Sweet Merlin I took a long time to post this. Sorry for the wait. It's been a long summer.

So you know, this chapter is somewhat on the smutty side. IF YOU DO NOT PREFER SLASH PLEASE DON'T READ THIS CHAPTER.

Chapter Ten: Desert Candle

Severus kissed her on the forehead and stroked her gorgeous red hair. She seemed like she was straight out of one of those American movies, a painted diva, every eyelash perfectly placed, every freckle made cute, every blemish hidden. "You're beautiful…" he said. He couldn't help asking, "Why do you waste your time with me when you can have whoever you want?"

Her lips stretched and her eyes rolled in some promise of impending ecstasy. Lips that promised more poison for him whispered. "You do know how to complement a woman." She played with his tie coyly.

"It was a sincere question."

"That was a sincere answer." Her hands on his white shirt…

"I'm surprised at you," Severus smirked. His mind kept on jumping to the point of this conversation, to Potter. "The only reason you're with me is because I complement you? Well, you are a haughty thing. And you spend your time accusing Potter of being bigheaded. I'm afraid, my dear, you've made yourself into quite a hypocrite."

He felt her hand on his chest jump at the sound of his name. He had heard, somewhere, of magicians who could read one's thoughts by the slightest touch. The tiny muscle contractions, the small scrape of long fingernails on his collarbone, he wanted to someday master this skill, to know the emotion behind the twitch.

"You like him, don't you?" Severus didn't snarl this time; he didn't want her to shy away. "I hate him, but I can't deny you'd be good together. The two most popular people in the school… why even bother with me? Are you just trying to make him jealous and snap or something?"

"You still think I'm a 'fake hussy' don't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"You haven't proven yourself otherwise," his temper rose. "Potter's crazy for you… quite literally crazy for you. I'm crazy for you. I'm sick of playing the game when I can't see the cards. How do I know that you won't just run to him on a whimsy? How do I know you don't make fun of me behind my back? You hate me don't you? Just say that you hate me!"

Lily just stared.

There was a wetness at the corners of her eyes. She folded her arms. Oh, no, he thought, don't get upset. He had forgotten that this was a woman in front of him, and women should be dealt with care and soft gloves and snuggles. Maybe he had been so used to his father roughhousing his mother that he had lost his better judgment. He knew better than his father, though. He knew not to treat women like crap and make them cry.

So he did something he normally would never do and apologized, "Look, I'm sorry…"

"No," Lily wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Please don't cry, he thought desperately, I'll be nice. "You have every right to… question. If I were you I would be really angry too." She sighed deeply, the wetness retreating back, her twisted face now calm. "I don't hate you at all. You… I like you a lot. But…"

Snape stared.

"I like James too."

His soul deflated a little at that remark, his mind making a whoopy-cushion noise. "Ho-why?" he garbled.

"Is it really so hard to believe that a person can like two people at the same time?" asked Lily.

"Two completely different people who have hated each other since they were five? Yes," Severus said.

"But you're both so…" she trailed off, and Snape had no idea what they both were. "He's athletic and sexy and smart. Sometimes he can be a prick… granted… but once he opens up to me… really opens up, and he doesn't just treat me like some girl who he owns, there's… such a sweet side to him." Snape took this pause in conversation to blow a wet raspberry. "And you," Oh, he really wanted to hear what he was, "You're so sensitive and sweet…" Sensitive? Him? How did he become the sensitive one? Damn it! "And I know that, even though I've had a rough day, you'll stay with me and talk to me about it. You're not scared to stick up for me, and you'll tell it like it is…"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "So I'm not sexy at all, is that it? I'm just… you know… the sensitive one?"

To his surprise, she giggled for at least thirty seconds after that. He then decided that such giggling should be outlawed. "No, you're plenty sexy yourself," she smiled. "You're voice… sometimes…it makes me weak at the knees."

"My voice?" asked Snape.

"Yeah." She blushed into the ceiling. "It's all deep and raspy and smooth… like red wine."

"My voice… is like red wine…" Snape stared. "O…kay…"

"And you're a really hot kisser, too."

"And Potter isn't?"

Lily twirled her hair around her finger, "He's… ok…"

He now had an evil grin from ear to ear.

"What about me?" She had a slight flush from her cheeks to her chest, giving her a heady, after-sex glow. "What's so good about me?" Her cleavage was quite visible when she leaned towards him… it took all of the dignity he had not to drool and stare at it.

"You already know you're the hottest girl in the school. What more do you want?"

"Tell me…" She wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt his nether regions getting interested.

"Should I start with your toes and work my way up?"

She rolled her eyes. "Start with the sexiest thing about me."

Oh shit, Snape gulped. He knew enough about the female mind to know that there was no right answer to this question. If he said something like, 'your eyes' or 'your personality' she would feel dismissed as un-sexy. If he said something like, 'your freaking cleavage' she would feel like some slut, and she'd feel used. "Your… um…hmm…" This was a lot of pressure. What he said next would further impact their relationship forever. He didn't know where to put his hands either. She was leaning against him so his hands kept slipping down her back… towards something-that-he-really-shouldn't-grab. Panicked heartbeats thumped between them. He licked his lips. But then, a genius idea, and a snarky grin, "I really think this question requires further investigation."

She slid against him more. He felt his hands slide lower. But before he could pat himself on the back for such a good answer that was, she said, her red full lips inches from his nose, "Take a guess."

Shit, he thought again. And before he could think he said, "Your thighs."

"My thighs?"

Apparently this was a wrong answer.

"You've barely even seen my thighs, unless you look up my skirt all the time." She raised her eyebrow, almost looking angry.

Oh No, ohnoohnoohno… "No I just… can feel them when you sit next to me…"

"My thighs are fat," she admitted.

"No… they're… warm…" his hands wandered downwards, just below her bum. He could here ringing in his ears. Even covered in the skirt he could feel unbearable heat there. "Probably soft too… but like I said it requires further investigation."

Finally she smiled, "I'll excuse that one for not having enough blood pumping to your brain. What else?"

The overt reference to his cock made him dizzy with lust. "You're lips…"

Silently fulfilling his request, she kissed him. This kiss was even better than last time… there was more wetness, more tongue, more sucking, more arousal. Now he was pressed against the wall. His hands were now blatantly on her arse now. Their tongues battled with sweet rhythm. Thoughts escaped him as the slurping, wet sounds vibrated down his spine. Warmth he had never felt before. Their hips moved slightly together. After a long time of this awkward dance, she sucked his bottom lip and it sprang back with a pop. "Ok, then," and that's all she said before she disappeared again.

Ok, then, thought Severus, what kindof goodbye is that? Why did she leave? She was indeed gone, upon further inspection. He looked downward. It would seem that he now had a Predicament, which had to be handled immediately. He was throbbing. What to do? He gathered his dropped book bag and covered himself, his left hand in his pocket. His minded raced from lack of blood because of his Predicament, Where to? Dorm? No, too far… Dungeons? Still to far… Empty Classroom? No, those have windows. Fuck! He was walking as fast as he could. Bathroom! Bathroombathroombathroom…He suddenly though how useful it would be to have a map of the school, because even though he was a sixth year, he still couldn't remember where everything was, especially with a Predicament.

He practically threw himself into the nearest bathroom and ran into an empty stall. Not the most scenic place to wank, but he could always use his imagination. His cheeks burned as he gingerly pushed down his trousers, feeling awkward, paranoid he would get caught. He sat back against the lid, closing his eyes as he touched himself, imagining Lily's sweet mouth doing forbidden things to him. He stroked up and down his length, growing sweaty with lust. He felt guilty for these perverted images, but he imagined those perfect, perfect lips…

"SIIIIIIIIIIRIUUUUUUSSSSS!" James Potter's voice laughingly rang throughout the bathroom.

Oh No

"What?" Sirius Black answered, sounding annoyed.

Oh…what now? Snape panicked, his heart now pumping painfully, his hand still on his cock. He couldn't really stop. He bit his hand to keep silent and tried to block James' voice out of his ears. His hand, which had frozen, quickened its pace. He rubbed the tip with his thumb, biting hard into his flesh to silence the deep, grumbling moan. Just keep going, he thought, Keep on going…quick, get it over with. He imagined Lily licking him from base to tip…

"Find me a bird to make out with."

A sigh that Severus refused to hear, "James. I'm peeing."

"Later then. We need to get laid."

Yes you do, Snape couldn't help thinking with satisfaction. Lily, focus on Lily… He dreamt of her breasts… her thighs…

"You know I don't sleep around like that anymore," said Sirius.

Pansy.

He could hear Potter rustling his own hair. And then, "Hey, is somebody in here?"

Snape gulped. He tried to sound more Gryffindor. How do you sound more Gryffindor? "Um… yeah…" he made his passionate moan into a deformed grunt. "You're gonnawanna leave soon," His hand slowed on his prick. "This might be bad."

"Ew," said James. "Thanks for the warning."

He grunted. Ignore them… so… close… Lily's lips, Lily's lips, Lily's lips. Her soft body. His... Snape's eyes snapped open. What?

"Wait, who is this?"

But he didn't hear him. The blood was pounding in his ears. His whole body shook and pulsed. He felt the perfection welling up inside him. The humidity and warmth hung around him like a full-body halo. And in the last moment, when his mind couldn't deny it, the image of a man's chest pressed against him, masculine lips against his neck, and James Potter rose into his imagination and he came.

Scratch that.

He came loudly.

James had heard him.

He heard his voice become low and predatorial, "Padfoot, can you wait for me outside?"

"But James…"

"Outside!" he ordered. A pair of feet shuffled passed his door. He knew it was coming, but he still jumped when James cursed the door off his hinges, and he was left with his Predicament straining out of his trousers and covered in his own sticky come. James' eyes, that murky brown on him felt like the layers of dirt on a casket. The graffiti on the walls around him like the clawing fingernail marks of people buried alive. The sun glittered across James' face. His nostrils flared, smelling something or nothing. He was dead.

And then he pounced, like the lion Gryffindor he was, pinning him against the wall of the stall. Snape clawed at him like a woman to break free. James' muscular arms held his wrists over his head and he was reminded of the first time he had kissed Lily. He continued to wriggle against him, which caused James to press their bodies tighter together, until their whole bodies were touching. They were nose to nose. "Growing a crush on me, Snape?" Potter growled.

"Fuck you," Snape hissed, "Fuck you."

"I know you want to. You came yelling my name."

"No I di…"

He couldn't rebuttal. James was kissing him.