Chapter 55. The Last Time

Warning: This chapter is NSFW, enjoy!

"Mr Longbottom, a word about your essay if you please…" Astrid cleared her throat at the end of class, summoning the boy to her desk. Astrid wasted time organising her papers, pretending to route through them for Nevilles 'essay' as she waited for all the students to filter out of her classroom and form their marching lines to their next classes.

"I thought I did a decent job Professor, I I'm sorry if it wasn't up to my usual standard I-" Neville half panicked.

"It's not about your essay Neville, it was fantastic as usual," Astrid breathed, keeping one eye on the door. "I have news."

"Of Harry?" Neville asked in a whisper, leaning close. Astrid nodded.

"He was at Malfoy Manor… he was captured, but… but he got away, and Neville… Luna was there, as prisoner… Harry rescued her somehow… I don't have the details… I just thought you should know." Astrid breathed shakily. Neville nodded in understanding.

"Thanks professor… So, Luna wasn't removed from school… she was taken, like the others… is… is she… okay?" He asked worriedly. His Adam apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed hard.

"I don't have any details, I'm sorry Neville, I hope she is though," Astrid gave the boy a reassuring smile. Neville nodded understandingly.

"We've been preparing you know… for the day when Harry needs us…" He told her in a hushed whisper as he clenched his fists. He thought of the vengeance he would take for Luna, of all the things he would do to the Death Eaters that took her, hurt her.

"Good… that day may be sooner than you think Neville," Astrid breathed.

Alarmingly the door to Astrid's classroom was suddenly kicked open, sending it violently crashing into the stone wall with a loud bang. Astrid and Neville both snapped to the open door-way, where Amycus Carrow stood with a devilish smirk.

"Mr Longbottom," Amycus sneered, stepping into the room. "Don't you have a herbology class to be attending? Why are you not in your line?"

"I just needed to have a word with my student Professor Carrow." Astrid explained firmly, staring him down. Carrow sucked his teeth and looked Neville up and down.

"You know Professor… punishments are meant to be dished out by us, not by you…"

"Who said I was punishing him?" Astrid spat, "I was simply telling him what an amazing essay he wrote, and that I'll be using it as an example for future students and classes."

"Is that so?" Amycus growled, licking his lips. "Off you go then… teacher's pet." Amycus flapped his hand towards the open doorway as he narrowed his eyes on the teenage boy.

"Yes sir." Neville's voice was firm, but he dare not meet the Carrows eyes, instead keeping his gaze low he retreated from the classroom.

"Let's see this amazing essay then professor." Amycus purred as he approached Astrid's desk. Astrid shuffled her papers, her hands trembling slightly, and put them away in her desk drawer.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to show you Professor, the headmaster is expecting me…" Astrid lied as she stood from her desk and smoothed out her skirt. She went to move towards her the open classroom door, but Amycus slinked in her way, blocking the exit.

"Snape can go five minutes without ya… let's have a little chat…" Amycus slithered, he waved his hand to the door, and wandlessly it slammed shut with as much violence as it was opened. Astrid flinched at the noise, her shoulders rising and nose scrunching for a second.

"Do I scare you professor?" Amycus laughed as he rounded Astrid, his eyes wondering up and down her body, taking in her dusky pink knee length dress and matching elbow length embroidered cape which clipped in the front with a floral chain. He plonked himself down in her chair and slammed his boots down atop her desk, leaning back he intertwined his fingers and kissed his teeth as he stared at the pretty young professor.

"Yes." Astrid admitted, he'd accuse her of lying if she said no, and that was not an argument worth having.

"Good." He laughed. "I wanted to have a word with you… about Longbottom coincidentally…"

"What about him?" Astrid asked, trying to mask the nervousness in her voice.

"There's something… suspicious, about that boy."

"I find him to be an excellent student." Astrid said firmly, straightening up her back.

"I know he's been sneaking off, with some of the others… I just don't know where yet… I bet you know though, don't you professor?" The smirk had dropped from Amycus' face, and his blank expression stared at her, terrifyingly from her desk chair.

"I wouldn't have the faintest clue I'm afraid Professor… the students don't confide in me… they don't trust me." Astrid breathed, she technically wasn't lying, most of the students didn't trust her.

"No?" Amycus hummed. "I guess I get that… why would they confide in Headmaster Snapes whore? They detest you almost as much as they detest us," he smirked, by 'us' she knew he meant the death eaters within the school. His words pained her, but they weren't a surprise, nor new.

"Exactly." Astrid choked. "I'm afraid I can't help you Professor Carrow." She turned and began to take her leave but Amycus Carrow voiced his distaste from behind her.

"Ah, ah, ah, I'm not done with you yet." He scolded. Astrid was frozen to the spot, turning her head a fraction to the side she heard the sound of his boots hitting the floor as he stood from his reclined position. Amycus rounded her, with his wand drawn, dragging the end of it across the chiffon fabric of her dusky pink dress, tracing a line around her middle as he circled her.

"You know, now I've had a good look at you… I can see the Avery in you." He spat with a bone chilling laugh.

"You're too young to have known my mother," Astrid eyed him as he circled her. He pursed his lips and nodded.

"You're right, but I went to school, this school, with your brother. Sorry… half-brother," Amycus told her. "You have his foolish Avery pride, think your better than everyone else. Don't ya?"

"I don't."

"You look down on me like I'm the one who's filth," He sneered into her ear, pressing himself against her back. "But you're not better than me, you're nothing, a boot licker, a cock warmer."

"Get away from me!" Astrid snapped, a shiver running down her spine, she jumped away from the death eater and crossed her arms over herself protectively. "You are a heinous disgusting creature Amycus Carrow!"

"Watch your tongue bitch," He hissed, extending his wand hand towards her. "How about I show you something heinous hmm?"

Astrid closed her eyes as she expected to be put under the cruciatus curse, but her blue orbs snapped open at the sound of her classroom door being violently thrust open for a second time that afternoon.

"What is going on here Carrow?" Severus' monotonous voice sneered as he looked down his nose at the man before him. He noted that the death eater had his wand extended towards Astrid, a look of contempt plastered on his face. "I hope you weren't about to curse my little pet Amycus?"

"She has a smart mouth headmaster. I was just… educating her on respecting her superiors." Amycus spat.

"She's not yours to educate or punish Amycus, if you have a problem with Astrid, or any of the staff, you come to me… and I will be the one to dish out the consequences, not you" Severus sneered. "Now make yourself scarce Professor, don't you have a group of vigilante children to catch?"

Amycus sneered at the headmaster, looking Snape up and down he licked his teeth before spitting on the floor in front of Astrid's feet. Then he slowly sauntered from the classroom, holding Severus's stare until his neck could crane no more and he disappeared out of the door and down the corridor.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his back to Astrid as he pressed the door closed quietly.

"Fine." Astrid exhaled with a huff. "I didn't need you to come and rescue me Severus."

Things had been awkward and tense in the last week since Astrid's drunken advances. They hadn't spoken about it. In fact, they had hardly spoke at all, when they did it was short, snappy, uncomfortable. Severus turned to face Astrid, his face blank, giving nothing away.

"I wasn't aware you needed rescuing; I came for a talk."

"Could your talk not wait until I returned to your office?" Astrid's voice was small, exasperated, but laced with annoyance.

"It could have," Snape admitted as he clasped his hands together. "But I thought, as this is your classroom, it is your environment, that it would be better for this talk to happen here, in your space."

"Where is Everly?" Astrid asked crossing her arms across her chest. She completely disregarded all he said, as she knew what talk he wanted to have, and she was not willing to have it, not wanting to relive the shame, choosing instead to steer him elsewhere in conversation.

"With Poppy. Safe." He told her firmly. "Astrid, I detest this tension between us, I wish to discuss it."

"I don't wish to discuss it, Severus." Astrid huffed, she pushed past him, her shoulder brushing his arm as she strode towards the door, pulling it open forcibly and made her way hurriedly towards their chambers.

"Astrid!" Severus scolded as she left the room. "Astrid, come back!" He called after her as she scurried down the corridor. With a frustrated groan he made after the young professor. Following her all the way back to his office. She ignored his beckons and calls, not caring if the Carrow twins saw or heard her disobeying her 'master'.

"Astrid, you are acting like a child." Severus scolded as he entered the office. Astrid was already descending the iron stairs from their chambers into the office, after running straight up there to find it empty of Madam Pomfrey and Everly.

"Where is my daughter Severus?" Astrid asked, her words had an accusatory tone that Severus found, frankly, insulting.

"With Madam Pomfrey… in the hospital wing." Severus elaborated. Astrid rolled her eyes, shaking her head in annoyance she brushed passed the headmaster, with more force this time as she set off to reunite with her daughter after a long day of teaching. Severus, however, whipped his wand from his sleeve and pointed it at the lock of the door, muttering under his breath: "Colloportus,"

When Astrid arrived at the door a fraction of a second later, she pulled on its handle, and to no avail, the door was solidly locked closed. She rattled the handle frustratedly, and in pure vexation she pounded her fist on the wood.

"Unlock this door immediately Severus!" She ordered through gritted teeth.

"Not until we have this conversation." He told her definitively. Astrid let out a frustrated groan and turned to face the headmaster, who stared at her from the centre of the room, his hands clasped firmly together.

"I don't want to discuss it Severus, please." She groaned as she leant her head back against the door. Astrid could already feel her cheeks heating up with shame as she thought back to that night. Her drunken antics, foolish words. She wished she had actually been more drunk, and that way would have not remembered the rejection, the embarrassment, the humiliation.

"You would have me spend my last few months on this earth embroiled in this tension?" Severus asked, with his brows cocked.

"That's not fair." Astrid sighed, shaking her head, her skull rolling on the hard wood of the office door.

"All is fair in love and war Astrid." Astid rolled her eyes at his mocking words.

"What do you want me to say Severus?" She swallowed. "That I wish you had never revealed that you love me?"

"If that is what you honestly feel, then yes, say that." His deep voice vibrated in her very fibre as he slowly stepped towards her. "Is that what you feel?"

"No, yes… I don't know." Astrid sighed. "Yes… I wish that."

"Then I apologise, for telling you." He said averting his gaze to her pink heeled loafers.

"I have never felt so embarrassed Severus, than when you rejected me that night, urgh I feel it now, shame, hot and pink in my cheeks." Astrid groaned as she held the back of her hand to her blushing cheek.

"Was it general rejection… or because it was me that rejected you, that has you twisted like this?" He asked with narrowed eyes as he stepped towards her.

"I don't know," Astrid breathed, she rolled her lips together, biting them nervously as she directed her gaze elsewhere, away from the approaching headmaster. "Why did you turn me down?" She asked breathily, her voice barely audible above her deep breaths.

"You were inebriated, in no state to consent, and… you were in pain, wounded by the news of Lucius' deeds."

"You thought I didn't mean it, didn't want it? I was sound of mind Severus." Astrid spat, annoyed at the idea of him thinking her too drunk to be in control of herself. She was hardly that intoxicated.

"It wouldn't have been right; you would have regretted your actions come morning."

"If I was sober, would you have then?" Astrid asked with narrowed eyes. Severus' lips pursed together with a slight twitch.

"No." he said honestly. She tried to tell herself it didn't matter, that she didn't care, she had Lucius, she didn't need Severus, his rejection meant nothing. But then why did it feel like a dagger to the heart?

"Why not?" She whispered.

"Because I cannot have you Astrid,"

"I offered-"

"You do not love me Astrid… not like you love him," Snape shook his head with a sigh.

"I could-"

"Lucius loves you, and you him, you will marry and together you will watch your children grow, have beautiful lives together… how could I in good conscious ruin that for you… again?" Severus cut off words he knew she would regret in time. Tears pooled in her blue eyes as he finally arrived at her feet. He lifted a hand to her cheek, catching a rolling tear as it ran over her freckled skin.

"I do not want to love him Severus," Astrid breathed, her lip quivering along with her voice. "I thought he would change, that I could change him…"

"It is hard now, but when the war is over, things will be better Astrid, he will be better."

"I wish I had chosen you, fallen for you… you are the better man Severus." Astrid admitted. Severus looked deep in her eyes, and searched for truth to her words, he found it.

"We cannot weep and wonder what might have been Astrid."

"It still could be-" Astrid started.

"For how long? Four months? Five? We would have until the Dark Lord strikes me down, and then you will be solemn, lonely. I cannot give you what you deserve Astrid, not in this life." Severus told her firmly, though it killed him inside to do so. For years now he had wanted to hear these words from her, have her fretting over him, over them. But it was too late. Their fates had been signed, sealed and delivered since she had first entered the harrowed halls of Hogwarts.

"And Lucius can?" She questioned with furrowed brows. "Every time I trust him… he gives me another reason not to!"

"He cherishes you; he is willing to kill for you, die for you… I should never have told you of my true feelings Astrid, I am sorry. I have forked a path for you that you cannot go down, no matter how much you want to, or think you want to. I am sorry, I never meant to… confuse you, like this."

"I am not confused." Astrid pursed her lips stubbornly, his eyes flashed to her full pout.

"You are not thinking straight, you're clouded with-"

Astrid grew tired of Severus' words, and silenced him with a deep kiss. At first, he did not kiss her back, he tried to fight it, he moved his hands to her arms to push her away, but only found himself submitting to his desires, and deepening the kiss.

"You will regret-" Severus breathed against her lips as he pulled away for a second.

"Shut up Severus," Astrid breathed back, scolding him as she reignited their kiss. Severus backed Astrid up into the door, pressing himself against her as he followed Astrid's instructions and ignored his calculated, logical side. She moaned into his mouth as he picked her up with ease, and she coiled her legs around his waist, running her hands through his dark locks she snaked her arms around his neck and held him tight. Severus pulled her away from the wall, carrying her up towards their chambers as they explored each other's mouths with desperation. Before Astrid knew it Severus had dropped her onto the bed, her dusky pink dress gathered at her hips and waist, revealing baby blue floral lace panties guarding her core. She kicked off her loafers and pushed herself further onto the bed.

Severus wasted no time by undressing, instead he pulled out his wand and cast a spell Astrid had never heard of, which removed his clothes instantaneously from his body, the fabric swooped into a folded pile on the floor.

"I think I need to learn that one," Astrid breathed with a small laugh as she eyed his erection and inhaled sharply. Severus climbed over her slowly, drinking in the sight of her below him. He discarded his wand, throwing it down towards the neat pile of clothes, opting not to use the spell on Astrid, he wanted to take his time, savour undressing her. He unclipped her short, embroidered cape and pulled it from under her, disposing of it on the floor somewhere as he kissed from her lips to her chin and along her jawline. His teeth grazed her supple skin as he hungrily devoured her, covering her jaw and neck in kisses.

His hands explored the soft silky fabric of her dress, wrapping around her back he unbuttoned the fastening at the back of her neck and slowly pulled the garment over her body and up above her head. Now only clad in her matching underwear Severus kissed down from her neck to her breasts, sucking and scraping at the skin on her collarbones.

"Are you sure?" He whispered against her soft flesh.

"I'm sure." She told him firmly as she pressed a hand to the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his dark hair she pushed him into her breasts where he kissed at skin as he fiddled with the clasps at the back of her floral blue bra. Finally freeing her chest of the restrictive garment, he pressed his face between her breasts, kissing down her sternum he made his way to her stomach, where his nose tickled her sensitive spots, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake as he kissed and sucked at her delicate skin.

"Severus!" Astrid whined as her body trembled at his teasing and ticklish touch. His lips curved into a small smile against the skin of her toned abdomen before moving lower, running his hands down her sides he hooked a finger in her panty at both hips and slowly pulled down her last item of clothing, he ran the lacey fabric down over her smooth legs and pulled it from her feet. Slowly he lowered himself to her sex, parting her legs with his hands she obliged instantly, opening wide for him as sunk his face between her legs. Astrid gasped as Severus placed a delicate kiss upon her entrance, and then upon her clitoris. He placed another, and another, the kisses deepening as he sucked upon her little bud, causing her to gasp and squirm beneath him. His hands held her hips firmly, stopping her from wriggling away from his kisses.

"S-stop teasing me!" Astrid pleaded, as she gripped the sheets with white knuckles.

"Stop being so impatient." Severus murmured against her folds. His tongue caressed, licked and swirled, Astrid's face grew hot, a burning tension building in her abdomen, it built, built, and built until Severus rewarded Astrid with her release. She shivered, trembled and shuddered, her legs shaking beneath his hold as she rode the waves of her orgasm, moaning and whimpering helplessly.

He was tempted to look into her mind in that moment of pure bliss, when she was defenceless to his skills as a legilimens, but he fought that particular temptation… anxious about potential disappointment, in the event that it would not be him on her mind.

Severus pulled back as Astrid's struggle beneath him ceased and her laboured breaths steadied into slow and heavy pants for air. He crawled up and over the young woman, his eyes tracing every curve of her body, committing them to memory. He rests an elbow by her face and stroked down her now tangled blonde waves. Her cheeks glowed pink, her skin illuminated with a fine sheen of sweat. She had never looked more beautiful than that moment, completely undone and vulnerable beneath him. He kissed her delicately on her full pink lips, and Astrid sighed into the kiss, relinquishing herself to him.

Severus using one hand, steadied his cock at her entrance, rubbing the head against her soaked folds, earning a gasp from Astrid. With a groan he entered her, pushing all the way in with one slow thrust, parting her walls inch by inch. Astrid gasped again, her breathy release followed by whimpers and whines as he stretched her around him.

"Shh, good girl." He cooed in her ear, she turned her face away from him, opening her neck to him. Severus placed soft kisses behind her ear and along her sweet spot as he slowly rolled his hips against her. Astrid's whines soon turned to moans and cries of pleasure. Severus kept his pace slow as he buried himself deep inside her with every thrust, he knew Astrid wanted him to quicken his pumps but he wanted to drink every thrust in. He didn't want to just fuck her, he wanted to make love to her, meaningfully.

"Oh, S-Severus," Astrid moaned as pleasure built up inside her once again. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her thighs resting on his hips, her ankles crossed behind him, they rolled against each other in perfect synchronisation. Severus kissed her passionately and deeply on the lips as his own pleasure began to near the peak, his thrusts became more and more erratic, his thighs beginning to tremble.

He could feel her walls twitching around him, she was so close. Her breathy pants against his lips only drove him further towards his release.

"S-Severus," Astrid moaned, staring into his eyes. Severus could have got lost in those blue orbs, they pulled him in, inviting him to take her. "Severus I-I-I'm so close!" She gasped. Severus couldn't muster the words to reply, but he didn't need to, Astrid could tell he would be joining her in waves of pleasure by his strained groans and heavy breaths. With three more thrusts Astrid was pushed over the edge, crying out her walls fluttered and tightened around him. Her back arched, blue eyes rolling back into her head. Severus met his orgasm now; with shattered breaths he released his seed into her and a small explosion rocketed through his body as his hands arms and legs quivered for a moment.

Severus rolled off of Astrid, avoiding collapsing on and crushing the petite woman. His pale chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes closed for just a second whilst he gathered himself. Astrid's turned onto her side, her face and body glistening with sweat, chest falling and rising quickly. She pressed a shaking hand to her chest and pleaded with her heart to slow down, to stop painfully exploding within her.

Severus turned his head, his eyes meeting Astrids, they stared at each other for a long while, neither felt the urge or need to say anything. Laid next to each other, not touching, they felt so far away from each other, yet so incredibly and intimately close. Astrid swallowed hard, taking a deep breath, as she came down from her adrenalin induced high her eyes saddened.

"That was the last time, Astrid… never again." Severus told her in a firm whisper. He prepared himself for a fight, an argument, tears and shouts. Instead, he was met with her sad eyes, her stunning face nodding in agreement.

"The last time." She agreed in a breathy whisper.