Thanks to JK for the use of her characters. I definitely won't be making any money here but I am having fun...
The only thing Morgan could do was stare at the floor and pray for a lightning bolt to sear through the ceiling of the ballroom and strike her dead.
"You have Mr. Malfoy to thank for this well deserved reward my dear." Voldemort coughed with his mouth closed and his chest rattled of congestion. "Yeessss, Luciussss had a very good idea. My preciousssss witch, I have decided to have you marry Professsssor Snape."
A shockwave slammed into the woman, may the heavens come crashing down to kill us all. Did he just say Snape? He didn't say Malfoy? Guilt washed over her and yet relief at the same time. Dear gods, this is all my fault, poor Snape has to suffer this horrible fate because of me, she anguished silently.
"If I may speak my lord," Lucius looked as shocked as she felt while he spoke.
Voldemort raised his hand to silence the man not bothering to glance at him while he continued, "I assure you Lucius your gracious offer of self sacrifice for the cause will not go unrewarded." White fingers creaked when he flexed them slowly on the arms of his throne. "Hmmm. Yessss, my witch you would not have mated on your own would you? Ahhhhh but while Malfoy is quite capable of procuring a wife of his own Ssssnape isss not. Or should I say will not? All the more reason for you to stay at Hogwarts longer than most Dark Arts Instructors hmmm?" The Dark Lord paused for a long moment, his amber eyes slowly turning from Morgan to Snape. "What do you say Ssseverusss?"
The Potions Master bowed deeply as he replied, "you are more than gracious my lord."
"Yesss, I am. I expect a wedding soon and I trust you two will keep a close eye on each ottthher." His body was suddenly racked by another deep cough, "dismissed," he hissed.
The two headed away from the dias, "we are leaving now!" Snape ordered before they made for the entry and Apparated back the edge of the forest.
"Professor I am so sorry."
"As well you should be. That's what you get for playing with Malfoy you stupid little girl!"
"Oh no! Don't you even go there mister. Short of fucking the man there was nothing I could have done differently!"
Dark eyes stared furiously and that deep voice drawled, "then you should have fucked him."
Without thinking Morgan felt her palm sting from the slapping blow to Snape's face, "I am no whore!"
His hand flashed out grabbing her roughly by the chin and forcing her to look at him, "we, are all the Dark Lord's whores professor and it would do you well to remember that."
"I was a fool to believe in you Snape! I hope your black soul rots in Purgatory."
That's exactly what my soul has been doing for a long time now the Potions Master though as he watched her run across the lawn. Soon all he could see was the dim light of her wand. His anger turned to sadness at her words, she believed in me. Me and my fool's insipid mouth. Silently shaking his head he regretted lashing out at her. Could they get past this? He began to walk slowly across the lawns as he contemplated the friendship they shared. His feet cold and wet yet he didn't charm them dry for the chill that permeated his dark soul had already numbed his body. Professor Rheged was intelligent, well spoken and not over spoken at that. She was beautiful to him, with a good heart and though occasionally sarcastic, generally a calm, patient demeanor. Least of all she seems to tolerate me fairly well and that is no small feat. I've been alone so long, the dark man thought, mayhap spending my days with such a woman isn't such a bad thing after all. Perhaps the Dark Lord has actually done me a favor.
(((((
Morgan sat in the large hot bath driving the chill from her body. She lay back immersing her head in the water to wash the tears from her face. Humiliation was not something she took well and tonight she'd been doubly mortified. I'm not good at this whole fucking man thing! Damn you Snape for getting me into this mess! Damn you Dumbledore for helping him! Why can't anything ever go right for me? Fresh tears poured down her cheeks in waves of self pity.
Lucius you bastard, she thought, I hate you! What is it about a pretty face that makes a man change so? I thank my lucky stars that Voldemort chose Snape instead of that arrogant pureblood. 'Gracious act of self sacrifice' my ass! I swear the next time I see him I'll shrivel that selfish little prick of his right into non-existence!
Her mind continued to reel, would Snape really have had me give myself to the man? After his soft promises of protection? The thought that this could be true flooded her very core with sadness. I thought he was my friend. I'm so stupid, he was just looking out for his own best interests. He doesn't give a damn about me and he never has! Yet her mind flashed back to the way his arms held her while they walked through the snow, the comfortable pleasure it aroused in her. She felt so confused. Why did he have to be so mean and angry. Morgan sniffled the tears back, I suppose I might be nasty and angry if I was being forced into marriage. Wait a minute, I'm being forced into marriage too aren't I? How Ironic that afer all of the bitterness I've harbored that Snape is the one man I could actually picture myself with. I've actually come to care for the man he is now and disregarded the boy he once was.
She closed her eyes and pictured Snape. His slightly mussy black hair and dark eyes, the voice that reverberated though her body so enticingly. The way he carried himself with quiet confidence and authority. Hopefully his anger will lessen and things will get better between us, back to the way they'd been only hours ago. I'll be spending an awful lot of time with him so I certainly hope so. I wonder, if I just maybe I could make him happy.
Finally when her body was altering into somewhat of a shriveled prune state, Morgan got out of the bath and headed to bed. For hours she lay awake, her mind running through the evening from start to finish, though so many pleasant memories of the Potions Master and over all of the possibilities the future may hold in store...
Awakening bleary eyed the next day the DADA instructor remained in her room in deep thought. Since the Headmaster required her presence at dinner she'd made an excuse of illness to stay wallowing in self pity alone until class on Monday. She'd been horribly short tempered in class and the students grated on her to the end of her already worn nerves.
Snape was already at the dinner table that night and shame prevented her from so much as glancing in his direction while she sat.
"I've taken the liberty of arranging a meeting with Dumbledore after dinner tomorrow," he spoke softly as he leaned slightly in her direction.
"Fine."
"We need to talk, can you come to my quarters tonight?"
"Can't I've got a detention."
"Before?"
"No I need some time to prepare, this one is especially difficult."
"Really, and might I ask who this lucky student is?"
"Granger," she muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"I said Miss Granger are you hard of hearing Snape?"
"You mean to tell me that you gave that sweet innocent child detention?"
Morgan sat silently for a moment, this was one conversation she was loathe to continue, "yes."
"And what pray tell did she do to deserve such a thing?"
"Insufferable little know it all spoke out of turn."
Snape feigned a look of shock and put his hand to his lips, "and what did that horrid little Malfoy boy do to provoke her?"
"If I saw that I assure you it would be he in detention and not Granger. Besides I don't want to talk to you tonight or ever really."
The words stung Snape worse than the slap of her hand across his face, "well you'll have to speak with me eventually since we'll be getting married or has that fact slipped your memory?"
"Fine then I'll meet you at a quarter past nine."
(((((
Morgan rummaged through the box she'd pulled out of her closet. Thank goodness she'd befriended the mother of that family she saved from demise at the Death Eater's hands. They were Squibs and thankfully more than eager to help when she'd Owled. Her materials for detentions had been sorely limited and she'd enlisted the help of the teenage boy to procure all sorts of suitable materials just in case. Hermione was such a goody goody Morgan hoped there was something of sufficient torture in here. She studied the last tape for a moment. 'South Park' it was called. By the picture on the frontit appeared to be a silly little child's cartoon. Well it's probably the best of the bunch for the know-it-all, maybe the stupidity of a kiddie show will bore her to death. Five to eight! Kosh me in the head I've got to go!
The professor just made it to her desk before the girl walked in. She surmised my the look on Miss Granger's face that she'd heard of her detention techniques and was not the least bit put off. The pre-charmed Muggle devise was set to go and Morgan started it going before returning to her desk.
Several minutes in to the show the singing had begun and the professor looked over to see her detainee was indeed repulsed as she listened. "Shut your fucking face uncle fucker," the music droned. Morgan froze in horror at the repetition of the work 'fucker' and barely refrained herself from covering her face with her hands. Oops
Hermione gasp, "professor Rheged this-"
"One more word out of you and you'll be coming back tomorrow night." The girl quieted down quickly and turned back to the screen. Morgan now surmised that this particular show was, to be put lightly, a bit out of line to show to a student so to speak but it was to late to take it back now. Perhaps scrubbing the floor would have been a better choice. "I said how would you like to lick my balls," the show continued. After that she could stand no more and turned the set off. "Lets call it good shall we?"
"Yes please," Hermione said quietly.
The pleading look on her face made Morgan feel horrible for subjecting her to this crude show. "I realize that wasn't the best choice of materials for a young girl Miss Granger and I apologize. I regret that I was in a hurry and failed to preview these, ah, materials." The instructor lay her hand on the shoulder of the young girl, "not a word of this to anyone and I promise to find something else more suitable should you ever have detention again. For me as much as for you."
Hermione smiled at that and let loose a heart laugh, "whatever you do professor I wouldn't show that to the boys or that horrid song will be all over the school."
"One more thing about men that will never cease to amaze me," she replied shaking her head slightly.
"Tell me about it. Do you remember what it's like to live with a bunch of teenage boys? Hormonal overload I assure you."
"Miss Granger I have some bad news for you," she leaned forward and whispered behind her hand as if it was a secret, "they never grow out of it." Hermione's eyes went wide and the professor shrugged, "sorry to crush you like that honey but I don't want to keep your hopes up. Men are like Trelawney's Divination, most everything that comes out of their mouths is utter rubbish and when they finally manage to say something worthwhile? Well you just assume it's rubbish like the rest of the lot and dismiss it off hand don't you?" The two laughed long and hard at that.
"Oh that was good. I hated Divination you know," Hermione said as Morgan led her to the door .
Morgan soon headed down to the dungeon to face the Potions Master.
"You're early," he said not looking up from the cauldron he was stirring.
"I found that I myself couldn't stomach this one."
Snape moved to open his office door and waved her inside before closing it and charming it sound proof. He poured them each a glass of the most wonderful Chardonnay before sitting on the chair across from hers. "I spoke in haste last night and I sincerely regret my harsh words. I want to assure you that I do not feel that way."
Morgan listened with surprise. She'd expected a harsh tongue lashing not an apology. "Why don't men think before they speak?" she asked quietly.
Snape's eyes never left the woman as she spoke. He'd hoped that she would make this easy on him but that didn't seem to be the case. He was determined not to let this carry on into their marriage and the sooner they make amends the better. "I've never pretended to be a kind man. My unconscious reaction to most things is unfortunately a harsh one."
"What's your point?"
"My point is that it doesn't usually matter what anyone thinks. If they think I'm a hateful arrogant bastard all the better. I'm not one to hesitate to speak my mind but you don't deserve to bear the brunt of my lashings and I regret my choice of words. It will not be an easy thing for me but know that I will attempt to choose my words more wisely in the future."
Morgan held her breath for a moment before she sighed with relief. "Thank you for that." Suddenly she realized that all was well between them. They were to be married and she was anxious to see what her new life held. "I am sorry that you have to go through with this professor."
Snape took in the sorrow that shone from her eyes. He'd hoped to see something else there as well, longing perhaps? Unconsciously he moved to sit next to her on the couch and grasp her small hand in his own. "I'm not sorry professor. Some company in my dreary existence of a life might be a blessing in disguise. I think we'll suit just fine."
Morgan looked into his beautiful face as he spoke those words. They were not words of love or flattery but coming from this man, her man, they were music to her ears.