Usual disclaimers in place? Check!
Title? Check!
Snarky Potions Master sans clothing?
Check!
Plot? Check!
Gratitude to Editor Ex-trodenaire?
Check!
Let's Go!
Now why this question on compelling? Do you believe I am being espelled to favor you? If so, then who is doing the casting?" Snuggling her head into Snape's shoulder, Olivia trailed her hand over the silky hair on his chest. "Severus, Brigit needs champion, someone to fight for her, or me. The champion will protect me and or Brigit with his life." Here Olivia paused, feeling Severus' chest muscles tense up under her fingers. "I think she has chosen you, Severus."
Snape was silent a moment, digesting Olivia's words and attempting to understand her seeming reluctance to him being by her side. "Does the possibility of my being this 'champion' disturb you in some way?" Severus inquired, turning his face away. The cautious wizard could feel the familiar tensing of his jaws, his teeth aligning themselves for their habitual grinding.
"I would not see you endangered, Severus." Olivia whispered as she placed a tender kiss to his bare flesh. "Nor would I see you forced to do something that is against your nature." Olivia realized the mistake of her words the instant they left her lips. She drew breath, intending to apologize, to explain herself more clearly, but was interrupted by Snape's harsh voice.
"What has brought you to the conclusion that I am being forced against my nature to regard you with anything other than the usual customary consideration one person would have for another?" His tone was arctic. The wizard knew he was reverting to form, but could find no other way to protect his heart from the rejection he could feel growing like a winter storm.
Olivia sighed and tried to hug the man by her side. His body tensed and he shrugged off her attempted embrace. Stung, Olivia rolled to her back and folded her hands over her stomach.
"Severus, I have hurt you. For that I am profoundly sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you are incapable of caring for another person; the work you do for Uncle Albus, for the entire wizard community demonstrates the depths of your compassion. It's just." Here she paused, gathering her thoughts. "Well for one, you made it very clear after that night in the library that you didn't particularly care for my company. I have even seen you duck into doorways when you spied my approach. Admit it, you went out of your way to avoid me." Olivia raised her head to gaze at Snape but he kept his face turned from her.
"I found you," he paused. "Irritating, yes." Snape supplied, then fell silent.
"What changed?" Olivia purred, reaching out and giving his nipple a wicked pinch. The wizard beside her howled and slapped at her hand before rolling to his side to face her, eyes smoking. Olivia tensed but then reflected to herself, at least he is looking at me.
"Nothing changed!" Severus snapped. "I also find you to be most annoying."
"There! See? I irritate you! I annoy you! How could you possibly feel...anything for someone who gets under your skin as badly as I do?"
Simply because you have wormed your way under my skin and thoroughly into my heart, Severus acknowledged to himself. It surely wouldn't do to tell her this! Not when Olivia seemed hell bent on packing him off once more to the cold solitude of the dungeons.
Olivia had been babbling as Snape pondered his rapidly altering love life. He caught up on her one sided conversation as she concluded with "...and if it wasn't for the fact that Voldemort's having me would cause the end of civilization as we know it, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you didn't pack me off to him. With a considerable dowry, to boot!"
Anger flashed through Severus and with a growl he rolled onto Olivia, pinning her beneath his weight. Gripping her slender wrist he roughly pressed her hand to his chest.
"Tell me what you feel!" Snape demanded.
Fighting against the pain in her wrist, Olivia tried not to flinch. Confused and hurting, she peered into the black eyes before her, attempting to fathom his meaning. Hesitantly, she answered. "Your heart. I feel your heart beating."
"Correct madam!" Severus snapped, his eyes beginning to flare in anger. "Precisely! My heart! By your own words you admit to my possessing such an organ, just as any other man. It beats, thus performing its primary task in moving blood through my frame, again, just as any other man. Why should this heart not be capable of feeling love, desiring the same tender emotion in return..." Severus choked he words off, his black eyes searing Olivia with their heat. He released her hand and flopped over once more on his back. Olivia heard his final words, a harsh whisper, "just as any other man."
Olivia lay quietly thinking as she attempted to rub the ache from her abused wrist. Way to go, McGonagall! Olivia chided herself bitterly. Here you are trying to protect the man you love and you end up doing more harm than Voldemort ever could. Severus never trusted the Dark Lord. He never loved him. Never opened himself up enough to let Voldemort break his heart.
Like I just did.
Like I just did.
Olivia shifted about until she was kneeling on the bed facing Severus. His eyes were open and fixed unblinkingly on the shadow dappled ceiling. He flinched away from her touch when she would have stroked his cheek, so Olivia picked up his hand, brushing her fingers along the long slender digits with their fine dusting of black hair. Bringing the unresponsive appendage to her lips, Olivia kissed each finger in turn then nestled it under her chin.
"Severus, I have made a terrible mess of trying to explain this whole thing to you. I don't really understand it all myself." Drawing a deep breath, Olivia held it inside before releasing the air slowly from her lungs. "If you will just be patient with me I will attempt to make things a bit clearer. I want to tell you what I think you will be facing." She paused, thinking. " Then you will be better able to decide if I an truly worth your time and effort."
And so Olivia began. She placidly told Severus of her birth, the auguries that had been read, the words of the many wise women who had attended the birth. In a detached voice Olivia explained how her own parents had feared her, what she one day would become. While Snape's very soul cringed with her story, his body remained still and silent, allowing Olivia the time she needed to unburden herself to him. She did not shed a single tear as she justified her parent's fears, how she absolved them of all blame and responsibility for her pain, when as a baby of only four, she was sent away from her home, never to return.
The loneliness of her growing up years in the American school were glossed over quickly. Olivia had realized the error of displaying her powers at an early age and so kept to herself, feigning shyness to keep the other children at a distance. Briefly, Olivia described her hope that she would be allowed to join her adopted mother at Hogwarts, only to have that hope crushed time and time again.
She spoke of her time in the bowels of London, the terrifying journey and the light that led her. While Severus lay silent, she relived the memory of the confrontation with Voldemort; the horrible memory of the corpse-like flesh pressed to her own. Olivia choked as she explained to the unmoving form on her bed the soul chilling possibility that she would be the vessel through which the foul demon, Voldemort would be reborn. Only when, through a curtain of tears, she mentioned the De Novo-Conceptius spell, did Olivia gain a response from her supine audience of one.
"He said that my screams would be his birth cries, Severus. He is going to kill me when he is reborn, full grown and in total possession of both powers, his and Brigit's." Olivia doubled over, burying her face into her knees sobbing brokenly. "He is going to kill me, Severus!"
So deep was her grieving Olivia did not register the bed shifting, nor did she notice when Snape pulled her, keening into his arms. It wasn't until he began to speak that Olivia understood that Severus held her, stroking her hair as he attempted to calm the storm of anguish rolling through her.
"Olivia," He whispered into her hair. "Hush, hush." Gently rocking her now, the pressure from his arms growing stronger.
"No, I will NOT hush!" Olivia hiccupped. "It's not fair! My life sucks and now I am going to die giving birth to the blackest evil the world has ever seen. I have every right to cry!"
Severus had to bite back a laugh at her angry response. Truly the little hellion! He thought fondly, tenderly, brushing her brow with his lips. "I stand corrected, my dear. You have a good cry and I will hold you while you get it all out of your system. Afterwards, you shall have a nice long soak and we will talk."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Olivia wailed. "I am a monster! My own parents gave me away. The only one who wants me is that damn Tom Riddle!" She spat his name from her mouth. "Or that little prat, Draco! Speaking of which..."
"I want you, Olivia." Snape breathed into her ear and felt her stiffen.
"Well, yea. But Brigit might be forcing you into this." She sniffed loudly, snuggling deeper into his grasp.
"Olivia, bear in mind what I have told you concerning a 'compelling spell'. There must be an existing attraction for the spell to work. Without that, the spell could easily be pushed aside by someone as strong willed as myself."
A tiny voice rose up from the swirl of hair beneath Snape's chin. "Are you truly attracted to me, Severus?"
Cupping her chin in one hand, Severus lifted her face up. Gods, she was a sight! Tears and mucus were smeared over her red face, causing her hair to cling to it in clumps. Her green eyes were bloodshot and puffed up like bread dough. Like a small child, Olivia dragged her sleeve under her nose and Snape snorted in disgust.
"Wait here." He ordered before rising from the bed to stalk naked across the room to where his clothing lay on a chair. He dug through the pockets and quickly located the items he sought. Returning to the bed, Snape wiped the tears from Olivia's cheeks before handing her the stack of handkerchiefs, demanding that she, "Blow."
When she had done as commanded, Severus cupped one palm about the back of her head, nearly lifting Olivia from the bed with the force of his movement. His lips slanted over Olivia's in a kiss that staggered the young witch with its possessiveness.. Before she could formulate the order for her arms to slide about Severus' shoulders, he had released her, leaving her breathless and trembling on the bed.
Bending, Severus recovered her goblet of wine. It had grown tepid during her story so strode into the sitting room to fetch the bottle. Topping off Olivia's cup, he chilled it with a spell before handing it to her.
"Now milady, you will remain here in this bed and you will drink your wine like a good girl. It will calm you. Meanwhile, I will be drawing you a hot bath." Unmindful of the naked state of his body and Olivia's appraising eye, Snape moved into her bathroom and turned the taps on the tub.
Sitting on the toilet lid, his chin resting on fisted hands, Snape reflected on Olivia's tale and her cock-eyed way of viewing herself. As the tub filled with lavender scented foam, the wizard remembered the painful memories Olivia had spilled out with her tears. Rubbing his palms over his face, Severus drew in a deep breath and pushed a lank strand of black hair behind one ear.
"Silly chit!" The raven haired wizard snorted to himself. How could she possibly think herself unlovable? Yes, she was maddening, irritating, bossy and opinionated, but unlovable?
Never.
He had to admit he understood where she was coming from in the development of this erroneous conclusion. One had only to look at the experiences of her life to appreciate her perception Who was he, of all wizards to tell her she was being foolish in her thinking? Hadn't he wandered through the same labyrinth of despair and disillusionment himself? It struck Snape as terribly funny and damnably ironic that Olivia would be waiting for his decision on whether she was 'worthy of his time and effort'.
Shutting off the taps, Severus returned to the bedroom to find Olivia sitting obediently in the center of the bed.Her eyes had lost some of the red but remained swollen. She still held her goblet and took a small sip as he crossed the room.Placing one knee upon the bed, Severus leaned over and took her free hand.
"Your bath awaits, milady."
Olivia smiled at his gallantry and allowed Severus to lead her into the bathroom where lavender scented steam hung heavily on the air.When Severus moved to take her robe Olivia turned and pulled his body to hers, whispering, "I would be honored if you would join me, sir."
Quirking a jet brow, Severus turned on his heel and strode from the room.
Olivia felt a burn of embarrassment move over her and she moved to shut and lock the door.With shaking hands she untied the belt of her robe, hanging the garment on a nearby hook before stepping down into the bath.She could feel tears once more filling her eyes as she sank below the bubbles floating upon the water's surface.Coming up a few seconds later, Olivia heard the door being kicked repeatedly as Severus called, "Olivia! Why have you locked the door?My hands are full, daft female!"
Water and soap sloshed over the floor as Olivia sprang from the tub and flung the door wide.Severus stood at the portal. On one hand rested the remainder of the treats provided by the house elves and in the other, their unfinished bottle of wine with Snape's goblet overturned and balanced over the mouth.A scowl shadowed his features as he took in her dripping hair and the pool of water on the floor.Moving past her, he stepped gracefully down into the water, setting the tray and bottle on the wide rim of the tub.With an impatient flick of his wrist, Snape indicated that Olivia take his hand. Smiling, she complied and he assisted her steps into the steaming foam.
Pouring himself a fresh drink, Severus mirrored Olivia's sparkling countenance with his trademark smirk, drawling, "You thought I had spurned your invitation."It was not a question.
Olivia merely shrugged, the smile refusing to leave her face. "Sorry."
"Sorry."Snape mimicked in a high, whiny voice."Olivia, you greatly underestimate your charms if you believe me capable of shrugging off the opportunity to sport naked with you in hot, soapy water.I would need to be forged of stronger steel than my current frame possesses."He took a long pull from his cup, his eyes fastened on Olivia.Setting the goblet aside, the canny wizard moved his hands under the water, locating Olivia's ankles and pulling her towards him.
Olivia had to brace her hands behind her to prevent being pulled under all together as her slick buttocks glided over the ceramic surface; she could offer no defense when Severus quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled her wriggling into his lap, her arms penned to her side.She gasped as his manhood pressed hard against her mound, the heat of the water increasing the intensity of the contact. Severus hands moved in hungry circles over the sleek wetness of Olivia's back and his mouth drifted along her cheek; nipping at the delicate shell of her ear.
"Olivia," he purred, causing a shiver to race along her spine, "I would deem it an honor to be your 'champion', your protector.Like a shield, would I come between you and all dangers and consider it my privilege to defend you, if you but grant me one request."
Olivia pulled back so that she could peer fully into Severus' face.The steam condensed and trickled down his skin in rivulets resembling tears.Slipping her hands from where he had imprisoned them, Olivia cupped his cheeks in her palms, wiping the beaded moisture from his upper lip with a sweep of her thumbs.
"Severus, I have nothing to offer that is worth you risking your safety, maybe your life.Ahh!"Olivia gasped, for Snape's thick shaft had jumped at her voice, her tender touch.
"Again, you underestimate yourself, Olivia." Snape chuckled and watched Olivia's eyes grow wide, her lips form a perfect O of amazement as he tilted his hips backwards, allowing his arousal to glide into the soft cleft between her legs.
Olivia rested her forearms upon Snape's shoulders, clenching the walls of her vagina as she slowly stroked upwards along his shaft. "Sex, Severus?Now you are the one underestimating your worth." This said, Olivia released her grip and decended just as slowly, her green eyes fixed on the Potions Master's face, which had become quite frozen while his black eyes threatened to roll backwards in their sockets. Clinching him tightly within her walls once more, Olivia commenced an agonizingly slow ascent. As she reached his peak, Severus filled his hands with her wet breasts, bringing first one pebbled, pink bud to his mouth and then the other. Olivia growled deep in her chest, tossing her hair over her shoulder and arching her back to press her shimmering breasts closer to his questing lips.
Severus wrapped both arms about Olivia's waist, pressing kisses to her soapy stomach, working his way upwards again to the pale firm flesh that was so sweetly tipped he doubted Honeydukes had any confection to rival them. He pressed her tightly to him, feeling the air being squeezed from her lungs before he relaxed his arms.
"Olivia, I might wince should your lovely pussy suddenly fuse itself shut and resemble nothing more than an armpit, but so long as I had the delight of your company," Snape ground his hips upward, pulling hard on a nipple that danced wantonly before his face. " the solace of your presence," he continued; the velvet of his voice dragging along Olivia's passion-drugged nerve endings, just as he dragged his lips over her flesh. "Then should I ever be content." Gripping Olivia's hips tightly, Severus brought her down forcefully along his throbbing shaft. He had felt her delight building with his words, the walls of her passage tightening around him as her pleasure grew and expanded. She had thought to lead him with her seductive movements, but it was she who spiraled out of control.
Now he took over, steering her body with his hands and hips. Olivia twined her fingers around the Potion Master's neck, her eyes locked to his as she allowed him to impale her time and time again. Severus watched as the muscles of Olivia's face tightened, just as the muscles she clamped around his lunging penis increased their pressure. Throwing back her head, Olivia's mouth fell open as she gasped in the first throes of her climax.
"Come for me, Olivia!" Severus whispered fiercely, driving into her heat. "Let me be the one," breaking off for he could feel his own climax building. Timing each of his words to the mighty ramming of his hips, Snape rasped out, "Let me be the only one who can bring you here!"
Olivia cried out, her voice echoing from the tiles, returning to meet their sisters as they were just setting out. Over and over Olivia called his name, Severus!, jolts of numbing pleasure racing into and through her body. Watching this woman riding the waves of her orgasm, feeling her walls trembling about his own flesh, carried Severus up and over the precipice.
His climax hit hard, driving the air from his lungs in a roar of sheer joy and completeness. Brief flashs of light blinded him to Olivia's drooping frame, but his arms tightened instinctively about her body as she collapsed, limp upon his chest. He continued to ride out the sweet pain of release; his manhood unburdening itself into the receptive chamber of Olivia's womb.
As clarity of thought returned, Severus focused long enough to place a tender kiss to the top of Olivia's head. He could feel the racing beat of her heart as she pressed herself to him. Her body still trembled; as did his. Snape's voice was foggy with passion when he finally managed to speak. The words were low, not even rebounding from the bathroom walls, so quietly were they offered.
"Just give me this one assurance Olivia, that you will not abandon me.
Grant me this one request and you will never have reason to doubt the depths
of my affection or my desire to see you safe."
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Olivia relaxed against Severus' chest drifting in a haze of peaceful contentment. The wizard's left arm rested along the tub's rim while his right circled Olivia's torso, his fingers nestling in the bend created by her neck and shoulder. Long brown trails of Olivia's hair floated on the foggy water, wrapping about the silent pair, tying them one to another.
Like her hair, Olivia's mind floated quietly. And like those sable strands, her mind wrapped around the man who held her. The taciturn wizard had seized hold of her heart just as easily as his hands had earlier seized her hips, taking control from her; leaving her unable and unwilling to seek release. He had made no declaration of love during their fervent coupling; simply requesting that she not abandon him.
Did he fear she would take leave of him once this horrific drama was played out? One could easily believe that Severus Snape feared nothing and no one, but as he had pointed out to her this evening, he was just like any other man in his needs. Perhaps, Olivia mused, he possessed the same fears.
Abandon him? Never! Only death could pull her from him now. Death at the hands of Voldemort.
Olivia's mind was snatched away from Severus and was forced to contemplate what could be done to thwart the schemings of the Dark Lord. The black prophesy offered in the babblings of Suriman gave little hope to Olivia. She had read over the book several times attempting to glean any useful information out of the numerous ramblings. Perhaps Severus could make some sense of it all. She decided to give him the volume and permit him put his considerable intellect to work on unraveling the mysteries it contained.
There had to be a way to free them both from this nightmare! Running away and hiding was not an option. Why, she wasn't even safe here at Hogwarts now that....
"Draco!" Olivia gasped aloud.
"Bloody hell!" The wizard behind her roared, pushing her from him. Water sloshed over the rim of the tub and sheeted over the floor.
Wiping water from her eyes, Olivia sputtered. "Severus, listen to me! It's Draco! I meant to tell you earlier, but we got carried away and...well, he gave me something today." Standing, Olivia stepped from the tub and grabbed her robe from the hook. Without a backward glance she exited the bathroom, leaving the Potions Master to follow.
Wrapping a towel about his hips, Severus entered Olivia's bedchamber to find the witch pulling a small wooden chest from her bureau. Scowling, Snape flung himself onto the bed as Olivia approached bringing the chest. The look on her face confused the wizard not a small bit. She was regarding the container as if it were something loathsome; almost as if it pained her hands just by touching the thing. Raising the lid, Olivia revealed a crumpled bundle of filthy material. "A gift," she whispered. "From Lucius Malfoy."
Snape remained silent, giving Olivia the opportunity to formulate her words. Finally, she began. "When I left the flat that night, to run off the stress, I used this band to pull back my hair. I really hadn't given it too much thought; I mean, who worries about losing a scrunchie, right?" Her worried eyes sought Snape's face. "But I didn't lose this. It was taken from me. By Voldemort. He snatched it from my hair that night. Today, Draco Malfoy returned it to me. He said it was from his father." Her voice trembled over her last words and Snape could read the growing fear on her face.
"He had to have been there that night, Severus; Lucius Malfoy could have been one of the Death Eaters that chased me down the corridor as I ran back to the tunnels." Olivia picked up the wad of material, eyeing it balefully. "I suppose this is his way of letting me know he is out there. Perhaps Mr. Malfoy is attempting to frighten me."
Sighing, she returned the hair band to its nest. "Well, score one for Mr. Malfoy." Turning her eyes to Snape, Olivia thought to find shock or alarm. There was neither. He merely sat on the bed. "Well?" The frustrated witch inquired sharply.
Snape continued to watch Olivia, a bland expression on his face. When the wizard offered no shout of alarm, no comment on the absurdity of the notion; hell, he didn't even blink, Olivia exploded.
"What? Nothing to say? Have you been struck dumb by this announcement? The man KNOWS I am here!" She railed at him, waving her arms wide to indicate the whole of the school. "And not only does he know where I can be found, you can bet your britches he has gone and spilled it all to my fiancee!" Snapping the chest lid closed with enough force to split the wooden top, Olivia continued to glare at the silent figure. "If Voldemort knows about me he..." Her eyes flew wide. " On god, Severus! He knows you know and now he knows that you probably knew before the trial and if not then you damn sure know now what Malfoy knows-" Breaking off from her babbling, she grabbed the wizard by his upper arm. "Voldemort will know you betrayed him. Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!"
To Snape's annoyance, the frightened witch began dashing about the room,
ripping open cupboards and pulling out drawers. She would toss garments
upon the bed and return for more. After her third trip Olivia noticed that
Snape still lounging on the bed. At his scowl, Olivia tossed the garments
on the bed and demanded, "What!?"
"Olivia," he drawled. " Voldemort is indeed aware of your presence here at the school. I informed him shortly after our return from London." Snape crossed one ankle over the other then reached down to fastidiously tug at his terry-cloth covering.
Olivia's jaw hung wide for a moment before both her mouth and eyes began to draw up tight and narrow. Severus could feel the rising anger sending hot ripples into the cool air of the chamber.
"You informed him shortly after our return from London?" Olivia hissed the words verbatim. "You neglected to inform me, however! Was there any particular reason I was left out of the loop?"
"I did not feel it was necessary at the time to involve you in the matter." Snape shrugged nonchalantly, heating Olivia's anger up a degree. "As it is, the deed has been accomplished, therefore I see no cause for further concern."
"No cause for further…" Olivia words were wiped away by her bark of angry laughter. "You arrogant, thoughtless man." She gave a rueful shake of her head. The pile of robes and gowns rose to flap angrily back to their appropriate compartments. Chiffarobe doors and bureau drawers slammed explosively Snape watched, masking his amazement at Olivia's casual use of wandless magic. The wily Potions Master knew he would have to proceed carefully. All too well he recalled his own painful flight across a forest clearing at Olivia's hand.
As scraps of under things settled in their respective places Olivia stomped to the bathroom. The lounging wizard could hear the vigorous swabbing she applied to her teeth and the painful squeak from the faucet as she gave it a vicious twist.
Stomping back into the bedroom, the fuming witch proceeded around the foot of the bed. Without removing her robe, Olivia snatched the covers back and threw herself upon the firm surface. With much thrashing and snorting, she settled herself as far from Snape as possible while still remaining on the bed. Deep grunts accompanied the furious pounding Olivia applied to her pillow. Just as Snape was sure the pillow would burst, Olivia ceased her assault, slamming her head down and jerking the blankets up to her ears.
Wizard and witch lay in the sucking silence. The wind had picked up with the setting of the sun and could now be heard racing about the turrets and rattling at the windowpanes. Even the formally merry fire burned with a more subdued energy as if it wished to avoid the notice of the pair on the bed.
When he felt she had stewed long enough, the snarky wizard snaked a hand beneath the covers and it swiftly slithered through a gap in Olivia's robe. Giving her nipple a sharp tweak, Severus was rewarded with an outraged squeal and a sharp slap to the back of his retreating hand. "Tit for tat, madam." Snape intoned in a wicked voice.
Olivia did not respond save for hiking the blankets up higher. Snape could feel the chill seeping across the sheets; the cold front moving ahead of the winter squall.
He opted for a more subtle approach.
"You are angry."
Olivia spun over bringing her pillow with her. It made contact with Snape's face with enough force to sting.
"No, I am royally PISSED OFF!" Olivia yelled, slamming the pillow down once more on Snape's shocked face. Before she could cock back for another blow, Olivia found the pillow snatched from her hands and flung to the far side of the room. Without breaking momentum she threw herself upon the wizard and began to pummel him with her fists all the while snapping out curses upon his ancestors and predicting painful and lasting consequences for his present actions.
Snape attempted to subdue the thrashing, hissing woman. Damn, it was like trying to shove a cat into a pail of ice water! She seemed to have suddenly gained possession of twice the normal allotment of hands and feet. It was only when he barely escaped her snapping teeth that the struggling wizard began to fight in earnest.
Dodging her flying fists, Snape sprang from the bed. Grabbing the corner of the fitted sheet, he snatched it from its moorings. As Olivia moved to follow she found herself facing a wall of white that quickly wrapped itself around her, binding her arms uncomfortably across her chest. The wizard moved swiftly, flipping the wriggling figure over and over until he was certain of the binding. When Snape was finished, he was breathing hard and Olivia's body resembled a large, thrashing cocoon.
Striding to the bathroom Snape retrieved his wine glass from the floor.
Pouring himself a healthy portion, Snape returned to the bed. Sipping
the refreshing beverage, the winded wizard warily eyed the bundle twisting
and yelling on the bed. As the heaving mass rolled over, Snape spotted
his target and laid his palm with considerable force across Olivia's backside.
Olivia screamed in rage; her bucking and tossing increasing in their vigor. Losing patience, Snape placed his wine on the bed side table and wrapped himself around Olivia's mummified form. "Lay still, woman!" He roared at her shrouded head. "I shall tell you all, but not whilst you are laying about with fists and teeth. You will remain securely bound until I am finished. At that time, if you behave yourself, I shall set you free." Laying on his side, Snape pulled the struggling bundle to him, shackling his arms and legs firmly about Olivia's body. He could hear her rapid breathing, even through the layers of sheeting and could easily picture the fury on her face at her predicament.
"Olivia, calm. Be still and listen to what I have to say." Snape hoped she could not hear the smile in his voice for he was surely enjoying himself at this moment. He held her as she quieted and her movements lost their frantic quality. Her muffled voice rose up by his ear.
"Ok. But you had better make it good."
Snape kissed the white fabric by his cheek. "That's a good girl." Then smiled when he felt her tremble in anger. "I was being neither arrogant nor thoughtless when I did not inform you of my conversation with the Dark One." He stopped, gathering his thoughts, wondering how much of himself he should reveal. Taking a breath and snuggling her tighter, he continued. "It was not only for your protection that I revealed your location, but mine as well. While my life has been less than enjoyable, it is mine and therefore desirable." As he spoke, Snape's hand moved slowly over the cotton binding. "Due to the publicity garnered by my trial it would be a matter of time before Death Eaters were knocking on the doors of the school seeking you, not to mention my head on a plate. I had to take steps to circumvent the unraveling of a personae developed over years of espionage while shielding you at the same time." His warm hand had reached the goal of its journey and began to stroke the firm roundness of her abused posterior.
While he rubbed Olivia's tender flesh Snape continued, his voice wrapping about Olivia's mind as securely as the sheet bound her body. "I informed Voldemort that I had no clue to your identity prior to that final gathering. That I avoided you at all costs because I found you tiresome and dull." The body that had started to relax tensed slightly in its wrappings. "I was finally able to convince him that his cause was best served if you remained at Hogwarts until the time for the ceremony. He is still unsure about the correct date and is most vexed with those wizards commissioned with discovering the exact time for the act to take place."
"He trusts you then, Severus?" Olivia's muffled voice rose up the the layers of cotton.
"Voldemort trusts no one." The Potions Master snorted. "Yet in this, he has no choice. I can not spirit you away from under Dumbledore's hand because of the wards placed upon the castle, however I can keep an eye on you," He patted her rump fondly. "And a hand, for that matter." As she stiffened, Snape laughed. "It would seem that your Lady is not the only one desiring my protection for you. According to Voldemort, I am to remove all possible suitors from your path. I am to woo you, beguile you and divert your heart from any likely champions that may ride up over the horizon."
"You could have told me sooner." Olivia spouted. "Do you know how frightened I have been the past few weeks? You could have put my mind at ease."
"That is the last thing I wanted to do, Olivia. You would have altered your behaviors, your reactions to situations would have been colored by your knowledge of my protection and Voldemort's ignorance of our bond."
The bundle beneath his hands began to squirm and Olivia whined, "Give me some credit here, Snape. I am not a child and I don't appreciate being treated as one. Let me up, please. We really should tell Uncle Albus about this. He will have something to add to your plans, I'm sure."
Snape swallowed his rising laughter and tightening his grip, spoke lowly. "Albus was made aware of the situation the moment I returned from Voldemort's lair."
The cotton shrouded frame became rigid. "You told Uncle Albus?" Olivia's voice carried a chill that could be felt even through her many layers. "Let me up! Let me up right now, Snape!" Olivia began struggling in earnest.
The professor sighed but maintained his hold on the squirming bundle. "Olivia, it is late. Let us sleep, rest. We can continue this conversation in the morning when our heads are clearer. For now, it is time to sleep." Snuggling close to her body, Snape made to settle himself in for the night.
"You are INSANE!" Olivia shrieked from the sheets. "Get
out! Get out of my bed you sorry, low-down excuse for a man."
Snape was sure that Olivia was spinning within her cocoon, so violent
were her movements. Her voice rose in pitch as she continued to rain
abuse down on his black head.
"You vile, black-hearted, secret-keeping devil! You are most certainly NOT sleeping in my bed tonight! Now, release me at once! And if you think you are going to be touching me after this, you've got another think coming! I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight, buster, because from now on this body is off limits!" She attempted to punch him through the fabric and growled in frustration when she failed.
It was too rich for Snape's blood and he began to laugh. A rich deep baritone laugh flowed from his chest, shaking the bed in its intensity. At any other time, Olivia would have paid money to hear such a lovely sound coming from Severus Snape.
But now...
Now, it really made her angry.
Snape became aware of his danger when the first rolling grumble rose up from the binding cloth. It sounded at first like the droning of angry bees, but then shifted and morphed into a rumbling, menacing growl. The body within the white wrappings began to alter as well; shrinking, shifting about, becoming more compact. When the sound of shredding cloth reached his ears, the wizard decided that retreat was in order and leaped from the bed. Dragging the heavy coverings over the thrashing, hissing thing on the bed, Snape scooped his clothing from the chair near the door and dashed into the sitting room.
Damn! Damn! He cursed as he spotted the cold grate. Fishing through the many pockets for his wand, Snape kept a wary ear tuned to the ripping and snarling boiling out of the next room.
"Incendio!" The wizard cried and the logs exploded into flame. The naked wizard nimbly vaulted the low back of Olivia's settee and ran his hand over the mantle piece. His fumbling fingers located the small container of floo powder just as Olivia sprang into the room, her green eyes flashing and her muzzle raised tasting the air. Spying the naked wizard before the fireplace, the tawny cat screamed and launched herself at her prey.
"Impedimenta!" Snape cried. As Olivia's body slowed
slightly, the wizard cast the powder upon the flames and yelled, "My chambers!"
Throwing himself into the fire, he disappeared, to immediately reappear
rolling hard on the cold stones of his dungeon home. With reflexes
born from years of survival training, Snape pointed his wand and immediately
doused the flames. Panting and moaning, the naked wizard dropped
his head to the floor.
Our Potions Master is a spry one, isn't he? I sure would have given him a full 10 points for the jump alone, not to mention risking his family ahem, jewels in the flames!! Go! Severus, go!
My thanks to my lovely Editor, The UnknownCritic. Her help and words of encouragment have spurred me on.
Love you all.
gotsnape