Disclaimer: See chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers

Shout outs…

Evenstar Elanor… Glad I could arouse some sympathy for Severus in you – you're a tough customer. Samhain is the anniversary of Serena's mother's death… it is from the first story. Was just trying to connect one tale to the other.

Mercury Gray… Glad you liked it. A little fluff every now and again is good for the soul. It builds character (did that sound convincing? LOL. )

Chapter 8: Wine and Good Friends

It was the night before her wedding and Serena was at her cottage with Tonks. She was in the kitchen making tea when she heard a soft knock on the door. Serena, who was still wary from her unexpected visit from Bernard, looked at it cautiously.

"You keep with the tea. We'll need that in the morning," said Tonks with a wave of her hand. "I'll get the door."

Serena smiled. She and Tonks had planned to have a quiet "girls' night" together the night before the wedding. They'd started with dinner and from there indulged in some of Serena's now-famous (or infamous) raspberry butter wine. Once the wine had opened, the conversation had turned considerably bawdy.

Tonks opened the door slowly to find an older woman standing there with a bag in her hand. She was tall and had a regal, aristocratic look, but without the aloofness that so often accompanied a privileged life.

"Can I help you?" said Tonks.

"I'm sorry," said the woman. There was a soft Irish lilt to her voice. "I must have the wrong cottage. I'm looking for Serena Castleton-Black…"

"Aunt Kerry!" cried Serena as she rushed over. "You made it!"

"Och, darlin'!" said Kerry wrapping her in a hug. "Do you think I'd miss your wedding? Never."

"Tonks, this is Kerry Castleton-Black, my absolute favorite aunt."

The two women shook hands and Serena ushered Kerry in to the living room. "Have a seat," she said. "I was just finishing some peppermint tea so it will steep overnight and be ready for the morning."

"Expecting an unsettled stomach?" teased her aunt.

"You never know," smiled Serena.

"Glass of wine?" offered Tonks. "It is Serena's own brew."

"Oh, I'd love one." As Tonks poured, Kerry looked over at Serena. "I heard your grandfather paid you a visit."

The bride-to-be's face darkened. "If you could call it that."

"Well he was in fine form the next time he saw me. Told me it was all my fault because I'd encouraged your mother to follow her own dreams, and I wouldn't cut her out of my life when she was pregnant, and I continued to support you when you were in school…" She downed a swig of wine. "Useless git. He's an ignorant, selfish bastard."

Serena couldn't help but smile.

"Good for you for standing up to him. And I hear your soon-to-be husband threw him out on his ear, too," continued Kerry without so much as a breath.

Serena's smile widened. "He did."

"I like the man already."

"Aunt Kerry, I just adore you," said Serena.

"Of course you do. Now stop fussing with your tea and come sit down. What did I interrupt when I arrived? I heard some pretty raucous laughter as I came up the walk."

Tonks unexpectedly turned scarlet and a wicked grin spread over Serena's face. "Well, we were talking about former lovers," said Serena. "A bit of a girls' kiss and tell session."

"Oh! Well, dinna stop on my account!" Kerry's laugh was full and hearty. "I trust you have some delightfully wicked ideas for the wedding night?"

Serena managed to blush while peals of laughter tore out of Tonks until the young Auror was practically snorting.

"Well," said Serena in an effort to explain, "I was teasing Severus a few weeks ago. I told him that in the spirit of wedding tradition I thought we should avoid any shagging until our wedding night. He thought I was out of my bloody mind."

"Which you are," said Tonks.

"Then, of course, I saw it as a challenge, and I told him if he didn't think he have the fortitude to stick it out for nearly three weeks, I wouldn't make an issue out of it, but I thought it would make our wedding night that much more exciting."

Kerry was shaking her head. "And what did he have to say to that, you cheeky monkey?"

"He just looked at me with a very calm expression and said, 'I'm a potions master, my dear. I can be a very, very patient man.'"

There was silence in the room as Serena took a drink out of her wine glass. "You would think I'd have learned by now not to make bets with him. I lose miserably when I do."

"So, he's been a perfect gentleman, I take it?" asked Kerry.

At that point, Serena's confounded face made Tonks disintegrate into a howling laugh again. "That's the best part," said Tonks as she gasped for air. "He's been a bloody terrible tease to her ever sense! He's even gone so far as to flirt with her in front of me, and Severus Snape simply does not show a lot of affection in front of other people. Serena has been beside herself for weeks now… All randy and ready for a romp, and bloody nothing she can do about it."

Serena's arms were folded. "It really isn't all that funny, you know," she muttered.

"Yes, it is," roared Tonks. "Severus doesn't realize it, but he's going to be taking a tigress to bed tomorrow night. He's won the bet, but he has no idea what he's won for a prize…!"

Now Kerry was laughing so hard she had tears in here eyes.

"You're both supposed to be my friends." Serena gave them an exaggerated look of exasperation.

"You've made your own bed, dear," said Kerry. "Now you'll have to lie in it."

"And you'll like it!" howled Tonks.

The three women stayed up late and laughed a great deal, and Aunt Kerry put them both to shame with her own set if risqué stories and jokes. Shortly after she left, both Tonks and Serena turned in. Curling into the guest bed, Tonks drifted to sleep almost immediately. Serena, in her bedroom, sat cross-legged on the bed for a minute and looked around. At this time tomorrow, she'd be here with Severus. It would be their bed, not just hers.

Pulling the covers up, Serena fluffed her pillow, and settled down, still laughing at the memory. I'm glad the wedding's tomorrow, she thought. Severus might have the patience of a potion master, but I don't.

It took very little time for Serena to fall sleep, and part way through the night, she began to dream.

Serena and Severus were dancing in a field. It was bright, sunny. There were people there, but they were in the distance. Serena couldn't hear any music, but Severus was leading with his usual confidence.

Suddenly, the sky soured, turning an ugly shade of murky grey with angry red lines, like flaring scars. A harsh wind picked up and the temperature dropped, chilling Serena down to her bones.

"What's happening, Severus? Where did the sun go?" she asked.

"I don't know…"

He never finished his sentence. There was a crack thunder that shook the very earth and the clouds swirled. The darkness grew more pronounced, more oppressive. The darkness took on a vague form, something that terrified Serena. She started screaming as the darkness reached down and grabbed Severus. She watched as Severus was ripped away from her and into the darkness.

"Severus!" she screamed. "Severus!"

For a moment, she thought she heard her name and then there was a scream, a scream of fear, terror, loathing, and pain…

Serena was sitting up in the bed, her face covered by her hands. Even from the doorway, Tonks could see that she was shaking. Running over, Tonks put her arms around Serena.

"What happened?" she asked. "What's wrong, Serena."

"There were shadows. It was cold. Very cold. Severus was wrapped up in the dark cocoon and they pulled him into the sky. They stole him, Tonks, and I knew – I just knew – I'd never get him back!"

"It was a dream, that's all. You're just nervous about tomorrow. Everything will be fine."

Serena took a deep breath and composed herself. "You're right," she said with a shaky laugh. "All my bad dreams are about things that happened in the past… I don't think I've ever had a bad dream about Severus before this. It must be because I'm nervous. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Ah," said Tonks with a shake of her hand. "Nary a worry. Now you go back to sleep. No puffy eyes for you tomorrow."

Serena smiled. "Who am I to argue?" She settled back down into the bed and closed her eyes. At the doorway, Tonks stopped and looked back, a worried frown on her face.

Hope you enjoyed… Please let me know what you think!