Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling, I just borrowed some characters and played with them.

Warning: Don't read if you don't like SSHG or Severitus.

English isn't my native language so please excuse mistakes (or better: mail me, so that I can correct them). Many thanks to Cheeky who suggested the use of www . spellcheck . net (remove blanks)

Nightfall by Shella LaRoche

Come morning

How do you know when you've lost your heart to someone? he pondered, looking out of the window at the far end of the library without actually seeing something.

He tried to think back and realized that he had seen her many times without noticing her.

Subtly it was changing. He was becoming aware of her with every inch of his body, without even seeing her. It was like her presence enveloped his, lending subtle support, offering gentle comfort, when words would not have been welcome, would have been too invasive, would have inflicted pain on tortured nerves.

It was her watching from a distance when he returned from a summoning. She would allert Poppy and watch over him at night. It was her gentle hand, that prepared his classroom on the following morning and she kept her classmates at bay so that his strained body and exhausted mind were not overtaxed while teaching.

Never touching, always present.

He began to acknowledge her, subtle, never directly, for being associated with him would be dangerous for both of them. But he watched her closely. He knew what she liked and what she loathed. He gifted her with unique presents, that would tell her – and only her- who would give them to her. She would show her gratitude whenever she was sure they were alone with a genuine smile or a gentle touch.

This was her favorite place. A window seat in the vast expanse of the Hogwarts library, in the section where ancient scrolls were kept. Being written in Latin or Greek students seldom approached this part of the library and therefore a certain amount of privacy was garanteed. The window had a wide cushioned seat and a lovely view over Loch Shiel.

Whenever he approached, her brown eyes shone with joy.

It was there, he was standing there just like now, when she gathered all her courage and embraced him.

Though shocked at first, he was overwhelmed by the natural feeling of it. Her nose fitted perfectly into the gap at his lower ribs, her head tucked nicely under his chin, her brown curls softly tickling him. Their hearts started beating together as one.

No conscious decision was made to change their relationship. It just happened.

When their lips met and caressed each others delicately, everything changed.

Utmost secrecy was necessary when they met each other.

They began to talk. Not only those soft whispered words and thank yous, but genuine conversations about almost everything. They sat at the window seat side by side with a book between them, hidden by a charm.

Some time later he led her with gentle hands into the depths of the dungeon to a big settee in front of his fireplace.

Then came a time when indulging themselves in fictional or scientific conversation was not possible.

Potions had to be brewed and stocked, every member of the order should always carry a supply of healing potions. Together they developed a potion to reflect the cruciatus curse and worked to expand it on reflecting all unforgivables. Her dream was to develop a cure against Lycanthropy, his dream was research with her at his side.

It was in the darkness of the midnight hour when she approached his Quarter on her own for the very first time. Her heart was beating wild as she stood unannounced in front of his door. She had no password, she simply whispered her name – she had guessed right, it was his password and a good one indeed, because of their secrecy nobody would think she was important to him.

A feeling, like a being struck by lightning, shot through her body when she caught sight of him, draped in a relaxed posture on the settee. (A/N 1)

He had forgone his usual shrouding robes. He wore a black trouser and a silver-white brocade shirt, open, to reveal his scarred chest. His hand played idly with a beautiful red rose and his obsidian eyes were fixed on her, daring her to drown in their depths.

He knew she would come. He enveloped her in a loving embrace. She glided down to his side, trembling. The soft petals of his rose caressed her skin until he couldn't bear it any longer. He kissed the rose, spoke a charm to conserve it in everlasting beauty and began to trace the contours of her face with gentle fingers. Gradually she relaxed and gave herself into the sensation of his touch. She smiled when he buttoned down her robe and discovered a dark green lacy bra instead of her usual plain white ones.

After caressing each other for what seemed like an eternity he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the candlelit sanctuary he had created for his love. He laid her down on the soft satin sheets and marvelled at her beauty. When gentle disrobing spells revealed them to each other, he vowed to make her his for all eternity.

Her arms opened in welcome, his hands caressed her almost worshipping. She traced his scars and wept for the pain he had endured, but sorrow changed to almost unearthly joy, when she opened for him and he slid home, stretching her, filling her, completing her, uniting body and soul. When the waves of passion engulfed them and the climax broke they drifted into sleep in each others arms and shared dreams of tenderness.

Come morning he was gone.

(A/N 1, A picture of this can be seen at the Playwitch Forum. It shows Lord Orion Shagswell, Severus Snapes alter ego and is a beautiful work by Marquise or at http :// i13. albums/ a256/ SLaRoche/ Marquise/ LordOrion.jpg (remove blanks))