Author's Note: These characters and their world belong to J.K. Rowling.
In Sickness and In Health – Chapter V
Finally, the time came to turn off the hot, steaming water and wrap themselves in fluffy green towels.
Emmeline laughed as they moved barefoot into the bedroom.
"What?" Severus inquired as he pulled his dressing gown from the wardrobe.
"Doesn't it seem odd to you that…'this' never happened in all the years we've known each other?"
Severus apparated into his nightgown, running fingers through his wet, black hair.
"Was there a reason for it to happen before now?"
Still wrapped in her towel, damp brown locks cascading over her naked shoulders, she smiled mysteriously.
"I don't know, Severus. We've been acquaintances for some time…and I've certainly thought you attractive before this weekend."
He handed Emmeline her chamois and said, "You could have acted on it." Then he added lowly, "I would not have turned you away."
At that, her eyes broke away from his, her fingers touching the fine fabric of her slip.
"That's reassuring," she answered sarcastically.
"You misunderstand me."
Severus quickly sat on the bed next to his new lover, gently stroking her naked arm. "I've always found you physically attractive and excessively witty, intelligent and talented with potions. But the way I left things with your father…"
He sighed.
"I respected him so much and disappointed him so greatly. "
"No, you didn't…I've told you this before."
Her green eyes immediately caught his, and Severus nodded but could not bear to keep her gaze.
"Yes, you did…nearly a year ago when we reunited for The Order. Your father was in so many ways the man my father could never be to me."
His black eyes finally found the courage to face her.
"That night, I realized that his daughter possessed the same strength and noble character, the same grace and capacity for forgiveness that I, myself, have never been able to master."
"You have me wrong, Severus. Forgiveness is not my best virtue, I assure you!" Emmeline insisted.
"But you forgave me," he said then added hesitantly, "And what did I have to offer you, an accomplished editor and fashionable London witch…As you reminded me last night, I'm a school teacher who lives in a dungeon."
"I forgave you over thirteen years ago, Severus, but you've always misunderstood what I want in a man."
Emmeline had spent her entire adult life serving as a plaything to older and more powerful men, but the game and the lifestyle were getting old. She longed for something more secure, a life of emotional quality. She knew she wanted a partner -- an equal and perhaps a husband; but until two days ago Emmeline had never imagined in her wildest dreams that the source of all her hopes and desires might be Severus Snape.
She shook out of her musings and said, "Forgiving you wasn't easy. Even your name disgusted me until…" Her green eyes fluttered up to his. "Until I saw you at the Trials."
His brow knotted, his voice a whisper. "You were there?"
"Yes."
He'd spent three months in Azkaban only to have his entire sad, corrupted life paraded before the court, freed only because of he had supported Dumbledore. Severus had emerged from prison a broken man, his bitter, caustic resolve only strengthened by the indignity of incarceration. Without Dumbledore's testimony, he would have died in prison; but even though he won his life, his pride had been lost, his name spat upon by both wizard and squib.
Only through his talent with potions had he regained even the merest acceptance in wizarding society; and so, he turned away from the world, allowing the bubbling of strange brews to be his only friend. Potions were his lovers now…at least, until Emmeline.
To suddenly learn that the only woman he had ever really wanted had seen him at his lowest—Severus felt an old, painful shame re-emerging, but pain interrupted his growing embarrassment, and he grasped at his arm, the dark mark burning.
"What?" she asked, eyes bright with concern.
His heart raced. He dared not show her.
"The mark! I haven't been summoned all summer, and now…"
"Show me."
She longed to see this thing she feared -- heated, swollen and slithering, but he pulled his arm away like a wounded beast.
"Put on your night gown, and take your shawl," he commanded, immediately scrambling into his trousers and boots.
"I can't go half dressed!"
"Can't go half dressed, but you can go, correct?"
He was mocking her, and she met his dark gaze, her height nearly meeting his and her voice strong.
"I'm not afraid."
Severus inwardly shook his head. She should be afraid. This was the man…the thing Emmeline's father had murdered; and now, he had no choice but to take her with him to grovel at the Dark Lord's feet. He thought her courage foolish but would have never told her so, and likewise, kept his own fear hidden, simply answering her with, "How's your Occulemency?"
"As excellent as ever," she replied with pride, now dressed and wrapped tightly beneath her green shawl.
He paused from his dressing and gave her a vexed look.
"Well, Severus, what's our story?"
He stood silently for a moment then said, "We're lovers…We've been caught 'in the act,' and you're soon to be my wife."
"Must we go that far?"
"Emmeline, he will kill you if he thinks I've brought a woman of no consequence to his lair. Do I make myself clear?"
Quickly shrugging into his frock coat, his pride pricked by her tone of voice, he added, "I apologize if you find the thought of marrying me so disgusting that you have trouble even feigning the illusion."
"I merely meant to imply that we should be careful not to entangle ourselves in too many lies. I am certainly not opposed to marrying you."
She gasped as the last line left her lips, her heart betraying the logic of the matter. Severus couldn't help but smirk.
So she has been thinking about me.
"Dear Miss Vance, I fancy that you may be in love with me. Perhaps if we survive the night, I will consider your offer of marriage."
"Severus Snape, that wasn't a proposition!" Emmeline protested.
With the quickness of a viper, he pulled her lithe body to him, cornering her between his body and the bed frame. His long fingers pulled at the locket against her neck, the chain choking her as his low, mesmerized voice whispered her name with unexpected passion.
"Emmeline…" He kissed her neck passionately. "If I asked…"
"Ye--" she began, her heart fluttering like a humming bird; but his shaking hand quickly covered her mouth.
"Don't…" He leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. He didn't want to even imagine a life of redemption with this woman. What could he possibly offer her but a life of lies and pain? The momentary dream faded; and when he finally removed his hand, they looked away from each other.
"Hold tight while we're apparating, and follow my lead," he instructed quietly, and she answered, "Of course" with a nod and her usual elegant reserve.
He wanted to say he was sorry but couldn't find the words. And so, they simply apparated.
"Severus, you've brought a woman!" squeaked the fat, graying man with a silver hand.
"Out of our way, worm!"
Severus casually flicked his wand, and the little man slammed against a bookshelf in the dark, dank hallway with a resounding thud.
Emmeline's heart pounded as she delved deep within herself to find the courage and dignity to hold her head upright. She strode beside Severus into a dark room that seemed to contain only a wing-backed chair and a ghostly green fire. Suddenly, Snape dropped to one knee and Emmeline followed his lead, lowering herself into a deep curtsy. She didn't know to whom or what she bowed.
"Severus Snape, you have indeed brought a woman," a tickled voice hissed. Then a white hand pulled at Snape's open collar.
"And so disheveled, very unlike you. I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"
"We were sleeping, my Lord."
"And will this be some new trend, you bringing your playmates to my private lair every time I summon you?" The man beckoned Severus to stand and Emmeline reluctantly followed.
"No sir, if I may present my fiancé, Emmeline Vance."
She bowed deeply, keeping her eyes downcast.
"We have contracted the Betrollis virus and are unable to separate ourselves. My deepest apologies for this inconvenience."
Voldemort tilted her head upward with a spindly hand, forcing eye contact.
"Hello, Miss Vance."
Her eyes met a man whose skin and bone structure were so stretched and disfigured, he appeared more snake- like than human. Even his eyes held an unearthly red shimmer, dancing around two black-slit pupils.
"It is a great honor to meet you, my Lord."
The man tilted his head, analyzing her; she could feel him in her mind, and it took all her power to focus on her supposed love for Severus. Finally, he turned away from them.
"Lover's flu," the sizzling voice laughed hysterically. "You are the last man alive I would have thought to take a wife."
After a momentary silence, his reached a claw out to his goblet, his gulps resembling that of a snake as much as a human. "Of course, I prefer to know when someone in my inner circle is considering marriage."
Sipping again from the golden cup, his thin eyes were hard and cold on Severus.
"It almost smacks of secrecy. Severus, am I right in saying that we hold no secrets here?"
"None, my Lord."
"If I may, sir."
Emmeline forced herself to speak.
"Although Severus and I have been friends for several years, our newly bourn love affair has been a rather sudden surprise to us both."
The man smiled, but it was not reassuring.
"Tell me, Miss Vance, how does a woman whose father was a drum banger for The Order come to fall in love with a Death Eater?"
Emmeline was going to have to think on her toes.
"My father was a coward. Severus has all my father's talent for potions and none of his weakness for appeasement."
She stroked Snape's arm and gave him the most loving look she could conjure.
"He's no one's puppet. Neither the Ministry's nor Dumbledore's."
She looked Voldemort square in the eye and added, "He is a soldier for a new world order, one that will smite the weak and the cowardly from this earth. I have the utmost pride in knowing my husband's virtuosity and talents are appreciated by the greatest wizard of our time."
"You flatter," Voldemort answered quietly.
"I state only what all of the wizarding world knows but is too afraid to admit. You are our deliverance, and the sooner others realize that, the sooner we can stop pacifying the mudbloods and take our true seat of dominion over England."
A genuine smile crossed Voldemort's face.
"My dear." He leaned forward and kissed her hand. "Beauty does speak truth!"
Then turning to Severus, he added, "You must bring her back, Severus! And graciously allow me to bless your nuptials."
"We would be honored," Severus nodded as Voldemort handed him a parchment tied in black ribbon.
"These are your instructions. And they're not to be shared with anyone, including your wife."
At that, Emmeline cast her eyes downward in submission.
"Read the papers. When you're over this sickness, return alone and give me your assessment."
"Yes, sir."
"Miss Vance, you've chosen wisely."
Any normal listener would immediately believe her words, but this was Voldemort. This was a test. And so she looked directly into the Dark Lord's eyes one last time and smiled like an innocent maid, replying, "Yes, my Lord, I have chosen you wisely."
Apparating back to the gates of Hogwart's, Snape and Emmeline walked up the main path in silence. But upon reaching Snape's flat, Emmeline could no longer contain her exhaustion and did something that she hadn't done in twenty years. She cried – afraid, disgusted, and utterly disappointed in herself.
Whatever would my father think of me?
"Emma," he soothed, touching her hair and attempting to bring her close to his chest. The only women that he had ever made cry were school girls, and he always found their weeping silly and annoying. But her tears elicited an entirely different effect within him. His chest ached, and he had an overwhelming desire to comfort her.
"Don't." She flattened a hand against his chest. "Just don't."
He backed away and did the next best thing, moving to the liquor cabinet where he poured two glasses of firewhiskey.
"Drink," he said, and she did.
Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she finally managed, "You must think me weak for crying…I am so ashamed for what I did."
He braced himself against the cabinet, knowing exactly how she felt. He felt the very same way every time he had to get down on his knees and grovel to the beast.
"You are not weak. You just convinced the most dangerous and perceptive wizard alive that you're carrying his banner, and you did it with dignity and with skill."
But he slowly turned away from her when he added, "As for the shame…that never goes away."
Finally he faced her again, refilling her glass. "Just remember Emmeline. Revenge is a dish best served cold."
As she sipped the liquor, all her heart tasted was revenge for her father, and Severus didn't need Occulemency to see the hate that welled in her eyes.
"It's been twenty years, Severus."
"And for me, six and twenty. Our day will come."
She looked into his dark eyes and realized how much she didn't know about him. He was a Death Eater, a murderer, a man whose life was shaped by hate and bitterness. Was he also a man she could trust?... A man that she could allow herself to love?
tbc