The whole castle talked about nothing but Severus and Florence's break up.

Right after breakfast, someone told Severus that Sirius Black had already asked Florence to be his date for that night's Ball.

When he heard that, his blood boiled and fear took control of his heart: his nightmare was becoming real. He needed to know if Florence had accepted the dog's invitation.

So, just after lunch, Severus followed Florence and got her alone in the Slytherin common room.

"Are you still going to the Ball with me?" he promptly asked.

She crossed her arms over her breasts and looked at him, replying: "Yes. Tonight is our last night in the castle before summer vacation. And..." Florence paused and he could see the pain in her eyes as she spoke next: "It'll also be our last night as a couple."

His heart rate spiked at her words, moving towards her quickly, he asked: "So we're still a couple at the moment?"

Florence nodded once and he wrapped his arms around her, not giving her a second to think, bringing his lips to hers, thrusting his tongue into her mouth like a man on a mission – and said mission was to steal her breath.

She knew she should push him away but a little voice in her head reminded her that would most likely be their last kiss - and she needed it. She fisted her hands in his hair and kissed him back as desperately as he kissed her.

in seconds he had her pinned against the Common Room wall, spells cast around them (Hominem occultare and Muffliato), her legs wrapped around his hips.

He pulled her soaked knickers to the side and made love to her right there, both half-dressed, magically hidden from their housemates by the spells.

Once they were both spent, he kissed her lovingly, "Flor," he whispered over her lips, pain clear in his voice, "Are we really over?"

He saw her wince before she replied: "Yes," her eyes letting him see the pain that acknowledgment was causing her.

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" he asked, touching her face.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head, reminding herself that he'd be working closely to her father and she couldn't risk him finding out about them - it would be dangerous to him, "I've already given you many chances, Severus. You threw them all away. After the Ball, we're over."

He silently nodded and helped her put her legs down, fixing the straps of her dress. But he didn't let go of her waist, her legs were too shaky to hold her up, so he held her close, taking full advantage of those precious minutes by kissing her mouth, making her whimper against his lips.

Florence kissed him back with as much feeling and sorrow as he was kissing her, both making the most of that which was most likely their last time in each other's arms.

Once Florence felt her legs had stopped shaking, she forced herself to push him away: "Let me go, Severus," and he did, noticing the tears in her eyes.

He felt his own heart breaking a little more, "Flor-"

"Don't," she interrupted him with a glare.

He sighed dejectedly and said: "See you here at seven?"

"Seven it is," she agreed before walking to her dormitory.

Later

Florence stood alone in the bathroom, dressed only in the dark-blue bra and knickers, staring at her reflection in the large mirror.

Bringing her hands to the lace of her brassiere, a sad sigh left her lips; she had chosen that set for him, but he'd never get to see it now.

The lace of the two-piece set looked gorgeous against the cream colour of her unblemished skin - well mostly-unblemished for a dark red mark sat on her neck as a reminder of what Severus and she had done in the common room hours earlier.

Florence wiped some tears that escaped the corner of her eyes and finished getting dressed for the Ball.

7 p.m.

Severus watched Florence getting out of the girls' dormitory, a long dark-blue dress, with short sleeves, hugged her curves perfectly, her hair was up in a messy bun, and she had some light make up on.

She looked gorgeous, and he was proud to think that some of that glow was due to the orgasm he had given her earlier.

She walked towards him, her smile beautiful but he could tell it didn't reach her eyes.

"You look perfect," he said when she stopped in front of him.

"Thank you," she looked at him, noticing how good he looked in his brand-new formal robes.

He looked good enough to be licked from top to bottom; she immediately pictured herself on her knees in front of him fully dressed like that, unfastening his expensive trousers- she couldn't hide the shiver of desire that took over her, and he obviously didn't miss it.

Severus didn't even try to stop himself from taking a step towards her; he put his hands on her waist, kissing her lips slowly, feeling her hands on his chest, their tongues dancing together, making them both want for a repeat of that afternoon's lovemaking.

But Florence stopped the kiss, "We should go."

He just nodded, offering her his arm, and they walked to the Great Hall in silence.

They sat with Remus, Lily and James.

Florence talked to her friends as she usually did, while Severus stayed mostly quiet, only talking when he was spoken to.

"Hey!" Florence suddenly exclaimed, "What is that on your finger, Lily?"

Lily blushed, touching the ring and glancing at James.

"I asked her to marry me," he answered, touching Lily's face lovingly, "And she said yes!"

Florence squealed happily and hugged both her friends: "Oh! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Never thought you'd have the balls to do it, Potter," said Severus, shaking his friend's hand, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Said James, smiling, "You're both partially responsible for this so- really, thank you."

"Don't mention it," said Florence, "Have you already decided on a date?"

"Yes. March 11th. When it's not so cold anymore," said Lily.

"But that's less than a year from now. Why so soon?" Florence asked, looking at Lily, "Are you pregnant?"

"No, no! It's just... with the war getting worse everyday, we think it's best not to waste a single moment," Lily explained.

"I'll start my auror training as soon as we finish Hogwarts and we'd like to be married before that," added James.

Florence nodded, applauding how they wanted to put their relationship first; she glanced at Severus, her mind filling up with dreams of their wedding – and a dream that's all it would ever be.

Then a slow song began and James stood up, charmingly taking Lily to the dancefloor.

"They're perfect for each other," Florence said softly, "She makes him control his impulses and want to be a better person."

"What does he do for her?"

"He grounds her," Florence smiled, "He is practical. And he obviously loves her."

Severus could see the pain in Florence's eyes, the longing for things they wouldn't have anymore.

Before he could stop himself, he brought her left hand to his lips, kissing her empty ring finger, wishing he could put an engagement ring there, as beautiful as Lily's.

But Florence yanked her hand away from his mouth, anger mixing with the pain in her emerald eyes, "Don't," she growled, "Don't you dare make promises you can't keep."

He looked at the dancefloor, wishing he could change his life, wishing he could give her the wedding she had dreamed of.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked after a while.

"We'd better not," she replied cuttingly.

He understood her opposition but he wanted to hold her once more, "Just one dance, Flor," Severus whispered in her ear.

She let out a heavy sigh and nodded, admitting to herself that she wanted to feel his arms around her one last time; so they joined the other couples on the dancefloor.

Severus held her close, his eyes never leaving hers, the emerald-green getting lighter with desire and anger.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Don't say that anymore," Florence said, closing her eyes, touching her forehead to his chest. Then she whispered: "Promise me you won't ever mention my name to your Death Eater friends."

He frowned, finding her request strange.

"Promise me, Severus," she repeated, looking up into his eyes, fearing that if he ever mentioned anything to anyone close to her father, he'd be murdered.

He nodded, "I promise."

"If Travers or anyone ever mentions our relationship, you must deny it," she continued.

"Alright," Severus agreed, even though he found her request weird, but he thought that maybe she didn't want her childhood friends to know she'd had a relationship with him.

As he had already hurt her enough, Severus thought he couldn't deny her such a small promise.

Once the slow music ended, Florence walked towards Lily and James and said her goodbyes.

"Will I see you on the train tomorrow?" Severus asked as he followed her out of the Great Hall towards the dungeons.

"No. I'll be going home tonight."

He seemed surprised by that, "You won't spend summer with my mother?" he had hoped he'd still see her at his house.

"No," Florence shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea anymore."

They entered the Slytherin Common Room.

"Florence," Severus held her arm, making her turn to face him, "I'm sorry."

"Are you, really?" she was angry, pulling her arm out of his grasp, "Why? Now you'll be able to go to as many death eater meetings as you want! And brew them all the potions you can sell! Without having to wait for my Quidditch practices to start working!" she shook her head, hating that she could feel tears gathering in her eyes - the emotional toll of that day finally catching up to her, "You'll be free to date whomever you want too," she finished in a broken whisper and walked to her dormitory to change her clothes and grab her things.

Severus watched her go, knowing more than ever that he didn't want any of the things she'd just pointed out he could have now.

He only wanted her.

As she undressed in the empty dorm, Florence remembered her original plans for that dress, how she had dreamed of Severus' elegant hands lowering her zipper, his dark eyes glinting as he revealed the beautiful lace underwear.

She sighed, the pain of not being his and not being able to call him hers anymore was already affecting her physically.

She forced herself to stop thinking about what she couldn't have anymore and put on a simpler dress, packing the blue one. Then she shrank all her luggage and put them in her pocket.

When she walked back to the common room, Severus was still there.

She didn't say anything, there was nothing else she could say or do that would save their relationship.

If he was going to work for her father, being together meant risking his life, and she didn't even dare to imagine what it would feel like to live on if he died.

Severus could feel her pain, her longing, he even saw in her mind her curvaceous body covered in nothing but a sexy dark-blue lingerie – it seemed the Enchantment was connecting their minds even deeper after their break up.

He could see how she had envisioned their night going, the way she'd wished him to pleasure her until she screamed.

Damn it.

Then she walked back into the common room and just glanced at him once before turning and leaving.