really are quite attractive when you're angry you know."

"What are you doing?" Severus started slowly, having her on his lap was not an unpleasant thing he discovered, in fact it was to pleasant, he felt himself swell under the heat of her bottom. She entwined her fingers through his hair and leaned in toward his neck, kissing it slowly, tasting him. He stiffened, she was playing with fire. She ran her tongue up to his ear and nibbled on his earlobe.

"Mmm, you taste very nice Severus."

Never before had he heard his name spoken out of desire, he found it very pleasurable coming from those particular lips. She moved her hand over his chest, up and down several times and as she kissed his jaw line he moaned softly. Suddenly she grabbed his hair with both hands and turning his face to hers, devoured his mouth. Oh, the sweat taste of her tongue as it entwined with his, the feel of her buttocks grinding against his erection. One of her hands, made it's way down his chest and she shifted so she could cup him in her hand, oh yes, her fingers worked magic as they moved up and down the length of him.

"Taranis," he moaned, "ye gods, release me now."

She stopped and cupping his face in her palms, planted a soft kiss on his lips and whispered, "ok, but first Sevs, I want to tell you, pay backs are a bitch!"

He heard her laughter as he suddenly found himself back in his office. He was aghast! "How dare you!"

"How dare you! I told you I was sorry, but you just can't let it can you, you big baby!" She started to head toward the door, 'I'm not up to working tonight, see you at breakfast,." she flipped her hand over her shoulder as she called out.

Cold shower, Severus thought as he turned away from her retreating form. Definitely a cold shower,

At breakfast Snape sat quietly as he watched Taranis speaking with Minerva. The woman had infuriated him yesterday, in more ways than one. It would be tempting to bed her, he thought, alas there were to many complications since she was a co-worker. He watched as the morning post came, dropping a letter in front of Taranis, who froze, staring at it as if it would bite her. Reluctantly she opened it, his brows furrowed as she blushed. Professor McGonagall, who noticed, leaned over her shoulder to read it as well, registered shock for a moment, and then her face broke out in a big grin as she snatched the letter and began showing it to Madam Hooch, who sat on her other side. The two began an animated chatter as Taranis glanced over at him for a moment with a questioning look, before turning back to her friends.

The rest of the week they worked, for the most part quietly, neither willing to bring up that past weekend. Friday evening she stopped work to help herself to a glass of wine, "would you like one?" she offered."

"Please."

"I've got plans tomorrow, so I'll have to be done here about seven?" Taranis said and she raised her eyebrows for his approval and he nodded. They enjoyed the silence as they relaxed after a long day. "It's nice that we can sit here and not have to talk Severus, you're too comfortable."

"That is something I have never been accused of," he said as she laughed softly.

Sunday morning she looked tired as she sat at breakfast, leaning her forehead on her hand and yawning as she sipped her coffee. A few moments after she left he got up to follow her. She stopped as Harry and Ron came up to her.

"Heard you and Sirus had a bang up time last night, closed down the pubs in London," Harry said grinning at her. Snape stopped in his tracks and felt his mood darken as she smiled shyly.

"Did you snog him?" Ron blurted out.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for asking inappropriate questions of a teacher Weasley," Snape snarled as he walked up to the group, noticing Taranis did not meet his look.

"Go," she said to Harry who looked at her apologetically and hurried off.

"So you put off our work so you could go out frolicking with Black?"

"I suggest we take this conversation to a more appropriate place Severus," she said and followed him as he stormed off to his lab.

Taranis went over to the counter and ignoring his glare, began to work.

"So," he snarled, "did you snog him?"

"What business is it of yours if I did," she said spinning on him. Too much drink last night and not enough sleep had not left her in a good mood this morning.

"It is 'our' work and my time you are wasting," he drawled as he leaned over her and placed his palm on the table.

"Fine, sure I snogged him, fucked him too, you know me Severus, I'd sleep with anyone. We had sex everywhere, in the bathroom, in the park, out in the middle of the fucking street too, blocked traffic for half an hour!"

Severus shook with fury at the thought of her and Black, bodies entwined, naked. He spun away from her and into his office.

"Well, now that 'that's' over with lets get to work," Taranis said to herself.