Isclaimer: I is owning nothing.

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. Reviews keep me writing and updating as fast as possible. It is so thrilling seeing that review alert come in on the email.

Thank you again to my beta Midnight Lily. She keeps me from making to many mistakes and gives me some really great ideas.

Chapter 34 A Moment Like This

If I told you it was all meant to be,

Would you believe me

Would you agree

It's almost that feeling that we met before

So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy

When I tell you love has come here and now

A moment like this

Some people wait a lifetime

For a moment like this

Some people search forever

For that one special kiss

Oh I can't believe it's happening to me

Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.

Kelly Clarkson "A Moment Like This"

Alexis woke up to a slight tickling sensation on her ribs. It made them itch, she was sleepily moving her hand to scratch the irritating sensation when a hand grabbed hers, "Don't you'll smudge it."

"Mmmm, ok, but it tickles," she mumbled as she started to drift back to sleep. Abruptly she was fully awake...smudge it?

Opening her eyes wide she saw Snape leaning over her stomach with a very intent look. Usually she enjoyed Snape's intent looks focused on her body, but this one was different. Lifting her head she saw that he had a paintbrush in one hand, which is what had been tickling her. The box of body paint was in his other hand and he was now sitting back contemplating what he was working on. Alexis looked down and gasped: started at the top of her left thigh and twisting up across her stomach and then turning back in lazy 'S's was a snake. At her sudden breath it had appeared to undulate. The head was resting at the top of her left breast over her heart and pointing down.

Snape now took and loaded another brush. This time the paint was red and Alexis could smell cherries.

Without looking at Alexis, Snape told her, "Hold very still, if you move it will mess it up and I will have to start all over." He leaned so that his face was within inches of her left nipple and with slow strokes began to paint the snake's tongue.

The feel of the wet brush stroking her nipple caused Alexis to bite her lip trying to hold back a moan of pleasure. She watched as her nipple beaded.

"Tsk, tsk, I told you not to move, you have smudged the paint," with that Snape closed the distance between her nipple and his mouth and began to remove the paint with his tongue.

This time Alexis could not hold back the moan as she felt him circle, tug and suckle on her breast. When he had removed every trace of paint he reached for a slightly scratchy cloth and began to dry his canvas. Alexis let out gasp at the feeling of him stroking and patting her nipple with the cloth. The contrast between his warm soft tongue and the rough cloth was electric.

"Now Alexis try and be a good girl and hold very still so I can finish," Snape serious look was belied by the evil glint in his eyes. Swooping down he placed a kiss on Alexis's open mouth and gave her a taste of the cherry paint he had removed from her breast.

Alexis wanted him to hurry and finish with the painting so he could take care of her arousal that he had so skillfully caused. He loaded the brush again and as he leaned down to paint she took a deep breath and held it, freezing in place.

If she had seen the smirk on Snape's lips she would have known that her efforts were to be wasted.

This time Snape leaned even closer to her as he placed slow deliberate strokes. Alexis could feel his breath warming the cold paint and she closed her eyes with the effort of remaining still. That was a mistake, now every stroke of the brush and warm breath was magnified. Nothing she could do would stop the shiver that coasted over her skin.

"Alexis, I really thought you had better control than that," Snape chided as he bent down to remove the perfectly painted snake's tongue with his own.

Alexis had her hands clenched in the sheets as he continued to stimulate her already sensitive flesh.

"Severus if you don't hurry up and finish I will not be responsible for my actions," she gasped out as she felt his teeth skim lightly over her flesh.

"Now dear, great art takes time and if you keep moving I am going to have to keep doing it over," Snape smirked.

This time Alexis saw the look of unholy glee in his eyes and knew what he was up to. Fisting a hand into his hair she pulled his face to hers and ground out between clenched teeth, "Finish what you started so that you can finish what you got started or else," and she caught his mouth in a hard frustrated kiss.

Seeing the look in her eyes Snape decided that while one play time might be over, another would be starting as soon as he finished. With a few strokes he painted the snake's tongue so that it appeared to flicker around Alexis' taut nipple.

With a smile of satisfaction Snape sat back to admire his work. Alexis could see how much he was enjoying it by the way his snake was saluting hers.

Alexis's eyes narrowed as Snape pulled out a camera, "What do you think you are going to do with that?"

Snape couldn't carry off the innocent look he tried, "I just want to record my work for posterity. Unless you would rather I do a tattoo charm and make it permanent."

"No tattoos. Hold on a second," and she transformed the cloth he had used to dry her into a gauzy scarf that she draped over her lap.

Snape waved his wand and her hair was perfectly tousled for that just ravaged look. Her lips were already red and swollen from the kisses they had shared and the fire in her eyes got him rock hard.

Alexis was starting to get aggravated as Snape arranged her in exactly the pose he said would showcase his work most effectively. He had placed all the pillows in a pile and had her reclining gracefully with her arms out along the tops of the pillows which had the added benefit of making her breasts thrust out. Next he had her lay on her right side so that it almost looked as if she were holding the snake against her body.

When he came over to arrange her for yet another pose, Alexis had had enough. She tackled Snape and held him down with the weight of her body. She got distracted when she felt his hardness nudging against her wetness. That distraction was all Snape needed to flip her over so that now he was pinning her down. With a quick twist and thrust he was buried to the hilt and Alexis was panting. Snape didn't move, he just enjoyed the feeling of her body surrounding his in warm wet pleasure. Alexis bucked her hips trying to get him to move.

Smirking down at her, "You are the impatient one today," he took her mouth in a slow passionate kiss and began to withdraw. Alexis shuddered at the sensations running through her and then almost screamed as Snape stopped moving once again. This time just the tip of his erection was inside of her.

Alexis decided that now was the time to play dirty, either that or hex the frustrating man. She took his earlobe between her teeth and gave it a playful tug before beginning to whisper in his ear, "I want your big, hot cock buried inside of me. I want you to thrust into me over and over again until all I see are stars exploding. I want to clench my body around you until you explode inside of me flooding me with your cum." Alexis could tell that it was working because Snape was trembling with the effort to not move.

Alexis swirled her tongue around the shell of his ear before she continued, "I love the feel of your body pressed into mine. I love what your hands do to me. I love your voice, it is so dark and delicious that I get wet just listening to you read the paper. I love the feel of your hair against my hands and tangling in my fingers. Most of all I love you."

The last three words proved more than Snape could take and he began a furious pumping that soon had them both teetering on the edge, when Alexis moaned into his mouth, "I love you," it sent them both over into the most mind blowing orgasm they had yet experienced.

After they recovered they made their way to the tub in order to clean up the paint that was now smeared all over both of them. Snape's masterpiece now looked like an abstract instead of a nature painting.

Relaxing in the tub, held in Snape's arms with her head against his shoulder and her back resting on his chest, Alexis had never felt more at peace.

"What are our plans for Boxing Day?" Snape inquired.

"I don't know. What does one usually do on Boxing Day?"

Snape began to leisurely soap Alexis's chest as he replied, "I was thinking we could go to Diagon Alley and have lunch and then you wanted to shop for ballrobes."

"I got the name of a robemaker from Minerva and Rolanda. They claim she is the best at making up ballrobes: dreadfully expensive but fast and very talented."

"If we are going to get everything accomplished we had better stop lazing around," Snape's leisurely strokes with the soap became more business like.

Alexis did distract Snape for a moment by insisting on personally cleaning his unruly member. Snape hadn't thought he had another orgasm in there but Alexis was able to prove him wrong. He was going to have to remember to take another strengthening potion.

Alexis still hadn't gotten her apparition license so they flooed to The Leaky Cauldron. Snape was lecturing her on the importance of her learning to apparate. They reached the robe shop and Alexis broke into his rant to give him a quick kiss. Snape switched lectures to appropriate behavior in public which did not include kissing. Alexis placed a finger over his lips to hush him and grinned up, "How about you instruct me in proper behavior tonight Professor?"

Snape smirked and quickly bit the finger she held against his lips, "Tonight then Miss. Draluck we will continue your 'instruction'. I will meet you back here in exactly one hour." Before Alexis could respond, Snape had swept down the street in a swirl of midnight robes.

Alexis entered the shop and stopped in amazement at the range of colors and materials. A tall slender witch strolled over, "May I help you?"

Alexis put on her best rich witch look before replying, "I am Alexis Draluck and I require new robes to attend the Malfoy New Year's Eve Ball. My escort, Professor Snape, will be back in an hour so I would like to see what you have available."

Alexis wondered if there was any door that would not be flung immediately open by mentioning those three names, as the now fawning witch escorted her to a comfortable chair and offered her a bone china cup of tea.

The witch, whose name was Cindy, hurried to the back to get the owner, Madame Coutrea.

Madame turned out to be a pleasantly round witch with an absent look in her eyes that quickly sharpened upon seeing Alexis and hearing what she needed. Madame Coutrea pulled out a sketch book and began flipping the pages, stopping every now and then to pull a drawing out.

When she had gone through the whole book she had about five sketches to show Alexis.

The first sketch showed a demure looking gown, high necked, long skirted and absolutely boring. The next sketch was similar in design but it actually had a sweet heart neckline that showed a few inches of chest.

It was the fourth design that caused Alexis' eyes to light up, "This one. This is the one I want."

Madame Coutrea smiled, not many would have the nerve or the figure to carry off that robe. But she had pegged this witch as someone with élan.

Deciding on a fabric and color only took moments and Alexis was measured and had picked out the perfect shoes and a matching wrap, well before her hour was up. Madame Coutrea assured her that the robes would be ready in two days.

The bell on the door jingled and Alexis looked up to see Snape watching her with impatient eyes. Thanking Madame for her help, Alexis rose and went to meet him. Alexis overheard Cindy whisper to Madame Coutrea "What does a woman like that see in a man like him?"

Madame looked at Cindy with pity for her blindness, "My dear, if you ever capture the attention of a man like that thank your lucky stars and do anything you can to keep it," with that Madame patted the bemused girl on the arm and walked back to her workroom humming as she happily planned stunning wedding robes for the entire wedding party.

Alexis slipped her arm through Snape's and allowed him to escort her out onto the street.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Snape asked absently, he was a little nervous about what he had planned for later.

Thinking of what Snape's reaction to her dress was going to be, Alexis smiled up at him, "Madame Coutrea is amazing. I was very happy with the selection she offered me."

"Good, good, are you hungry?"

"I can eat if you are hungry," Alexis was puzzled by Snape's distraction.

"The restaurant is down here," Snape steered her down a side street and held the door open to the restaurant where they had eaten dinner so many months ago.

Alexis smiled at him, "Is this our place?"

Snape started, "I'm sorry did you say something?"

Alexis felt the smile slip off her face, "No, nothing important," she could not understand why Snape was so distracted. Could he be having second thoughts about their relationship? Alexis was starting to feel nervous herself.

"Good, how about a nice cup of tea to warm us up before we order?" Snape was already motioning a waiter over and had ordered tea before Alexis could respond.

"Have you had any lessons with Professor Trelawney yet?" Snape asked out of the blue.

"No, Albus and I agreed that Divination could either wait or be avoided all together. Is something bothering you Severus?"

"No nothing. I always found reading tealeaves to be interesting and occasionally accurate," Snape was trying not to fiddle with his silverware. Only years of discipline kept him from fidgeting.

"I've never read tealeaves before. Are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Alexis persisted.

"No I am fine. Ahh here is the tea," Snape almost snatched the tea from the waiter and immediately began pouring cups for them both, "here you go. Now drink up and I will give you your first lesson in reading tealeaves."

Alexis was beginning to get truly worried about Snape. She was wondering if she needed to get him back to Hogwarts and let Poppy look him over. She decided to humor him for the moment.

Following Snape's example she quickly drank the hot liquid down to the dregs and then swirled the cup three times with her left hand and turned it over in her saucer letting the liquid drain away.

Snape took her cup but did not give her his. "Well it looks like a fountain which means great happiness. This looks like a harp so you are going to have romance. The last bit looks like an oyster," Snape paused to clear his throat, "a symbol of an upcoming engagement. Now let's see what my cup shows."

He handed it to Alexis who took it without looking at it until Snape nodded down urging her to look inside. There at the bottom of the cup was a ring but no tea leaves. She looked from the ring to Snape.

Snape took the cup back and muttered a counter spell to release the sticking charm he had used to keep the ring in the bottom of the cup. He held the ring out to Alexis, "Alexis would you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife?"

AN: I am so evil…..